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 to TIMON's Creditors, waiting his coming out. Var. Serv. Well met; good-morrow, Titus and Hortensius. Tit. The like to you, kind Varro. Hor. Lucius ? What, do we meet together Luc. Serv. Ay, and, I think, One business does command us all; for mine Is money. Tit. So is theirs and ours. Enter PHILOTUS. Luc. Serv. And sir Philotus too! Phi. Good day at once. Luc. Serv. Welcome, good brother. What do you think the hour? Phi. Labouring for nine. Luc. Serv. So much? Phi. Is not my lord seen yet? Luc. Serv. Not yet. Phi. I wonder on't; he was wont to shine at seven. Luc.Ser. Ay,but the days are waxed 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; That is, one may reach deep enough, and yet Find little.7 Phi. I am of your fear for that. Tit. I'll show you how to observe a strange event. Your lord sends now for money. Hor. Most true, he does. Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift, For which I wait for money. Hor. It is against my heart. Luc. Serv. Mark, how strange it shows, [6] That is, like him in blaze and splendour. "Soles occidere et redire possunt." Catul. JOHNS. [7] Still perhaps alluding to the effects of winter, during which some animals are obliged to seek their scanty provision thro' a depth of snow. STEE. Timon in this should pay more than he owes : Hor. I am weary of this charge, the gods can witness: I know, my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth, And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth. 1 Var. Serv. Yes, mine's three thousand crowns: What's yours? Luc. Serv. Five thousand mine. 1 Var. Serv. 'Tis much deep and it should seem by the sum, Your master's confidence was above mine; Else, surely, his had equall'd. Enter FLAMINIUS. Tit. One of lord Timon's men. Luc. Serv. Flaminius! sir, a word: 'Pray, is my lord ready to come forth? Flam. No, indeed, he is not. Tit. We attend his lordship; 'pray, signify so much. Flam. I need not tell him that; he knows, you are too diligent. Enter FLAVIUS in a cloak, muffled. [Exit. Luc. Serv. Ha! is not that his steward muffled so? He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him. Tit. Do you hear, sir? 1 Var. Serv. By your leave, sir, Flav. What do you ask of me, my friend? 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, and take down th' 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; I have no more to reckon, he to spend. Luc. Serv. Ay, but this answer will not serve. 'Tis not so base as you; For you serve knaves. [Exit. 1 Var. Serv. How! what does his cashier'd worship mutter? [8] That is, of this commission, of this employment. JOHNS. 2 Var. Serv. 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. Tit. O, here's Servilius; now we shall know Some answer. Ser. If I might beseech you, gentlemen, He is much out of health, and keeps his chamber. Methinks, he should the sooner pay his debts, Ser. Good gods! Tit. We cannot take this for an answer, sir. Flam. [within.] Servilius, help!-my lord! my lord !— The place, which I have feasted, does it now, Luc. Serv. Put in now, Titus. Tit. My lord, here is my bill. Luc. Serv. Here's mine. Hor. Serv. And mine, my lörd. Both Var. Serv. And ours, my lord. Phi. All our bills. Tim. Knock me down with 'em : cleave me to the girdle. Luc. Serv. Alas! my lord,- Tim. Cut my heart in sums. Tit. Mine, fifty talents. Tim. Tell out my blood. Luc. Serv. Five thousand crowns, my lord.. Tim. Five thousand drops pays that. What yours?-and yours? 1 Var. Serv. My lord, [8] Timon catches at the word bills, and alludes to the bills or battle-axes, which the ancient soldiery_carried, and were still used by the watch in Shakspeare's time. STÉEV. VOL. VII. 2 Var. Serv. My lord, Tim. Tear me,take me,and the gods fall on you! [Exit. Hor. '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. Tim. They have e'en put my breath from me, the slaves: Creditors !-devils. Flav. My dear lord, Tim. What if it should be so ? Flav. My lord, Tim. I'll have it so :-My steward! Flav. Here, my lord. Tim. So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again, Flav. O my lord, You only speak from your distracted soul; Tim. Be't not in thy care; go, I charge thee; invite them all: let in the tide The same. SCENE V. [Exeunt. The Senate-House. The Senate sitting. Enter AL- 1 Sen. My lord, you have my voice to it; the fault's Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die : Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy. 2 Sen. Most true; the law shall bruise him. Alcib. Honour, health, and compassion to the senate! 1 Sen. Now, captain? Alcib. I am an humble suitor to your virtues ; For pity is the virtue of the law, And none but tyrants use it cruelly. It pleases time, and fortune, to lie heavy Upon a friend of mine, who, in hot blood, Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth [1] Putting this action of his, which was pre-determined by fate, out of the question. STEEV. Of comely virtues ;. Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice ; And with such sober and unnoted passion 1 Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox, 3 Striving to make an ugly deed look fair: Your words have took such pains, as if they labour'd Is valour misbegot, and came into the world The worst that man can breathe; and make his wrongs His outsides; wear them like his raiment, carelessly; And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart, To bring it into danger. If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill, Alcib. My lord, 1 Sen. You cannot make gross sins look clear; To revenge is no valour, but to bear. Alcib. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me, Why do fond men expose themselves to battle, That stay at home, if bearing carry it ; And th' ass, more captain than the lion; the felon, If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords, As you are great, be pitifully good : Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood? To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;5 [2] Unnoted, for common, bounded.-Behave, for curb, manage. WARB. [3] You undertake a paradox too hard. JOHNSON. [4] What do we, or what have we to do in the field? JOHNS. [5] I believe gust means rashness. The allusion may be to a sudden gust of wind. STEEV. |