Timon of Athens
Act III, Scene 1
Athens. A room in Lucullus’ house.
- Flaminius waiting to speak with a lord Lucullus from his
- master, enters Lucullus’s Servant to him.
Lucullus’s Servant
1- I have told my lord of you, he is coming down to you.
Flaminius
2- I thank you, sir.
- Enter Lucullus.
Lucullus’s Servant
3- Here’s my lord.
Lucullus
4 - 10- Aside.
- One of Lord Timon’s men? A gift, I warrant. Why, this hits
- right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ew’r
- tonight.—Flaminius, honest Flaminius, you are very
- respectively welcome, sir. Fill me some wine.
- Exit Lucullus’s Servant.
- And how does that honorable, complete, free-hearted
- gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and
- master?
Flaminius
11- His health is well, sir.
Lucullus
12 - 13- I am right glad that his health is well, sir; and what hast
- thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?
Flaminius
14 - 18- Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir, which, in my lord’s
- behalf, I come to entreat your honor 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.
Lucullus
19 - 26- 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’ din’d with him, and told
- him on’t, and come again to supper to him of purpose to have
- him spend less, 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.
- Enter Lucullus’s Servant with wine.
Lucullus’s Servant
27- Please your lordship, here is the wine.
Lucullus
28- Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here’s to thee.
Flaminius
29- Your lordship speaks your pleasure.
Lucullus
30 - 40- I have observ’d 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 the time use thee
- well. Good parts in thee!
- To Servant.
- Get you gone, sirrah.
- Exit Lucullus’s Servant.
- Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord’s a bountiful
- gentleman, but thou art wise, and thou know’st well enough
- (although thou com’st to me) 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 saw’st me not. Fare thee well.
Byam Shaw, 1901
Flaminius
41 - 43- Is’t possible the world should so much differ,
- And we alive that lived? Fly, damned baseness,
- To him that worships thee!
- Throwing the money back.
Lucullus
44- Ha? Now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master.
- Exit Lucullus.
Flaminius
45 - 57- May these add to the number that may scald thee!
- Let molten coin be thy damnation,
- 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 my master’s passion. This slave
- Unto his honor has my lord’s meat in him;
- 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
- To expel sickness, but prolong his hour!
- Exit.