master 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 't appears like a lord; sometime like a lawyer; sometime like a philosopher, with two stones more than's 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,

Had you not fully laid my state before me;

That I might so have rated my expense,

As I had leave of means?

Flav.

You would not hear me,

Go to:

At many leisures I propos'd. (32)

Tim.

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

At 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 (33) 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.

Let all my land be sold.

Tim.
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,
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 minstrelsy;
I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock,

And set mine eyes at flow.

Tim.

Prithee, 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?(34)

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.

VOL. V.

Come, sermon me no further:

Q

No villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart;
Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given.

Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience lack,
Secure thy heart;

To think I shall lack friends?

If I would broach the vessels of my love,
And try the argument of hearts by borrowing,
Men and men's fortunes could I frankly use
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! Flaminius! (35) Servilius!

Enter FLAMINIUS, SERVILIUS, and other Servants.
Servants. My lord? my lord?—

Tim. I will dispatch you severally :-you, to Lord Lucius;—to Lord Lucullus you; I hunted with his honour today;-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.

Flav. Lord Lucius and Lucullus? hum!

Tim. Go you, sir [to another Serv.], to the senators

(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.

(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.

Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate voice, That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot

[Aside.

Do what they would; are sorry-you are honourable,—
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 [to a Serv.]:-Prithee [to Flav.], be not sad,
Thou art true and honest; ingeniously 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:-[to Flav.] That had, give 't 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 boun

ty's foe;

Being free itself, it thinks all others so.

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I. Athens. 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.

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 ewer to-night.-Flaminius, honest Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, sir.-Fill me some wine. [Exit Servant.]—And how does that honourable, complete, freehearted 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 ha' 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 ha' told him on't, but I could ne'er get him from 't.

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