Timon of Athens - William Shakespeare [books to read romance txt] 📗

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.

Scene II

A public place.

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.

Scene III

A room in Sempronius’ house.

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 all 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