My lord? My lord?

TIM. I will dispatch you severally: [to Servilius] you to Lord Lucius; [to Flaminius] to Lord Lucullus you – I hunted with his honor to-day; [to the other] you to Sempronius. Commend me to their loves; and I am proud, say, that my occasions have found time to use 'em toward a supply of money. Let the request be fifty talents.

FLAM. As you have said, my lord.

 

[Exeunt the three Servants.]

 

FLAV [Aside.] Lord Lucius and Lucullus? Humh!

TIM.

Go you, sir, to the senators –

Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have

Deserv'd this hearing – bid 'em send o' th' instant

A thousand talents to me.

FLAV.

I have been bold

(For that I knew it the most general way)

To them to use your signet and your name,

But they do shake their heads, and I am here

No richer in return.

TIM.

Is't true? Can 't 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 honorable,

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!

Prithee, 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. (Prithee be not sad,

Thou art true and honest; ingeniously I speak,

No blame belongs to thee.) 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 rememb'red

With those five talents. That had, give't these fellows

To whom 'tis instant due. Nev'r 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,

[Scene I]

Flaminius waiting to speak with a lord [Lucullus] from his master, enters a Servant to him.

 

SERV. I have told my lord of you, he is coming down to you.

FLAM. I thank you, sir.

 

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 basin and ew'r to-night. – Flaminius, honest Flaminius, you are very respectively welcome, sir. Fill me some wine. [Exit Servant.]And how does that honorable, complete, free-hearted 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 honor 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.

LUCUL. 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' din'd 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.

 

Enter Servant with wine.

 

SERV. Please your lordship, here is the wine.

LUCUL. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise.