I what need we have any mends, 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, that keep their sounds to themselves. Why, I 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? Oh! what a precious comfort 'tis, to bave so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere it can be born! Mine eyes cannot bold 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 trunip ?-How now ? Enter a SERVANT. 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; † That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. Į [Exit, and returns with the casket. 1 Lord. Where be our men? Serv. Here, my lord, in readiness. 2 Lord. Our horses. Serv. Please you, my lord, there are certain Advance this jewel; ladies most desirous of admittance. Tim. Ladies? what are their wills? Serr. There comes with them a forerunner, my lord which bears that office, to signify their pleasures. Tim. I pray, let them be admitted. Enter CUPID. 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, bow 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. Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears I should fear, those that dance before me now, Would one day stamp upon 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 shew 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, Accept and wear it, kind my lord. 1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,All. So are we all. Enter a SERVANT. Serv. My lord, there are certain nobles of the Enter a third SERVANT. Be worthily entertain'd.-How now, what news! 3 Serv. Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman, Lord Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow to hunt with him; and has sent your honour two brace of greyhounds. Tim. i'll hunt with him; And let them be receiv'd, Not without fair reward. Flav. [Aside.] What will this come to? Nor will he know his purse; or yield me this, Happier is he that has no friend to feed, Ihan such as do even enemies exceed. bleed inwardly for my lord. [Exit. 2 Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it. 3 Lord. Oh! he is the very soul of bounty! Good words the other day of a bay courser in that. Tim. You may take my word, my lord; 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, 1 It comes in charity to thee: for all thy living Alcib. Ay, defiled land, my lord. 1 Lord. We are so virtuously bound,Tim. And so Am I to you. 2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd, Tim. All to you. -Lights, more lights. 1 Lord. The best of happiness, Honour, and fortunes, keep with you, lord Timon! SCENE 1.-The same.-A Room in a Enter a SENATOR, with papers in his hand. He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum, All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason Can found his state in safety. • Caphis, ho! Caphis, I say! Enter CAPHIS. Caph. Here, Sir; What is your pleasure? Sen. Get on your cloak, and haste you to lord Timon; With slight denial; nor then silenc'd, when- My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn A visage of demand; for I do fear, When every feather sticks in his own wing, Caph. I go, Sir. Get you gone. Sen. I go, Sir ?-take the bonds along with you And have the dates in compt. Caph. I will, Sir. Sen. Go. [Exeunt SCENE 11.-The same.-A Hall in TIMON'S 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, Enter CAPHIS, and the SERVANTS of ISIDORP and VARRO. Caph. Good even, Varro: What, Vur. 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? Caph. Of Athens here, my lord. Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off To the succession of new days this month: Tim. Mine honest friend, I pr'ythee, but repair to me next morning. Tim. Contain thyself, good friend. Var. Serv. One Varro's servant, my good lord, Isid. Serv. From Isidore; He humbly prays your speedy payment,—— By no argument can he be proved in a solvent state. ↑ Repuised. ་ Caph. If you did kuow, my lord, my master's wants, Var. Serv. 'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks, And past, Apem. So would I,-as good a trick as ever hangman served thief. Fool. Are you three usurers' men ? Fool. I think, no usurer but has a fool to his Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my servant: My mistress is one, and I am her fool. lord; And I am sent expressly to your lordship. Tim. Give me breath: I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on; When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but 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, notwithstandHow goes the world, that I am thus encoun-ing, thou shalt be no less esteemed. Enter APEMANTUS and a Tool. Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with [To the FOOL. Isid. Serv. [TO VAR. SERV.] There's the fool haugs on your back already. Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou art not on him yet. Caph. Where's the fool now? Apem. He last asked the question.--Poor rogues, and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want! All Serv. What are we, Apemantus ? All Serv. Why? 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 kuight; 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. All Serv. Aside, aside; here comes lord Ti mou. Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS. Had you not fully laid my state before me ; Flar. You would not hear me, Perchance, some single vantages you took Thus to excuse yourself. Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do And that unaptness made your minister, 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. Flav. O my good lord! At many times I brought in my accounts, And say, you found them in mine honesty. me Return so much, I have shook my head, and wept : Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray' you Page. To the FOOL.] Why, how now, cap-To hold your hand more close; I did endure tain? what do you in this wise company ?-Not seldom, nor so slight checks; when I have How dost thou, Apemantus? Prompted you, in the ebb of your estate, Apem. 'Would I had a rod in my mouth, that | And your great flow of debts. My dear-lov'd lord, I might answer thee profitably. Though you hear now, (too late!) yet now's a time, Page. Pr'ythee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters; I know not which is which. The greatest of your having lacks a half Tim. Let all my land be sold. Flav. "Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and And what remains will bardly stop the mouth Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend. Were it all your's, to give it in a breath, Tim. You tell me true. Flav. If you suspect my husbandry, or false. With drunken spilth of wine; when every room I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock, t Tim. Pr'ythee, no more. Flav. Heavens, have I said, the bounty of this lord! [sants, How many prodigal bits have slaves and peaThis night englutted! Who is not Timon's ? What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is lord Timon's? Tm. Come, sermon me no further: Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart: And try the argument of hearts by borrow Men, and men's fortunes, could I frankly use, Flav. Assurance bless your thoughts! Tim. And, in some sort, these wants of mine That I account them blessings; for by these you Something hath been amiss-a noble nature With certain half-caps, and cold moving nods, Tim. You gods, reward them! I pr'ythee man, look cheerly; These old fel- Buried his father by whose death, he's stepp'd I clear'd him with five talents; Greet him from With those five talents:-that had,-[To FLAV.] To whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or think, [sink. That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can Flav. I would, I could not think it; That thought is bounty's foe; Being free itself, it thinks all others so. ACT III. [Exeunt. Mistake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends. SCENE 1.-The same.-A Room in LucULLUS' ithin there, ho!-Flaminius! Servilius ! To lord Lucullus you: I hunted with his That my occasions have found time to use them Flam. As you have said, my lord Flav. Lord Lucius, and Lord Lucullus? humph! Aside. Tim. Go you, Sir, [To another SERV.] to the senators, (Of whom, even to the state's best health, Deserv'd this hearing,) bid 'em send o'the instant Flav. I have been bold, (For that I knew it the most general way,) Tim. Is't true? can it be? Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate That now they are at fall, want treasure, House. Lucul. [Aside.] One of Lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honest Flaminius; you are very respectively ¶ welcome, Sir.-Fill me some wine.-[Exit SERVANT.] And how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bouutiful good lord and master? Flam. His health is well, Sir. Lucul. I am right glad that his health is well, Sir: And what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius? Flam. 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, Sir; which in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your honour to supply; who, having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to furnish him; nothing doubting your present assistance therein. Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says le? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I have dined with him, and told can-him ou't: and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less; and yet he hon- ould embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and ho nesty is his; I have told him on't but I could never get him from it. But yet they could have wish'd-they know not--but Re-enter SERVANT, with wine. Ser. May it please your honour my lord hath Serv. Please your lordship, here is the wine.sent-Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee. Luc. Ha! what has he sent ? I am so much endeared to that lord; he's ever sending: How shall I thank him, thinkest thou? and what has le sent now? Flam. Your lordship speaks your pleasure. Lucul. I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spirit,-give thee thy due,-and Ser. He has only sent his present occasion one that knows what belongs to reason: and now, my lord; requesting your lordship to sup. canst use the time well, if the time use theeply his instant use with so many talents. well: good parts in thee.-Get you gone, Sir- Luc. I know; his lordship is but merry with rab. To the SERVANT, who goes out.]-Draw If I me; bis occasion were not virtuous, [lord. nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a boun-He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents. tiful gentleman: but thou art wise; and thou Ser. But in the mean time he wants less, my knowest well enough, although thou comest to me, that this is no time to lend money; especially upon bare friendship, without security. Here's three solidares. for thee; good boy, wink at me, and say thou saw'st me not. Fare thee well. Let molten coin be thy damnation, Oh! may diseases only work upon't! should not urge it so balf faithfully. Luc. What a wicked beast was I, to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might have shown myself honourable ? how unluckily it happened, that I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of honour ?-Servillius, now before the gods, I am not able to do't; the more beast, I say : was sending to use lord Timon myself these gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done it now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship; and I hope his honour will conceive the fairest of me, because I have no power to be kind: And tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so far as to use mine own words to him? Ser. Yes, Sir, I shall. lius. And, when he is sick to death, let not that part True, as you said, Timon is Luc. I will look you out a good turn, Servi of nature Which my lord paid for, be of any power To expel sickness, but prolong his hour! | [Exit. SCENE II.-The same.-A public place. Enter LUCIUS, with three STRANGERS. Luc. Who, the lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman. I Stran. We know him for no less, though we are but strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours; now lord Timon's happy hours are doue and past, and his estate shrinks from biln. Luc. Fie no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money. 2 Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago, one of his men was with the lord Lucullus, to borrow so many talents; nay, urged extremely for't, and showed what necessity belonged to't, and yet was denied. Luc. How? 2 Stran. I tell you denied, my lord. Luc. What a strange case was that? now, before the gods, I am asham'd on't. Denied that honourable man? there was very litle honour show'd in't. For my own part, I must needs confess, I have received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and such like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him, and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his occasion so many talents. Enter SERVILIUS. Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour.-My honoured lord,[TO LUCIUS. Luc. Servilins! you are kindly met, Sir. Fare thee well :-Commend me to thy honourable-virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend. A piece of Shakspeare's coining + And we who were alive then, alive now. : Suffering. 6 His life. Acknowledge. Consumed. And he, that's once denied, will hardly speed. [Exit LUCIUS. 1 Stran. Do you observe this, Hostilius? 2 Stran. Ay, too well. 1 Stran, Why this Is the world's soul; and just of the same piece Nor came any of his bounties over me, I would have put my wealth into donation † MON'S. Sem. Must he needs trouble me in't? Humph! 'Bove all others? He might have tried lord Lucius, or Lucullus; "If he did not want it for a good use." t Presented it as a donation. г |