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| [FLAMINIUS waiting. Enter a Servant to him] | |
| Servant | I have told my lord of you; he is coming down to you. |
| FLAMINIUS | I thank you, sir. |
| [Enter LUCULLUS] | |
| Servant | Here's my lord. |
| LUCULLUS | [Aside] One of Lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honest Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, sir. Fill me some wine. |
| [Exit Servants] | |
| And how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master? |
|
| FLAMINIUS | His health is well sir. |
| LUCULLUS | I am right glad that his health is well, sir: and what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius? |
| FLAMINIUS | 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir; which, in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your honour to supply; who, having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to furnish him, nothing doubting your present assistance therein. |
| LUCULLUS | La, la, la, la! 'nothing doubting,' says he? Alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I ha' dined with him, and told him on't, and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less, and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his: I ha' told him on't, but I could ne'er get him from't. |
| [Re-enter Servant, with wine] | |
| Servant | Please your lordship, here is the wine. |
| LUCULLUS | Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee. |
| FLAMINIUS | Your lordship speaks your pleasure. |
| LUCULLUS | I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spirit--give thee thy due--and one that knows what belongs to reason; and canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in thee. |
| [To Servant] | |
| Get you gone, sirrah. | |
| [Exit Servant] | |
| Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman: but thou art wise; and thou knowest well enough, although thou comest to me, that this is no time to lend money, especially upon bare friendship, without security. Here's three solidares for thee: good boy, wink at me, and say thou sawest me not. Fare thee well. |
|
| FLAMINIUS | Is't possible the world should so much differ, And we alive that lived? Fly, damned baseness, To him that worships thee! |
| [Throwing the money back] | |
| LUCULLUS | Ha! now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master. |
| [Exit] | |
| FLAMINIUS | May these add to the number that may scald thee! Let moulten coin be thy damnation, Thou disease of a friend, and not himself! Has friendship such a faint and milky heart, It turns in less than two nights? O you gods, I feel master's passion! this slave, Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him: Why should it thrive and turn to nutriment, When he is turn'd to poison? O, may diseases only work upon't! And, when he's sick to death, let not that part of nature Which my lord paid for, be of any power To expel sickness, but prolong his hour! |
| [Exit] |
| [Enter LUCILIUS, with three Strangers] | |
| LUCILIUS | Who, the Lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman. |
| First Stranger | We know him for no less, though we are but strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours: now Lord Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him. |
| LUCILIUS | Fie, no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money. |
| Second Stranger | But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago, one of his men was with the Lord Lucullus to borrow so many talents, nay, urged extremely for't and showed what necessity belonged to't, and yet was denied. |
| LUCILIUS | How! |
| Second Stranger | I tell you, denied, my lord. |
| LUCILIUS | What a strange case was that! now, before the gods, I am ashamed on't. Denied that honourable man! there was very little honour showed in't. For my own part, I must needs confess, I have received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels and such-like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his occasion so many talents. |
| [Enter SERVILIUS] | |
| SERVILIUS | See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour. My honoured lord,-- |
| [To LUCIUS] | |
| LUCILIUS | Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare thee well: commend me to thy honourable virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend. |
| SERVILIUS | May it please your honour, my lord hath sent-- |
| LUCILIUS | Ha! what has he sent? I am so much endeared to that lord; he's ever sending: how shall I thank him, thinkest thou? And what has he sent now? |
| SERVILIUS | Has only sent his present occasion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so many talents. |
| LUCILIUS | I know his lordship is but merry with me; He cannot want fifty five hundred talents. |
| SERVILIUS | But in the mean time he wants less, my lord. If his occasion were not virtuous, I should not urge it half so faithfully. |
| LUCILIUS | Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius? |
| SERVILIUS | Upon my soul,'tis true, sir. |
| LUCILIUS | What a wicked beast was I to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might ha' shown myself honourable! how unluckily it happened, that I should purchase the day before for a little part, and undo a great deal of honoured! Servilius, now, before the gods, I am not able to do,--the more beast, I say:--I was sending to use Lord Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness! but I would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done't now. Commend me bountifully to his good lordship; and I hope his honour will conceive the fairest of me, because I have no power to be kind: and tell him this from me, I count it one of my greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you befriend me so far, as to use mine own words to him? |
| SERVILIUS | Yes, sir, I shall. |
| LUCILIUS | I'll look you out a good turn, Servilius. |
| [Exit SERVILIUS] | |
| True as you said, Timon is shrunk indeed; And he that's once denied will hardly speed. |
|
| [Exit] | |
| First Stranger | Do you observe this, Hostilius? |
| Second Stranger | Ay, too well. |
| First Stranger | Why, this is the world's soul; and just of the same piece Is every flatterer's spirit. Who can call him His friend that dips in the same dish? for, in My knowing, Timon has been this lord's father, And kept his credit with his purse, Supported his estate; nay, Timon's money Has paid his men their wages: he ne'er drinks, But Timon's silver treads upon his lip; And yet--O, see the monstrousness of man When he looks out in an ungrateful shape!-- He does deny him, in respect of his, What charitable men afford to beggars. |
| Third Stranger | Religion groans at it. |
| First Stranger | For mine own part, I never tasted Timon in my life, Nor came any of his bounties over me, To mark me for his friend; yet, I protest, For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue And honourable carriage, Had his necessity made use of me, I would have put my wealth into donation, And the best half should have return'd to him, So much I love his heart: but, I perceive, Men must learn now with pity to dispense; For policy sits above conscience. |
| [Exeunt] |
| [Enter SEMPRONIUS, and a Servant of TIMON's] | |
| SEMPRONIUS | Must he needs trouble me in 't,--hum!--'bove all others? He might have tried Lord Lucius or Lucullus; And now Ventidius is wealthy too, Whom he redeem'd from prison: all these Owe their estates unto him. |
| Servant | My lord, They have all been touch'd and found base metal, for They have au denied him. |
| SEMPRONIUS | How! have they denied him? Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him? And does he send to me? Three? hum! It shows but little love or judgment in him: Must I be his last refuge! His friends, like physicians, Thrive, give him over: must I take the cure upon me? Has much disgraced me in't; I'm angry at him, That might have known my place: I see no sense for't, But his occasion might have woo'd me first; For, in my conscience, I was the first man That e'er received gift from him: And does he think so backwardly of me now, That I'll requite its last? No: So it may prove an argument of laughter To the rest, and 'mongst lords I be thought a fool. I'ld rather than the worth of thrice the sum, Had sent to me first, but for my mind's sake; I'd such a courage to do him good. But now return, And with their faint reply this answer join; Who bates mine honour shall not know my coin. |
| [Exit] | |
| Servant | Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did when he made man politic; he crossed himself by 't: and I cannot think but, in the end, the villainies of man will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to appear foul! takes virtuous copies to be wicked, like those that under hot ardent zeal would set whole realms on fire: Of such a nature is his politic love. This was my lord's best hope; now all are fled, Save only the gods: now his friends are dead, Doors, that were ne'er acquainted with their wards Many a bounteous year must be employ'd Now to guard sure their master. And this is all a l |