THE LIFE OF TIMON OF ATHENS
Page: 41

For every storm that blows; I, to bear this,
That never knew but better, is some burden:
Thy nature did commence in sufferance, time
Hath made thee hard in't. Why shouldst thou hate men?
They never flatter'd thee: what hast thou given?
If thou wilt curse, thy father, that poor rag,
Must be thy subject; who in spite put stuff
To some she-beggar and compounded thee
Poor rogue hereditary. Hence! be gone!
If thou hadst not been born the worst of men,
Thou hadst been a knave and flatterer.

APEMANTUS.
Art thou proud yet?

TIMON.
Ay, that I am not thee.

APEMANTUS.
I, that I was
No prodigal.

TIMON.
I, that I am one now;
Were all the wealth I have shut up in thee,
I'd give thee leave to hang it. Get thee gone.
That the whole life of Athens were in this!
Thus would I eat it.

[Eating a root.]

APEMANTUS.
Here; I will mend thy feast.

TIMON.
First mend my company, take away thyself.

APEMANTUS.
So I shall mend mine own, by the lack of thine.

TIMON.
'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd.
If not, I would it were.

APEMANTUS.
What wouldst thou have to Athens?

TIMON.
Thee thither in a whirlwind. If thou wilt,
Tell them there I have gold; look, so I have.

APEMANTUS.
Here is no use for gold.

TIMON.
The best and truest;
For here it sleeps and does no hired harm.

APEMANTUS.
Where liest o' nights, Timon?

TIMON.
Under that's above me.
Where feed'st thou o' days, Apemantus?

APEMANTUS.
Where my stomach finds meat; or rather, where I eat it.

TIMON.
Would poison were obedient and knew my mind!

APEMANTUS.
Where wouldst thou send it?

TIMON.
To sauce thy dishes.

APEMANTUS.
The middle of humanity thou never knewest, but the
extremity of both ends. When thou wast in thy gilt and thy
perfume, they mock'd thee for too much curiosity; in thy rags
thou know'st none, but art despised for the contrary. There's a
medlar for thee; eat it.

TIMON.
On what I hate I feed not.

APEMANTUS.
Dost hate a medlar?

TIMON.
Ay, though it look like thee.

APEMANTUS.
An thou hadst hated medlars sooner, thou shouldst have loved