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 this way! They dance! they are mad women. 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. The Lords rise from table, with much adoring of Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, 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. [Exeunt Cupid and Ladies. Tim. Flavius,- 1 Lord. Where be our men? O my friends, I have one word Accept, and wear it, kind my lord. 1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,- Enter a Servant. gentleman, lord Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow to hunt with him; and has sent your honour two brace of greyhounds. Tim. I'll hunt with him; and let them be receiv'd, Not without fair reward. Flav. (Aside.) What will this come to? He commands us to provide, and give great gifts, And all out of an empty coffer. Nor will he know his purse; or yield me this, Before I were forc'd out! Happier is he that has no friend to feed, rits : Here, my lord, a trifle of our love. [Exit. 2 Lord. With more than common thanks I will receive it. 3 Lord. O, he is the very soul of bounty! Tim. And now I remember me, my lord, you gave Good words the other day of a bay courser I rode on it is yours, because you lik'd it! 2 Lord. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in that. [no man Tim. You may take my word, my lord; I know, Can justly praise, but what he does affect: I weigh my friend's affection with mine own; I'll tell you true. I'll call on you. All Lords. None so welcome. Alcib. Am I to you. 2 Lord. So infinitely endear'd,Tim. All to you.-Lights, more lights! 1 Lord. The best of happiness, Honour, and fortunes, keep with you, lord Timon! Tim. Ready for his friends. Apem. [Exeunt Alcibiades, Lords, &c. What a coil's here! Serving of becks, and jutting out of bums! I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums Serv. My lord, there are certain nobles of the Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs, senate Newly alighted, and come to visit you. Thus bonest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies. Tim. Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen, I'd be good to thee. Apem. No, I'll nothing: for, If I should be brib'd too, there would be none left To rail upon thee; and then thou would'st sin the faster. Thou giv'st so long, Timon, I fear me, thou I scarce know how. (Aside.) Wilt give away thyself in paper shortly: Enter another Servant. 2 Serv. May it please your honour, the lord Lucius, Out of his free love, hath presented to you Four milk-white horses, trapp'd in silver. Tim. I shall accept them fairly let the presents Enter a third Servant. Be worthily entertain'd.-How now, what news? 3 Serv. Please you, my lord, that honourable House. Enter a Senator, with papers in his hand. Sen. And late, five thousand to Varro; and to He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum, Enter CAPHIS. Caph. Here, sir; What is your pleasure? Importune him for my monies; be not ceas'd Have smit my credit: I love, and honour him; When every feather sticks in his own wing, Sen. I go, sir?-take the bonds along with you, And have the dates in compt. Caph. Sen. Twill, sir. Go. [Exeunt. A Hall in Timon's house. SCENE II.-The same. [ing. Enter CAPHIS, and the Servants of Isidore and Varro. Good-even, Varro: What, Is't not your business too? Caph. 'Would we were all discharg'd! Caph. Here comes the lord. It is so. I fear it. Enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, and Lords, &c. Of Athens here, my lord. Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off Tim, Mine honest friend, I pr'ythee, but repair to me next morning. Contain thyself, good friend. wants, He humbly prays your speedy payment,- Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord; you; I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on; Please you, gentlemen, Do so, my friends: I pray, draw near. [Exit. Enter APEMANTUS and a Fool. Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus; let's have some sport with 'em. Var. Serv. Hang him, he'll abuse us. Apem. Dost dialogue with thy shadow? (To the Fool.) Isid. Serv. (To Var. Serv.) There's the fool hangs on your back already. Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou art not on him yet. Caph. Where's the fool now? Apem. He last asked the question.-Poor rogues, and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want! All Serv. What are we, Apemantus? Apem. Asses, Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page. Page. (To the Fool.) Why, how now, captain? what do you in this wise company?-How dost thou, Apemantus? Apem. 'Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably. Page. Pr'ythee, Apemantus, read me the super- Apem. There will little learning die then, that day thou art hanged. This is to lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou'lt die a bawd. Page. Thou wast whelped a dog; and thou shalt famish, a dog's death. Answer not, I am gone. [Exit Page. Apem. Even so thou out-run'st grace. Fool, I will go with you to lord Timon's. Fool. Will you leave me there? Apem. If Timon stay at home.-You three serve three usurers? All Serv. Ay; 'would they serv'd us! Apem. So would I.-as good a trick as ever hangman served thief. Fool. Are you three usurers' men? Fool. I think, no usurer but has a fool to his servant: My mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: The reason of this? Var. Serv. I could render one. Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster, and a knave; which, notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed. Var. Serv. What is a whoremaster, fool? Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit: sometime, it appears like a lord; sometime, like a lawyer; sometime, like a philosopher, with two stones more than his artificial one: He is very often like a knight; and, gerally in all shapes, that man goes up and down in, from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in. Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool. Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man as much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest. Apem. That answer might have become Ape wept; Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray'd you Tim. Flav. If you suspect my husbandry, or falsehood, Call me before the exactest auditors, And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me, When all our offices have been oppress'd With riotous feeders; when our vaults have wept With drunken spilth of wine; when every room Hath blaz'd with lights, and bray'd with minstrelsy; I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock, And set mine eyes at flow. Pr'ythee, no more. Tim. How many prodigal bits have slaves, and peasants, Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon? Tim. Flav. Assurance bless your thoughts! Tim. And, in some sort, these wants of mine are crown'd, That I account them blessings; for by these Enter FLAMINIUS, SERVILIUS, and other Servants. Tim. I will despatch you severally.-You, to lord Lucius, To lord Lucullus you; I hunted with his Tim. Go you, sir, (to another Serv.) to the se nators, ACT III. SCENE 1.] TIMON OF ATHENS. With certain half-caps, and cold-moving nods, Time. Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it seldom flows; (To Thou art true and honest; ingeniously I speak, Buried his father; by whose death, he's stepp'd I clear'd him with five talents: Greet him from me; To whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or think, Being free itself, it thinks all others so. [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I.-The same. A Room in Lucullus's House. Flam. I thank you, sir. Enter LUCULLUS. Serv. Here's my lord. Lucul. (Aside.) One of Lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ewer to-night.-Flaminius, honest Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, sir.-Fill me some wine.-(Exit Servant.) And how does that honourable, complete, freehearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master? Flam. His health is well, sir. Lucul. I am right glad that his health is well, sir: And what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius? Flam. 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir; which, in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your honour to supply; who, having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to fornish him; nothing doubting your present assistance therein. Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says he? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I have dined with him, and told him on't; and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his; I have told him on't, but I could never get him from it. Re-enter Servant with wine. Serv. Please your lordship, here is the wine. Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee. Flam. Your lordship speaks your pleasure. Lucul. I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spirit,-give thee thy due, and one that knows what belongs to reason; and canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in thee.-Get you gone, sirrah.—(To the Servant, who goes out.)-Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy Lord's a bountiful gentleman: but thou art wise; | and thou knowest well enough, although thou And we alive, that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness, Let molten coin be thy damnation, Thou disease of a friend, and not himself! I feel my master's passion! This slave [nature, SCENE II.-The same. A Public Place. Enter LUCIUS, with three Strangers. [Exit. Luc. Who, the lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman. 1 Stran. We know him for no less, though we are but strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours; now Lord Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him. Luc. Fy no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money. 2 Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago, one of his men was with the lord Lucullas, to borrow so many talents; nay, urged extremely for't, and shewed what necessity belonged to't, and yet was denied. Luc. How? 2 Stran. I tell you, denied, my lord. Luc. What a strange case was that? now, before the gods, I am ashamed on't. Denied that honourable man? there was very little honour shewed in't. For my own part, I must needs confess, I have received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and such like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him, and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his occasion so many talents. Enter SERVILIUS. Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour.-My honoured lord,— (To Lucius.) Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare to thy honourablethee well:-Commend me [sentvirtuous lord, my very exquisite friend. Sev. May it please your honour, my lord hath Luc. Ha! what has he sent? I am so much endeared to that lord; he's ever sending: How shall I thank him, think'st thou? And what has he sent now? Ser. He has only sent his present occasion now, instant use with so many talents. my lord; requesting your lordship to supply his Luc. know, his lordship is but merry with me; He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents. Ser. But in the mean time he wants less, my lord. If his occasion were not virtuous, should not urge it half so faithfully. I Luc. Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius ? Luc. What a wicked beast was I, to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might | have shewn myself honourable! how unluckily it happened, that I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of honour! Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do't; the more beast, I say:-I was sending to use lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness; but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done it now. Commend ne bountifully to his good lordship; and I hope, his honour will conceive the fairest of me, because I have no power to be kind:-And tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so far, as to use mine own words to him? Ser. Yes, sir, I shall. Luc. I will look you out a good turn, Servilius. [Exit Servilius. True, as you said, Timon is shrunk, indeed; And he, that's once denied, will hardly speed. [Exit Lucius. 1 Stran. Do you observe this, Hostilius? 2 Stran. Ay, too well. 1 Stran. Why this Is the world's soul; and just of the same piece For mine own part, SCENE III.-The same. A Room in Sempronius's House. Enter SEMPRONIUS, and a Servant of Timon's. Sem. Must he needs trouble me in't? Humph! 'Bove all others? He might have tried lord Lucius, or Lucullus; Serv. But his occasions might have woo'd me first; And does he think so backwardly of me now, An argument of laughter to the rest, Serv. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did, when he made man politic; he crossed himself by't: and I cannot think, but, in the end, the villanies of man will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to appear foul! takes virtuous copies to be wicked; like those, that, under hot ardent zeal, would set whole realms on fire. Of such a nature is his politic love. This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled, What do you think the hour? Phi. Labouring for nine. Luc. Serv. So much? Phi. Is not my lord seen yet? Laic. Serv. Not yet. Phi. I wonder on't; he was wont to shine at [with him: seven. Luc. Serv. Ay, but the days are waxed shorter You must consider, that a prodigal course Is like the sun's; but not, like his, recoverable. I fear, 'Tis deepest winter in lord Timon's purse : That is, one may reach deep enough, and yet Find little. Phi. I am of your fear for that. Tit. I'll shew you how to observe a strange event. Your lord sends now for money. Hor. Hor. It is against my heart. Mark, how strange it shews, Hor. I am weary of this charge, the gods can witness: I know, my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth, And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth. 1 Var. Serv. Yes, mine's three thousand crowns: What's yours? Luc. Serv. Five thousand mine, |