342Ventig. Most honoured Timon,

343It hath pleas'd the Gods to remember my Fathers age,

344And call him to long peace:

345He is gone happy, and has left me rich:

346Then, as in gratefull Vertue I am bound

347To your free heart, I do returne those Talents

348Doubled with thankes and seruice, from whose helpe

349I deriu'd libertie.

350Tim. O by no meanes,

351Honest Ventigius: You mistake my loue,

Timon of Athens. 81

352I gaue it freely euer, and ther's none

353Can truely say he giues, if he receiues:

354If our betters play at that game, we must not dare

355To imitate them: faults that are rich are faire.

356Vint. A Noble spirit.

357Tim. Nay my Lords, Ceremony was but deuis'd at first

358To set a glosse on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,

359Recanting goodnesse, sorry ere 'tis showne:

360But where there is true friendship, there needs none.

361Pray sit, more welcome are ye to my Fortunes,

362Then my Fortunes to me.

3631.Lord. My Lord, we alwaies haue confest it.

364Aper. Ho ho, confest it? Handg'd it? Haue you not?

365Timo. O Apermantus, you are welcome.

366Aper. No: You shall not make me welcome:

367I come to haue thee thrust me out of doores.

368Tim. Fie, th'art a churle, ye'haue got a humour there

369Does not become a man, 'tis much too blame:

370They say my Lords, Ira furor breuis est,

371But yond man is verie angrie.

372Go, let him haue a Table by himselfe:

373For he does neither affect companie,

374Nor is he fit for't indeed.

375Aper. Let me stay at thine apperill Timon,

376I come to obserue, I giue thee warning on't.

377Tim. I take no heede of thee: Th'art an Athenian,

378therefore welcome: I my selfe would haue no power,

379prythee let my meate make thee silent.

380Aper. I scorne thy meate, 'twould choake me: for I

381should nere flatter thee. Oh you Gods! What a number

382of men eats Timon, and he sees 'em not? It greeues me

383to see so many dip there meate in one mans blood, and

384all the madnesse is, he cheeres them vp too.

385I wonder men dare trust themselues with men.

386Me thinks they should enuite them without kniues,

387Good for there meate, and safer for their liues.

388There's much example for't, the fellow that sits next him,

389now parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him in

390a diuided draught: is the readiest man to kill him. 'Tas

391beene proued, if I were a huge man I should feare to

392drinke at meales, least they should spie my wind-pipes

393dangerous noates, great men should drinke with harnesse

394on their throates.

395Tim. My Lord in heart: and let the health go round.

3962.Lord. Let it flow this way my good Lord.

397Aper. Flow this way? A braue fellow. He keepes his

398tides well, those healths will make thee and thy state

399looke ill, Timon.

400Heere's that which is too weake to be a sinner,

401Honest water, which nere left man i'th'mire:

402This and my food are equals, there's no ods,

403Feasts are to proud to giue thanks to the Gods.

405 Immortall Gods, I craue no pelfe,

406I pray for no man but my selfe,

407Graunt I may neuer proue so fond,

408To trust man on his Oath or Bond.

409Or a Harlot for her weeping,

410Or a Dogge that seemes asleeping,

411Or a keeper with my freedome,

412Or my friends if I should need 'em.

413 Amen. So fall too't:

414Richmen sin, and I eat root.

415Much good dich thy good heart, Apermantus

416Tim. Captaine,

417Alcibiades, your hearts in the field now.

418Alci. My heart is euer at your seruice, my Lord.

419Tim. You had rather be at a breakefast of Enemies,

420then a dinner of Friends.

421Alc. So they were bleeding new my Lord, there's no

422meat like 'em, I could wish my best friend at such a Feast.

423Aper. Would all those Flatterers were thine Enemies

424then, that then thou might'st kill 'em: & bid me to 'em.

4251.Lord. Might we but haue that happinesse my Lord,

426that you would once vse our hearts, whereby we might

427expresse some part of our zeales, we should thinke our

428selues for euer perfect.

429Timon. Oh no doubt my good Friends, but the Gods

430themselues haue prouided that I shall haue much helpe

431from you: how had you beene my Friends else. Why

432haue you that charitable title from thousands? Did not

433you chiefely belong to my heart? I haue told more of

434you to my selfe, then you can with modestie speake in

435your owne behalfe. And thus farre I confirme you. Oh

436you Gods (thinke I,) what need we haue any Friends; if

437we should nere haue need of 'em? They were the most

438needlesse Creatures liuing; should we nere haue vse for

439'em? And would most resemble sweete Instruments

440hung vp in Cases, that keepes there sounds to them-

441selues. Why I haue often wisht my selfe poorer, that

442I might come neerer to you: we are borne to do bene-

443fits. And what better or properer can we call our owne,

444then the riches of our Friends? Oh what a pretious com-

445fort 'tis, to haue so many like Brothers commanding

446one anothers Fortunes. Oh ioyes, e'ne made away er't

447can be borne: mine eies cannot hold out water me thinks

448to forget their Faults. I drinke to you.

449Aper. Thou weep'st to make them drinke, Timon.

4502.Lord. Ioy had the like conception in our eies,

451And at that instant, like a babe sprung vp.

452Aper. Ho, ho: I laugh to thinke that babe a bastard.

4533.Lord. I promise you my Lord you mou'd me much.

454Aper. Much.

457Tim. What meanes that Trumpe? How now?

459Ser. Please you my Lord, there are certaine Ladies

460Most desirous of admittance.

461Tim. Ladies? what are their wils?

462Ser. There comes with them a fore-runner my Lord,

463which beares that office, to signifie their pleasures.

464Tim. I pray let them be admitted.

466Cup. Haile to thee worthy Timon and to all that of

467his Bounties taste: the fiue best Sences acknowledge thee

468their Patron, and come freely to gratulate thy plentious

469bosome.

470There tast, touch all pleas'd from thy Table rise:

471They onely now come but to Feast thine eies.

472Timo. They'r wecome all, let 'em haue kind admit-

473tance. Musicke make their welcome.

474Luc. You see my Lord, how ample y'are belou'd.

475Aper. Hoyday,

476What a sweepe of vanitie comes this way.

477They daunce? They are madwomen,

gg3 Like

82Timon of Athens.

478Like Madnesse is the glory of this life,

479As this pompe shewes to a little oyle and roote.

480We make our selues Fooles, to disport our selues,

481And spend our Flatteries, to drinke those men,

482Vpon whose Age we voyde it vp agen

483With poysonous Spight and Enuy.

484Who liues, that's not depraued, or depraues;

485Who dyes, that beares not one spurne to their graues

486Of their Friends guift:

487I should feare, those that dance before me now,

488Would one day stampe vpon me: 'Tas bene done,

489Men shut their doores against a setting Sunne.

494Tim. You haue done our pleasures

495Much grace (faire Ladies)

496Set a faire fashion on our entertainment,

497Which was not halfe so beautifull, and kinde:

498You haue added worth vntoo't, and luster,

499And entertain'd me with mine owne deuice.

500I am to thanke you for't.

5011 Lord. My Lord you take vs euen at the best.

502Aper. Faith for the worst is filthy, and would not hold

503taking, I doubt me.

504Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you,

505Please you to dispose your selues.

506All La. Most thankfully, my Lord. Exeunt.

507Tim. Flauius.

508Fla. My Lord.

509Tim. The little Casket bring me hither.

510Fla. Yes, my Lord. More Iewels yet?

511There is no crossing him in's humor,

512Else I should tell him well, yfaith I should;

513When all's spent, hee'ld be crost then, and he could:

514'Tis pitty Bounty had not eyes behinde,

515That man might ne're be wretched for his minde. Exit.

5161 Lord. Where be our men?

517Ser. Heere my Lord, in readinesse.

5182 Lord. Our Horses.

519Tim. O my Friends:

520I haue one word to say to you: Looke you, my good L.

521I must intreat you honour me so much,

522As to aduance this Iewell, accept it, and weare it,

523Kinde my Lord.

5241 Lord. I am so farre already in your guifts.

525All. So are we all.

527Ser. My Lord, there are certaine Nobles of the Senate

528newly alighted, and come to visit you.

529Tim. They are fairely welcome.

531Fla. I beseech your Honor, vouchsafe me a word, it

532does concerne you neere.

533Tim. Neere? why then another time Ile heare thee.

534I prythee let's be prouided to shew them entertainment.

535Fla. I scarse know how.

537Ser. May it please your Honor, Lord Lucius

538(Out of his free loue) hath presented to you

539Foure Milke-white Horses, trapt in Siluer.

540Tim. I shall accept them fairely: let the Presents

541Be worthily entertain'd.

543How now? What newes?

5443.Ser. Please you my Lord, that honourable Gentle-

545man Lord Lucullus, entreats your companie to morrow,

546to hunt with him, and ha's sent your Honour two brace

547of Grey-hounds.

548Tim. Ile hunt with him,

549And let them be receiu'd, not without faire Reward.

550Fla. What will this come to?

551He commands vs to prouide, and giue great guifts, and

552 all out of an empty Coffer:

553Nor will he know his Purse, or yeeld me this,

554To shew him what a Begger his heart is,

555Being of no power to make his wishes good.

556His promises flye so beyond his state,

557That what he speaks is all in debt, he ows for eu'ry word:

558He is so kinde, that he now payes interest for't;

559His Land's put to their Bookes. Well, would I were

560Gently put out of Office, before I were forc'd out:

561Happier is he that has no friend to feede,

562Then such that do e'ne Enemies exceede.

563I bleed inwardly for my Lord. Exit

564Tim. You do your selues much wrong,

565You bate too much of your owne merits.

566Heere my Lord, a trifle of our Loue.

5672.Lord. With more then common thankes

568I will receyue it.

5693.Lord. O he's the very soule of Bounty.

570Tim. And now I remember my Lord, you gaue good

571words the other day of a Bay Courser I rod on. Tis yours

572because you lik'd it.

5731.L. Oh, I beseech you pardon mee, my Lord, in that.

574Tim. You may take my word my Lord: I know no

575man can iustly praise, but what he does affect. I weighe

576my Friends affection with mine owne: Ile tell you true,

577Ile call to you.

578All Lor. O none so welcome.

579Tim. I take all, and your seuerall visitations

580So kinde to heart, 'tis not enough to giue:

581Me thinkes, I could deale Kingdomes to my Friends,

582And nere be wearie. Alcibiades,

583Thou art a Soldiour, therefore sildome rich,

584It comes in Charitie to thee: for all thy liuing

585Is mong'st the dead: and all the Lands thou hast

586Lye in a pitcht field.

587Alc. I, defil'd Land, my Lord.

5881.Lord. We are so vertuously bound.

589Tim. And so am I to you.

5902.Lord. So infinitely endeer'd.

591Tim. All to you. Lights, more Lights.

5921.Lord. The best of Happines, Honor, and Fortunes

593Keepe with you Lord Timon.

594Tim. Ready for his Friends. Exeunt Lords

595Aper. What a coiles heere, seruing of beckes, and iut-

596ting out of bummes. I doubt whether their Legges be

597worth the summes that are giuen for 'em.

598Friendships full of dregges,

599Me thinkes false hearts, should neuer haue sound legges.

600Thus honest Fooles lay out their wealth on Curtsies.

601Tim. Now Apermantus (if thou wert not sullen)

602I would be good to thee.

603Aper. No, Ile nothing; for if I should be brib'd too,

604there would be none left to raile vpon thee, and then thou

605wouldst sinne the faster. Thou giu'st so long Timon (I

606feare me) thou wilt giue away thy selfe in paper shortly.

607What needs these Feasts, pompes, and Vaine-glories?

Timon of Athens. 83

608Tim. Nay, and you begin to raile on Societie once, I

609am sworne not to giue regard to you. Farewell, & come

610with better Musicke. Exit

611Aper. So: Thou wilt not heare mee now, thou shalt

612not then. Ile locke thy heauen from thee:

613Oh that mens eares should be

614To Counsell deafe, but not to Flatterie. Exit