Ven. A noble spirit.

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON.

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 need 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?

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;

come to observe; I give thee warning on't.

Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athe-
nian; 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
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 keep his tides well. Timon, Those healths will make thee, and thy state, look ill. Here's that, which is too weak to be a sinner, Honest water, which ne'er left man i'the mire: This, and my food, are equals; there's no odds. Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods. APEMANTUS'S GRACE. Immortal gods, I crave no pelf; I pray for no man, but myself: Grant I may never prove so fond, To trust man on his oath or bond, Or a harlot, for her weeping; Or a dog, that seems a sleeping; Or a keeper with my freedom; Or my friends, if I should need '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 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: and would most resem

ble 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 We are born to do benefits: and what better you. 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.

Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,
Which was not half so beautiful and kind;
You have added worth unto't, and lively lustre,
And entertain'd me with mine own device;
I am to thank you for it.

1 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: Please you to dispose yourselves. All Lad. 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! There is no crossing him in his humour; [Asude. Else I should tell him, - Well, i'faith, I should, When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he could. 'Tis pity, bounty had not eyes behind; That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. [Exit, and returns with the casket. 1 Lord. Where be our men? Serv. Here, my lord, in readiness. 2 Lord. Our horses. Tim. O my friends, 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, and wear it, kind my lord.

―――

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

Enter a Servant.

Serv. My lord, there are certain nobles of the

senate

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 pr'ythee, let us be provided To show them entertainment. Flat.

Enter another Servant.

2 Serv. May it please your honour, the 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
Enter a third Servant.

Be worthily entertain'd.

How now, what news? 3 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 receiv'd, Not without fair reward.

Flav. [Aside.]

I scarce know how. [Aside.

SCENE I.-The same.

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,
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 lands put to their books.
Well, 'would I were gently put out of office,
Before I were forc'd out!

Happier is he that has no friend to feed,
Than such as do even enemies exceed.
I bleed inwardly for my lord.

[Exit.
Tim.
You do yourselves
Much wrong, you bate too much of your own merits:
Here, my lord, a trifle of our love.

2 Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it.

3 Lord. O, he is the very soul of bounty!

Tim. And now I remember me, my lord, you gave Good words the other day of a bay courser I rode on it is yours, because : lik'd it! 2 Lord. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in

you

that. Tim. You may take my word, my lord; I know,

no man

A Room in a Senator's House.

Enter a 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 justly praise, but what he does affect :
I weigh my friend's affection with mine own;
I'll tell you true.
I'll call on you.

All Lords.

None so welcome.
Tim. I take all and your several visitations
So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give;
Methinks, I could deal kingdoms to my friends,
And ne'er be weary. Alcibiades,
Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich,

It comes in charity to thee: for all thy living
Is 'mongst the dead; and all the lands thou hast
Lie in a pitch'd field.

Alcib.
Ay, defiled lan, my lord.
1 Lord. We are so virtuously bound,
Tim.

And so

Am I to you. 2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd Tim. All to you. - Lights, more lights. 1 Lord. The best of happiness, Honour, and fortunes, keep with you, lord Timon ! Tim. Ready for his friends.

[Exeunt ALCIBIADES, Lords, &c. 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'd be good to thee.

Apem.

No, I'll nothing for

If I should be brib'd too, there would be none left To rail upon thee; and then thou would'st sin the faster.

Thou giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me, thou
Wilt give away thyself in paper shortly:

What need these feasts, pomps, and vain glories?
Nay,

Tim.

An you begin to rail on society once,
I am sworn, not to give regard to you.
Farewell; and come with better musick.
Apem.

Thou'lt not hear me now,

lock

[Exit. So ;

thou shalt not then, I'll

Thy heaven from thee. O, that men's ears should be To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!

[Erit.

Apem. So would I, -as good a trick as ever hangman served thief.

Fool. Are you three usurers' men?
All Serv. Ay, fool.

Fool. I think, no usurer but has a fool to his servant My mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: The reason of this?

Var. Serv. I could render one.

Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster, and a knave; which notwithstanding. thou shalt be no less esteemed.

Var. Serv. What is a whoremaster, fool?

|

Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit: sometime, it appears like a lord; sometime, like a lawyer; sometime, like a philosopher, with two stones more than his artificia one: He is very often like a knight; and, generally, in all shapes, that man goes up and down in, from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in.

Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool. Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man: as much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest. Apem. That answer might have become Apeman

tus.

All Serv. Aside, aside; here comes lord Timon. Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS.

Apem. Come, with me, fool, come.

Fool. I do not always follow lover, elder brother, and woman; sometime, the philosopher. [Exeunt APEMANTUS and Fool. Flav. 'Pray you, walk near; I'll speak with you [Exeunt Serv. Tim. You make me marvel: Wherefore, ere this time,

anon.

Had you not fully laid my state before me;
That I might so have rated my expence,
As I had leave of means?

Flav. You would not hear me, At many leisures I propos'd. Tim. Go to: Perchance, some single vantages you took, When my indisposition put you back; And that unaptness made your minister, Thus to excuse yourself.

Flav.

O my good lord! At many times I brought in my accounts, Laid them before you; you would throw them off, And say, you found them in mine honesty. When, for some trifling present, you have bid me Return so much, I have shook my head, and wept ; Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray'd you To hold your hand more close: I did endure Not seldom, nor no slight checks; when I have Prompted you, in the ebb of your estate, And your great flow of debts. My dear-lov'd lord, Though you hear now, (too late!) yet now's a time, The greatest of your having lacks a half To pay your present debts.

Tim. Let all my land be sold. Flav. 'Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and gone; And what remains will hardly stop the mouth Of present dues: the future comes apace : What shall defend the interim? and at length How goes our reckoning?

Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend.
Flav. O my good lord, the world is but a word;

To lord Lucullus you; I hunted with his
Honour to-day; -You, to Sempronius ;
Commend me to their loves; and, I am proud, say,
That my occasions have found time to use them
Toward a supply of money: let the request
Be fifty talents.

Flam.
As you have said, my lord.
Flav. Lord Lucius, and lord Lucullus? humph!
[Aside.
Tim. Go you, sir, [to another Serv.] to the se-
nators,

(Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have Deserv'd this hearing,) bid 'em send o'the instant A thousand talents to me.