But must not break my back, to heal his finger :
Immediate are my needs; and my relief
Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
But find supply immediate. Get you gone:
Put on a most importunate aspect,
A visage of demand; for, I do fear,
When every feather sticks in his own wing,
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone.
Caph. I go, sir.

Sen. I go, sir?-take the bonds along with you,
And have the dates in compt.
Caph.

Sen.

I will, sir.

Go.
[Exeunt.

Enter Flavius, with many bills in his hand.
Flav. No care, no stop! so senseless of expence,
That he will neither know how to maintain it,
Nor cease his flow of riot: Takes no account
How things go from him; nor resumes no care
Of what is to continue; Never mind
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
hunting.

Fye, fye, fye, fye!

Enter Caphis, and the Servants of Isidore and
Varro.

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 Good even, Varro: What, chickens as you are. 'Would we could see you at Apem. Good! gramercy.

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,

Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord;
And I am sent expressly to your lordship.
Tim. Give me breath :

I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on;
[Exeunt Alcibiades and Lords.
I'll wait upon you instantly.-Come hither, pray
you,
[To Flavius.
How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd
With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds,
And the detention of long-since-due debts,
Against my honour?

Flav.
Please you, gentlemen,
The time is unagreeable to this business:
Your importunacy cease till after dinner;

Corinth.

Enter Page.

Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page. Page. [To the Fool.] Why, how now, captain? what do you in this wise company? How dost thou, Apemantus?

Apem. 'Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably.

Page. Pr'ythee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters; I know not which is which.

Apem. Canst not read?
Page. No.

Apem. There will be 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 will go with you to lord Timon's.

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; sometime, like a lawyer; sometime, like a philosopher, with two stones more than his artifi eial one: He is very often like a knight; and, gene.

'Flav.

O my good lord!

At many times I brought in my accounts,
Laid them before you; you would throw them off,
And say, you found them in mine honesty.
When, for some trifling present, you have bid me
Return so much, I have shook my head, and wept;
Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray'd you
To hold your hand more close: I did endure
Not seldom, nor no slight checks; when I have
Prompted you, in the ebb of your estate,
And your great flow of debts. My dear-lov'd lord,
Though you hear now, (too late!) yet now's a time,"
The greatest of your having lacks a half
To pay your present debts.
Tim.

Let all my land be sold.
Flav. 'Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and gone;
And what remains will hardly stop the mouth
Of present dues: the future comes apace:
What shall defend the interim ? and at length
How goes our reckoning?

Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend.
Flav. O my good lord, the world is but a word;
Were it all yours, to give it in a breath,
How quickly were it gone?

Tim.

You tell me true.

Flav. If you suspect my husbandry, or falsehood,
Call me before the exactest auditors,
And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me,
When all our offices have been oppress'd
With riotous feeders: when our vaults have wept
With drunken spilth of wine; when every room
Hath blaz'd with lights, and bray'd with minstrel-
I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock,
And set mine eyes at flow.

[sy;

Tim.
Pr'ythee, no more.
Flav. Heavens, have I said, the bounty of this

lord!

How many prodigal bits have slaves, and peasants,
This night englutted! Who is not Timon's ?
What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is lord
Timon's?

Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon ?
Ah

when the means are gone, that buy this
praise,

The breath is gone whereof this praise is made :
Feast-won, fast-lost; one cloud of winter showers,
These flies are couch'd.

Tim.
Come, sermon me no further:
No villainous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart;
Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given.

Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience

lack,

To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart;
If I would broach the vessels of my love,
And try the argument of hearts by borrowing,

Men, and men's fortunes, could I frankly use,
As I can bid thee speak.
Flav.
Assurance bless your thoughts!
Tim. And, in some sort, these wants of mine are
crown'd,

That I account them blessings; for by these
Shall I try friends: You shall perceive, how you
Mistake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends,
Within there, ho !-Flaminius! Servilius !

Enter Flaminius, Servilius, and other Servants.
Serv. My lord, my lord,-

Tim. I will despatch you severally.-You, to
lord Lucius,-

To lord Lucullus you; I hunted with his
Honour to-day ;-You, to Sempronius;
Commend me to their loves; and, I am proud, say,
That my occasions have found time to use them
Toward a supply of money let the request
Be fifty talents.

Flam.
As you have said, my lord.
Flav. Lord Lucius, and lord Lucullus? humph!
[Aside.
Tim. Go you, sir, [to another Serv.] to the se-

Tim.

Is't true? can it be?

Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate
voice,

That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot
Do what they would; are sorry-you are honour-
able,-
[but
But yet they could have wish'd-they know not-
Something hath been amiss-a noble nature
May catch a wrench-would all were well-'tis
[pity-
And so, intending other serious matters,
After distasteful looks, and these hard fractions,
With certain half-caps, and cold-moving nods,
They froze me into silence.
Tim.

You gods, reward them
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 Serv.] 'Pr'ythee, [to Fla-
vius.] be not sad,

Thou art true, and honest; ingeniously I speak,
No blame belongs to thee :-[to Serv.] 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 fortune '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.

ACT III.

House.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.-The same. A Room in Lucullus's

Enter Lucullus.

Serv. Here's my lord. Lucul. [Aside.] One of lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver bason and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honest Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, sir.- Fill me some wine.-[Exit Servant.] And how does that honourable complete, freehearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master?

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?

Flam. '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.

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

2 Stran. 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. Luc. How?

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

Luc. What a strange case was that? now, before the gods, I am asham'd 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.

Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says sweat to see his honour.-My honoured lord,he? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time [To Lucius. Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare and often I have dined with him, and told him thee well:-Commend me on't; and come again to supper to him, of purpose virtuous lord, my very exquisite friend. to thy honourableto have him spend less: and yet he would embrace Ser. May it please your honour, my lord hath no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every sentman has his fault, and honesty is his; I have told him on't, but I could never get him from it.

Re-enter Servant, with wine.

Serv. Please your lordship, here's the wine. 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 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.-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,

1 feel my 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 is 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. A publick Place.

SCENE II.-The same.
Enter 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 lord Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him.

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,
instant use with so many talents.
my lord; requesting your lordship to supply his

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.

myself against such a good time, when I might
Luc. What a wicked beast was I, to disfurnish
have shown myself honourable! how unluckily it
happened, that I should purchase the day before
for a little part, and undo a great deal of honour!-
Servilius, now before the gods, I am not able to
do't; 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 it now. Commend me bountifully to his
good lordship; and I hope, his honour will con-
ceive 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?

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. Ay, 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 has been this lord's father,
And kept his credit with his purse;
Has paid his men their wages: He ne'er drinks,
Supported his estate; nay, Timon's money
And yet, (0, see the monstrousness of man
But Timon's silver treads upon his lip;
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.

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

Phi. I am of your fear for that.
Tit. I'll show you how to observe a strange event,
Your lord sends now for money.

Most true, he does.
Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,
For which I wait for money.

Hor. It is against my heart.
Luc. Serv.

Mark, how strange it shows,
Timon in this should pay more than he owes:
And e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels,
And send for money for 'em.

Hor. I am weary of this charge, the gods can

I know, my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth,
And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.
1 Var. Serv. Yes, mine's three thousand crowns:
What's yours?

Luc. Serv. Five thousand mine.

1 Var. Serv. "Tis much deep: and it should seem
by the sum,

Your master's confidence was above mine;
Else, surely, his had equall'd.

Enter Flaminius.

Tit. One of lord Timon's men.

Luc. Serv. Flaminius! sir, a word: 'Pray, is my lord ready to come forth?

Flam. No, indeed, he is not.

Tit. We attend his lordship; 'pray, signify so

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 Ser-To
vants to Timon's creditors, waiting his coming out.
Var. Serv. Well met; good-morrow, Titus and
Hortensius.

Tit. The like to you, kind Varro.

1 Var. Serv. How! what does his cashier'd wor-, Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die : ship mutter?

2 Var. Serv. No matter what; he's poor, and that's revenge enough. Who can speak broader than he that has no house to put his head in? such may rail against great buildings.

Enter Servilius.

Tit. O, here's Servilius; now we shall know
Some answer.
Ser.

If I might beseech you, gentlemen,
To repair some other hour, I should much
Derive from it: for, take it on my soul,
My lord leans wond'rously to discontent.
His comfortable temper has forsook him;

He is much out of health, and keeps his chamber.
Luc. Serv. Many do keep their chambers, are not
sick :

And, if it be so far beyond his health,
Methinks, he should the sooner pay his debts,
And make a clear way to the gods.

Ser.

Good gods! 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.

Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

2 Sen. Most true; the law shall bruise him. Alcib. Honour, health, and compassion to the senate !

1 Sen. Now, captain?

Alcib. I am an humble suitor to your virtues,
For pity is the virtue of the law,
And none but tyrants use it cruelly.

It pleases time, and fortune, to lie heavy
Upon a friend of mine, who, in hot blood,
Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
To those that, without heed, do plunge into it.
He is a man, setting his fate aside,
Of comely virtues :

Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice ·
(An honour in him, which buys out his fault,)
But, with a noble fury, and fair spirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppose his foe :

And with such sober and unnoted passion
He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent,
As if he had but prov'd an argument.

1 Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox,
Striving to make an ugly deed look fair :
Your words have took such pains, as if they la-
bour'd

To bring manslaughter into form, set quarrelling
Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,
Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
When sects and factions were newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wisely suffer

The worst that man can breathe; and make his
wrongs

His outsides; wear them like his raiment, care

lessly;

And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,
To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill,

Tim. Knock me down with 'em cleave me to What folly 'tis, to hazard life for ill?

the girdle.

Luc. Serv. Alas! my lord,

Tim. Cut my heart in sums.

Tit. Mine, fifty talents.

Tim. Tell out my blood.

Luc. Serv. Five thousand erowns, my lord.
Tim. Five thousand drops pays that.-

What 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.

Re-enter Timon and Flavius.

[Exeunt.

Alcib. My lord,

1 Sen. You cannot make gross sins look clear; To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

Alcib. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me,
If I speak like a captain.-

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threatenings? sleep upon it,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy ? but if there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad? why then, women are more valiant,
That stay at home, if bearing carry it;
And th' ass, more captain than the lion; the felon,
Loaden with irons, wiser than the judge,
If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords,
As you are great, be pitifully good :
Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;

Tim. They have e'en put my breath from me, But, in defence, by mercy, 'tis most just.

the slaves:

Creditors devils.

To be in anger, is impiety;

But who is man that is not angry?
Weigh but the crime with this.

2 Sen. You breathe in vain.
Alcib.

In vain? his service done

At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium,
Were a sufficient briber for his life.

1 Sen. What's that?

Alcib. Why, I say, my lords, h'as done fair ser-
vice,

And slain in fight many of your enemies :
How full of valour did he bear himself

In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds?
2 Sen. He has made too much plenty with 'em,
he

Is a sworn rioter: h'as a sin that often
Drowns him, and takes his valour prisoner :
If there were no foes, that were enough alone
To overcome him in that beastly fury
He has been known to commit outrages,
And cherish factions: "Tis inferr'd to us,
His days are foul, and his drink dangerous
1 Sen. He dies.