ACT II.

SCENE I. 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!

Capk.

Enter CAPHIS.

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

Impórtune him for my monies; be not ceas'd'
With slight denial; nor then silenc'd, when-
Commend me to your master-and the cap
Plays in the right hand, thus:-but tell him, sirrah,

no reason

Can found his state in safety.] Reason cannot find his fortune to have any safe or solid foundation.

7 be not ceas'd-] i. c. stopped.

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 importunate aspéct,

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 phoenix. Get you gone.
Caph. I go, sir.

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

Caph.
Sen.

I will, sir.

Go.

[Excunt.

The same.

SCENE II.

A Hall in Timon's House.

Enter FLAVIUS, with many Bills in his Hand.

Flav. 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 Of what is to continue; Never mind

Was to be so unwise, to be so kind.

Never mind

Was to be so unwise, to be so kind.] Nothing can be worse, or more obscurely expressed: and all for the sake of a wretched rhyme. But of this mode of expression conversation affords many examples: "I was always to be blamed, whatever happened.""I am in the lottery, but I was always to draw blanks."

What shall be done? He will not hear, till feel:

I must be round with him, now he comes from hunting.

Fye, fye, fye, fye!

Enter CAPHIS, and the Servants of ISIDORE and

Caph.

You come for money?
Var. Serv.

VARRO.

Is't not your business too?

Caph. It is;-and yours too, Isidore?
Isid. Serv.

Caph. 'Would we were all discharg'd!

Var. Serv.

Caph. Here comes the lord.

It is so?

I fear it.

Enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, and Lords, &c.

Tim. So soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again,' 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,*

Good even,] Good even, or, as it is sometimes less accurately written, Good den, was the usual salutation from noon, the moment that good morrow became improper.

we'll forth again,] i. e. to hunting, from which diversion, we find by Flavius's speech, he was just returned. It may be here observed, that in our author's time it was the custom to hunt as well after dinner as before.

That with your other noble parts you'll suit,] i. e. that you will behave on this occasion in a manner consistent with your other noble qualities.

Mine honest friend,

In giving him his right.

Tim.

I pr'ythee, but repair to me next morning.

Caph. Nay, good my lord,

Tim.

Contain thyself, good friend. Var. Sero. One Varro's servant, my good lord,

Isid. Serv. From Isidore; He humbly prays your speedy payment,———

Caph. If

you wants,

did know, my lord, my master's

Var. Serv. "Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six

And past,

weeks,

Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord; And I am sent expressly to your lordship.

Tim. Give me breath:

I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on;

[Exeunt ALCIBIADES and Lords. I'll wait upon you instantly.-Come hither, pray you, [TO FLAVIUS. How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds, And the detention of long-since due debts, Against my honour?

Flav.
Please you, gentlemen,
The time is unagreeable to this business :
Your importunacy cease, till after dinner;
That I may make his lordship understand
Wherefore you are not paid.

Tim.

See them well entertain'd.

Do so, my friends:
[Exit TIMON.

Enter APEMANTUS and a Fool.3

Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Ape

mantus; let's have some sport with 'em.

Var. Serv. Hang him, he'll abuse us.
Isid. Serv. A plague upon him, dog!
Var. Serv. How dost, fool?

Apem. Dost dialogue with thy shadow?
Var. Serv. I speak not to thee.

Apem. No; 'tis to thyself.-Come away.

[To the Fool. Isid. Serv. [To VAR. Serv.] There's the fool hangs on your back already.

Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou art not on him yet.

Caph. Where's the fool now?

Apem. He last asked the question.-Poor rogues, and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want! All Serv. What are we, Apemantus?

Apem. Asses.

All Sero. Why?

Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves.-Speak to 'em, fool. Fool. How do you, gentlemen?

All Serv. Gramercies, good fool: How does your mistress?

Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. 'Would we could see you at Corinth.

Apem. Good! gramercy.

Enter Page.

Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page. Page. [To the Fool.] Why, how now, captain?

3 Enter Apemantus and a Fool.] I suspect some scene to be lost, in which the entrance of the Fool, and the page that follows him, was prepared by some introductory dialogue, in which the audience was informed that they were the fool and page of Phrynia, Timandra, or some other courtezan, upon the knowledge of which depends the greater part of the ensuing jocularity. JOHNSON.