Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare
Act 3 - Scene 1
A room in Lucullus’ house.
Servant : I have told my lord of you; he is coming down to you.
Flaminius : I thank you, sir.
Servant : Here's my lord.
Lucullus : [Aside] One of Lord Timon's men? a gift, I
[p]warrant. Why, this hits
right; I dreamt of a silver
[p]basin and ewer to-night. Flaminius,
honest
[p]Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, sir.
[p]Fill
me some wine.
[p][Exit Servants]
[p]And how does that honourable,
complete, free-hearted
[p]gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good
lord
[p]and master?
Flaminius : His health is well sir.
Lucullus : I am right glad that his health is well, sir: and
[p]what hast thou
there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?
Flaminius : 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir; which, in my
[p]lord's behalf,
I come to entreat your honour to
[p]supply; who, having great and
instant occasion to
[p]use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship
to
[p]furnish him, nothing doubting your present
[p]assistance
therein.
Lucullus : La, la, la, la! 'nothing doubting,' says he? Alas,
[p]good lord! a
noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not
[p]keep so good a house. Many a
time and often I ha'
[p]dined with him, and told him on't, and come
again to
[p]supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less,
[p]and
yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning
[p]by my coming.
Every man has his fault, and honesty
[p]is his: I ha' told him on't,
but I could ne'er get
[p]him from't.
Servant : Please your lordship, here is the wine.
Lucullus : Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee.
Flaminius : Your lordship speaks your pleasure.
Lucullus : I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt
[p]spirit--give thee
thy due--and one that knows what
[p]belongs to reason; and canst use
the time well, if
[p]the time use thee well: good parts in
thee.
[p][To Servant]
[p]Get you gone, sirrah.
[p][Exit
Servant]
[p]Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a
[p]bountiful
gentleman: but thou art wise; and thou
[p]knowest well enough,
although thou comest to me,
[p]that this is no time to lend money,
especially upon
[p]bare friendship, without security. Here's
three
[p]solidares for thee: good boy, wink at me, and say
[p]thou
sawest me not. Fare thee well.
Flaminius : Is't possible the world should so much differ,
[p]And we alive that
lived? Fly, damned baseness,
[p]To him that worships thee!
Lucullus : Ha! now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master.
Flaminius : May these add to the number that may scald thee!
[p]Let moulten coin
be thy damnation,
[p]Thou disease of a friend, and not himself!
[p]Has
friendship such a faint and milky heart,
[p]It turns in less than two
nights? O you gods,
[p]I feel master's passion! this slave,
[p]Unto
his honour, has my lord's meat in him:
[p]Why should it thrive and
turn to nutriment,
[p]When he is turn'd to poison?
[p]O, may diseases
only work upon't!
[p]And, when he's sick to death, let not that part
of nature
[p]Which my lord paid for, be of any power
[p]To expel
sickness, but prolong his hour!
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