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Act 3, Scene 1

Athens. A Room in LUCULLUS' House.

  1. [FLAMINIUS waiting.]
  2. [Enter a SERVANT to him.]
  3. Servant
  4. 847 I have told my lord of you; he is coming down to you.
  5. Flaminius
  6. 848 I thank you, sir.
  7. [Enter LUCULLUS.]
  8. Servant
  9. 849 Here's my lord.
  10. [Aside.]
  11. Lucullus
  12. 850 One of Lord Timon's men! a gift, I warrant. Why, this
  13. 851 hits right; I dreamt of a silver basin and ewer to-night.
  14. 852 Flaminius, honest Flaminius, you are very respectively
  15. 853 welcome, sir. Fill me some wine.
  16. [Exit SERVANT.]
  17. Lucullus
  18. 854 And how does that honourable, complete, freehearted
  19. 855 gentleman of Athens, thy very bountiful good lord and master?
  20. Flaminius
  21. 856 His health is well, sir.
  22. Lucullus
  23. 857 I am right glad that his health is well, sir. And what
  24. 858 hast thou there under thy cloak, pretty Flaminius?
  25. Flaminius
  26. 859 Faith, nothing but an empty box, sir; which in my lord's
  27. 860 behalf, I come to entreat your honour to supply; who, having
  28. 861 great and instant occasion to use fifty talents, hath sent to
  29. 862 your lordship to furnish him, nothing doubting your present
  30. 863 assistance therein.
  31. Lucullus
  32. 864 La, la, la, la! 'Nothing doubting,' says he? Alas, good
  33. 865 lord! a noble gentleman 'tis, if he would not keep so good a
  34. 866 house. Many a time and often I ha' dined with him, and told him
  35. 867 on't; and come again to supper to him, of purpose to have him
  36. 868 spend less; and yet he would embrace no counsel, take no warning
  37. 869 by my coming. Every man has his fault, and honesty is his. I ha'
  38. 870 told him on't, but I could ne'er get him from it.
  39. [Re-enter SERVANT with wine.]
  40. Servant
  41. 871 Please your lordship, here is the wine.
  42. Lucullus
  43. 872 Flaminius, I have noted thee always wise. Here's to thee.
  44. Flaminius
  45. 873 Your lordship speaks your pleasure.
  46. Lucullus
  47. 874 I have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spirit,
  48. 875 give thee thy due, and one that knows what belongs to reason, and
  49. 876 canst use the time well, if the time use thee well: good parts in
  50. 877 thee.
  51. [To SERVANT.]
  52. Lucullus
  53. 878 —Get you gone, sirrah.—
  54. [Exit SERVANT.]
  55. Lucullus
  56. 879 Draw nearer, honest Flaminius.Thy lord's a bountiful gentleman;
  57. 880 but thou art wise, and thou know'st well enough, although thou
  58. 881 comest to me, that this is no time to lend money, especially upon
  59. 882 bare friendship without security. Here's three solidares for
  60. 883 thee: good boy, wink at me, and say thou sawest me not. Fare thee
  61. 884 well.
  62. Flaminius
  63. 885 Is't possible the world should so much differ,
  64. 886 And we alive that liv'd? Fly, damned baseness,
  65. 887 To him that worships thee.
  66. [Throwing the money away.]
  67. Lucullus
  68. 888 Ha! now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy master.
  69. [Exit.]
  70. Flaminius
  71. 889 May these add to the number that may scald thee!
  72. 890 Let molten coin be thy damnation,
  73. 891 Thou disease of a friend, and not himself!
  74. 892 Has friendship such a faint and milky heart
  75. 893 It turns in less than two nights? O you gods!
  76. 894 I feel my master's passion! This slave unto his honour
  77. 895 Has my lord's meat in him:
  78. 896 Why should it thrive and turn to nutriment
  79. 897 When he is turn'd to poison?
  80. 898 O! may diseases only work upon't!
  81. 899 And when he's sick to death, let not that part of nature
  82. 900 Which my lord paid for, be of any power
  83. 901 To expel sickness, but prolong his hour.
  84. [Exit.]