Apem. Time to be honest.

First Lord. That time serves still.

Apem. The most accursed thou, that still omitt'st it.

Sec. Lord. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast?
Apem. Ay, to see meat fill knaves and wine heat fools. 260
Sec. Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well.

Apem. Thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice.

Sec. Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee none.

First Lord. Hang thyself!

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make thy requests to thy friend.

Sec. Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee

hence!

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' the ass.

270

[Exit.

First Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall we in, And taste Lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes

The very heart of kindness.

Sec. 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.

First Lord.

The noblest mind he carries

That ever govern'd man.

280

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

[Exeunt.

Scene II.

A banqueting-room in Timon's house.

Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; Flavius and others attending; and then enter Lord Timon, Alcibiades, Lords, Senators, and Ventidius. Then comes, dropping after all, Apemantus, discontentedly, like himself. Ven. Most honour'd Timon,

Tim.

It hath pleased 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 derived liberty.

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 devised at first
To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown;

ΙΟ

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.

20

First 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; ye've got a humour there
Does not become a man; 'tis 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 30
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'rt an Athenian, therefore welcome: I myself would have no power; prithee, let my meat make thee silent. Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should ne'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 40 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, pledges the breath of him in a divided draught, is the readiest man to kill him: 't 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. Sec. Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord.

50

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'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.

60

70

[Eats and drinks. Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus! 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, 80 then, that then thou mightst kill 'em and bid me to 'em!

First 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
themselves have provided that I shall have much
help from you: how had you been my friends
else? why have you that charitable title from 90
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. 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 100
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 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.
Sec. 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.
Third Lord. I promise you, my lord, you moved me much.
Apem. Much!

Tim. What means that trump?

IIO

[Tucket, within.