t'attain to. If thou wert the Lyon, the Fox would beguile thee; if thou wert the Lamb, the Fox would eat thee; if thou wert the Fox, the Lyon would fufpect thee, when peradventure thou wert accus'd by the Afs; if thou wert the Afs, thy dulnefs would torment thee; and still thou liv'ft but as a Breakfast to the Wolf. If thou wert the Wolf, thy greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou fhouldft hazard thy Life for thy Dinner. Wert thou the Unicorn, Pride and Wrath would confound thee, and make thine own felf the Conqueft of thy Fury. Wert thou a Bear, thou wouldst be kill'd by the Horfe; wert thou a Horfe, thou wouldst be feized by the Leopard; wert thou a Leopard, thou wert German to the Lyon, and the spots of thy Kindred, were Jurors on thy Life. All thy fafety were remotion, and thy Defence abfence. What Beaft couldst thou be, that were not subject to a Beast; and what a Beast art thou already, and feeft not thy Lofs in Tranfformation.

Apem. If thou couldst please me
With speaking to me thou might'st
Have hit upon it here.

The Commonwealth of Athens is become
A Foreft of Beafts.

Tim. How has the Afs broke the Wall, that thou art out of the City.

Apem. 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 fee thee again.

Tim. When there is nothing living but thee,

Thou shalt be welcome.

I had rather be a Beggar's Dog

Than Apemantus.

Apem. Thou art the Cap

Of all the Fools alive.

Tim. Would thou wert clean enough

To fpit upon.

Apem. A Plague on thee.

Thou art too bad to Curfe.
Tim. All Villains

That

That do ftand by thee, are pure.

Apem. There is no Leprofie But what thou speak'st.

Tim. If I name thee, I'll beat thee; But I fhould infe& my Hands.

Apem. I would my Tongue

Could rot them off.

Tim. Away thou iffue of a mangy Dog!
Choler does kill me, that thou art alive;
I fwound to see thee.

Apem. Would thou wouldst burst.

Tim. Away thou tedious Rogue, I am forry I fhall lofe

a Stone by thee.

Apem. Beaft!

Tim. Slave!

Apem. Toad!

Tim. Rogue! Rogue! Rogue!

I am fick of this falfe World, and will love nought
But even the meer neceffities upon't:

Then Timon prefently prepare thy Grave;
Lye where the Light Foam of the Sea may beat
Thy Grave-ftone daily; make thine Epitaph,
That Death in me, at others Lives may laugh.
O thou sweet King-Killer, and dear Divorce
'Twixt natural Son and Sire; thou bright defiler
Of Hymens pureft Bed, thou valiant Mars,
Thou ever, young, fresh, loved, and delicate wooer,
Whofe Blush doth thaw the confecrated Snow,
That lies on Dians Lap. Thou visible God,
That fouldreft close Impoffibilities,

And mak'ft them kifs; that fpeak'ft with every Tongue
To every purpofe; O thou touch of Hearts,
Think thy flave Man Rebels, and by thy Virtue
Set them into confounding odds, that Beasts
May have the World in Empire.

Apem. Would 'twere fo,

But not till I am dead. I'll fay th'haft Gold;
Thou wilt be throng'd too fhortly.

Tim. Throng'd too?

Apem.

Apem. Ay.

Tim. Thy Back, I prithee.

Apem. Live, and love thy Mifery.

Tim. Long live fo, and fo die. I am quit.
Apem. Mo things like Men-

Eat, Timon, and abhor them.

Enter the Banditti.

[Exit Apeman.

1 Band. Where fhould he have this Gold? It is fome poor Fragment, fome flender Ort of his Remainder: The meer want of Gold, and the falling from of his Friends, drove him into this Melancholy.

2 Band. It is nois'd

He hath a Mafs of Treasure.

3 Band. Let us make the affay upon him, if he care not for't, he will fupply us eafily: If he covetously reserve it, how fhall's get it?

2 Band. True; for he bears it not about him: 'Tis hid.

I Band. Is not this he?

All. Where?

2 Band. 'Tis his Description.
3 Band. He; I know him.
All. Save thee, Timon.
Tim. Now Thieves.

All. Soldiers, not Thives.

Tim. Both too, and Womens Sons.

All. We are not Thieves, but Men

That much do want.

Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of Meat:
Why should you want? Behold, the Earth hath Roots;
Within this Mile break forth an hundred Springs;
The Oaks bear Maft, the Briers Scarlet Hips,
The bounteous Hufwife Nature, on each Bush,
Lays her full Mefs before you. Want? why want?
1 Band. We cannot live on Grafs, on Berries, Water,

As Beafts, and Birds, and Fishes.

Tim. Nor on the Beafts themfeves, the Birds and Fishes, You must eat Men. Yet thanks I must you cop, That you are Thieves profeft; that you work not In holier Shapes; for there is boundless Theft

In

In limited Profeffions. Rafcal Thieves,

Here's Gold. Go, fuck the fubtle Blood o'th Grape,
'Till the high Feaver feeth your Blood to Froth,
And fo fcape hanging. Truft not the Physician,
His Antidotes are Poison, and he flays

More than you Rob: Take wealth, and live together,
Do Villainy do, fince 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 vaft Sea. The Moon's an Arrant Thief,
And her pale fire the fnatches from the Sun.
The Sea's a Thief, whofe liquid Surge refolves
The Moon into Salt Tears. The Earth's a Thief,
That feeds and breeds by a compofture ftoln
From gen'ral Excrement: Each things a Thief.
The Laws, your curb and whip, in their rough Power
Has uncheck'd theft. Love not your felves, 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 lofe it: Steal not lefs, for this I give you,
And Gold confound you how foe'er: Amen.

[Exit. 3 Band. H'as almoft charm'd me from my Profeffion, by perfwading me to it.

1 Band. 'Tis in the malice of Mankind, that he thus advifes us, not to have us thrive in our mystery.

2 Band. I'll believe him as an Enemy,

And give over my Trade.

r Band. Let us firft fee Peace in Athens, there is no time. fo miferable but a Man may be true.

[Exeunt Thieves.

ACT

A CT V. SCENE I

SCENE The Woods and Timon's Cave.

Enter Flavius to Timon.

Flav. OH you Gods!

Is yond defpis'd and ruinous Man my Lord?

Full of decay and failing? Oh Monument

And wonder of good Deeds, evilly bestow'd!
What an alteration of honour has defp'rate want made?
What vilder thing upon the Earth, than Friends,
Who can bring nobleft Minds to basest Ends?
How rarely does it meet with this times guise,
When Man was wifht to love his Enemies :
Grant I may ever love, and rather woo

Those that would mischief me, than thofe that do.
H'as caught me in his Eye, I will prefent my honeft Grief
Unto him; and, as my Lord, ftill ferve him with my Life.
My dearest Master.

Tim. Away: What art thou?

Flav. Have you forgot me, Sir?

Tim. Why doft ask that? I have forgot all Men. Then if thou grunt'st th' art a Man,

I have forgot thee.

Flav. An honeft poor Servant of yours.
Tim. Then I know thee not:

I ne'er had honeft Man about me, I, all

I kept were Knaves, to ferve in meat to Villains.

Flav. The Gods are witness,

Never did poor Steward wear a truer Grief

For his undone Lord, than mine Eyes for you.

Tim. What, doft thou weep? Come nearer, then I love thee

Because thou art a Woman, and disclaim'ft

Flinty Mankind; whofe Eyes do never give,
But through Luft and Laughter. Pity's Sleeping;

Strange times that weep with laughing, not with weeping.