Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes;1
Great men should drink with harness 2 on their throats.
Tim. My lord, in heart; 3 and let the health go round.
2 Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord.
Apem.
Flow this way!
A brave fellow!—he keeps his tides well. Timon,^
Those healths will make thee, and thy state, look ill.
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;
I pray for no man but myself.
Grant, I may never prove so fond 5
To trust man on his oath or bond;
Or a harlot for her weeping;
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.

[Eats and drinks. Much good dich 6 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.

1 "The windpipe's notes" were the indications in the throat of its situation when in the act of drinking. Perhaps, as Steevens observes, a quibble is intended on windpipe and notes.

2 i. e. armor.

3 "My lord's health in sincerity."

4 This speech, except the concluding couplet, is printed as prose in the old copy, nor could it be exhibited as verse without transposing the word Timon, which follows look ill, to its present place. Malone thinks that many of the speeches in this play, which are now exhibited in a loose and imperfect kind of metre, were intended by Shakspeare for prose, in which form they are exhibited in the old copy. 6 i. e. do it.

5 Foolish.

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 me to 'em.

1 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.1

2

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 charitable 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 ne'er have use for them; and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases, that keep 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 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.

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 moved me much.

1 i. e. arrived at the perfection of happiness.

2 "Why are you distinguished from thousands, by that title of endearment?"

66

3 "O joy! e'en made away [i. e. destroyed, turned to tears] ere it can be born."

Apem. Much!1

[Tucket sounded.

Tim. What means that trump?-How now?

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most desirous of admittance.

Tim. Ladies! what are their wills?

Serv. There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which bears that office, to signify their pleasures. Tim. I pray, let them be admitted.

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. The ear, Taste, touch, smell, all pleased from thy table rise ; They only now come but to feast thine eyes.

Tim. They are welcome all; let them have kind admittance.

Music, make their welcome.

[Exit CUPID. 1 Lord. You see, my lord, how ample you are beloved.

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.2

Like madness is the glory of this life,

As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.3

1 Much! was a common ironical expression of doubt or suspicion.

2 Shakspeare probably borrowed this idea from the puritanical writers of his time.

3 "The glory of this life is like [or just such] madness, in the eye of reason, as this pomp appears when opposed to the frugal repast of a philosopher."

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
Depraved, or depraves? 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.
It has 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 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,

Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,

Which was not half so beautiful and kind;
You have added worth unto't, and lively lustre,
And entertained me with mine own device;

I am to thank you for it.

1

1 Lady. My lord, you take us even at the best.1 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,

Flav. My lord.

Tim.

[Exeunt CUPID and Ladies.

The little casket bring me hither.

[Aside.

Flav. Yes, my lord.-More jewels yet?
There is no crossing him in his humor;

Else I should tell him,-well, i' faith, I should,
When all's spent, he'd be crossed then, an he could.

1 i. e. "you think favorably of our performance, and make the best of it." 2 An equivoque is here intended, in which crossed means, have his hand crossed with money, or have money in his possession, and to be crossed or thwarted.

'Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind;

That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.1

[Exit, and returns with the casket.

1 Lord. Where be our men?

Serv.

2 Lord. Our horses.

Tim.

Here, my lord, in readiness.

O, my friends,

I have one word to say to you. Look, my good lord,

I must entreat you honor me so much,

As to advance this jewel; accept and wear it,
Kind my lord.

1 Lord. I am so far already in your gifts,—
All. So are we all.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. My lord, there are certain nobles of the senate Newly alighted, and come to visit you.

Tim. They are fairly welcome.

Flav.

I beseech your honor, Vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near. Tim. Near? why then another time I'll hear thee:

I pr'ythee, let us be provided 3

To show them entertainment.

Flav.

I scarce know how.

[Aside.

Enter another Servant.

2 Serv. May it please your honor, the lord Lucius, Out of his free love, hath presented to you

Four milk-white horses, trapped in silver.

Tim. I shall accept them fairly; let the presents

Enter a third Servant.

Be worthily entertained.-How now, what news?

1 "That man might not become wretched for his nobleness of soul." 2 i. e. prefer it, raise it to honor by wearing it,

3 Steevens, to complete the measure, proposed to read :

"I pr'ythee, let us be provided straight."