Enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, and Lords, &c. Tim. So soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again, My Alcibiades.-With me? What's your will? Caph. My lord, here is a note of certain dues. Tim. Dues? Whence are you? Caph. Tim. Go to my steward. Of Athens here, my lord. Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off To the succession of new days this month: My master is awak'd by great occasion, To call upon his own; and humbly prays you, Tim. Tim. He humbly prays your speedy payment, From Isidore; Caph. If you did know, my lord, my master's wants,Var. Serv. 'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks, And past, Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord; I do beseech you, good, my lords, keep on; [Exeunt Alcibiades and Lords. I'll wait upon you instantly.-Come hither, pray you. [To Flavius. How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds, And the detension of long-since-due debts, Against my honour? Flav Please you, gentlemen, The time is unagreeable to this business: Tim. See them well entertain'd. Flav. Do so, my friends: [Exit Timon. I pray, draw near. [Exit Flavius. Enter APEMANTUS and a Fool. Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus; let's have some sport with 'em. Var. Serv. Hang him, he'll abuse us. Apem. Dost dialogue with thy shadow? Apem. No; 'tis to thyself,-Come away. [To the Fool. Isid. Serv. [To Var. Serv.] There's the fool hangs on your back already. Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou art not on him yet. Caph. Where's the fool now? Apem. He last asked the question.-Poor rogues, and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want! All Serv. What are we, Apemantus? Apem. Asses. All Serv. Why? Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves.-Speak to 'em, fool. Fool. How do you, gentlemen? All Serv. Gramercies, good fool: How does your mistress? Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. 'Would, we could see you at Corinth. Apem. Good! gramercy. Enter Page. Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page. Page. [To the Fool] Why, how now, captain? what you in this wise company?-How dost thou, Apemantus? do Apem. 'Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably. Page. Pr'ythee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters; I know not which is which. Apem. Canst not read? Page. No. Apem. There will little learning die then, that day thou art hanged. This is to lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou'lt die a bawd. Page. Thou wast whelped a dog; and thou shalt famisli, a dog's death. Answer not, I am gone. [Exit Page. Apem. Even so thou out-run'st grace. Fool, I will go with you to lord Timon's. Fool. Will you leave me there? three usurers. You three serve All Serv. Ay; 'would they served us! Apem. So would I,—as good a trick as ever hangman served thief. Fool. Are you three usurers' men? All Serv. Ay, fool. Fool. I think, no usurer but has a fool to his servant : My mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: The reason of this? Var. Serv. I could render one. Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster, and a knave; which notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed. Var. Serv. What is a whoremaster, fool? Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. "Tis a spirit: sometime, it appears like a lord; sometime, like a lawyer; sometime, like a philosopher, with two stones more than his artificial one: He is very often like a knight; and, generally, in all shapes, that man goes up and down in, from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit walks in. Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool. Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man: foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest. as much Apem. That answer might have become Apemantus. Apem. Come, with me, fool, come. Fool. I do not always follow lover, elder brother, and woman; sometime, the philosopher. [Exeunt Apemantus and Fool. Flav. 'Pray you, walk near; I'll speak with you anon. [Exeunt Servants. 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 expense, As I had leave of means? Flav. At many leisures. I propos'd. Tim. You would not hear me, Go to: Perchance, some single vantages you took, Flav. When, for some trifling present, you have bid me And your great flow of debts, my dear-lov'd lord, Though you hear now, (too late!) yet now's a time, The greatest of your having lacks a half To pay your present debts." Tim. Let all my land be sold. 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? Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend. Flav. O, my good lord, the world is but a word; 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, With riotous feeders; when our vaults have wept And set mine eyes at flow. 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? 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 villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart; Unwisely, not ignobly, have I given. 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, |