SCENE IV. The same. A hall in Timon's house. Timon of Athens  Shakespeare homepage  |  Timon of Athens  | Act 3, Scene 4 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE IV. The same. A hall in Timon's house. 

 Enter two Servants of Varro, and the Servant of  LUCIUS, meeting TITUS, HORTENSIUS, and other Servants of TIMON's creditors, waiting his coming out  Varro's 

 First Servant  Well met; good morrow, Titus and Hortensius. 

 TITUS  The like to you kind Varro. 

 HORTENSIUS  Lucius! 

 What, do we meet together? 

 Lucilius' Servant	Ay, and I think 

 One business does command us all; for mine Is money. 

 TITUS  So is theirs and ours. 



 Enter PHILOTUS  Lucilius' Servant	And Sir Philotus too! 

 PHILOTUS  Good day at once. 

 Lucilius' Servant	                  Welcome, good brother. 

 What do you think the hour? 

 PHILOTUS  Labouring for nine. 

 Lucilius' Servant	So much? 

 PHILOTUS  Is not my lord seen yet? 

 Lucilius' Servant	Not yet. 

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

 Lucilius' Servant	Ay, but the days are wax'd 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. 

 PHILOTUS  I am of your fear for that. 

 TITUS  I'll show you how to observe a strange event. 

 Your lord sends now for money. 

 HORTENSIUS  Most true, he does. 

 TITUS  And he wears jewels now of Timon's gift, 

 For which I wait for money. 

 HORTENSIUS  It is against my heart. 

 Lucilius' Servant	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. 

 HORTENSIUS  I'm 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. 

 Varro's 

 First Servant  Yes, mine's three thousand crowns: what's yours? 

 Lucilius' Servant	Five thousand mine. 

 Varro's 

 First Servant  'Tis much deep: and it should seem by the sun, 

 Your master's confidence was above mine; 

 Else, surely, his had equall'd. 

 Enter FLAMINIUS. 

 TITUS  One of Lord Timon's men. 

 Lucilius' Servant	Flaminius! Sir, a word: pray, is my lord ready to 

 come forth? 

 FLAMINIUS  No, indeed, he is not. 

 TITUS  We attend his lordship; pray, signify so much. 

 FLAMINIUS  I need not tell him that; he knows you are too diligent. 



 Exit 

 Enter FLAVIUS in a cloak, muffled  Lucilius' Servant	Ha! is not that his steward muffled so? 

 He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him. 

 TITUS  Do you hear, sir? 

 Varro's 

 Second Servant  By your leave, sir,-- 

 FLAVIUS  What do ye ask of me, my friend? 

 TITUS  We wait for certain money here, sir. 

 FLAVIUS  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 the 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. 

 Lucilius' Servant	Ay, but this answer will not serve. 

 FLAVIUS  If 'twill not serve,'tis not so base as you; 

 For you serve knaves. 



 Exit  Varro's 

 First Servant  How! what does his cashiered worship mutter? 

 Varro's 

 Second Servant  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  TITUS  O, here's Servilius; now we shall know some answer. 

 SERVILIUS  If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to repair some 

 other hour, I should derive much from't; for, 

 take't of my soul, my lord leans wondrously to 

 discontent: his comfortable temper has forsook him; 

 he's much out of health, and keeps his chamber. 

 Lucilius' Servant: 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. 

 SERVILIUS  Good gods! 

 TITUS  We cannot take this for answer, sir. 

 FLAMINIUS  [Within]  Servilius, help! My lord! my lord! 



 Enter TIMON, in a rage, FLAMINIUS following  TIMON  What, are my doors opposed 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? 

 Lucilius' Servant	Put in now, Titus. 

 TITUS  My lord, here is my bill. 

 Lucilius' Servant	Here's mine. 

 HORTENSIUS  And mine, my lord. 

 Both 

 Varro's Servants	And ours, my lord. 

 PHILOTUS  All our bills. 

 TIMON  Knock me down with 'em: cleave me to the girdle. 

 Lucilius' Servant	Alas, my lord,- 

 TIMON  Cut my heart in sums. 

 TITUS  Mine, fifty talents. 

 TIMON  Tell out my blood. 

 Lucilius' Servant	Five thousand crowns, my lord. 

 TIMON  Five thousand drops pays that. 

 What yours?--and yours? 

 Varro's 

 First Servant  My lord,-- 

 Varro's 

 Second Servant  My lord,-- 

 TIMON  Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon you! 



 Exit  HORTENSIUS  'Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps 

 at their money: these debts may well be called 

 desperate ones, for a madman owes 'em. 



 Exeunt 

 Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS  TIMON  They have e'en put my breath from me, the slaves. 

 Creditors? devils! 

 FLAVIUS  My dear lord,-- 

 TIMON  What if it should be so? 

 FLAVIUS  My lord,-- 

 TIMON  I'll have it so. My steward! 

 FLAVIUS  Here, my lord. 

 TIMON  So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again, 

 Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius: 

 All, sirrah, all: 

 I'll once more feast the rascals. 

 FLAVIUS  O my lord, 

 You only speak from your distracted soul; 

 There is not so much left, to furnish out 

 A moderate table. 

 TIMON  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  Shakespeare homepage  |  Timon of Athens  | Act 3, Scene 4 

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