Timon of Athens
Act III, Scene 3
Athens. A room in Sempronius’s house.
From: Max Goschen's edition of Timon of Athens
Wyndham Lewis, 1912
- Enter Timon’s Servant with Sempronius, another of Timon’s
- friends.
Sempronius
1 - 5- 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 redeem’d from prison. All these
- Owes their estates unto him.
Timon’s Servant
6 - 8- My lord,
- They have all been touch’d and found base metal,
- For they have all denied him.
Sempronius
9 - 28- How? Have they denied him?
- Has Ventidius and Lucullus denied him,
- And does he send to me? Three? Humh!
- It shows but little love or judgment in him.
- Must I be his last refuge? His friends, like physicians,
- Thrive, give him over; must I take th’ cure upon me?
- H’as much disgrac’d me in’t, I’m angry at him,
- That might have known my place. I see no sense for’t,
- But his occasions might have wooed me first;
- For, in my conscience, I was the first man
- That e’er received gift from him;
- And does he think so backwardly of me now,
- That I’ll requite it last? No!
- So it may prove an argument of laughter
- To th’ rest, and ’mongst lords I be thought a fool.
- I’d rather than the worth of thrice the sum
- H’ad sent to me first, but for my mind’s sake;
- I’d such a courage to do him good. But now return,
- And with their faint reply this answer join:
- Who bates mine honor shall not know my coin.
- Exit.
Timon’s Servant
29 - 42- Excellent! Your lordship’s a goodly villain. The devil knew
- not what he did when he made man politic; he cross’d himself
- by’t; and I cannot think but, in the end, the villainies of
- man will set him clear. How fairly this lord strives to
- appear foul! Takes virtuous copies to be wicked; like those
- that under hot ardent zeal would set whole realms on fire;
- 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,
- Doors, that were ne’er acquainted with their wards
- Many a bounteous year, must be employ’d
- Now to guard sure their master.
- And this is all a liberal course allows:
- Who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house.
- Exit.