Act 2, Scene 3: Rome. Philario's house

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

    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

    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,
    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
    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
    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

    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

    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
    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

    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.
    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
    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

    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
    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
    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
    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
    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,--
    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
    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

    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

    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
    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,
    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
    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
    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

    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;
    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

    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,
    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,
    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;
    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.
    '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
    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:
    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
    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
    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

    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;
    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
    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

    With an my heart.

    Exeunt