Servants of Varro, Ventidius, and Isidore. Two of Timon's Creditors. Cupid and Maskers. Poet, Painter, Jeweller, and Merchant. An old Athenian. A Page. A Fool. Three Strangers. Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Banditti, and Attendants. SCENE, Athens; and the Woods adjoining. 1 As far as we know, this drama was first printed in the folio 1623; where it was spread out in an unusual manner, as if to fill as many pages as possible, and supply a vacancy: of the two last pages one is occupied by "The Actors' names", and the other is a mere blank. TIMON OF ATHENS. ACT I. SCENE I.-Athens. A Hall in Timon's House. Enter Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Merchant, and Others, at several doors.2 Poet. GOOD day, sir. Pain. I am glad y' are well. Poet. I have not seen you long. How goes the world? Pain. It wears, sir, as it grows. Poet. Ay, that's well known; But what particular rarity? what strange, Which manifold record not matches? See, Magic of bounty! all these spirits thy power Hath conjur'd to attend. I know the merchant. Pain. I know them both: th' other 's a jeweller. Mer. O! 'tis a worthy lord. Few. Nay, that's most fix'd. Mer. A most incomparable man; breath'd, as it were, To an untirable and continuate goodness: The old stage-direction; and the stage had then usually two, and sometimes three, doors. He PASSES.] As we now say, He surpasses. Mer. O pray, let's see 't. For the lord Timon, sir? It stains the glory in that happy verse Mer. 'Tis a good form. Few. And rich: here is a water, look ye. Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication to the great lord. Poet. A thing slipp'd idly from me. Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes1 From whence 'tis nourish'd: the fire i' the flint Each bound it chafes.-What have you there? Pain. A picture, sir.-When comes your book forth? Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment, sir. Let's see your piece. Pain. 'Tis a good piece. Poet. So 'tis this comes off well, and excellent. Poet. Admirable! How this grace Speaks his own standing; what a mental power This eye shoots forth; how big imagination Moves in this lip! to the dumbness of the gesture One might interpret. Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Here is a touch; is 't good? 4 -as a GUM, which OOZES] The old copy, "as a gown which uses"; and, four lines lower down, chases for chafes. |