Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Enter ACHILLES and Myrmidons. Achil. Look, Hector, how the sun begins to set; How ugly night comes breathing at his heels: Even with the vail and dark'ning of the sun, To close the day up, Hector's life is done.

Hect. I am unarm'd; forego this vantage, Greek.

Achil. Strike, fellows, strike; this is the man I seek. [HECTOR falls. So, Ilion, fall thou next; now, Troy, sink down; Here lies thy heart, thy sinews, and thy bone.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Tro. Hector is slain.
Al.
Hector? The gods forbid!
Tro, He's dead; and at the murderer's horse's
tail,

In beastly sort, dragg'd through the shameful field.— Frown on, you heavens, effect your rage with speed!

Sit, gods, upon your thrones, and smile at Troy ! I say, at once let your brief plagues be mercy, And linger not our sure destructions on!

Ene. My lord, you do discomfort all the host. Tro. You understand me not, that tell me so : I do not speak of flight, of fear, of death; But dare all imminence, that gods and men,

Address their dangers in. Hector is gone!

Who shall tell Priam so, or Hecuba?
Let him, that will a screech-owl aye be call'd,
Go in to Troy, and say there- Hector's dead:
There is a word will Priam turn to stone;
Make wells and Niobes of the maids and wives,
Cold statues of the youth; and, in a word,
Scare Troy out of itself. But, march, away:
Hector is dead; there is no more to say.

Stay yet; You vile abominable tents,
Thus proudly night upon our Phrygian plains,
Let Titan rise as early as he dare,
I'll through and through you! And thou, great
siz'd coward!

No space of earth shall sunder our two hates;
I'll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still,

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

As many as be here of pander's hall, Your eyes, half out, weep out at Pandar's fall: Or, if you cannot weep, yet give some groans, Though not for me, yet for your aching bones. Brethren, and sisters, of the hold-door trade, Some two months hence my will shall here be made : It should be now, but that my fear is this, Some galled goose of Winchester would hiss: Till then I'll sweat, and seek about for eases ; And, at that time, bequeath you my diseases.

[Exit.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

Even on their knees and hands, let him slip down,
Not one accompanying his declining foot.
Pain. 'Tis common:

A thousand moral paintings I can show,
That shall demonstrate these quick blows of fortune
More pregnantly than words. Yet you do well,
To show lord Timon, that mean eyes have seen
The foot above the head.

Trumpets sound. Enter TIMON, attended; the Ser
vant of VENTIDIUS talking with him.
Imprison'd is he, say you ?
Ven. Serv. Ay, my good lord: five talents is his

Tim.

debt;

His means most short, his creditors most strait :
Your honourable letter he desires

Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of To those have shut him up; which failing to him, visitors.

I have, in this rough work, shap'd 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.

Pain. How shall I understand you
Poet.

Periods his comfort.

[blocks in formation]

I am not of that feather, to shake off
My friend when he must need me. I do know
him

A gentleman, that well deserves a help,

Which he shall have: I'll pay the debt, and free him.
Ven. Serv. Your lordship ever binds him.

Tim. Commend me to him: I will send his ran-
some;

I'll unbolt to you. And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me : 'Tis not enough to help the feeble up,

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 tendanc
All sorts of hearts; yea, from the glass-fac'd flatterer
To Apemantus, that few things loves better
Than to abhor himself: even he drops down
The knee before him, and returns in peace
Most rich in Timon's nod.

Pain.
I saw them speak together.
Peet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant
hill,

Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd: The base o' the

[blocks in formation]

Poet.

Nay, sir, but hear me on:
All those which were his fellows but of late,
Some better than his value,) on the moment
Follow his strides, his lobbies fill with tendance,
Rain sacrificial whisperings in his ear,
Make sacred even his stirrop, and through him
Drink the free air.

Pain.
Poet. When Fortune, in her shift and change of
mood,

Ay, marry, what of these?

Spurns down her late belov'd, all his deperdants,
Which labour'd after him to the mountain's top,

But to support him after. - Fare you well.
Ven. Serv. All happiness to your honour! [Exit.
Enter an old Athenian.

Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak.

Tim.
Freely, good father.
Old. Ath. Thou hast a servant nam'd 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!

Enter 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 inclin'd to thrift;
And my estate deserves an heir more rais'd,
Than one which holds a trencher.

Tim.

Well; what further?
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 pr'ythee, 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.

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 shail she be endow'd, If she be mated with an equal husband?

Old Ath. Three talents, on the present; in future, all.

Tim. This gentleman of mine hath serv'd me long; To build his fortune I will strain a little, For 'tis a bond in men. Give him thy daughter: What you bestow, in him I'll counterpoise, And make him weigh with her.

Old Ath. Most noble lord, Pawn me to this your honour, she is his. Tim. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise.

Luc. Humbly I thank your lordship: Never may That state or fortune fall into my keeping, Which is not ow'd to you!

[Exeunt LUCILIUS and old Athenian. Poet. Vouchsafe my labour, and long live your lordship!

[blocks in formation]

Tim. Whither art going?
Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian s brains.
Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for.

Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law.
Tim. How likest thou this picture, Apemantus:
Apem. The best, for the innocence.

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

Pain. You are 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 should'st, thou'dst anger ladies. Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies.

Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension.

Apem. So thou apprehend'st it: Take it for thy labour.

Tim. How dost thou like this jewel, Apemantus? Apem. Not so well as plain-dealing, which will not cost a man a doit.

Tim. What dost thou tnink 'tis worth?

Apem. Not worth my thinking. — How now, poet?

Poet. How now, philosopher?

Apem. Thou liest.

Poet. Art not one?

Apem. Yes.

Poet. Then I lie not.
Apem. Art not a poet?
Poet. Yes.

Apem. Then thou liest look in thy last work, where thou hast feign'd him a worthy fellow. Poet. That's not feign'd, he is so.

Apem. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour: He, that loves to be flattered, is worthy o'the flatterer. Heavens, that I were a lord!

Tim. What would'st do then, Apemantus? Apem. Even as Apemantus does now, hate a lord with my heart.

Tim. What, thyself?

Apem. Ay.

Tim. Wherefore?

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Most welcome, sir!

name.

Tim. Thou art proud, Apantus. Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not like Timon.

Enter ALCIBIADES, with his company.

[They salute.

Арет. So, so; there! Aches contract and starve your supple joints!

« PreviousContinue »