PERSONS REPRESENTED. TIMON, a noble Athenian. LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, lords, and flatterers of Timon. SEMPRONIUS, VENTIDIUS, one of Timon's false friends. HORTENSIUS, Two Servants of Varro, and the Servant of Isidore; two of Timon's creditors. CUPID and Maskers. Three Strangers. Poet, Painter, Jeweller and Merchant. Other Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Thieves, and Attendants. TIMON OF ATHENS. ACT THE FIRST. SCENE I. Athens. A Hall in Timon's House. Enter Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Merchant, and others at several Doors. Poet. GOOD day, sir. Pain. I am glad you are well. Poet. I have not seen you long; How goes the world? Pain. It wears sir, as it grows. Ay, that's well known: Poet. Jew. Nay, that's most fix'd.. Mer. A most incomparable man; breath'd', as it were, To an untirable and continuate' goodness: He passes.3 Jew. I have a jewel here. Inured by constant practice. 2 Continual. Mer. O, pray, let's see't: For the lord Timon, sir? Jew. If he will touch the estimate: But, for thatPoet. When we for recompense have prais'd the vile, It stains the glory in that happy verse Which aptly sings the good. Mer. 'Tis a good form. you. Jew. And rich: here is a water, look Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication To the great lord. Poet. A thing slipp'd idly from me. Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes From whence 'tis nourished: The fire i'the flint book forth? Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment*, sir. Let's see your piece. Pain. 'Tis a good piece. Poet. So 'tis this comes off well and excellent. Pain. Indifferent. Poet. Admirable: How this grace 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'll say of it, It tutors nature: artificial strife' Lives in these touches, livelier than life. 4 As soon as my book has been presented to Timon. 'i.e. The contest of art with nature. Enter certain Senators, and Pain. How this lord's follow'd! pass over. Poet. The senators of Athens:-Happy men! Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors. I have, in this rough work, shap'd out a man, Pain. How shall I understand you? terer 7 To Apemantus, that few things loves better Pain. I saw them speak together. Poet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill, Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd: The base o'the mount Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures, 6 My design does not stop at any particular character. 7 One who shows by reflection the looks of his patron. To advance their conditions of life.. VOL. VIII. Whose eyes are on this sovereign lady fix'd, Pain. 'Tis conceiv'd to scope. This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks, To climb his happiness, would be well express'd Poet. Nay, sir, but hear me on: All those which were his fellows but of late, Make sacred even his stirrop, and through him Pain. Ay, marry, what of these? Poet. When Fortune, in her shift and change of mood, Spurns down her late belov'd, all his dependants, A thousand moral paintings I can show That shall demonstrate these quick blows of fortune Trumpets sound. Enter TIMON, attended; the Servant of VENTIDIUS talking with him. Tim. Imprison'd is he, say you? Ven. Serv. Ay, my good lord: five talents is his debt; His means most short, his creditors most strait: |