Act II, Scene 4

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, 1175
  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 1180
  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 1185
  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 1190
  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 1195
  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. 1205

• 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 1210
  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. 1215

• 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. 1220
  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 1225
  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. 1230

• 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 1235
  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 1240
  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 1245
  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 1250
  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,— 1255
  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 1260
  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— 1265

• 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. 1270

• 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 1275
  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, 1280
  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 1285
  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 1290
  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 1295
  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: 1300
  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 1305
  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, 1310
  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. 1315
  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, 1320
  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. 1325

• 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! 1330
  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 1335
  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; 1340
  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, 1345
  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, 1350
  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— 1355

• 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. 1360

• 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 1365
  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]