THE LIFE OF TIMON OF ATHENS

Act 3 Scene 1

(Enter Flaminius, with a box under his cloak, waiting to speak with Lucullus. From his master, enters a Servant to him)
l1l	Lucullus' Servant	 I have told my lord of you. He is
l2l		coming down to you.
l3l	Flaminius	I thank you, sir.
		(Enter Lucullus)
l4l	Lucullus' Servant	 Here’s my lord.
l5l	Lucullus	(aside)
		 One of Lord Timon’s men? A gift, I
l6l		warrant. Why, this hits right# I dreamt of a silver basin
l7l		and ewer tonight.—Flaminius, honest Flaminius, you
l8l		are very respectively welcome, sir.
		(To his Servant)
		 Fill
l9l		me some wine.
		(Exit Servant)
l10l		And how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted
l11l		gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and
l12l		master?
l13l	Flaminius	His health is well, sir.
l14l	Lucullus	I am right glad that his health is well, sir. And
l15l		what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?
l16l	Flaminius	Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir, which
l17l		in my lord’s behalf I come to entreat your honour to
l18l		supply, who, having great and instant occasion to use
l19l		fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to furnish him,
l20l		nothing doubting your present assistance therein.
l21l	Lucullus	La, la, la, la, “nothing doubting” says he? Alas,
l22l		good lord! A noble gentleman ’tis, if he would not keep
l23l		so good a house. Many a time and often I ha’ dined
l24l		with him and told him on ’t, and come again to supper
l25l		to him of purpose to have him spend less# and yet he
l26l		would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my
l27l		coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his. I
l28l		ha’ told him on ’t, but I could ne’er get him from ’t.
		(Enter Servant, with wine)
l29l	Servant	 Please your lordship, here is the wine.
l30l	Lucullus	Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise.
l31l		(Drinking)
		 Here’s to thee!
l32l	Flaminius	Your lordship speaks your pleasure.
l33l	Lucullus	I have observed thee always for a towardly
l34l		prompt spirit, give thee thy due, and one that knows
l35l		what belongs to reason# and canst use the time well if
l36l		the time use thee well.
		(Drinking)
		 Good parts in thee!
l37l		(To his Servant)
		 Get you gone, sirrah.
		(Exit Servant)
l38l		Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord’s a bountiful
l39l		gentleman# but thou art wise, and thou know’st well
l40l		enough, although thou com’st to me, that this is no
l41l		time to lend money, especially upon bare friendship
l42l		without security.
		(Giving coins)
		 Here’s three solidares
l43l		for thee. Good boy, wink at me, and say thou saw’st
l44l		me not. Fare thee well.
l45l	Flaminius	 Is ’t possible the world should so much differ,
l46l		And we alive that lived?
		(He throws the coins at Lucullus)
		 Fly, damnèd baseness,
l47l		To him that worships thee.
l48l	Lucullus	 Ha! Now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy
l49l		master.
		(Exit)
l50l	Flaminius	 May these add to the number that may scald thee.
l51l		Let molten coin be thy damnation,
l52l		Thou disease of a friend, and not himself.
l53l		Has friendship such a faint and milky heart
l54l		It turns in less than two nights? O you gods,
l55l		I feel my master’s passion! This slave
l56l		Unto this hour has my lord’s meat in him.
l57l		Why should it thrive and turn to nutriment,
l58l		When he is turned to poison?
l59l		O, may diseases only work upon ’t#
l60l		And when he’s sick to death, let not that part of nature
l61l		Which my lord paid for be of any power
l62l		To expel sickness, but prolong his hour.
		(Exit)