The family Shakespeare [expurgated by T. Bowdler]. in which those words are omitted which cannot with propriety be read aloud in a family, by T. Bowdler

Enter TROILUS.

Even with the vail and dark'ning of the sun,
To close the day up, Hector's life is done.

Hect. I am unarm'd; forego this vantage, Greek.
Achil. Strike, fellows, strike; this is the man I
seek.
[HECTOR falls.
So Ilion, fall thou next! now, Troy, sink down;
Here lies thy heart, thy sinews, and thy bone.
On, Myrmidons; and cry you all amain,
Achilles hath the mighty Hector slain.

[A Retreat sounded. Hark! a retreat upon our Grecian part. Myr. The Trojan trumpets sound the like, my lord.

Frown on, you heavens, effect your rage with speed!
Sit, gods, upon your thrones, and smile at Troy!
say, at once let your brief plagues be mercy,
And linger not our sure destructions on!

Ene. My lord, you do discomfort all the host. Tro. You understand me not, that tell me so: I do not speak of flight, of fear, of death;

Achil. The dragon wing of night o'erspreads the But dare all imminence, that gods and men,

earth,

And, stickler 7 like, the armies separates.
My half-supp'd sword, that frankly 8 would have fed,
Pleas'd with this dainty bit, thus goes to bed.
[Sheathes his sword.

Come, tie his body to my horse's tail;
Along the field I will the Trojan trail.

[Exeunt.

Address their dangers in. Hector is gone!
Who shall tell Priam so, or Hecuba?
Let him, that will a screech-owl aye be call'd,
Go in to Troy, and say there- Hector's dead :
There is a word will Priam turn to stone;
Make wells and Niobes of the maids and wives,
Cold statues of the youth; and, in a word,
Scare Troy out of itself. But, march, away;
Hector is dead; there is no more to say.
Stay yet; You vile abominable tents,

Thus proudly pight upon our Phrygian plains,
Let Titan rise as early as he dare,
I'll through and through you! And thou, great-
siz'd coward!

No space of earth shall sunder our two hates :
I'll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still,
That mouldeth goblins swift as frenzy thoughts.
Strike a free march to Troy! - with comfort go:
Hope of revenge shall hide our inward woe.

[Exeunt ENEAS and Trojans.

As TROILUS is going out, enter, from the other side, PANDARUS.

It tutors nature: artificial strife 5

Trumpets sound.

Lives in these touches, livelier than life.

Enter certain Senators, and pass over.

Tim.

Pain. How this lord's follow'd!

Poet. The senators of Athens: - Happy men!
Pain. Look, more!

Enter TIMON, attended; the

Servant of VENTIDIUS talking with him.

Imprison'd is he, say you?

Ven. Serv. Ay, my good lord: five talents is his

debt;

His means most short, his creditors most strait :
Your honourable letter he desires

Poet. You see this confluence, this great flood of To those have shut him up; which failing to him,

visitors.

I have, in this rough work, shap'd out a man,
Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug
With amplest entertainment: My free drift
Halts not particularly, but moves itself
In a wide sea of wax: no levell'd malice
Infects one comma in the course I hold;
But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forth on,
Leaving no tract behind.

Pain. How shall I understand you?
Poet.

Periods his comfort.

Tim.

Noble Ventidius! Well;

I am not of that feather, to shake off
My friend when he must need me. I do know him,
A gentleman, that well deserves a help,
Which he shall have: I'll pay the debt, and free him.
Ven. Serv. Your lordship ever binds him.

Tim. Commend me to him: I will send his ran-
some;

And, being enfranchis'd, bid him come to me : —
I'll unbolt to you. 'Tis not enough to help the feeble up,
But to support him after. Fare
Ven. Serv. All happiness to your honour! [Exit.

You see how all conditions, how all minds,
(As well of glib and slippery creatures, as
Of grave and austere quality,) tender down
Their services to lord Timon: his large fortune,
Upon his good and gracious nature hanging,
Subdues and properties to his love and tendance
All sorts of hearts: yea, from the glass-fac'd flatterer?
To Apemantus, that few things loves better
Than to abhor himself; even he drops down
The knee before him, and returns in peace
Most rich in Timon's nod.

Pain.
I saw them speak together.
Poet. Sir, I have upon a high and pleasant hill,
Feign'd Fortune to be thron'd: The base o'the mount
Is rank'd with all deserts, all kind of natures,
That labour on the bosom of this sphere
To propagate their states 8: amongst them all,
Whose eyes are on this sovereign lady fixed,
One do I personate of lord Timon's frame,
Whom Fortune with her ivory hands wafts to her;
Whose present grace to present slaves and servants
Translates his rivals.

Pain.
"Tis conceiv'd to scope.
This throne, this Fortune, and this hill, methinks,
With one man beckon'd from the rest below,
Bowing his head against the steepy mount
To climb his happiness, would be well express'd
In our condition.

Poet.
Nay, sir, but hear me on:
All those which were his fellows but of late,
(Some better than his value,) on the moment
Follow his strides, his lobbies fill with tendance,
Rain sacrificial whisperings in his ear,

Make sacred even his stirrop, and through him
Drink the free air.

Pain.

Ay, marry, what of these?

Tim.

Well; what further?
Old Ath. One only daughter have I, no kin else,
On whom I may confer what I have got:
The maid is fair, o'the youngest for a bride,
And I have bred her at my dearest cost,
In qualities of the best. This man of thine
Attempts her love: I pr'ythee, noble lord,
Join with me to forbid him her resort;
Myself have spoke in vain.

Tim.
The man is honest.
Old Ath. Therefore he will be, Timon:
His honesty rewards him in itself,

It must not bear my daughter.
Tim.

Old Ath. She is young

Does she love him? and apt:

Poet. When fortune in her shift and change of Our own precedent passions do instruct us

As those, which sell, would give: But you well know,
Things of like value, differing in the owners,
Are prized by their masters; believe't, dear lord,
You mend the jewel by wearing it.

Tim.

Well mock'd. Mer. No, my good lord; he speaks the common tongue,

Which all men speak with him.

Tim. Look, who comes here? Will you be chid? Enter APEMANTUS.

Jew. We will bear, with your lordship. Mer. He'll spare none. Tim. Good morrow to thee, gentle Apemantus! Apem. Till I be gentle, stay for thy good morrow; When thou art Timon's dog, and these knaves honest. Tim. Why dost thou call them knaves? thou know'st them not.

Apem. Are they not Athenians?

Tim. Yes.

Apem. Then I repent not.

Jew. You know me, Apemantus.

Apem. Thou knowest, I do; I call'd thee by thy

name.

Tim. Thou art proud, Apemantus.

Apem. Of nothing so much, as that I am not like Timon.

Tim. Whither art going?

Apem. To knock out an honest Athenian's brains. Tim. That's a deed thou'lt die for.

Apem. Right, if doing nothing be death by the law.

Tim. How likest thou this picture, Apemantus? Apem. The best, for the innocence.

Tim. How dost thou like this jewel, Apemantus?

9 Ruin.

Trumpets sound. Enter a Servant.

Tim. What trumpet's that?

us.

Serv. 'Tis Alcibiades and Some twenty horse, all of companionship. Tim. Pray, entertain them; give them guide to [Exeunt some Attendants. You must needs dine with me:- Go not you hence, Till I have thank'd you; and when dinner's done, Show me this piece. — I am joyful of your sights.— Enter ALCIBIADES, with his Company. Most welcome, sir! [They salute. Apem. So, so; there! Aches contract and starve your supple joints! That there should be small love 'mongst these sweet knaves,

2 Lord. Why, Apemantus?

They say, my lords, that ira furor brevis est 1,

Apem. Shouldst have kept one to thyself, for I But yond' man's ever angry.

mean to give thee none.

1 Lord. Hang thyself.

Apem. No, I will do nothing at thy bidding; make thy requests to thy friend.

2 Lord. Away, unpeaceable dog, or I'll spurn thee hence.

Apem. I will fly like a dog, the heels of the ass.
[Erit.
1 Lord. He's opposite to humanity. Come, shall
we in,

And taste lord Timon's bounty? he outgoes
The very heart of kindness.

2 Lord. He pours it out; Plutus the god of gold
Is but his steward: no meed 2, but he repays
Sevenfold above itself; no gift to him,
But breeds the giver a return exceeding
All use of quittance. 3

1 Lord.

Go, let him have a table by himself;
For he does neither affect company,
Nor is he fit for it, indeed.

Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon;
I come to observe; I give thee warning on't.

Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athe-
nian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no
power: pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent.
Apem. 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 them 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. 5

I wonder men dare trust themselves with men :
Methinks they should invite them without knives;
The noblest mind he carries, 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, and pledges
The breath of him in a divided draught,

That ever govern'd man.

2 Lord. Long may he live in fortunes! Shall we in?

1 Lord. I'll keep you company.

[Exeunt.

A Room of State in Timon's House.

Hautboys playing loud Musick. A great Banquet served in; FLAVIUS and others attending; then enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, LUCIUS, LUCULLUS, SEMPRONIUS, and other Athenian Senators, with VENTIDIUS, and Attendants. Then comes, dropping after all, APEMANTUS, discontentedly.

Is the readiest man to kill him: it has been prov'd.
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 6 on their

throats.

Tim. My lord, in heart 7; and let the health go
round.

2 Lord. Let it flow this way, my good lord.
Apem.
Flow this way!
A brave fellow ! - he keeps his tides well. Timon,

Ven. Most honour'd Timon, 't hath pleas'd the Those healths will make thee, and thy state, look ill.

gods 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

Το your free heart, I do return those talents,

Doubled with thanks, and service, from whose help
I deriv'd liberty.

Tim.

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.
Ven. A noble spirit.

[They all stand ceremoniously looking on TIMON.
Tim.
Nay, my lords, ceremony
Was but devis'd 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.

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'S GRACE.
Immortal gods, I crave no pelf;
I pray for no man but myself:
Grant I may never prove so fond 8,
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;

Tim. Fye, thou art a churl; you have got a bid me to 'em.

humour there

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

2 Meed here means desert.

Anger is a short madness.

5 The allusion is to a pack of hounds trained to pursuit, by being gratified with the blood of an animal which they kill; and the wonder is, that the animal, on which they are feeding, 7 With sincerity. 8 Foolish.

e. All the customary returns made in discharge of ob- cheers them to the chase. ligations.

6 Armour.

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The family Shakespeare [expurgated by T. Bowdler]. in which those words are ...