How now? What news?
THIRD SERVANT.
Please you, my lord, that honourable gentleman, Lord Lucullus, entreats your company tomorrow to hunt with him and has sent your honour two brace of greyhounds.
TIMON.
I’ll hunt with him; and let them be received,
Not without fair reward.
[Exit Servant.]
FLAVIUS.
[Aside.] What will this come to?
He commands us to provide, and give great gifts,
And all out of an empty coffer;
Nor will he know his purse or yield me this:
To show him what a beggar his heart is,
Being of no power to make his wishes good.
His promises fly so beyond his state
That what he speaks is all in debt; he owes
For every word. He is so kind that he now
Pays interest for ’t; his land’s put to their books.
Well, would I were gently put out of office
Before I were forced out.
Happier is he that has no friend to feed
Than such that do e’en enemies exceed.
I bleed inwardly for my lord.
[Exit.]
TIMON.
You do yourselves much wrong,
You bate too much of your own merits.
Here, my lord, a trifle of our love.
SECOND LORD.
With more than common thanks I will receive it.
THIRD LORD.
O, he’s the very soul of bounty!
TIMON.
And now I remember, my lord, you gave good words the other day of a bay courser I rode on. ’Tis yours because you liked it.