Sec. Lord. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast?

First Lord.

270

Apem. Ay, to see meat fill knaves and wine heat fools.

Sec. Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well. Apem. Thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice. Sec. Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee none.

First Lord. Hang thyself!

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make thy requests to thy friend.

Sec. Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence!

ass.

281

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' the
[Exit.
First Lord. He's opposite to humanity.
Come, shall we in,

And taste Lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes
The very heart of kindness.

Sec. Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold,

Is but his steward: no meed, but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All use of quittance.

First Lord.

290

The noblest mind he carries

That ever govern'd man.

fess'd it.

My lord, we always have con

Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it! hang'd it, have you not?

Tim. O, Apemantus, you are welcome.
Apem.

You shall not make me welcome:

No;

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Tim. Fie, thou'rt a churl; ye've got a humour there

Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame. They say, my lords, 'ira furor brevis est;' but yond man is ever angry. Go, let him have a table by himself, for he does neither affect company, nor is he fit for 't, indeed. 31

Apem. Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon: I come to observe; I give thee warning on't.

Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou'rt an Athenian, therefore welcome: I myself would have no power; prithee, 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 of men eat Timon, and he sees 'em not! It grieves me to see so many dip their meat in one man's blood; and all the madness is, he cheers them up too.

I wonder men dare trust themselves with men:

Shall we in?

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, pledges the breath of him in a divided draught, is the readiest If I were man to kill him: 't has been proved. a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; 51 Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous Great men should drink with harness on their

notes:

throats.

Tim. My lord, in heart; and let the health go round.

Sec. Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Apem. Flow this way! A brave fellow! he keeps his tides well. Those healths will make

Alcib. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like 'em: I could wish my best friend at such a feast.

Apem. Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then, that then thou mightst kill 'em and bid me to 'em!

First 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. 90 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 not you 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 I, what need we have any friends, if we should ne'er have need of 'em? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for 'em, 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? O, what a precious comfort 'tis, to have so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere 't 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, Timon.

Sec. Lord. Joy had the like conception in our

Music. Re-enter CUPID, with a mask of Ladies as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing.

Apem. Hoy-day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way!

140

They dance! they are mad women.
Like madness is the glory of this life,
As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.
We make ourselves fools, to disport ourselves;
And spend our flatteries, to drink those men
Upon whose age we void it up again,
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?

150

I should fear those that dance before me now Would one day stamp upon me: 'thas 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;
You have added worth unto 't and lustre,
And entertain'd me with mine own device;
I am to thank you for 't.

First 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:

160

Please you to dispose yourselves. All Ladies. 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! [Aside. There is no crossing him in 's humour; Else I should tell him,-well, i' faith, I should, When all's spent, he'ld be cross'd then, an he could.

'Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind,
That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.

First Lord. Where be our men?
Serv. Here, my lord, in readiness.
Sec. Lord. Our horses!

[Exit. 171

I have one word to say to you: look you, my good lord,

I must entreat you, honour me so much
As to advance this jewel; accept it and wear it,
Kind my lord.

First Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,-
All. So are we all.

Newly alighted, and come to visit you.
Tim. They are fairly welcome.
Flav.
I beseech your honour,
Vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near.
Tim. Near! why then, another time I'll hear
thee:

I prithee, let's be provided to show them entertainment.

Flav. [Aside] I scarce know how.

Enter a second Servant.

Sec. Serv. May it please your honour, Lord
Lucius,

Out of his free love, hath presented to you
Four milk-white horses, trapp'd in silver.
Tim. I shall accept them fairly; let the presents
Be worthily entertain'd.

Enter a third Servant.

How now! what news? 191 Third 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 received,

Not without fair reward.

Flav.

[Aside] What will this come to? He commands us to provide, and give great gifts, And all out of an empty coffer:

Nor will he know his purse, or yield me this, 200
To show him what a beggar his heart is,
Being of no power to make his wishes good:
His promises fly so beyond his state
That what he speaks is all in debt; he owes
For every word: he is so kind that he now
Pays interest for 't; his land's put to their books.
Well, would I were gently put out of office
Before I were forced out!

210

[Exit.

Happier is he that has no friend to feed
Than such that do e'en enemies exceed.
I bleed inwardly for my lord.
Tim.
You do yourselves
Much wrong, you bate too much of your own
merits:

Here, my lord, a trifle of our love.

Sec. Lord. With more than common thanks I

will receive it.

[Exeunt all but Apemantus and Timon. Apem. What a coil's here! Serving of becks and jutting-out of bums! I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums That are given for 'em. Friendship's full of dregs: Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs.

Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies. Tim. Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen, I would be good to thee.

Apem. No, I'll nothing: for if I should be bribed too, there would be none left to rail upon thee, and then thou wouldst sin the faster. Thou givest so long, Timon, I fear me thou, wilt give away thyself in paper shortly: what need these feasts, pomps and vain-glories?

249

Tim. Nay, an you begin to rail on society once, I am sworn not to give regard to you. Farewell; and come with better music. [Exit. Apem. So:

Thou wilt not hear me now; thou shalt not then:
I'll lock thy heaven from thee.
O, that men's ears should be

To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!

ACT II.

SCENE I. A Senator's house.

[Exit.

Enter Senator, with papers in his hand. Sen. And late, five thousand: to Varro and to Isidore

He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum,
Which makes it five and twenty. Still in motion
Of raging waste? It cannot hold; it will not.
If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dog,
And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold.
If I would sell my horse, and buy twenty more
Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon,
Ask nothing, give it him, it foals me, straight,
And able horses. No porter at his gate,
But rather one that smiles and still invites
All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason
Can found his state in safety. Caphis, ho!
Caphis, I say!

Caph.

Enter CAPHIS.

ΤΟ

Here, sir; what is your pleasure? Sen. Get on your cloak, and haste you to Lord Timon;

Importune him for my moneys; be not ceased
With slight denial, nor then silenced when-
'Commend me to your master'-and the cap
Plays in the right hand, thus: but tell him,
My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn
Out of mine own; his days and times are past
And my reliances on his fracted dates
Have smit my credit: I love and honour him,
But must not break my back to heal his finger;
Immediate are my needs, and my relief
Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
But find supply immediate. Get you gone:

20

Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus: let's ha' some sport with 'em.

50

Var. Serv. Hang him, he'll abuse us. Isid. Serv. A plague upon him, dog! Var. Serv. How dost, fool? Арет. Dost dialogue with thy shadow? Var. Serv. I speak not to thee. Apem. No, 'tis to thyself. [To the Fool] Come away.

Isid. Serv. There's the fool hangs on your back already.

Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou'rt 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?
Apem. Asses.

All Serv. Why?

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?

70 Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. Would we could see you at Corinth! Арет. Good! gramercy.

Enter Page.

Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page. Page. [To the Fool] Why, how now, captain! 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.

80

Page. Prithee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters: I know not which is which.

Арет. Canst 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't die a bawd. 89 Page. Thou wast whelped a dog, and thou shalt famish a dog's death. Answer not; I am gone. [Exit. Apem. E'en so thou outrunnest grace. Fool, I will go with you to Lord Timon's. Fool. Will you leave me there?