Apemantus
sees nothing good in any object, and exaggerates whatever is
disgusting: Timon is tormented with the perpetual contrast between
things and appearances, between the fresh, tempting outside and the
rottenness within, and invokes mischiefs on the heads of mankind
proportioned to the sense of his wrongs and of their treacheries. He
impatiently cries out, when he finds the gold,
This yellow slave
Will knit and break religions; bless the accurs'd;
Make the hoar leprosy ador'd; place thieves,
And give them title, knee, and approbation,
With senators on the bench; this is it,
That makes the wappen'd widow wed again;
She, whom the spital-house
Would cast the gorge at, THIS EMBALMS AND SPICES
TO TH' APRIL DAY AGAIN.
One of his most dreadful imprecations is that which occurs
immediately on his leaving Athens.
Let me look back upon thee, O thou wall,
That girdlest in those wolves! Dive in the earth,
And fence not Athens! Matrons, turn incontinent;
Obedience fail in children; slaves and fools
Pluck the grave wrinkled senate from the bench,
And minister in their steads. To general filths
Convert o' th' instant green virginity!
Do't in your parents' eyes. Bankrupts, hold fast;
Rather than render back, out with your knives,
And cut your trusters' throats! Bound servants, steal:
Large-handed robbers your grave masters are,
And pill by law.
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