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.
VENTIDIUS. A noble spirit.

13

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON. 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.

16

19

[They sit.

FIRST LORD. My lord, we always have confess'd it. Ho, ho! confess'd it; hang'd it, have

APEMANTUS.

you not?

TIMON.

O! Apemantus, you are welcome.

APEMANTUS.

You shall not make me welcome:

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

No,

24

TIMON. Fie! thou'rt a churl; ye've got a humour

there

Does not become a man; 'tis much to blame.
They say, my lords, 'Ira furor brevis est ;'

28

But yond man is ever angry.

Go, let him have a table by himself,
For he does neither affect company,

Nor is he fit for it, indeed.

32

APEMANTUS. Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon : I come to observe; I give thee warning on 't.

TIMON. I take no heed of thee; thou'rt an Athenian, therefore, welcome. I myself would have no power; prithee, let my meat make thee silent.

37

APEMANTUS. 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
In one man's blood; and all the madness is,

40

He cheers them up too.

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,

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49

Is the readiest man to kill him: 't 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 on their throats.
TIMON. My lord, in heart; and let the health go
round.

54

SECOND LORD. Let it flow this way, my good lord. APEMANTUS. Flow this way! A brave fellow! he keeps his tides well. Those healths will make thee and thy state look ill, Timon.

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.
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.

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64

68

[Eats and drinks.

73

Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus!
TIMON. Captain Alcibiades, your heart 's in the field

now.

ALCIBIADES. My heart is ever at your service, my

lord.

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TIMON. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies than a dinner of friends.

ALCIBIADES. So they were bleeding-new, my lord,

there's no meat like 'em: I could wish my best friend at such a feast. APEMANTUS.

'Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then, that then thou mightst kill 'em and bid me to 'em.

85

FIRST 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.

89

TIMON. 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 not you 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 ne'er have need of 'em? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for 'em, 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.

109

APEMANTUS. Thou weepest to make them drink,

Timon.

SECOND LORD. Joy had the like conception in our

eyes,

112

And, at that instant, like a babe, sprung up.
Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe

APEMANTUS.

a bastard.

THIRD LORD. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me much.

APEMANTUS. Much!

TIMON. What means that trump?

[Tucket sounded.

SERVANT.

Enter a Servant.

How now!

Please you, my lord, there are certain

ladies most desirous of admittance.

TIMON. Ladies! What are their wills?

120

SERVANT. There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which bears that office, to signify their pleasures. I pray, let them be admitted.

TIMON.

Enter CUPID.

125

CUPID. 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. Th' ear, Taste, touch, smell, pleas'd from thy table rise; They only now come but to feast thine eyes. TIMON. They are welcome all; let 'em have kind admittance:

Music, make their welcome!

FIRST LORD.

belov'd.

128

[Exit CUPID.

You see, my lord, how ample you're

132

Music. Re-enter CUPID, with a mask of Ladies as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing.

APEMANTUS. Hoy-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 friend's 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.

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140

144

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.

TIMON.

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

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152

FIRST LADY. My lord, you take us even at the best. APEMANTUS. Faith, for the worst is filthy; and would not hold taking, I doubt me.

TIMON. Ladies, there is an idle banquet

Attends you: please you to dispose yourselves.

FLAVIUS.

156

[Exeunt CUPID and Ladies.

The little casket bring me hither.

Yes, my lord. [Aside.] More jewels yet!

There is no crossing him in 's humour;

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,

163

That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. [Exit. Where be our men?

FIRST LORD.

SERVANT. Here, my lord, in readiness.

SECOND LORD. Our horses!

Re-enter FLAVIUS, with the Casket.

168

TIMON. 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 it and wear it,
Kind my lord.

FIRST LORD. I am so far already in your gifts-
ALL. So are we all.

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