gave good counsel or reproof to Timon, was a
base unworthy lie, which he suitably followed up with meanly offering
the servant a bribe, to go home to his master and tell him that he had
not found Lucullus at home.

As little success had the messenger who was sent to Lord Lucius. This
lying lord, who was full of Timon's meat, and enriched almost to
bursting with Timon's costly presents, when he found the wind changed,
and the fountain of so much bounty suddenly stopped, at first could
hardly believe it; but on its being confirmed, he affected great regret
that he should not have it in his power to serve Lord Timon, for
unfortunately (which was a base falsehood) he had made a great purchase
the day before, which had quite disfurnished him of the means at
present, the more beast he, he called himself, to put it out of his
power to serve so good a friend; and he counted it one of his greatest
afflictions that his ability should fail him to pleasure such an
honourable gentleman.

Who can call any man friend that dips in the same dish with him? just of
this metal is every flatterer. In the recollection of everybody Timon
had been a father to this Lucius, had kept up his credit with his purse;
Timon's money had gone to pay the wages of his servants, to pay the hire
of the labourers who had sweat to build the fine houses which Lucius's
pride had made necessary to him: yet, oh! the monster which man makes
himself when he proves ungrateful! this Lucius now denied to Timon a
sum, which, in respect of what Timon had bestowed on him, was less than
charitable men afford to beggars.

Sempronius, and every one of these mercenary lords to whom Timon applied
in their turn, returned the same evasive answer or direct denial; even
Ventidius, the redeemed and now rich Ventidius, refused to assist him
with the loan of those five talents which Timon had not lent but
generously given him in his distress.

Now was Timon as much avoided in his poverty as he had been courted and
resorted to in his riches. Now the same tongues which had been loudest
in his praises, extolling him as bountiful, liberal, and open handed,
were not ashamed to censure that very bounty as folly, that liberality
as profuseness, though it had shown itself folly in nothing so truly as
in the selection of such unworthy creatures as themselves for its
objects. Now was Timon's princely mansion forsaken, and become a shunned
and hated place, a place for men to pass by, not a