thee for thy labour: He, that loves to be flattered, is worthy o'the flatterer. Heavens, that I were a lord!

Tim. What would'st do then, Apemantus? Apem. Even as Apemantus does now, hate a lord with my heart.

Tim. What, thyself?

Apem. Ay.

Tim. Wherefore?

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

Mer. Ay, Apemantus.

Apem. Traffick confound thee, if the gods will

not!

Mer. If traffick do it, the gods do it.

Apem. Traffick's thy god, and thy god confound thee!

Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant.

Tim. What trumpet's that?
Serv.

us.

'Tis Alcibiades, and

Some twenty horse, all of companionship.
Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to
[Exeunt some Attendants.
You must needs dine with me:-Go not you hence,
Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner's done,
Show me this piece. - I am joyful of your fights.-

Enter ALCIBIADES, with his Company.

So, so; there!

[They salute.

Most welcome, sir!
Apem.
Aches contract and starve your supple joints!-

9

all of companionship.] This expression does not mean barely that they all belong to one company, but that they are all such as Alcibiades honours with his acquaintance, and sets on a level with himself.

That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet

knaves,

And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred out Into baboon and monkey.1

Alcib. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed

Most hungrily on your sight.

Tim.

Right welcome, sir:

Ere we depart, we'll share 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?

Apem. Time to be honest.

1 Lord. That time serves still.

Apem. The most accursed thou, that still omit'st

it.

2 Lord. Thou art going to lord Timon's feast. Apem. Ay; to see meat fill knaves, and wine

heat fools.

2 Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well.

Apem. Thou art a fool, to bid me farewell twice. 2 Lord. Why, Apemantus ?

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I

mean to give thee none.

1 Lord. Hang thyself.

Apem. 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.

I

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the ass.

- The strain of man's bred out

[Exit.

1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall

we in,

And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes

The very heart of kindness.

2 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.3

1 Lord.

The noblest 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.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

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.
He is gone happy, and has left me rich:
Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound

To your free heart, I do return those talents,

1- no meed,] Meed, which in general signifies reward or recompense, in this place seems to mean desert.

3 All use of quittance.] i. e. all the customary returns made in discharge of obligations.

2

Doubled, with thanks, and service, from whose help

I deriv'd liberty.

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

To imitate them; Faults that are rich, are fair.*

Ven. A noble spirit.

Tim.

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on

TIMON.

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.
Apem.

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 hu

mour 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.

4

- Faults that are rich, are fair.) The faults of rich persons, and which contribute to the increase of riches, wear a plau-sible appearance, and as the world goes are thought fair; but they are faults notwithstanding.

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

5

Ne'er flatter thee. - O you gods! what a number
Of men eat Timon, and he sees them 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 :
Methinks, they should invite them without knives;
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, and 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 should fear to drink at meals ; Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes: Great men should drink with harness on their throats. Tim. My lord, in heart; and let the health go round. 2 Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Apem.

Flow this way !

A brave fellow !-he keeps his tides well. Timon,

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.

6

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.

My lord, in heart;] That is, my lord's health with sincerity.