SCENE I. A room in Lucullus' house. Timon of Athens  Shakespeare homepage  |  Timon of Athens  | Act 3, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE I. A room in Lucullus' house. 

 FLAMINIUS waiting. Enter a Servant to him  Servant  I have told my lord of you; he is coming down to you. 

 FLAMINIUS  I thank you, sir. 



 Enter LUCULLUS  Servant  Here's my lord. 

 LUCULLUS  [Aside]  One of Lord Timon's men? a gift, I 

 warrant. Why, this hits right; I dreamt of a silver 

 basin and ewer to-night. Flaminius, honest 

 Flaminius; you are very respectively welcome, sir. 

 Fill me some wine. 



 Exit Servants  And how does that honourable, complete, free-hearted 

 gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord 

 and master? 

 FLAMINIUS  His health is well sir. 

 LUCULLUS  I am right glad that his health is well, sir: and 

 what hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius? 

 FLAMINIUS  'Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir; which, 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. 

 LUCULLUS  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 ha' 

 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: I ha' told him on't, but I could ne'er get 

 him from't. 



 Re-enter Servant, with wine  Servant  Please your lordship, here is the wine. 

 LUCULLUS  Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee. 

 FLAMINIUS  Your lordship speaks your pleasure. 

 LUCULLUS  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. 



 To Servant  Get you gone, sirrah. 



 Exit Servant  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 sawest me not. Fare thee well. 

 FLAMINIUS  Is't possible the world should so much differ, 

 And we alive that lived? Fly, damned baseness, 

 To him that worships thee! 



 Throwing the money back  LUCULLUS  Ha! now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master. 



 Exit  FLAMINIUS  May these add to the number that may scald thee! 

 Let moulten coin be thy damnation, 

 Thou disease of a friend, and not himself! 

 Has friendship such a faint and milky heart, 

 It turns in less than two nights? O you gods, 

 I feel master's passion! this slave, 

 Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him: 

 Why should it thrive and turn to nutriment, 

 When he is turn'd to poison? 

 O, may diseases only work upon't! 

 And, when he's 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! 



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