180

Was to be so unwise, to be so kind

What shall be done? He will not hear, till feel:
I must be round with him now he comes from hunt-
ing.

Fie, fie, fie, fie!

Enter Caphis, and the Servants of Isidore and him yet.

Caph.

Varro.

Good even,' Varro: What,

You come for money?
Var. Serv.

Is't not your business too?
Caph. It is ;-And yours too, Isidore?
Isid. Serv.

Caph. 'Would we were all discharg'd!
Var. Serv.

Caph. Here comes the lord.

It is so.

I fear it.

Enter Timon, Alcibiades, and Lords, &c.
Tim. So soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again,
My Alcibiades.-With me? What's
your will?
Caph. My lord, here is a note of certain dues.
Tim. Dues? Whence are you?
Caph.

Of Athens here, my lord.
Tim. Go to my steward.

Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off
To the succession of new days this month:
My master is awak'd by great occasion,

To call upon his own; and humbly prays you,
That with your other noble parts you'll suit,
In giving him his right.

Tim.

Mine honest friend,
I pr'ythee, but repair to me next morning.
Caph. Nay, good my lord.

Tim.
Contain thyself, good friend.
Var. Serv. One Varro's servant, my good lord,-
Isid. Serv.
From Isidore;
He humbly prays your speedy payment,-
Caph. If you did know, my lord, my master's
wants,

Var. Serv. 'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six
weeks,

And past,

Caph. Where's the fool now?

Apem. He last asked the question.-Poor rogues,
and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want!
All Serv. What are we, Apemantus?
Apem. Asses.

All Serv. Why?

Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves.-Speak to 'em, fool.

Fool. How do you, gentlemen?

All Serv. Gramercies, good fool: How does your mistress?

Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. 'Would, we could see you at Corinth.

Apem. There will little learning die then, that day thou art hanged. This is to lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou'lt die a bawd.

Page. Thou wast whelped a dog; and thou shalt famish, a dog's death. Answer not, I am gone. [Exit Page.

Apem. Even so thou out-run'st grace. Fool, I

Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord; will go with you to lord Timon's. And I am sent expressly to your lordship.

Fool. Will you leave me there?

Apem. If Timon stay at home.-You three serve three usurers.

All Serv. Ay; 'would they served us! Apem. So would I,-as good a trick as ever hangman served thief.

Fool. Are you three usurers' men?

All Serv. Ay, fool.

Fool. I think, no usurer but has a fool to his servant: My mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: The reason of this?

Var. Serv. I could render one.

Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster, and a knave; which notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed.

Var. Serv. What is a whoremaster, fool?

Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit: sometime, it appears like a lord; Ape-sometime, like a lawyer; sometime, like a philosopher, with two stones more than his artificial one: He is very often like a knight; and, generally in all shapes, that man goes up and down in, from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in.

(1) Good even was the usual salutation from

noon.

Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool.
Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man: as much

(2) i. e. To hunting; in our author's time it was the custom to hunt as well after dinner as before.

i

I pr'ythee, man, look cheerly; These old fellows
Have their ingratitude in them hereditary:
Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it seldom flows;
'Tis lack of kindly warmth, they are not kind;
And nature, as it grows again toward earth,
Is fashion'd for the journey, dull, and heavy.-
Go to Ventidius,-[To a Sevr.] 'Pr'ythee [To Flav.]

be not sad,

Thou art true, and honest; ingeniously' I speak,
No blame belongs to thee:-To Sevr.] Ventidius
lately

Buried his father; by whose death, he's stepp'd
Into a great estate: when he was poor,
Imprison'd, and in scarcity of friends,

I clear'd him with five talents; Greet him from me;
Bid him suppose, some good necessity
Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd
With those five talents:-that had,-[To Flav.]
give it these fellows,

To whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or think,
That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can sink.
Flav. I would, I could not think it; That thought
is bounty's foe;

Being free itself, it thinks all others so. [Exeunt.

ACT III.

Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee.

Flam. Your lordship speaks your pleasure.
Lucul. I have observed thee always for a to-
wardly 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.-Get you gone, sirrah.-[To the Servant,
who goes out.-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 saw'st me not. Fare thee well.
Flam. Is't possible, the world should so much
differ;

And we alive, that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness,
To him that worships thee.

[Throwing the money away.
Lucul. Ha! Now I see, thou art a fool, and fit
for thy master.
[Exit Lucullus.
Flam. May these add to the number that may
scald thee!

Let molten 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 my master's passion! This slave
Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him:
Enter a Servant Why should it thrive, and turn to nutriment,
When he is turn'd to poison?

SCENE I-The same. A room in Lucullus's house. Flaminius waiting.

to him.

O, may diseases only work upon't!

Serv. I have told my lord of you, he is coming And when he is sick to death, let not that part of

down to you.

Flam. I thank you, sir,

Enter Lucullus,

Flam. His health is well, sir.

Lucul. I am right glad that his health is well, sir; And what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?

nature

Which my lord paid for, be of any power
To expel sickness, but prolong his hour!"
SCENE II.-The same.

[Exit.

A public place. En

ter Lucius, with three Strangers.

Luc. Who, the lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman.

1 Stran. 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 ford Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him.

for money.
Luc. Fie, no, do not believe it; he cannot want

Flam, 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir: long ago, one of his men was with the lord Lucul 2 Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that, not which, in my lord's behalf, I coine to entreat your lus, to borrow so many talents; nay, urged exhonour to supply; who, having great and instant tremely for't, and showed what necessity belonged occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lord- to't, and yet was denied. ship to furnish him; nothing doubting your present

assistance therein.

Luc. How?

2 Stran. I tell you, denied, my lord.

Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says he? Luc. What a strange case was that? now, bealas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would fore the gods, I am asham'd on't. Denied that not keep so good a house. Many a time and often honourable man? there was very little honour I have dined with him, and told him on't; and showed in't. For my own part, I must needs concome again to supper to him, of purpose to have fess, I have received some small kindnesses from him spend less: and yet he would embrace no coun- him, as money, plate, jewels, and such like trifles, sel, take no warning by my coming. Every man nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him, has his fault and honesty is his: I have told him and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his ocon't, but I could never get him from it. casion so many talents.

Re-enter Servant, with wine.

Serv. Please your lordship, here is the wine.

sweat to see his honour.-My honoured lord,-
[To Lucius.
Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare
thee well:-Commend se to thy honourable-vir-
tuous lord, my very exquisite friend.

Ser. May it please your honour, my lord hath

sent

Luc. 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?

Ser. He has only sent his present occasion now, my lord; requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so many talents.

Luc. I know, his lordship is but merry with me;
He cannot want fifty-five hundred talents.

Ser. But in the mean time he wants less, my lord.
If his occasion were not virtuous,
I should not urge it half so faithfully.

Luc. Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius?
Ser. Upon my soul, 'tis true, sir.

Men must learn now with pity to dispense:
For policy sits above conscience.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III.-The same. A room in Sempro-
nius' house. Enter Sempronius, and a Ser-
vant of Timon's.

Sem. Must he needs trouble me in't? Humph!
'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 three
Owe their estates unto him.
Serv.
O my lord,
They have all been touch'd' and found base metal;
for

They have all denied him!
Sem.

How! have they denied him?
Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him?
And does he send to me? Three? humph!-
It shows but little love or judgment in him.
Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physi-
cians,

Thrive, give him over; Must I take the cure upon
me?

for't,

Luc. What a wicked beast was I, to disfurnish myself against such a good time, when I might have shown myself honourable! how unluckily it happened, that I should purchase the day before for a He has much disgrac'd me in't; I am angry at him, little part, and undo a great deal of honour!-Ser- That might have known my place: I see no sense vilius, now before the gods, I am not able to do't;| the more beast, I say:-I was sending to use lord But his occasions might have woo'd me first; Timon myself, these gentlemen can witness; but I For, in my conscience, I was the first man would not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done it That e'er receiv'd gift from him: now. Commend me bountifully to his good lord- And does he think so backwardly of me now, ship; and I hope, his honour will conceive the That I'll requite it last? No: so it may prove fairest of me, because I have no power to be kind: An argument of laughter to the rest, And tell him this from me, I count it one of my And I amongst the lords be thought a fool. greatest afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such I had rather than the worth of thrice the sum, an honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you He had sent to me first, but for my mind's sake; befriend me so far as to use mine own words to I had such a courage to do him good. But now him? And with their faint reply this answer join; Who bates mine honour, shall not know my coin.

Ser. Yes, sir, I shall.

Luc. I will 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 Lucius.

1 Stran. Do you observe this, Hostilius?
2 Stran. Av, too well.
1 Stran. 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 hath 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 Tinon's silver treads upon his lip;
And yet, (0 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.
3 Stran. Religion groans at it.
1 Stran.

I never tasted Timon in my life,

For mine own part,

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,

(1) If he did not want it for a good use.' (2) This means, to put his wealth down in account as a donation.

return,

[Exit.

Serv. Excellent! Your lordship's a goodly villain. The devil knew not what he did, when he made man politic; he cross'd himself by't: and I cannot think, but, in the end, the villanies 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 the gods only: 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 liberal course allows;
Who cannot keep his wealth, must keep his house.*
[Exit,
SCENE IV.-The same. A hall in Timon's
house. Enter two Servants of Varro, and the
Servant of Lucius, meeting Titus, Hortensius,
and other Servants to Timon's creditors, wait-
ing his coming out.

Var. Serv. Well met; good-morrow, Titus and
Hortensius.

Tit. The like to you, kind Varro.
Hor.

What, do we meet together?

Luc. Serv.

Lucius!

Ay, and, I think,

One business does command us all; for mine

(3) Tried. (4) Ardour, eager desire.
(5) i. e. Keep within doors for fear of duns.

Philotus too!
Phi.
Luc. Serv.
Welcome, good brother.
What do you think the hour?
Phi.
Labouring for nine.

Luc. Serv.
Not yet.
Phi. I wonder on't; he was wont to shine at

Luc. Serv. Ay, but the days are waxed shorter
with him:

You must consider, that a prodigal course
Is like the sun's;' but not, like his, recoverable.
I fear,

'Tis deepest winter in lord Timon's purse;
That is, one may reach deep enough, and yet
Find little.

Tit. We cannot take this for an answer, sir. Flam. [Within.] Servilius, help!-my lord! my lord!

Enter Timon, in a rage; Flaminius following.
Tim. What, are my doors oppos'd against my
passage?

Have I been ever free, and must my house
Be my retentive enemy, my gaol?
The place, which I have feasted, does it now,
Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
Luc. Serv. Put in now, Titus.
Tit. My lord, here is my bill.
Luc. Serv. Here's mine.
Hor. Serv. And mine, my lord.

Both Var. Serv. And ours, my lord.

Phi. All our bills.

Luc. Serv. Alas! my lord-
Tim. Cut my heart in sums.
Tit. Mine, fifty talents.

Tim. Tell out my blood.

Lac. Serv. Five thousand crowns, my lord.
Tim. Five thousand drops pays that.-

What's yours?-and yours?

1 Var. Serv. My lord,

2 Var. Serv. My lord,

Tim. Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon

you! [Exit. Hor. 'Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps at their money; these debts may well be called desperate ones, for a madman owes 'em.

Tim. They have e'en put my breath from me,
the slaves:
Creditors!-devils.
Flav. My dear lord,-

Tim. What, if it should be so?

(3) Timon quibbles. They present their written bills; he catches at the word, and alludes to bills or battle-axes.