you not? Tim. O, Apemantus!-you are welcome. You shall not make me welcome: Tim. Fye, thou art a churl; you have got a humour there Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame :- Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon; I come 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 I wonder, men dare trust themselves with men : 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, APEMANTUS'S Grace. Immortal gods, I crave no pelf: Or a [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 such a feast. 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 we might express some part of our zeals, we should think ourselves for ever perfect. Tim. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I shall have much help from you: How had you been my friends else? why have you that charitable title from thousands, did you not chiefly belong to my heart? I have told more of you to myself, than you can with modesty speak in your own bebalf; and thus far I confirm you. O you gods, think I, what need we have any friends, if we should never have need of them? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for them; and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases, Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been that keep their sounds to themselves. Why, I prov'd. If I Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; notes: Great men should drink with harness on their throats. have often wished myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you. 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 for tunes! O joy, e'en made away ere it can be Cup. 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. As this pomp shows to a little oil, and root. With poisonous spite and envy. Who lives, that's not Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears Not one spurn to their graves of their friends' gift? I should fear, those, that dance before me now, Would one day stampupon me: It has been done; Men shut their doors against a setting sun. The Lords rise from table, with much adoring of TIMON; and, to show their loves, each singles out an Amazon, and all dance, men with women, a lofty strain or two to the hautboys, and cease. Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies, Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, Which was not half so beautiful and kind; 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. [Exeunt Cupid and Ladies. Tim. 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 ; 1 Lord. Where be our men? Tim. O my friends, I have one word Accept, and wear it, kind my lord. 1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,All. So are we all. Here, my lord, a trifle of our love. Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs. 2 Lord. With more than common thanks I Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court' will receive it. sies. 3 Lord. O, he is the very soul of bounty! Tim. And now I remember me, my lord, you Tim. Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen, I'd be good to thee. gave Apem. No, I'll nothing: for, Good words the other day of a bay courser I rode on: it is yours, because you lik'd it. 2 Lord. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, If I should be brib'd too, there would be none left in that. Tim. You may take my word, my lord; I know, no man Can justly praise, but what he does affect: All Lords. None so welcome. Tim. I take all and your several visitations So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give; Methinks, I could deal kingdoms to my friends, And ne'er be weary.-Alcibiades, Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich, It comes in charity to thee: for all thy living To rail upon thee; and then thou would'st sin the faster. Thou giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me, thou Tim. Nay, An you begin to rail on society once, Apem. So; Thou'lt not hear me now, I'll lock thou shalt not then, Thy heaven from thee. O, that men's ears should be To counsel deaf, but not to flattery! [Exit. ACT II. SCENE I.-The same. A room in a Senator's | All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason Can found his state in safety.-Caphis, ho! Caphis, I say! house. Enter a Senator, with papers in his hand. Sen. And late, five thousand to Varro; and to Isidore He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum, And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold: Have smit my credit: I love, and honour him; Sen. I go, sir?-take the bonds along with you, And have the dates in compt. Caph. I will, sir. SCENE II. The same. house. [Exeunt. A hall in TIMON'S Caph. Good-even, Varro: What, You come for money? Var. Serv. Is't not your business too? Caph. 'Would we were all discharg'd! Caph. Here comes the lord. Enter TIMON, Alcibiades, and Lords, &c. Tim. So soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again, My Alcibiades. With me? What's your will? Tim. Go to my steward. Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off friend, I pr'ythee, but repair to me next morning. Caph. Nay, good my lord, Tim. Contain thyself, good friend. Isid. Serv. From Isidore; He humbly prays your speedy payment,Caph. If you did know, my lord, my master's wants, Var. Serv. 'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks, And past, Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord; And I am sent expressly to your lordship. Tim. Give me breath : I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on; Exeunt Alcibiades and Lords. I'll wait upon you instantly. Come hither, pray you; [To Flavius. How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds, And the detention of long-since-due debts, Against my honour ? Flav. Please you, gentlemen, The time is unagreeable to this business : Tim. Do so, my friends: Flav. I pray, draw near. [Exit Timon. [Exit Flavius. Erit Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves. Speak to 'em, fool. Fool. How do you, gentlemen ? All Serv. Gramercies, good fool: How does your mistress? Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. 'Would, we could see you at Corinth. Apem. Good! gramercy. Enter Page. Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page. Page. To the Fool.] Why, how now, cap tain? what do you in this wise company? Var. Serv. One Varro's servant, my good lord,- How dost thou, Apemantus? Apem. 'Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably. Page. Pr'ythee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters; I know not which is which. Apem. Can'st not read? Page. No. Apem. There will little learning die then, that day thou art hanged. This is to lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou'lt die a bawd. Page. Thou wast whelp'd a dog; and thou shalt famish, a dog's death. Answer not, I am gone. [Exit Page. Apem. Even so thou out-run'st grace. I will go with you to lord Timon's. Fool. Will you leave me there? Fool, And say, you found them in mine honesty. Apem. If Timon stay at home. You three Prompted you, in the ebb of your estate, All Serv. Ay; 'would they serv'd us! Apem. So would I, -as good a trick as ever hangman served thief. Fool. Are you three usurers' men ? All Serv. Ay, fool. Fool. I think, no usurer but has a fool to his servant: My mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; hut they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: The reason of this? Var. Serv. I could render one. Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster, and a knave; which, notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed. Var. Serv. What is a whoremaster, fool? Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. "Tis a spirit: sometime, it appears like a lord; sometime, like a lawyer; sometime, like a philosopher, with two stones more than his artificial one: He is very often like a knight; and, generally in all shapes, that man goes up and down in, from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in. Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool. Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man: as much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest. Apem. That answer might have become Ape mantus. And your great flow of debts. My dear-lov'd lord, Tim. Let all my land be sold. Flav. 'Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and gone; And what remains will hardly stop the mouth Of present dues: the future comes apace: What shall defend the interim? and at length How goes our reckoning? Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend. Flav. O, my good lord, the world is but a word; Were it all yours to give it in a breath, How quickly were it gone! Tim. You tell me true. Flav. If you suspect my husbandry, or false hood, Call me before the exactest auditors, strelsy; I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock, Tim. Pr'ythee, no more. Flav. Heavens, have I said, the bounty of this lord! How many prodigal bits have slaves, and peasants, Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon? Tim. Come, sermon me no further : To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart; |