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First Lord
I am so far already in your gifts,--
All
So are we all.
Enter a Servant
Servant
My lord, there are certain nobles of the senate
Newly alighted, and come to visit you.
TIMON
They are fairly welcome.
FLAVIUS
I beseech your honour,
Vouchsafe me a word; it does concern you near.
TIMON
Near! why then, another time I'll hear thee:
I prithee, let's be provided to show them
entertainment.
FLAVIUS
[Aside] I scarce know how.
Enter a Second Servant
Second Servant
May it please your honour, Lord Lucius,
Out of his free love, hath presented to you
Four milk-white horses, trapp'd in silver.
TIMON
I shall accept them fairly; let the presents
Be worthily entertain'd.
Enter a third Servant
How now! what news?
Third Servant
Please you, my lord, that honourable
gentleman, Lord Lucullus, entreats your company
to-morrow to hunt with him, and has sent your honour
two brace of greyhounds.
TIMON
I'll hunt with him; and let them be received,
Not without fair reward.
FLAVIUS
[Aside] What will this come to?
He commands us to provide, and give great gifts,
And all out of an empty coffer:
Nor will he know his purse, or yield me this,
To show him what a beggar his heart is,
Being of no power to make his wishes good:
His promises fly so beyond his state
That what he speaks is all in debt; he owes
For every word: he is so kind that he now
Pays interest for't; his land's put to their books.
Well, would I were gently put out of office
Before I were forced out!
Happier is he that has no friend to feed
Than such that do e'en enemies exceed.
I bleed inwardly for my lord.
Exit
TIMON
You do yourselves
Much wrong, you bate too much of your own merits:
Here, my lord, a trifle of our love.
Second Lord
With more than common thanks I will receive it.
Third Lord
O, he's the very soul of bounty!
TIMON
And now I remember, my lord, you gave
Good words the other day of a bay courser
I rode on: it is yours, because you liked it.
Second Lord
O, I beseech you, pardon me, my lord, in that.
TIMON
You may take my word, my lord; I know, no man
Can justly praise but what he does affect:
I weigh my friend's affection with mine own;
I'll tell you true. I'll call to you.
All Lords
O, none so welcome.
TIMON
I take all and your several visitations
So kind to heart, 'tis not enough to give;
Methinks, I could deal kingdoms to my friends,
And ne'er be weary. Alcibiades,
Thou art a soldier, therefore seldom rich;
It comes in charity to thee: for all thy living
Is 'mongst the dead, and all the lands thou hast
Lie in a pitch'd field.
ALCIBIADES
Ay, defiled land, my lord.
First Lord
We are so virtuously bound--
TIMON
And so
Am I to you.
Second Lord
So infinitely endear'd--
TIMON
All to you. Lights, more lights!
First Lord
The best of happiness,
Honour and fortunes, keep with you, Lord Timon!
TIMON
Ready for his friends.
Exeunt all but APEMANTUS and TIMON
APEMANTUS
What a coil's here!
Serving of becks and jutting-out of bums!
I doubt whether their legs be worth the sums
That are given for 'em. Friendship's full of dregs:
Methinks, false hearts should never have sound legs,
Thus honest fools lay out their wealth on curtseys.
TIMON
Now, Apemantus, if thou wert not sullen, I would be
good to thee.
APEMANTUS
No, I'll nothing: for if I should be bribed too,
there would be none left to rail upon thee, and then
thou wouldst sin the faster. Thou givest so long,
Timon, I fear me thou wilt give away thyself in
paper shortly: what need these feasts, pomps and
vain-glories?
TIMON
Nay, an you begin to rail on society once, I am
sworn not to give regard to you. Farewell; and come
with better music.
Exit
APEMANTUS
So:
Thou wilt not hear me now; thou shalt not then:
I'll lock thy heaven from thee.
O, that men's ears should be
To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!
Exit
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