Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyfelf, for I mean to give thee none.

1 Lord. Hang thyself.

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make thy requests to thy friend.

2 Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll fpurn thee hence.

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the afs.

[Exit.

1 Lord. He's oppofite to humanity. Come, fhall we in, And tafte 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 fteward: no meed, but he repays Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,

But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All ufe of quittance.

I Lord.

The nobleft mind he carries,

That ever govern'd man.

2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall we in? 1 Lord. I'll keep you company.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

The fame. A Room of State in Timon's House.

Hautboys playing loud mufick. A great banquet ferved 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,

difcontentedly.

Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd the gods

remember

My

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,

Honeft Ventidius: you mistake 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 dare
To imitate them; Faults that are rich, are fair.
Ven. A noble fpirit.

Tim.

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON. Nay, my lords, 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 my fortunes to me.

[They fit. 1 Lord. My lord, we always have confefs'd it. Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have you not? Tim. O, Apemantus!-you are welcome. Арет.

You shall not make me welcome :

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

No.

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

there

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

They fay, my lords, that ira furor brevis eft,

But yond' man's ever angry.

Go, let him have a table by himself;

For

For he does neither affect company,

Nor is he fit for it, indeed.

Apem. Let me ftay at thine own peril, Timon; I come to obferve; 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 filent.

Apem. I fcorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I fhould

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 truft themfelves 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, and pledges
The breath of him in a divided draught,

Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov'd.
If I

Were a huge man, I fhould fear to drink at meals;
Left they should fpy my windpipe's dangerous notes:
Great men fhould drink with harnefs on their throats.
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 finner,
Honeft water, which ne'er left man i'the mire:
This, and my food, are equals; there's no odds.
Feafts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.

APEMANTUS'S

APEMANTUS'S GRACE.

Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man but myself:
Grant I may never prove fo fond,
To truft man on his oath 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. So fall to't:

Rich men fin, 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 with my best friend at such a feast.

Apem. 'Would all thofe flatterers were thine enemies then; that then thou might'ft 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 exprefs fome part of our zeals, we fhould 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 elfe? 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

far I confirm you. O, you gods, think I, what need we have any friends, if we fhould never have need of them? they were the most needless creatures living, fhould we ne'er have ufe for them: and would most resemble sweet inftruments hung up in cases, that keep their founds 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 fo 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 weep'ft 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. Apem. Much!

[Tucket founded. Tim. What means that trump ?-How now?

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most defirous of admittance.

Tim. Ladies? What are their wills?

Serv. There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which bears that office, to fignify 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 beft fenfes

Acknowledge