5

Var. By your leave, fir,

Flav. What do you afk of me, my friend? Tit. We wait for certain money here, fir. Flav. Ay, if money were as certain as your waiting, 'Twere fure enough.

Why then preferr'd you not your fums and bills, When your falfe mafters eat of my lord's meat? Then they would fmile and fawn upon his debts, 10 And take down the intereft in their gluttonous maws;

You do yourselves but wrong, to ftir me up;
Let me pafs quietly:

Believe't, my lord and I have made an end;
15I have no more to reckon, he to spend.
Luc. Ay, but this anfwer will not ferve.
Flau. If 'twill not ferve, 'tis not fo base as you:
For you ferve knaves.
[Exit.

20

25

Var. How! what does his cashier'd worship

Tit. O, here's Servilius; now we shall know Some anfwer.

Serv. If I might befeech you, gentlemen,

To repair some other hour, I should

Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift, 30 Derive much from it: for take it on my foul,

i.e. like him in blaze and splendour.

The place, which I have feafted, does it now,
Like all mankind, fhew me an iron heart?
Luc. Put in now, Titus.

Tit. My lord, here is my bill.

Luc. Here's mine.

Var. And mine, my lord.

Caph. And ours, my lord.

Phi. All our bills.

55

Tim. Knock me down with 'em 4, cleave to the girdle.

Luc. Alas, my lord,

i. e. of this commiffion.

3 His may refer to mine;

as if he had faid: Your master's confidence was above my master's; elfe furely bis, i. e. the fum demanded from my mafter (for that is the laft antecedent) had been equal to the fum demanded from 4 Timon quibbles. They prefent their written bills; he catches at the word, and alludes to the bills, or battle-axes, which the ancient foldiery carried, and were still used by the watch in Shakspeare's time.

yours.

Tim.

Tim. So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,
Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius, all;
I'll once more feaft the rafcals.

Flav. O my lord,

You only speak from your distracted foul;
There is not fo much left, to furnish out
A moderate table.

Tim. Be it not in thy care: go,

I charge thee, invite them all let in the tide
Of knaves once more; my cock and I'll provide.

[Exeunt.

1 Sen. My lord, you have my voice to't; the

fault's bloody;

'Tis neceffary, he should die :

Nothing emboldens fin fo much as mercy.

2 Sen. Moft true; the law fhall bruife 'em.
Alc. Honour, health, and compaffion to the
1 Sen. Now, captain ?

Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,
Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
When fects and factions were newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wifely fuffer

The worst that man can breathe; and make his
wrongs
[lefly;
15 His outfides; to wear them like his raiment, care-
And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

20

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill?

Alc. My lord,

I Sen. You cannot make grofs fins look clear; To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

Alc. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me,
If I fpeak like a captain.-

25 Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threats? fleep upon it,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? If there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
30 Abroad 5? why then, women are more valiant,
That ftay at home, if bearing carry it;

The afs, more captain than the lion; and the fellow,
Loaden with irons, wifer than the judge,
If wisdom be in fuffering. O my lords,
35 As you are great, be pitifully good :

Who cannot condemn rafhnefs in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is fin's extremest guft";
But, in defence, by mercy 7, 'tis most just.
To be in anger, is impiety;

40 But who is man, that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.

2 Sen. You breathe in vain.
Alc. In vain? his fervice done
At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium,
[fenate! 45 Were a fufficient briber for his life.
1 Sen. What's that?
Alc. Why, I fay, my lords, he has done fair
And flain in fight many of your enemies:
How full of valour did he bear himself

Alc. I am an humble fuitor to your virtues;
For pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
It pleases time and fortune, to lie heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who, in hot blood,
Hath ftept into the law, which is paft depth
To thofe that, without heed, do plunge into it.
He is a man, fetting his fate afide,

Of comely virtues :

Nor did he foil the fact with cowardice;
(An honour in him, which buys out his fault)
But with a noble fury, and fair spirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppose his foe:

[fervice,

50 In the laft conflict, and made plenteous wounds?
2 Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em; he
Is a fworn rioter: he has a fin
[Loner:
That often drowns him, and takes his valour pri
If there were no foes, that were enough
55 To overcome him: in that beastly fury
He has been known to commit outrages,
And cherish factions: 'Tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul, and his drink dangerous.
1 Sen. He dies.

5 i. c. What

i. e. putting this action of his, which was pre-determined by fate, out of the question. noted paffion means, perhaps, an uncommon command of his paffion, fuch a one as has not hitherto been obferved. 3 i. e. manage his anger. 4 You undertake a paradox too hard. have we to do in the field? Guft, for aggravation, according to Warburton. Mr. Steevens thinks that guft here means rafbnefs, and that the allufion may be to a sudden gust of wind. meaning is, I call mercy berfelf to witnefs, that defenfive violence is just.

1 Sen. We are for law, he dies; urge it no more,
On height of our difpleasure: Friend, or brother,
He forfeits his own blood, that fpills another.
Alc. Muft it be fo? it must not be. My lords, 15

I do befeech you, know me.

Alc. I cannot think, but your age has forgot me, 20

It could not elfe be, I fhould prove fo base1,

To fue, and be deny❜d such common grace;
My wounds ake at you.

1 Sen. Do you dare our anger?

'Tis in few words, but fpacious in effect; We banish thee for ever.

1 Sen. If, after two days' fhine, Athens contain 30 Attend our weightier judgment. And not to fwell our spirit 2,

145

2 Sen. I also with it to you. I think, this ho- 55 nourable lord did but try us this other day.

1 Sen. Upon that were my thoughts tiring 4, when we encounter'd: I hope, it is not fo low with him, as he made it feem in the trial of his feveral friends.

1601

1 Bafe, for difhonoured. 2 Not to fwell our Spirit, may mean, not to put ourselves into any tumour of 3 i. e. the affections of the people. 4 A hawk is faid to fire, when the amuses herself with pecking a pheasant's wing, or any thing that puts her in mind of prey. To tire upon a thing, is therefore to be idly employed upon it

3 Sen. I do conceive.

Tim. Each man to his ftool, with that fpur as he would to the lip of his miftrefs: your diet shall be in all places alike. Make not a city feaft of it, to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place: Sit, fit. The gods require our thanks.

5

Your reeking villainy. Live loath'd, and long,
Moft fmiling, fmooth, detefted parasites,
Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,
You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time's flies 3,
Cap and knee slaves, vapours, and minute-jacks 4!
Of man, and beast, the infinite malady 5.
Cruft you quite o'er!-What, doft thou go?
Soft, take thy physic first,-thou too,—and thou :
[Throws the difbes at them.

You great benefactors, Sprinkle our fociety with thankfulness. For your own gifts, make yourfelves prais'd: but referve fill to give, left your deities be defpis'd. Lend to each man enough, that one need not 10 Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none.

lend to another: for, zere your godheads to borrow
of men, men would forfake the gods. Make the meat
be beloved, more than the man that gives it. Let n
affembly of twenty be without a score of villains:
If there fit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of 15
them be as they are. The rest of your fees, O gods,-
the fenators of Athens, together with the common lag
of people, what is amifs in them, you gods, make furt-
able for deftruction. For these my present friends,—as
they are to me nothing, fo in nothing bless them, and to 20
nothing are they welcome.

Uncover dogs, and lap.

What, all in motion? Henceforth be no feast,
Whereat a villain's not a welcome guest.
Burn houfe; fink Athens; henceforth hated be
Of Timon, man, and all humanity!
Re-enter the Senators.

1 Sen. How now, my lords?

[Exit.

[fury?

2 Sen. Know you the quality of lord Timon's
3 Sen. Pifh! did you fee my cap?
4 Sen. I have lost my gown.

1 Sen. He's but a mad lord, and nought but humour fways him. He gave me a jewel the other day, and now he has beat it out of my hat :-Did you fee my jewel?

2 Sen. Did you see my cap?

3 Sen. Here 'tis.

4 Sen. Here lies my gown.

1 Sen. Let's make no stay.

2 Sen. Lord Timon's mad.

3 Sen. I feel 't upon my bones.

4 Sen. One day he gives us diamonds, next day ftones.

[Exeunts

With it beat out his brains! piety, and fear,
Religion to the gods, peace, justice, truth,
Domestick awe, night-reft, and neighbourhood,
Instruction, manners, mysteries, and trades,

45 Degrees, obfervances, cuftoms, and laws,
Decline to your confounding contraries,

And yet confufion live! Plagues, incident to men,
Your potent and infectious fevers heap
On Athens, ripe for ftroke! thou cold fciatica,

Pluck the grave wrinkled fenate from the bench, 50 Cripple our fenators, that their limbs may halt

And minister in their fteads! to general filths
Convert o' the inftant, green virginity!
Do't in your parents' eyes! bankrupts, hold fast:
Rather than render back, out with your knives,
And cut your trufters' throats! bound fervants, 55
fteal;

Large-handed robbers your grave masters are,
And pill by law! maid, to thy mafter's bed;
Thy miftrefs is o' the brothel! fon of fixteen,
Pluck the lin'd crutch from thy old limping fire,

As lamely as their manners! luft and liberty
Creep in the minds and marrows of our youth;
That 'gainst the stream of virtue they may strive,
And drown themselves in riot! itches, blains,
Sow all the Athenian bofoms; and their crop
Be general leprofy! breath infect breath;
That their fociety, as their friendship, may
Be meerly poifon! Nothing I'll bear from thee,
But nakednefs, thou deteftable town!
60 Take thou that too, with multiplying banns!

Dr. Warburton thinks we fhould read foes. 2. e. the highest of your excellence. 3 i. e. flies of a feafon. 4 A minute-jack is what was called formerly a Jack of the clock-boufe; an image whofe office was the fame as one of thofe at St. Dunstan's church in Fleet-direct. See note, p. 658. si.c. every kind of difeafe incident to man and beast.

Timon

1 Serv. Hear you, master steward, where is our master?

Are we undone? caft off? nothing remaining?
Flav. Alack, my fellows, what should I fay
to you?

Let me be recorded by the righteous gods,
I am as poor as you.

1 Serv. Such a house broke!

So noble a master fallen! All gone! and not
One friend, to take his fortune by the arm,
And go along with him!

2 Serv. As we do turn our backs

From our companion, thrown into his grave;
So his familiars from his buried fortunes
Slink all away; leave their falfe vows with him,
Like empty purfes pick'd: and his poor felf,
A dedicated beggar to the air,

With his difeafe of all-fhunn'd poverty,
Walks, like contempt; alone.—More of our
fellows.

Enter other Servants.

To have his pomp, and all what state compounds,
But only painted, like his varnish'd friends ?
Poor honeft lord, brought low by his own heart;
Undone by goodness! Strange, unusual blood2,
5 When man's worst fin is, he does too much good!
Who then dares to be half fo kind again?

For bounty, that makes gods, does still mar men.
My dearest lord,-bleft, to be most accurs'd,
Rich, only to be wretched ;-thy great fortunes
10 Are made thy chief afflictions. Alas, kind lord!
He's Alung in rage from this ungrateful feat
Of monstrous friends: nor has he with him to
Supply his life, or that which can command it.
I'll follow, and enquire him out:

15

20

I'll ever ferve his mind with my best will;
Whilft I have gold, I'll be his steward still.

Tim. O bleffed breeding fun, draw from the
earth

25 Rotten humidity; below thy fifter's orb 3
Infect the air! Twinn'd brothers of one womb,
Whofe procreation, refidence, and birth,
Scarce is dividant,-touch them with feveral for
tunes :

30 The greater fcorns the leffer: Not nature, [tune,
To whom all fores lay fiege, can bear great for-
But by contempt of nature 4.

Flav. All broken implements of a ruin'd houfe. 35
3 Serv. Yet do our hearts wear Timon's livery,
That fee I by our faces; we are fellows still,
Serving alike in forrow: Leak'd is our bark;
And we, poor mates, ftand on the dying deck,
Hearing the furges threat: we must all part
Into this fea of air.

Flav. Good fellows all,

The latest of my wealth I'll share amongst you.
Wherever we shall meet, for Timon's fake,

Raife me this beggar, and denude that lord;
The fenator fhall bear contempt hereditary,
The beggar native honour.

It is the paftor lards the brother's fides,

The want that makes him leave 5. Who dares,
who dares,

In purity of manhood stand upright,
40 And fay, This man's a flatterer?' if one be,
So are they all; for every grize of fortune
Is fmooth'd by that below: the learned pate
Ducks to the golden fool: All is oblique;
There's nothing level in our curfed natures,

Let's yet be fellows; let's shake our heads, and 45 But direct villainy. Therefore, be abhorr'd

tion.

I am no idle votarift: Roots, you clear heavens ! 55 Thus much of this, will make black, white; foul, [valiant.

fair;

Wrong, right; bafe, noble; old, young; coward,

Fierce is here used for bafty, precipitate. 2 Strange, unufual Ulood may mean, ftrange unufual difpoft3 That is, the moon's, this fublunary world. 4 Dr. Johnson explains this paffage thus: "Brother, when bis fortune is enlarged, will fearn brother; for this is the general depravity of human nature, which, befieged as it is by mifery, admonished as it is of want and imperfection, when elevated by fortune, will defpife beings of nature like its own." 5 That is, It is the paftour that greafes or flatters the rich brother, and will greafe him on till want make him leave. 6 Grize for step or degree. feize, gripe. i.e. no infincere or inconftant fupplicant. Gold will not ferve me instead of roots. 9 This may mean either ye cloudless skies, or ye deities exempt from guilt. 3 Ga

7 i. c.

Ha,