THE LIFE OF TIMON OF ATHENS
Page: 13

Good words the other day of a bay courser
I rode on: it is yours because you lik'd it.

THIRD 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, defil'd 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 ALCIBIADES, Lords, and etc.].]

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 curtsies.

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 needs 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!

[Exit.]



Act II.

Scene I. Athens. A Room in a SENATOR'S House.