SCENE IV.
ROME.
An apartment in Philario's house.
Enter Posthumus, and Philario.
Post.
Fear it not, sir: I would, I were so sure
To win the king, as I am bold, her honour
Will remain hers.
Phil.
What means do you make to him?
Post.
Not any; but abide the change of time;
-- 228 --
Quake in the present winter's state, and wish
That warmer days would come: In these fear'd hopes,
I barely gratify your love; they failing,
I must die much your debtor.
Phil.
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 his commission throughly: And, I think,
He'll grant the tribute, send the arrearages,
7 note
Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
Is yet fresh in their grief.
Post.
I do believe,
(Statist8 note 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 Cæsar
Smil'd at their lack of skill, but found their courage
Worthy his frowning at: Their discipline
(Now9 note
mingled with their courages) will make known
1 noteTo their approvers, they are people, such
That mend upon the world.
-- 229 --
Enter Iachimo.
Phil.
See! Iachimo!
Post.
The swiftest harts have posted you by land;
And winds of all the corners kiss'd your sails,
To make your vessel nimble.
Phil.
Welcome, sir.
Post.
I hope, the briefness of your answer made
The speediness of your return.
Iach.
Your lady
Is one of the fairest that I have look'd upon.
Post.
And, therewithal, the best; or let her beauty
Look through a casement to allure false hearts,
And be false with them.
Iach.
Here are letters for you.
Post.
Their tenour good, I trust.
Iach.
'Tis very like.
2 notePost.
Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court,
When you were there?
Iach.
He was expected then,
But not approach'd.
Post.
All is well yet.—
Sparkles this stone as it was wont? or is't not
Too dull for your good wearing?
Iach.
If I have 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.
Post.
The stone's too hard to come by.
Iach.
Not a whit,
Your lady being so easy.
Post.
Make not, sir,
-- 230 --
Your loss your sport: I hope, you know that we
Must not continue friends.
Iach.
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.
Post.
If you can make it 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.
Iach.
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.
Post.
Proceed.
Iach.
First, her bed-chamber,
(Where, I confess, I slept not; but, profess,
Had that was well worth watching) It was hang'd
With tapestry of silk and silver; the story
Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
3 note
And Cydnus swell'd above the banks, or for
The press of boats, or pride: A piece of work
-- 231 --
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—
Post.
This is true;
And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by some other.
Iach.
More particulars
Must justify my knowledge.
Post.
So they must,
Or do your honour injury.
Iach.
The chimney
Is south the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chaste Dian, bathing: never saw I figures
-- 232 --
4 noteSo likely to report themselves: the cutter
5 note
Was as another nature, dumb; out-went her,
Motion and breath left out.
Post.
This is a thing,
Which you might from relation likewise reap;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.
Iach.
The roof o' the chamber
With golden cherubims is fretted:9Q1052 Her andirons
(I had forgot them) were two winking Cupids
Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
Depending on their brands6 note
.
Post.
7 note
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.
-- 233 --
Iach.
Then, 8 note
if you can,
[Pulling out 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.
Post.
Jove!—
Once more let me behold it: Is it that
Which I left with her?
Iach.
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 priz'd it once.
Post.
May be, she pluck'd it off,
To send it me.
Iach.
She writes so to you? doth she?
Post.
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,
-- 234 --
Where there's another man: 9 noteThe 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!
Phil.
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 stolen it from her.
Post.
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.
Iach.
By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.
Post.
Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he swears.
'Tis true;—nay, keep the ring—'tis true: 1 note
I am sure,
She could not lose it: her attendants are
All sworn, and honourable:—They induc'd to steal it!
-- 235 --
And by a stranger?—No; he hath enjoy'd her:
2 noteThe 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!
Phil.
Sir, be patient:
This is not strong enough to be believ'd
Of one persuaded well of—
Post.
Never talk on't:
She hath been colted by him.
Iach.
If you seek
For further satisfying, under her breast,
3 note
(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?
Post.
Ay, and it doth confirm
Another stain, as big as hell can hold,
Were there no more but it.
Iach.
Will you hear more?
Post.
Spare your arithmetick: never count the turns;
Once, and a million!
-- 236 --
Iach.
I'll be sworn,—
Post.
No swearing:—
If you will swear you have not done't, you lye;
And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny
Thou hast made me cuckold.
Iach.
I will deny nothing.
Post.
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.
Phil.
Quite besides
The government of patience!—You have won:
Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath
He hath against himself.
Iach.
With all my heart.
[Exeunt.
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
