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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 of the sea may beat

Thy gravestone daily; make thine epitaph,

That death in me at others' lives may laugh.

[Looks at 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, lov'd, and delicate wooer,

Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow

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

That sold'rest close impossibilities,

And mak'st 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 th' hast 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.

More

things like men? Eat, Timon, and abhor them.

Enter the BANDITTI

FIRST BANDIT.

Where should he have this gold? It is some poor

fragment, some slender ort of his remainder. The mere want of

gold and the falling-from of his friends drove him into this melancholy.

SECOND BANDIT.

It is nois'd 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 briars 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' th' 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 villainy, 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 stol'n

From gen'ral excrement- each thing's a thief.

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

Has uncheck'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 not less for this

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

Amen.

THIRD BANDIT.

Has almost charm'd 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