Apem. Should't have kept one to thyfelf, 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 fpurn thee hence. Apem. I will fly, like a dog, at the heels of the ass,

1 Lord. He's oppofite to humanity. Come, fhall we in, And tafte lord Timon's bounty? he out-goes The very heart of kinduefs.

2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold, Is but his fteward: no meed, but he repays

Sevenfold above itfelf; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All ufe of quittance.

I Lord. The nobleft mind he carries,
That ever govern'd man.

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

SCENE II.

[Exeunt,

Another Apartment in TIMON's Houfe. Hautboys playing loud Mufick. A great Banquet ferv'd in; and then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian Senators, with VENTIDIUS. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS difcontentedly, like himself.

Ven. Moft 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 whofe help I deriv'd liberty.

Tim. O, by no means,

Honeft Ventidius: you mistake my love;
I gave it freely ever; and there's none
Can truly fay, he gives, if he receives :

If

If our betters play at that game, we must not dare
To imitate them; Faults that are rich, are fair.
Ven. A noble fpirit.

[They all fand ceremoniously looking on TIMON. Tim. Nay, my lords, ceremony

Was but devis'd at first

To fet a glofs on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, forry ere 'tis shown;

But where there is true friendship, there needs none.
Pray, fit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes,
Than they to me.

[They fit.

1 Lord. My lord, we always have confeft it.
Apem. Ho, ho, confeft it? hang'd it, have you not?
Tim. O, Apemantus !-you are welcome.

Apem. No; you fhall not make me welcome :

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

Tim. Fye, thou art a churl; you have got a humour

there

Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame :

They say, my lords, ira furor brevis eft,
But yonder man is 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 ftay at thine own peril, Timon;
I come to obferve; 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: I pr'ythee, let my meat make thee filent.

Apem. I fcorn thy meat; 'twould choak me, for I should Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number

Of men eat Timon, and he fees them not!

It grieves me, to fee fo 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 fafer for their lives.
There's much example for't; the fellow, that
Sits next him now, parts bread with him, 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;
Left they should fpy my wind-pipe's dangerous notes:
Great men fhould 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,
Those healths will make thee, and thy ftate, look ill.
Here's that, which is too weak to be a finner,
Honeft water, which ne'er left man i' the mire:
This, and my food, are equals; there's no odds.
Feafts are to 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 fo fond,
To truft man on his oath, or bond;
Or a harlot, for her weeping;
Or a dog, that feems a fleeping;
Or a keeper with my freedom;·
Or my friends, if I should need 'em.
Amen. So fall to't:

Rich men fin, and I eat root.

[Eats and drinks.

Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!

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

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

Alc. So they were bleeding new, my lord, there's no meat like 'em; I could with my best friend at such a feast. Apem. 'Would all thofe flatterers were thine enemies then; that thou might'ft 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 fhould think ourselves for ever perfect.

Tim.

Tim. O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I fhall have much help. from you: How had you been my friends elfe? why have you that charitable title from thoufands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have told more of you to myfelf, than you can with modesty speak in your 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 resemble fweet inftruments hung up in cafes, that keep their founds to themselves. Why, I have often wifh'd 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 'tis, to have fo many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere it can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold water, methinks to forget their faults, I drink to you.

Apem. Thou weep'ft to make them drink, Timon.

2 Lord. Joy had the like conception in our eyes, And, at that inftant, like a babe fprung up.

Apem. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a baftard. 3 Lord. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me much. Apem. Much.

Sound Tucket.

Tim. What means that trump?-How now ?

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies moft defirous of admittance.

Tim. Ladies? What are their wills?

Serv. There comes with them a fore-runner, my lord, which bears that office, to fignify their pleasures. Tim. I pray, let them be admitted.

Enter Cupid.

Cup. Hail to thee, worthy Timon ;-and to all That of his bounties tafte !-The five best senses

Acknow

Acknowledge thee their patron; and come freely
To gratulate thy plenteous bofom :

The ear, tafte, touch, fmell, pleas'd from thy table rise;
They only now come but to feast thine eyes.

Tim. They are welcome all; let 'em have kind admittance :

Mufick, make their welcome.

[Exit Cupid.

i Lord. You fee, my lord, how ample you are belov'd.

Mufick. Re-enter Cupid, with a Mafque of Ladies as Amazons, with Lutes in their Hands, dancing, and playing.

Apem. Heyday! what a fweep of vanity comes this way! They dance! they are mad women.

Like madness is the glory of this life,

As this pomp fhews to a little oil, and root.
We make ourselves fools, to difport ourselves;
And fpend our flatteries, to drink those men,
Upon whofe age we void it up again,

With poisonous fpite and envy. Who lives, that's not
Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears
Not one fpurn to their graves of their friends' gift?
I should fear, thofe, that dance before me now,
Would one day stamp upon me: It has been done;
Men fhut their doors against a fetting fun.

The Lords rife from Table, with much adoring of Timon; and, to fhew their Loves, each fingles out an Amazon, and all dance, Men with Women; a lofty Strain or two to the Hautboys, and ceafe.

Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies,

Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,

Which was not half fo beautiful and kind;

You have added worth unto't, and lively luftre,
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.