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' th' 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 dinner
of
    friends.
  ALCIBIADES. So they 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 flatterers 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 wish'd myself poorer, that I might come nearer to you.
We
    are born to do benefits; and what better or properer can we
call
    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's 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 weep'st 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 mov'd me much.
  APEMANTUS. Much! [Sound tucket]
  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, Smell, pleas'd from thy table 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 y'are belov'd.

      Music. Re-enter CUPID, witb a Masque 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 single 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. [Aside] More jewels yet!
    There is no crossing him in's humour,
    Else I should tell him- well i' faith, I should-
    When all's spent, he'd be cross'd then, an he could.
    'Tis pity bounty had not eyes behind,
    That man might ne'er be wretched for his mind.