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.

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

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

1 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 charitablet title from thousands, did you not 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 never 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 'tis, 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.

[Tucket sounded.

Apem. Much.t
Tim. What means that trump?-How now?

Acknowledge thee their patron; and come

freely

To gratulate thy plenteous bosom: The ear. Taste, touch, smell, all 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.

[Exit CUPID. 1 Lord. You see, my lord, how ample you are belov'd.

Music.--Re-enter CUPID, with a masque 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.

Tim. You have done our pleasures much Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, grace, fair ladies, Which was not half so beautiful and kind; You have added worth unto't, and lively 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. [Exeunt CUPID, and LADIES.

Tim. Flavius,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;

[Aside.

Else I should tell him,-Well,-i'faith, I should, [could.

When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he 'Tis pity, bounty had not eyes behind; That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.+

[Exit, and returns with the casket.

1 Lord. Where be our men?

Serv. Here, my lord, in readiness. 2 Lord. Our horses.

Tim. O my friends, I have one word

Shakspeare plays on the word crossed: alluding to thva

piece of silver money called a cross,

+ For his nobleness of soul

must

Entreat you, honour me so much, as to

Advance this jewel;

Accept, and wear it, kind my lord.

friends,

And ne'er be weary.-Alcibiades,
Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich,
It comes in charity to thee: for all thy living

All. So are we all.

Enter a SERVANT.

Lie in a pitch'd field.

Alcib. Ay, defiled land, my lord. 1 Lord. We are so virtuously bound,Tim. And so

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 reNot without fair reward. [ceiv'd,

Flav. [Aside.] What will this come to? He commands us to provide, and give great And all out of an empty coffer.- [gifts, 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 land's put to their books.

Well, 'would I were gently put out of office,
Before I were forc'd out!

Happier is he that has no friend to feed,
Than such as do even enemies exceed.
I bleed inwardly for my lord.

Tim. You do yourselves

[Exit.

Much wrong, you bate too much of your own

merits :

[hast

2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd,Tim. All to you.t-Lights, more lights. 1 Lord. The best of happiness, [mon! Honour, and fortunes, keep with you, lord TiTim. Ready for his friends.

[Exeunt ALCIBIADES, LORDS, &c. Apem, What a coil's here! Serving of becks, and jutting out of bums! I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums That are given for 'em. Friendship's full of dregs: [legs. Methinks, false hearts should never have sound Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies.

Tim. Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sulI'd be good to thee.

Apem. No, I'll nothing: for,

[len, [left

If I should be brib'd too, there would be none To rail upon thee: and then thou would'st sin the faster,

Thou giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me, thou Wilt give away thyself in papers shortly: What need these feasts, pomps, and vain glories?

Tim. Nay,

An you begin to rail on society once,
I am sworn, not to give regard to you.
Farewell; and come with better music. [Exit.
Apem. So;-

Thou'lt not hear me now,-thou shalt not then, I'll lock

Thy heaven from thee. O, that men's ears

should be

Of raging waste? It cannot hold; it will not.
If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dog,
And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold:
If I would sell my horse, and buy twenty more
Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon,
Ask nothing, give it him, it foals me, straight,
And able horses: No porter at his gate;
But rather one that smiles, and still invites
All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason
Can found his state in safety. Caphis, ho!
Caphis, I say!

Enter CAPHIS.

Caph. Here, Sir; What is your pleasure?

I. e. Could dispense them on every side with an ungrudging distribution, ike that with which I could deal out cards. + I. c. All happiness to you. + Offering salutations. 1. e. Be ruined by his securities entered into. By his heaven he means good advice; the only thing by which he could be saved,

Sen. Get on your cloak, and haste you to lord
Timon;

Impórtune him for my monies; be not ceas'd*
With slight denial; nor then silenc'd, when
Commend me to your master-and the cap
Plays in the right hand, thus:-but tell him,
Sirrah,

My uses cry to ine, I must serve my turn
Out of mine own; his days and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates
Have smit my credit: I love, and honour him;
But must not break my back, to heal his fin-
ger:

Immediate are my needs; and my relief
Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
But find supply immediate. Get you gone:
Put on a most importunate aspect,
A visage of demand; for, I do fear,
When every feather sticks in his own wing,
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone.
Caph. I go, Sir.

Sen. I go, Sir?-take the bonds along with
And have the dates in compt.
Caph. I will, Sir.

Sen. Go.

[you, [Exeunt.

Enter CAPHIS, and the SERVANTS of ISIDORE and VARRO.

Caph. Good even,+ Varro: What,

You come for money?

Var. Serv. Is't not your business too?
Caph. It is;-And yours too, Isidore?
Isid. Serv. It is so.

Caph. 'Would we were all discharg'd!
Var. Serv. I fear it.

Caph. Here comes the lord.

Enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, and LORDS, &c. Tim. So soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again,‡

My Alcibiades.-With me? What's your will?
Caph. My lord, here is a note of certain dues.
Tim. Dues? Whence are you?
Caph. Of Athens here, my lord.
Tim. Go to my steward.

Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off

To the succession of new days this month:
My master is awak'd by great occasion,
To call upon his own; and humbly prays you,
That with your other noble parts you'll suit,
In giving him his right.

Tim. Mine honest friend,

I pr'ythee, but repair to me next morning.
Caph. Nay, good my lord,-

Tim. Contain thyself, good friend.

And past,

Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord;

And I am sent expressly to your lordship.
Tim. Give me breath:-

I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on;
[Exeunt ALCIBIADES and LORDS.
I'll wait upon you instantly.-Come hither,
pray you,
[TO FLAVIUS.
How goes the world, that I am thus encoun-
ter'd

With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds, And the detention of long-since-due debts, Against my honour?

Flav. Please you, gentlemen,

The time is unagreeable to this business:
Your importunacy cease, till after dinner;
That I may make his lordship understand
Wherefore you are not paid.

Tim. Do so, my friends:
See them well entertain'd.
Flav. I pray, draw near.

[Exit TIMON. [Exit FLAVIUS.

Enter APEMANTUS and a FOOL. Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus; let's have some sport with 'em. Var. Serv. Hang him, he'll abuse us. Isid. Serv. A plague upon him, dog! Var. Serv. How dost, fool? Apem. Dost dialogue with thy shadow? Var. Serv. I speak not to thee. Apem. No; 'tís to thyself,-Come away. [To the FOOL Isid. Serv. [To VAR. SERV.] There's the fool hangs on your back already.

Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou art not on him yet.

Caph. Where's the fool now?

Apem. He last asked the question.-Poor rogues, and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want!

All Serv. What are we, Apemantus?
Apem. Asses.

All Serv. Why?

Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves.-Speak to 'em, fool Fool. How do you, gentlemen?

All Serv. Gramercies, good fool: How does your mistress?

Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. 'Would, we could see you at Corinth.

Apem. Good! gramercy.

Enter PAGE.

Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page.

Page. To the FOOL.] Why, how now, captain? what do you in this wise company?How dost thou, Apemantus?

Apem. 'Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably.

Page. Prythee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters; I know not which is which.

Apem. Canst not read?

Page. No.

Apem. There will little learning wie then, that day thou art hanged. This is to lord

have

serve three usurers?

All Serv. Ay, 'would they served us!

Prompted you, in the ebb of your estate,
And your great flow of debts. My dear-lov's
lord,
[time
Though you hear now, (too late!) yet now's
The greatest of your having lacks a half
To pay your present debts.
Tim. Let all my land be sold.

Flav. 'Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and

gone;

Fool. Are you three usurers' men?
All Serv. Ay, fool.

Fool. I think, no usurer but has a fool to his servant: My mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: The reason of this?

Var. Serv. I could render one.

Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster, and a knave; which, notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed.

Var. Serv. What is a whoremaster, fool? Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit: sometime, it appears like a lord: sometime, like a lawyer; sometime, like a philosopher, with two stones more than his artificial one: He is very often like a knight; and, generally in all shapes, that man goes up and down in, from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in.

Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool. Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man: as much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest.

Apem. That answer might have become A pemantus.

All Serv. Aside, aside; here comes lord Ti

Of present dues: the future comes apace: What shall defend the interim? and at length How goes our reckoning?

Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend. Flav. O my good lord, the world is but a word;*

Were it all yours to give it in a breath,
How quickly were it gone?

Tim. You tell me true.

Flav. If you suspect my husbandry, or falseCall me before the exactest auditors, [hood, And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me,

When all our officest have been oppress'd With riotous feeders; when our vaults have wept

With drunken spilth of wine; when every room Hath blaz'd with lights, and bray'd with minstrelsy;

I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock,+
And set mine eyes at flow.

Tim. Pr'ythee, no more.

Flav. Heavens, have I said, the bounty of this lord!

[sants, How many prodigal bits have slaves and peaThis night englutted! Who is not Timon's? What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is lord Timon's?

Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon? Ah! when the means are gone, that buy this praise,

The breath is gone whereof this praise is made:
Feast-won, fast-lost; one cloud of winter
showers,
These flies are couch'd.

Tim. Come, sermon me no further:
No villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart;
Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given.
Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the con-
science lack,

To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart;
If I would broach the vessels of my love,
And try the arguments of hearts by borrow-

ing,

senators,

(Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have [stant Deserv'd this hearing,) bid 'em send o'the inA thousand talents to me.

Flav. I have been bold,

(For that I knew it the most general way,)
To them to use your signet, and your name;
But they do shake their heads, and I am here
No richer in return.

Tim. Is't true? can it be?

Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate voice,

That now they are at fall,* want treasure, can

not

Do what they would; are sorry-you are honourable,

But yet they could have wish'd-they know not-but

Something hath been amiss-a noble nature May catch a wrench-would all were well'tis pity

And so, intendingt other serious matters, After distasteful looks, and these hard fra:tions,+

With certain half-caps, and cold moving nods, They froze me into silence.

Tim. You gods, reward them!

I pr'ythee, man, look cheerly; These old fellows

Have their ingratitude in them hereditary:
Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it seldom flows;
'Tis lack of kindly warmth, they are not kind;
And nature, as it grows again toward earth,
Is fashion'd for the journey, dull, and heavy.
Go to Ventidius,-[To a SERV.] Pr'ythee, [To
FLAVIUS,] be not sad,
Thou art true, and honest; ingeniously I
speak,

No blame belongs to thee:-[TO SERV.] Ventidius lately

Buried his father; by whose death, he's stepp'd Into a great estate: when he was poor, Imprison'd, and in scarcity of friends,

I clear'd him with five talents; Greet him from Bid him suppose, some good necessity [me; Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd

With those five talents :-that had,-[To FLAV.] give it these fellows

To whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or think, [sink. That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can Flar. I would, I could not think it; That thought is bounty's foe;

Being free¶ itself, it thinks all others so.

ing.

I. e. At an ebb.

[Exeunt.

Intending, had anciently the same meaning as attend-
Broken hints, abrupt remarks.

A half-cap is a cap slightly moved, not put off.
For ingenuously.

Liberal, not parsimonious,

Flum. His health is well, Sir.

Lucul. I am right glad that his health is well, Sir: And what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?

Flam. 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, Sir; which, in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your honour to supply; who, having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to furnish him; nothing doubting your present assistance therein.

Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says he? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I have dined with him, and told him on't; and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less; and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty+ is his; I have told him on't, but I could never get him from it.

Re-enter SERVANT, with wine.

Serv. Please your lordship, here is the wine. wise. Here's to thee. Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always

Flum. Your lordship speaks your pleasure. Lucul. I have observed thee always for a toand one that knows what belongs to reason: wardly prompt spirit,-give thee thy due,— and canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in thee.-Get you gone, Sirrah. [To the SERVANT,who goes out.]-Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a bounknowest well enough, although thou comest tiful gentleman: but thou art wise; and thou to me, that this is no time to lend money; esHere's three solidares for thee; good boy, wink cially upon bare friendship, without security. at me, and say thou saw'st me not. Fare thee

well.

Flam. Is't possible, the world should so much differ; [ness And we alive, that liv'd? Fly, damned baseTo him that worships thee.

[Throwing the money away. Lucul. Ha! Now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master. [Exit LUCULLUS Flam. May these add to the number that may scald thee!

Let molten coin be thy damnation,
Thou disease of a friend, and not himself'
Has friendship such a faint and milky heart,
It turns in less than two nights? O you gods

*For respectfully. Honesty here means liberality. I. c. And we who were alive then, alive now.