Enter ALCIBIADES with the rest. Moft welcome, Sir! [Bowing and embracing. Apem. So, fo! aches contract and starve your fupple joints! that there' fhould be fmall love amongst thefe fweet knaves, and all this courtesy! the ftrain of man's bred out into baboon and monkey. Alc. You have faved my longing, and I feed Most hungerly on your fight. Tim. Right welcome, Sir. Ere we do part, we'll share a bounteous time (6) In different pleafures. Pray you, let us in. [Exeunt:Manet APEMANTUS. Enter LUCIUS and LUCULLUS. Luc. What time a day is't, Apemantus? Luc. That time ferves ftill. Apem. The more accurfed thou, that still omitt'ftit. Lucul. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast? Apem. Ay, to fee meat fill knaves, and wine heat. fools. Lucul. Fare thee well, fare thee well. Apem. Thou art a fool to bid me farewel twice. Lucul. Why, Apemantus? Apem. Thou fhouldeft have kept one to thy felf, for I mean to give thee none... Luc. Hang thy felf." Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make.thy requests to thy friend. (6) Ere we depart,- ] Though the editors concur in this reading, it is certainly faulty Who depart? Though Alcibiades was to leave Timon, Timon was not to de part from his own houfe. Common fenfc favours my emendation. Lucul.. Away, unpeaceable dog, or--I'll spurn thee hence. Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' th' afs Come, fhall we in, and taste Lord Timon's bounty? Lus. The nobleft mind he carries Lucul. Long may he live in fortunes! fhall we in? Luc. I'll keep you company. [Exeunt. SCENE, another Apartment in Timon's Houfe. Hautboys playing loud mufic. A great Banquet fer.. ved in; and then enter TIMON, LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian Senators, with VENTIDIUS. Then comes dropping after all APEMANTUS difcontentedly. [gods Ven Mcft honoured Timon, it hath pleased the To call my father's age unto 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 thofe talents, Doubled with thanks and service, from whofe help 1 derived liberty.. Tim. O, by no means, Honeft 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 Vin. A noble fpirit! Tim. Nay, ceremony was but devised at firft To fet a glofs on faint deeds, hollow welcomes, Recanting goodness, forry ere 'tis fhown: But where there is true friendship, there needs none. Apem. Ho, ho, confefs'd it? hanged it, have you not? Apem. No; you fhall not make me welcome. I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. [there Tim. Fie, th' art a churl; ye have got a humour Go, let him have a table by himself; Apem. Let me ftay at thy peril, Timon; I come to obferve, I give thee warning on't. Tim. I take no heed of thee; th' art an Athenian, therefore welcome; I myself would have no power-pr'ythee let my meat make thee filent. Apem. I fcorn thy meat, 'twould choak me: for I should never flatter thee. O you gods! what a number of men eat Timon, and he fees 'em not? it grieves me to fee So many dip their meat in one man's blood; Is th' readieft man to kill him. It has been proved. Were I a great man, I fhould fear to drink, Lucul. Let it flow this way, my good Lord. Apem. Flow this way ! a brave fellow! he keeps his tides well; thofe healths will make thee. and thy ftate look ill, Timon. Here's that which is too weak to be a finner, honeft water, which ne'er left man in the mire: This and my food are equal, there's no odds; Apemantus's Grace. Immortal Gods, I crave no pelf; Rich men fin, and I eat root. Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus! now. Alc. My heart is ever at your fervice, my Lord. Tim. You had rather been at a breakfalt of enemies, than a dinner of friends.. Ale. So they were bleeding new, my Lord, there's no meat like 'em. I could with my friend at fuch a feaft.. Apem. Would all thefe flatterers were thine ene mies then, that thou mightest kill 'em, and bid me to 'em! Luc. Might we but have the happiness, my Lord, that you would once ufe our hearts, whereby we might exprefs fome part of our zeals, we fhould think ourfelves for ever perfect. Tim. Oh, no doubt, my good friends, but the Gods themselves have provided that I fhall have as much help from you: how had you been my friends elfe? why have you that charitable title from thou fands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have told more of you to myfelf, than you can with modesty speak in your own behalf. And thus far I confirm you. Oh, you Gods, think I, what need we have any friends, if we should never have need of 'em? they would most resemble sweet inftruments hung up in cafes, that keep their founds to themselves. Why, I have often wifhed 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 fo many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere't can be born; mine eyes cannot hold water, methinks; to forget their faults, I drink to you. Apem. Thou weepest to make them drink, Timon. Lucul. Joy had the like conception in our eyes, And at that inftant like a babe sprung up. Apem. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a baftard. 3 Lord. I promise you, my Lord, you moved me much. Apem. Much! [Sound Tucket. Tim. What means that trump? how now? |