Tim. How dost thou like this jewel, Apemantus ? Apem. Not so well as plain-dealing, which will not cost a man a doit.

Tim. What dost thou think 'tis worth?

Apem. Not worth my thinking. How now,

poet!

Poet. How now, philosopher!
Apem. Thou liest.

Poet. Art not one?

Apem. Yes.

Poet. Then I lie not.

Apem. Art not a poet?

Poet. Yes.

Apem. Then thou liest: look in thy last work, where thou hast feigned him a worthy fellow. Poet. That's not feigned; he is so.

Apem. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour: he that loves to be flattered is worthy o' the flatterer. Heavens, that I were

a lord!

Tim. What wouldst do then, Apemantus? Apem. E'en as Apemantus does now; hate a lord with my heart.

Tim. What, thyself?

Apem. Ay.

Tim. Wherefore?

Apem. That I had no angry wit to be a lord. Art not thou a merchant?

Mer. Ay, Apemantus.

Apem. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will

not!

Mer. If traffic do it, the gods do it.

Apem. Traffic's thy god; and thy god confound thee!

241. Of the many conjectured emendations perhaps the best is

220

230

240

the anonymous, 'That I had no ampler wit than be a lord.'

Trumpet sounds.

Enter a Messenger.

Tim. What trumpet's that?

Mess. 'Tis Alcibiades, and some twenty horse, 250 All of companionship.

to us.

Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide [Exeunt some Attendants. You must needs dine with me: go not you hence Till I have thank'd you: when dinner's done, Show me this piece. I am joyful of your sights.

Enter ALCIBIADES, with the rest.

Most welcome, sir!

Арет.

So, so, there!

Aches contract and starve your supple joints!

That there should be small love 'mongst these

sweet knaves,

And all this courtesy! The strain of man's bred

out

Into baboon and monkey.

Alcib. Sir, you have saved my longing, and I feed

Most hungerly on your sight.

Tim. Right welcome, sir! Ere we depart, we 'll share a bounteous time In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in.

[Exeunt all except Apemantus.

Enter two Lords.

First Lord. What time o' day is 't, Apemantus ? Apem. Time to be honest.

First Lord. That time serves still.

Apem. The more accursed thou, that still omitt'st it.

Sec. Lord. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast ?

260

270

Apem. Ay, to see meat fill knaves and wine heat fools.

Sec. Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well.

Apem. Thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice.
Sec. Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee none.

First Lord. Hang thyself!

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding: make thy requests to thy friend.

Sec. Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll 280 spurn thee hence!

ass.

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels o' the

[Exit. First Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall we in,

And taste Lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes
The very heart of kindness.

Sec. 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.

First Lord.

The noblest mind he carries

That ever govern'd man.

Sec. Lord. Long may he live in fortunes!

Shall we in?

First Lord. I'll keep you company.

290

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. A banqueting-room in Timon's house.

Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter LORD TIMON, ALCIBIADES, Lords, Senators, and VENTIDIUS. Then comes, drop

ping after all, Apemantus, discontentedly, like
himself.

Ven. Most honour'd Timon,

It hath pleased the gods to 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 help
I derived 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:

If our betters play at that game, we must not dare
To imitate them; faults that are rich are fair.

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.

ΤΟ

[They sit. sa

First Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it.
Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it! hang'd it, have

you not?

Tim. O, Apemantus, you are welcome.
Apem.

You shall not make me welcome:

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

No;

Tim. 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;' 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 't, indeed.

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

Tim. 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.

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 'em not! It grieves me to see so many dip their meat in one man's blood; and all the madness is, 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, pledges the breath of him in a divided draught, is the readiest man to kill him: 't has been proved. If I were 50 a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals;

32. apperil, peril.

45. without knives, it was

the custom for guests to bring their knives with them.