S CEN E II.

The same. A Room of State in Timon's House. Hautboys playing loud musick. 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

I deriv'd liberty.

Tim. 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:

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 TIMON.

Tim, Nay, my Lords, ceremony Was but devis'd at first, to set a gloss

Ou faint deeds, hollow welcomes,

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'd it. Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have you not?

Tim. O, Apemantus!
Apem. No,

you are welcome.

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 eat,
But youd' man's ever angry.

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, Timon;
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

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
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,

pledges

and

The

The breath of him in a divided draught,
Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been

If I

prov'd.

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 braye fellow!

he keeps his tides well. Timon

Those healths will make thee,

look ill.

and thy state,

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.

VOL. XIV.

[Eats and drinks,

2

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

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 charitable 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. 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 wish'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 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, nethinks: to forget their faults, I drink to you. Apem. Thou weep'st to make them drink, Ti

mon.

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. Much!

Tim. What means that trump?

Enter a Servant.

[Tucket sounded. How now?

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;

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, all pleas'd from thy table

rise;

They only now come but to feast thine eyes.