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:
^{7 note}

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 needs none.
Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes,
Than they to me. [They sit.

1 Lord.
My lord, we always have confest it.

Apem.
Ho, ho, confest 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.
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 est,
But yonder man is ever angry 9Q0979.—
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;
I come to observe; I give thee warning on't.

Tim.
I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian,
Therefore welcome: ^{8 note}

I pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent.

Apem.
^{9 note}

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;
Lest they should spy my ^{2 note}

Tim.
^{3 note}

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 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.
Amen. So fall to't:
Rich men sin, 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 service, 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 wish my best friend at such a feast.

Apem.

'Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then; that 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 ^{4 note}for ever perfect.

Tim.

O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I shall have much help from you: ^{5 note}

why have you that charitable title from thousands, ^{6 note}

2 Lord.
Joy had the like conception in our eyes,
And, at that instant, ^{3 note}

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.

Tim.

What means that trump?—How now?

Serv.

Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most desirous of admittance.

Tim.

Ladies? What are their wills?

Serv.

There comes with them a fore-runner, my lord, which bears that office, to signify their pleasures.

Tim.

I pray, let them be admitted.

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:
^{3 note}

They only now come but to feast thine eyes.

Tim.
They are welcome all; let 'em have kind admittance:—
Musick, make their welcome. [Exit Cupid.

1 Lord.
You see, my lord, how ample you are belov'd. Musick. Re-enter Cupid, with a masque of Ladies as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing, and playing.

Apem.
Heyday! what a sweep of vanity comes this way!
^{5 note}

Like madness is the glory of this life,
As this pomp shews 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^{7 note}?
I should fear, those, that dance before me now,
Would one day stamp upon me: It has been done;
Men shut their doors against a setting sun. The Lords rise from table, with much adoring of Timon; and, to shew 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 lively lustre,
And entertain'd me with ^{8 note}mine own device;
I am to thank you for it.

1 Lady.
^{8 note}

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.

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; [Aside.
Else I should tell him,—Well,—i'faith, I should,
When all's spent, ^{1 note}he'd be cross'd then, an he could.
'Tis pity, bounty had not ^{2 note}eyes behind;

That man might ne'er be wretched ^{3 note}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
Intreat you, honour me so much, as ^{4 note}
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 shew them entertainment.

Flav. [Aside.]
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, trapt in silver.

Tim.
I shall accept them fairly: let the presents
Be worthily entertain'd.—How now? what news?

Enter a third Servant.

3 Serv.

Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman, lord Lucullus, entreats your company tomorrow 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 shew 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 that 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, 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;
^{9 note}
I tell you true. I'll call on you.

All Lords.
O, none so welcome.

Tim.
I take all and your several visitations
So kind to heart, ^{1 note}

Alc.
^{2 note}
In defiled land, my lord.

1 Lord.
We are so virtuously bound,—

Tim.
And so am I to you.

2 Lord.
So infinite endear'd,—

Tim.
All to you^{3 note}
.—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!
^{4 note}

Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies.

Tim.
Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen,
I would 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, ^{6 note}

Tim.
Nay,
If you begin to rail once on society,
I am sworn, not to give regard to you.
Farewel; and come with better musick. [Exit.

Apem.
So;—
Thou wilt not hear me now,—thou shalt not then, I'll lock
^{7 note}Thy heaven from thee. O, that men's ears should be
To counsel deaf, but not to flattery! [Exit.

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