TITUS, LUCIUS, HORTENSIUS, Timon's Servants. Two Servants of Varro. Painter. Jeweller. Merchant. An old Athenian, A Page. A Fool. Servants to Timon's Creditors. Other Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Thieves, and Attendants. SCENE. Athens; and the Woods adjoining. Act First. SCENE I. Nay, that's most fix'd. Mer. A most incomparable man; breathed,1 as it were, [sir? To an untirable and continuate2 goodness: Mer. 'Tis a good form. [Looking at the jewel. 1 Inured. 2 Continual. 3 Exceeds the common. Provokes itself, and, like the current, flies Each bound it chafes. What have you there? Pain. A picture, sir.-And when comes your book forth? Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment, sir. Let's see your piece. Pain. Poet. [ture Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life. Here is a touch; Is't good? Poet. I'll say of it, Enter certain Senators, and pass over. Poet. The senators of Athens:-Happy men! Pain. Look, more! Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors. I have, in this rough work, shap'd out a man, Pain. How shall I understand you? 1 The contest of art with nature. Of grave and austere quality,) tender down To Apemantus, that few things loves better Pain. mount Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures, Pain. Pain. Spurns down her late belov'd, all his dependents, A thousand moral paintings I can show More pregnantly than words. Yet you do well, Trumpets sound. Enter Timon, attended; the His means most short, his creditors most strait: To those have shut him up; which failing to him, Periods his comfort. Tim. Noble Ventidius! Well; I am not of that feather, to shake off And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me:- 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. Old Ath. She is young and apt: Tim. [To Lucilius.] Love you the maid? I call the gods to witness, I will choose Tim. How shall she be endow'd, If she be mated with an equal husband? Old Ath. Three talents, on the present; in future, all. T.This gentleman of mine hath serv'd melong; To build his fortune, I will strain a little, For 'tis a bond in men. Give him thy daughter: What you bestow, in him I'll counterpoise, And make him weigh with her. Old Ath. Most noble lord, Pawn me to this your honour, she is his. Tim. My hand to thee; mine honour on my promise. Lu. Humbly I thank your lordship: Nevermay That state or fortune fall into my keeping, Which is not ow'd to you! [Exeunt Lucilius and old Athenian. Poet. Vouchsafe my labour, and long live your lordship! T. I thank you; you shall hear from me anon: 1 Reflecting his patron's looks, 2 Conditions of life. Go not away.-What have you there, my friend? Apem. Then I repent not. Jew. You know me, Apemantus. Mer. Ay, Apemantus. A. Traffick confound thee, if the gods will not! Mer. If traffick do it, the gods do it. Ap. Traffick's thy god, and thy god confound thee? Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant. '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 hence, Till I have thank'd you; and when dinner's done, sights.--Show me this piece.-I am joyful of your Enter Alcibiades, with his Company. Apem. Thou knowest, I do; I call'd thee by Most welcome, sir! thy name. [They salute. Арет. So, so; there!Aches contract and starve your supple joints!-Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not That there should be small love 'mongst these Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus. like Timon. sweet knaves, And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred 1 Lord. What time a day is't, Apemantus? Apem. Time to be honest. 1 Lord. That time serves still. A. The most accursed thou, that still omit'st it. 2 Lord. Thou art going to lord Timon's feast. Apem. Ay; to see meat fill knaves, and wine heat fools. 2 Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well. Ap. Thou art a fool, to bid me farewell twice. 2 Lord. Why, Apemantus? Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, 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 spurn thee hence. Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the ass. [Exit. Come, 1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. 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,1 but he repays Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him, But breeds the giver a return exceeding All use of quittance. 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. SCENE II. [Exeunt. 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 pleased the gods remember My father's age, and call him to long peace. O, by no means, Tim. 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 T'imon. Tim. Fie, thou art a churl; you have got a humour there Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame: Go, let him have a table by himself; 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 I wonder men dare trust themselves with men : Methinks they should invite them without knives; Good for their meat, and safer for their lives. notes: Here's that which is too weak to be a sinner, Immortal gods, I crave no pelf; Rich men sin, and I eat root. [Eats and drinks. Much good dich 5 thy good heart, Apemantus! Tim. Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now. Alcib. My heart is ever at your service.mylord. Tim. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends. 1 Anger is a short madness. 2 Armour. 5 Do it. 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 migh'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 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. 3 L. 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. 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: Musick, make their welcome. [Exit Cupid. 1 Lord. You see, my lord, how ample you are belov'd. Musick. 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, 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. T. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies, Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, 1 Lady. My lord, you take us even at the best. [Exeunt Cupid, and Ladies. Tim. Flavius,Flav. My lord. Tim. The little casket bring me hither. There is no crossing him in his humour; Flav. Yes, mylord.-[Aside.] More jewels yet! Else I should tell him,-Well,-i'faith, I should. When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he could. Serv. My lord, there are certain nobles of the Newly alighted, and come to visit you. [senate Tim. They are fairly welcome. Flav. I beseech your honour, Vouchsafe me a word: it does concern you near. Tim. Near? why then another time I'll hear I pr'ythee, let us be provided [thee: To show them entertainment. Flav. [Aside.] I scarce know how. Enter another Servant. 2.S. May it please your honour, the Lord Lucius, 1 Have his hand crossed with money. 2 To see the ruin he leaves in his wake. 3 Following his inclinations, |