Apem.

2 Lord.

The most accursed thou, that still omit'st it.
Thou art going to lord Timon's feast.

Apem. Ay; to see meat fill knaves, and wine heat fools.
Fare thee well; fare thee well.

2 Lord.

Apem. 2 Lord.

Арет.

thee none.

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

Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give

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

1 Lord.

That ever govern'd man.

The noblest mind he carries,

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

SCENE II.

The Same. A Room of State in TIMON's House.

[Exeunt.

Hautboys playing loud Music. A great banquet served in;
FLAVIUS and others attending: then, enter TIMON, ALCIBI-
ADES, LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian
Senators, with VENTIDIUS, whom TIMON redeemed from
prison, and Attendants: then comes, dropping after all,
APEMANTUS, discontentedly, like himself.
Ven. Most honour'd Timon, it hath pleas'd the gods to
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,
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.

Nay, my lords,
Ceremony was but devis'd at first,

To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, sorry ere 't is 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. No, you shall not make me welcome:

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

Tim. Fie! thou 'rt a churl: you have got a humour there

Does not become a man, 't is much to blame.

They say, my lords, ira furor brevis est,

But yond' man is ever angry.

Go, let him have a table by himself;

For he does neither affect company,

Nor is he fit for 't, indeed.

Apem. Let me stay at thine apperil, 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; 't would 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 proved. 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. Those healths will make thee and thy state look ill, Timon.

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' Grace.
Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man, but myself.
Graut 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.
Amen. So fall to 't:

Rich men sin, and I eat root.

Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!

[Eats and drinks.

Tim. Captain Alcibiades, your heart 's in the field now.
Alcib. My heart is ever at your service, my lord.

Tim. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends.

Alcib. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like 'em: 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 them→ selves 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 ne'er have need of 'em? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for 'em; 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 't is, to have so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes. O joy, e'en made away ere 't can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks: to forget their faults, I drink to you.

Apem. Thou weep'st 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!

Serv. Please you,

desirous of admittance.

Tim.

Enter a Servant.

my lord, there are certain ladies most

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
To gratulate thy plenteous bosom. The ear,
Taste, touch, smell, pleas'd from thy table rise;
They only now come but to feast thine eyes.

Tim. They are welcome all. Let them have kind admittance: Music, make their welcome.

[Exit CUPID.

1 Lord. You see, my lord, how ample y' are belov❜d.

Music. Re-enter CUPID, with a masque of Ladies as Amazons, with Lutes in their Hands, dancing, and playing.

Apem. Hey day! what a sweep of vanity comes this way!

They dance! they are mad women.

Like madness is the glory of this life,

As this pomp shows to a little oil, and root.

We make ourselves fools, to disport ourselves;
And spend our flatteries, to drink those men,
Upon whose age we void it up again,

With poisonous spite, and envy.

Who lives, that's not depraved, or depraves?
Who dies, that bears not one spurn to their graves
Of their friends' gift?

I should fear, those, that dance before me now,
Would one day stamp upon me: 't has been done.
Men shut their doors against a setting sun.