Original: I scorn thy meat; ‘twould choke me, for I should ne’er flatter thee.
Modern: I refuse your food; it would choke me because I’ll never flatter you.

Original: O you gods, what a number of men eat Timon, and he sees ‘em not!
Modern: Oh gods, so many men are feeding off Timon, and he doesn’t even see it!

Original: It grieves me to see so many dip their meat in one man’s blood;
Modern: It saddens me to see so many people soaking up one man’s wealth;

Original: and all the madness is, he cheers them up too.
Modern: and the crazy thing is, he encourages them too.

Original: I wonder men dare trust themselves with men:
Modern: I’m amazed that men dare to trust other men:

Original: Methinks they should invite them without knives;
Modern: I think they should invite guests without bringing knives to dinner;

Original: Good for their meat, and safer for their lives.
Modern: It’s better for cutting food, and safer for staying alive.

Original: 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:
Modern: There are plenty of examples of this; the guy sitting right next to him, sharing bread and toasting drinks with him, is the most likely person to kill him:

Original: ‘t has been proved.
Modern: it’s been proven.

Original: If I were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals;
Modern: If I were an important man, I’d be afraid to drink during meals;

Original: Lest they should spy my windpipe’s dangerous notes:
Modern: In case they might see the vulnerable spot on my throat:

Original: Great men should drink with harness on their throats.
Modern: Powerful men should wear armor around their necks when they drink.

In Act I, Scene 2 of “Timon of Athens,” Timon hosts an elaborate banquet for his friends and various Athenian lords. The scene opens with Timon welcoming his guests and expressing his generous philosophy of friendship and hospitality. Throughout the feast, Timon presents lavish gifts to his attendees, including jewels, horses, and other valuable items, demonstrating his extreme generosity and desire to share his wealth with those he considers friends. The guests receive these gifts with apparent gratitude and shower Timon with praise and flattery for his munificence.

As the banquet progresses, entertainment is provided in the form of a masque featuring Cupid and ladies dressed as Amazons, who dance with the male guests. The revelry continues with music and dancing, creating an atmosphere of celebration and abundance. Flavius, Timon’s steward, appears troubled by his master’s excessive spending and attempts to speak with him about financial matters, but Timon dismisses these concerns and continues to focus on entertaining his guests. The scene concludes with the guests departing, having enjoyed Timon’s hospitality and received his generous gifts, while Flavius remains worried about the unsustainable nature of his master’s expenditures.

Timon of Athens tells the story of a wealthy Athenian nobleman whose excessive generosity leads to his downfall. In the first half of the play, Timon lavishes gifts, throws extravagant banquets, and freely lends money to anyone who asks, despite warnings from his loyal steward Flavius about his dwindling finances. Timon dismisses these concerns, believing his generosity will be repaid by the loyalty of his many friends. However, his creditors eventually come calling, and Timon discovers he has no money left to pay his debts.

When Timon’s financial ruin becomes apparent, he sends servants to ask his former friends and beneficiaries for loans to help him through his crisis. One by one, they all refuse him with various excuses - Lucilius claims his money is tied up in investments, Lucullus pretends not to be home, and Sempronius feels insulted that Timon didn’t ask him first. Faced with this universal rejection, Timon invites all his false friends to one final feast, where he serves them warm water and stones, then curses them and banishes himself from Athens.

Timon retreats to a cave in the wilderness outside Athens, where he becomes a misanthropic hermit, railing against humanity and civilization. While digging for roots to eat, he discovers gold in the earth. Various visitors come to see him in his exile, including the loyal Flavius, the philosopher Apemantus (who had always criticized Timon’s generosity), thieves seeking the gold, and the exiled general Alcibiades who is marching against Athens. Timon gives away the gold freely but refuses all attempts at reconciliation or friendship. The play ends with news of Timon’s death reaching Athens, where Alcibiades has successfully taken the city and promises to restore order and justice.