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That warmer days would come: in these feared hopes I barely gratify your love; they failing,

I must die much your debtor.

Phi. 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,
Or1 look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
Is yet fresh in their grief.
I do believe,

Post.

(Statist2 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 ordered, than when Julius Cæsar 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,3 they are people, such That mend upon the world.

Phi.

Enter IACHIMO.

See! Iachimo!

Post. The swiftest harts have posted you by land And winds of all the corners kissed your sails, To make your vessel nimble.

Phi.

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 looked upon.

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Post. And, therewithal, the best; or let her beauty

1 Or stands here for ere. Respecting the tribute here alluded to, see the Preliminary Remarks.

2 i. e. statesman.

3 That is, "to those who try them." The old copy, by a common typographical error in the preceding line, has wingled instead of mingled.

Look through a casement to allure false hearts,
And be false with them.

Iach.

Here are letters for

you.

'Tis very like.

Post. Their tenor good, I trust.

Iach.

Phi. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court,

When you were there?1

Iach.

But not approached.

Post.

He was expected then,

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.

Your lady being so easy.

Post.

Make not, sir,

Not a whit,

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 honor,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you, having proceeded but

By both your wills.

Post.

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 honor, gains, or loses,
Your sword, or mine; or masterless leaves both
To who shall find them.

1 This speech is given to Posthumus in the old copy. It was transferred to Philario at the suggestion of Steevens.

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.

Iach.

Proceed.

First, her bed-chamber
(Where, I confess, I slept not; but, profess,
Had that was well worth watching,') it was hanged
With tapestry of silk and silver; the story,
Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman,
And Cydnus swelled 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 wondered,
Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't was 2

Post.

This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by some other.

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More particulars

So they must,

The chimney

Or do your honor injury.

Iach.

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; 3 outwent her,
Motion and breath left out.

Post.

This is a thing

1 i. e. "that which was well worth watching or lying awake [for]." See the preceding scene.

2 Mason proposes to read:

"Such the true life on't was."

It is a typographical error easily made; and the emendation deserves a place in the text.

3 i. e. so near speech. The meaning of the latter part of the sentence is; "The sculptor was as nature dumb; he gave every thing that nature gives, but breath and motion. In breath is included speech.”

Which you might from relation likewise reap;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Iach.
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.1

Post.

This is her honor!

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.

Iach.

2

Then, 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.

Once more let me behold it. Is it that

Which I left with her?

Jove!

Iach.
Sir, (I thank her,) that.
She stripped it from her arm; I see her yet;
Her pretty action did outsell her gift,

And yet enriched it too. She gave it
She prized it once.
Post.

To send it me.
Iach.

me, and said

May be, she plucked it off

She writes so to you? doth she?

Post. O, no, no, no; 'tis true.

It is a basilisk unto mine eye,

Here, take this too; [Gives the ring.

Kills me to look on't.-Let there be no honor,

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!

1 The transverse or horizontal pieces, upon which the wood was supported, were what Shakspeare here calls the brands; properly brandirons. 2 The meaning seems to be, "If you ever can be pale-be pale now with jealousy."

Phi.

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. I am sure
She would not lose it: her attendants are

All sworn and honorable.-They induced to steal it!
And by a stranger?—No, he hath enjoyed her.

2

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!

Phi.

This is not strong enough to be believed

Of one persuaded well of

Post.

She hath been colted by him.

Iach.

Sir, be patient.

Never talk on't;

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 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?

1 It was anciently the custom for the servants of great families (as it is now for the servants of the king) to take an oath of fidelity on their entrance into office.

2 The badge, the token, the visible proof.

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