Is but his steward; no meed 2, but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All use of quittance.3

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.

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 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 whose he.p
I deriv'd liberty.

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 :

Meed here means desert.

3 i. e. All the customary

returns made in discharge of obligations.

If our betters play at that game, we must not dare To imitate them; Faults that are rich, are fair. Ven. A noble spirit.

Tim.

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on

TIMON.

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 !

Apem.

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, 4
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.

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
Of men eat Timon, and he sees them not!

It grieves me, to see so many dip their meat

4 Anger is a short madness.

In one man's blood; and all the madness is,
He cheers them up too.

5

I wonder, men dare trust themselves 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 should fear to drink at meals; Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous

notes:

Great men should drink with harness 6 on their

throats.

Tim. My lord, in heart 7; 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:

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 chace.

6 Armour.

7 With sincerity.

Grant I

8

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 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 re

8 Foolish.

semble 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 Lord. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me much.

Apem. Much? 9

[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 plea

sures.

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.

9 Much, was formerly an expression of contemptuous admiration.