Timon of Athens

Roles

• Timon
• Apemantus

About this piece

Timon and Apemantus insult each other and curse humankind

Summary

Timon is a generous wealthy man in Athens who enjoys sharing his wealth with his friends without expecting anything in return. In the first scene of the play we are introduced to him when a poet, a painter and a jeweler arrive to his house, hoping to sell their goods and services, knowing of his generous nature. He buys from them and then negotiates to pay for the release of a friend who is in jail because of his debts, Ventidius. After throwing a feast for his friends and giving them several gifts, various people wonder how he can manage not to run out of money. When three creditors send their servants to collect from Timon, Flavius, Timon's servant, tells his master that he is in debt and has no money left. Timon sends his three servants to ask his friends for a loan but his three friends refuse to lend him any money. Timon's house is soon surrounded by servants of his creditors. Timon decides to hold a last dinner party and invite all his friends. At the party he serves them boiling water and stones, curses them and leaves Athens to live in the wilderness, in a cave. There he is visited by several men, among which Apemantus, his old grumpy friend. In this scene Apemantus remarks that Timon brought this onto himself by trusting a bunch of double faced friends. The two characters argue, then they both curse Athens and humanity but end up insulting each other again.

Tone

Use cases