That I might so have rated my expense,

As I had leave of means?

Flav

You would not hear me,

At many leisures I propos'd.

Tim.

Go to:

Perchance, some single vantages you took,
When my indisposition put you back;
And that unaptness made your minister,
Thus to excuse yourself.

At

Flav.

O, my good lord!
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,

(1) He does not mean, so great a sum, but a certain sum.

(2) i. e. As the world itself may be comprised in a word, you might give it away in a breath.

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 min-
strelsy;

I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock,2
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, These flies are couch'd.

Tim.

Come, sermon me no further: No villanous 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 arguments of hearts by borrowing,
Men, and men's fortunes, could I frankly use,
As I can bid thee speak.

Flav.

Assurance bless your thoughts!

(1) The apartments allotted to culinary offices, &c.

(2) A pipe with a turning stopple running to

waste.

(3) If I would (says Timon,) by borrowing, try of what men's hearts are composed, what they have in them, &c.

Tim. And, in some sort, these wants of mine are crown'd,1

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 sen

ators

(Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have Deserv'd this hearing,) bid 'em send o'the 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 it be? Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate

voice,

That now they are at fall,2 want treasure, cannot Do what they would; are sorry-you are honourable,-

But yet they could have wish'd-they know not

but

(1) Dignified, made respectable, (2) i. e. At an ebb,

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,2 With certain half-caps,3 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 Ser.] 'Pr'ythee [To Flav.] be not sad,

Thou art true, and honest; ingeniously4 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 fortunes 'mong his friends can sink. Flav. I would, I could not think it; That thought is bounty's foe;

Being frees itself, it thinks all others so. [Exeunt.

(1) Intending, had anciently the same meaning as attending.

(2) Broken hints, abrupt remarks.

(3) A half-cap is a cap slightly moved, not put off. (4) For ingenuously.

(5) Liberal, not parsimonious.

ACT III.

A room in Lucullus's

SCENE I-The same.

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.

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, 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

(1) For respectfully.