An Athenian general, one of Timon's best friends. He is present at Timon's reception and banquet in the first act, but not at the second banquet. He is banished by the Athenian senate when he pleads too vehemently for the life of one of his soldiers or friends whom the senate has sentenced to death. In his anger he decides to revenge both Timon and himself and raises an army against Athens. During his march towards Athens he visits Timon in his cave, accompanied by Phrynia and Timandra. Timon seems at first not to recognize him, but when he hears that Alcibiades is at war with Athens he gives him gold. Later Alcibiades sends a courier with a letter to Timon, asking him to join him in his march against Athens, but the courier arrives too late and finds only Timon's grave. At the end of the play, Alcibiades and his army have reached Athens, and the senators surrender. Timon's and Alcibiades' enemies will have to fall. A messenger (probably the courier who had been sent to Timon) then comes to inform Alcibiades that Timon has died.
ALCIBIADES' FRIEND
A "ghost character." A soldier who has been arrested for murder and should be executed. Alcibiades pleads for his friend, but the senators remain firm. When Alcibiades insists, he is banished from Athens.
AMAZONS
During the first banquet (in scene I.ii) a group of ladies performs a Masque of Cupid and the Amazons, a masque that might also represent the five senses. After their performance they dance with the guests, and then they all are entertained. Apemantus describes them as prostitutes.
APEMANTUS
A cynical philosopher who attends Timon's banquets to criticize Timon's stupid generosity and to warn him of his false friends. After Timon has left Athens, Apemantus goes to see him in his cave because he has heard that Timon has now assumed his manners and indulges in misanthropy and poverty. After a long dispute and mutual insults Timon drives him away with stones.
BANDITTI, THREE
Three bandits, deserters from Alcibiades' army, have heard that Timon has found gold. Timon encourages them to continue in their honest profession (stealing and killing) and gives them gold.
CAPHIS
A servant of the first senator, one of Timon's creditors. Caphis is one of the besiegers of Timon's house in II.ii.
COURIER
Perhaps a "ghost character." The man from whom the Senators' messenger receives his information. Alcibiades has sent him with a letter to Timon, asking him to join him in his march against Athens. Most probably "courier" is another identification of one character who is also
the soldier who finds Timon's grave in scene V.iii as well as
the messenger who then appears in the last scene with a copy of Timon's epitaph.
CUPID
One of the masquers. During the first banquet (in scene I.ii) he introduces a group of ladies. Together, they perform a Masque of Cupid and the Amazons, a masque that might also represent the five senses. After their performance they dance with the guests, and then they all are entertained. Apemantus describes them as prostitutes.
FLAMINIUS
One of Timon's servants. Timon sends him to Lord Lucullus to ask for a loan of fifty talents.
FLAVIUS
Timon's faithful steward. Timon ignores his warnings. After Timon has left, Flavius shares the little money that is left with the other servants and dismisses them. Flavius then visits his former master in his cave. Timon admits that he is the only "honest man", and he gives him some gold under the condition that he will hate and avoid all men. Later Flavius returns to Timon with two senators. They ask Timon to come back to defend the city against Alcibiades and his army.
FOOL
Appears with Apemantus in II.ii. They both speak with the creditors' servants who besiege Timon's house.
FRIENDS, FALSE
The names of Timon's false friends are not given in the second banquet scene of III.vi. They likely are or include all or some of the false friends from the first banquet, viz. Lucius, Lucullus, Sempronius, and Ventidius as well as the Jeweler, Mercer, Merchant, Painter, and Poet who are given no proper names.
HORTENSIUS
A usurer's servant, like most of the servants he carries his master's name. He is one of the besiegers of Timon's house in III.iv.
ISIDOR
A usurer's servant, like most of the servants he carries his master's name. He is one of the besiegers of Timon's house in II.ii.
JEWELER
One of Timon's false friends, a flatterer. He appears in the first scene, together with the merchant, the mercer, the poet and the painter. He offers Timon a jewel and receives much more than the usual prize in return.
LADIES
During the first banquet (in scene I.ii) a group of ladies performs a Masque of Cupid and the Amazons, a masque that might also represent the five senses. After their performance they dance with the guests, and then they all are entertained. Apemantus describes them as prostitutes.
LORDS
Noblemen who are false friends of Timon. They are Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius (but not Ventidius who is a false friend but not a Lord). The names of Timon's false friends and flatterers are not always given in the speech headings. Others such as the Jeweler, Mercer, Merchant, Painter, and Poet have no proper names at all.
LUCILIUS
One of Timon's servants. He is in love with an old Athenian's daughter. Her father is against their marriage, but agrees when Timon supplies a generous dowry for Lucilius.
LUCIUS (I)
Lord Lucius is one of Timon's false friends, a flattering lord. In I.ii he sends him four milk-white horses trapped in silver, for which he is richly paid. The three strangers tell him that Timon has lost all his money. When Servilius comes to ask for a loan, he declines (III.ii). The same Lucius is probably also one of Timon's moneylenders, and Timon owes him five thousand crowns.
LUCIUS (II)
Name of a usurer's servant in III.iv. Most of the servants are given the names of their masters, so "Lucius" is probably a servant of Lord Lucius. Timon owes Lord Lucius five thousand crowns.
LUCULLUS
One of Timon's false friends, a flattering lord. In act I.ii he entreats Timon's company to hunt with him and he sends two greyhounds as a gift, for which he will be richly paid. When Flaminius comes to ask for a loan of fifty talents, he declines (III.i).
MASQUERS
During the first banquet (in scene I.ii) a group of ladies performs a Masque of Cupid and the Amazons, a masque that might also represent the five senses. After their performance they dance with the guests, and then they all are entertained. Apemantus describes them as prostitutes.
MERCER
One of Timon's false friends, a flatterer. He appears in the first scene, together with the jeweler, the merchant, the poet and the painter, but he never talks.
MERCHANT
One of Timon's false friends, a flatterer. He appears in the first scene, together with the jeweler, the mercer, the poet and the painter.
MESSENGER, FIRST AND SECOND
Two messengers appear in the play:
The First Messenger is a spy who informs the senators in scene V.ii about the size and location of Alcibiades' army.
The Second Messenger (probably the courier who has informed the messenger in V.ii and the soldier in V.iii) informs Alcibiades at the end of the play that Timon has died. He brings a copy of Timon's epitaph.
OLD ATHENIAN
The father of a young girl who is in love with Lucilius, one of Timon's servants. He is against this match, but agrees when Timon promises to provide a generous dowry for Lucilius.
PAGE
A illiterate young boy who appears with letters to Alcibiades and Timon in II.ii.
PAINTER
One of Timon's false friends, a flatterer. In the first scene he appears with the poet, the merchant, the mercer and the jeweler. He offers Timon a painting, for which he is well paid. With his friend and rival, the poet, he visits Timon again in the woods. Hoping to get some gold, they promise him further works. But Timon drives them away with stones.
PHILOTUS
A usurer's servant, like most of the servants he carries his master's name. He is one of the besiegers of Timon's house in II.ii and III.iv.
PHRYNIA
Phrynia and Timandra are the two mistresses who follow Alcibiades on his march towards Athens. Timon calls them prostitutes and gives them gold to continue their profession and carry their diseases to the Athenians.
POET
One of Timon's false friends, a flatterer. In the first scene he dedicates one of his works, a poem about the fickleness of Fortune, to Timon. With his friend and rival, the painter, he revisits Timon in the woods. Hoping to get some gold, they promise him further works. But Timon drives them away with stones.
SEMPRONIUS
One of Timon's false friends, a flattering lord. He refuses to help him when one of Timon's servants comes to ask him for a loan of fifty talents. He says he would have helped if Timon had asked him first.
SENATORS OF ATHENS
The senators of Athens have no individual names. They are shown as flattering, greedy, heartless and cowardly old men.
At the beginning they appear as flatterers at Timon's reception.
The senator in II.i is a moneylender and usurer. He sends his servant Caphis to get his money back from Timon.
Timon expects the senators to give him a loan of a thousand talents (II.ii.) for his merits, but Flavius has asked them already, and they have declined.
Alcibiades asks the senators to show mercy towards a friend of his that has been sentenced to death, but the senators remain hard and cruel, and when he insists, he is banished.
As Alcibiades' army approaches, the senators ask Timon to come back to Athens and defend their city against Alcibiades, but Timon declines and tells them to hang themselves.
In the end the senators have to surrender their city to Alcibiades.
SERVANTS, VARRO'S
Two servants of a usurer, like most of the servants they carry their master's name. They appear as besiegers of Timon's house in II.ii. and III.iv.
SERVILIUS
One of Timon's servants. Timon sends him to Lord Lucius to ask for a loan of fifty talents, and he is refused.
SOLDIER
A soldier of Alcibiades' army finds Timon's grave and makes a wax copy of Timon's epigraph. He brings it to Alcibiades at the end of the play.
STRANGERS, THREE
Three strangers act as witnesses and commentators when Servilius asks Lord Lucius to help Timon.
TIMANDRA
Timandra and Phrynia are the two mistresses who follow Alcibiades on his march towards Athens. Timon calls them prostitutes and gives them gold to continue in their profession and carry their diseases to the Athenians.
TIMON OF ATHENS
A rich Athenian lord who has spent all his riches for his friends. They come to his banquets with small gifts and receive generous presents in return. Flavius, his steward, tells him that there is nothing left of his money and his lands. Timon is deeply in debt, and when he asks them, none of his friends is willing to help him. Once more he invites all his false friends to a banquet, and they all come because they think that he might still have money left. But he offers them stones and water, throws the water in their faces and drives them out of his house by throwing the stones at them. Disappointed by his friends, he leaves Athens to become a misanthrope in the woods. Digging for roots he finds gold and becomes rich again. Alcibiades comes with his army, accompanied by Phrynia and Timandra. Timon is pleased to hear that they march against Athens, and he gives them some of his gold:
to Alcibiades for the destruction of Athens,
to the two ladies to spread their venereal diseases all over the world.
Apemantus has heard that Timon has become, like himself, a cynic, and he comes to see him. After a long dispute filled with mutual insults Timon drives him away with stones. Three banditti, deserters from Alcibiades' army, have heard that Timon has found gold. Timon encourages them to continue in their honest profession (stealing) and gives them gold. When Timon discovers that Flavius, his steward, has remained faithful to his master, he concedes that there is one honest man left in the world. Flavius is given gold and told to follow his master's example and hate and avoid all men. The poet and the painter have also heard of Timon's gold and come to promise further works, but Timon insults them and drives them away with stones. Flavius then reappears with two senators: Athens needs Timon's help against Alcibiades and his army. Timon is invited to become Athen's new leader, provided with absolute power. He declines, and retires to his cave to write his epitaph and to die. Alcibiades sends a courier with a letter asking for Timon's help in his war against Athens, but the soldier only finds Timon's grave. He copies the epitaph and brings it to Athens, where Alcibiades, who has just conquered the city, reads it out:
Here lie I, Timon, who alive all living men did hate. Pass by and curse thy fill; but pass, and stay not here thy gait.
TITUS
A usurer's servant, like most of the servants he carries his master's name. He is one of the besiegers of Timon's house in II.ii. and III.iv. Timon owes his master fifty talents.
VARRO
A "ghost character." He is a usurer to whom Timon owes money. He sends two of his servants who appear as besiegers of Timon's house in II.ii. and III.iv.
VENTIDIUS
One of Timon's false friends. At the beginning of the play he is in prison for a debt of five talents. Timon hears this and sends the money to relieve him. In the second scene Ventidius comes to thank him. His father has died and left him a fortune, and he now wants to return these talents, but Timon declines. When Timon himself is in need of money, Flavius is sent to him to ask for a loan, but Ventidius refuses to help.