by Robert Bond
First published 2020
Timon throws lavish banquets in his Athens mansion, showering friends with money and gifts. He pays three talents so his servant can marry, bails out Ventidius from debtors' prison, and hands out horses like party favors. Only the cynical philosopher Apemantus refuses his generosity, seeing through the other guests who circle like vultures. When Timon returns from hunting, his steward Flavius delivers crushing news. The endless spending has drained everything. His land is sold. Creditors arrive demanding immediate payment. Timon sends servants to ask for help from those he considered his closest friends. The man who gave freely to everyone now faces the test of whether anyone will give back to him. Bond's retelling follows the wealthy patron's fall from abundance to desperation, exploring what happens when limitless generosity meets the limits of human loyalty.
Genres: fiction, drama, literary-fiction, historical-fiction
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fall-from-grace, rags-to-riches
Setting: Athens
Period: Ancient Greece
90 pages · Paperback · Independently Published