The Life of Tymon of Athens — Act 1 Scene 2

Hoboyes Playing lowd Musicke.

A great Banquet seru'd in: and then, Enter Lord Timon, theStates, the Athenian Lords, Ventigius which Timonredeem'd from prison. Then comes dropping after allApemantus discontentedly like himselfe.

Ventig.Most honoured Timon,It hath pleas'd the Gods to remember my Fathers age,And call him to long peace:He is gone happy, and has left me rich:Then, as in gratefull Vertue I am boundTo your free heart, I do returne those TalentsDoubled with thankes and seruice, from whose helpeI deriu'd libertie.

Tim.O by no meanes,Honest Ventigius: You mistake my loue,I gaue it freely euer, and ther's noneCan truely say he giues, if he receiues:If our betters play at that game, we must not dareTo imitate them: faults that are rich are faire.

Vint.A Noble spirit.

Tim.Nay my Lords, Ceremony was but deuis'd at firstTo set a glosse on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,Recanting goodnesse, sorry ere 'tis showne:But where there is true friendship, there needs none.Pray sit, more welcome are ye to my Fortunes,Then my Fortunes to me.

1. Lord.My Lord, we alwaies haue confest it.

Aper.Ho ho, confest it? Handg'd it? Haue you not?

Timo.O Apermantus, you are welcome.

Aper.No: You shall not make me welcome:I come to haue thee thrust me out of doores.

Tim.Fie, th'art a churle, ye'haue got a humour thereDoes not become a man, 'tis much too blame:They say my Lords, Ira furor breuis est,But yond man is verie angrie.Go, let him haue a Table by himselfe:For he does neither affect companie,Nor is he fit for't indeed.

Aper.Let me stay at thine apperill Timon,I come to obserue, I giue thee warning on't.

Tim.I take no heede of thee: Th'art an Athenian,therefore welcome: I my selfe would haue no power,prythee let my meate make thee silent.

Aper.I scorne thy meate, 'twould choake me: for Ishould nere flatter thee. Oh you Gods! What a numberof men eats Timon, and he sees 'em not? It greeues meto see so many dip there meate in one mans blood, andall the madnesse is, he cheeres them vp too.I wonder men dare trust themselues with men.Me thinks they should enuite them without kniues,Good for there meate, and safer for their liues.There's much example for't, the fellow that sits next him,now parts bread with him, pledges the breath of him ina diuided draught: is the readiest man to kill him. 'Tasbeene proued, if I were a huge man I should feare todrinke at meales, least they should spie my wind-pipesdangerous noates, great men should drinke with harnesseon 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 braue fellow. He keepes histides well, those healths will make thee and thy statelooke ill, Timon.Heere's that which is too weake to be a sinner,Honest water, which nere left man i'th'mire:This and my food are equals, there's no ods,Feasts are to proud to giue thanks to the Gods.

Apermantus Grace.Immortall Gods, I craue no pelfe,I pray for no man but my selfe,Graunt I may neuer proue so fond,To trust man on his Oath or Bond.Or a Harlot for her weeping,Or a Dogge that seemes asleeping,Or a keeper with my freedome,Or my friends if I should need 'em.Amen. So fall too't:Richmen 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 euer at your seruice, 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 nomeat like 'em, I could wish my best friend at such a Feast.

Aper.Would all those Flatterers were thine Enemiesthen, that then thou might'st kill 'em: & bid me to 'em.

1. Lord.Might we but haue that happinesse my Lord,that you would once vse our hearts, whereby we mightexpresse some part of our zeales, we should thinke ourselues for euer perfect.

Timon.Oh no doubt my good Friends, but the Godsthemselues haue prouided that I shall haue much helpefrom you: how had you beene my Friends else. Whyhaue you that charitable title from thousands? Did notyou chiefely belong to my heart? I haue told more ofyou to my selfe, then you can with modestie speake inyour owne behalfe. And thus farre I confirme you. Ohyou Gods (thinke I,) what need we haue any Friends; ifwe should nere haue need of 'em? They were the mostneedlesse Creatures liuing; should we nere haue vse for'em? And would most resemble sweete Instrumentshung vp in Cases, that keepes there sounds to themselues.Why I haue often wisht my selfe poorer, thatI might come neerer to you: we are borne to do benefits.And what better or properer can we call our owne,then the riches of our Friends? Oh what a pretiouscomfort 'tis, to haue so many like Brothers commandingone anothers Fortunes. Oh ioyes, e'ne made away er'tcan be borne: mine eies cannot hold out water me thinksto forget their Faults. I drinke to you.

Aper.Thou weep'st to make them drinke, Timon.

2. Lord.Ioy had the like conception in our eies,And at that instant, like a babe sprung vp.

Aper.Ho, ho: I laugh to thinke that babe a bastard.

3. Lord.I promise you my Lord you mou'd me much.

Aper.Much.

Sound Tucket. Enter the Maskers of Amazons, withLutes in their hands, dauncing and playing.

Tim.What meanes that Trumpe? How now?

Enter Seruant.

Ser.Please you my Lord, there are certaine LadiesMost desirous of admittance.

Tim.Ladies? what are their wils?

Ser.There comes with them a fore-runner my Lord,which beares that office, to signifie their pleasures.

Tim.I pray let them be admitted.

Enter Cupid with the Maske of Ladies.

Cup.Haile to thee worthy Timon and to all that ofhis Bounties taste: the fiue best Sences acknowledge theetheir Patron, and come freely to gratulate thy plentiousbosome.There tast, touch all, pleas'd from thy Table rise:They onely now come but to Feast thine eies.

Timo.They'r welcome all, let 'em haue kind admittance.Musicke make their welcome.

Luc.You see my Lord, how ample y'are belou'd.

Aper.Hoyday,What a sweepe of vanitie comes this way.They daunce? They are madwomen,Like Madnesse is the glory of this life,As this pompe shewes to a little oyle and roote.We make our selues Fooles, to disport our selues,And spend our Flatteries, to drinke those men,Vpon whose Age we voyde it vp agenWith poysonous Spight and Enuy.Who liues, that's not depraued, or depraues;Who dyes, that beares not one spurne to their grauesOf their Friends guift:I should feare, those that dance before me now,Would one day stampe vpon me: 'Tas bene done,Men shut their doores against a setting Sunne.

The Lords rise from Table, with much adoring of Timon, andto shew their loues, each single out an Amazon, and allDance, men with women, a loftie straine or two to theHoboyes, and cease.

Tim.You haue done our pleasuresMuch grace (faire Ladies)Set a faire fashion on our entertainment,Which was not halfe so beautifull, and kinde:You haue added worth vntoo't, and luster,And entertain'd me with mine owne deuice.I am to thanke you for't.

1 Lord.My Lord you take vs euen at the best.

Aper.Faith for the worst is filthy, and would not holdtaking, I doubt me.

Tim.Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you,Please you to dispose your selues.

All La.Exeunt.Most thankfully, my Lord.

Tim.Flauius.

Fla.My Lord.

Tim.The little Casket bring me hither.

Fla.Yes, my Lord. More Iewels yet?There is no crossing him in's humor,Else I should tell him well, yfaith I should;When all's spent, hee'ld be crost then, and he could:'Tis pitty Bounty had not eyes behinde,Exit.That man might ne're be wretched for his minde.

1 Lord.Where be our men?

Ser.Heere my Lord, in readinesse.

2 Lord.Our Horses.

Tim.O my Friends:I haue one word to say to you: Looke you, my good L.I must intreat you honour me so much,As to aduance this Iewell, accept it, and weare it,Kinde my Lord.

1 Lord.I am so farre already in your guifts.

All.So are we all.

Enter a Seruant.

Ser.My Lord, there are certaine Nobles of the Senatenewly alighted, and come to visit you.

Tim.They are fairely welcome.

Enter Flauius.

Fla.I beseech your Honor, vouchsafe me a word, itdoes concerne you neere.

Tim.Neere? why then another time Ile heare thee.I prythee let's be prouided to shew them entertainment.

Fla.I scarse know how.

Enter another Seruant.

Ser.May it please your Honor, Lord Lucius(Out of his free loue) hath presented to youFoure Milke-white Horses, trapt in Siluer.

Tim.I shall accept them fairely: let the PresentsBe worthily entertain'd.Enter a third Seruant.How now? What newes?

3. Ser.Please you my Lord, that honourable GentlemanLord Lucullus, entreats your companie to morrow,to hunt with him, and ha's sent your Honour two braceof Grey-hounds.

Tim.Ile hunt with him,And let them be receiu'd, not without faire Reward.

Fla.What will this come to?He commands vs to prouide, and giue great guifts, andall out of an empty Coffer:Nor will he know his Purse, or yeeld me this,To shew him what a Begger his heart is,Being of no power to make his wishes good.His promises flye so beyond his state,That what he speaks is all in debt, he ows for eu'ry word:He is so kinde, that he now payes interest for't;His Land's put to their Bookes. Well, would I wereGently put out of Office, before I were forc'd out:Happier is he that has no friend to feede,Then such that do e'ne Enemies exceede.Exit.I bleed inwardly for my Lord.

Tim.You do your selues much wrong,You bate too much of your owne merits.Heere my Lord, a trifle of our Loue.

2. Lord.With more then common thankesI will receyue it.

3. Lord.O he's the very soule of Bounty.

Tim.And now I remember my Lord, you gaue goodwords the other day of a Bay Courser I rod on. Tis yoursbecause you lik'd it.

1. L.Oh, I beseech you pardon mee, my Lord, in that.

Tim.You may take my word my Lord: I know noman can iustly praise, but what he does affect. I weighemy Friends affection with mine owne: Ile tell you true,Ile call to you.

All Lor.O none so welcome.

Tim.I take all, and your seuerall visitationsSo kinde to heart, 'tis not enough to giue:Me thinkes, I could deale Kingdomes to my Friends,And nere be wearie. Alcibiades,Thou art a Soldiour, therefore sildome rich,It comes in Charitie to thee: for all thy liuingIs mong'st the dead: and all the Lands thou hastLye in a pitcht field.

Alc.I, defil'd Land, my Lord.

1. Lord.We are so vertuously bound.

Tim.And so am I to you.

2. Lord.So infinitely endeer'd.

Tim.All to you. Lights, more Lights.

1. Lord.The best of Happines, Honor, and FortunesKeepe with you Lord Timon.

Tim.Exeunt LordsReady for his Friends.

Aper.What a coiles heere, seruing of beckes, and iuttingout of bummes. I doubt whether their Legges beworth the summes that are giuen for 'em.Friendships full of dregges,Me thinkes false hearts, should neuer haue sound legges.Thus honest Fooles lay out their wealth on Curtsies.

Tim.Now Apermantus (if thou wert not sullen)I would be good to thee.

Aper.No, Ile nothing; for if I should be brib'd too,there would be none left to raile vpon thee, and then thouwouldst sinne the faster. Thou giu'st so long Timon (Ifeare me) thou wilt giue away thy selfe in paper shortly.What needs these Feasts, pompes, and Vaine-glories?

Tim.Nay, and you begin to raile on Societie once, Iam sworne not to giue regard to you. Farewell, & comeExit.with better Musicke.

Aper.So: Thou wilt not heare mee now, thou shaltnot then. Ile locke thy heauen from thee:Oh that mens eares should beExit.To Counsell deafe, but not to Flatterie.