Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served
in, and then enter Lord Timon, the States, the Athenian
Lords ⌜(including Lucius), Alcibiades, and⌝ Ventidius
(which Timon redeemed from prison). ⌜Flavius and others
are in attendance.⌝ Then comes dropping after all
Apemantus discontentedly like himself.VENTIDIUS Most honored 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.5 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.⌜He offers a purse.⌝TIMON O, by no means,10 Honest Ventidius. You mistake my love. I gave it freely ever, and there’s none Can truly say he gives if he receives.
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If our betters play at that game, we must not dare To imitate them. Faults that are rich are fair.VENTIDIUS 15A noble spirit!TIMON Nay, my lords, ceremony was but devised 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.20 Pray, sit. More welcome are you to my fortunes Than my fortunes to me.⌜They sit.⌝FIRST LORD My lord, we always have confessed it.APEMANTUS Ho, ho, “confessed it”? Hanged it, have you not?TIMON O Apemantus, you are welcome.APEMANTUS 25No, you shall not make me welcome. I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.TIMON Fie, thou ’rt a churl. You’ve got a humor there Does not become a man. ’Tis much to blame.— They say, my lords, Ira furor brevis est, but yond30 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.APEMANTUS Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon. I come to observe; I give thee warning on ’t.TIMON 35I take no heed of thee. Thou ’rt an Athenian, therefore welcome. I myself would have no power; prithee, let my meat make thee silent.APEMANTUS I scorn thy meat. ’Twould choke me, for I should ne’er flatter thee. (⌜Apart.⌝) O you gods,40 what a number of men eats 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.45 Methinks they should invite them without knives.
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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 draft, is the readiest50 man to kill him. ’T ’as been proved. If I were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals, Lest they should spy my wind-pipe’s dangerous notes. Great men should drink with harness on their55 throats.TIMON, ⌜responding to a toast⌝ My lord, in heart! And let the health go round.SECOND LORD Let it flow this way, my good lord.APEMANTUS, ⌜apart⌝ “Flow this way”? A brave fellow. He keeps his tides well. Those healths will make60 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’ th’ mire. This and my food are equals. There’s no odds. Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods.
Apemantus’ grace.
65 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,
70 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.⌜He eats and drinks.⌝75 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 80So they were bleeding new, my lord, there’s no meat like ’em. I could wish my best friend at such a feast.APEMANTUS, ⌜apart⌝ Would all those flatterers were thine enemies, then, that then thou mightst kill85 ’em and bid me to ’em.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 forever perfect.TIMON 90O, 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 told95 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 we100 ne’er have use for ’em, and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases, that keeps 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 or105 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’s e’en made away ere ’t can be born! Mine eyes cannot hold out water,110 methinks. To forget their faults, I drink to you.APEMANTUS, ⌜apart⌝ Thou weep’st to make them drink, Timon.
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SECOND LORD Joy had the like conception in our eyes And, at that instant, like a babe sprung up.APEMANTUS, ⌜apart⌝ 115 Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard.THIRD LORD I promise you, my lord, you moved me much.APEMANTUS, ⌜apart⌝ Much!Sound tucket.TIMON What means that trump?Enter Servant. How now?SERVANT 120Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most desirous of admittance.TIMON Ladies? What are their wills?SERVANT There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which bears that office to signify their pleasures.TIMON 125I pray, let them be admitted.⌜Servant exits.⌝Enter “Cupid.”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. There130 Taste, touch, all, pleased from thy table rise; They only now come but to feast thine eyes.TIMON They’re welcome all. Let ’em have kind admittance. Music, make their welcome!LUCIUS You see, my lord, how ample you’re beloved.⌜Music.⌝ Enter the masque of Ladies ⌜as⌝ Amazons,
with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing.APEMANTUS, ⌜apart⌝ 135Hoy-day!
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What a sweep of vanity comes this way. They dance? They are madwomen. Like madness is the glory of this life As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.140 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 depravèd or depraves?145 Who dies that bears not one spurn to their graves Of their friends’ gift? I should fear those that dance before me now Would one day stamp upon me. ’T ’as been done. Men shut their doors against a setting sun.The Lords rise from table, with much adoring of Timon,
and to show their loves each single out an Amazon, and
all dance, men with women, a lofty strain or two to the
hautboys, and cease.TIMON 150 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 luster, And entertained me with mine own device.155 I am to thank you for ’t.FIRST ⌜LADY⌝ My lord, you take us even at the best.APEMANTUS, ⌜apart⌝ Faith, for the worst is filthy and would not hold taking, I doubt me.TIMON Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you.160 Please you to dispose yourselves.ALL LADIES Most thankfully, my lord.⌜Cupid and Ladies⌝ exit.TIMON Flavius.
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FLAVIUS My lord?TIMON The little casket bring me hither.FLAVIUS 165Yes, my lord. (⌜Aside.⌝) More jewels yet? There is no crossing him in ’s humor; Else I should tell him well, i’ faith I should. When all’s spent, he’d be crossed then, an he could. ’Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind,170 That man might ne’er be wretched for his mind.He exits.FIRST LORD Where be our men?SERVANT Here, my lord, in readiness.SECOND LORD Our horses.Enter Flavius, ⌜with the casket.⌝TIMON O my friends, I have one word175 To say to you. Look you, my good lord, I must entreat you, honor 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 180So are we all.Enter a Servant.SERVANT My lord, there are certain nobles of the Senate Newly alighted and come to visit you.TIMON They are fairly welcome.⌜Servant exits.⌝FLAVIUS I beseech your Honor,185 Vouchsafe me a word. It does concern you near.TIMON Near? Why, then, another time I’ll hear thee.
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I prithee, let’s be provided to show them entertainment.FLAVIUS, ⌜aside⌝ I scarce know how.Enter another Servant.⌜SECOND⌝ SERVANT 190 May it please your Honor, Lord Lucius, Out of his free love, hath presented to you Four milk-white horses trapped in silver.TIMON I shall accept them fairly. Let the presents Be worthily entertained.⌜Servant exits.⌝Enter a third Servant.195 How now? What news?THIRD SERVANT Please you, my lord, that honorable gentleman Lord Lucullus entreats your company tomorrow to hunt with him and has sent your Honor two brace of greyhounds.TIMON 200 I’ll hunt with him; and let them be received, Not without fair reward.⌜Servant exits.⌝FLAVIUS, ⌜aside⌝ What will this come to? He commands us to provide, and give great gifts, And all out of an empty coffer.205 Nor will he know his purse or yield me this— To show him what a beggar his heart is, Being of no power to make his wishes good. His promises fly so beyond his state That what he speaks is all in debt; he owes210 For ev’ry word. He is so kind that he Now pays interest for ’t. His land’s put to their books. Well, would I were gently put out of office Before I were forced out. Happier is he that has no friend to feed
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215 Than such that do e’en enemies exceed. I bleed inwardly for my lord.He exits.TIMON, ⌜to Lords⌝ You do yourselves much wrong. You bate too much of your own merits. (⌜Offering a gift.⌝) Here, my lord, a trifle of our love.SECOND LORD 220 With more than common thanks I will receive it.THIRD LORD O, he’s the very soul of bounty!TIMON And now I remember, my lord, you gave good words the other day of a bay courser I rode on. ’Tis yours because you liked it.FIRST LORD 225 O, I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in that.TIMON You may take my word, my lord. I know no man Can justly praise but what he does affect. I weigh my friends’ affection with mine own. I’ll tell you true, I’ll call to you.ALL LORDS 230O, none so welcome.TIMON I take all and your several visitations So kind to heart, ’tis not enough to give. Methinks I could deal kingdoms to my friends And ne’er be weary.—Alcibiades,235 Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich. It comes in charity to thee, for all thy living Is ’mongst the dead, and all the lands thou hast Lie in a pitched field.ALCIBIADES Ay, defiled land, my lord.FIRST LORD 240We are so virtuously bound—TIMON And so am I to you.SECOND LORD So infinitely endeared—TIMON All to you.—Lights, more lights.FIRST LORD The best of happiness, honor, and fortunes245 Keep with you, Lord Timon.
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TIMON Ready for his friends.⌜All but Timon and Apemantus⌝ exit.APEMANTUS What a coil’s here, Serving of becks and jutting-out of bums! I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums250 That are given for ’em. Friendship’s full of dregs. Methinks false hearts should never have sound legs. Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court’sies.TIMON Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen, I would be good to thee.APEMANTUS 255No, I’ll nothing, for if I should be bribed too, there would be none left to rail upon thee, and then thou wouldst sin the faster. Thou giv’st so long, Timon, I fear me thou wilt give away thyself in paper shortly. What needs these feasts, pomps,260 and vainglories?TIMON Nay, an you begin to rail on society once, I am sworn not to give regard to you. Farewell, and come with better music.He exits.APEMANTUS So. Thou wilt not hear me now, thou shalt265 not then. I’ll lock thy heaven from thee. O, that men’s ears should be To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!He exits.
Timon of Athens
