Apem.

Come, with me, fool, come.

Fool.

I do not always follow lover, elder brother, and woman; sometime, the philosopher.

Flav.
'Pray you, walk near; I'll speak with you anon. [Exeunt Serv.

Tim.
You make me marvel: Wherefore, ere this time,
Had you not fully laid my state before me;
That I might so have rated my expence,
As I had leave of means?

Flav.
You would not hear me,
At many leisures I propos'd.

Tim.
Go to:
Perchance, some single vantages you took,
When my indisposition put you back;
And that unaptness made your minister^{7 note}

Flav.
O my good lord!
At many times I brought in my accounts,
Laid them before you; you would throw them off,
And say, you found them in mine honesty.
When, for some trifling present, you have bid me
Return so much^{8 note}, I have shook my head, and wept;
Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray'd you
To hold your hand more close: I did endure

Not seldom, nor no slight checks; when I have
Prompted you, in the ebb of your estate,
And your great flow of debts. My lov'd lord^{9 note},
Though you hear now, (too late!) yet now's a time^{1 note}

Tim.
Let all my land be sold^{2 note}




.

Flav.
'Tis all engag'd, some forfeited and gone;
And what remains will hardly stop the mouth
Of present dues: the future comes apace:
What shall defend the interim? and at length
How goes our reckoning^{3 note}

Tim.
To Lacedæmon did my land extend.

Flav.
O my good lord, the world is but a word^{4 note};
Were it all yours to give it in a breath,
How quickly were it gone?

Tim.
You tell me true.

Flav.
If you suspect my husbandry, or falsehood,
Call me before the exactest auditors,
And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me,
When all our offices^{5 note}

With riotous feeders^{6 note}; when our vaults have wept
With drunken spilth of wine; when every room
Hath blaz'd with lights, and bray'd with minstrelsy;
I have retir'd me to a wasteful cock^{7 note}

Tim.
Pr'ythee, no more.

Flav.
Heavens, have I said, the bounty of this lord!
How many prodigal bits have slaves, and peasants,
This night englutted! Who is not Timon's^{8 note}
?

What heart, head, sword, force, means, but is lord Timon's?
Great Timon, noble, worthy, royal Timon!
Ah! when the means are gone, that buy this praise,
The breath is gone whereof this praise is made:
Feast-won, fast-lost; one cloud of winter showers,
These flies are couch'd.

Tim.
Come, sermon me no further:
No villainous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart;
Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given^{9 note}
.
Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience lack,
To think I shall lack friends? Secure thy heart;
If I would broach the vessels of my love,
And try the argument^{1 note}

Flav.
Assurance bless your thoughts!

Tim.
And, in some sort, these wants of mine are crown'd^{3 note}
,
That I account them blessings; for by these
Shall I try friends: You shall perceive, how you
Mistake my fortunes; I am wealthy in my friends.
Within there^{4 note}!—Flaminius^{5 note}! Servilius! Enter Flaminius, Servilius, and other Servants.

Serv.

My lord, my lord,—

Tim.

I will despatch you severally.—You, to lord Lucius;—To lord Lucullus you; I hunted with his honour to-day;—You, to Sempronius; commend me to their loves; and, I am proud, say, that my occasions have found time to use them toward a supply of money: let the request be fifty talents.

Flam.

As you have said, my lord.

Flav.
Lord Lucius, and Lucullus^{6 note}? humph! [Aside.

Tim.
Go you, sir, [To another Serv.] to the senators^{7 note}
,
(Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have
Deserv'd this hearing,) bid 'em send o' the instant
A thousand talents to me.

Flav.
I have been bold,
(For that I knew it the most general way^{8 note},)
To them to use your signet, and your name;
But they do shake their heads, and I am here
No richer in return.

Tim.
Is't true? can it be?

Flav.
They answer, in a joint and corporate voice,
That now they are at fall^{9 note}, want treasure, cannot
Do what they would; are sorry—you are honourable,—
But yet they could have wish'd—they know not—but^{1 note}
Something hath been amiss—a noble nature
May catch a wrench—would all were well—'tis pity—
And so, intending^{2 note}

With certain half-caps^{4 note}, and cold-moving nods^{5 note}

Tim.
You gods, reward them!—
I pr'ythee, man, look cheerly; These old fellows
Have their ingratitude in them hereditary^{6 note}:
Their blood is cak'd, 'tis cold, it seldom flows;
'Tis lack of kindly warmth, they are not kind;
And nature, as it grows again toward earth,
Is fashion'd for the journey, dull, and heavy^{7 note}

I clear'd him with five talents: Greet him from me;
Bid him suppose, some good necessity
Touches his friend^{9 note}

Flav.
I would, I could not think it^{1 note}
; That thought is bounty's foe;
Being free^{2 note} itself, it thinks all others so. [Exeunt.

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