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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 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 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 kiss'd 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 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.
Phi. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court

When you were there?

'Tis very like.

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 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.

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 farther: 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 '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.

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 bedchamber,

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,
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-

Post.

This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me,

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So they must,

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. 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 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.

Post.

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.

Iach.

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.

Post.

Once more let me behold it is it that

Which I left with her?

Iach.

Jove!

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.

Post.

To send it me.

Iach.

May be she pluck'd it off

She writes so to you, doth she?

Post. O, no, no, no! 'tis true. Here, take this too;

It is a basilisk unto mine eye,

[Gives the ring.

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!

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,

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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 stol'n..

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 honourable :-they induced to steal it !
And by a stranger !-No, he hath enjoy'd 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!

Phi.

Sir, be patient:

This is not strong enough to be believed

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-
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 arithmetic; never count the turns;

Once, and a million!

Iach.

Post.

I'll be sworn

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.

Iach.

I'll 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-

Phi.

Quite besides

The government of patience! You have won:
Let's follow him and pervert the present wrath
He hath against himself.

3

[Exit.

Iach.

With all my heart.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V

Another room in Philario's house.
Enter Posthumus.

Post. Is there no way for men to be, but women
Must be half-workers? We are all bastards;
And that most venerable man which I
Did call my father, was I know not where
When I was stamp'd; some coiner with his tools
Made me a counterfeit: yet my mother seem'd
The Dian of that time: so doth my wife
The nonpareil of this. O, vengeance, vengeance!
Me of my lawful pleasure she restrain'd,
And pray'd me oft forbearance; did it with
A pudency so rosy, the sweet view on 't
Might well have warm'd old Saturn; that I thought her
As chaste as unsunn'd snow. O, all the devils !
This yellow Iachimo, in an hour, was 't not ?-
Or less, at first?-perchance he spoke not, but
Like a full-acorn'd boar, a German one,

Cried 'O!' and mounted; found no opposition
But what he look'd for should oppose and she
Should from encounter guard. Could I find out
The woman's part in me! For there's no motion
That tends to vice in man but I affirm

It is the woman's part: be it lying, note it,
The woman's; flattering, hers; deceiving, hers;
Lust and rank thoughts, hers, hers; revenges, hers;
Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, disdain,
Nice longing, slanders, mutability,

All faults that may be named, nay, that hell knows,
Why, hers, in part or all, but rather all;

For even to vice

They are not constant, but are changing still
One vice, but of a minute old, for one
Not half so old as that. I'll write against them,
Detest them, curse them: yet 'tis greater skill
In a true hate, to pray they have their will:
The very devils cannot plague them better.

[Exit.

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