Apemantus discontentedly.
Ven.
Most honour'd Timon, it hath pleas'd the Gods
To call my father's age unto long peace.
-- 160 --
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:
1 note
If our Betters play at that game, we must not.
Apem.
Dare to imitate them: Faults that are rich, are fair.
Ven.
A noble spirit.
Tim.
Nay, ceremony was but devis'd at first,
To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
2 noteRecanting 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 down.
Luc.
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.
-- 161 --
Tim.
Fie, th' art a churle; ye have got a humour there
Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame:
They say, my lords, that Ira furor brevis est,
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't, indeed.
Apem.
Let me stay at thy peril, Timon; I come to
observe, I give thee warning on't.
Tim.
I take no heed of thee; th' art an Athenian,
therefore welcome; I my self would have no power—
pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent.
Apem.
3 note
I scorn thy meat; 'twould choak me, 'fore
I should e'er flatter thee. O you gods! what a number
of men eat Timon, and he sees 'em not? It grieves
me to see
So many dip their meat in one man's blood,
And, all the madness is, 4 notehe 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 th' readiest man to kill him. 'T has been prov'd.
Were I a Great man, I should fear to drink,
Lest they should spy my wind-pipe's dangerous notes:
Great men should drink with harness on their throats.
-- 162 --
Tim.
My lord, in heart; and let the health go
round.
Lucul.
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' th' mire:
This and my food are equal, 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, Amen; So fall to't:
Rich men sin, and I eat root.
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 been 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 friend at such a
feast.
Apem.
Would all these flatterers were thine enemies
then; that thou might'st kill 'em, and bid me to 'em!
Luc.
Might we but have the happiness, my lord,
that you would once use our hearts, whereby we might
-- 163 --
express some part of our zeals, we should think ourselves
for ever perfect.
Tim.
Oh, no doubt, my good friends, but the Gods
themselves have provided that I shall have as much
help from you: 5 note
how had you been my friends else?
why have you that charitable title from thousands,
did not you 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. Oh you Gods; (think I,) what need we have
any friends, if we should never have need of 'em?
they would most resemble sweet Instruments hung up
in cases, that keep their sounds to themselves. Why,
I have often wisht 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 so many, like brothers, commanding one another's
fortunes! O joy, e'en (a) note made a joy ere't can
be born; mine eyes cannot hold water, methinks: to
forget their faults, I drink to you.
Apem.
(b) noteThou weep'st but to make them drink
thee, Timon.
Lucul.
Joy had the like conception in our eyes,
And at that instant like a babe sprung up.
-- 164 --
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!
Sound Tucket.
Tim.
What means that trump? how now?
Enter Servant.
Ser.
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,
whch bears that office to signifie their pleasures.
Tim.
I pray, let them be admitted.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].
