Meaning to keep her closely at my cell,
Till I conveniently could send to Romeo:
But when I came, some minute ere the time
Of her awaking, here untimely lay
The noble Paris and true Romeo dead.
She wakes; and I entreated her come forth,
And bear this work of heaven with patience:
But then a noise did scare me from the tomb;
And she, too desperate, would not go with me,
But, as it seems, did violence on herself.
All this I know; and to the marriage
Her nurse is privy: and, if aught in this
Miscarried by my fault, let my old life
Be sacrificed, some hour before his time,
Unto the rigour of severest law.

260

Prince. We still have known thee for a holy man.

270

Where's Romeo's man? what can he say in this? Bal. I brought my master news of Juliet's death;

And then in post he came from Mantua
To this same place, to this same monument.
This letter he early bid me give his father,
And threaten'd me with death, going in the
vault,

If I departed not and left him there.

Prince. Give me the letter; I will look on it. Where is the county's page, that raised the watch?

Sirrah, what made your master in this place? 280
Page.
He came with flowers to strew his
lady's grave;

And bid me stand aloof, and so I did:

Anon comes one with light to ope the tomb;
And by and by my master drew on him;
And then I ran away to call the watch.
Prince. This letter doth make good the friar's
words,

Their course of love, the tidings of her death:
And here he writes that he did buy a poison
Of a poor 'pothecary, and therewithal
Came to this vault to die, and lie with Juliet. 290
Where be these enemies? Capulet! Monta-
gue!

See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with
love.

And I for winking at your discords too
Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punish'd.
Cap. O brother Montague, give me thy hand:
This is my daughter's jointure, for no more
Can I demand.

300

Mon. But I can give thee more: For I will raise her statue in pure gold; That while Verona by that name is known, There shall no figure at such rate be set As that of true and faithful Juliet. Cap. As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie; Poor sacrifices of our enmity!

Prince. A glooming peace this morning with it brings;

The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head: Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished: For never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo. [Exeunt. 310

Poet. Good day, sir. Pain.

I am glad you're well.

Poet. I have not seen you long: how goes the world?

Pain. It wears, sir, as it grows.
Poet.

Ay, that's well known:
But what particular rarity? what strange,
Which manifold record not matches? See,
Magic of bounty! all these spirits thy power
Hath conjured to attend. I know the merchant.
Pain. I know them both; th' other's a jeweller.
Mer. O, 'tis a worthy lord.
Ferw.
Nay, that's most fix'd.
Mer. A most incomparable man, breathed, as
it were,

To an untirable and continuate goodness:
He passes.

Few. I have a jewel here

IO

Mer. O, pray, let's see't: for the Lord Timon, sir?

Jew. If he will touch the estimate: but, for that

Poet. [Reciting to himself] 'When we for recompense have praised the vile, It stains the glory in that happy verse Which aptly sings the good."

Mer.

'Tis a good form. [Looking at the jewel. Jew. And rich: here is a water, look ye. Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication

CAPHIS, PHILOTUS,

TITUS,

servants to Timon's creditors.

LUCIUS,

HORTENSIUS,

And others,

A Page. A Fool. Three Strangers.
PHRYNIA,

TIMANDRA, mistresses to Alcibiades.

Cupid and Amazons in the mask.

Other Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Banditti, and Attendants.

SCENE: Athens, and the neighbouring woods.

Pain. A picture, sir. When comes your book forth?

Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment, sir. Let's see your piece.

'Tis a good piece.

Pain.
Poet. So 'tis: this comes off well and excellent.
Pain. Indifferent.

Poet.

Admirable: how this grace 30 Speaks his own standing! what a mental power This eye shoots forth! how big imagination Moves in this lip! to the dumbness of the gesture One might interpret.

Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Here is a touch; is't good?

Poet.

I will say of it,

It tutors nature: artificial strife
Lives in these touches, livelier than life.

Enter certain Senators, and pass over.
Pain. How this lord is follow'd!
Poet. The senators of Athens: happy man!
Pain. Look, more!

41

Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors.

I have, in this rough work, shaped out a man,
Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug
With amplest entertainment: my free drift
Halts not particularly, but moves itself
In a wide sea of wax: no levell'd malice
Infects one comma in the course I hold;
But flies an eagle flight, bold and forth on,
Leaving no tract behind.

50

Pain. How shall I understand you? Poet. I will unbolt to you. You see how all conditions, how all minds, As well of glib and slippery creatures as Of

grave and austere quality, tender down' Their services to Lord Timon: his large fortune Upon his good and gracious nature hanging Subdues and properties to his love and tendance All sorts of hearts; yea, from the glass-faced flat

terer

To Apemantus, that few things loves better
Than to abhor himself: even he drops down 60

Old Ath. Tim.

Enter an old Athenian.
Lord Timon, hear me speak.

Freely, good father. 110 Old Ath. Thou hast a servant named Lucilius. Tim. I have so: what of him?

Old Ath. Most noble Timon, call the man before thee.

Tim. Attends he here, or no? Lucilius!
Luc. Here, at your lordship's service.

Old Ath. This fellow here, Lord Timon, this thy creature,

By night frequents my house. I am a man
That from my first have been inclined to thrift;
And my estate deserves an heir more raised
Than one which holds a trencher.

Tim.
Well; what further? 120
Old Ath. One only daughter have I, no kin
else,

On whom I may confer what I have got:
The maid is fair, o' the youngest for a bride,
And I have bred her at my dearest cost
In qualities of the best. This man of thine
Attempts her love: I prithee, noble lord,
Join with me to forbid him her resort;
Myself have spoke in vain.

Tim.
The man is honest.
Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon:
His honesty rewards him in itself;
It must not bear my daughter.
Tim.

130

Does she love him?
Old Ath. She is young and apt:
Our own precedent passions do instruct us
What levity's in youth.

Tim. [To Lucilius] Love you the maid?
Luc. Ay, my good lord, and she accepts of it.
Old Ath. If in her marriage my consent be
missing,

I call the gods to witness, I will choose
Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world,
And dispossess her all.

Tim.

How shall she be endow'd, If she be mated with an equal husband? 140 Old Ath. Three talents on the present; in

future, all.

tus?

Apem. The best, for the innocence.

Tim. Wrought he not well that painted it? 200 Apem. He wrought better that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work. Pain. You're a dog.

Apem. Thy mother's of my generation: what's she, if I be a dog?

Tim. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus?
Apem. No; I eat not lords.

Tim. An thou shouldst, thou 'ldst anger ladies. Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies.

210

Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension. Apem. So thou apprehendest it: take it for thy labour.

Enter ALCIBIADES, with the rest.

Most welcome, sir!

Apem.

So, so, there!

Aches contract and starve your supple joints! That there should be small love mongst these sweet knaves,

And all this courtesy! The strain of man's bred

Sec. Lord. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast?

270

Apem. Ay, to see meat fill knaves and wine heat fools.

Sec. Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well. Apem. Thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice. Sec. Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee none.

First Lord. Hang thyself!

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make thy requests to thy friend.

Sec. Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence! 281 Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' the [Exit. First Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall we in,

ass.

And taste Lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes
The very heart of kindness.

Sec. Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold,

Is but his steward: no meed, but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All use of quittance.

First Lord.

290

The noblest mind he carries

That ever govern'd man.

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Tim. Fie, thou'rt a churl; ye've got a humour there

Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame. They say, my lords, 'ira furor brevis est;' but yond man is ever angry. Go, let him have a table by himself, for he does neither affect company, nor is he fit for 't, indeed. 31 Apem. Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon: I come to observe; I give thee warning on't.

Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou'rt an Athenian, therefore welcome: I myself would have no power; prithee, let my meat make thee silent.

Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should ne'er flatter thee. O you gods, what a number of men eat Timon, and he sees 'em not! It grieves me to see so many dip their meat in one man's blood; and all the madness is, he cheers them up too.

I wonder men dare trust themselves with men:

Shall we in?

Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter LORD TIMON, ALCIBIADES, Lords, Senators, and VENTIDIUS. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly, like himself.

Ven. Most honour'd Timon,

Good for their meat, and safer for their lives. There's much example for 't; the fellow that sits next him now, parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him in a divided draught, is the readiest If I were man to kill him: 't has been proved. a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous Great men should drink with harness on their

notes:

throats.

51

Tim. My lord, in heart; and let the health go round.

Sec. Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Apem. Flow this way! A brave fellow! he keeps his tides well. Those healths will make

which is too weak to be a sinner, honest water, which ne'er left man i' the mire:

60