Apem. No; 'tis to thyself,-Come away. [To the FOOL. Isid. Serv. [to VARRO'S SERVANT]. There's the fool hangs on your back already. Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou art not on him yet. 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. Good! gramercy. 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 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 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. Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool. Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man: as much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest. Apem. That answer might have become Apemantus. All Serv. Aside, aside; here comes lord Timon. Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS. Apem. Come with me, fool, come. Fool. I do not always follow lover, elder brother, and woman; sometime, the philosopher. [Exeunt APEMANTUS and FOOL. Flav. 'Pray you, walk near; I'll speak with you anon. [Exeunt SERVANTS. Tim. You make me marvel: Wherefore, ere this time As I had leave of means? Flav. You would not hear me, At many leisures I proposed. Perchance, some single vantages you took, Flav. O my good lord! At many times I brought in my accounts, When, for some trifling present, you have bid me And your great flow of debts. My dear-loved lord, Tim. Let all my land be sold. Flav. 'Tis all engaged, some forfeited and gone; Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend. Tim. You tell me true. Flav. If you suspect my husbandry, or falsehood, And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me, With riotous feeders; when our vaults have wept And set mine eyes at flow. 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, Tim. Come, sermon me no further: No villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart; 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, 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! (Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have Flav. I have been bold * Culinary offices. [Aside. † A turning stopple running to waste. § Dignified. + Composition of what they have in them, &c. (For that I knew it the most general* way), Tim. Is't true? can it be? Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate voice, May catch a wrench-would all were well-'tis pity— After distasteful looks, and these hard fractions, § Tim. You gods, reward them! I pr'ythee, man, look cheerly; These old fellows Go to Ventidius [To a SERV.],-Pr'ythee [To FLAVIUS], be not sad, Thou art true, and honest; ingeniously I speak, No blame belongs to thee:-[To SERV.] Ventidius lately 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 nécessity 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. ACT III. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-The same. A Room in LUCULLUS' House. FLAMINIUS waiting. Enter a SERVANT to him. Serv. I have told my lord of you, he is coming down to you. Flam. I thank you, Sir. Serv. Here's my lord. Enter LUCUllus. Lucul. [aside]. One of lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant. * Compendious. + At an ebb. A cap slightly moved. Attending to. Broken hints. ** Liberal Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ewer tonight. Flaminius, honest Flaminius; you are very respectively * welcome, Sir.-Fill me some wine.-Exit SERVANT.] And how does that honourable, 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 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. 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 have 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 have told him on't, but I could never get him from it. Re-enter SERVANT, with wine. Serv. Please your lordship, here is 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 lived? 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 O, may diseases only work upon't! * Respectfully. † Liberality. Or solidi, an ancient gold coin, worth about 6s. § I. e. sour Suffering. |