2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall we in? 1 Lord. I'll keep you company. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A Room of State in Timon's House. Hautboys playing loud Musick. A great Banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, LUCIUS, 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 gods remember + My father's age, and call him to long peace. Tim. O, by no means, Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love; I gave it freely ever; and there's none Can truly say, he gives, if he receives: If our betters play at that game, we must not dare 4 [They all stand ceremoniously looking on ΤΙΜΟΝ. † "it hath pleas'd the gods to remember"-MALone. Faults that are rich, are fair.] The faults of rich persons, and which contribute to the increase of riches, wear a plausible appearance, and as the world goes are thought fair, but they are faults notwithstanding. Tim. Nay, my lords, ceremony Was but devis'd at first, to set a gloss On faint deeds, hollow welcomes, Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown; But where there is true friendship, there needs none. Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes, Than my fortunes to me. [They sit. 1 Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it. Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have you not? Tim. O, Apemantus!-you are welcome. Арет. You shall not make me welcome: I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. No, Tim. Fye, thou art a churl; you have got a humour there Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame : They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est +, But yond' man's ever angry. Go, let him have a table by himself; For he does neither affect company, Nor is he fit for it, indeed. Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril ‡, Timon; 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 It grieves me, to see so many dip their meat 5 I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should Ne'er flatter thee.] The meaning is,—I could not swallow thy meat, for I could not pay for it with flattery; and what was given me with an ill-will would stick in my throat. JOHNSON. In one man's blood; and all the madness is, I wonder, men dare trust themselves with men : Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov❜d. Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; Honest water, which ne'er left man i'the mire: Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods. 6 APEMANTUS'S GRACE. Immortal gods, I crave no pelf; so many dip their meat In one man's blood;] The allusion is to a pack of hounds trained to pursuit by being gratified with the blood of an animal which they kill, and the wonder is that the animal on which they are feeding cheers them to the chase. JOHNSON. 7 My lord, in heart ;] _That is, my lord's health with sincerity. Rich men sin, and I eat root. [Eats and drinks. Much good dich † thy good heart, Apemantus! 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 I, 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: A corruption of dit for do it. 8 for ever perfect.] piness. 9 dearing. mind. Arrived at the perfection of hap that charitable title -] Charitable signifies, dear, en I confirm you.] I fix your characters firmly in my own 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 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, 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 trump?-How now? Enter a Servant. Serv. Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies 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 * O joy, e'en made away ere it can be born!] Tears being the effect both of joy and grief, supplied our author with an opportunity of conceit, which he seldom fails to indulge. Timon, weeping with a kind of tender pleasure, cries out, O joy e'en made away, destroyed, turned to tears, before it can be born, before it can be fully possessed. JOHNSON. |