"Timon of Athens" by William Shakespeare is a play written around 1606. A generous Athenian nobleman lavishes his fortune on friends and flatterers until his wealth runs dry. When he seeks help in his time of need, those he once enriched turn their backs on him. Betrayed and embittered, Timon renounces humanity itself, retreating to a desolate cave where he discovers gold and confronts those who wronged him. This dark exploration of friendship, ingratitude, and misanthropy follows one man's devastating fall from grace. (This is an automatically generated summary.)