Ven. A noble spirit. Tim. [They all stand ceremoniously looking on 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. [They sit. 1 Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it. Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it? hang'd it, have you not?? mantus, agreeably to his character, perverts this sentiment; as if Timon had spoke of earthly grandeur and potentates, who expect largest returns for their favours; and therefore, ironically replies as above. Warburton. I cannot see that these lines are more proper in any other mouth than Timon's, to whose character of generosity and condescension they are very suitable. To suppose that by our betters are meant the gods, is very harsh, because to imitate the gods has been hitherto reckoned the highest pitch of human virtue. The whole is a trite and obvious thought, uttered by Timon with a kind of affected modesty. If I would make any alteration, it should be only to reform the numbers thus: Our betters play that game; we must not dare T'imitate them: faults that are rich are fair. Johnson. The faults of rich persons, and which contribute to the increase of riches, wear a plausible appearance, and as the world goes are thought fair; but they are faults notwithstanding. Heath. Dr. Warburton with his usual love of innovation, transfers the last word of the first of these lines, and the whole of the second to Apemantus. Mr. Heath has justly observed that this cannot have been Shakspeare's intention, for thus Apemantus would be made to address Timon personally, who must therefore have seen and heard him; whereas it appears from a subsequent speech that Timon had not yet taken notice of him, as he salutes him with some surprize "O, Apemantus!-you are welcome." The term-our betters, being used by the inferior classes of men when they speak of their superiors in the state, Shakspeare uses these words, with his usual laxity, to express persons of high rank and fortune. Malone. So, in King Lear, Act III, sc. vi, Edgar says, (referring to the distracted king): "When we our betters see bearing our woes, "We scarcely think our miseries our foes." Steevens. 2 confess'd it? hang'd it, have you not?] There seems to be some allusion here to a common proverbial saying of Shakspeare's time: "Confess and be hang'd." See Othello, Act IV, sc. i. Malone. Tim. O, Apemantus!—you are welcome. You shall not make me welcome: I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. No, Tim. Fy, thou art a churl; you have got a humour there Does not become a man, 'tis much to blame : They say, my lords, that3 ira furor brevis est, Go, let him have a table by himself; Apem. Let me stay at thine own peril, Timon; Tim. I take no heed of thee; thou art an Athenian; therefore welcome: I myself would have no power:* pr'ythee, let my meat make thee silent. 3 They say, my lords, that -] That was inserted by Sir T. Han mer, for the sake of metre. Steevens. 4 But yond' man's ever angry.] The old copy has—very angry: which can hardly be right. The emendation now adopted was made by Mr. Rowe. Malone. Perhaps we should read-But yon man's very anger; i. e. an. ger itself, which always maintains its violence. Steevens. $at thine own peril,] The old copy reads—at thine apperil. I have not been able to find such a word in any Dictionary, nor is it reconcileable to etymology. I have therefore adopted an emendation made by Mr. Steevens. Malone. Apperil, the reading of the old editions, may be right, though no other instance of it has been, or possibly can be produced. It is, however, in actual use in the metropolis, at this day. Ritsor. 6 I myself would have no power:] If this be the true read. ing, the sense is,-all Athenians are welcome to share my fortune: I would myself have no exclusive right or power in this house. Perhaps we might read,-I myself would have no poor. I would have every Athenian consider himself as joint possessor of my fortune. Johnson. I understand Timon's meaning to be: I myself would have no power to make thee silent, but I wish thou would'st let my meat make thee silent. Timon like a polite landlord, disclaims all power over the meanest or most troublesome of his guests. Tyrwhitt. These words refer to what follows, not to that which precedes. I claim no extraordinary power in right of my being master of the house: I wish not by my commands to impose silence on any one: but though I myself do not enjoin you to silence, let my meat stop your mouth. Malone. Much good dich thy good heart, Apemantus! Tim. Captain Alcibiades, your heart 's in the field now. Alcib. My heart is ever at your service, my lord. Tim. You had rather be at a breakfast of enemies, than a dinner of friends. Alcib. So they were bleeding-new, my lord, there's no meat like them; I could wish my best friend at such a feast. Apem. 'Would all those flatterers were thine enemies then; that then thou might'st kill 'em, and bid me to 'em. 1 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." Tim. 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 you not 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 never have need of them? they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for them: and would most -for ever perfect.] That is, arrived at the perfection of happiness. Johnson. So, in Macbeth: "Then comes my fit again; I had else been perfect; 19 Steevens. 7 How had you been my friends else? why have you that charitable title from thousands, did you not chiefly belong to my heart?] Charitable signifies, dear, endearing. So, Milton: "Relations dear, and all the charities "Of father, son, and brother Alms, in English, are called charities, and from thence we may collect that our ancestors knew well in what the virtue of almsgiving consisted; not in the act, but in the disposition. Warburton. The meaning is probably this:-Why are you distinguished from thousands by that title of endearment, was there not a particular connection and intercourse of tenderness between you and me? Johnson. & I confirm you.] I fix your characters firmly in my own mind. Johnson. 9 they were the most needless creatures living, should we ne'er have use for them : and — ] This passage I have restored from the old copy. Steevens. 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 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, e'en made away ere it can be born!1 Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks: to forget their faults, I drink to you. Apem. Thou weepest to make them drink,3 Timon. 2 Lord. Joy had the like conception in our eyes, And, at that instant, like a babe sprung up. 10 joy, e'en made away ere it can be born!] Tears being the effect both of joy and grief, supplied our author with an opportunity of conceit, which he seldom fails to indulge. Timon, weeping with a kind of tender pleasure, cries out, O joy, e'en made away, destroyed, turned to tears, before it can be born, before it can be fully possessed. Johnson. So, in Romeo and Juliet: "These violent delights have violent ends, The old copy has-joys. It was corrected by Mr. Rowe. Malone. 2 Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks:] In the original edition the words stand thus: Mine eyes cannot hold out water, methinks. To forget their faults I drink to you. Perhaps the true reading is this: Mine eyes cannot hold out; they water. Methinks, to forget their faults, I will drink to you. Or it may be explained without any change. Mine eyes cannot hold out water, that is, cannot keep water from breaking in upon them. Johnson. 3 to make them drink,] Sir T. Hanmer reads-to make them drink thee; and is followed by Dr. Warburton, I think, without sufficient reason. The covert sense of Apemantus is, what thou losest, they get. Johnson. like a babe-] That is, a weeping babe. Johnson. I question if Shakspeare meant the propriety of allusion to be carried quite so far. To look for babies in the eyes of another, is no uncommon expression. Thus, among the anonymous pieces in Lord Surrey's Poems, 1557: "In eche of her two cristall eyes Again, in Love's Mistress, by Heywood, 1636: "Joy'd in his looks, look'd babies in his eyes." Again, in The Christian turn'd Turk, 1612: "She makes him sing songs to her, looks fortunes in his fists, and babies in his eyes." Apem. Ho, ho! I laugh to think that babe a bastard. 3 Lord. I promise you, my lord, you mov'd me much. Apem. Much!5 [Tucket sounded. Tim. What means that trump?-How now? Enter a Servant. Serv. Please you, my lord, there are certain ladies most desirous of admittance. Tim. Ladies? What are their wills? Serv. There comes with them a forerunner, my lord, which bears that office, to signify their pleasures. Tim. I pray, let them be admitted. Enter CUPID. Cup. Hail to thee, worthy Timon;—and to all Again, in Churchyard's Tragicall Discours of a dolorous Gentlewoman, 1593: "Men will not looke for babes in hollow eyen." Steevens. Does not Lucullus dwell on Timon's metaphor by referring to circumstances preceding the birth, and means joy was conceived in their eyes, and sprung up there, like the motion of a babe in the womb? Tollet. The word conception, in the preceding line, shows, I think, that Mr. Tollet's interpretation of this passage is the true one. We have a similar imagery in Troilus and Cressida: 66- and, almost like the gods, "Does thoughts unveil in their dumb cradles." Malone. 5 Much!] Apemantus means to say,-That's extraordinary. Much was formerly an expression of admiration. See Vol. V, p. 116, n. 9. Malone. Much! is frequently used, as here, ironically, and with some indication of contempt. Steevens. 6 The ear, &c.] In former copies— There taste, touch, all pleas'd from thy table rise, They only now ———. The five senses are talked of by Cupid, but three of them only are made out; and those in a very heavy unintelligible manner. It is plain therefore we should read Th' ear, taste, touch, smell, pleas'd from thy table rise, These only now, &c. i. e. the five senses, Timon, acknowledge thee their patron; four of them, viz. the hearing, taste, touch, and smell, are all feasted at thy board; and these ladies come with me to entertain your sight |