Tim. What dost thou think 'tis worth? Apem. Not worth my thinking. How now, poet? Apem. Thou liest. Poet. Art not one? Apem. Yes. Poet. Then I lie not. Apem. Art not a poet? Poet. Yes. Apem. Then thou liest: look in thy last work, where thou hast feign'd 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 wouldst 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 lord38.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 thee! thy god, and thy god confound Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant. Tim. What trumpet's that? 38 This line is corrupt undoubtedly, and none of the emendations or substitutions that have been proposed are satisfactory. Perhaps we should read That I had (now angry) wish'd to be a lord: or, That I had (so angry) will to be a lord.' Malone proposed to point the passage thus, That I had no angry wit.To be a lord and explains it, That I had no wit [or discretion] in my anger, but was absurd enough to wish myself one of that set of men, whom I despise.' These are the best helps I can afford the reader towards a solution of this enigmatical passage, and it must be confessed they are feeble. 'Tis Alcibiades, and Serv. Some twenty horse, all of companionship39. Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to [Exeunt some Attendants. You must needs dine with me:-Go not you hence, Till I have thank'd you; and, when dinner's done, Show me this piece. I am joyful of your sights. us. Enter ALCIBIADES, with his Company. Most welcome, sir! So, so; there!— [They salute. Apem. Aches contract and starve your supple joints!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 monkey40. Alcib. Sir, you have sav'd my longing, and I feed Most hungrily on your sight. Tim. Right welcome, sir: Ere we depart41, 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 thou42, that still omit'st it. 2 Lord. Thou art going to Lord Timon's feast? 39 i. e. Alcibiades' companions, or such as he consorts with and sets on a level with himself. 40 Man is degenerated; his strain or lineage is worn down into a monkey. 41 It has been before observed that to depart and to part were anciently synonymous. See vol. ii. p. 309, note 7. So in King John, Act ii. Sc. 2: Hath willingly departed with a part.' 42 Ritson says we should read: The more accursed thou.' So in The Two Gentlemen of Verona : The more degenerate and base art thou. 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. 2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus, the god of gold, Is but his steward; no meed43, but he repays Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him, But breeds the giver a return exceeding 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. SCENE II. [Exeunt. The same. A Room of State in Timon's House. Hautboys playing loud music. 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 Selmes dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly. Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd the gods to remember 43 Meed here means desert 44 i. e. all the customary returns made in discharge of obliga tions. My father's age, and call him to long peace. 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, shelf beds f Honest Ventidius: you mistake my love; gave it freely ever; and there's none I Can truly say, he gives, if he receives: dod If our betters play at that game, we must not dare To imitate them; Faults that are rich, are fair1. Ven. A noble spirit. Tim. [They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON. Na 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 it2, have you not? Tim. O, Apemantus! you are welcome. 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 :- 1 The faults of rich persons, and which contribute to the increase of riches, wear a plausible appearance, and as the world goes are thought fair; but they are faults notwithstanding.' 2 There seems to be some allusion to a common proverbial saying of Shakspeare's time, Confess and be hanged. See Othello, Act iv. Sc. 1. The old copy reads Yond' man's very angry." Go, let him have a table by himself; ONO For he does neither affect company, Nor is he fit for it, indeed. Apem. Let me stay at thine apperil, 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 silent5. Apem. I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should Ne'er flatter thee. O you gods! what a number It grieves me, to see so many dip their meat I wonder, men dare trust themselves with men: 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: Steevens and Malone dismissed apperil from the text, and inserted own peril: but Mr. Gifford has shown that the word occurs several times in Ben Jonson. Sir, I will bail you at mine own apperil. Devil is an Ass. See Ben Jonson, vol. v. p. 137; vol. vi. p. 117, and p. 159. I myself would have no power to make thee silent, but I wish thou wouldst let my meat stop your mouth." 6 For in the sense of cause of because. 76 It grieves me to see so many feed luxuriously or sauce their meat at the expense of one man, whose very blood (means of living) must at length be exhausted by them; and yet he preposterously encourages them to proceed in his destruction. 8 It was custom in old times for every guest to bring his own knife, which he occasionally whetted on stone that hung behind the door. One of these whetstones was formerly to be seen in Parkinson's Museum. It is scarcely necessary to observe that they were strangers to the use of forks. 9 The windpipe's notes' were the indications in the throat of its situation when in the act of drinking; it should be remem |