OF ATHENS

ATHENS. 249 Tim. l'll hunt with him; And let them be re

ceiv'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, To show bim 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 owes For every 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 forc'd out! Happier is he that has no friend to feed, Than such as do even enemies exceed. I bleed inwardly for my lord.

(Erit. Tim.

You do yourselves Much wrong, you bate too much of your own merits: Here, iny lord, a trifle of our love. 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. 3 Lord. I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in

that.
Tim. You may take my word, my lord; I know,

no man
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.
Tim. I take all and your several visitations
So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give;
Methinks, I could deal* kingdoms to my friends,

* i. e. Could dispense them on every side with an

M2

And ne'er be weary.-Alcibiades,
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 pitch'd field.
Alcib.

Ay, defiled land, my lord. 1 Lord. We are so virtuously bound, Tim.

And so 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 bis friends.

[Exeunt Alcibiades, Lords, &c. Арет.

What a coil's here ! Serving of beckst, and jutting out of bums! I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums 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,

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
Wilt give away thyself in paper i shortly:
What need these feasts, ponips, and vain glories ?

Nay,
An you begin to rail on society once,
I am sworn, not to give regard to you.
Farewell; and come with better musick. (Erit.

pngrudging distribution, like that with which I could deal out cards.

. i.e. All happiness to you. + Offering salutations.

1.6. Be ruined by his securities entered into.

SCENE 1. The same. A room in a Senator's

house.

Enter a Senator, with papers in his hand.
Sen. And late, five thousand to Varro; and to

Isidore
He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum,
Which makes it five and twenty.--Still in motion
Of raging waste? It cannot hold; it will not.
If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dog,
And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold:
If I would sell my horse, and buy twenty more
Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon,
Ask nothing, give it him, it foals me, straight,
And able horses : No porter at his gate;
But rather one that smiles, and still invites
All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason
Can found his state in safety. Caphis, ho !
Caphis, I say!

Enter Caphis.

Caph. Here, sir; What is your pleasure ? Sen. Get on your cloak, aud haste you to lord

Timon;

By his heaven he means good advice; the only thing by which he could be saved.

Importune him for my moneys; be not ceas'do
With slight denial ; nor then silenc'd, when
Commend me to your master and the cap
Plays in the right liand, thus:--but tell him, sirrah,
My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn
Out of mine own; his days and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates
Have smit my credit: I love, and honour him;
But must not break my back, to heal his finger :
Immediate are my needs; and my relief
Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
But find supply immediate. Get you gone:
Put on a most importuoate aspect,
A visage of demand ; for, I do fear,
When every feather sticks in his own wing,
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
Which flashes now a phenix. Get you gone.

Caph. I go, sir.

Sen. I go, sir?-take the bonds along with you, And have the dates in compt. Caph.

I will, sis. Sen.

Go. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The same. A hall in Timon's house.

Enter Flavius, with many bills in his hand. Flao. No care, no stop! so senseless of expence, That he will neither know how to maintain it, Nor cease his flow of riot: Takes no account How things go from him; nor resumes no care

• Stopped.

Of what is to continue; Never mind
Was to be so unwise, to be so kind.
What shall be done? He will not hear, till feel:
I must be round with him now he comes from hunt.

ing.
Fye, fye, fye, fye!

Enter Caphis, and the Servants of Isidore and

Varro.

Enter Timon, Alcibiades, and Lords, &c.

Tim. So soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again t, My Alcibiades.-With me? What's your will ?

Caph. My lord, here is a note of certain dues.
Tim. Dues? Whence are you?
Caph.

Of Athens here, my lord, Tim. Go to my steward.

Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off To the succession of new days this month: My master is awak'd by great occasion, To call upon his own; and humbly prays you, That with your other noble parts you'll suit, In giving him his right. Tim.

Mine honest friend, I prythee, but repair to me next morning.

Caph, Nay, good my lord.

• Good even was the usual salutation from noon.

+ i.e. To hunting ; in our author's time it was the custom to hunt as well after dinner as before.