First. Var. Serv. 'Tis much deep: and it should seem by the sum

Your master's confidence was above mine;
Else, surely, his had equal 'd.

Enter Flaminius.

Tit. One of Lord Timon's men.

Luc. Serv. Flaminius! Sir, a word: pray, is my lord ready to come forth?

Flam. No, indeed he is not.

Tit. We attend his lordship: pray, signify so much.

Flam. I need not tell him that; he knows you

are too diligent.

31

[Exit. 40

Enter Flavius in a cloak, muffled.

Luc. Serv. Ha! is not that his steward muffled so?

He goes away in a cloud: call him, call him. Tit. Do you hear, sir?

Sec. Var. Serv. By your leave, sir,

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

Aye,

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

Why then preferr'd you not your sums and
bills,

49

When your false masters eat of my lord's meat?

31-33. The meaning is, "it should seem by the sum your master lent, his confidence in Timon was greater than that of my master, else surely my master's loan had equaled his."-H. N. H.

Then they could smile and fawn upon his debts,
And take down the interest into their glutton-

ous 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. Aye, but this answer will not serve. Flav. If 'twill not serve, 'tis not so base as you;

For you serve knaves.

[Exit.

First Var. Serv. How! what does his cash- 60 iered worship mutter?

Sec. 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.

Enter Servilius.

Tit. O, here's Servilius; now we shall know

some answer.

Ser. If I might beseech you, gentlemen, to re

pair some other hour, I should derive much
from 't; for, take 't of my soul, my lord 70
leans wondrously to discontent: his comfort-
able temper has forsook him; he's much out
of health and keeps his chamber.

70. “Here, as in Lear and Constance, the poet takes care to mark the concurrence of physical with moral causes of insanity. Mere bodily disease is no subject for dramatic representation; and the fact of its existence is lightly enough indicated; but it is indicated, and that is sufficient to preserve the exact natural verisimilitude of the diseased mind's history" (Dr. Bucknill, The Mad Folk of Shakespeare, p. 247).—C. H. H.

Luc. Serv. Many do keep their chambers are not

Ser.

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.

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 opposed against my passage?

Have I been ever free, and must my house
Be my retentive enemy, my jail?

The place which I have feasted, does it now,
Like all mankind, show me an iron heart?
Luc. Serv. Put in now, Titus.

Tit. My lord, here is my bill.

Luc. Serv. Here's mine.

Hor. And mine, my lord.

80

Both Var. Serv. And ours, my lord.

Phi. All our bills.

90

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.

91. Timon quibbles. They present their written bills; he catches at the word, and alludes to bills or battle-axes.-H. N. H.

Luc. Serv. Five thousand crowns, my lord.

Tim. Five thousand drops pays that. What yours?—and yours?

First Var. Serv. My lord,

Sec. Var. Serv. My lord,

Tim. Tear me, take me, and the gods fall upon

you!

[Exit. 100

Hor. 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.

Re-enter Timon and Flavius.

[Exeunt.

Tim. 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: 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 it not in thy care; go,

110

113. "Sempronius: all:"; so Ff. 3, 4; F. 1, “Sempronius Vllorxa: All"; F. 2, "Semprovius: All"; Malone, "Sempronius: Ullorxa, all"; Grant White suggested that "Vllorza" was a misprint for "Ventidius."-I. G.

I charge thee, invite them all: let in the tide
Of knaves once more; my cook and I 'll provide.
[Exeunt.

SCENE V

The Senate-house.

The Senate sitting.

First Sen. My lord, you have my voice to it; the fault's

Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die:

Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy. Sec. Sen. Most true; the law shall bruise him.

Enter Alcibiades, attended.

Alcib. Honor, health, and compassion to the sen ate!

First 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.

10

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 honor in him which buys out his fault

14. "setting his fate aside"; that is, putting this action of his which was predetermined by fate, out of the question.-H. N. H.