Page 3102 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

Honest Ventidius. You mistake my love;
I gave it freely ever, and there’s none [10]
Can truly say he gives, if he receives.
If our betters play at that game, we must not dare

To imitate them; faults that are rich are fair.

VENTIDIUS
A noble spirit!

TIMON
Nay, my lords, ceremony was but devis’d at first [15]
To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,
Recanting goodness, sorry ere ’tis shown;

But where there is true friendship, there needs none.
Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes
Than my fortunes to me. [20]

FIRST LORD
My lord, we always have confess’d it.

APEMANTUS
Ho, ho, confess’d it? Hang’d it, have you not?

TIMON
O Apemantus, you are welcome.

APEMANTUS
No, you shall not make me welcome:
I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. [25]

TIMON
Fie, th’art a churl, y’have got a humour there
Does not become a man; ’tis much to blame.

They say, my lords, Ira furor brevis est,
But yond man is very angry.
Go, let him have a table by himself, [30]
For he does neither affect company,