SCENE III. Woods and cave, near the seashore. Timon of Athens  Shakespeare homepage  |  Timon of Athens  | Act 4, Scene 3 

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 Enter TIMON, from the cave  O blessed breeding sun, draw from the earth 

 Rotten humidity; below thy sister's orb 

 Infect the air! Twinn'd brothers of one womb, 

 Whose procreation, residence, and birth, 

 Scarce is dividant, touch them with several fortunes; 

 The greater scorns the lesser: not nature, 

 To whom all sores lay siege, can bear great fortune, 

 But by contempt of nature. 

 Raise me this beggar, and deny 't that lord; 

 The senator shall bear contempt hereditary, 

 The beggar native honour. 

 It is the pasture lards the rother's sides, 

 The want that makes him lean. Who dares, who dares, 

 In purity of manhood stand upright, 

 And say 'This man's a flatterer?' if one be, 

 So are they all; for every grise of fortune 

 Is smooth'd by that below: the learned pate 

 Ducks to the golden fool: all is oblique; 

 There's nothing level in our cursed natures, 

 But direct villany. Therefore, be abhorr'd 

 All feasts, societies, and throngs of men! 

 His semblable, yea, himself, Timon disdains: 

 Destruction fang mankind! Earth, yield me roots! 



 Digging  Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate 

 With thy most operant poison! What is here? 

 Gold? yellow, glittering, precious gold? No, gods, 

 I am no idle votarist: roots, you clear heavens! 

 Thus much of this will make black white, foul fair, 

 Wrong right, base noble, old young, coward valiant. 

 Ha, you gods! why this? what this, you gods? Why, this 

 Will lug your priests and servants from your sides, 

 Pluck stout men's pillows from below their heads: 

 This yellow slave 

 Will knit and break religions, bless the accursed, 

 Make the hoar leprosy adored, place thieves 

 And give them title, knee and approbation 

 With senators on the bench: this is it 

 That makes the wappen'd widow wed again; 

 She, whom the spital-house and ulcerous sores 

 Would cast the gorge at, this embalms and spices 

 To the April day again. Come, damned earth, 

 Thou common whore of mankind, that put'st odds 

 Among the route of nations, I will make thee 

 Do thy right nature. 



 March afar off  Ha! a drum ? Thou'rt quick, 

 But yet I'll bury thee: thou'lt go, strong thief, 

 When gouty keepers of thee cannot stand. 

 Nay, stay thou out for earnest. 



 Keeping some gold 

 Enter ALCIBIADES, with drum and fife, in warlike manner; PHRYNIA and TIMANDRA  ALCIBIADES  What art thou there? speak. 

 TIMON  A beast, as thou art. The canker gnaw thy heart, 

 For showing me again the eyes of man! 

 ALCIBIADES  What is thy name? Is man so hateful to thee, 

 That art thyself a man? 

 TIMON  I am Misanthropos, and hate mankind. 

 For thy part, I do wish thou wert a dog, 

 That I might love thee something. 

 ALCIBIADES  I know thee well; 

 But in thy fortunes am unlearn'd and strange. 

 TIMON  I know thee too; and more than that I know thee, 

 I not desire to know. Follow thy drum; 

 With man's blood paint the ground, gules, gules: 

 Religious canons, civil laws are cruel; 

 Then what should war be? This fell whore of thine 

 Hath in her more destruction than thy sword, 

 For all her cherubim look. 

 PHRYNIA  Thy lips rot off! 

 TIMON  I will not kiss thee; then the rot returns 

 To thine own lips again. 

 ALCIBIADES  How came the noble Timon to this change? 

 TIMON  As the moon does, by wanting light to give: 

 But then renew I could not, like the moon; 

 There were no suns to borrow of. 

 ALCIBIADES  Noble Timon, 

 What friendship may I do thee? 

 TIMON  None, but to 

 Maintain my opinion. 

 ALCIBIADES  What is it, Timon? 

 TIMON  Promise me friendship, but perform none: if thou 

 wilt not promise, the gods plague thee, for thou art 

 a man! if thou dost perform, confound thee, for 

 thou art a man! 

 ALCIBIADES  I have heard in some sort of thy miseries. 

 TIMON  Thou saw'st them, when I had prosperity. 

 ALCIBIADES  I see them now; then was a blessed time. 

 TIMON  As thine is now, held with a brace of harlots. 

 TIMANDRA  Is this the Athenian minion, whom the world 

 Voiced so regardfully? 

 TIMON  Art thou Timandra? 

 TIMANDRA  Yes. 

 TIMON  Be a whore still: they love thee not that use thee; 

 Give them diseases, leaving with thee their lust. 

 Make use of thy salt hours: season the slaves 

 For tubs and baths; bring down rose-cheeked youth 

 To the tub-fast and the diet. 

 TIMANDRA  Hang thee, monster! 

 ALCIBIADES  Pardon him, sweet Timandra; for his wits 

 Are drown'd and lost in his calamities. 

 I have but little gold of late, brave Timon, 

 The want whereof doth daily make revolt 

 In my penurious band: I have heard, and grieved, 

 How cursed Athens, mindless of thy worth, 

 Forgetting thy great deeds, when neighbour states, 

 But for thy sword and fortune, trod upon them,-- 

 TIMON  I prithee, beat thy drum, and get thee gone. 

 ALCIBIADES  I am thy friend, and pity thee, dear Timon. 

 TIMON  How dost thou pity him whom thou dost trouble? 

 I had rather be alone. 

 ALCIBIADES  Why, fare thee well: 

 Here is some gold for thee. 

 TIMON  Keep it, I cannot eat it. 

 ALCIBIADES  When I have laid proud Athens on a heap,-- 

 TIMON  Warr'st thou 'gainst Athens? 

 ALCIBIADES  Ay, Timon, and have cause. 

 TIMON  The gods confound them all in thy conquest; 

 And thee after, when thou hast conquer'd! 

 ALCIBIADES  Why me, Timon? 

 TIMON  That, by killing of villains, 

 Thou wast born to conquer my country. 

 Put up thy gold: go on,--here's gold,--go on; 

 Be as a planetary plague, when Jove 

 Will o'er some high-viced city hang his poison 

 In the sick air: let not thy sword skip one: 

 Pity not honour'd age for his white beard; 

 He is an usurer: strike me the counterfeit matron; 

 It is her habit only that is honest, 

 Herself's a bawd: let not the virgin's cheek 

 Make soft thy trenchant sword; for those milk-paps, 

 That through the window-bars bore at men's eyes, 

 Are not within the leaf of pity writ, 

 But set them down horrible traitors: spare not the babe, 

 Whose dimpled smiles from fools exhaust their mercy; 

 Think it a bastard, whom the oracle 

 Hath doubtfully pronounced thy throat shall cut, 

 And mince it sans remorse: swear against objects; 

 Put armour on thine ears and on thine eyes; 

 Whose proof, nor yells of mothers, maids, nor babes, 

 Nor sight of priests in holy vestments bleeding, 

 Shall pierce a jot. There's gold to pay soldiers: 

 Make large confusion; and, thy fury spent, 

 Confounded be thyself! Speak not, be gone. 

 ALCIBIADES  Hast thou gold yet? I'll take the gold thou 

 givest me, 

 Not all thy counsel. 

 TIMON  Dost thou, or dost thou not, heaven's curse 

 upon thee! 

 PHRYNIA  TIMANDRA  Give us some gold, good Timon: hast thou more? 

 TIMON  Enough to make a whore forswear her trade, 

 And to make whores, a bawd. Hold up, you sluts, 

 Your aprons mountant: you are not oathable, 

 Although, I know, you 'll swear, terribly swear 

 Into strong shudders and to heavenly agues 

 The immortal gods that hear you,--spare your oaths, 

 I'll trust to your conditions: be whores still; 

 And he whose pious breath seeks to convert you, 

 Be strong in whore, allure him, burn him up; 

 Let your close fire predominate his smoke, 

 And be no turncoats: yet may your pains, six months, 

 Be quite contrary: and thatch your poor thin roofs 

 With burthens of the dead;--some that were hang'd, 

 No matter:--wear them, betray with them: whore still; 

 Paint till a horse may mire upon your face, 

 A pox of wrinkles! 

 PHRYNIA  TIMANDRA  Well, more gold: what then? 

 Believe't, that we'll do any thing for gold. 

 TIMON  Consumptions sow 

 In hollow bones of man; strike their sharp shins, 

 And mar men's spurring. Crack the lawyer's voice, 

 That he may never more false title plead, 

 Nor sound his quillets shrilly: hoar the flamen, 

 That scolds against the quality of flesh, 

 And not believes himself: down with the nose, 

 Down with it flat; take the bridge quite away 

 Of him that, his particular to foresee, 

 Smells from the general weal: make curl'd-pate 

 ruffians bald; 

 And let the unscarr'd braggarts of the war 

 Derive some pain from you: plague all; 

 That your activity may defeat and quell 

 The source of all erection. There's more gold: 

 Do you damn others, and let this damn you, 

 And ditches grave you all! 

 PHRYNIA  TIMANDRA  More counsel with more money, bounteous Timon. 

 TIMON  More whore, more mischief first; I have given you earnest. 

 ALCIBIADES  Strike up the drum towards Athens! Farewell, Timon: 

 If I thrive well, I'll visit thee again. 

 TIMON  If I hope well, I'll never see thee more. 

 ALCIBIADES  I never did thee harm. 

 TIMON  Yes, thou spokest well of me. 

 ALCIBIADES  Call'st thou that harm? 

 TIMON  Men daily find it. Get thee away, and take 

 Thy beagles with thee. 

 ALCIBIADES  We but offend him. Strike! 



 Drum beats. Exeunt ALCIBIADES, PHRYNIA, and TIMANDRA  TIMON  That nature, being sick of man's unkindness, 

 Should yet be hungry! Common mother, thou, 



 Digging  Whose womb unmeasurable, and infinite breast, 

 Teems, and feeds all; whose self-same mettle, 

 Whereof thy proud child, arrogant man, is puff'd, 

 Engenders the black toad and adder blue, 

 The gilded newt and eyeless venom'd worm, 

 With all the abhorred births below crisp heaven 

 Whereon Hyperion's quickening fire doth shine; 

 Yield him, who all thy human sons doth hate, 

 From forth thy plenteous bosom, one poor root! 

 Ensear thy fertile and conceptious womb, 

 Let it no more bring out ingrateful man! 

 Go great with tigers, dragons, wolves, and bears; 

 Teem with new monsters, whom thy upward face 

 Hath to the marbled mansion all above 

 Never presented!--O, a root,--dear thanks!-- 

 Dry up thy marrows, vines, and plough-torn leas; 

 Whereof ungrateful man, with liquorish draughts 

 And morsels unctuous, greases his pure mind, 

 That from it all consideration slips! 



 Enter APEMANTUS  More man? plague, plague! 

 APEMANTUS  I was directed hither: men report 

 Thou dost affect my manners, and dost use them. 

 TIMON  'Tis, then, because thou dost not keep a dog, 

 Whom I would imitate: consumption catch thee! 

 APEMANTUS  This is in thee a nature but infected; 

 A poor unmanly melancholy sprung 

 From change of fortune. Why this spade? this place? 

 This slave-like habit? and these looks of care? 

 Thy flatterers yet wear silk, drink wine, lie soft; 

 Hug their diseased perfumes, and have forgot 

 That ever Timon was. Shame not these woods, 

 By putting on the cunning of a carper. 

 Be thou a flatterer now, and seek to thrive 

 By that which has undone thee: hinge thy knee, 

 And let his very breath, whom thou'lt observe, 

 Blow off thy cap; praise his most vicious strain, 

 And call it excellent: thou wast told thus; 

 Thou gavest thine ears like tapsters that bid welcome 

 To knaves and all approachers: 'tis most just 

 That thou turn rascal; hadst thou wealth again, 

 Rascals should have 't. Do not assume my likeness. 

 TIMON  Were I like thee, I'ld throw away myself. 

 APEMANTUS  Thou hast cast away thyself, being like thyself; 

 A madman so long, now a fool. What, think'st 

 That the bleak air, thy boisterous chamberlain, 

 Will put thy shirt on warm? will these moss'd trees, 

 That have outlived the eagle, page thy heels, 

 And skip where thou point'st out? will the 

 cold brook, 

 Candied with ice, caudle thy morning taste, 

 To cure thy o'er-night's surfeit? Call the creatures 

 Whose naked natures live in an the spite 

 Of wreakful heaven, whose bare unhoused trunks, 

 To the conflicting elements exposed, 

 Answer mere nature; bid them flatter thee; 

 O, thou shalt find-- 

 TIMON  A fool of thee: depart. 

 APEMANTUS  I love thee better now than e'er I did. 

 TIMON  I hate thee worse. 

 APEMANTUS  Why? 

 TIMON  Thou flatter'st misery. 

 APEMANTUS  I flatter not; but say thou art a caitiff. 

 TIMON  Why dost thou seek me out? 

 APEMANTUS  To vex thee. 

 TIMON  Always a villain's office or a fool's. 

 Dost please thyself in't? 

 APEMANTUS  Ay. 

 TIMON  What! a knave too? 

 APEMANTUS  If thou didst put this sour-cold habit on 

 To castigate thy pride, 'twere well: but thou 

 Dost it enforcedly; thou'ldst courtier be again, 

 Wert thou not beggar. Willing misery 

 Outlives encertain pomp, is crown'd before: 

 The one is filling still, never complete; 

 The other, at high wish: best state, contentless, 

 Hath a distracted and most wretched being, 

 Worse than the worst, content. 

 Thou shouldst desire to die, being miserable. 

 TIMON  Not by his breath that is more miserable. 

 Thou art a slave, whom Fortune's tender arm 

 With favour never clasp'd; but bred a dog. 

 Hadst thou, like us from our first swath, proceeded 

 The sweet degrees that this brief world affords 

 To such as may the passive drugs of it 

 Freely command, thou wouldst have plunged thyself 

 In general riot; melted down thy youth 

 In different beds of lust; and never learn'd 

 The icy precepts of respect, but follow'd 

 The sugar'd game before thee. But myself, 

 Who had the world as my confectionary, 

 The mouths, the tongues, the eyes and hearts of men 

 At duty, more than I could frame employment, 

 That numberless upon me stuck as leaves 

 Do on the oak, hive with one winter's brush 

 Fell from their boughs and left me open, bare 

 For every storm that blows: I, to bear this, 

 That never knew but better, is some burden: 

 Thy nature did commence in sufferance, time 

 Hath made thee hard in't. Why shouldst thou hate men? 

 They never flatter'd thee: what hast thou given? 

 If thou wilt curse, thy father, that poor rag, 

 Must be thy subject, who in spite put stuff 

 To some she beggar and compounded thee 

 Poor rogue hereditary. Hence, be gone! 

 If thou hadst not been born the worst of men, 

 Thou hadst been a knave and flatterer. 

 APEMANTUS  Art thou proud yet? 

 TIMON  Ay, that I am not thee. 

 APEMANTUS  I, that I was 

 No prodigal. 

 TIMON  I, that I am one now: 

 Were all the wealth I have shut up in thee, 

 I'ld give thee leave to hang it. Get thee gone. 

 That the whole life of Athens were in this! 

 Thus would I eat it. 



 Eating a root  APEMANTUS  Here; I will mend thy feast. 



 Offering him a root  TIMON  First mend my company, take away thyself. 

 APEMANTUS  So I shall mend mine own, by the lack of thine. 

 TIMON  'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd; 

 if not, I would it were. 

 APEMANTUS  What wouldst thou have to Athens? 

 TIMON  Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou wilt, 

 Tell them there I have gold; look, so I have. 

 APEMANTUS  Here is no use for gold. 

 TIMON  The best and truest; 

 For here it sleeps, and does no hired harm. 

 APEMANTUS  Where liest o' nights, Timon? 

 TIMON  Under that's above me. 

 Where feed'st thou o' days, Apemantus? 

 APEMANTUS  Where my stomach finds meat; or, rather, where I eat 

 it. 

 TIMON  Would poison were obedient and knew my mind! 

 APEMANTUS  Where wouldst thou send it? 

 TIMON  To sauce thy dishes. 

 APEMANTUS  The middle of humanity thou never knewest, but the 

 extremity of both ends: when thou wast in thy gilt 

 and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much 

 curiosity; in thy rags thou knowest none, but art 

 despised for the contrary. There's a medlar for 

 thee, eat it. 

 TIMON  On what I hate I feed not. 

 APEMANTUS  Dost hate a medlar? 

 TIMON  Ay, though it look like thee. 

 APEMANTUS  An thou hadst hated meddlers sooner, thou shouldst 

 have loved thyself better now. What man didst thou 

 ever know unthrift that was beloved after his means? 

 TIMON  Who, without those means thou talkest of, didst thou 

 ever know beloved? 

 APEMANTUS  Myself. 

 TIMON  I understand thee; thou hadst some means to keep a 

 dog. 

 APEMANTUS  What things in the world canst thou nearest compare 

 to thy flatterers? 

 TIMON  Women nearest; but men, men are the things 

 themselves. What wouldst thou do with the world, 

 Apemantus, if it lay in thy power? 

 APEMANTUS  Give it the beasts, to be rid of the men. 

 TIMON  Wouldst thou have thyself fall in the confusion of 

 men, and remain a beast with the beasts? 

 APEMANTUS  Ay, Timon. 

 TIMON  A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee t' 

 attain to! If thou wert the lion, the fox would 

 beguile thee; if thou wert the lamb, the fox would 

 eat three: if thou wert the fox, the lion would 

 suspect thee, when peradventure thou wert accused by 

 the ass: if thou wert the ass, thy dulness would 

 torment thee, and still thou livedst but as a 

 breakfast to the wolf: if thou wert the wolf, thy 

 greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou shouldst 

 hazard thy life for thy dinner: wert thou the 

 unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee and 

 make thine own self the conquest of thy fury: wert 

 thou a bear, thou wouldst be killed by the horse: 

 wert thou a horse, thou wouldst be seized by the 

 leopard: wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to 

 the lion and the spots of thy kindred were jurors on 

 thy life: all thy safety were remotion and thy 

 defence absence. What beast couldst thou be, that 

 were not subject to a beast? and what a beast art 

 thou already, that seest not thy loss in 

 transformation! 

 APEMANTUS  If thou couldst please me with speaking to me, thou 

 mightst have hit upon it here: the commonwealth of 

 Athens is become a forest of beasts. 

 TIMON  How has the ass broke the wall, that thou art out of the city? 

 APEMANTUS  Yonder comes a poet and a painter: the plague of 

 company light upon thee! I will fear to catch it 

 and give way: when I know not what else to do, I'll 

 see thee again. 

 TIMON  When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be 

 welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog than Apemantus. 

 APEMANTUS  Thou art the cap of all the fools alive. 

 TIMON  Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon! 

 APEMANTUS  A plague on thee! thou art too bad to curse. 

 TIMON  All villains that do stand by thee are pure. 

 APEMANTUS  There is no leprosy but what thou speak'st. 

 TIMON  If I name thee. 

 I'll beat thee, but I should infect my hands. 

 APEMANTUS  I would my tongue could rot them off! 

 TIMON  Away, thou issue of a mangy dog! 

 Choler does kill me that thou art alive; 

 I swound to see thee. 

 APEMANTUS  Would thou wouldst burst! 

 TIMON  Away, 

 Thou tedious rogue! I am sorry I shall lose 

 A stone by thee. 



 Throws a stone at him  APEMANTUS  Beast! 

 TIMON  Slave! 

 APEMANTUS  Toad! 

 TIMON  Rogue, rogue, rogue! 

 I am sick of this false world, and will love nought 

 But even the mere necessities upon 't. 

 Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave; 

 Lie where the light foam the sea may beat 

 Thy grave-stone daily: make thine epitaph, 

 That death in me at others' lives may laugh. 



 To the gold  O thou sweet king-killer, and dear divorce 

 'Twixt natural son and sire! thou bright defiler 

 Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars! 

 Thou ever young, fresh, loved and delicate wooer, 

 Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow 

 That lies on Dian's lap! thou visible god, 

 That solder'st close impossibilities, 

 And makest them kiss! that speak'st with 

 every tongue, 

 To every purpose! O thou touch of hearts! 

 Think, thy slave man rebels, and by thy virtue 

 Set them into confounding odds, that beasts 

 May have the world in empire! 

 APEMANTUS  Would 'twere so! 

 But not till I am dead. I'll say thou'st gold: 

 Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly. 

 TIMON  Throng'd to! 

 APEMANTUS  Ay. 

 TIMON  Thy back, I prithee. 

 APEMANTUS  Live, and love thy misery. 

 TIMON  Long live so, and so die. 



 Exit APEMANTUS  I am quit. 

 Moe things like men! Eat, Timon, and abhor them. 



 Enter Banditti  First Bandit  Where should he have this gold? It is some poor 

 fragment, some slender sort of his remainder: the 

 mere want of gold, and the falling-from of his 

 friends, drove him into this melancholy. 

 Second Bandit  It is noised he hath a mass of treasure. 

 Third Bandit  Let us make the assay upon him: if he care not 

 for't, he will supply us easily; if he covetously 

 reserve it, how shall's get it? 

 Second Bandit  True; for he bears it not about him, 'tis hid. 

 First Bandit  Is not this he? 

 Banditti  Where? 

 Second Bandit  'Tis his description. 

 Third Bandit  He; I know him. 

 Banditti  Save thee, Timon. 

 TIMON  Now, thieves? 

 Banditti  Soldiers, not thieves. 

 TIMON  Both too; and women's sons. 

 Banditti  We are not thieves, but men that much do want. 

 TIMON  Your greatest want is, you want much of meat. 

 Why should you want? Behold, the earth hath roots; 

 Within this mile break forth a hundred springs; 

 The oaks bear mast, the briers scarlet hips; 

 The bounteous housewife, nature, on each bush 

 Lays her full mess before you. Want! why want? 

 First Bandit  We cannot live on grass, on berries, water, 

 As beasts and birds and fishes. 

 TIMON  Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes; 

 You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con 

 That you are thieves profess'd, that you work not 

 In holier shapes: for there is boundless theft 

 In limited professions. Rascal thieves, 

 Here's gold. Go, suck the subtle blood o' the grape, 

 Till the high fever seethe your blood to froth, 

 And so 'scape hanging: trust not the physician; 

 His antidotes are poison, and he slays 

 Moe than you rob: take wealth and lives together; 

 Do villany, do, since you protest to do't, 

 Like workmen. I'll example you with thievery. 

 The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction 

 Robs the vast sea: the moon's an arrant thief, 

 And her pale fire she snatches from the sun: 

 The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves 

 The moon into salt tears: the earth's a thief, 

 That feeds and breeds by a composture stolen 

 From general excrement: each thing's a thief: 

 The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power 

 Have uncheque'd theft. Love not yourselves: away, 

 Rob one another. There's more gold. Cut throats: 

 All that you meet are thieves: to Athens go, 

 Break open shops; nothing can you steal, 

 But thieves do lose it: steal no less for this 

 I give you; and gold confound you howsoe'er! Amen. 

 Third Bandit  Has almost charmed me from my profession, by 

 persuading me to it. 

 First Bandit  'Tis in the malice of mankind that he thus advises 

 us; not to have us thrive in our mystery. 

 Second Bandit  I'll believe him as an enemy, and give over my trade. 

 First Bandit  Let us first see peace in Athens: there is no time 

 so miserable but a man may be true. 



 Exeunt Banditti 

 Enter FLAVIUS  FLAVIUS  O you gods! 

 Is yond despised and ruinous man my lord? 

 Full of decay and failing? O monument 

 And wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd! 

 What an alteration of honour 

 Has desperate want made! 

 What viler thing upon the earth than friends 

 Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends! 

 How rarely does it meet with this time's guise, 

 When man was wish'd to love his enemies! 

 Grant I may ever love, and rather woo 

 Those that would mischief me than those that do! 

 Has caught me in his eye: I will present 

 My honest grief unto him; and, as my lord, 

 Still serve him with my life. My dearest master! 

 TIMON  Away! what art thou? 

 FLAVIUS  Have you forgot me, sir? 

 TIMON  Why dost ask that? I have forgot all men; 

 Then, if thou grant'st thou'rt a man, I have forgot thee. 

 FLAVIUS  An honest poor servant of yours. 

 TIMON  Then I know thee not: 

 I never had honest man about me, I; all 

 I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to villains. 

 FLAVIUS  The gods are witness, 

 Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief 

 For his undone lord than mine eyes for you. 

 TIMON  What, dost thou weep? Come nearer. Then I 

 love thee, 

 Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st 

 Flinty mankind; whose eyes do never give 

 But thorough lust and laughter. Pity's sleeping: 

 Strange times, that weep with laughing, not with weeping! 

 FLAVIUS  I beg of you to know me, good my lord, 

 To accept my grief and whilst this poor wealth lasts 

 To entertain me as your steward still. 

 TIMON  Had I a steward 

 So true, so just, and now so comfortable? 

 It almost turns my dangerous nature mild. 

 Let me behold thy face. Surely, this man 

 Was born of woman. 

 Forgive my general and exceptless rashness, 

 You perpetual-sober gods! I do proclaim 

 One honest man--mistake me not--but one; 

 No more, I pray,--and he's a steward. 

 How fain would I have hated all mankind! 

 And thou redeem'st thyself: but all, save thee, 

 I fell with curses. 

 Methinks thou art more honest now than wise; 

 For, by oppressing and betraying me, 

 Thou mightst have sooner got another service: 

 For many so arrive at second masters, 

 Upon their first lord's neck. But tell me true-- 

 For I must ever doubt, though ne'er so sure-- 

 Is not thy kindness subtle, covetous, 

 If not a usuring kindness, and, as rich men deal gifts, 

 Expecting in return twenty for one? 

 FLAVIUS  No, my most worthy master; in whose breast 

 Doubt and suspect, alas, are placed too late: 

 You should have fear'd false times when you did feast: 

 Suspect still comes where an estate is least. 

 That which I show, heaven knows, is merely love, 

 Duty and zeal to your unmatched mind, 

 Care of your food and living; and, believe it, 

 My most honour'd lord, 

 For any benefit that points to me, 

 Either in hope or present, I'ld exchange 

 For this one wish, that you had power and wealth 

 To requite me, by making rich yourself. 

 TIMON  Look thee, 'tis so! Thou singly honest man, 

 Here, take: the gods out of my misery 

 Have sent thee treasure. Go, live rich and happy; 

 But thus condition'd: thou shalt build from men; 

 Hate all, curse all, show charity to none, 

 But let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone, 

 Ere thou relieve the beggar; give to dogs 

 What thou deny'st to men; let prisons swallow 'em, 

 Debts wither 'em to nothing; be men like 

 blasted woods, 

 And may diseases lick up their false bloods! 

 And so farewell and thrive. 

 FLAVIUS  O, let me stay, 

 And comfort you, my master. 

 TIMON  If thou hatest curses, 

 Stay not; fly, whilst thou art blest and free: 

 Ne'er see thou man, and let me ne'er see thee. 



 Exit FLAVIUS. TIMON retires to his cave  Shakespeare homepage  |  Timon of Athens  | Act 4, Scene 3 

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