The Life Of Timon Of Athens

1 Enter two of Varro’s Servants meeting Titus and Hortensius and then
2 Lucius, all Servants of Timon’s creditors, to wait for his coming out.
3 FIRST VARRO’S SERVANT.
4 Well met, good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.
5 TITUS.
6 The like to you, kind Varro.
7 HORTENSIUS.
8 Lucius!
9 What, do we meet together?
10 LUCIUS.
11 Ay, and I think
12 One business does command us all;
13 For mine is money.
14 TITUS.
15 So is theirs and ours.
16 Enter Philotus.
17 LUCIUS.
18 And, sir, Philotus too!
19 PHILOTUS.
20 Good day at once.
21 LUCIUS.
22 Welcome, good brother.
23 What do you think the hour?
24 PHILOTUS.
25 Labouring for nine.
26 LUCIUS.
27 So much?
28 PHILOTUS.
29 Is not my lord seen yet?
30 LUCIUS.
31 Not yet.
32 PHILOTUS.
33 I wonder on’t, he was wont to shine at seven.
34 LUCIUS.
35 Ay, but the days are waxed shorter with him.
36 You must consider that a prodigal course
37 Is like the sun’s, but not like his recoverable.
38 I fear ’tis deepest winter in Lord Timon’s purse:
39 That is, one may reach deep enough, and yet
40 Find little.
41 PHILOTUS.
42 I am of your fear for that.
43 TITUS.
44 I’ll show you how t’ observe a strange event.
45 Your lord sends now for money?
46 HORTENSIUS.
47 Most true, he does.
48 TITUS.
49 And he wears jewels now of Timon’s gift,
50 For which I wait for money.
51 HORTENSIUS.
52 It is against my heart.
53 LUCIUS.
54 Mark how strange it shows,
55 Timon in this should pay more than he owes,
56 And e’en as if your lord should wear rich jewels
57 And send for money for ’em.
58 HORTENSIUS.
59 I’m weary of this charge, the gods can witness.
60 I know my lord hath spent of Timon’s wealth,
61 And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.
62 FIRST VARRO’S SERVANT.
63 Yes, mine’s three thousand crowns. What’s yours?
64 LUCIUS.
65 Five thousand mine.
66 FIRST VARRO’S SERVANT.
67 ’Tis much deep, and it should seem by th’ sum
68 Your master’s confidence was above mine,
69 Else surely his had equalled.
70 Enter Flaminius.
71 TITUS.
72 One of Lord Timon’s men.
73 LUCIUS.
74 Flaminius? Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord ready to come forth?
75 FLAMINIUS.
76 No, indeed he is not.
77 TITUS.
78 We attend his lordship; pray, signify so much.
79 FLAMINIUS.
80 I need not tell him that, he knows you are too diligent.
81 [_Exit Flaminius._]
82 Enter Flavius in a cloak, muffled.
83 LUCIUS.
84 Ha, is not that his steward muffled so?
85 He goes away in a cloud. Call him, call him.
86 TITUS.
87 Do you hear, sir?
88 SECOND VARRO’S SERVANT.
89 By your leave, sir.
90 FLAVIUS.
91 What do you ask of me, my friend?
92 TITUS.
93 We wait for certain money here, sir.
94 FLAVIUS.
95 Ay,
96 If money were as certain as your waiting,
97 ’Twere sure enough.
98 Why then preferred you not your sums and bills
99 When your false masters eat of my lord’s meat?
100 Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts,
101 And take down th’ interest into their gluttonous maws.
102 You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up,
103 Let me pass quietly.
104 Believe’t, my lord and I have made an end,
105 I have no more to reckon, he to spend.
106 LUCIUS.
107 Ay, but this answer will not serve.
108 FLAVIUS.
109 If ’twill not serve, ’tis not so base as you,
110 For you serve knaves.
111 [_Exit._]
112 FIRST VARRO’S SERVANT.
113 How? What does his cashiered worship mutter?
114 SECOND VARRO’S SERVANT.
115 No matter what, he’s poor, and that’s revenge enough. Who can speak
116 broader than he that has no house to put his head in? Such may rail
117 against great buildings.
118 Enter Servilius.
119 TITUS.
120 O, here’s Servilius; now we shall know some answer.
121 SERVILIUS.
122 If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair some other hour, I should
123 derive much from’t. For take’t of my soul, my lord leans wondrously to
124 discontent. His comfortable temper has forsook him, he’s much out of
125 health and keeps his chamber.
126 LUCIUS.
127 Many do keep their chambers are not sick.
128 And if it be so far beyond his health,
129 Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts
130 And make a clear way to the gods.
131 SERVILIUS.
132 Good gods!
133 TITUS.
134 We cannot take this for answer, sir.
135 FLAMINIUS.
136 [_Within_.] Servilius, help! My lord, my lord!
137 Enter Timon in a rage.
138 TIMON.
139 What, are my doors opposed against my passage?
140 Have I been ever free, and must my house
141 Be my retentive enemy, my jail?
142 The place which I have feasted, does it now,
143 Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
144 LUCIUS.
145 Put in now, Titus.
146 TITUS.
147 My lord, here is my bill.
148 LUCIUS.
149 Here’s mine.
150 HORTENSIUS.
151 And mine, my lord.
152 BOTH VARRO’S SERVANTS.
153 And ours, my lord.
154 PHILOTUS.
155 All our bills.
156 TIMON.
157 Knock me down with ’em! Cleave me to the girdle.
158 LUCIUS.
159 Alas, my lord—
160 TIMON.
161 Cut my heart in sums!
162 TITUS.
163 Mine, fifty talents.
164 TIMON.
165 Tell out my blood.
166 LUCIUS.
167 Five thousand crowns, my lord.
168 TIMON.
169 Five thousand drops pays that. What yours, and yours?
170 FIRST VARRO’S SERVANT.
171 My lord—
172 SECOND VARRO’S SERVANT.
173 My lord—
174 TIMON.
175 Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!
176 [_Exit._]
177 HORTENSIUS.
178 Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps at their money.
179 These debts may well be called desperate ones, for a madman owes ’em.
180 [_Exeunt._]
181 Enter Timon and Flavius.
182 TIMON.
183 They have e’en put my breath from me, the slaves.
184 Creditors? Devils!
185 FLAVIUS.
186 My dear lord—
187 TIMON.
188 What if it should be so?
189 FLAVIUS.
190 My lord—
191 TIMON.
192 I’ll have it so.—My steward!
193 FLAVIUS.
194 Here, my lord.
195 TIMON.
196 So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,
197 Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius, all.
198 I’ll once more feast the rascals.
199 FLAVIUS.
200 O my lord,
201 You only speak from your distracted soul;
202 There is not so much left to furnish out
203 A moderate table.
204 TIMON.
205 Be it not in thy care. Go,
206 I charge thee, invite them all. Let in the tide
207 Of knaves once more. My cook and I’ll provide.
208 [_Exeunt._]