I am not of that feather, to shake off
My friend when he must need me.

I do know him A gentleman, that well deferves a help,

Which he fhall have: I'll pay the debt, and free him. Mef. Your lordship ever binds him.

Tim. Commend me to him: Iwill fend his ransom; And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me:→ 'Tis not enough to help the feeble up,

But to fupport him after.-Fare you well.
Mef. All happiness to your honour!

Enter an Old Athenian.

Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak.
Tim. Freely, good father.

[Exit.

Old Ath. Thou haft a fervant nam'd Lucilius. Tim. I have fo: What of him?

Old Ath. Moft noble Timon, call the man be fore thee.

Tim. Attends he here, or hoLucilius!

Enter LUCILIUS.

Luc. Here, at your lordship's fervice. Old Ath. This fellow here, lord Timon, this thy creature,

By night frequents my houfe. I am a man That from my first have been inclin❜d to thrift, And my estate deferves an heir more rais'd, Than one which holds a trencher.

Tim. Well; what further?

Old Ath. One only daughter have I, no kin else, On whom I may confer what I have got: The maid is fair, o' the youngest for a bride, And I have bred her at my dearest cost, In qualities of the best. This man of thine

B 2

Attempte

Attempts her love: I pr'ythee, noble lord,
Join with me to forbid him her resort ;
Myfelf have spoke in vain.

Tim. The man is honeft.

Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon:
His honefty rewards him itself,

It must not bear my daughter,
Tim. Does the love him?

Old Ath. She is young, and apt:
Our own precedent paffions do inftruct us
What levity is in youth.

Tim. [To LUCIL.] Love you the maid? Luc. Ay, my good lord, and the accepts of it. Old Ath. If in her marriage my confent be miffing, I call the gods to witness, I will choose

Mine heir from forth the beggars of the world, And difpoffefs her all.

Tim. How fhall fhe be endow'd

If the be mated with an equal husband?

Old Ath. Three talents on the prefent; in future, all.

Tim. This gentleman of mine hath ferv'd melong; To build his fortune I will ftrain a little,

For 'tis a bond in men. Give him thy daughter:
What you beftow, in him I'll counterpoife,
And make him weigh with her.

Old Ath. Moft noble lord,

Pawn me to this your honour, fhe is his.

Tim. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise.

Luc. Humbly I thank your lordship: Never may That state or fortune fall into my keeping,

Which is not ow'd to you.

[Exit LUCILIUS and Old Athenian,

Poet

Poet. Vouchfafe my labour, and long live your lordship!

Tim. I thank you; you fhall hear from me anon: Go not away.What have you there, my friend? Pain. A piece of painting; which I do befeech Your lordship to accept.

Tim. Painting is welcome.

The painting is almost the natural man;
For fince difhonour trafficks with man's nature,
He is but outfide: Thefe pencil'd figures are
Even fuch as they give out. I like your work;
And you fhall find, I like it: wait attendance
'Till you hear further from me.

Pain. The gods preferve you!

Tim. Well fare you, gentleman: Give me your hand;

We muft needs dine together.-Sir, your jewel Hath fuffer'd under praise.

Jew. What, my lord? difpraise?

Tim. A mere fatiety of commendations.
If I fhould pay you for't as 'tis extoll❜d,
It would unclew me quite.

Jew. My lord, 'tis rated

Asthofe, which fell, would give: But you well know,
Things of like value, differing in the owners,
Are prized by their masters: believe it, dear lord,
You mend the jewel by the wearing it.

Tim. Well mock'd.

Mer. No, my good lord; he speaks the common

Which all men fpeak with him.

[tongue, Tim. Look, who comes here. Will you be chid?

Enter APEMANTUS.

Few. We will bear with your lordship.

B 3

Mer.

Mer. He'll fpare none.

Tim. Good morrow to thee, gentle Apemantus! Ape. 'Till I be gentle, ftay for thy good morrow; When thou art Timon's dog, and these knaves honeft.

Tim. Why doft thou call them knaves? thou
know'ft them not.

Ape. Are they not Athenians?
Tim. Yes.

Ape. Then I repent not.

Jew. You know me, Apemantus.

Ape. Thou know'ft, I do; I call'd thee by thy

name.

Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus.

Ape. Of nothing fo much, as that I am not like
Tim. Whither art going?

[Timon. Ape. To knock out an honeft Athenian's brains. Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for.

Ape. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law. Tim. How lik't thou this picture, Apemantus? Ape. The beft for the innocence.

Tim. Wrought he not well, that painted it? Ape. He wrought better, that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work. Poet. You are a dog.

Ape. Thy mother's of my generation; What's fhe, if I be a dog?

Tim. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus?
Ape. No; I eat not lords.

Tim. An thou fhould't, thou’dst anger ladies. Ape. O, they eat lords; fo they come by great bellies.

Tim. That's a lafcivious apprehenfion.

Ape.

Ape. So thou apprehend'ft it: Take it for thy labour.

Tim. How doft thou like this jewel, Apemantus? pe. Not fo well as plain-dealing, which will not coft a man a doit.

Tim. What doft thou think 'tis worth?
Ape. Not worth my thinking.-

poet?

Poet. How now, philofopher?

Ape. Thou lieft.

Poet. Art not one?

Ape. Yes.

Poet. Then I lie not.
Ape. Art not a poet?

Poet. Yes.

How now,

Ape. Then thou lieft: look in thy laft work, where thou haft feign'd him a worthy fellow. Poet. That's not feign'd, he is fo.

Ape. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour: He, that loves to be flatter'd, is worthy o' the flatterer. Heavens, that I were a lord! Tim. What would't do then, Apemantus? Ape. Even as Apemantus does now, hate a lord with my heart.

Tim. What, thy felf?

Ape. Ay.

Tim Wherefore?

Ape. That I had no angry wit to be a lord.Art thou not a merchant?

Mer. Ay, Apemantus.

Ape. Traffick confound thee, if the gods will not! Mer. If traffick do it, the gods do it.

Ape. Traffick's thy god, and thy god confound

thee!

Trumpets