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Whom this beneath world doth embrace and | Ven. Serv. Ay, my good lord: five talents is

hug

With amplest entertainment: My free drift
Halts not particularly, but moves itself
In a wide sea of wax: no levell'd malice
Infects one comma in the course I hold;
But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forth on,
Leaving no tract behind.

Pain. How shall I understand you?

Poet. I'll unbolts to you.

You see how all conditions, how all minds,
(As well of glib and slippery creatures, as
Of grave and austere quality,) tender down
Their services to lord Timon: his large fortune,
Upon his good and gracious nature hanging,
Subdues and properties to his love and tend-

ance

All sorts of hearts; yea, from the glass-fac'd
flatterer
To Apemantus, that few things loves better
Than to abhor himself: even he drops down
The knee before him, and returns in peace
Most rich in Timon's nod.

Pain. I saw them speak together.

Poet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill,

Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd: The base o'the mount

Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures,
That labour on the bosom of this sphere
To propogate their states: amongst them all,
Whose eyes are on this sovereign lady fix'd,
One do I personate of lord Timon's frame,
Whom Fortune with her ivory hand wafts to
[vants

her;

Whose present grace to present slaves and serTranslates his rivals.

his debt; His means most short, his creditors most strait: Your honourable letter he desires [him,

To those have shut him up; which failing to Periods his comfort.

Tim. Noble Ventidius! Well; I am not of that feather, to shake off [him My friend when he must need me. I do know A gentleman, that well deserves a help, Which he shall have: I'll pay the debt, and free him.

Ven. Serv. Your lordship ever binds him. Tim. Commend me to him: I will send his ransom; [me:And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to 'Tis not enough to help the feeble up, But to support him after.-Fare you well. Ven. Serv. All happiness to your honour! [Exit.

Enter an old ATHENIAN.

Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak.
Tim. Freely, good father.

Old Ath. Thou hast a servant nam'd Lu-
cilius.

Tim. I have so: What of him?

Old Ath. Most noble Timon, call the man

before thee.

Tim. Attends he here, or no?-Lucilius!

Enter LUCILIUS.

Luc. Here, at your lordship's service.

Old Ath. This fellow here, lord Timon, this
thy creature,

By night frequents my house. I am a man
That from my first have been inclin'd to thrift;

[thinks, And my estate deserves an heir more rais'd,

Pain. 'Tis conceiv'd to scope. This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, meWith one man beckon'd from the rest below, Bowing his head against the steepy mount To climb his happiness, would be well exIn our condition.

Than one which holds a trencher.
Tim. Well; what further ?

Old Ath. One only daughter have I, no kin

else, [press'd

Poet. Nay, Sir, but hear me on: 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

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* My design does not stop at any particular character. + Open, explain. † One who shows by reflection the looks of his patron. Whisperings of officious servility. ▼ Inhale.

To advance their conditions of life.

**I. e. Inferior spectators.

On whom I may confer what I have got:
The maid is fair, o'the youngest for a bride,
And I have bred her at my dearest cost,
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;

Myself have spoke in vain.

The man is honest.

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Mer. If traffic do it, the gods do it.

Apem. Traffic's thy god, and thy god confound 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 [done, Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner's Show me this piece. I am joyful of your

hence,

sights.

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And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred Into baboon and monkey.t

Alcib. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I Most hungrily on your sight. Tim. Right welcome, Sir:

[feed

Alluding to the proverb: plain-dealing is a jewel, but they who use it beggars. + Man is degenerated; his strain or lineage is worn down to a monkey.

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.

Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown;
But where there is true friendship, there needs

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I Lord. That time serves still.

Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have

Apem. The most accursed thou, that still omit'st it.

you not?

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

Tim. O, Apemantus!-you are welcome. Apem. No,

heat fools.

You shall not make me welcome:
I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

2 Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well.

Apem. Thou art a fool, to bid me farewell

Tim. Fie, thou art a churl; you have got a humour there

twice.

Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame:

They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est,*

2 Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for But yond' man's ever angry.

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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.

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SCENE II.-The same. A Room of State in TIMON'S House.

Hautboys 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

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Here's that, which is too weak to be a sinner, Houest 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;

* Anger is a short madness.

+ The allusion is to a pack of hounds trained to pursuit, by being gratified with the blood of an animal which they kill, and the wonder is, that the animal, on which they are feeding, cheers them to the chase.

1 Armour.

With sincerity

|| Fooltel

Or a keeper with my freedom;

Or my friends, if I should need 'em.
Amen. So fall to't:

Rich men sin, and I eut 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 per

fect.*

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?

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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 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 lively lus-
tre,

And entertain'd me with mine own device;
I am to thank you for it.

best.

1 Lady. My lord, you take us even at the 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, 1 [could.

should, 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 [Exit, and returns with the casket.

mind.t

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 the piece of silver money called a cross. + For his nobleness of saul.

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