ABSTRACT
Wherein he shewed how like a beast (in deede) he was: for he could not abide any other man, beinge not able to suffer the company of him, which was of like nature. And if by chaunce hee happened to goe to Athenes, it was onelye to speak with Alcibiades, who then was an excellente captaine there, wherat many did marveile: and therefore Apemantus demaunded of him, why he spake to no man, but to Alcibiades. '1 speake to him sometimes, said Timon, because 1 know that by his occasion, the Atheniens shall receive great hurt and trouble.' Which wordes many times he told to Alcibiades himselfe. He had a garden adjoyning to his house in the fields, wherin was a figge tree, whereuppon many desperate men ordinarily did hange themselves: in place whereof, he purposed to set up a house, and therefore was forced to cutte it downe, for which cause hee went to Athenes, and in the markette place, hee called the people about him, saying that hee had newes to telle them: when the people understoode that he was about to make a discourse unto them, which was wont to speake to no man, they marveiled, and the citizens on every parte of the citie, ranne to heare him: to whom he saide, that he purposed to cutte downe his figge tree, to builde a house upon the place where it stoode. 'Wherefore (quoth he) if there be any man amonges you all in this company, that is disposed to hang himselfe, let him come betimes, before it be cutte downe.' Having thus bestowed his chari tie amonges the people, he retourned to his lodging, wher he lived a certaine time after, without alteration of nature; and because that nature chaunged not in his life time, he would not suffer that death should alter, or varie the same: for like as he lived a beastly and chorlish life, even so he required to have his funerall done after that maner. By his last will, he ordeined himselfe to be interred upon the sea shore, that the waves and surges might beate and vexe his dead carcas. Yea, and that ifit were possible, his desire was to be buried in the depth of the sea: causing an epitaphe to be made, wherin was described the qualities of his brutishe life. Plutarche also reported an other to be made by Calimachus, much like to that which Timon made himselfe, whose owne soundeth to this effect in Englishe verse.
