Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare
Act 3 - Scene 2
A public place.
Lucilius : Who, the Lord Timon? he is my very good friend, and
[p]an honourable
gentleman.
First Stranger : We know him for no less, though we are but strangers
[p]to him. But I
can tell you one thing, my lord, and
[p]which I hear from common
rumours: now Lord Timon's
[p]happy hours are done and past, and his
estate
[p]shrinks from him.
Lucilius : Fie, no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money.
Second Stranger : But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago,
[p]one of his men
was with the Lord Lucullus to borrow
[p]so many talents, nay, urged
extremely for't and
[p]showed what necessity belonged to't, and yet
was denied.
Lucilius : How!
Second Stranger : I tell you, denied, my lord.
Lucilius : What a strange case was that! now, before the gods,
[p]I am ashamed
on't. Denied that honourable man!
[p]there was very little honour
showed in't. For my own
[p]part, I must needs confess, I have received
some
[p]small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels
[p]and
such-like trifles, nothing comparing to his;
[p]yet, had he mistook
him and sent to me, I should
[p]ne'er have denied his occasion so many
talents.
Servilius : See, by good hap, yonder's my lord;
[p]I have sweat to see his honour.
My honoured lord,--
Lucilius : Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare thee well:
[p]commend me to
thy honourable virtuous lord, my very
[p]exquisite friend.
Servilius : May it please your honour, my lord hath sent--
Lucilius : Ha! what has he sent? I am so much endeared to
[p]that lord; he's ever
sending: how shall I thank
[p]him, thinkest thou? And what has he sent
now?
Servilius : Has only sent his present occasion now, my lord;
[p]requesting your
lordship to supply his instant use
[p]with so many talents.
Lucilius : I know his lordship is but merry with me;
[p]He cannot want fifty five
hundred talents.
Servilius : But in the mean time he wants less, my lord.
[p]If his occasion were
not virtuous,
[p]I should not urge it half so faithfully.
Lucilius : Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius?
Servilius : Upon my soul,'tis true, sir.
Lucilius : What a wicked beast was I to disfurnish myself
[p]against such a good
time, when I might ha' shown
[p]myself honourable! how unluckily it
happened, that I
[p]should purchase the day before for a little
part,
[p]and undo a great deal of honoured! Servilius, now,
[p]before
the gods, I am not able to do,--the more
[p]beast, I say:--I was
sending to use Lord Timon
[p]myself, these gentlemen can witness! but
I would
[p]not, for the wealth of Athens, I had done't now.
[p]Commend
me bountifully to his good lordship; and I
[p]hope his honour will
conceive the fairest of me,
[p]because I have no power to be kind: and
tell him
[p]this from me, I count it one of my
greatest
[p]afflictions, say, that I cannot pleasure such
an
[p]honourable gentleman. Good Servilius, will you
[p]befriend me so
far, as to use mine own words to him?
Servilius : Yes, sir, I shall.
Lucilius : I'll look you out a good turn, Servilius.
[p][Exit SERVILIUS]
[p]True
as you said, Timon is shrunk indeed;
[p]And he that's once denied will
hardly speed.
First Stranger : Do you observe this, Hostilius?
Second Stranger : Ay, too well.
First Stranger : Why, this is the world's soul; and just of the
[p]same piece
[p]Is
every flatterer's spirit. Who can call him
[p]His friend that dips in
the same dish? for, in
[p]My knowing, Timon has been this lord's
father,
[p]And kept his credit with his purse,
[p]Supported his
estate; nay, Timon's money
[p]Has paid his men their wages: he ne'er
drinks,
[p]But Timon's silver treads upon his lip;
[p]And yet--O, see
the monstrousness of man
[p]When he looks out in an ungrateful
shape!--
[p]He does deny him, in respect of his,
[p]What charitable
men afford to beggars.
Third Stranger : Religion groans at it.
First Stranger : For mine own part,
[p]I never tasted Timon in my life,
[p]Nor came any
of his bounties over me,
[p]To mark me for his friend; yet, I
protest,
[p]For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue
[p]And
honourable carriage,
[p]Had his necessity made use of me,
[p]I would
have put my wealth into donation,
[p]And the best half should have
return'd to him,
[p]So much I love his heart: but, I perceive,
[p]Men
must learn now with pity to dispense;
[p]For policy sits above
conscience.
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