The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 7 of 9]

by William Shakespeare

'Why, this is the world's soul;
Of the same piece is every flatterer's spirit:
Who can call him his friend that dips with him
In the same dish? for even in my knowing,
Timon has been to this Lord as a father,
And kept his credit with his bounteous purse.'

Johnson follows the Folios except that he gives the first lines thus:

'Why, this is the world's soul;
And just of the same piece is every flatterer's spirit:
Who can call him his friend,
That &c.'

Steevens, in the edition of 1773, followed Johnson's arrangement, but adopted in the first lines a transposition proposed by Upton:

'Why, this is the world's sport;
And just of the same piece is every flatterer's soul.'

In his edition of 1793 he read as follows:

'Why this
Is the world's soul; and just of the same piece
Is every flatterer's spirit. Who can call him
His friend, &c.'

Following, in the rest, Capell's arrangement.

Malone arranged as follows:

'Why this is the world's soul, and just of the same piece
Is every flatterer's spirit. Who can call him his friend,
That dips in the same dish? for in my knowing
Timon has been this lord's father, and kept
His credit with his purse.'