Abroad? why then, fure, women are more valiant,
That ftay at home, if bearing carry it;
The afs, more than the lion; and the fellow,
Loaden with irons, wifer than the judge;
If wisdom be in fuff'ring. Oh my Lords,
As you are great, be pitifully good:

Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is fin's extreameft guft,
But, in defence,-by mercy, 'tis moft juft.
To be in anger is impiety:

But who is man, that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.

2 Sen. You breathe in vain.
Alc. In vain his fervice done
At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium,
Were a fufficient briber for his life.

1 Sen. What's that?

Alc. I fay, my Lords, h'as done fair service, And flain in battle many of your enemies; How full of valour did he bear himself

In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds?
2 Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em,
He's a fworn rioter; he has a fin

That often drowns him, and takes valour prifoner.
Were there no foes, that were enough alone
To overcome him. In that beaftly fury
He has been known to commit outrages,
And cherish factions. 'Tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul, and his drink dangerous.
1 Sen. He dies.

Alc. Hard fate! he might have died in war.
My Lords, if not for any parts in him,

(Though his right arm might purchase his own time,
And be in debt to none;) yet more to move you,
Take my deferts to his, and join 'em both.
And for I know, your reverend ages love
Security, I'll pawn my victories,

My honours to you, on his good returns.
If by this crime he owes the law his life,
Why, let the war receive't in valiant gore;

For

For law is ftrict, and war is nothing more.

1 Sen. We are for law, he dies, urge it no more,
On height of our difpleasure: friend, or brother,
He forfeits his own blood, that spils another.
Alc. Muft it be fo? it must not be:

My Lords, I do befeech you, know me.

2 Sen. How?

Alc. Call me to your remembrances.

3 Sen. What!

Alc. I cannot think, but your age hath forgot me; It could not elfe be, I fhould prove fo bafe, To fue, and be deny'd fuch common grace.

My wounds ake at you.

1 Sen. Do you dare our anger?

"Tis in few words, but fpacious in effect; We banish thee for ever.

Alc. Banifh me!

Banish your dotage, banish ufury,

That make the fenate ugly.

1 Sen. If, after two days fhine, Athens contains thee, Attend our weightier judgment.

And, (not to fwell our fpirit,)
He fhall be executed presently.

[Exeunt.

Alc. Gods keep you old enough, that you may live

Only in bone, that none may look on you!

I'm worse than mad: I have kept back their foes,
While they have told their money, and let out
Their coin upon large intereft; I myself,
Rich only in large hurts.-All thofe, for this?
Is this the balfam that the ufuring fenate
Pours into captains wounds? ha! banishment?
It comes not ill: I hate not to be banisht,
It is a caufe worthy my fpleen and fury,
That I may ftrike at Athens. I'll cheer up
My difcontented troops, and lay for hearts.
'Tis honour with moft lands to be at odds;
Soldiers as little fhould brook wrongs, as gods. [Exit.

SCENE

SCENE changes to Timon's Houfe.

Sen.

Enter divers Senators, at feveral doors.

HE good time of the day to you, Sir.

TH

2 Sen. I also wish it to you: I think, this honourable Lord did but try us this other day.

1 Sen. Upon that were my thoughts tiring, when we encountred. I hope, it is not fo low with him, as he made it seem in the tryal of his feveral friends.

2 Sen. It should not be, by the perfuafion of his new feafting.

1 Sen. I fhould think fo: he hath fent me an earnest inviting, which many my near occafions did urge me to put off: but he hath conjur'd me beyond them, and I muft needs appear.

2 Sen. In like manner was I in debt to my importunate bufinefs; but he would not hear my excufe. I am forry, when he fent to borrow of me, that my provifion was out.

Sen. I am fick of that grief too, as I understand how all things go.

2 Sen. Every man here's fo.

borrow'd of you?

1 Sen. A thousand pieces.

2 Sen. A thousand pieces!

1 Sen. What of you?

What would he have

3 Sen. He fent to me, Sir-here he comes.

Enter Timon and Attendants.

Tim. With all my heart, gentlemen both-and how fare you?

1 Sen. Ever at the beft, hearing well of your Lordship. 2 Sen. The swallow follows not fummer more willingly, than we your Lordship.

Tim. Nor more willingly leaves winter: fuch fummer-birds are men..-Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompenfe this long ftay: feaft your ears with the mufick awhile; if they will fare fo harshly as on the trumpets found: we shall to't presently.

1 Sen. I hope, it remains not unkindly with your Lordship, that I return'd you an empty meffenger. Tim. O Sir, let it not trouble you.

2 Sen. My noble Lord.

T.m. Ah, my good friend, what cheer?

[The banquet brought in. 2 Sen. Most honourable Lord, I'm e'en fick of shame, that when your Lordship t'other day sent to me, I was fo unfortunate a beggar.

Tim. Think not on't, Sir.

2 Sen. If you had fent but two hours beforeTim. Let it not cumber your better remembrance. Come, bring in all together.

2 Sen. All cover'd difhes!

1 Sen. Royal cheer, I warrant you.

3 Sen. Doubt not that, if moneyand the feafon can yield it, 1 Sen. How do you? what's the news?

3 Sen. Alcibiades is banifh'd: hear you of it?

Both. Alcibiades banish'd!

3 Sen. 'Tis fo, be sure of it.

1 Sen. How? how?

1

2 Sen. I pray you, upon what?

Tim. My worthy friends, will you draw near?

3 Sen. I'll tell ye more anon. Here's a noble feast toward, 2 Sen. This is the old man ftill.

3 Sen. Will't hold? will't hold ?

2 Sen. It does, but time will, and fo

3 Sen. I do conceive.

Tim. Each man to his ftool, with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress: your diet fhall be in all places alike. Make not a city-feast of it, to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place. Sit, fit.

The gods require our thanks.

You great benefactors, Sprinkle our fociety with thankfulnefs. For your own gifts make yourselves prais'd: but referve fill to give, left your deities be defpifed. Lend to each man enough, that one need not lend to another. For were your godheads to borrow of men, men would forfake the gods. Make the meat beloved, more than the man that gives it. Let no assembly of twenty be without a score of villains. If there

fit

fit twelve women at the table, let a dozen of them be as they are-The rest of your fees, O gods, the Senators of Athens, together with the common lag of people, what is amifs in them, you gods, make fuitable for deftruction. For thefe my friends-as they are to me nothing, jo in nothing bless them, and to nothing are they welcome.

Uncover, dogs, and lap.

Some Speak. What does his Lordfhip mean?
Some other. I know not.

Tim. May you a better feast never behold,

You knot of mouth-friends: fmoke, and lukewarm water
Is your perfection. This is Timon's last;
Who ftuck and fpangled you with flatteries,
Washes it off, and fprinkles in your faces
Your reaking villany. Live loath'd, and long,
Moft fmiling, fmooth, derefted parasites,

Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears,
You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time-flies,
Cap-and-knee flaves, vapours, and minute-jacks, (20)
Of man and beaft the infinite malady

Cruft you quite o'er!-What, doft thou go?
Soft, take thy phyfick first-thou too-and thou-
[Throwing the dishes at them, and drives 'em out.
Stay, I will lend thee money, borrow none.

(20)

and minute jacks

Of man and beast, the infinite malady

Cruft you quite o'er!] I had reform'd the bad pointing of this paffage in my SHAKESPEARE reftor'd, and have accordingly rectified it here. In what fenfe could the fenators be call'd minute jacks of man and beaft? The poet just before calls them vapours; and certainly means to inforce that image, by faying, they were jacks not of a minute's truft, or dependance. Then what could the infinite malady fignify, without fomething fubjoin'd to give us a clearer idea of it? As I point the paffage, it plainly means, may the whole catalogue, the infinite number of diftempers, that have ever invaded either man or beaft, all be join'd to plague you. Coriolanus curfes his cowardly followers, in our author's tragedy fo call'd, in a manner not much unlike;

All the contagion of the South light on you,

You fhames of Rome, you! herds of boils and plagues
Plaifter you o'er, that you may be abhorr'd
Farther than feen! &c.

What!