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?1
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,2

Set a fair fashion on our entertainment,
Which was not half so beautiful and kind;
You have added worth unto't, and lively lustre,3

this pomp, exhibited in a place where a philosopher is feeding on oil and roots. When we see by example how few are the necessaries of life, we learn what madness there is in so much superfluity. JOHNSON.

The word like in this place does not express resemblance, but equality. Apemantus does not mean to say that the glory of this life was like madness, but it was just as much madness in the eye of reason, as the pomp appeared to be, when compared to the frugal repast of a philosopher. M. MASON.

1

of their friends' gift?] That is, given them by their friends. JOHNSON.

fair ladies,] I should wish to read, for the sake of metre-fairest ladies. Fair, however, may be here used as a dissyllable. STEEVENS.

3

-lively lustre,] For the epithet-lively, we are indebted to the second folio: it is wanting in the first. STEEVENS.

And entertain❜d me with mine own device ;*
I am to thank you for it.

1 LADY. My lord,5 you take us even at the best." APEM. 'Faith, for the worst is filthy; and would not hold taking, I doubt me.

TIM. Ladies, there is an idle banquet

- mine own device;] The mask appears to have been designed by Timon to surprize his guests. JOHNSON.

1 Lady. My lord, &c.] In the old copy this speech is given to the 1 Lord. I have ventured to change it to the 1 Lady, as Mr. Edwards and Mr. Heath, as well as Dr. Johnson, concur in the emendation. STEEVENS.

The conjecture of Dr. Johnson, who observes, that L only was probably set down in the MS. is well founded; for that abbreviation is used in the old copy in this very scene, and in many other places. The next speech, however coarse the allusion couched under the word taking may be, put the matter beyond a doubt. MALONE.

even at the best.] Perhaps we should read:
ever at the best.

Take us even at the best, I believe, means, you have seen the best we can do. They are supposed to be hired dancers, and therefore there is no impropriety in such a confession. Mr. Malone's subsequent explanation, however, pleases me better than my own. STEEVENS.

I believe the meaning is, "You have conceived the fairest of us," (to use the words of Lucullus in a subsequent scene,) you have estimated us too highly, perhaps above our deserts. So, in Spenser's Fairy Queen, B. VI. c. ix:

7

"He would commend his guift, and make the best."

MALONE.

would not hold taking,] i. e. bear handling, words which are employed to the same purpose in King Henry IV. Part II:

"A rotten case abides no handling." STEEVENS.

8

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.

9

FLAV. Yes, my lord.-More jewels yet! There is no crossing him in his humour; [Aside. Else I should tell him,-Well,-i'faith, I should, When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he could.' 'Tis pity, bounty had not eyes behind;"

That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.3 [Exit, and returns with the Casket.

there is an idle banquet

Attends you:] So, in Romeo and Juliet:

"We have a foolish trifling supper towards."

• There is no crossing him in his humour;] Read:

STEEVENS.

There is no crossing him in this his humour. RITSON.

he'd be cross'd then, an he could.] The poet does not mean here, that he would be crossed in humour, but that he would have his hand crossed with money, if he could. He is playing on the word, and alluding to our old silver penny, used before King Edward the First's time, which had a cross on the reverse with a crease, that it might be more easily broke into halves and quarters, half-pence and farthings. From this penny, and other pieces, was our common expression derived,—I have not a cross about me; i. e. not a piece of money. THEOBALD. So, in As you like it: - yet I should bear no cross, if I did bear you; for, I think have no money in your purse." STEEVENS.

you

The poet certainly meant this equivoque, but one of the senses intended to be conveyed was, he will then too late wish that it were possible to undo what he had done: he will in vain lament that I did not [cross or] thwart him in his career of prodigality. MALOne.

had not eyes behind;] To see the miseries that are following her. JOHNSON.

1 LORD. Where be our men?

SERV.

Here, my lord, in readiness.

2 LORD. Our horses.

TIM.

O my friends, I have one word

To say to you:-Look you, my good lord, I must Entreat you, honour 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 honour, Vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near. TIM. Near? why then another time I'll hear thee:

Persius has a similar idea, Sat. I:

66

cui vivere fas est

"Occipiti cæco." STEEVENS.

for his mind.] For nobleness of soul. JOHNSON.

to

Advance this jewel;] To prefer it; to raise it to honour by wearing it. JOHNSON.

5

Accept, and &c.] Thus the second folio. The first-unmetrically, Accept it. STEEVENS.

So, the Jeweller says in the preceding scene:

"Things of like value, differing in the owners,

"Are prized by their masters: believe it, dear lord,
"You mend the jewel by wearing it." M. MASON.

I pr'ythee, let us be provided
To show them entertainment.

FLAV.

I scarce know how. [Aside.

Enter another Servant.

2 SERV. May it please your honour, the lord

Lucius,

Out of his free love, hath presented to you
Four milk-white horses, trapp'd in silver.
TIM. I shall accept them fairly: let the

Enter a third Servant.

presents

Be worthily entertain'd.-How now, what news? 3 SERV. Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman, lord Lucullus, entreats your company to-morrow to hunt with him; and has sent your honour two brace of greyhounds.

TIM. I'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.7

"I pr'ythee, let us be provided-] As the measure is here imperfect, we may reasonably suppose our author to have

written:

I pr'ythee, let us be provided straight

So, in Hamlet:

"Make her grave straight.”

i. e. immediately. STEEVENS.

"And all out of an empty coffer.] Read:

And all the while out of an empty coffer. RITSON.