House.

Enter POET, PAINTER, JEWELLER, MERCHANT, and others, at several Doors.

Poel. Good day, Sir.

Pain. I am glad you are well.

Pain. You are rapt, Sir, in some work, some dedication

To the great lord.

[flint

Poet. A thing slipp'd idly from me.
Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes
From whence 'tis nourished: The fire 'the
Shows not, till it be struck; our gentle flame
Provokes itself, and, like the current, flies

Poet. I have not seen you long; How goes Each bound it chafes. What have you there?

the world?

Pain. A picture, Sir.-And when comes your

book forth?

Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment,'
Let's see your piece.

Pain. "Tis a good piece.
Poet. So 'tis

[Sir

this comes off well and excel

lent.
Pain. Indifferent.

All those which were his fellows but of late, (Some better than his value,) on the moment Follow his strides, his lobbies fill with tend-In qualities of the best. This man of thine

Attempts her love: I pr'ythee, noble lord,
Join with me to forbid him her resort;

Make sacred even his stirrup, and through him Myself have spoke in vain.

Go not away.-What have you there, my
Pain. A piece of painting, which I do be-
Your lordship to accept.

Tim. Painting is welcome.

[seech

The painting is almost the natural man;
For since dishonour traffics with man's nature,
He is but outside: These pencil'd figures are
Even such as they give out. I like your
work;

And you shall find, I like it: wait attendance
Till you hear further from me.

Pain. The gods preserve you!

Tim. Well fare you, gentlemen: Give me
your hand;

We must needs dine together.-Sir, your jewel
Hath suffer'd under praise.

Jew. What, my lord? dispraise?
Tim. A mere satiety of commendations.
If I should pay you for't as 'tis extoll'd,
It would unclewt me quite.

Jew. My lord, 'tis rated

[know,

As those, which sell, would give: But you well
Things of like value, differing in the owners,
Are prized by their masters: believe't, dear
You mend the jewel by wearing it. [lord,
Tim. Well mock'd.

Mer. No, my good lord; he speaks the com-
mon tongue.

Which all men speak with him.

Tim. Look, who comes here. Will you be chid?

Enter APEMANTUS.

Jew. We will bear, with your lordship.
Mer. He'll spare none.

Tim. Good morrow to thee, gentle Apeman

tus!

Apem. Till I be gentle, stay for thy good

morrow;

[honest.

When thou art Timon's dog, and these knaves Tim. Why dost thou call them knaves? thou know'st them not.

Apem. Are they not Athenians?

Tim. Yes.

Apem. Then I repent not.

Jew. You know me, Apemantus.

Apem. He wrougat better, that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work. Pain. You are a dog.

Apem. Thy mother's of my generation;
What's she, if I be a dog?

Tim. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus?
Apem. No; eat not lords.

Tim. An thou should'st, thou'dst anger ladies.

Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies.

Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension. Apem. So thou apprehend'st it: Take it for thy labour.

Tim. How dost thou like this jewel, Apemantus?

Apem. Not so well as plain-dealing,* which will not cost a man a doit.

Tim. What dost thou think 'tis worth?
Apem. Not worth my thinking.-How now,
poet?

Poet. How now, philosopher?
Apem. Thou liest.

Poet. Art not one?

Apem. Yes.

Poet. Then I lie not.
Apem. Art not a poet?
Poet. Yes.

Apem. Then thou liest: look in thy last work, where thou hast teign'd him a worthy fellow.

Poet. That's not feign'd, he is so.

Apem. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour: He, that loves to be flattered, is worthy o'the flatterer. Heavens, that I were a lord!'

Tim. What would'st do then, Apemantus? Apem. Even as Apemantus does now, hate a lord with my heart.

Tim. What, thyself?
Apem. Ay.

Tim. Wherefore?

Apem. That I had no angry wit to be a lurd.Art not thou a merchant?

Mer. Ay, Apemantus.

Apem. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will

not!

Mer. If traffic do it, the gods do it.
Apem. Traffic's thy god, and thy god con-
found thee!

Trumpets sound. Enter a SERVANT.
Tim. What trumpet's that?
Serv. 'Tis Alcibiades, and

Some twenty horse, all of companionship.
Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide
to us.- [Exeunt some Attendants.
You must needs dine with me:-Go not you
hence,
[done,

Apem. Thou know'st I'do; I call'd thee by Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner's

thy name.

Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus.

Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not like Timon.

Tim. Whither art going?

Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains.

Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for. Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law.

Tim. How likest thou this picture, Apemantus?

Apem. The best, for the innocence.

Tim. Wrought Ee not well, that painted it?

* Pictures have no hypocrisy; they are what they profare to be. + To unclew a man is to draw out the Whte mass of his fortunes.

"

Ere we depart, we'll share a bounteous time
In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in.
[Exeunt all but APEMANTUS.
Enter two LORDS.

1 Lord. What time a day is't, Apemantus?
Apem. Time to be honest.

1 Lord. That time serves still.
Apem. The most accursed thou, that still
omit'st it.

2 Lord. Thou art going to lord Timon's feast.
Apem. Ay; to see meat fill knaves, and wine
heat fools.

2 Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well.
Apem. Thou art a fool, to bid me farewell
twice.

2 Lord. Why, Apemantus?

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 my fortunes to me.
[They sit
1 Lord. My lord, we always have confess'à
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 art a churl; you have got a
humour there

Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame.
They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est,*

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for But yond' man's ever angry.
mean to give thee none.

1 Lord. Hang thyself.

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

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

ass.

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the
[Exit.
1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come,
shall we in,

And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes
The very heart of kindness.

2 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.t

1 Lord. The noblest mind he carries, That ever govern'd man.

2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall

we in?

1 Lord. I'll keep you company. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same.-A Room of State in TIMON'S House.

Hantboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian Senators, with VENTIDIUS, and Attendants. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly.

Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd
the gods 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

1 deriv'd liberty.

Tim. O, by no means,

Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love;
I gave it freely ever; and there's none
an 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.

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on
ΤΙΜΟΝ.

Tim. Nay, my lords, ceremony
Was but devis'd at first, to set a gloss
On faint deeds, hollow welcomes,

• Meed here means desert. + I. e. All the customary
returns made in discharge of obligations.

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, Ti

mon;

I come to observe; I give thee warning on't. Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent.

Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me,

for I should [ber Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a numOf men eat Timon, and he sees them not! It grieves me, to see so many dip their meat 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;

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
If I
Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at
[prov'd,
meals;

Lest they should spy my windpipe's danger

ous 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!

[mon, A brave fellow!-he keeps his tides well. TiThose 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' 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;