TPTT Cymbeline: ACT II
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
SCENE I. Britain. Before Cymbeline's palace.
SCENE II. Imogen's bedchamber in Cymbeline's palace: a trunk in one corner of it.
Scene III An ante-chamber adjoining Imogen's apartments.
SCENE IV. Rome. Philario's house.
SCENE V. Another room in Philario's house.
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE IV. Rome. Philario's house.
Enter POSTHUMUS and PHILARIO
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      Fear it not, sir: I would I were so sure
      To win the king as I am bold her honour
      Will remain hers.
PHILARIO
      What means do you make to him?
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
5     Not any, but abide the change of time,
      Quake in the present winter's state and wish
      That warmer days would come: in these sear'd hopes,
      I barely gratify your love; they failing,
      I must die much your debtor.
PHILARIO
10    Your very goodness and your company
      O'erpays all I can do. By this, your king
      Hath heard of great Augustus: Caius Lucius
      Will do's commission throughly: and I think
      He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearages,
15    Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
      Is yet fresh in their grief.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      I do believe,
      Statist though I am none, nor like to be,
      That this will prove a war; and you shall hear
20    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 order'd than when Julius Caesar
      Smiled at their lack of skill, but found
25    their courage
      Worthy his frowning at: their discipline,
      Now mingled with their courages, will make known
      To their approvers they are people such
      That mend upon the world.
Enter IACHIMO
PHILARIO
30    See! Iachimo!
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      The swiftest harts have posted you by land;
      And winds of all the comers kiss'd your sails,
      To make your vessel nimble.
PHILARIO
      Welcome, sir.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
35    I hope the briefness of your answer made
      The speediness of your return.
IACHIMO
      Your lady
      Is one of the fairest that I have look'd upon.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      And therewithal the best; or let her beauty
40    Look through a casement to allure false hearts
      And be false with them.
IACHIMO
      Here are letters for you.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      Their tenor good, I trust.
IACHIMO
      'Tis very like.
PHILARIO
45    Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court
      When you were there?
IACHIMO
      He was expected then,
      But not approach'd.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      All is well yet.
50    Sparkles this stone as it was wont? or is't not
      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, to enjoy
55    A second night of such sweet shortness which
      Was mine in Britain, for the ring is won.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      The stone's too hard to come by.
IACHIMO
      Not a whit,
      Your lady being so easy.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
60    Make not, sir,
      Your loss your sport: I hope you know that we
      Must not continue friends.
IACHIMO
      Good sir, we must,
      If you keep covenant. Had I not brought
65    The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
      We were to question further: 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
70    By both your wills.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      If you can make't apparent
      That you have tasted her in bed, my hand
      And ring is yours; if not, the foul opinion
      You had of her pure honour gains or loses
75    Your sword or mine, or masterless leaves both
      To who shall find them.
IACHIMO
      Sir, my circumstances,
      Being so near the truth as I will make them,
      Must first induce you to believe: whose strength
80    I will confirm with oath; which, I doubt not,
      You'll give me leave to spare, when you shall find
      You need it not.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      Proceed.
IACHIMO
      First, her bedchamber,--
85    Where, I confess, I slept not, but profess
      Had that was well worth watching--it was hang'd
      With tapesty of silk and silver; the story
      Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
      And Cydnus swell'd above the banks, or for
90    The press of boats or pride: a piece of work
      So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive
      In workmanship and value; which I wonder'd
      Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
      Since the true life on't was--
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
95    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 LEONATUS
100   So they must,
      Or do your honour injury.
IACHIMO
      The chimney
      Is south the chamber, and the chimney-piece
      Chaste Dian bathing: never saw I figures
105   So likely to report themselves: the cutter
      Was as another nature, dumb; outwent her,
      Motion and breath left out.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      This is a thing
      Which you might from relation likewise reap,
110   Being, as it is, much spoke of.
IACHIMO
      The roof o' the chamber
      With golden cherubins is fretted: her andirons--
      I had forgot them--were two winking Cupids
      Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
115   Depending on their brands.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      This is her honour!
      Let it be granted you have seen all this--and praise
      Be given to your remembrance--the description
      Of what is in her chamber nothing saves
120   The wager you have laid.
IACHIMO
      Then, if you can,

Showing the bracelet

      Be pale: I beg but leave to air this jewel; see!
      And now 'tis up again: it must be married
      To that your diamond; I'll keep them.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
125   Jove!
      Once more let me behold it: is it that
      Which I left with her?
IACHIMO
      Sir--I thank her--that:
      She stripp'd it from her arm; I see her yet;
130   Her pretty action did outsell her gift,
      And yet enrich'd it too: she gave it me, and said
      She prized it once.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      May be she pluck'd it off
      To send it me.
IACHIMO
135   She writes so to you, doth she?
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      O, no, no, no! 'tis true. Here, take this too;

Gives the ring

      It is a basilisk unto mine eye,
      Kills me to look on't. Let there be no honour
      Where there is beauty; truth, where semblance; love,
140   Where there's another man: the vows of women
      Of no more bondage be, to where they are made,
      Than they are to their virtues; which is nothing.
      O, above measure false!
PHILARIO
      Have patience, sir,
145   And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won:
      It may be probable she lost it; or
      Who knows if one of her women, being corrupted,
      Hath stol'n it from her?
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      Very true;
150   And so, I hope, he came by't. Back my ring:
      Render to me some corporal sign about her,
      More evident than this; for this was stolen.
IACHIMO
      By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he swears.
155   'Tis true:--nay, keep the ring--'tis true: I am sure
      She would not lose it: her attendants are
      All sworn and honourable:--they induced to steal it!
      And by a stranger!--No, he hath enjoyed her:
      The cognizance of her incontinency
160   Is this: she hath bought the name of whore
      thus dearly.
      There, take thy hire; and all the fiends of hell
      Divide themselves between you!
PHILARIO
      Sir, be patient:
165   This is not strong enough to be believed
      Of one persuaded well of--
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      Never talk on't;
      She hath been colted by him.
IACHIMO
      If you seek
170   For further satisfying, under her breast--
      Worthy the pressing--lies a mole, right proud
      Of that most delicate lodging: by my life,
      I kiss'd it; and it gave me present hunger
      To feed again, though full. You do remember
175   This stain upon her?
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      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 LEONATUS
180   Spare your arithmetic: never count the turns;
      Once, and a million!
IACHIMO
      I'll be sworn--
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      No swearing.
      If you will swear you have not done't, you lie;
185   And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny
      Thou'st made me cuckold.
IACHIMO
      I'll deny nothing.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
      O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal!
      I will go there and do't, i' the court, before
190   Her father. I'll do something--
Exit
PHILARIO
      Quite besides
      The government of patience! You have won:
      Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath
      He hath against himself.
IACHIMO
195   With an my heart.
Exeunt
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