SCENE IV. The same. A Hall in Timon's House. Enter two Servants of Varro, and the Servant of Lucius, meeting Tirus, HORTENSIUS, and other Servants to Timon's Creditors, waiting his coming

out.

Var. Serv. Well met; good-morrow, Titus and
Hortensius.

Tit. The like to you, kind Varro.
Hor.

What, do we meet together?

Luc. Serv.

Lucius?

Ay, and, I think, One business does command us all; for mine

So is theirs and ours.

Enter PHILOTUS.

Is money.

Tit.

Not yet.

Phi. I wonder on't; he was wont to shine at

seven.

Luc. Serv. Ay, but the days are waxed shorter with him:

You must consider that a prodigal course
Is like the sun's; but not, like his, recoverable.
I fear,

'Tis deepest winter in Lord Timon's purse; That is, one may reach deep enough, and yet Find little.

Phi.

I am of your fear for that. Tit. I'll show you how to observe a strange

eveut.

Your lord sends now for money.

Hor.

Most true, he does.

Tit. And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift,

For which you wait for money.

Hor. It is against my heart.

Luc. Serv.

Mark, how strange it shows,

Timon in this should pay more than he owes : And e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels, And send for money for 'em.

Hor. I am weary of this charge, the gods can witness:

I know, my lord hath spent of Timon's wealth, And now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth. 1 Var. Serv. Yes, mine's three thousand crowns: What's yours?

Luc. Serv. Five thousand mine.

1 Var. Serv. 'Tis much deep: and it should
seem by the sum,

Your master's confidence was above mine;
Else, surely, his had equall'd.

Enter FLAMINIUS.

Tit. One of Lord Timon's men.

Luc. Serv. Flaminius! sir, a word: 'Pray, is my lord ready to come forth?

Flam. No, indeed, he is not.

Tit. We attend his lordship; 'pray, signify so much.

Flam. I need not tell him that; he knows, you are too diligent. [Exit FLAMINIUS. Enter FLAVIUS in a cloak, muffled.

Luc. Serv. Ha! is not that his steward muffled so.

He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him.
Tit. Do you hear, sir?

1 Var. Serv. By your leave, sir,——
Flav. What do you ask of me, my friend?
Tit. We wait for certain money here, sir.
Flav.

Ay,

If money were as certain as your waiting, 'Twere sure enough. Why then preferr'd you not Your sums and bills, when your false masters eat Of my lord's meat? Then they could smile and fawn

Upon his debts, and take down th' interest Into their gluttonous maws. You do yourselves but wrong,

To stir me up; let me pass quietly:

Believe't, my lord and I have made an end;
I have no more to reckon, he to spend.

Luc. Serv. Ay, but this answer will not serve.

If 'twill not,

Flav. 'Tis not so base as you; for you serve knaves.

[Exit.

1 Var. Ser. How! what does his cashier'd worship mutter?

2 Var. Serv. No matter what; he's poor, and that's revenge enough. Who can speak broader than he that has no house to put his head in? such may rail against great buildings.

Enter SERVILIUS.

Tit. O, here's Servilius; now we shall know

some answer.

Ser. If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair some other hour, I should derive much from it for, take it on my soul, my lord leans wondrously to discontent. His comfortable temper has forsook him; he is much out of health, and keeps his chamber.

Luc. Serv. Many do keep their chambers, are not sick :

And, if it be so far beyond his health, Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts, And make a clear way to the gods.

Ser..

Good gods! Tit. We cannot take this for an answer, sir. Flam. [Within.] Servilius, help!-my lord! my lord!

Enter TIMON, in a rage; FLAMINIUS following. Tim. What, are my doors oppos'd against my passage?

Have I been ever free, and must my house
Be my retentive enemy, my gaol?

The place, which I have feasted, does it now,
Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
Luc. Serv. Put in now, Titus.

Tit. My lord, here is my bill.

Luc. Serv. Here's mine.

Hor. Serv. And mine, my lord.

Both Var. Serv. And ours, my lord.

Phi. All our bills.

Tim. Knock me down with 'em: cleave me

1

1

y more thar
ould we crowns, my lord.
pays hat.-

Tim. Tell out my bl Luc. Serv. Five thou. Tim. Five thousand a.. What yours?-and yours? 1 Var. Serv. My lord, 2 Var. Serv. My lord,

rge,

mor

Tim. Tear me, take me, and the Athgods fall upon

you!

[Erit.

may throw may well

Hor. 'Faith, I perceive our masters their caps at their money; these debts be called desperate ones, for a madman owes

'em.

Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS.

Tim. They have e'en put my breath from me,

the slaves:

Creditors!-devils.

Flav. My dear lord,

Tim. What if it should be so?

Flav. My lord,

Tim. I'll have it so:-My steward!

Flav. Here, my lord,

Tim. So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again, Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius; all:

I'll once more feast the rascals.

Flav.
O, my lord,
You only speak from your distracted soul;
There is not so much left, to furnish out
A moderate table.

Tim.

Be't not in thy care; go,

I charge thee; invite them all: let in the tide Of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide. [Exeunt.

SCENE V. The same. The Senate House. The Senate sitting. Enter ALCIBIADES, attended. 1 Sen. My lord, you have my voice to't; the fault's

Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die:
Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

2 Sen. Most true; the law shall bruise him. : Alcib. Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!

1 Sen. Now, captain?

Alcib. I am an humble suitor to your virtues; For pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyra

oise it cruelly.

It pleases time, artune, to lie heavy
Upon a friend of e, who in hot blood,

Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
To those that, without heed, do plunge into it.
He is a man, setting his fate aside,

Of comely virtues :

Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice

(An honour in him, which buys out his fault);
But, with a noble fury, and fair spirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppose, his foe:

And with such sober and unnoted passion
He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent,
As if he had but prov'd an argument.

1 Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox,
Striving to make an ugly deed look fair:
Your words have took such pains, as if they
labour'd

To bring manslaughter into form, set quarrelling
Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,
Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
When sects and factions were newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wisely suffer
The worst that man can breathe; and make his
wrongs

His outsides; wear them like his raiment, care-
lessly;

And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill,
What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill!

Alcib. My lord,

1 Sen. You cannot make gross sins look clear; To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

Alcib. My lords, then, under favour, pardon

me,

If I speak like a captain.—

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threatenings? sleep upon it,
And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? but if there be
Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad? why then, women are more valiant,
That stay at home, if bearing carry it;

And th' ass more captain than the lion; the felon,