Speeches (Lines) for Apemantus
in "Timon of Athens"
Total: 100

1

I,1,222

Timon. Good morrow to thee, gentle Apemantus!

Apemantus. Till I be gentle, stay thou for thy good morrow;
When thou art Timon's dog, and these knaves honest.

2

I,1,225

Timon. Why dost thou call them knaves? thou know'st them not.

Apemantus. Are they not Athenians?

3

I,1,227

Timon. Yes.

Apemantus. Then I repent not.

4

I,1,229

Apemantus. Then I repent not.

Apemantus. Thou know'st I do: I call'd thee by thy name.

5

I,1,231

Timon. Thou art proud, Apemantus.

Apemantus. Of nothing so much as that I am not like Timon.

6

I,1,233

Timon. Whither art going?

Apemantus. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains.

7

I,1,235

Timon. That's a deed thou'lt die for.

Apemantus. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law.

8

I,1,237

Timon. How likest thou this picture, Apemantus?

Apemantus. The best, for the innocence.

9

I,1,239

Timon. Wrought he not well that painted it?

Apemantus. He wrought better that made the painter; and yet
he's but a filthy piece of work.

10

I,1,242

Painter. You're a dog.

Apemantus. Thy mother's of my generation: what's she, if I be a dog?

11

I,1,244

Timon. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus?

Apemantus. No; I eat not lords.

12

I,1,246

Timon. An thou shouldst, thou 'ldst anger ladies.

Apemantus. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies.

13

I,1,248

Timon. That's a lascivious apprehension.

Apemantus. So thou apprehendest it: take it for thy labour.

14

I,1,250

Timon. How dost thou like this jewel, Apemantus?

Apemantus. Not so well as plain-dealing, which will not cost a
man a doit.

15

I,1,253

Timon. What dost thou think 'tis worth?

Apemantus. Not worth my thinking. How now, poet!

16

I,1,255

Poet. How now, philosopher!

Apemantus. Thou liest.

17

I,1,257

Poet. Art not one?

Apemantus. Yes.

18

I,1,259

Poet. Then I lie not.

Apemantus. Art not a poet?

19

I,1,261

Poet. Yes.

Apemantus. Then thou liest: look in thy last work, where thou
hast feigned him a worthy fellow.

20

I,1,264

Poet. That's not feigned; he is so.

Apemantus. 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!

21

I,1,268

Timon. What wouldst do then, Apemantus?

Apemantus. E'en as Apemantus does now; hate a lord with my heart.

22

I,1,270

Timon. What, thyself?

Apemantus. Ay.

23

I,1,272

Timon. Wherefore?

Apemantus. That I had no angry wit to be a lord.
Art not thou a merchant?

24

I,1,275

Merchant. Ay, Apemantus.

Apemantus. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will not!

25

I,1,277

Merchant. If traffic do it, the gods do it.

Apemantus. Traffic's thy god; and thy god confound thee!

26

I,1,289

Timon. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to us.
[Exeunt some Attendants]
You must needs dine with me: go not you hence
Till I have thank'd you: when dinner's done,
Show me this piece. I am joyful of your sights.
[Enter ALCIBIADES, with the rest]
Most welcome, sir!

Apemantus. So, so, there!
Aches contract and starve your supple joints!
That there should be small love 'mongst these
sweet knaves,
And all this courtesy! The strain of man's bred out
Into baboon and monkey.

27

I,1,303

First Lord. What time o' day is't, Apemantus?

Apemantus. Time to be honest.

28

I,1,305

First Lord. That time serves still.

Apemantus. The more accursed thou, that still omitt'st it.

29

I,1,307

Second Lord. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast?

Apemantus. Ay, to see meat fill knaves and wine heat fools.

30

I,1,309

Second Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well.

Apemantus. Thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice.

31

I,1,311

Second Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Apemantus. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to
give thee none.

32

I,1,314

First Lord. Hang thyself!

Apemantus. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make thy
requests to thy friend.

33

I,1,317

Second Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence!

Apemantus. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' the ass.

34

I,2,362

First Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it.

Apemantus. Ho, ho, confess'd it! hang'd it, have you not?

35

I,2,364

Timon. O, Apemantus, you are welcome.

Apemantus. No;
You shall not make me welcome:
I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

36

I,2,373

Timon. Fie, thou'rt a churl; ye've got a humour there
Does not become a man: 'tis much to blame.
They say, my lords, 'ira furor brevis est;' but yond
man is ever angry. Go, let him have a table by
himself, for he does neither affect company, nor is
he fit for't, indeed.

Apemantus. Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon: I come to
observe; I give thee warning on't.

37

I,2,378

Timon. I take no heed of thee; thou'rt an Athenian,
therefore welcome: I myself would have no power;
prithee, let my meat make thee silent.

Apemantus. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should
ne'er flatter thee. O you gods, what a number of
men eat Timon, and he sees 'em not! It grieves me
to see so many dip their meat in one man's blood;
and all the madness is, he cheers them up too.
I wonder men dare trust themselves with men:
Methinks they should invite them without knives;
Good for their meat, and safer for their lives.
There's much example for't; the fellow that sits
next him now, parts bread with him, pledges the
breath of him in a divided draught, is the readiest
man to kill him: 't has been proved. If I were a
huge man, I should fear to drink at meals;
Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes:
Great men should drink with harness on their throats.

38

I,2,395

Second Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord.

Apemantus. Flow this way! A brave fellow! he keeps his tides
well. Those healths will make thee and thy state
look ill, Timon. Here's that which is too weak to
be a sinner, honest water, which ne'er left man i' the mire:
This and my food are equals; there's no odds:
Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.
Apemantus' grace.
Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man but myself:
Grant I may never prove so fond,
To trust man on his oath or bond;
Or a harlot, for her weeping;
Or a dog, that seems a-sleeping:
Or a keeper with my freedom;
Or my friends, if I should need 'em.
Amen. So fall to't:
Rich men sin, and I eat root.
[Eats and drinks]
Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!

39

I,2,420

Alcibiades. So the were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat
like 'em: I could wish my best friend at such a feast.

Apemantus. Would all those fatterers were thine enemies then,
that then thou mightst kill 'em and bid me to 'em!

40

I,2,447

Timon. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods
themselves have provided that I shall have much help
from you: how had you been my friends else? why
have you that charitable title from thousands, did
not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have told
more of you to myself than you can with modesty
speak in your own behalf; and thus far I confirm
you. O you gods, think I, what need we have any
friends, if we should ne'er have need of 'em? they
were the most needless creatures living, should we
ne'er have use for 'em, and would most resemble
sweet instruments hung up in cases that keep their
sounds to themselves. Why, I have often wished
myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you. We
are born to do benefits: and what better or
properer can we can our own than the riches of our
friends? O, what a precious comfort 'tis, to have
so many, like brothers, commanding one another's
fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere 't can be born!
Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks: to
forget their faults, I drink to you.

Apemantus. Thou weepest to make them drink, Timon.

41

I,2,450

Second Lord. Joy had the like conception in our eyes
And at that instant like a babe sprung up.

Apemantus. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard.

42

I,2,452

Third Lord. I promise you, my lord, you moved me much.

Apemantus. Much!

43

I,2,477

First Lord. You see, my lord, how ample you're beloved.
[Music. Re-enter Cupid with a mask of Ladies]
as Amazons, with lutes in their hands,
dancing and playing]

Apemantus. Hoy-day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way!
They dance! they are mad women.
Like madness is the glory of this life.
As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.
We make ourselves fools, to disport ourselves;
And spend our flatteries, to drink those men
Upon whose age we void it up again,
With poisonous spite and envy.
Who lives that's not depraved or depraves?
Who dies, that bears not one spurn to their graves
Of their friends' gift?
I should fear those that dance before me now
Would one day stamp upon me: 't has been done;
Men shut their doors against a setting sun.
[The Lords rise from table, with much adoring of]
TIMON; and to show their loves, each singles out an
Amazon, and all dance, men with women, a lofty
strain or two to the hautboys, and cease]

44

I,2,502

First Lady. My lord, you take us even at the best.

Apemantus. 'Faith, for the worst is filthy; and would not hold
taking, I doubt me.

45

I,2,602

(stage directions). [Exeunt all but APEMANTUS and TIMON]

Apemantus. What a coil's here!
Serving of becks and jutting-out of bums!
I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums
That are given for 'em. Friendship's full of dregs:
Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs,
Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies.

46

I,2,610

Timon. Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen, I would be
good to thee.

Apemantus. No, I'll nothing: for if I should be bribed too,
there would be none left to rail upon thee, and then
thou wouldst sin the faster. Thou givest so long,
Timon, I fear me thou wilt give away thyself in
paper shortly: what need these feasts, pomps and
vain-glories?

47

I,2,620

(stage directions). [Exit]

Apemantus. So:
Thou wilt not hear me now; thou shalt not then:
I'll lock thy heaven from thee.
O, that men's ears should be
To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!

48

II,2,735

Caphis. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus:
let's ha' some sport with 'em.

Apemantus. Dost dialogue with thy shadow?

49

II,2,737

Apemantus. Dost dialogue with thy shadow?

Apemantus. No,'tis to thyself.
[To the Fool]
Come away.

50

II,2,741

Apemantus. No,'tis to thyself.
[To the Fool]
Come away.

Apemantus. No, thou stand'st single, thou'rt not on him yet.

51

II,2,743

Caphis. Where's the fool now?

Apemantus. He last asked the question. Poor rogues, and
usurers' men! bawds between gold and want!

52

II,2,746

All Servants. What are we, Apemantus?

Apemantus. Asses.

53

II,2,748

All Servants. Why?

Apemantus. That you ask me what you are, and do not know
yourselves. Speak to 'em, fool.

54

II,2,754

Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens
as you are. Would we could see you at Corinth!

Apemantus. Good! gramercy.

55

II,2,759

Page. [To the Fool] Why, how now, captain! what do you
in this wise company? How dost thou, Apemantus?

Apemantus. Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer
thee profitably.

56

II,2,763

Page. Prithee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of
these letters: I know not which is which.

Apemantus. Canst not read?

57

II,2,765

Page. No.

Apemantus. There will little learning die then, that day thou
art hanged. This is to Lord Timon; this to
Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou't
die a bawd.

58

II,2,772

(stage directions). [Exit]

Apemantus. E'en so thou outrunnest grace. Fool, I will go with
you to Lord Timon's.

59

II,2,775

Fool. Will you leave me there?

Apemantus. If Timon stay at home. You three serve three usurers?

60

II,2,777

All Servants. Ay; would they served us!

Apemantus. So would I,—as good a trick as ever hangman served thief.

61

II,2,786

Fool. I think no usurer but has a fool to his servant: my
mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come
to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and
go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house
merrily, and go away sadly: the reason of this?

Apemantus. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster
and a knave; which not-withstanding, thou shalt be
no less esteemed.

62

II,2,800

Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man: as much foolery as
I have, so much wit thou lackest.

Apemantus. That answer might have become Apemantus.

63

II,2,803

(stage directions). [Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS]

Apemantus. Come with me, fool, come.

64

IV,3,1886

Timon. That nature, being sick of man's unkindness,
Should yet be hungry! Common mother, thou,
[Digging]
Whose womb unmeasurable, and infinite breast,
Teems, and feeds all; whose self-same mettle,
Whereof thy proud child, arrogant man, is puff'd,
Engenders the black toad and adder blue,
The gilded newt and eyeless venom'd worm,
With all the abhorred births below crisp heaven
Whereon Hyperion's quickening fire doth shine;
Yield him, who all thy human sons doth hate,
From forth thy plenteous bosom, one poor root!
Ensear thy fertile and conceptious womb,
Let it no more bring out ingrateful man!
Go great with tigers, dragons, wolves, and bears;
Teem with new monsters, whom thy upward face
Hath to the marbled mansion all above
Never presented!—O, a root,—dear thanks!—
Dry up thy marrows, vines, and plough-torn leas;
Whereof ungrateful man, with liquorish draughts
And morsels unctuous, greases his pure mind,
That from it all consideration slips!
[Enter APEMANTUS]
More man? plague, plague!

Apemantus. I was directed hither: men report
Thou dost affect my manners, and dost use them.

65

IV,3,1890

Timon. 'Tis, then, because thou dost not keep a dog,
Whom I would imitate: consumption catch thee!

Apemantus. This is in thee a nature but infected;
A poor unmanly melancholy sprung
From change of fortune. Why this spade? this place?
This slave-like habit? and these looks of care?
Thy flatterers yet wear silk, drink wine, lie soft;
Hug their diseased perfumes, and have forgot
That ever Timon was. Shame not these woods,
By putting on the cunning of a carper.
Be thou a flatterer now, and seek to thrive
By that which has undone thee: hinge thy knee,
And let his very breath, whom thou'lt observe,
Blow off thy cap; praise his most vicious strain,
And call it excellent: thou wast told thus;
Thou gavest thine ears like tapsters that bid welcome
To knaves and all approachers: 'tis most just
That thou turn rascal; hadst thou wealth again,
Rascals should have 't. Do not assume my likeness.

66

IV,3,1908

Timon. Were I like thee, I'ld throw away myself.

Apemantus. Thou hast cast away thyself, being like thyself;
A madman so long, now a fool. What, think'st
That the bleak air, thy boisterous chamberlain,
Will put thy shirt on warm? will these moss'd trees,
That have outlived the eagle, page thy heels,
And skip where thou point'st out? will the
cold brook,
Candied with ice, caudle thy morning taste,
To cure thy o'er-night's surfeit? Call the creatures
Whose naked natures live in an the spite
Of wreakful heaven, whose bare unhoused trunks,
To the conflicting elements exposed,
Answer mere nature; bid them flatter thee;
O, thou shalt find—

67

IV,3,1923

Timon. A fool of thee: depart.

Apemantus. I love thee better now than e'er I did.

68

IV,3,1925

Timon. I hate thee worse.

Apemantus. Why?

69

IV,3,1927

Timon. Thou flatter'st misery.

Apemantus. I flatter not; but say thou art a caitiff.

70

IV,3,1929

Timon. Why dost thou seek me out?

Apemantus. To vex thee.

71

IV,3,1932

Timon. Always a villain's office or a fool's.
Dost please thyself in't?

Apemantus. Ay.

72

IV,3,1934

Timon. What! a knave too?

Apemantus. If thou didst put this sour-cold habit on
To castigate thy pride, 'twere well: but thou
Dost it enforcedly; thou'ldst courtier be again,
Wert thou not beggar. Willing misery
Outlives encertain pomp, is crown'd before:
The one is filling still, never complete;
The other, at high wish: best state, contentless,
Hath a distracted and most wretched being,
Worse than the worst, content.
Thou shouldst desire to die, being miserable.

73

IV,3,1972

Timon. Not by his breath that is more miserable.
Thou art a slave, whom Fortune's tender arm
With favour never clasp'd; but bred a dog.
Hadst thou, like us from our first swath, proceeded
The sweet degrees that this brief world affords
To such as may the passive drugs of it
Freely command, thou wouldst have plunged thyself
In general riot; melted down thy youth
In different beds of lust; and never learn'd
The icy precepts of respect, but follow'd
The sugar'd game before thee. But myself,
Who had the world as my confectionary,
The mouths, the tongues, the eyes and hearts of men
At duty, more than I could frame employment,
That numberless upon me stuck as leaves
Do on the oak, hive with one winter's brush
Fell from their boughs and left me open, bare
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?

74

IV,3,1974

Timon. Ay, that I am not thee.

Apemantus. I, that I was
No prodigal.

75

IV,3,1982

(stage directions). [Eating a root]

Apemantus. Here; I will mend thy feast.

76

IV,3,1985

Timon. First mend my company, take away thyself.

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

77

IV,3,1988

Timon. 'Tis not well mended so, it is but botch'd;
if not, I would it were.

Apemantus. What wouldst thou have to Athens?

78

IV,3,1991

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.

79

IV,3,1994

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

Apemantus. Where liest o' nights, Timon?

80

IV,3,1997

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.

81

IV,3,2000

Timon. Would poison were obedient and knew my mind!

Apemantus. Where wouldst thou send it?

82

IV,3,2002

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 mocked thee for too much
curiosity; in thy rags thou knowest none, but art
despised for the contrary. There's a medlar for
thee, eat it.

83

IV,3,2009

Timon. On what I hate I feed not.

Apemantus. Dost hate a medlar?

84

IV,3,2011

Timon. Ay, though it look like thee.

Apemantus. An thou hadst hated meddlers sooner, thou shouldst
have loved thyself better now. What man didst thou
ever know unthrift that was beloved after his means?

85

IV,3,2016

Timon. Who, without those means thou talkest of, didst thou
ever know beloved?

Apemantus. Myself.

86

IV,3,2019

Timon. I understand thee; thou hadst some means to keep a
dog.

Apemantus. What things in the world canst thou nearest compare
to thy flatterers?

87

IV,3,2024

Timon. Women nearest; but men, men are the things
themselves. What wouldst thou do with the world,
Apemantus, if it lay in thy power?

Apemantus. Give it the beasts, to be rid of the men.

88

IV,3,2027

Timon. Wouldst thou have thyself fall in the confusion of
men, and remain a beast with the beasts?

Apemantus. Ay, Timon.

89

IV,3,2049

Timon. A beastly ambition, which the gods grant thee t'
attain to! If thou wert the lion, the fox would
beguile thee; if thou wert the lamb, the fox would
eat three: if thou wert the fox, the lion would
suspect thee, when peradventure thou wert accused by
the ass: if thou wert the ass, thy dulness would
torment thee, and still thou livedst but as a
breakfast to the wolf: if thou wert the wolf, thy
greediness would afflict thee, and oft thou shouldst
hazard thy life for thy dinner: wert thou the
unicorn, pride and wrath would confound thee and
make thine own self the conquest of thy fury: wert
thou a bear, thou wouldst be killed by the horse:
wert thou a horse, thou wouldst be seized by the
leopard: wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to
the lion and the spots of thy kindred were jurors on
thy life: all thy safety were remotion and thy
defence absence. What beast couldst thou be, that
were not subject to a beast? and what a beast art
thou already, that seest not thy loss in
transformation!

Apemantus. If thou couldst please me with speaking to me, thou
mightst have hit upon it here: the commonwealth of
Athens is become a forest of beasts.

90

IV,3,2053

Timon. How has the ass broke the wall, that thou art out of the city?

Apemantus. Yonder comes a poet and a painter: the plague of
company light upon thee! I will fear to catch it
and give way: when I know not what else to do, I'll
see thee again.

91

IV,3,2059

Timon. When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be
welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog than Apemantus.

Apemantus. Thou art the cap of all the fools alive.

92

IV,3,2061

Timon. Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon!

Apemantus. A plague on thee! thou art too bad to curse.

93

IV,3,2063

Timon. All villains that do stand by thee are pure.

Apemantus. There is no leprosy but what thou speak'st.

94

IV,3,2066

Timon. If I name thee.
I'll beat thee, but I should infect my hands.

Apemantus. I would my tongue could rot them off!

95

IV,3,2070

Timon. Away, thou issue of a mangy dog!
Choler does kill me that thou art alive;
I swound to see thee.

Apemantus. Would thou wouldst burst!

96

IV,3,2075

(stage directions). [Throws a stone at him]

Apemantus. Beast!

97

IV,3,2077

Timon. Slave!

Apemantus. Toad!

98

IV,3,2099

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 the sea may beat
Thy grave-stone daily: make thine epitaph,
That death in me at others' lives may laugh.
[To 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, loved and delicate wooer,
Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow
That lies on Dian's lap! thou visible god,
That solder'st close impossibilities,
And makest 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 thou'st gold:
Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly.

99

IV,3,2103

Timon. Throng'd to!

Apemantus. Ay.

100

IV,3,2105

Timon. Thy back, I prithee.

Apemantus. Live, and love thy misery.