Synopsis:
Timon’s friends come to dinner again, but this time he serves them only water and stones and drives them away.
From The Folger Shakespeare Library Edition of Timon of Athens
Timon of Athens
Act 3, scene 6
Timon of AthensTimon of Athens
Contents
Characters in the Play
Entire Play
In Timon of Athens, Lord Timon discovers the limits of wealth and friendship. He spends freely on others and hosts banquets…
Act 1, scene 1
The stage fills with suitors to and admirers of Lord Timon. When he arrives, he spends lavishly in freeing a…
Act 1, scene 2
Timon lavishly entertains friends and suitors with food and drink and a masque of Cupid and Amazons, and displays his…
Act 2, scene 1
A senator, predicting the end of Timon’s days of glory, sends a servant to Timon to collect overdue loans.
Act 2, scene 2
Servants of Timon’s creditors gather and confront Timon, demanding immediate repayment of loans. Learning that he is bankrupt, Timon dispatches…
Act 3, scene 1
Timon’s servant Flaminius approaches Timon’s friend Lucullus for money and is denied.
Act 3, scene 2
Timon’s servant Servilius approaches Timon’s friend Lucius for money and is refused. Three strangers condemn the ingratitude of Timon’s “friends”…
Act 3, scene 3
Timon’s servant approaches Timon’s friend Sempronius for money and is refused.
Act 3, scene 4
The servants of Timon’s creditors gather at his gates. He confronts them in a rage and, after they are gone,…
Act 3, scene 5
Alcibiades pleads in vain before three Athenian senators for the life of one of his soldiers. Frustrated at being denied,…
Act 3, scene 6
Timon’s friends come to dinner again, but this time he serves them only water and stones and drives them away.
Act 4, scene 1
Timon abandons Athens and retires to the woods.
Act 4, scene 2
Flavius shares his remaining money with his fellow servants as they disperse.
Act 4, scene 3
Timon, digging for roots to eat, finds gold. He is visited by Alcibiades and his concubines, to whom he gives…
Act 5, scene 1
Timon is visited by the Poet and the Painter seeking the gold Timon is now rumored to possess. After he…
Act 5, scene 2
Athens learns that it will surely fall to Alcibiades. Its senators seek shelter behind its walls.
Act 5, scene 3
One of Alcibiades’ soldiers discovers Timon’s tomb and, since he cannot read Timon’s epitaph, he resolves to bring a wax…
Act 5, scene 4
A victorious Alcibiades listens to the apologies of the senators and agrees to the conditions they set. Athens then opens…
⌜Scene 6⌝
⌜Music.⌝ Enter divers Friends at several doors.FIRST FRIEND The good time of day to you, sir.
SECOND FRIEND I also wish it to you. I think this honorable
lord did but try us this other day.
FIRST FRIEND Upon that were my thoughts tiring when
5 we encountered. I hope it is not so low with him as
he made it seem in the trial of his several friends.
SECOND FRIEND It should not be, by the persuasion of
his new feasting.
FIRST FRIEND I should think so. He hath sent me an
10 earnest inviting, which many my near occasions
did urge me to put off; but he hath conjured me
beyond them, and I must needs appear.
SECOND FRIEND In like manner was I in debt to my
importunate business, but he would not hear my
15 excuse. I am sorry, when he sent to borrow of me,
that my provision was out.
FIRST FRIEND I am sick of that grief too, as I understand
how all things go.
SECOND FRIEND Every man here’s so. What would he
20 have borrowed of you?
FIRST FRIEND A thousand pieces.
SECOND FRIEND A thousand pieces!
FIRST FRIEND What of you?
SECOND FRIEND He sent to me, sir—
Enter Timon and Attendants.
25 Here he comes.
TIMON With all my heart, gentlemen both! And how
fare you?
FIRST FRIEND Ever at the best, hearing well of your
Lordship.
SECOND FRIEND 30The swallow follows not summer
more willing than we your Lordship.
107
Timon of Athens
ACT 3. SC. 6
summer birds are men.—Gentlemen, our dinner
will not recompense this long stay. Feast your ears
35 with the music awhile, if they will fare so harshly
o’ th’ trumpets’ sound. We shall to ’t presently.
FIRST FRIEND I hope it remains not unkindly with your
Lordship that I returned you an empty messenger.
TIMON O, sir, let it not trouble you.
SECOND FRIEND 40My noble lord—
TIMON Ah, my good friend, what cheer?
SECOND FRIEND My most honorable lord, I am e’en
sick of shame that when your Lordship this other
day sent to me, I was so unfortunate a beggar.
TIMON 45Think not on ’t, sir.
SECOND FRIEND If you had sent but two hours before—
TIMON Let it not cumber your better remembrance.
The banquet brought in.
Come, bring in all together.
SECOND FRIEND All covered dishes!
FIRST FRIEND 50Royal cheer, I warrant you.
THIRD FRIEND Doubt not that, if money and the season
can yield it.
FIRST FRIEND How do you? What’s the news?
THIRD FRIEND Alcibiades is banished. Hear you of it?
FIRST AND SECOND FRIENDS 55Alcibiades banished?
THIRD FRIEND ’Tis so. Be sure of it.
FIRST FRIEND How? How?
SECOND FRIEND I pray you, upon what?
TIMON My worthy friends, will you draw near?
THIRD FRIEND 60I’ll tell you more anon. Here’s a noble
feast toward.
SECOND FRIEND This is the old man still.
THIRD FRIEND Will ’t hold? Will ’t hold?
SECOND FRIEND It does, but time will—and so—
THIRD FRIEND 65I do conceive.
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ACT 3. SC. 6
would to the lip of his mistress. Your diet shall
be in all places alike. Make not a city feast of it, to let
the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place.
70 Sit, sit. (⌜They sit.⌝) The gods require our thanks:
You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with
thankfulness. For your own gifts make yourselves
praised, but reserve still to give, lest your deities be
despised. Lend to each man enough, that one need
75 not lend to another; for, were your godheads to
borrow of men, men would forsake the gods. Make
the meat be beloved more than the man that gives
it. Let no assembly of twenty be without a score of
villains. If there sit twelve women at the table, let a
80 dozen of them be as they are. The rest of your fees,
O gods, the Senators of Athens, together with the
common ⌜tag⌝ of people, what is amiss in them,
you gods, make suitable for destruction. For these
my present friends, as they are to me nothing, so
85 in nothing bless them, and to nothing are they
welcome.
Uncover, dogs, and lap.
⌜The dishes are uncovered. They contain
only water and stones.⌝
SOME SPEAK What does his Lordship mean?
SOME OTHER I know not.
TIMON
90 May you a better feast never behold,
You knot of mouth-friends! Smoke and lukewarm
water
Is your perfection. This is Timon’s last,
Who, stuck and spangled ⌜with your⌝ flatteries,
95 Washes it off and sprinkles in your faces
Your reeking villainy. (⌜He throws water in their
faces.⌝) Live loathed and long,
111
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ACT 3. SC. 6
Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,
100 You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time’s flies,
Cap-and-knee slaves, vapors, and minute-jacks.
Of man and beast the infinite malady
Crust you quite o’er! (⌜They stand.⌝) What, dost thou
go?
105 Soft! Take thy physic first—thou too—and thou.—
Stay. I will lend thee money, borrow none.
⌜He attacks them and forces them out.⌝
What? All in motion? Henceforth be no feast
Whereat a villain’s not a welcome guest.
Burn, house! Sink, Athens! Henceforth hated be
110 Of Timon man and all humanity!⌜He exits.⌝
Enter ⌜Timon’s Friends,⌝ the Senators, with other Lords.
FIRST FRIEND How now, my lords?
SECOND FRIEND Know you the quality of Lord Timon’s
fury?
THIRD FRIEND Push! Did you see my cap?
FOURTH FRIEND 115I have lost my gown.
FIRST FRIEND He’s but a mad lord, and naught but
humors sways him. He gave me a jewel th’ other
day, and now he has beat it out of my hat. Did you
see my jewel?
SECOND FRIEND 120Did you see my cap?
THIRD FRIEND Here ’tis.
FOURTH FRIEND Here lies my gown.
FIRST FRIEND Let’s make no stay.
SECOND FRIEND
Lord Timon’s mad.
THIRD FRIEND 125 I feel ’t upon my bones.
FOURTH FRIEND
One day he gives us diamonds, next day stones.
The Senators ⌜and the others⌝ exit.