Tit. We attend his lordship: pray, signify so

much.

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

Enter FLAVIUS in a cloak, muffled.

Luc. Serv. Ha! is not that his Steward muf

fled so?

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

Tit. Do you hear, sir?

2 Var. Serv. By your leave, sir,

Flav. What do you ask of me, my friend?
Tit. We wait for certain money here, sir.
Flav.

If money were as certain as your waiting,
'Twere sure enough.

Ay,

Why then preferr'd you not your sums and bills, When your false masters ate of my lord's meat? Then they could smile, and fawn upon his debts, And take down the interest into their glutt'nous

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.

Luc. Serv. Ay, but this answer will not serve. Flav. If 'twill not serve, 'Tis not so base as you; for you serve knaves. [Exit. How! what does his cashier'd wor

1 Var. Serv.

ship mutter?

2 Var. Serv.

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.

Tit.

answer.

Enter SERVILIUS.

O, here's Servilius; now we shall know some

Ser. 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.

Luc. Serv. 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.

Serv.

Good gods!

Tit. We cannot take this for answer, sir.
Flam. [Within.] Servilius, help! - my lord! my

lord!

Enter TIMON, in a rage; FLAMINIUS, following.

Tim. What are my doors oppos'd 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, shew me an iron heart?
Luc. Serv. Put in now, Titus.

Tit. My lord, here is my bill.

Luc. Serv. Here's mine.

Hor. Serv. And mine, my lord.

Both Var. Serv. And ours, my lord.

Phi. All our bills.

Tim. Knock me down with 'em: cleave me to the

girdle.

Luc. Serv. Alas! my lord,

Tim. Cut my heart in sums.

Tit. Mine, fifty talents.

Tim. Tell out my blood.

Luc. Serv. Five thousand crowns, my lord.

Tim. Five thousand drops pays that.

1 Var. Serv. My lord,

2 Var. Serv. My lord,

Tim. Tear me, take me; and the gods fall upon you!

[Exit. Hor. Faith, I perceive our masters may throw their caps at their money: these debts may well be call'd desperate ones, for a madman owes 'em.

Tim.

Enter TIMON and FLAVIUS.

They have e'en put my breath from me, the slaves:

Creditors? — devils !

Flav. My dear lord,

Tim. What if it should be so?

Flav. My lord,

Tim. I'll have it so.

My steward!

Flav.

Here, my lord.

Tim. So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,

Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius; Ventidius, all:
I'll once more feast the rascals.

Flav.

O my lord!

You only speak from your distracted soul:
There is not so much left to furnish out

A moderate table.

Tim.

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

SCENE V.

The Same. The Senate-House.

The Senate sitting.

1 Senator. My lord, you have my voice to 't: the fault's bloody; 'tis necessary he should die. Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

2 Sen. Most true; the law shall bruise him.

Enter ALCIBIADES, attended.

Alcib. Honour, health, and compassion to
Senate !

1 Sen. Now, Captain?

Alcib. I am an humble suitor to your virtues;

For pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyrants use it cruelly.

It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy

Upon a friend of mine; who, in hot blood,
Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth
To those that without heed do plunge into 't.
He is a man, setting his fate aside,

Of comely virtues :

Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice

(An honour in him which buys out his fault)
But, with a noble fury, and fair spirit,
Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,
He did oppose his foe:

And with such sober and unnoted passion
He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent,
As if he had but prov'd an argument.

1 Sen. You undergo too strict a paradox, Striving to make an ugly deed look fair:

Your words have took such pains, as if they labour'd

To bring manslaughter into form, and set
Quarrelling upon the head of valour; which,
Indeed, is valour misbegot, and came
Into the world when sects and factions
Were newly born.

He's truly valiant that can wisely suffer

The worst that man can breathe, and make his

wrongs

His outsides; to wear them like his raiment, care

lessly,

And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill,

What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill?

Alcib. My lord,

1 Sen. You cannot make gross sins look clear: To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

Alcib. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me, If I speak like a captain.

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,
And not endure all threats? sleep upon 't,

And let the foes quietly cut their throats,
Without repugnancy? if there be

Such valour in the bearing, what make we
Abroad? why then, women are more valiant,

That stay at home, if bearing carry it;

And the ass more captain than the lion; the

felon,

Loaden with irons, wiser than the judge,

If wisdom be in suffering. O, my lords!

As you are great, be pitifully good:

Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?
To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;
But in defence, by mercy, 'tis most just.
To be in anger, is impiety;