But what particular rarity? what strange, Jew. Nay, that's most fix'd. Mer. A most incomparable man; breath'd, as it were, To an untirable and continuate? goodness: Jew. I have a jewel here. Mer. O, pray, let's see't: For the lord Timon, sir? It stains the glory in that happy verse 'Tis a good form. [Looking at the jewel. Jew. And rich: here is a water, look you. Pain. You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedi cation To the great lord. Poet. A thing slipp'd idly from me. (1) Inured by constant practice. (2) For continual. Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes Poet. Upon the heels of my presentment,4 sir. Let's see your piece. 'Tis a good piece. Pain. Poet. 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 Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of visitors. I have, in this rough work, shap'd out a man, (4) As soon as my book has been presented to Timon. (5) i. e. The contest of art with nature. (6) My design does not stop at any particular (2) i. e. Exceeds, goes beyond common bounds. character. Leaving no track behind. Pain. How shall I understand you? Tim. Commend me to him: I will send his ran som; I'll unbolt! to you. And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me: You see how all conditions, how all minds To Apemantus, that few things loves better Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures, Pain. Poet. Drink5 the free air. Pain. Ay, marry, what of these? Poet. When Fortune, in her shift and change of Spurns down her late-belov'd, all his dependants, Pain. 'Tis common : A thousand moral paintings I can show Trumpets sound. Enter Timon, attended; the His means most short, his creditors most strait : To those have shut him up; which failing to him, Tim. Noble Ventidius! Well; him. 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. Tim. It must not bear my daughter. Tim. Does she love him? 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. Tim. This gentleman of mine hath served me To build his fortune, I will strain a little, Luc. Humbly I thank your lordship: Never may [Exeunt Lucilius and old Athenian. Poet. Vouchsafe my labour, and long live your lordship! Tim. I thank you; you shall hear from me anon: (3) To advance their conditions of life. Inhale. (6) i. e. Inferior spectators Pain. A piece of painting, which I do beseech Your lordship to accept. Tim. Painting is welcome. Pain. We must needs dine together.-Sir, your jewel Jew. What, my lord? dispraise? Tim. A mere satiety of commendations. If I should pay you for't as 'tis extoll'd, It would unclew2 me quite. My lord, 'tis rated Jew. As those, which sell, would give: But you well know, Things of like value, differing in the owners, Tim. Well mock'd. Tim. Thou are proud, Apemantus. Tim. What, thyself? Apem. Ay. Tim. Wherefore? 'Tis Alcibiades, and Some twenty horse, all of companionship. Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to [Exeunt some Attendants. You must needs dine with me :-Go not you hence, Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner's done, Show me this piece.-I am joyful of your sights.Enter Alcibiades, with his company. Most welcome, sir! [They salute. Apem. So, so; there! Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not Aches contract and starve your supple joints!— like Timon. That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves, Tim. Whither art going? Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains. Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for. Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law. Tim. How likest thou this picture, Apemantus? Apem. The best, for the innocence. Tim. Wrought he not well that painted it? Apem. He wrought better, that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work. Pain. You are a dog. Apem. Thy mother's of my generation; What's she, if I be a dog? Tim. Wilt dine with me, Apemantus? Tim. An thou should'st, thou'dst anger ladies. Apem. O, they eat lords; so they come by great bellies. Tim. That's a lascivious apprehension. Apem. So thou apprehend'st it: Take it for thy labour. (1) Pictures have no hypocrisy; they are what they profess to be. (2) To unclew a man, is to draw out the whole mass of his fortunes. 2 Lord. Why, Apemantus? Go, let him have a table by himself; Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I For he does neither affect company, mean to give thee none. Nor is he fit for it, indeed. 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. 1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall we in, And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes 2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold, Is but bis steward: no meed, but he repays Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him, But breeds the giver a return exceeding All use of quittance.2 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.-The same. A room of state in Timon's house. Hautboys playing loud music. 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. 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. Iscorn 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: round. 2 Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord. Apem. Flow this way! A brave fellow!-he keeps his tides well. Timon, Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd the Those healths will make thee, and thy state look ill. gods remember My father's age, and call him to long peace. To your free heart, I do return those talents, O, by no means, Tim. If our betters play at that game, we must not dare [They all stand ceremoniously looking on Timon. On faint deeds, hollow welcomes, 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; 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 Tim. Fie, thou art a churl; you have got a hu- me to 'em. mour there Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame : They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est,3 But yond' man's ever angry. (1) Meed her means desert. 1 Lord. Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby (4) 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 (2) i. e. All the customary returns made in dis-animal, on which they are feeding, cheers them to charge of obligations. (3) Anger is a short madness. the chase. (5) Armour. (6) With sincerity. (7) Foolish. we might express some part of our zeals, we should || Not one spurn to their graves of their friends' gift? think ourselves for ever perfect.1 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. 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 charitable2 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 Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, ne'er have use for them: and would most resemble Which was not half so beautiful and kind; sweet instruments hung up in cases, that keep their You have added worth unto't, and lively lustre, sounds to themselves. Why, I have often wished || And entertain'd me with mine own device; myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you.- I am to thank you for it. 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. 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. Tim. You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies, Apem. Thou weepest to make them drink, Timon. 2 Lord. Joy had the like conception in our eyes, And, at that instant, like a babe sprung up. Apem. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard. 3 Lord. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me Cupid. Hail to thee, worthy Timon;-and to all Music, make their welcome. [Exit Cupid. 1 Lord. You see, my lord, how ample you are belov'd. Music. 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 They dance they are mad women. As this pomp shows to a little oil, and root. 1 Lady. My lord, you take us even at the best. Apem. 'Faith, for the worst is filthy; and would not hold taking, I doubt me. Tim. Ladies, there is an idle banquet Attends you: Please you to dispose yourselves. All Lad. Most thankfully, my lord. Tim. Flavius,- [Exeunt Cupid, and Ladies. The little casket bring me hither. 1 Lord. Where be our men? 2 Lord. Our horses. Here, my lord, in readiness. O my friends, I have one word Accept, and wear it, kind my lord. 1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts, Be worthily entertain'd.-How now, what news? 3 Serv. Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman, lord Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow to hunt with him; and has sent your honour two brace of greyhounds. (4) Shakspeare plays on the word crossed: alluding to the piece of silver money called a cross. (5) For his nobleness of soul. 2N |