Timon Timeline and Summary

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• 1.1: Timon purchases a poem, a painting, and a jewel from merchants, even though we're pretty sure he doesn't need them. He also pays the dowry of a local woman and the debt of his friend, Ventidius. We get the point: he's super generous.
• 1.2: Timon hosts a feast, during which he makes a few mini-speeches about the importance of friendship. He interacts with the philosopher Apemantus and is shocked by his grumpy outlook on everything. He gives away a jewel and some horses to his friends.
• 2.1: When Caphis the servant shows up at Timon's house asking for money, Timon wants to repay him and is confused when his steward says he cannot. He tells Flavius to send servants around to all of his friends to ask for money. He's sure they'll come through.
• 3.4: Timon can't believe it when the servants come back empty-handed. He instructs Flavius to invite all his friends to another banquet, even though he doesn't have the money for it. We sense a plan at work, but Timon doesn't say what it is.
• 3.6: At the dinner, Timon calls his friends out on their hypocritical ways. He throws warm water and stones at them until they leave. That's one way to make a point.
• 4.1: Timon stands at the city walls, yelling about his poor fate. He decides to leave Athens—and everything it represents—behind and take up in the woods.
• 4.3: After finding gold in the dirt in the woods, Timon receives a number of visitors—Alcibiades, Apemantus, and Flavius among them. He has become an utter misanthrope and hates everyone. He spews angry words at his visitors but eventually hatches a plan with Alcibiades to destroy Athens. He also gives money to Flavius and tells him to never trust anyone ever again.
• 5.1: Timon is visited by the Poet and Painter, who want some of his gold. He berates them for being moochers and declares that he just wants to be alone in his cave. Then two Senators arrive, asking for help with Alcibiades. Timon doesn't care about Athens, and he tells them so. He decides to stay in his cave and write his epitaph.
• 5.3: We hear that Timon is dead when a soldier finds his grave.
• 5.4: Timon's epitaph is read aloud by Alcibiades. In it, he curses anyone who comes near his grave and tells everyone he hates all living men.