Tit. Mine, fifty talents.

Tim. Tell out my blood.

Luc. Five thousand crowns, my Lord.

Tim. Five thousand drops pay that. and yours?

What yours

Far. My Lord

Cap. My Lord

Tim. Here tear me, take me, and the Gods fall on you.

[Exit. Hor. 'Faith, I perceive, our mafters may throw their caps at their money; thefe debts may be well call'd desperate ones, for a mad man owes 'em.

Re-enter Timon and Flavius.

[Exeunt.

Tim. They have e'en put my breath from me, the flaves. Creditors!: -devils.

Tim. So fitly!Go, bid all my friends again, Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius. All..

I'll once more feaft the rafcals.

Flav. O my Lord!

You only speak from your distracted foul;
There's not fo much left as to furnish out
A moderate table.

Tim. Be it not thy care:

Go, and invite them all, let in the tide

Of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide. [Exe.

I Sen.

SCENE changes to the Senate-house.

Senators, and Alcibiades.

Y Lord, you have my voice to't, the fault's bloody;

"Tis neceffary he fhould die :

Nothing emboldens fin so much as mercy.
VOL. VI.

G

Sen

2 Sen. Moft true; the law fhall bruife 'em.

Alc. Health, honour, and compaffion to the fenate! 1 Sen. Now, captain.

Alc. I am an humble fuitor to your virtues:
For pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyrants use it cruelly.
It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who in hot blood
Hath ftept into the law, which is past depth
To those that without heed do plunge into't.
He is a man, fetting his fault afide,

Of virtuous honour, which buys out his fault;
Nor did he foil the fact with cowardife,
But with a noble fury, and fair fpirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppofe his foe:

And with fuch fober and unnoted paffion
He did behave his anger ere 'twas spent,
As if he had but prov'd an argument.

1 Sen. You undergo too ftrict a paradox, Striving to make an ugly deed look fair:

Your words have took fuch pains, as if they labour'd
To bring Man-flaughter into form, fet quarrelling
Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,

Is valour mif-begot, and came into the world
When fects and factions were but newly born.
He's truly valiant, that can wifely fuffer

The worst that man can breathe, and make his wrongs
His out-fides; wear them like his rayment, carelefly;
And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and inforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill? -

Alc. My Lord,

1 Sen. You cannot make grofs fins look clear; It is not valour to revenge, but bear.

Alc. My Lords, then, under favour, pardon me,
If I fpeak like a captain.

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threatnings, fleep upon't,

And

And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? but if there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad? why then, fure, women are more valiant,
That stay at home, if bearing carry it;
The afs, more than the lion; and the fellow,
Loaden with irons, wifer than the judge;
If wisdom be in fuff'ring. Oh, my Lords,
As you are great, be pitifully good :

Who cannot condemn rafhnefs in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is fin's extreameft guft,
But, in defence,by mercy, 'tis moft juft.
To be in anger is impiety:

But who is man, that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.

2 Sen. You breathe in vain.
Alc. In vain ? his fervice done
At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium,
Were a fufficient briber for his life.

1 Sen. What's that?

Alc. I fay, my Lords, h'as done fair fervice, And flain in battle many of your enemies; How full of valour did he bear himself

In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds?
2 Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em,
He's a fworn rioter; he has a fin

That often drowns him, and takes valour prisoner.
Were there no foes, that were enough alone
To overcome him. In that beaftly fury
He has been known to commit outrages,
And cherish factions. "Tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul, and his drink dangerous.
1 Sen. He dies.

Alc. Hard fate! he might have died in war.
My Lords, if not for any parts in him,

(Though his right arm might purchase his own time, And be in debt to none;) yet more to move you, Take my deferts to his, and join 'em both.

And for I know, your reverend ages love

Security, I'll pawn my victories,

My honours to you,on his good returns.
If by this crime he owes the law his life,
Why, let the war receive 't in valiant gore;
For law is ftrict, and war is nothing more.

1 Sen. We are for law, he dies, urge it no more,
On height of our difpleasure: friend, or brother,
He forfeits his own blood, that fpills another.
Alc. Muft it be fo? it must not be:

My Lords, I do befeech you, know me.

Alc. I cannot think, but your age hath forgot me ;

It could not elfe be, I fhould prove

fo base,

To fue, and be deny'd fuch common grace.

My wounds ake at you.

1 Sen. Do you dare our anger?

'Tis in few words, but fpacious in effect: We banish thee for ever.

Alc. Banifh me!

Banith your dotage, banish ufury,

That make the fenate ugly.

1 Sen. If, after two day's fhine, Athens contains thee, Attend our weightier judgment.

And, (not to fwell our fpirit,)
He fhall be executed prefently.

[Exeunt.

Alc. Gods keep you old enough, that you may live Only in bone, that none may look on you!

I'm worse than mad: I have kept back their foes,
While they have told their money, and let out
Their coin upon large intereft; I myself,

Rich only in large hurts.All thofe, for this?
Is this the balfam that the ufuring fenate
Pours into captains wounds? ha! banishment?
It comes not ill: I hate not to be banisht,
It is a caufe worthy my fpleen and fury,
That I may ftrike at Athens. I'll cheer up
My difcontented troops, and lay for hearts.
'Tis honour with moft lands to be at odds;
Soldiers as little should brook wrongs, as Gods. [Exit.
SCENE

SCENE changes to TIMON's Houfe.

1 Sen.

Enter divers Senators, at feveral doors..

•TH

HE good time of the day to you, Sir. 2 Sen. I alfo with it to you: I think, this honourable Lord did but try us this other day.

1 Sen. Upon that were my thoughts tiring, when we encountred. I hope, it is not fo low with him, as he made it feem in the trial of his feveral friends.

2 Sen. It fhould not be, by the perfuafion of his new feafting.

1 Sen. I should think fo: he hath fent me an earneft inviting, which many my near occafions did urge me to put off: but he hath conjur'd me beyond them, and I muft needs appear.

2 Sen. In like manner was I in debt to my importunate bufinefs; but he would not hear my excufe. I am forry, when he sent to borrow of me, that my provifion was out.

1 Sen. I am fick of that grief too, as I understand how all things go.

2 Sen. Every man's here fo. What would he have borrow'd of you ?

1 Sen. A thousand pieces.

2 Sen. A thousand pieces!

1 Sen. What of you?

3

Sen. He fent to me, Sir-here he comes.

Enter Timon and Attendants.

Tim. With all my heart, gentlemen both how fare you?

and

1 Sen. Ever at the beft, hearing well of your Lordship.. 2 Sen. The fwallow follows not fummer more willingly, than we your Lordship.

Tim. Nor more willingly leaves winter: fuch fummerbirds are men- -Gentlemen, our dinner will not recompence this long ftay: feaft your ears with the mufick a while; if they will fare fo harfhly as on the trumpet's found; we fhall to't presently.

G 3

1 Sen.