Ape. Then thou lyest: Looke in thy last worke, where thou hast feign'd him a worthy Fellow. Poet. That's not feign'd, he is so. Ape. Yes he is worthy of thee, and to pay thee for thy labour. He that loves to be flattered, is worthy o'th flatterer. that I were a Lord. Tim. What wouldst do then Apemantus ? Heavens, Ape. E'ne as Apemantus does now, hate a Lord with my heart. Tim. What thy selfe ? Ape. I. Tim. Wherefore? Ape. That I had no angry wit to be a Lord. Art not thou a Merchant? Mer. I Apemantus. Ape. Traffick confound thee, if the Gods will not. Ape. Traffickes thy God, & thy God confound thee. Trumpet sounds. Enter a Messenger. Tim. What Trumpets that? Mes. 'Tis Alcibiades, and some twenty Horse All of Companionship. Tim. Pray entertaine them, give them guide to us. Most welcome Sir. Ape. So, so; their Aches contract, and sterve your supple joynts: that there should bee small love amongest these sweet Knaves, and all this Curtesie. The straine of mans bred out into Baboon and Monkey. Alc. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed Most hungerly on your sight. Tim. Right welcome Sir: Ere we depart, wee'l share a bounteous time In different pleasures. Pray you let us in. Enter two Lords. 1. Lord. What time a day is't Apemantus? Ape. Time to be honest. I That time serves still. Ape. The most accursed thou that still omitst it. 2 Thou art going to Lord Timons Feast. Ape. I, to see meate fill Knaves, and Wine heat fooles. 2 Farthee well, farthee well. Ape. Thou art a Foole to bid me farewell twice. 2 Why Apemantus ? Exeunt. Ape. Should'st have kept one to thy selfe, for I meane to give thee none. I Hang thy selfe. Ape. No I will do nothing at thy bidding: Make thy requests to thy Friend. 2 Away unpeaceable Dogge, Or Ile spurne thee hence. Ape. I will flye like a dogge, the heeles a'th’Asse. 1 Hee's opposite to humanity. Comes shall we in, And taste Lord Timons bountie: he out-goes 2 He powres it out: Plutus the God of Gold I The Noblest minde he carries, 2 Long may he live in Fortunes. Shall we in? Ile keepe you Company. Hoboyes Playing lowd Musicke. Exeunt. A great Banquet serv'd in: and then, Enter Lord Timon, the States, the Athenian Lords, Ventigius which Timon redeem'd from prison. Then comes dropping after all Apemantus discontentedly like himselfe. Ventig. Most honoured Timon, It hath pleas'd the Gods to remember And call him to long peace : my Fathers age, He is gone happy, and has left me rich : Το your free heart, I do returne those Talents Tim. O by no meanes, Honest Ventigius: You mistake my love, I gave it freely ever, and ther's none Can truely say he gives, if he receives: If our betters play at that game, we must not dare To imitate them: faults that are rich are faire. Vint. A Noble spirit. Tim. Nay my Lords, Ceremony was but devis'd at first To set a glosse on faint deeds, hollow welcomes, Recanting goodnesse, sorry ere 'tis showne: But where there is true friendship, there needs none. 1. Lord. My Lord, we alwaies have confest it. Aper. Ho ho, confest it? Handg'd it? Have you not? Aper. No: You shall not make me welcome I come to have thee thrust me out of doores. : Tim. Fie, th'art a churle, ye have got a humour there Does not become a man, 'tis much too blame : Go, let him have a Table by himselfe : Aper. Let me stay at thine apperill Timon, Tim. I take no heede of thee: Th'art an Athenian, therefore welcome: I my selfe would have no power, prythee let my meate make thee silent. Aper. I scorne thy meate, 'twould choake me: for I should nere flatter thee. Oh you Gods! What a number of men eats Timon, and he sees 'em not? It greeves me to see so many dip there meate in one mans blood, and all the madnesse is, he cheeres them up too. I wonder men dare trust themselves with men. Me thinks they should envite them without knives, There's much example for't, the fellow that sits next him, now parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him in a divided draught is the readiest man to kill him. "Tas beene proved, if I were a huge man I should feare to drinke at meales, least they should spie my wind-pipes dangerous noates, great men should drinke with harnesse on their throates. Tim. My Lord in heart: and let the health go round. 2. Lord. Let it flow this way my good Lord. Aper. Flow this way? A brave fellow. He keepes his tides well, those healths will make thee and thy state looke ill, Timon. Heere's that which is too weake to be a sinner, Apermantus Grace. Immortall Gods, I crave no pelfe, Rich men sin, and I eat root. Much good dich thy good heart, Apermantus. Tim. Captaine. Alcibiades, your hearts in the field now. Alci. My heart is ever at your service, my Lord. Tim. You had rather be at a breakefast of Enemies, then a dinner of Friends. Alc. So they were Bleeding new my Lord there's no meat like 'em, I could wish my best friend at such a Feast. Aper. Would all those Flatterers were thine Enemies then, that then thou might'st kill 'em : & bid me to 'em. 1. Lord. Might we but have that happinesse my Lord, that you would once use our hearts, whereby we might expresse some part of our zeales, we should thinke our selves for ever perfect. Timon. Oh no doubt my good Friends, but the Gods themselves have provided that I shall have much helpe from you: how had you beene my Friends else. Why have you that charitable title from thousands? Did not you chiefely belong to my heart? I have told more of you to my selfe, then you can with modestie speake in your owne behalfe. And thus farre I confirme you. Oh you Gods (thinke I,) what need we have any Friends; if we should nere have need of 'em? They were the most needlesse Creatures living; should we nere have use for 'em? And would most resemble sweete Instruments hung up in |