That I regard it not.
CLOTEN This is no answer.
INNOGEN But that you shall not say I yield being silent100,
I would not speak. I pray you spare me: faith,
I shall unfold102 equal discourtesy
To your best kindness: one of your great knowing103
Should learn, being taught, forbearance.
CLOTEN To leave you in your madness, ’twere my sin:
I will not.
INNOGEN Fools cure not mad folks.
CLOTEN Do you call me fool?
INNOGEN As I am mad, I do:
If you’ll be patient, I’ll no more be mad.
That cures us both. I am much sorry, sir,
You put me112 to forget a lady’s manners
By being so verbal113: and learn now, for all,
That I, which114 know my heart, do here pronounce
By th’very truth of it, I care not for you,
And am so near the lack of charity
To accuse myself I hate you, which I had rather
You felt than make’t my boast.118
CLOTEN You sin against
Obedience, which you owe your father. For
The contract you pretend with that base wretch121,
One bred of alms122 and fostered with cold dishes,
With scraps o’th’court, it is no contract, none:
And though it be allowed in meaner parties124 —
Yet who than he more mean? — to knit their souls,
On whom there is no more dependency
But brats and beggary, in self-figured knot127,
Yet you are curbed from that enlargement128 by
The consequence o’th’crown, and must not foil129
The precious note130 of it with a base slave,
A hilding for a livery, a squire’s cloth131,
A pantler132; not so eminent.
INNOGEN Profane fellow,
Wert thou the son of Jupiter, and no more
But what thou art besides, thou wert135 too base
To be his groom: thou wert dignified enough136,
Even to the point of envy, if ’twere made
Comparative for your virtues, to be styled138
The under-hangman139 of his kingdom, and hated
For being preferred so well.140
CLOTEN The south-fog141 rot him!
INNOGEN He never can meet more mischance than come
To be but named of thee. His meanest garment143
That ever hath but clipped144 his body is dearer
In my respect than all the hairs above thee,
Were they all made such men.146— How now, Pisanio?
Enter Pisanio
CLOTEN His garment? Now the devil—
To Pisanio
INNOGEN To Dorothy my woman hie thee presently.
CLOTEN His garment?
INNOGEN I am sprited with150 a fool,
Frighted and angered worse: go bid my woman
Search for a jewel that too casually
Hath left mine arm: it was thy master’s. ’Shrew153 me
If I would lose it for a revenue
Of any king’s in Europe. I do think
I saw’t this morning: confident I am.
Last night ’twas on mine arm; I kissed it.
I hope it be not gone to tell my lord
That I kiss aught159 but he.
PISANIO ’Twill not be lost.
INNOGEN I hope so: go and search.
[Exit Pisanio]
CLOTEN You have abused me:
His meanest garment?
INNOGEN Ay, I said so, sir:
If you will make’t an action165, call witness to’t.
CLOTEN I will inform your father.
INNOGEN Your mother too:
She’s my good lady, and will conceive, I hope168,
But the worst of me. So, I leave you, sir,
To th’worst of discontent.
Exit
CLOTEN I’ll be revenged:
His meanest garment? Well.
Exit
Act 2 Scene 4
running scene 6
Enter Posthumus and Philario
POSTHUMUS Fear it not, sir: I would I were so sure
To win the king as I am bold2 her honour
Will remain hers.
PHILARIO What means4 do you make to him?
POSTHUMUS Not any: but abide the change of time,
That warmer days would come: in these seared7 hopes
I barely gratify your love; they failing8,
I must die much your debtor.
PHILARIO Your very goodness and your company
O’erpays all I can do. By this11 your king
Hath heard of12 great Augustus: Caius Lucius
Will do’s commission throughly.13 And I think
He’ll grant the tribute: send th’arrearages14,
Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance15
Is yet16 fresh in their grief.
POSTHUMUS I do believe —
Statist18 though I am none, nor like to be —
That this will prove19 a war; and you shall hear
The legions now in Gallia sooner landed
In our not-fearing Britain than have tidings
Of any penny tribute paid. Our countrymen
Are men more ordered23 than when Julius Caesar
Smiled at their lack of skill, but found their courage
Worthy his frowning25 at. Their discipline,
Now mingled with their courages, will make known
To their approvers they are people such27
That mend upon the world.
Enter Iachimo
PHILARIO See Iachimo.
POSTHUMUS The swiftest harts have posted30 you by land,
And winds of all the corners31 kissed your sails,
To make your vessel nimble.
PHILARIO Welcome, sir.
POSTHUMUS I hope the briefness of your answer made34
The speediness of your return.
IACHIMO Your lady
Is one of the fairest that I have looked upon—
POSTHUMUS And therewithal38 the best, or let her beauty
Look through a casement39 to allure false hearts,
And be false with them.
IACHIMO Here are letters for you.
Gives letters
POSTHUMUS Their tenor42 good, I trust.
IACHIMO ’Tis very like.43
PHILARIO Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court
When you were there?
IACHIMO He was expected then,
But not approached.47
POSTHUMUS All is well yet.
Sparkles this stone as it was wont49, or is’t not
Shows the ring
Too dull for your good wearing?
IACHIMO If I had lost it,
I should have lost the worth of it in gold.
I’ll make a journey twice as far t’enjoy
A second night of such sweet shortness which
Was mine in Britain, for the ring is won.
POSTHUMUS The stone’s too hard to come by.
IACHIMO Not a whit57,
Your lady being so easy.
POSTHUMUS Make not, sir,
Your loss your sport60: I hope you know that we
Must not continue friends.
IACHIMO Good sir, we must
If you keep covenant.63 Had I not brought
The knowledge64 of your mistress home, I grant
We were to question further65, but I now
Profess myself the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring, and not the wronger
Of her or you, having proceeded but
By both your wills.69
POSTHUMUS If you can make’t apparent
That you have tasted her in bed, my hand71
And ring is yours. If not, the foul opinion
You had of her pure honour gains or loses73
Your sword or mine, or masterless leaves both74
To who shall find them.
IACHIMO Sir, my circumstances76,
Being so near the truth, as I will make them,
Must first induce you to believe: whose strength
I will confirm with oath, which I doubt not
You’ll give me leave to spare80, when you shall find
You need it not.
POSTHUMUS Proceed.
IACHIMO First, her bedchamber —
Where I confess I slept not, but profess
Had that was well worth watching85 — it was hanged
With tapestry of silk and silver86, the story
Proud Cleopatra when she met her Roman
And Cydnus swelled above the banks, or88 for
The press of boats, or pride.89 A piece of work
So bravely90 done, so rich, that it did strive
In workmanship and value, which I wondered
Could be so rarely92 and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on’t was—
POSTHUMUS This is true:
And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by some other.
IACHIMO More particulars
Must justify my knowledge.
POSTHUMUS So they must,
Or do your honour injury.
IACHIMO The chimney
Is south the chamber, and the chimney-piece102
Chaste Dian bathing103: never saw I figures
So likely to report themselves; the cutter104
Was as another nature dumb, outwent her105,
Motion and breath left out.106
POSTHUMUS This is a thing
Which you might from relation likewise reap108,
Being, as it is, much spoke of.
IACHIMO The roof o’th’chamber
With golden cherubins is fretted. Her andirons111 —
I had forgot them — were two winking Cupids112
Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely113
Depending on their brands.114
POSTHUMUS This is her honour!
Let it be granted you have seen all this — and praise
Be given to your remembrance117 — the description
Of what is in her chamber nothing saves118
The wager you have laid.
IACHIMO Then if you can
Shows the bracelet
Be pale, I beg but leave to air121 this jewel: see,
And now ’tis up122 again: it must be married
To that your diamond, I’ll keep them.
POSTHUMUS Jove!
Once more let me behold it: is it that
Which I left with her?
IACHIMO Sir — I thank her — that.
She stripped it from her arm: I see her yet128:
Her pretty action did outsell129 her gift,
And yet enriched it too: she gave it me, and said
She prized it once.131
POSTHUMUS Maybe she plucked it off
To send it me.
IACHIMO She writes so to you, doth she?
POSTHUMUS O no, no, no, ’tis true. Here, take this too,
Gives the ring
It is a basilisk136 unto mine eye,
Kills me to look on’t. Let there be no honour
Where there is beauty: truth, where semblance138: love,
Where there’s another man. The vows of women
Of no more bondage140 be to where they are made
Than they are to their virtues, which is nothing.
O, above measure false!
PHILARIO Have patience, sir,
And take your ring again, ’tis not yet won:
It may be probable145 she lost it: or
Who knows if one of her women, being corrupted146,
Hath stol’n it from her?
POSTHUMUS Very true,
And so I hope he came by’t. Back149 my ring,
Takes back the ring
Render to me some corporal sign150 about her
More evident151 than this: for this was stol’n.
IACHIMO By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.
POSTHUMUS Hark you, he swears: by Jupiter he swears.
’Tis true, nay, keep the ring, ’tis true: I am sure
She would not lose it: her attendants are
All sworn156 and honourable: they induced to steal it?
And by a stranger? No, he hath enjoyed her157:
The cognizance of her incontinency158
Is this: she hath bought the name of whore thus dearly.159
There, take thy hire160, and all the fiends of hell
Gives the ring again
Divide themselves between you!161
PHILARIO Sir, be patient:
This is not strong enough to be believed
Of one persuaded164 well of.
POSTHUMUS Never talk on’t:
She hath been colted166 by him.
IACHIMO If you seek
For further satisfying, under her breast —
Worthy the pressing — lies a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging. By my life,
I kissed it, and it gave me present171 hunger
To feed again, though full. You do remember
This stain173 upon her?
POSTHUMUS Ay, and it doth confirm
Another stain, as big as hell can hold,
Were there no more but it.
IACHIMO Will you hear more?
POSTHUMUS Spare your arithmetic, never count the turns178:
Once, and a million!179
IACHIMO I’ll be sworn.
POSTHUMUS No swearing.
If you will swear you have not done’t, you lie,
And I will kill thee if thou dost deny
Thou’st made me cuckold.184
IACHIMO I’ll deny nothing.
POSTHUMUS O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal!186
I will go there and do’t, i’th’court, before
Her father. I’ll do something.
Exit
PHILARIO Quite besides189
The government190 of patience. You have won:
Let’s follow him and pervert191 the present wrath
He hath against himself.
IACHIMO With all my heart.
Exeunt
Enter Posthumus
POSTHUMUS Is there no way for men to be, but women
Must be half-workers? We are all bastards195,
And that most venerable196 man, which I
Did call my father, was I know not where
When I was stamped. Some coiner198 with his tools
Made me a counterfeit: yet my mother seemed
The Dian of that time: so doth my wife
The nonpareil201 of this. O, vengeance, vengeance!
Me of my lawful pleasure202 she restrained,
And prayed me oft forbearance203: did it with
A pudency so rosy, the sweet view on’t204
Might well have warmed old Saturn205, that I thought her
As chaste as unsunned snow. O, all the devils!
This yellow207 Iachimo in an hour — wast not? —
Or less — at first?2
08 Perchance he spoke not, but
Like a full-acorned boar, a German209 one,
Cried ‘O!’ and mounted; found no opposition
But what he looked for211 should oppose, and she
Should from encounter212 guard. Could I find out
The woman’s part in me — for there’s no motion213
That tends to vice in man, but I affirm
It is the woman’s part: be it lying, note it,
The woman’s: flattering, hers: deceiving, hers:
Lust and rank217 thoughts, hers, hers: revenges, hers:
Ambitions, covetings, change of prides218, disdain,
Nice longing, slanders, mutability219,
All faults that may be named, nay, that hell knows,
Why, hers, in part or all: but rather all,
For even to vice
They are not constant, but are changing still223
One vice, but of224 a minute old, for one
Not half so225 old as that. I’ll write against them,
Detest them, curse them: yet ’tis greater skill226
In a true hate, to pray they have their will227:
The very devils cannot plague them better.
Exit
Act 3 Scene 1
running scene 7
Enter in state Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten and Lords at one door, and at another, Caius Lucius and Attendants
CYMBELINE Now say, what would Augustus Caesar with us?
LUCIUS When Julius Caesar — whose remembrance yet2
Lives in men’s eyes and will to ears and tongues
Be theme4 and hearing ever — was in this Britain
And conquered it, Cassibelan, thine uncle —
Famous in Caesar’s praises no whit less6
Than in his feats deserving it — for him7,
And his succession, granted Rome a tribute,
Yearly three thousand pounds9, which by thee lately
Is left untendered.10
QUEEN And to kill the marvel11,
Shall be so ever.
CLOTEN There be13 many Caesars
Ere such another Julius: Britain’s
A world by itself, and we will nothing pay
For wearing our own noses.
QUEEN That opportunity
Which then they had to take from’s, to resume18
We have again. Remember, sir, my liege19,
The kings your ancestors, together with
The natural bravery of your isle21, which stands
As Neptune’s park, ribbed and paled in22
With oaks unscalable and roaring waters,
With sands that will not bear24 your enemies’ boats,