| ACT III SCENE I | A room in Lucullus' house. | |
| [FLAMINIUS waiting. Enter a Servant to him] |
| Servant | I have told my lord of you; he is coming down to you. |
| FLAMINIUS | I thank you, sir. |
| [Enter LUCULLUS] |
| Servant | Here's my lord. |
| LUCULLUS | [Aside] One of Lord Timon's men? a gift, I
|
| warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver | 5 |
| basin and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honest |
| Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, sir. |
| Fill me some wine. |
[Exit Servants] |
| And how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted |
| gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord | 10 |
| and master? |
| FLAMINIUS | His health is well sir. |
| LUCULLUS | I am right glad that his health is well, sir: and |
| what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius? |
| FLAMINIUS | 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir; which, in my | 15 |
| 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. | 20 |
| LUCULLUS | 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, | 25 |
| 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] |
| Servant | Please your lordship, here is the wine. | 30 |
| LUCULLUS | Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee. |
| FLAMINIUS | Your lordship speaks your pleasure. |
| LUCULLUS | 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 | 35 |
| the time use thee well: good parts in thee. |
[To Servant] |
| Get you gone, sirrah. |
[Exit Servant] |
| Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a |
| bountiful gentleman: but thou art wise; and thou |
| knowest well enough, although thou comest to me, | 40 |
| that this is no time to lend money, especially upon |
| bare friendship, without security. Here's three |
| solidares for thee: good boy, wink at me, and say |
| thou sawest me not. Fare thee well. |
| FLAMINIUS | Is't possible the world should so much differ, | 45 |
| And we alive that lived? Fly, damned baseness, |
| To him that worships thee! |
| [Throwing the money back] |
| LUCULLUS | Ha! now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master. |
| [Exit] |
| FLAMINIUS | May these add to the number that may scald thee! |
| Let moulten coin be thy damnation, | 50 |
| Thou disease of a friend, and not himself! |
| Has friendship such a faint and milky heart, |
| It turns in less than two nights? O you gods, |
| I feel master's passion! this slave, |
| Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him: | 55 |
| Why should it thrive and turn to nutriment, |
| When he is turn'd to poison? |
| O, may diseases only work upon't! |
| And, when he's sick to death, let not that part of nature |
| Which my lord paid for, be of any power | 60 |
| To expel sickness, but prolong his hour! |
| [Exit] |
Sources for Timon of Athens