How goes our reckoning? Tim. To Lacedæmon did my land extend. Flav. O my good lord, the world is but a word; Tim. You tell me true. Flav. If you suspect my husbandry, or falsehood, And set me on the proof. So the gods bless me, 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? Ah! when the means are gone, that buy this praise, Tim. Come, sermon me no further: No villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart; Why dost thou weep? Canst thou the conscience lack, If I would broach the vessels of my love, And try the argument of hearts by borrowing, Flav. Assurance bless your thoughts! Tim. And, in some sort, these wants of mine are crown'd, That I account them blessings; for by these Offices---the apartments allotted to culinary purposes, &c. STEEVENS. waste, neglected, put to no use. A wasteful cock is what we now call a waste pipe; a pipe which is continually running, and thereby prevents the overflow of cisteins and other reservoirs, by carrying off their superfluous water. COLLINS. [2] Every reader must rejoice in this circumstance of comfort, which presents itself to Timon, who, though beggar'd through want of prudence, consoles himself with reflection that his ruin was not brought on by the pursuit of guilty pleasures. STEEV. [3] Argument---may mean the contents, as the argument of a book; or for evidences and proofs. JOHNSON. Shall I try friends: You shall perceive, how you Enter FLAMINIUS, SERVILIUS, and other Servants. Tim. I will despatch you severally.-You, to lord Lucius, -To lord Lucullus you; I hunted with his Honour to-day ;-You, to Sempronius ; Commend me to their loves; and, I am proud, say, That my occasions have found time to use them Be fifty talents. Flam. As you have said, my lord. Flav. Lord Lucius, and lord Lucullus ? humph! [Asi. [To another Serv. (Of whom, even to the state's best health, I have Deserv'd this hearing,) bid 'em send o'the instant A thousand talents to me. Flav. I have been bold, (For that I knew it the most gen'ral way,)* Tim. Is't true? can it be? Flav. They answer, in a joint and corporate voice, That now they are at fall, want treasure, cannot Do what they would; are sorry-you are honourable,— May catch a wrench-would all were well-'tis pity— 5 After distasteful looks, and these hard fractions," Tim. You gods, reward them!— I pr'ythee, man, look cheerly; These old fellows [4] General is not speedy, but compendious, the way to try many at a time. JOHNSON. [5] Intending is regarding, turning their notice to other things. JOHNSON. [6] Fractions---broken hints, interrupted sentences, abrupt remarks. JOHNSON. [7] A half-cap is a cap slightly moved, not put off. JOHNSON. [8] Hereditary for by natural constitution. But some distempers of natural constitution being called hereditary, he calls their ingratitude so. WARBURTON. And nature, as it grows again toward earth, Is fashion'd for the journey, dull, and heavy. Go to Ventidius,-[To a Serv.] Pr'ythee, [To FLAVIUS.] be not sad, Thou art true, and honest; ingeniously I speak," I clear'd him with five talents: Greet him from me ; Touches his friend, which craves to be remember'd With those five talents :—that had, [TO FLAVIUS.] give it these fellows, To whom 'tis instant due. Ne'er speak, or think, That Timon's fortunes 'mong his friends can sink. Flav. I would, I could not think it; That thought is bounty's foe; Being free itself, it thinks all others so.' ACT III. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-The same. A Room in LUCULLUS's House. FLAMINIUS waiting. Enter a Servant to him. Serv. I HAVE told my lord of you, he is coming down to you. Flam. I thank you, sir. Enter LUCULlus. Serv. Here's my lord. Lucul. [Aside.] One of lord Timon's men? a gift, I warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver bason and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honest Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, sir.2-Fill me some wine. [Exit Servant.]-And how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master? Flam. His health is well, sir. Lucul. I am right glad that his health is well, sir: And what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius? Flam. 'Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir; which, [9] Ingenious was anciently used instead of ingenuous. [1] Free is liberal, not parsimonious. [2] Respectfully. So in King John, ""Tis too respective." . JOHNSON. STEEVENS. REED. in my lord's behalf, I come to entreat your honour to supply; who, having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to your lordship to furnish him; nothing doubting your present assistance therein. Lucul. La, la, la, la,-nothing doubting, says he? alas, good lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a house. Many a time and often I have dined with him, and told him on't; and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him spend less and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his ;3 I have told him on't, but I could never get him from it. Re-enter Servant, with wine. : Serv. Please your lordship, here is the wine. Lucul. Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee. Flam. Your lordship speaks your pleasure. Lucul. I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spirit,-give thee thy due, and one that knows what belongs to reason and canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in thee.-Get you gone, sirrah. [To the Servant, who goes out.]-Draw nearer, honest Flaminius. Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman: but thou art wise; and thou knowest well enough, although thou comest to me, that this is no time to lend money; especially upon bare friendship, without security. Here's three solidares for thee; good boy, wink at me; and say, thou saw'st me not. Fare thee well. Flam. Is't possible, the world should so much differ; And we alive, that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness, To him that worships thee. [Throwing the money away. Lucul. Ha! Now, I see, thou art a fool, and fit for thy master. [Exit LUCULLUs, Flam. May these add to the number that may scald thee! Let molten coin be thy damnation," Thou disease of a friend, and not himself! Has friendship such a faint and milky heart, Honesty does not here mean probity, but liberality. M. MASON. And we who were alive then, alive now. As much as to say, in so short a time. [5] Perhaps the poet alludes to the punishment inflicted on M. Aquilius by Mithridates. In The Shepherd's Calendar, however, Lazarus declares himself to have seen in hell a great number of wide cauldrons and kettles full of boyling lead and oyle, with other hot metals molten, in the which were plunged and dipped the covetous men and women for to fulfill and replenish them of their insatiate covetise STEEV It turns in less than two nights ? O you gods, Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him : O, may diseases only work upon't! And, when he is sick to death, let not that part of nature Which my lord paid for, be of any power To expel sickness, but prolong his hour! SCENE II. [Exit. The same. A public Place. Enter LUCIUS, with three Strangers. Luc. Who, the lord Timon ? he is my very good friend, and an honourable gentleman. 1 Stran. We know him for no less, though we are but strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my lord, and which I hear from common rumours; now lord Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate shrinks from him. Luc. Fye, no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money. 2 Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that, not long ago, one of his men was with the lord Lucullus, to borrow so many talents; nay, urged extremely for't, and showed what necessity belonged to't, and yet was denied. Luc. How? lord. 2 Stran. I tell you, denied, my Luc. What a strange case was that? now, before the gods, I am ashamed on't. Denied that honourable man? there was very little honour showed in't. For my own part, I must needs confess, I have received some small kindnesses from him, as money, plate, jewels, and such like trifles, nothing comparing to his; yet, had he mistook him, and sent to me, I should ne'er have denied his occasion so many talents. Enter SERVILIUS. Ser. See, by good hap, yonder's my lord; I have sweat to see his honour.-My honour'd lord,[TO LUCIUS. Luc. Servilius! you are kindly met, sir. Fare thee Alluding to the turning or acescence of milk. JOHNSON. That is, we know him by report to be no less than you represent him, though we are strangers to his person. JOHNSON. [8] A certain number of talents, such a number as he might happen to want. MALONE. |
