SCENE I. A Senator's house. Timon of Athens  Shakespeare homepage  |  Timon of Athens  | Act 2, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE I. A Senator's house. 

 Enter Senator, with papers in his hand  Senator  And late, five thousand: to Varro and to Isidore 

 He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum, 

 Which makes it five and twenty. Still in motion 

 Of raging waste? It cannot hold; it will not. 

 If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dog, 

 And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold. 

 If I would sell my horse, and buy twenty more 

 Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon, 

 Ask nothing, give it him, it foals me, straight, 

 And able horses. No porter at his gate, 

 But rather one that smiles and still invites 

 All that pass by. It cannot hold: no reason 

 Can found his state in safety. Caphis, ho! 

 Caphis, I say! 



 Enter CAPHIS  CAPHIS  Here, sir; what is your pleasure? 

 Senator  Get on your cloak, and haste you to Lord Timon; 

 Importune him for my moneys; be not ceased 

 With slight denial, nor then silenced when-- 

 'Commend me to your master'--and the cap 

 Plays in the right hand, thus: but tell him, 

 My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn 

 Out of mine own; his days and times are past 

 And my reliances on his fracted dates 

 Have smit my credit: I love and honour him, 

 But must not break my back to heal his finger; 

 Immediate are my needs, and my relief 

 Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words, 

 But find supply immediate. Get you gone: 

 Put on a most importunate aspect, 

 A visage of demand; for, I do fear, 

 When every feather sticks in his own wing, 

 Lord Timon will be left a naked gull, 

 Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone. 

 CAPHIS  I go, sir. 

 Senator  'I go, sir!'--Take the bonds along with you, 

 And have the dates in contempt. 

 CAPHIS  I will, sir. 

 Senator  Go. 



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