SCENE II. A banqueting-room in Timon's house. Timon of Athens  Shakespeare homepage  |  Timon of Athens  | Act 1, Scene 2 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE II. A banqueting-room in Timon's house. 

 Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet  served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter  TIMON, ALCIBIADES, Lords, Senators, and VENTIDIUS.  Then comes, dropping, after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly, like himself  VENTIDIUS  Most honour'd Timon, 

 It hath pleased the gods to remember my father's age, 

 And call him to long peace. 

 He is gone happy, and has left me rich: 

 Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound 

 To your free heart, I do return those talents, 

 Doubled with thanks and service, from whose help 

 I derived liberty. 

 TIMON  O, by no means, 

 Honest Ventidius; you mistake my love: 

 I gave it freely ever; and there's none 

 Can truly 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 fair. 

 VENTIDIUS  A noble spirit! 

 TIMON  Nay, my lords, 



 They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON  Ceremony was but devised 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  First Lord  My lord, we always have confess'd it. 

 APEMANTUS  Ho, ho, confess'd it! hang'd it, have you not? 

 TIMON  O, Apemantus, you are welcome. 

 APEMANTUS  No; 

 You shall not make me welcome: 

 I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. 

 TIMON  Fie, thou'rt a churl; ye've got a humour there 

 Does not become a man: 'tis much to blame. 

 They say, my lords, 'ira furor brevis est;' but yond 

 man is ever angry. Go, let him have a table by 

 himself, for he does neither affect company, nor is 

 he fit for't, indeed. 

 APEMANTUS  Let me stay at thine apperil, Timon: I come to 

 observe; I give thee warning on't. 

 TIMON  I take no heed of thee; thou'rt an Athenian, 

 therefore welcome: I myself would have no power; 

 prithee, let my meat make thee silent. 

 APEMANTUS  I scorn thy meat; 'twould choke me, for I should 

 ne'er flatter thee. O you gods, what a number of 

 men eat Timon, and he sees 'em not! It grieves me 

 to see so many dip their meat in one man's blood; 

 and all the madness is, he cheers them up too. 

 I wonder men dare trust themselves with men: 

 Methinks they should invite them without knives; 

 Good for their meat, and safer for their lives. 

 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: 't has been proved. If I were a 

 huge man, I should fear to drink at meals; 

 Lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes: 

 Great men should drink with harness on their throats. 

 TIMON  My lord, in heart; and let the health go round. 

 Second Lord  Let it flow this way, my good lord. 

 APEMANTUS  Flow this way! A brave fellow! he keeps his tides 

 well. Those healths will make thee and thy state 

 look ill, Timon. Here's that which is too weak to 

 be a sinner, honest water, which ne'er left man i' the mire: 

 This and my food are equals; there's no odds: 

 Feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods. 

 Apemantus' grace. 

 Immortal gods, I crave no pelf; 

 I pray for no man but myself: 

 Grant I may never prove so fond, 

 To trust man on his oath or bond; 

 Or a harlot, for her weeping; 

 Or a dog, that seems a-sleeping: 

 Or a keeper with my freedom; 

 Or my friends, if I should need 'em. 

 Amen. So fall to't: 

 Rich men sin, and I eat root. 



 Eats and drinks  Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus! 

 TIMON  Captain Alcibiades, your heart's in the field now. 

 ALCIBIADES  My heart is ever at your service, my lord. 

 TIMON  You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies than a 

 dinner of friends. 

 ALCIBIADES  So the were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat 

 like 'em: I could wish my best friend at such a feast. 

 APEMANTUS  Would all those fatterers were thine enemies then, 

 that then thou mightst kill 'em and bid me to 'em! 

 First Lord  Might we but have that happiness, my lord, that you 

 would once use our hearts, whereby we might express 

 some part of our zeals, we should think ourselves 

 for ever perfect. 

 TIMON  O, no doubt, my good friends, but the gods 

 themselves have provided that I shall have much help 

 from you: how had you been my friends else? why 

 have you that charitable title from thousands, did 

 not you chiefly belong to my heart? I have told 

 more of you to myself than you can with modesty 

 speak in your own behalf; and thus far I confirm 

 you. O you gods, think I, what need we have any 

 friends, if we should ne'er have need of 'em? they 

 were the most needless creatures living, should we 

 ne'er have use for 'em, and would most resemble 

 sweet instruments hung up in cases that keep their 

 sounds to themselves. Why, I have often wished 

 myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you. We 

 are born to do benefits: and what better or 

 properer can we can our own than the riches of our 

 friends? O, what a precious comfort 'tis, to have 

 so many, like brothers, commanding one another's 

 fortunes! O joy, e'en made away ere 't can be born! 

 Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks: to 

 forget their faults, I drink to you. 

 APEMANTUS  Thou weepest to make them drink, Timon. 

 Second Lord  Joy had the like conception in our eyes 

 And at that instant like a babe sprung up. 

 APEMANTUS  Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard. 

 Third Lord  I promise you, my lord, you moved me much. 

 APEMANTUS  Much! 



 Tucket, within  TIMON  What means that trump? 



 Enter a Servant  How now? 

 Servant  Please you, my lord, there are certain 

 ladies most desirous of admittance. 

 TIMON  Ladies! what are their wills? 

 Servant  There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which 

 bears that office, to signify their pleasures. 

 TIMON  I pray, let them be admitted. 



 Enter Cupid  Cupid  Hail to thee, worthy Timon, and to all 

 That of his bounties taste! The five best senses 

 Acknowledge thee their patron; and come freely 

 To gratulate thy plenteous bosom: th' ear, 

 Taste, touch and smell, pleased from thy tale rise; 

 They only now come but to feast thine eyes. 

 TIMON  They're welcome all; let 'em have kind admittance: 

 Music, make their welcome! 



 Exit Cupid  First Lord  You see, my lord, how ample you're beloved. 



 Music. Re-enter Cupid with a mask of Ladies  as Amazons, with lutes in their hands, dancing and playing  APEMANTUS  Hoy-day, what a sweep of vanity comes this way! 

 They dance! they are mad women. 

 Like madness is the glory of this life. 

 As this pomp shows to a little oil and root. 

 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? 

 I should fear those that dance before me now 

 Would one day stamp upon me: 't 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  TIMON  You have done our pleasures much grace, fair ladies, 

 Set a fair fashion on our entertainment, 

 Which was not half so beautiful and kind; 

 You have added worth unto 't and lustre, 

 And entertain'd me with mine own device; 

 I am to thank you for 't. 

 First Lady  My lord, you take us even at the best. 

 APEMANTUS  'Faith, for the worst is filthy; and would not hold 

 taking, I doubt me. 

 TIMON  Ladies, there is an idle banquet attends you: 

 Please you to dispose yourselves. 

 All Ladies  Most thankfully, my lord. 



 Exeunt Cupid and Ladies  TIMON  Flavius. 

 FLAVIUS  My lord? 

 TIMON  The little casket bring me hither. 

 FLAVIUS  Yes, my lord. More jewels yet! 

 There is no crossing him in 's humour; 



 Aside  Else I should tell him,--well, i' faith I should, 

 When all's spent, he 'ld be cross'd then, an he could. 

 'Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind, 

 That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind. 



 Exit  First Lord  Where be our men? 

 Servant  Here, my lord, in readiness. 

 Second Lord  Our horses! 



 Re-enter FLAVIUS, with the casket  TIMON  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 it and wear it, 

 Kind my lord. 

 First Lord  I am so far already in your gifts,-- 

 All  So are we all. 



 Enter a Servant  Servant  My lord, there are certain nobles of the senate 

 Newly alighted, and come to visit you. 

 TIMON  They are fairly welcome. 

 FLAVIUS  I beseech your honour, 

 Vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near. 

 TIMON  Near! why then, another time I'll hear thee: 

 I prithee, let's be provided to show them 

 entertainment. 

 FLAVIUS  [Aside]  I scarce know how. 



 Enter a Second Servant  Second Servant  May it please your honour, Lord Lucius, 

 Out of his free love, hath presented to you 

 Four milk-white horses, trapp'd in silver. 

 TIMON  I shall accept them fairly; let the presents 

 Be worthily entertain'd. 



 Enter a third Servant  How now! what news? 

 Third Servant  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. 

 TIMON  I'll hunt with him; and let them be received, 

 Not without fair reward. 

 FLAVIUS  [Aside]                What will this come to? 

 He commands us to provide, and give great gifts, 

 And all out of an empty coffer: 

 Nor will he know his purse, or yield me this, 

 To show him what a beggar his heart is, 

 Being of no power to make his wishes good: 

 His promises fly so beyond his state 

 That what he speaks is all in debt; he owes 

 For every word: he is so kind that he now 

 Pays interest for 't; his land's put to their books. 

 Well, would I were gently put out of office 

 Before I were forced out! 

 Happier is he that has no friend to feed 

 Than such that do e'en enemies exceed. 

 I bleed inwardly for my lord. 



 Exit  TIMON  You do yourselves 

 Much wrong, you bate too much of your own merits: 

 Here, my lord, a trifle of our love. 

 Second Lord  With more than common thanks I will receive it. 

 Third Lord  O, he's the very soul of bounty! 

 TIMON  And now I remember, my lord, you gave 

 Good words the other day of a bay courser 

 I rode on: it is yours, because you liked it. 

 Second Lord  O, I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in that. 

 TIMON  You may take my word, my lord; I know, no man 

 Can justly praise but what he does affect: 

 I weigh my friend's affection with mine own; 

 I'll tell you true. I'll call to you. 

 All Lords  O, none so welcome. 

 TIMON  I take all and your several visitations 

 So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give; 

 Methinks, I could deal kingdoms to my friends, 

 And ne'er be weary. Alcibiades, 

 Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich; 

 It comes in charity to thee: for all thy living 

 Is 'mongst the dead, and all the lands thou hast 

 Lie in a pitch'd field. 

 ALCIBIADES  Ay, defiled land, my lord. 

 First Lord  We are so virtuously bound-- 

 TIMON  And so 

 Am I to you. 

 Second Lord  So infinitely endear'd-- 

 TIMON  All to you. Lights, more lights! 

 First Lord  The best of happiness, 

 Honour and fortunes, keep with you, Lord Timon! 

 TIMON  Ready for his friends. 



 Exeunt all but APEMANTUS and TIMON  APEMANTUS  What a coil's here! 

 Serving of becks and jutting-out of bums! 

 I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums 

 That are given for 'em. Friendship's full of dregs: 

 Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs, 

 Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies. 

 TIMON  Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen, I would be 

 good to thee. 

 APEMANTUS  No, I'll nothing: for if I should be bribed too, 

 there would be none left to rail upon thee, and then 

 thou wouldst sin the faster. Thou givest so long, 

 Timon, I fear me thou wilt give away thyself in 

 paper shortly: what need these feasts, pomps and 

 vain-glories? 

 TIMON  Nay, an you begin to rail on society once, I am 

 sworn not to give regard to you. Farewell; and come 

 with better music. 



 Exit  APEMANTUS  So: 

 Thou wilt not hear me now; thou shalt not then: 

 I'll lock thy heaven from thee. 

 O, that men's ears should be 

 To counsel deaf, but not to flattery! 



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