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
On 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 !-you are welcome.
Apem. No,

You shall not make me welcome:

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. Tim. Fye, 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, But yond' 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.

I

Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon; 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.

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 brave fellow!-he keeps his tides well. Timon, Those 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'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.

[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 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 bebalf; 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 for tunes! O joy, e'en made away ere it can be

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!
[Tucket sounded.
Tim. What means that trump?-How now?
Enter a Servant.

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 ;-and 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. 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 wo
men, 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 lustre,
And entertain'd me with mine own device;
I am to thank you for't.

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, When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he could.

'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
To say to you:-Look you, my good lord, I must
Entreat you, honour me so much, as to
Advance this jewel;

Accept, and wear it, kind my lord.

1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,All. So are we all.

Flav. [Aside.] What will this come to?
He commands us to provide, and give great gifts,
And all out of an empty coffer.

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 lands 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 :

Here, my lord, a trifle of our love.

2 Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it.

3 Lord. O, he is the very soul of bounty! Tim. And now I remember me, my lord, you gave

Good words the other day of a bay courser I rode on it is yours, because you lik'd it. 2 Lord. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in that.

Tim. You may take my word, my lord; I

know, no man

Can justly praise, but what he does affect:
I weigh my friend's affection with mine own;
I'll tell you true. I'll call on you.

All Lords. None so welcome.

Tim. I take all and your several visitations So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give; Methinks, I could deal kingdoms to my friends, And ne'er be weary.-Alcibiades, Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich, It comes in charity to thee: for all thy living

Is 'mongst the dead; and all the lands thou hast Lie in a pitch'd field.

Alcib. Ay, defiled land, my lord.

1 Lord. We are so virtuously bound,— Tim. And so

Am I to you.

2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd,-
Tim. All to you.-Lights, more lights!
1 Lord. The best of happiness,

Honour, and fortunes, keep with you, lord Timon!
Tim. 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:

Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs.

Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies.

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

Apem. No, I'll nothing: for,

If I should be brib'd too, there would be none left 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 paper 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

To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!

[Exit.

SCENE I.-The same.

house.

Enter a Senator, with papers in his hand. Sen. And late, five thousand to Varro; and to Isidore

He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum,
Which makes it five and twenty.-Still in motion
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