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TIM.

And call him to long peace 2.

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.

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:

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON.

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 devis'd at first
To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, sorry ere 't is shown;

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

1 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. Fye, thou 'rt a churl; you've got a humour there
Does not become a man, 't is much to blame :-
They say, my lords, ira furor brevis est,

But yond' man's 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 thine apperila, Timon;

I come to observe; I give thee warning on 't.

[They sit.

TIM. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: prithee, let my meat make thee silent.

APEM. I scorn thy meat; 't would choke me, for I should

Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number

Of men eat Timon, and he sees them not!

It grieves me to see so many dip their meat

This is one of the many instances in which we adhere to the metrical arrangement of the original, discarding the "regulation" of Steevens.

Ever angry. In the original, very; Rowe changed very to ever, marking an antithesis with the Latin sentence. The introduction of a scrap of Latin is not at all in Shakspere's manner, nor indeed is any part of the speech.

• Apperil. The word repeatedly occurs in Ben Jonson, as in the Tale of a Tub:'

"As you will answer it at your apperil."

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 a;
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 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 windpipe's dangerous notes:
Great men should 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.

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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.

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.

[Eats and drinks.

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 them; I could wish my best friend at such a feast.

APEM. 'Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then; that then thou mightst kill 'em, and bid me to 'em.

1 LORD. Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you would once use

a Every guest in our author's time brought his own knife.

The word Timon has in modern editions been transposed into the previous line.

• Much good dich. This word dich is considered by Johnson as a corruption of do it. In the sense in which it is here used it represents may it do. There is no other instance of its use, according to Nares.

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 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 them? they were the most needless creatures living should we ne'er have use for them: and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases, that keep their sounds to themselves. Why, I have often wished 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 't is to have so many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere it can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks; to forget their faults, I drink to you. APEM. Thou weepest to make them drink, Timon.

2 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.
3 LORD. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me much.
APEM. Mucha!

TIM. What means that trump?-How now?

Enter a Servant.

[Tucket sounded.

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 forerunner, my lord, which bears that office to signify their pleasures.

TIM. I pray, let them be admitted.

Enter CUPID.

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 :

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

TIM. They are welcome all; let them have kind admittance.
Music, make their welcome.

1 LORD. You see, my lord, how ample y' are belov'd.

a Much-an ironical and contemptuous expression.

The reading of the original is

"There taste, touch all, pleas'd from thy table rise."

Exit CUPID.

The emendation of the text is by Warburton, and it is not only ingenious, but satisfactory. Four of the five best senses rise from Timon's table; the mask of ladies comes to gratify the fifth.

Music. Re-enter CUPID, with a mask of Ladies as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing.

APEM. Hey day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way!

They dance! they are mad women.

Like madness is the glory of this life,

As this pomp shows 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?

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 show their loves, each singles out an Amazon, and all dance, men with women, a lofty strain or two to the hautboys, and cease a.

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 lustre,
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. Ladies, there is an idle banquet

Attends you please you to dispose yourselves.

ALL LAD. Most thankfully, my lord.

TIM. Flavius !

[Exeunt CUPID and Ladies.

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;

Else I should tell him,-Well,-i' faith, I should, When all's spent, he 'd be cross'd then, an he could. "T is pity bounty had not eyes behind;

That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.

[Aside.

[Exit, and returns with the casket.

a This is the ancient stage direction.

Lustre. The ordinary reading is lively lustre, which epithet was derived from the second folio. We follow the original copy.

TRAGEDIES.-VOL. I.

A A

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I have one word to say to you ;-Look you, my good lord,

I must entreat you, honour me so much,

As to advance this jewel; accept it, 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 prithee, let's be provided to show them entertainment.
FLAV. I scarce know how.

Enter another Servant.

2 SERV. May it please your honour, the lord Lucius,
Out of his free love, hath presented to you
Four milk-white horses, trapp'd in silver.
TIM. I shall accept them fairly: let the presents

Enter a third Servant.

Be worthily entertain'd.-How now, what news?

[Aside.

3 SERV. Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman, lord Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow 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,

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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 show 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 lands put to their books. Well, 'would I were
Gently put out of office, before I were forc'd out!

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