Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Ti mon; 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 : pledges The breath of him in a divided draught, Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been If I [prov'd, Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes; Great men should drink with harness + on their 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! brave fellow 1-be keeps his tides well. [mon, Those healths will make thee and thy state look Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, LU-A CIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian Senators, with VENTIDIUS, and Attendants. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly. Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd the My father's age, and call him to long peace. To your free heart, I do return those talents, I deriv'd liberty. Tim. Oh! by no means, Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love; I gave it freely ever; and there's none 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 Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes, [They sit. 1 Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it. Apem. Oh, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have you not? Tim. Ŏ Apemantus !-you are welcome. You shall not make me welcome : I come to have thee thurst me out of doors. Tim. Fie, thou art a churl; you have got a bumour there Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame : Go, let him have a table by himself; ill. Ti 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' GRACE. Immortal gods, I crave no pelf; Rich men sin, and I eat root. 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 behalf; and thus far I confirm you. O you gods, think Alluding to hounds which are trained to pursuit by the blood of the animal which they kill. † Armour. 1 In sincerity. Foolish. At the summit of happiness. ¶ Endearing. 1, 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, 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 have so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made 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, Timos. 2 Lord. Joy had the like conception in our exes, And, at that instant, like a babe sprung up. Apem. Ho! ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard. 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. [Exeunt CUPID, and LADIES. Tim. Flavius, Flav. My lord. 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. [Exit, and returns with the casket. 1 Lord. Where be our men? Serv. Here, my lord, in readiness. 2 Lord. Our horses. Tim. 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 Serv. Please you, my lord, there are certain Advance this jewel ; lades most desirous of admittance. Tim. Ladies! what are their wills? Serv. 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 tratulate thy plenteous bosom: The ear, Taste touch, smell, all pleas'd from thy table rise; They only now come but to feast thine eyes. Tum. 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. At this poerp shows to a little oil, and root. a poisonous spite and envy. Who lives, that's not Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears Not one sparn to their graves of their friends' gift t I would fear, those that dance before me now, Bond one day stamp upon me. It has been done; Mrs shut their doors against a setting sun. The Loads rise from table, with much adoring of TION; and, to shew their loves, each angies out an Amazon, and all dance, men with women, a lofty strain or two to the hautboys, and cease. 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 senate Newly alighted, and come to visit you. Vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near. Enter Another SERVANT. [thee: [Aside. 2 Serv. May it please your honour, the lord Lucius, Out of his free love, hath presented to you sents 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, [Exit. Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, Much wrong, you bate too much of your own 2 Lord. With more than common thanks I All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason will receive it. Can found his state in safety. ⚫ Caphis, I say! 3 Lord. Oh! he is the very soul of bounty! Tim. And now I remember me, my lord, you gave Good words the other day of a bay courser rode on it is yours, because you lik'd it. 2 Lord. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in that. Tm. Now Apemantus if thou wert not sullen, I'd be good to thee. Apem. No, I'll nothing for, [left If I should be brib'd too, there would be none To rail upon thee: and then thou wouldest sin the faster. Thon giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me, thou An you begin to rail on society once, Apem. So; [Exit. Thou'lt not hear me now,-thou shalt not then, I'll lock SCENE 1.-The same.-A Room in a Enter a SENATOR, with papers in his hand. He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum, Enter CAPHIS. Caphis, ho! My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn A visage of demand; for I do fear, 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 II.-The same.-A Hall in TIMON'S Hou e. 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, Fie, fie, fie, fie! Enter CAPHIS, and the SERVANTS of ISIDORK and VARRO. Caph. Good even, Varro: What, 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! 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. ↑ Repulsed. 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. Tam. 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. ter'd Enter APEMANTUS and a FOOL. Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with [To the Foo1.. Itid. Serv. [To VAR. SERV.] There's the fool hangs on your back already. Apm. No, thou stand'st single, thou art not on tun yet. Capa. Where's the fool now ? Apem. He last asked the question.-Poor reges, and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want! All Serv. What are we, Apemantus ? Arem. Asses. 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 knight; and, generally in all shapes, that man goes up aud down in, from tourscore 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 mon. Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS. Apem. Come with me, fool, come. Had you not fully laid my state before me; Flav. You would not hear me, Tim. Go to: Perchance, some single vantages you took Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do And that unaptness made your minister, bet know yourselves.-Speak to 'em, fool. Fol 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. Thus to excuse yourself. 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'd you Page. To the FOOL.] Why, how now, cap-To hold your hand more close; I did endure tass! what do you in this wise company 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 mperscription of these letters; I know not which Not seldom, nor so slight checks; when I have The greatest of your having lacks a half Tim. Let all my land be sold. Flav. 'Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and 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 Great Tinion, noble, worthy, royal Timon? The breath is gone whereof this praise is made: These flies are couch'd. Tim. Come, sermon me no further: No villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart; 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 And so intending other serious matters, With certain half-caps, and cold moving nods, Tim. You gods, reward them! 1 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 tive talents:-that bad,-[TO FLAV.] Mistake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends. SCENE 1.-The same.—A Room in LUCULLUS' Within there, ho!-Flaminius! Servilius ! To lord Lucullus you: I hunted with his say That my occasions have found time to use them Flam. As you have said, my lord. [Aside. Tim. Go you, Sir, [To another SERV.] to the senators, (Of whom, even to the state's best health, 1 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? House. Serv. Here's my lord. 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, houest 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 bountiful 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 he? 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 on't: and come again to supper to him, of Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate voice, That now they are at fall, want treasure, not Do what they would; are sorry-you are ourable, purpose to have him spend less; and yet he hon-would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and bo 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 The apartments allotted to culinary offices, &c. A pipe with a turning stopple running to waste. If would, (says Timon,) by borrowing, try of what men's hearts are composed, what they have in them,&c. § Dignitied 1 At an ebb, + Abrupt remarks. • Regarding. For respectfully. Honesty meaning liberality. |