Poet. I have not seen you long; How goes the world? Pain. It wears, sir, as it grows. Poet. Jew. Nay, that's most fix'd. Mer. A most incomparable man; breath'd, as it were, To an untirable and continuate2 goodness : Jero. I have a jewel here. Mer. O, pray, let's see't: For the lord Timon, sir? It stains the glory in that happy verse 'Tis a good form. Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment,1 sir. 'Tis a good piece. Poet. Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Poet. I'll say of it, Enter certain Senators, and pass over. Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of I have, in this rough work, shap'd out a man, Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedi-Infects one comma in the course I hold; To the great lord. A thing slipp'd idly from me. (1) Inured by constant practice. (2) For continual. But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forth on, (4) As soon as my book has been presented to Timon. (5) i. e. The contest of art with nature. 73) i. e. Exceeds, goes beyond common bounds. character. Leaving no track behind. Pain. How shall I understand you? Tim. Commend me to him: I will send his ran som; I'll unbolt to you. And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me : You see how all conditions, how all minds To Apemantus, that few things loves better Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures, Pain. Poct. Pain Ay, marry, what of these? Poet. When Fortune, in her shift and change of mood, Spurns down her late-belov'd, all his dependants, Which labour'd after him to the mountain's top, Even on their knees and hands, let him slip down, Not one accompanying his declining foot. Pain. 'Tis common: A thousand moral paintings I can show Trumpets sound. Enter Timon, attended; the His means most short, his creditors most strait : To those have shut him up; which failing to him, Old Ath. Lord Timon, hear me speak. 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. By night frequents my house. I am a man Tim. Tim. The man is honest. Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon: His honesty rewards him in itself, It must not bear my daughter. Tim. This gentleman of mine hath served me long; To build his fortune, I will strain a little, Old Ath. Most noble lord, Pawn me to this your honour, she is his. Tim. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise. Luc. Humbly I thank your lordship: Never may That state or fortune fall into my keeping, Which is not ow'd to you! [Exeunt Lucilius and old Athenian. Poct. Vouchsafe my labour, and long live your lordship! Tim. I thank you; you shall hear from me anon: Go not away.-What have you there, my friend? (3) To advance their conditions of life. Pain. A piece of painting, which I do beseech]] Your lordship to accept. Tim. Painting is welcome. Pain. We must needs dine together.-Sir, your jewel Jew. What, my lord? dispraise? Tim. A mere satiety of commendations." If I should pay you for't as 'tis extoll'd, It would unclew2 me quite. Jero. My lord, 'tis rated Tim. Thou are proud, Apemantus. Most welcome, sir! Apem. So, so; there! Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not Aches contract and starve your supple joints!like Timon. That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves, Tim. Whither art going? Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains. Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for. Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law. 2 Lord. Why, Apemantus? Go, let him have a table by himself; Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I For he does neither affect company, mean to give thee none. 1 Lord. Hang thyself. Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding; nake thy requests to thy friend. 2 Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence. Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the ass. [Exit. 1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall we in, And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes 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.2 1 Lord. The noblest 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. [Exeunt. 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. Tim. O, by no means, Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love; If our betters play at that game, we must not dare [They all stand ceremoniously looking on Timon. On faint deeds, hollow welcomes, Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame : They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est,3 But yond' man's ever angry. (1) Meed her means desert. No, hu 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. Iscorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should Ne'er flatter thee.-O you gods! what a number I wonder, men dare trust themselves with men: Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals: notes: 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 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; 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 (4) 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 (2) i. e. All the customary returns made in dis-animal, on which they are feeding, cheers them to charge of obligations. (3) Anger is a short madness. the chase. (5) Armour. (6) With sincerity. (7) Foolish. we might express some part of our zeals, we should [[Not one spurn to their graves of their friends' gift ? think ourselves for ever perfect.! 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. 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 charitable2 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.-I 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, cominanding 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. Apem. Much !3 [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, lord, which bears that office, to signify their sures. Tim. I pray, let them be admitted. Enter Cupid. The Lords rise from table, with much adoring of Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, 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. Tim. Flatius,- Tim. [Exeunt Cupid, and Ladies. The little casket bring me hither. 1 Lord. Where be our men? 2 Lord. Our horses. Here, my lord, in readiness. O my friends, I have one word myTo say to you:-Look you, my good lord, I must plea-Entreat you, honour me so much, as to Advance this jewel; Cupid. Hail to thee, worthy Timon;-and to all 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 They dance! they are mad women. As this pomp shows to a little oil, and root. With poisonous spite, and envy. Who lives, that's not Depraved, or depraves? who dies, that bears (1) 1. e. Arrived at the perfection of happiness. (2) Endearing. Accept, and wear it, kind my lord. 1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,-All. So are we all. (4) Shakspeare plays on the word crossed: allu(3) Much, was formerly an expression of con-ding to the piece of silver money called a cross. temptuous admiration. (5) For his nobleness of soul. 2 N VOL. II |