ACT III SCENE IV

Timon of Athens

ACT III SCENE IV	The same. A hall in Timon’s house.
[ Enter two Servants of Varro, and the Servant of LUCIUS, meeting TITUS, HORTENSIUS, and other Servants of TIMON’s creditors, waiting his coming out ]
Varro’s First Servant	Well met; good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.
TITUS	The like to you kind Varro.
HORTENSIUS	Lucius!
	What, do we meet together?
Lucilius’ Servant	Ay, and I think	5
	One business does command us all; for mine Is money.
TITUS	So is theirs and ours.
[Enter PHILOTUS]
Lucilius’ Servant	And Sir Philotus too!
PHILOTUS	Good day at once.
Lucilius’ Servant	Welcome, good brother.	10
	What do you think the hour?
PHILOTUS	Labouring for nine.
Lucilius’ Servant	So much?
PHILOTUS	Is not my lord seen yet?
Lucilius’ Servant	Not yet.	15
PHILOTUS	I wonder on’t; he was wont to shine at seven.
Lucilius’ Servant	Ay, but the days are wax’d shorter with him:
	You must consider that a prodigal course
	Is like the sun’s; but not, like his, recoverable.
	I fear ’tis deepest winter in Lord Timon’s purse;	20
	That is one may reach deep enough, and yet
	Find little.
PHILOTUS	I am of your fear for that.
TITUS	I’ll show you how to observe a strange event.
	Your lord sends now for money.	25
HORTENSIUS	Most true, he does.
TITUS	And he wears jewels now of Timon’s gift,
	For which I wait for money.
HORTENSIUS	It is against my heart.
Lucilius’ Servant	Mark, how strange it shows,	30
	Timon in this should pay more than he owes:
	And e’en as if your lord should wear rich jewels,
	And send for money for ’em.
HORTENSIUS	I’m weary of this charge, the gods can witness:
	I know my lord hath spent of Timon’s wealth,	35
	And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.
Varro’s First Servant	Yes, mine’s three thousand crowns: what’s yours?
Lucilius’ Servant	Five thousand mine.
Varro’s First Servant	‘Tis much deep: and it should seem by the sun,
	Your master’s confidence was above mine;	40
	Else, surely, his had equall’d.
	Enter FLAMINIUS.
TITUS	One of Lord Timon’s men.
Lucilius’ Servant	Flaminius! Sir, a word: pray, is my lord ready to
	come forth?	45
FLAMINIUS	No, indeed, he is not.
TITUS	We attend his lordship; pray, signify so much.
FLAMINIUS	I need not tell him that; he knows you are too diligent.
[Exit]
[Enter FLAVIUS in a cloak, muffled]
Lucilius’ Servant	Ha! is not that his steward muffled so?
	He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him.	50
TITUS	Do you hear, sir?
Varro’s Second Servant	By your leave, sir,–
FLAVIUS	What do ye ask of me, my friend?
TITUS	We wait for certain money here, sir.
FLAVIUS	Ay,	55
	If money were as certain as your waiting,
	‘Twere sure enough.
	Why then preferr’d you not your sums and bills,
	When your false masters eat of my lord’s meat?
	Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts	60
	And take down the interest into their
	gluttonous maws.
	You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up;
	Let me pass quietly:
	Believe ‘t, my lord and I have made an end;	65
	I have no more to reckon, he to spend.
Lucilius’ Servant	Ay, but this answer will not serve.
FLAVIUS	If ’twill not serve,’tis not so base as you;
	For you serve knaves.
[Exit]
Varro’s First Servant	How! what does his cashiered worship mutter?	70
Varro’s Second Servant	No matter what; he’s poor, and that’s revenge
	enough. Who can speak broader than he that has no
	house to put his head in? such may rail against
	great buildings.
[Enter SERVILIUS]
TITUS	O, here’s Servilius; now we shall know some answer.	75
SERVILIUS	If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair some
	other hour, I should derive much from’t; for,
	take’t of my soul, my lord leans wondrously to
	discontent: his comfortable temper has forsook him;
	he’s much out of health, and keeps his chamber.	80
Lucilius’ Servant	Many do keep their chambers are not sick:
	And, if it be so far beyond his health,
	Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts,
	And make a clear way to the gods.
SERVILIUS	Good gods!	85
TITUS	We cannot take this for answer, sir.
FLAMINIUS	[Within] Servilius, help! My lord! my lord!
[Enter TIMON, in a rage, FLAMINIUS following]
TIMON	What, are my doors opposed against my passage?
	Have I been ever free, and must my house
	Be my retentive enemy, my gaol?	90
	The place which I have feasted, does it now,
	Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
Lucilius’ Servant	Put in now, Titus.
TITUS	My lord, here is my bill.
Lucilius’ Servant	Here’s mine.	95
HORTENSIUS	And mine, my lord.
Both Varro’s Servants	And ours, my lord.
PHILOTUS	All our bills.
TIMON	Knock me down with ’em: cleave me to the girdle.
Lucilius’ Servant	Alas, my lord,-	100
TIMON	Cut my heart in sums.
TITUS	Mine, fifty talents.
TIMON	Tell out my blood.
Lucilius’ Servant	Five thousand crowns, my lord.
TIMON	Five thousand drops pays that.	105
	What yours?–and yours?
Varro’s First Servant	My lord,–
Varro’s Second Servant	My lord,–
TIMON	Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!
[Exit]
HORTENSIUS	‘Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps	110
	at their money: these debts may well be called
	desperate ones, for a madman owes ’em.
[Exeunt]
[Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS]
TIMON	They have e’en put my breath from me, the slaves.
	Creditors? devils!
FLAVIUS	My dear lord,–	115
TIMON	What if it should be so?
FLAVIUS	My lord,–
TIMON	I’ll have it so. My steward!
FLAVIUS	Here, my lord.
TIMON	So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,	120
	Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius:
	All, sirrah, all:
	I’ll once more feast the rascals.
FLAVIUS	O my lord,
	You only speak from your distracted soul;	125
	There is not so much left, to furnish out
	A moderate table.
TIMON	Be’t not in thy care; go,
	I charge thee, invite them all: let in the tide
	Of knaves once more; my cook and I’ll provide.	130
[Exeunt]

Timon of Athens, Act 3, Scene 5