The Life of Timon of Athens: ACT III
Introduction ACT I ACT II ACT III SCENE I. A room in Lucullus' house. SCENE II. A public place. SCENE III. A room in Sempronius' house. SCENE IV. The same. A hall in Timon's house. SCENE V. The same. The senate-house. The Senate sitting. SCENE VI. The same. A banqueting-room in Timon's house. ACT IV ACT V About the Play Feedback			Search: All the plays Hamlet Coriolanus Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Richard II Richard III Titus Andronicus Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry the Fifth Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry VIII King John Pericles Troilus and Cressida All's Well... As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline A Midsummer... Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives... Much Ado about Nothing The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night The Taming of... The Tempest The Two Gentlemen... The Winter's Tale    for: 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 5     Ay, and I think       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 10    Welcome, good brother.       What do you think the hour? PHILOTUS       Labouring for nine. Lucilius' Servant       So much? PHILOTUS       Is not my lord seen yet? Lucilius' Servant 15    Not yet. 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. 20    I fear 'tis deepest winter in Lord Timon's purse;       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. 25    Your lord sends now for money. 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 30    Mark, how strange it shows,       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: 35    I know my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth,       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, 40    Your master's confidence was above mine;       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 45    come forth? 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? 50    He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him. 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 55    Ay,       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? 60    Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts       And take down the interest into their       gluttonous maws.       You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up;       Let me pass quietly: 65    Believe 't, my lord and I have made an end;       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 70    How! what does his cashiered worship mutter? 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 75    O, here's Servilius; now we shall know some answer. 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; 80    he's much out of health, and keeps his chamber. 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 85    Good gods! 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 90    Be my retentive enemy, my gaol?       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 95    Here's mine. 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 100   Alas, my lord,- TIMON       Cut my heart in sums. TITUS       Mine, fifty talents. TIMON       Tell out my blood. Lucilius' Servant       Five thousand crowns, my lord. TIMON 105   Five thousand drops pays that.       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 110   'Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps       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 115   My dear lord,-- TIMON       What if it should be so? FLAVIUS       My lord,-- TIMON       I'll have it so. My steward! FLAVIUS       Here, my lord. TIMON 120   So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,       Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius:       All, sirrah, all:       I'll once more feast the rascals. FLAVIUS       O my lord, 125   You only speak from your distracted soul;       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 130   Of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide. Exeunt Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene