“Faith, sir, nothing but an empty box, which, on my master's behalf, I beg you to fill with money, sir.”
“La! la! la!” said Lucullus, who could not pretend to mean, “Ha! ha! ha!” “Your master's one fault is that he is too fond of giving parties. I've warned him that it was expensive. Now, look here, Flaminius, you know this is no time to lend money without security, so suppose you act like a good boy and tell him that I was not at home. Here's three solidares for yourself.”
“Back, wretched money,” cried Flaminius, “to him who worships you!”
Others of Timon's friends were tried and found stingy. Amongst them was Sempronius.
“Hum,” he said to Timon's servant, “has he asked Ventidius? Ventidius is beholden to him.”
“He refused.”
“Well, have you asked Lucullus?”
“He refused.”
“A poor compliment to apply to me last of all,” said Sempronius, in affected anger. “If he had sent to me at first, I would gladly have lent him money, but I'm not going to be such a fool as to lend him any now.”
“Your lordship makes a good villain,” said the servant.