The Lords rise from Table, with much adoring of TIMON; and, to show their loves, each singles out an Amazon, and all dance, Men with Women, a lofty Strain or two to the Hautboys, and cease.

Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies, Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,

Which was not half so beautiful and kind:
You have added worth unto 't, and 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.

Flav.

The little casket bring me hither.

Yes, my lord. [Aside.] More jewels yet!

There is no crossing him in his humour;

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.

1 Lord.

[Exit, and returns with the Casket.

Where be our men?

Serv. Here, my lord, in readiness.

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 it 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's be provided to show them entertainment.
Flav. I scarce know how.

Enter another Servant.

2 Serv. May it please your honour, 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?

[Aside.

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.]

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 land's 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's the very soul of bounty.

Tim. And now I remember, my lord, you gave Good words the other day of a bay courser

I rode on it is yours, because you lik'd it.

2 Lord. O! I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in that.

Tim.

You may take my word, my lord: I know no man

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 to you.

All Lords.

Tim.

O! none so welcome.

I take all, and your several visitations,

So kind to heart, 't is 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.

Honour, and fortunes, keep with you, lord Timon.

Tim. Ready for his friends.

Apem.

[Exeunt ALCIBIADES, Lords, &c.

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?

Tim. Nay, an you begin to rail on society once, I am sworn not to give regard to you. Farewell; and come with better music.

Apem. So;- thou wilt not hear me now;

Thou shalt not then; I'll lock thy heaven from thee.

[Exit.

O, that men's ears should be

To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!

[Exit.

ACT II. SCENE I.

The Same. 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 sound his state in safety. Caphis, ho!
Caphis, I say!

Enter CAPHIS.

Caph. Here, Sir: what is your pleasure?
Sen. Get on your cloak, and haste you to lord Timon;
Importune him for my moneys; be not ceas'd
With slight denial; nor then silenc'd, when
"Commend me to your master" and the cap
Plays in the right hand, thus; but tell him,
My uses cry to me. I must serve my turn
Out of mine own: his days and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates

Have smit my credit. I love, and honour him,
But must not break my back to heal his finger.
Immediate are my needs; and my relief
Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
But find supply immediate. Get you gone:
Put on a most importunate aspect,

A visage of demand; for, I do fear,
When every feather sticks in his own wing,
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,

Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone.
Caph. I go, Sir.

Sen. Ay, go, Sir. Take the bonds along with you,
And have the dates in compt.

Caph.
Sen.

I will, Sir.

The Same. A Hall in TIMON'S House.

Enter FLAVIUS, with many Bills in his Hand.
Flavius. No care, no stop: so senseless of expense,
That he will neither know how to maintain it,

Nor cease his flow of riot; takes no account
How things go from him, nor resumes no care
Of what is to continue. Never mind

Was to be so unwise, to be so kind.

What shall be done? He will not hear, till feel.