Слике страница
PDF
ePub

Apem. Then thou liest: look in thy last work, where thou hast feigned him a worthy fellow. Poet. That's not feign'd, he is so.

Apem. Yes, he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour: He, that loves to be flattered, is worthy o' the flatterer. Heavens, that I were a lord!

Tim. What would'st do then, Apemantus?

Apem. Even as Apemantus does now, hate a lord with my heart.

Tim. What, thyself?

Apem. Ay.

Tim. Wherefore?

Apem. That I had no angry wit to be a lord. Art not thou a merchant?

Mer. Ay, Apemantus.

Apem. Traffic confound thee, if the gods will

not!

Mer. If traffic do it, the gods do it.

Apem. Traffic's thy god, and thy god confound thee!

Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant.

Tim. What trumpet's that?

'Tis Alcibiades, and

Serv.
Some twenty horse, all of companionship.

Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to [Exeunt some Attendants. Go not you

us.

You must needs dine with me:

hence,

Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner's done, Show me this piece. I am joyful of your sights.

-

[blocks in formation]

That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves,

And all this court'sy! The strain of man's bred out Into baboon and monkey.

Alcib. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed Most hungrily on your sight.

Tim.

Right welcome, sir:

Ere we depart, we'll share a bounteous time
In different pleasures. Pray you, let us in.

[Exeunt all but APEMANTUS.

Enter two Lords.

1 Lord. What time a day is't, Apemantus? Apem. Time to be honest.

1 Lord. That time serves still.

Apem. The most accursed thou, that still omit'st it.

2 Lord. Thou art going to lord Timon's feast. Apem. Ay; to see meat fill knaves, and wine heat fools.

2 Lord. Fare thee well, fare thee well.

Apem. Thou art a fool, to bid me farewell twice. 2 Lord. Why, Apemantus?

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I mean to give thee none.

1 Lord. Hang thyself.

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding; make thy requests to thy friend.

2 Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn

thee hence.

Apem. I will fly, like a dog, the heels of the

ass.

[Exit 1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall

we in,

And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes
The very heart of kindness.

[ocr errors]

2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold,

Is but his steward: no meed,' but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All use of quittance.3

1 Lord.

The noblest mind he carries,

That ever govern'd man.

2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall we

in?

1 Lord. I'll keep you company.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A Room of State in Timon's House.

Hautboys playing loud musick. A great banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian, Senators, with VENTIDIUS, and Attendants. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly.

Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd the gods remember

My father's age, and call him to long peace.
He is gone happy, and has left me rich:
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 deriv'd liberty.

Tim.

O, by no means,

Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love;

I

gave it freely ever; and there's none

Can truly say, he gives, if he receives:

If our betters play at that game, we must not dare

2 Meed here means desert.

3 i. e. All the customary

returns made in discharge of obligations.

To imitate them; Faults that are rich, are fair.
Ven. A noble spirit.

Tim.

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON.

Nay, my lords, ceremony

Was but devis'd 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.

Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes,
Than my fortunes to me.

[They sit. 1 Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it. Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have you

not?

Tim. O, Apemantus! - you are welcome.
Apem.

You shall not make me welcome :

I come to have thee thrust me out of doors.

No,

Tim. Fye, thou art a churl; you have got a humour there

Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame :
They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est,
But yond' man's ever angry.

Go, let him have a table by himself;
For he does neither affect company,
Nor is he fit for it, indeed.

Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon; I come to observe; I give thee warning on't. Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power: pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent. Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should

Ne'er flatter thee.

--

O you gods! what a number Of men eat Timon, and he sees them not! It grieves me, to see so many dip their meat

4 Anger is a short madness.

In one man's blood; and all the madness is,
He cheers them up too. "

I wonder, men dare trust themselves with men :
Methinks they should invite them without knives;
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, and
pledges

The breath of him in a divided draught,

Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov'd. If I

Were a huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous

notes:

Great men should drink with harness "

throats.

on their Tim. My lord, in heart'; 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:

The allusion is to a pack of hounds trained to pursuit, by being gratified with the blood of an animal which they kill, and the wonder is, that the animal, on which they are feeding, cheers them to the chace.

6. Armour.

7 With sincerity.

« ПретходнаНастави »