Tim. Fie, th' art a churl; ye have got a humour there Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame :

They fay, my Lords, that Ira furor brevis eft,
But yonder man is ever angry.

Go, let him have a table by himself:

For he does neither affect

Nor is he fit for't indeed.

company,

Apem. Let me ftay at thy peril, Timon; I come to obferve, I give thee warning on't.

Tim. I take no heed of thee; th' art an Athenian, therefore welcome; I myself would have no powerpr'ythee let my meat make thee filent.

Apem. I fcorn thy meat; 'twould choke me 'fore I fhould e'er flatter thee. O you gods! what a number of men eat Timon, and he fees 'em not? It grieves me to fee

So many dip their meat in one man's blood,

And, all the madnefs is, he cheers them up to't.
I wonder men dare truft themselves with men !
Methinks they fhould invite them without knives:
Good for their meat, and fafer 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 readieft man to kill him. T has been prov'd,
Were I a great man, I should fear to drink,

Left they should spy my wine-pipe's dangerous notes:
Great men fhould drink with harnefs on their throats.
Tim. My Lord, in heart; and let the health
go round.
Lucul. Let it flow this way, my good Lord.
Apem. Flow this way!. -a brave fellow he keeps
his tides well; thofe healths will make thee and thy
ftate look ill, Timon. Here's that which is too weak
to be a finner, honeft water, which ne'er left man i' th'
mire.

This and my food are equal, there's no odds;
Feafts 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

Is but his fteward: no meed but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All use of quittance.

Luc. The nobleft mind he carries,

That ever govern'd man.

Lucul. Long may he live in fortunes!' fhall we in?
Luc. I'll keep you company.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. Another apartment in Timon's house.

Hautboys playing, loud mufic. A great banquet ferv'd in ; and then enter Timon, Lucius, Lucullus, Sempronius, and other Athenian Senators, with Ventidius. Then comes,

dropping after all, Apemantus discontentedly.

Ven. Moft honour'd Timon, it hath pleas'd the gods To call my father's age unto long peace.

He is gone happy, and has left me rich.

Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound

Το your free heart, I do return those talents,
Doubled with thanks and service, from whose help
I deriv'd liberty.

Tim. O, by no means,

Honeft Ventidius: you miftake my love ;

I gave it freely ever, and there's none

Can truly fay he gives if he receives.

If our betters play at that game, we must not.

Apem. Dare to imitate them : faults that are rich, ares

fair.

Ven. A noble fpirit.

Tim. Nay, ceremony was but devis'd at firft,.
To fet a glofs on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness †, forry ere 'tis shown:

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

Than they to me.

Luc. We always have confefs'd it.

[They fit down.

Apem. Ho, ho, confefs'd it? hang'd it, have you not? Tim. O, Apemantus! you are welcome.

Apem. No; you fhall not make me welcome. I come

to have thee thruft me out of doors.

+ goodness, for beneficence.

Tim. Fie, th' art a churl; ye have got a humour there Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame :

They fay, my Lords, that Ira furor brevis eft,

But yonder man is 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 ftay at thy peril, Timon; I come to obferve, I give thee warning on't.

Tim. I take no heed of thee; th' art an Athenian, therefore welcome; I myself would have no powerpr'ythee let my meat make thee filent.

Apem. I fcorn thy meat; 'twould choke me 'fore I fhould e'er flatter thee. O you gods! what a number of men eat Timon, and he fees 'em not? It grieves me to fee

So many dip their meat in one man's blood,

And, all the madnefs is, he cheers them up to't.
I wonder men dare truft themselves with men !
Methinks they fhould 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 readieft man to kill him. T has been prov❜d, Were I a great man, I should fear to drink,

Left they should spy my wine-pipe's dangerous notes: Great men fhould drink with harness on their throats. Tim. My Lord, in heart; and let the health go round. Lucul. Let it flow this way, my good Lord.

Apem. Flow this way!a brave fellow! he keeps his tides well; thofe healths will make thee and thy ftate look ill, Timon. Here's that which is too weak to be a finner, honeft water, which ne'er left man i' th' mire.

This and my food are equal, there's no odds;
Feafts 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

Grant I may never prove fo fond
To truft man on his vath or bond,
Or a harlot for her weeping,
Or a dog that feems a-fleeping,
Or a keeper with my freedom,
Or my friends if I should need 'em.
Amen, amen; fo fall to't:

Rich men fin, and I eat root.

Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!
Tim. Captain, Alcibiades, your heart's in the field

now.

Alc. My heart is ever at your fervice, my Lord.

Tim. You had rather been at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends.

Alc. So they were bleeding new, my Lord, there's no meat like 'em. I could with my friend at such a feast. Apem. Would all these flatterers were thine enemies then, that thou might'ft kill 'em, and bid me to 'em!

Luc. Might we but have the happiness, my Lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby we might exprefs fome part of our zeals, we should think ourselves. for ever perfect.

Tim. Oh, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods themselves have provided that I fhall have as much help from you: how had you been my friends elfe? why have you that charitable title from thousands, did not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have told more of you to myfelf, 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 fhould never have need of 'em? they would most resemble fweet inftruments hung up in cafes, that keep their founds to themselves. Why, I have often wifh'd 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 fo many, like brothers, commanding one another's fortunes! Ó joy, e'en made a joy ere't can be born; mine eyes cannot hold water, methinks: to forget their faults, I drink to you.

Ареты

Apem. Thou weep'ft but to make them drink thee, Timon.

Lucul. Joy had the like conception in our eyes, And at that inftant 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. Much!

Sound tucket.

Tim. What means that trump? how now?

Enter Servant.

Ser. Please you, my Lord, there are certain ladies moft defirous of admittance.

Tim. Ladies? what are their wills?

Ser. There comes with them a fore-runner, my Lord which bears that office to fignify their pleasures. Tim. I pray let them be admitted.

SCENE VI.

Enter Cupid with a mask of ladies, as Amazons.` Cup. Hail to thee, worthy Timon, and to all That of his bounties tafte! the five beft fenfes Acknowledge thee their patron, and do come Freely to gratulate thy plenteous bofom :

Th' ear, tafte, touch, fmell, pleas'd from the table rife. These only now come but to feast thine

eyes.

Tim. They're welcome all! let 'em have kind admitLet mufic make their welcome.

[tance. Luc. You fee, my Lord, how amply you're belov'd. Apem. Hoyday! what a sweep of vanity comes this

They dance, they are mad women.

Like madness is the glory of this life † ;

*

*

[way!

As

It appears that fome lines are dropt out and loft from between the third and fourth verfes. 1 conjecture the fenfe of the whole might be this, The glory of human life is like the madness of this mask: it is a falfe aim at happinefs; which is to be obtained only by fobriety and temperance in a private and retired life. But fuperficial judges will always prefer pomp and glory; because in outward appearance, it has fo greatly the advantage; as great as this pompous upper appears to have above my oil and root.