Trumpets found. Enter a Messenger.

Tim. What trumpet's that?

Meff. 'Tis Alcibiades, and fome twenty horse, All of companionship.

Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to us. You must needs dine with me :-Go not you hence, 'Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner's done, Shew me this piece. I am joyful of your fights.Enter ALCIBIADES, with the Reft.

Moft welcome, fir!

Ape. So, fo; there!—

Aches contract and starve your fupple joints !-That there fhould be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves,

And all this courtesy! The strain of man's bred out Into baboon and monkey.

Alc. Sir, you have fav'd my longing, and I feed Moft hungrily on your fight.

Tim. Right welcome, fir:

Ere we depart, we'll fhare a bounteous time
In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in.

[Exeunt all but APEMANTUS.

Enter two Lords.

1 Lord. What time a day is't, Apemantus? Ape. Time to be honest.

1 Lord. That time ferves ftill.

Ape. The most accurfed thou, that ftill omit'ft it. 2 Lord. Thou art going to lord Timon's featt? Ape. Ay; to fee meat fill knaves, and wine heat 2 Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well. [fools. Ape. Thou art a fool, to bid me farewell twice.

2 Lord.

2 Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Ape. Should't have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee none.

1 Lord. Hang thyself.

Ape. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding; make thy requests to thy friend.

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

Ape. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the afs. 1 Lord. He's oppofite to humanity. Come, fhall we in,

And tafte lord Timon's bounty? he out-goes
The very heart of kindness.

2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold,
Is but his fteward: no meed, but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All ufe of quittance.

1 Lord. The nobleft mind he carries, That ever govern'd man

2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall we in? 1 Lord, I'll keep you company.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. Another Apartment in TIMON's Houfe.

Hautboy's playing loud Mufick. A great Banquet ferv'd in; and then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian Senators, with VENTIDIUS. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS difcontentedly, like bimfelf.

Ven. Most honour'd Timon, it hath pleas'd the gods to remember My father's age, and call him to long peace.

He

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 fervice, from whofe help I deriv'd liberty.

Tim. O, by no means,

Honeft Ventidius: you mistake my love;

I

gave it freely ever; and there's none

Can truly fay, he gives, if he receives :

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 ftand ceremoniously looking on TIMON. Tim. Nay, my lords, ceremony

Was but devis'd at first

To fet a glofs on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, forry ere 'tis shown;

But where there is true friendship, there needs none.
Pray, fit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes,
Than they to me.
[They fit.
1 Lord. My lord, we always have confeft it.
Ape. Ho, ho, confeft it? hang'd it, have you not?
Tim. O, Apemantus!-you are welcome.
Ape. No; you fhall not make me welcome:
I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.
Tim. Fye, thou art a churl; you have got a

mour there

hu

Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame :They fay, my lords, ira furor brevis eft,

But yonder man is ever angry.

Go, let him have a table by himself;
For he does neither affect company,

Nor is he fit for it, indeed.

Ape. Let me ftay at thine own peril, Timon;

I come to obferve; I give thee warning on't.
Tim. Itake no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian,
Therefore welcome: Imyfelf would have no power:
I pr'ythee, let my meat make thee filent.

Ape. I fcorn thy meat; 'twould choak me, for
I fhould

Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number
Of men eat Timon, and he fees them not!

It grieves me, to fee fo many dip their meat
In one man's blood; and all the madness is,
He cheers them up too.

I wonder, men dare truft themselves with men ;
Methinks, they fhould invite them without knives;
Good for their meat, and fafer 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 man to kill him: it has been prov'd, If I were a huge man, I fhould fear to drink at meals;

Left they should fpy my wind-pipe's dangerous

notes:

Great men fhould drink with harnefs on their throats. Tim. My lord, in heart: and let the health go round.

2 Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Ape. Flow this way!

A brave fellow!--he keeps his tides well. Timon, Those healths will make thee, and thy ftate, look ill. Here's that, which is too weak to be a finner, Honeft water, which ne'er left man i'the mire This, and my food, are equals; there's no odds. Feafts are too proud to give thanks to the gods. APEMANTUS's

APEMANTUS'S GRACE.

Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man but myself:
Grant I may never prove fo fond,
To truft man on his oath or bond
Or a harlot, for her weeping;
Or a dog, that feems a fleeping
Or a keeper with my freedom;
Or my friends, if I fhould need 'em.
Amen. So fall to't.

Rich men fin, and I eat root. [Eats and drinks. Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus! Tim. Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now.

Alc. My heart is ever at your service, my lord. Tim. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends.

Alc. So they were bleeding new, my lord, there's no meat like 'em; I could with my best friend at fuch a feaft.

Ape. 'Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then; that thou might'ft kill 'em, and bid me

to 'em.

I Lord. Might we but have that happinefs, 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. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I fhall have much help from you: How had you been my friends elfe? why have you that charitable title from thousands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have

told