Scene II. A banqueting-room in Timon's house.[1751]
Hautboys playing loud music. A great banquet served in; Flavius and others attending; and then enter Lord Timon, Alcibiades, Lords, Senators, and Ventidius. Then comes, dropping after all, Apemantus, discontentedly, like himself.[1752]
Ven. Most honour'd Timon,[1753][1754]
It hath pleased the gods to remember my father's age,[1753]
And call him to long peace.[1753]
He is gone happy, and has left me rich:
Then, as in grateful virtue I am bound 5
To your free heart, I do return those talents,
Doubled with thanks and service, from whose help[1755]
I derived liberty.
Tim. O, by no means,
Honest Ventidius; you mistake my love:[1756]
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[1757][1758]
To imitate them; faults that are rich are fair.[1758][1759]
Ven. A noble spirit![1760][1761]
Tim. Nay, my lords, ceremony was but devised at first[1760][1762]15
To set a gloss on faint deeds, hollow welcomes,[1760]
Recanting goodness, sorry ere 'tis shown;
But where there is true friendship, there needs none.
Pray, sit; more welcome are ye to my fortunes[1763]
Than my fortunes to me.[1764] [They sit. 20
First Lord. My lord, we always have confess'd it.[1765]
Apem. Ho, ho, confess'd it! hang'd it, have you not?[1766]
Tim. O, Apemantus, you are welcome.[1767]
Apem. No;[1768]
You shall not make me welcome:[1768]
I come to have thee thrust me out of doors. 25