Lucul. Ha! now I see thou art a fool, and fit for thy
master. [Exit.[2068]
Flam. May these add to the number that may scald thee!
Let molten coin be thy damnation,[2069]
Thou disease of a friend, and not himself! 50
Has friendship such a faint and milky heart,
It turns in less than two nights? O you gods,
I feel my master's passion! this slave,[2070]
Unto his honour, has my lord's meat in him:[2070]
Why should it thrive and turn to nutriment,[2071] 55
When he is turn'd to poison?
O, may diseases only work upon't![2072]
And, when he's sick to death, let not that part of nature[2073]
Which my lord paid for, be of any power[2073][2074]
To expel sickness, but prolong his hour![2075] [Exit. 60
Scene II. A public place.[2076]
Enter Lucius, with three Strangers.
Luc. Who, the Lord Timon? He is my very good friend,
and an honourable gentleman.
First Stran. We know him for no less, though we are[2077]
but strangers to him. But I can tell you one thing, my
lord, and which I hear from common rumours: now Lord 5
Timon's happy hours are done and past, and his estate
shrinks from him.
Luc. Fie, no, do not believe it; he cannot want for money.[2078]
Sec. Stran. But believe you this, my lord, that not long[2079]
ago one of his men was with the Lord Lucullus to borrow 10
so many talents; nay, urged extremely for't, and showed[2080]
what necessity belonged to't, and yet was denied.
Luc. How!
Sec. Stran. I tell you, denied, my lord.