Timon of Athens
| ACT III 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 | 5 | |
| 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 | 10 | |
| 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, | 15 |
| 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; | 20 | |
| 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: | 25 |
| 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 | 30 | |
| 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; | 35 |
| 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? | 40 |
| 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, | 45 | |
| 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. | 50 | |
| 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 | 55 | |
| 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; | 60 | |
| 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 | 65 | |
| 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 | 70 | |
| 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, | 75 | |
| 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, | 80 | |
| 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, | 85 | |
| 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] | ||
Timon of Athens, Act 3, Scene 3