2 Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Go, let him have a table by himself;

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I For he does neither affect company," mean to give thee none.

1 Lord. Hang thyself.

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding; make thy requests to thy friend.

2 Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn

thee hence.

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the ass.
[Erit.
1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall
we in.

And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes
The very heart of kindness.

2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold,
Is but his steward: no meed,' but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All use of quittance. 2

1 Lord.
The noblest mind he carries,
That ever govern'd man.

2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! we in?

1 Lord. I'll keep you company.

Nor is he fit for it, indeed.

I

Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon; caine to observe; I give thee warning on't.

Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent. Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should

Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number
Of men eat Timon, and he sees them not!
It grieves me, to see so many dip their meat
In one man's blood; and all the madness is,
He cheers them up too.*

I wonder, men dare trust themselves with men:
Methinks they should invite them without knives;
Good for their meat, and safer for their lives.
There's much example for't; the fellow, that
Sits next him now, parts bread with him, and pledges
The breath of him in a divided draught,

Shall Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov'd.
If I

[Exeunt. Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals;
Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous

notes:

SCENE II-The same. A room of state in
Timon's house. Hautboys playing loud music.
A great banquet served in; Flavius and others Great men should drink with harness on their

Then

attending; then enter Timon, Alcibiades, Lu-
cius, Lucullus, Sempronius, and other Athenian
Senators, with Ventidius, and attendants.
comes, dropping after all, Apemantus, discon-
tentedly.

throats.

Tim. My lord, in heart; and let the health go round.

2 Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Apem. Flow this way! A brave fellow!-he keeps his tides well. Timon, Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd the Those healths will make thee, and the state look ill.

gods remember

My father's age, and call him to long peace.

He is gone happy, and has left me rich:

Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound

To your free heart, I do return those talents,
Doubled, with thanks, and service, from whose help
I deriv'd liberty.

'im.

O, by no means,

Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love;

I gave it freely ever; and there's none
Can truly say he gives, if he receives:

If our betters play at that game, we must not dare
To imitate them; Faults that are rich, are fair.
Ven. A noble spirit.

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on Timon.
Tim.
Nay, my lords, ceremony

Was but devis'd at first, to set a gloss
On faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown;

But where there is true friendship, there needs

none.

1 Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it.
Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have you
not?

Tim. O, Apemantus !-you are welcome.
Apem.

You shall not make me welcome:

Here's that, which is too weak to be a sinner,
Honest water, which ne'er left man i'the mire:
This, and my food, are equals; there's no odds,
Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.
APEMANTUS'S GRACE.

Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man, but myself;
Grant I may never prove so fond,"
To trust man on his oath or bond;
Or a harlot, for her weeping;
Or a dog, that seems a sleeping;
Or a keeper with my freedom;
Or my friends, if I should need 'em.
Amen. So fall to't

Rich men sin, and I eat root.

[Eats and drinks.

Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!
Tim. Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field

now.

Alcib. My heart is ever at your service, my lord. Tim. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends.

Alcib. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like them; I could wish my best friend at No, such a feast.

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.
Tim. Fie, thou art a churl; you have got a hu-
mour there

Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame:
They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est,'
But yond' man's ever angry.

Apem. 'Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then; that then thou might'st kill 'em, and bid me to 'em.

1 Lord. Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby

(4) The allusion is to a pack of hounds trained to pursuit, by being gratiffed with the blood of an animal which they kill: and the wonder is, that the

(2) i. e. All the customary returns made in dis-animal, on which they are feeding, cheers them to

(1) Meed here means desert.

(3) Anger is a short madness.

charge of obligations.

the chase.

(5) Armour. (6) With sincerity. (7) Foolish.

we might express some part of our zeals, we should | Not one spurn to their graves of their friends' gift? think ourselves for ever perfect.' I should fear, those that dance before me now Tim. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods Would one day stamp upon me: It has been done; themselves have provided that I shall have much Men shut their doors against a setting sun. help from you: How had you been my friends else? The Lords rise from table, with much adoring of why have you that charitable title from thousands, Timon; and, to show their loves, each singles did you not chiefly belong to my heart? I have told out an Amazon, and all dance, men with women; more of you to myself, than you can with modesty a lofty strain or two to the hautboys, and cease. speak in your own behalf; and thus far I confirm. Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, you. O, you gods, think I, what need we have any fair ladies, friends, if we should never have need of them? they were the most needless creatures living, should we Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, ne'er have use for them: and would most resemble Which was not half so beautiful and kind; sweet instruments hung up in cases, that keep their You have added worth unto't, and lively lustre, sounds to themselves. Why, I have often wished And entertain'd me with mine own device; myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you.— I am to thank you for it. We are born to do benefits: and what better or properer can we call our own, than the riches of our friends? O, what a precious comfort 'tis, to have so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en make away ere it can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks: to forget their faults, I drink to you.

Apem. Thou weepest to make them drink, Timon.
2 Lord. Joy had the like conception in our eyes,
And, at that instant, like a babe sprung up.
Apem. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a

bastard.

3 Lord. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me

much.

Apem. Much!
[Tucket sounded.
Tim. What means that trump ?-How now?

Cupid. Hail to thee, worthy Timon;-and to all
That of his bounties taste!-The five best senses
Acknowledge thee their patron; and come freely
To gratulate thy plenteous bosom: The ear,
Taste, touch, smell, all pleas'd from thy table rise;
They only now come but to feast thine eyes.
Tim. They are welcome all; let them have kind
admittance:

Music, make their welcome.

[Exit Cupid. 1 Lord. You see, my lord, how ample you are belov'd.

Music. Re-enter Cupid, with a masque of Ladies as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing.

Apem. Hey-day, what a sweep of vanity comes
this way!

They dance! they are mad women.
Like madness is the glory of this life,

As this pomp shows to a little oil, and root.
We make ourselves fools, to disport ourselves;
And spend our flatteries, to drink those men,
Upon whose age we void it up again,

With poisonous spite, and envy. Who lives, that's
not

Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears

(1) i. e. Arrived at the perfection of happiness.

(2) Endearing.

(3) Much, was formerly an expression of contemptuous admiration.

1 Lady. My lord, you take us even at the best. Apem. 'Faith, for the worst is filthy; and would not hold taking, I doubt me.

Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet Attends you: Please you to dispose yourselves. All Lad. Most thankfully, my lord.

Tim. Flavius,
Flav. My lord.
Tim.

[Exeunt Cupid, and Ladies.

The little casket bring me hither.
Flav. Yes, my lord.-More jewels yet!
There is no crossing him in his humour; [Aside.
Else I should tell him,-Well,-I'faith, I should,
When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he could.
'Tis pity, bounty had not eyes behind;'
That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.
[Exit, and returns with the casket

1 Lord. Where be our men?
Serv.

2 Lord. Our horses.
Tim.

Here, my lord, in readiness.

O my friends, I have one word
To say to you:-Look you, my good lord, I must
Entreat you, honour me so much, as to
Advance this jewel;

Accept, and wear it, kind my lord.

1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,-
All. So are we all.

Scene II.

Tim. I'll hunt with him; And let them be re-
ceiv'd,

Not without fair reward.
Flav. [Aside.]

What will this come to?
He commands us to provide, and give great gifts,
And all out of an empty coffer.-

Nor will he know his purse; or yield me this,
To show him what a beggar his heart is,
Being of no power to make his wishes good;
His promises fly so beyond his state,
That what he speaks is all in debt, he owes
For every word; he is so kind, that he now
Pays interest for't; his land's put to their books.
Well, 'would I were gently put out of office,
Before I were forc'd out!

Happier is he that has no friend to feed,

Than such as do even enemies exceed.
I bleed inwardly for my lord.
Tim.

[Exit.

You do yourselves Much wrong, you bate too much of your own merits: Here, my lord, a trifle of our love."

2 Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it.

3 Lord. O, he is the very soul of bounty!

Sen. And late, five thousand to Varro; and to
Isidore

He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum,
Which makes it five and twenty.-Still in motion
Of raging waste? It cannot hold; it will not.
If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dog,
And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold:

Tim. And now I remember me, my lord, you gave If I would sell my horse, and buy twenty more

Good words the other day of a bay courser
I rode on: it is yours, because you lik'd it.

3 Lord. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in

that.

Tim. You may take my word, my lord; I know,

Am I to you.

2 Lord.

And so

So infinitely endear'd,-
Tim. All to you. 2-Lights, more lights.
1 Lord.
The best of happiness,
Honour, and fortunes, keep with you, lord Timon!
Tim. Ready for his friends.
[Exeunt Alcibiades, Lords, &c.
Apem.
What a coil's here!
Serving of becks, and jutting out of bums!
I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums
That are given for 'em. Friendship's full of dregs:
Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs.
Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies.
Tim. Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen,
I'd be good to thee.

No, I'll nothing: for,

Apem.
If I should be brib'd too, there would be none left
To rail upon thee; and then thou would'st sin the
faster.

Thou giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me, thou
Wilt give away thyself in paper shortly:
What need these feasts, pomps, and vain glories?

(1) i. e. Could dispense them on every side with an ungrudging distribution, like that with which I could deal out cards.

(2) i. e. All happiness to you.
(3) Offering salutations.

VOL. II.

Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon,
Ask nothing, give him, it foals me, straight,
And able horses: No porter at his gate;
But rather one that smiles, and still invites
All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason
Can found his state in safety. Caphis, ho!
Caphis, I say!

Caph.

Enter Caphis.

Here, sir; What is your pleasure?
Sen. Get on your cloak, and haste you to lord
Timon;

Importune him for my moneys; be not ceas'd
With slight denial; nor then silenc'd, when-
Commend me to your master-and the cap
Plays in the right hand, thus:-but, tell him, sirrah,
My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn
Out of mine own; his days and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates
Have smit my credit: I love, and honour him;
But must not break my back, to heal his finger:
Immediate are my needs; and my relief
Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
But find supply immediate. Get you gone:
Put on a most importunate aspect,
A visage of demand; for, I do fear,
When every feather sticks in his own wing,
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone.
Caph. I go, sir.

Sen. I go, sir?-Take the bonds along with you,
And have the dates in compt.
Caph.
I will sir.
Sen.

Go. [Exeunt.

A hall in Timon's

SCENE II.-The same.
house. Enter Flavius, with many bills in his
hand.

Flav. No care, no stop! so senseless of expense,
That he will neither know how to maintain it,
Nor cease his flow of riot: Takes no account
How things go from him; nor resumes no care
Of what is to continue; Never mind

(4) i. e. Be ruined by his securities entered into.
(5) By his heaven he means good advice; the
only thing by which he could be saved.
(6) Stopped.

N 2