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Timon of Athens - Act 3, scene 4
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Timon of Athens - Act 3, scene 4Act 3, scene 4
⌜Scene 4⌝
Synopsis:
The servants of Timon’s creditors gather at his gates. He confronts them in a rage and, after they are gone, orders Flavius once again to invite all his friends to dinner.
Enter Varro’s ⌜two Men,⌝ meeting ⌜Titus and⌝ others, all⌜being Men of⌝ Timon’s creditors to wait for his coming
out. Then enter ⌜Lucius’ Man⌝ and Hortensius.
VARRO’S ⌜FIRST⌝ MAN
1090 Well met. Good morrow, Titus and Hortensius.
TITUS
1091 The like to you, kind Varro.
HORTENSIUS 1092 Lucius!
1093 What, do we meet together?
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1094 5 Ay, and I think
1095 One business does command us all,
1096 For mine is money.
TITUS 1097 So is theirs and ours.
Enter Philotus.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝
1098 And, sir, Philotus’ too.
PHILOTUS 1099 10 Good day at once.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1100 Welcome, good brother.
1101 What do you think the hour?
PHILOTUS 1102 Laboring for nine.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝
1103 So much?
PHILOTUS 1104 15 Is not my lord seen yet?
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1105 Not yet.
PHILOTUS
1106 I wonder on ’t. He was wont to shine at seven.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝
1107 Ay, but the days are waxed shorter with him.
1108 You must consider that a prodigal course
1109 20 Is like the sun’s,
1110 But not, like his, recoverable. I fear
1111 ’Tis deepest winter in Lord Timon’s purse:
p.
89
1112
That is, one may reach deep enough and yet1113 Find little.
PHILOTUS 1114 25 I am of your fear for that.
TITUS
1115 I’ll show you how t’ observe a strange event.
1116 Your lord sends now for money?
HORTENSIUS 1117 Most true, he does.
TITUS
1118 And he wears jewels now of Timon’s gift,
1119 30 For which I wait for money.
HORTENSIUS 1120 It is against my heart.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1121 Mark how strange it shows:
1122 Timon in this should pay more than he owes,
1123 And e’en as if your lord should wear rich jewels
1124 35 And send for money for ’em.
HORTENSIUS
1125 I’m weary of this charge, the gods can witness.
1126 I know my lord hath spent of Timon’s wealth,
1127 And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth.
⌜VARRO’S FIRST MAN⌝
1128 Yes, mine’s three thousand crowns. What’s yours?
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1129 40Five thousand mine.
⌜VARRO’S FIRST MAN⌝
1130 ’Tis much deep, and it should seem by th’ sum
1131 Your master’s confidence was above mine,
1132 Else surely his had equaled.
Enter Flaminius.
TITUS 1133 One of Lord Timon’s men.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1134 45Flaminius? Sir, a word. Pray, is my lord
1135 ready to come forth?
FLAMINIUS 1136 No, indeed he is not.
TITUS 1137 We attend his Lordship. Pray, signify so much.
FLAMINIUS 1138 I need not tell him that. He knows you are
1139 50 too diligent.⌜He exits.⌝
Enter ⌜Flavius, the⌝ Steward in a cloak, muffled.
p.
91
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1140 Ha! Is not that his steward muffled so?
1141 He goes away in a cloud. Call him, call him.
TITUS 1142 Do you hear, sir?
VARRO’S SECOND MAN 1143 By your leave, sir.
FLAVIUS 1144 55What do you ask of me, my friend?
TITUS
1145 We wait for certain money here, sir.
FLAVIUS 1146 Ay,
1147 If money were as certain as your waiting,
1148 ’Twere sure enough.
1149 60 Why then preferred you not your sums and bills
1150 When your false masters eat of my lord’s meat?
1151 Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts
1152 And take down th’ int’rest into their glutt’nous maws.
1153 You do yourselves but wrong to stir me up.
1154 65 Let me pass quietly.
1155 Believe ’t, my lord and I have made an end.
1156 I have no more to reckon, he to spend.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1157 Ay, but this answer will not serve.
FLAVIUS
1158 If ’twill not serve, ’tis not so base as you,
1159 70 For you serve knaves.⌜He exits.⌝
VARRO’S FIRST MAN 1160 How? What does his cashiered
1161 Worship mutter?
VARRO’S SECOND MAN 1162 No matter what. He’s poor, and
1163 that’s revenge enough. Who can speak broader
1164 75 than he that has no house to put his head in? Such
1165 may rail against great buildings.
Enter Servilius.
TITUS 1166 O, here’s Servilius. Now we shall know some
1167 answer.
SERVILIUS 1168 If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair
1169 80 some other hour, I should derive much from ’t. For
1170 take ’t of my soul, my lord leans wondrously to discontent.
p.
93
1171
His comfortable temper has forsook him.1172 He’s much out of health and keeps his chamber.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝
1173 Many do keep their chambers are not sick;
1174 85 And if it be so far beyond his health,
1175 Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts
1176 And make a clear way to the gods.
SERVILIUS 1177 Good gods!
TITUS 1178 We cannot take this for answer, sir.
FLAMINIUS, within 1179 90Servilius, help! My lord, my lord!
Enter Timon in a rage.
TIMON
1180 What, are my doors opposed against my passage?
1181 Have I been ever free, and must my house
1182 Be my retentive enemy, my jail?
1183 The place which I have feasted, does it now,
1184 95 Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1185 Put in now, Titus.
TITUS 1186 My lord, here is my bill.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1187 Here’s mine.
⌜HORTENSIUS⌝ 1188 And mine, my lord.
VARRO’S SECOND MAN 1189 100And ours, my lord.
PHILOTUS 1190 All our bills.
TIMON
1191 Knock me down with ’em! Cleave me to the girdle.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1192 Alas, my lord—
TIMON 1193 Cut my heart in sums!
TITUS 1194 105Mine, fifty talents.
TIMON 1195 Tell out my blood.
⌜LUCIUS’ MAN⌝ 1196 Five thousand crowns, my lord.
TIMON
1197 Five thousand drops pays that.—What yours?—And
1198 yours?
VARRO’S FIRST MAN 1199 110My lord—
VARRO’S SECOND MAN 1200 My lord—
p.
95
TIMON 1201 Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you!
Timon exits.
HORTENSIUS 1202 Faith, I perceive our masters may throw
1203 their caps at their money. These debts may well be
1204 115 called desperate ones, for a madman owes ’em.
They exit.
Enter Timon ⌜and Flavius.⌝
TIMON
1205 They have e’en put my breath from me, the slaves!
1206 Creditors? Devils!
FLAVIUS 1207 My dear lord—
TIMON 1208 What if it should be so?
FLAVIUS 1209 120My lord—
TIMON
1210 I’ll have it so.—My steward!
FLAVIUS 1211 Here, my lord.
TIMON
1212 So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,
1213 Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius, all.
1214 125 I’ll once more feast the rascals.
FLAVIUS 1215 O my lord,
1216 You only speak from your distracted soul.
1217 There’s not so much left to furnish out
1218 A moderate table.
TIMON 1219 130Be it not in thy care. Go,
1220 I charge thee, invite them all. Let in the tide
1221 Of knaves once more. My cook and I’ll provide.
They exit.