How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)
Quote #4
TIMON:
What is here?
Gold? Yellow, glittering, precious gold?
No, gods, I am no idle votarist.
Roots, you clear heavens! Thus much of this will make
Black white, foul fair, wrong right,
Base noble, old young, coward valiant.
Ha, you gods! Why this? What this, you gods? Why, this
Will lug your priests and servants from your sides,
Pluck stout men's pillows from below their heads:
This yellow slave
Will knit and break religions, bless the accursed,
Make the hoar leprosy adored, place thieves
And give them title, knee and approbation,
With Senators on the bench: this is it
That makes the wappened widow wed again;
She, whom the spi-house and ulcerous sores
Would cast the gorge at, this embalms and spices
To th' April day again. Come, damned earth,
Thou common whore of mankind, that put'st odds
Among the route of nations, I will make thee
Do thy right nature. (4.3.25-45)
If you found a pile of gold in the woods, would you think you were cursed? Timon sure does, and that just goes to show us how far he's come since the beginning of the play. It's clear he thinks gold is destructive, but we think the "yellow slave" comment is particularly fitting for his situation. We'll admit it: after reading this baby, we'd think twice about picking up that pile of gold, too.
Quote #5
ALCIBIADES:
Hast thou gold yet? I'll take the gold thou givest me,
Not all thy counsel. (4.3.130-131)
Even though Timon tries to use his newfound gold to buy him some power over Alcibiades, it doesn't work. Alcibiades tells Timon plainly that he needs the money to fund his army, and he won't follow Timon's order. Well, he gets points in our book for being honest. Looks like money doesn't always buy you power; that works mostly on shallow people like Timon's ex-BFFs. Sorry, Timon.
Quote #6
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. (4.3.290-292)
Same scene, different location. Apemantus still has a way of getting under Timon's skin, even out in the woods. When Timon tries to boast of his money (and, by extension, his power), Apemantus doesn't buy it. He flatly tells Timon that money is irrelevant out in the woods, since there's nothing out there to buy. Is he right?