Read Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Titus Andronicus & Timon of Athens (30 page)
Exit Servilius
Calls after him
LUCIUS
I’ll
look you out a good turn,
56
Servilius.—
True as you said, Timon is
shrunk
57
indeed:
And he that’s once denied will
hardly speed.
58
Exit
FIRST STRANGER
Do you observe this, Hostilius?
SECOND STRANGER
Ay, too well.
FIRST STRANGER
Why, this is the
world’s soul
, and just of the same
piece
61
Is every flatterer’s sport. Who can call him his friend
That
dips in the same dish
? For,
in my knowing,
63
Timon has
been this lord’s father,
64
And
kept his
credit
with
his
65
purse,
Supported his estate: nay, Timon’s money
Has paid his men their wages. He ne’er drinks,
But Timon’s silver
treads
68
upon his lip,
And yet — O, see the
monstrousness
69
of man
When he
looks out
70
in an ungrateful shape! —
He does deny him,
in respect of his,
71
What charitable men afford to beggars.
THIRD STRANGER
Religion groans at it.
FIRST STRANGER
For mine own part,
I never
tasted Timon
75
in my life,
Nor came any of his bounties
over
76
me
To mark me for his friend: yet I protest,
For his right noble mind, illustrious virtue
And honourable
carriage,
79
Had his necessity made use of me
I would have
put my wealth into donation,
81
And the best half should have returned to him,
So much I love his heart. But I perceive
Men must learn now
with pity to dispense,
84
For
policy
85
sits above conscience.
Exeunt
running scene 7
Enter a third Servant with Sempronius, another of Timon’s friends
SEMPRONIUS
Must he needs trouble me in’t. Hum! ’Bove all
others?
He might have tried Lord Lucius or Lucullus,
And now Ventidius is wealthy too,
Whom he redeemed from prison: all these
Owes their estates unto him.
SERVANT
My lord,
They have all been
touched
7
and found base metal,
For they have all denied him.
SEMPRONIUS
How? Have they denied him?
Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him,
And does he send to me? Three? Hum!
It shows but little love or judgement in him.
Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians,
Thrive, give him over
14
: must I take th’cure upon me?
He’s much disgraced me in’t: I’m angry at him,
That
might have known
my place
. I see no
sense for’t,
16
But his occasions might have wooed me first,
For,
in my conscience,
18
I was the first man
That e’er receivèd gift from him:
And does he think so
backwardly
20
of me now
That I’ll
requite
21
it last? No:
So it may prove an
argument of
22
laughter
To th’rest, and ’mongst lords be thought a fool.
I’d rather than the worth of thrice the sum,
Had
sent to me first,
but for my mind’s sake:
25
I’d such a
courage
26
to do him good. But now return,
And with their
faint
27
reply this answer join:
Who
bates
28
mine honour shall not know my coin.
Exit
SERVANT
Excellent. Your lordship’s a
goodly
29
villain. The devil
knew not what he did when he made man
politic
; he
crossed
30
himself by’t, and I cannot think but in the end the villainies
of man will
set him clear
. How
fairly
32
this lord strives to
appear
foul
!
Takes virtuous copies to be wicked
33
, like those
that under hot ardent
zeal
would
set whole realms on fire
34
: of
such a nature is his politic love.
This was my lord’s best hope. Now all are fled,
Save only the gods. Now his friends are
dead.
37
Doors that were ne’er acquainted with their
wards
38
Many
39
a bounteous year must be employed
Now to guard
sure
40
their master.
And this is all a
liberal
41
course allows:
Who cannot keep his wealth must
keep his house.
42
Exit
running scene 8
Enter Varro’s man meeting others: all Timon’s creditors to wait for his coming out. Then enter
[
a Servant of
]
Lucius
, [
Titus
]
and Hortensius
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?
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Ay, and I think one business does command us all,
For mine is money.
TITUS
So is theirs and ours.
Enter Philotus
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
And Sir Philotus too!
PHILOTUS
Good day
at once.
8
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Welcome, good brother.
What do you think
the hour?
10
PHILOTUS
Labouring for
11
nine.
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
So
much?
12
PHILOTUS
Is not my lord seen yet?
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Not yet.
PHILOTUS
I wonder
on’t
: he was
wont
to
shine
15
at seven.
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Ay, but the days are
waxed
16
shorter with him:
You must consider that a
prodigal
17
course
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
22
your fear for that.
TITUS
I’ll show you how
t’observe
23
a strange event.
Your lord sends now for money?
HORTENSIUS
Most true, he does.
TITUS
And he wears jewels now of Timon’s gift,
HORTENSIUS
It is against my
heart.
28
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Mark
how strange it
shows:
29
Timon in this should pay more than he owes,
And
e’en as if your lord should wear rich jewels,
31
And send for money for ’em.
HORTENSIUS
I’m weary of this
charge
33
, the gods can witness:
I know my lord hath spent of Timon’s wealth,
And now ingratitude makes it worse than
stealth.
35
VARRO’S FIRST SERVANT
Yes, mine’s three thousand crowns: what’s yours?
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Five thousand mine.
VARRO’S FIRST SERVANT
’Tis
much deep
38
, and it should seem by th’sum,
Your master’s
confidence
was above
mine,
39
Else surely
his had equalled.
40
Enter Flaminius
TITUS
One of Lord Timon’s men.
LUCIUS’ 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.
45
FLAMINIUS
I need not tell him that: he knows you are too
[
Exit
]
Enter Steward
[
Flavius
]
in a cloak, muffled
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Ha? Is not that his steward muffled so?
He goes away
in a cloud
49
. 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
53
money here, sir.
FLAVIUS
Ay,
If money were as certain as your waiting,
’Twere sure enough.
Why then
preferred
57
you not your sums and bills
When your
false
58
masters eat of my lord’s meat?
Then they could smile and
fawn
59
upon his debts
And
take down
th’interest into their glutt’nous
maws.
60
You do yourselves but wrong to
stir me up:
61
Let me pass quietly.
Believe’t, my lord and I have
made an end:
63
I have no more to
reckon
64
, he to spend.
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Ay, but this answer will not
serve.
65
FLAVIUS
If ’twill not serve, ’tis not so
base
66
as you,
For you serve knaves.
[
Exit
]
VARRO’S FIRST SERVANT
How? What does his
cashiered
worship
68
mutter?
VARRO’S SECOND SERVANT
No matter what: he’s poor, and that’s
revenge enough. Who can speak
broader
70
than he that has
no house to put his head in? Such may
rail
71
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
74
some
other hour, I should derive much from’t, for,
take’t of my soul,
75
my lord leans
wondrously
to discontent: his
comfortable
76
temper has
forsook
him; he’s much out of health, and
keeps
77
his chamber.
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Many do keep their chambers are not sick,
And
if it be so far beyond his health,
80
Methinks he should the sooner pay his debts
And
make a
clear
82
way to the gods.
SERVILIUS
Good gods!
TITUS
We cannot take this for answer, sir.
Within
FLAMINIUS
Servilius, help! My lord, my lord!
Enter Timon, in a rage
TIMON
What, are my doors opposed against my
passage?
86
Have I been ever
free
87
, and must my house
Be my
retentive
88
enemy, my jail?
The place which I have feasted, does it now,
Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Put in
91
now, Titus.
TITUS
My lord, here is my bill.
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Here’s mine.
HORTENSIUS
And mine, my lord.
VARRO’S FIRST
and
SECOND SERVANTS
And ours, my lord.
PHILOTUS
All our bills.
TIMON
Knock me down with ’em
:
cleave
me to the
girdle.
97
LUCIUS’ SERVANT
Alas, my lord.
TIMON
Cut my heart in
sums.
99
TITUS
Mine, fifty talents.
TIMON
Tell
101
out my blood
LUCIUS’ 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
106
you!