_Gna_. What did I tell them?—Timon was too good a man to be abandoned by Providence. How are you, Timon? as good-looking and good-tempered, as good a fellow, as ever? _Tim_. And you, Gnathonides, still teaching vultures rapacity, and men cunning? _Gna_. Ah, he always liked his little joke. But where do you dine? I have brought a new song with me, a march out of the last musical thing on. _Tim_. It will be a funeral march, then, and a very touching one, with spade _obbligato_. _Gna_. What means this? This is assault, Timon; just let me find a witness! … Oh, my God, my God! … I'll have you before the Areopagus for assault and battery. _Tim_. You'd better not wait much longer, or you'll have to make it murder. _Gna_. Mercy, mercy! … Now, a little gold ointment to heal the wound; it is a first-rate styptic. _Tim_. What! you _won't_ go, won't you? _Gna_. Oh, I am going. But you shall repent this. Alas, so genial once, and now so rude! _Tim_. Now who is this with the bald crown? Why, it is Philiades; if there is a loathsome flatterer, it is he. When I sang that song that nobody else would applaud, he lauded me to the skies, and swore no dying swan could be more tuneful; his reward was one of my farms, and a 500 pounds portion for his daughter. And then when he found I was ill, and had come to him for assistance, his generous aid took the form of blows. _Phil_. You shameless creatures! yes, yes, _now_ you know Timon's merits! _now_ Gnathonides would be his friend and boon-companion! well, he has the right reward of ingratitude. Some of us were his familiars and playmates and neighbours; but _we_ hold back a little; we would not seem to thrust ourselves upon him. Greeting, lord Timon; pray let me warn you against these abominable flatterers; they are your humble servants during meal-times, and else about as useful as carrion crows. Perfidy is the order of the day; everywhere ingratitude and vileness. I was just bringing a couple of hundred pounds, for your immediate necessities, and was nearly here before I heard of your splendid fortune. So I just came on to give you this word of caution; though indeed you are wise enough (I would take your advice before Nestor's myself) to need none of my counsel. _Tim_. Quite so, Philiades. But come near, will you not, and receive my—spade! _Phil_. Help, help! this thankless brute has broken my head, for giving him good counsel. _Tim_. Now for number three. Lawyer Demeas—my cousin, as he calls himself, with a decree in his hand. Between three and four thousand it was that I paid in to the Treasury in ready money for him; he had been fined that amount and imprisoned in default, and I took pity on him. Well, the other day he was distributing-officer of the festival money [Footnote: Every citizen had the right to receive from the State the small sum which would pay for his admission to theatrical or other festival entertainments.]; when I applied for my share, he pretended I was not a citizen.