Flav. My dear Lord,

Tim. What if it fhould be fo?

Flav. My dear Lord,

Tim. I'll have it fo-My fteward!

Flav. Here, my Lord

Tim. So fitly!-Go, bid all my friends again,
Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius. All.
I'll once more feaft the rafcals.

Flav. O my Lord!

You only fpeak from your diftracted foul;
There's not fo much left as to furnish out
A moderate table.

Tim. Be it not thy care.

Go, and invite them all, let in the tide

Of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide.

[Exeunt.

Sen. My Lord, you have my voice to't. The fault's bloody;

'Tis neceffary he fhould die.

Nothing emboldens fin fo much as mercy.

2 Sen. Moft true; the law fhall bruife him. Alc. Health, honour, and compaffion to the fenate!

Sen Now, Captain?

Alc. I am an humble fuitor to your virtues; For pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyrants use it cruelly.

It pleases time and fortune to ly heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who in hot blood
Hath ftept into the law, which is past depth
To thofe that without heed do plunge into't.
He is a man, fetting his fault aside,

Of comely virtues;

Nor did he foil the fact with cowardife,

An honour in him which buys out his fault;

But with a nobly fury, and fair spirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppofe his foe;

And with fuch fober and unnoted * paflion
He did behave † his anger ere 'twas spent,
As if he had but prov'd an argument.

I Sen. You undergo too ftrict a paradox f,
Striving to make an ugly deed look fair;

Your words have took fuch pains, as if they labour'd To bring manslaughter into form, and fet quarrelling

Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,

Is valeur mitbegot, and came into the world
When fects and factions were but newly born.
He's truly valiant, that can wifely fuffer

The worst that man can breathe, and make his wrongs

His outfides; wear them like his raiment, carelefly; And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and inforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill?

Alc. My Lord,

I Sen You cannot make grofs fins look clear; It is not valour to revenge, but bear.

Ale. My Lords, then, under favour, pardon me, If I fpeak like a captain.

Why do fond men expofe themselves to battle,
And not endure all threatnings, fleep upon't,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? but if there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad? why then, fure, women are more valiant,
That stay at home, if bearing carry it;
The afs, more than the lion; and the fellow,
Loaden with irons, wifer than the judge;
If wildom be in fuff'ring. Oh, my Lords,

* Unnoted, for common, bounded. Warburton.
Behave, for curb, manage. Ibid.

You undertake a paradox too hard. Johnson.

As you are great, be pitifully good;

Who cannot condemn rafhnefs in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is fin's extremest gust,
But, in defence, by mercy, 'tis most just.
To be in anger is impiety;

But who is man, that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.
2 Sen. You breathe in vain.
Alc. In vain? His fervice done
At Lacædemon and Byzantium,
Were a fufficient briber for his life.
Sen. What's that?

Alc. Why, I fay, my Lords, h' as done fair fervice,

And flain in battle many of your enemies:
How full of valour did he bear himself

In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds! 2 Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em, He's a fworn rioter; he has a fin

That often drowns him, and takes valour prifoner.
If there were no foes, that were enough
To overcome him. In that beaftly fury
He has been known to commit outrages,
And cherish factions. 'Tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul, and his drink dangerous.
1 Sen. He dies.

Alc. Hard fate! he might have died in war.
My Lords, if not for any parts in him,

(Though his right arm might purchase his own time,

And be in debt to none ;) yet more to move you,
Take my deferts to his, and join 'em both.
And for I know your reverend ages love
Security, I'll pawn my victories,

All my honour to you, on his good returns.
If by this crime he owes the law his life,
Why, let the war receive 't in valiant gore;
For law is ftrict, and war is nothing more.

1 Sen. We are for law; he dies. Urge it no

more,

On height of our difpleasure. Friend or brother, He forfeits his own blood, that spills another.

Alc. Muft it be fo? it must not be.

My Lords, I do beseech you know me.

2 Sen. How?

Alc. Call me to your remembrances.

3 Sen. What!

Alc. I cannot think but your age hath forgot me; It could not elfe be I fhould prove fo bafe, To fue, and be dény'd fuch common grace. My wounds ake at you.

Sen. Do you dare our anger?

"Tis in few words, but fpacious in effect; We banish thee for ever.

Alc. Banifh me!

Banifh your dotage, banifh ufury,

That make the fenate ugly.

1 Sen. If, after two days fhine, Athens contains Attend our weightier judgment.

And, not to fwell our fpirit

*

He fhall be executed presently.

[thee,

[Exeunt.

Alc. Gods keep you old enough, that you may
live

Only in bone, that none may look on you!
I'm worfe than mad. I have kept back their foes,
While they have told their money, and let out
Their coin upon large intereft; I myself
Rich only in large hurts.-All thofe, for this?
Is this the balfam that the ufuring fenate
Pours into captains wounds? Banifhment?
It comes not ill; I hate not to be banifl'd:
It is a caufe worthy my fpleen and fury,
That I may ftrike at Athens. I'll cheer up
My difcontented troops, and lay for hearts.
"Tis honour with most hands to be at odds;
Soldiers as little fhould brook wrongs, as Gods.
[Exit.

And now to fwell your spirit, i. e. to provoke you still more. Warburton.

SCENE 'VII.

Changes to Timon's House.

Enter divers Senators, at feveral doors.

1 Sen. The good time of the day to you, Sir. 2 Sen. I alfo wish it to you. I think this honourable Lord did but try us this other day.

1 Sen. Upon that were my thoughts tiring, when we encountred. I hope it is not fo low with him, as he made it seem in the trial of his feveral friends. 2 Sen. It fhould not be, by the perfuafion of his new feasting.

1 Sen. I fhould think fo. He hath fent me an -earnest inviting, which many my near occafions did urge me to put off; but he hath conjur'd me beyond them, and I must needs appear.

2 Sen. In like manner was I in debt to my importunate business; but he would not hear my excufe. I am forry, when he fent to borrow of me, that my provifion was out.

1 Sen. I am fick of that grief too, as I understand how all things go.

2 Sen. Every man here's fo. What would he have borrow'd of you?

1 Sen. A thousand pieces.
2 Sen. A thousand pieces!
1 Sen. What of you?

3 Sen. He fent to me, Sir

-Here he comes.

Enter Timon and Attendants.

Tim. With all my heart, Gentlemen both! and how fare you?

Sen. Ever at the beft, hearing well of your Lordship.

2 Sen. The fwallow follows not fummer more willingly than we your Lord!hip.

Tim. afide.] Nor more willingly leaves winter ; fuch fummer-birds are men.. -Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompenfe this long ftay. Feaft