Cymbeline 2.iv

SCENE IV.
Rome. PHILARIO'S house

Enter POSTHUMUS and PHILARIO

[What was the beginning of this conversation like? We drop in on it in the middle. Maybe Philario asked Posthumus if he planned on winning the King's trust again? Phothumus answered...]


[Action: complain (as a request for reassurance)]
POSTHUMUS. Fear it not, sir; I [] would [wish] I were so sure
To [] win [win over] the King as I am [] bold [confident] her honour
Will remain hers.

PHILARIO. What [] means [overtures] do you make to him?

[Action: confess ... change the subject]
POSTHUMUS. Not any; but abide the change of time,
Quake in the present winter's state, and wish
That warmer days would come. In these fear'd hopes
I barely [] gratify [repay] your love; they failing,
I must die much your debtor.

[Action: repay kindness ... then change the subject, gently belittle the English]
PHILARIO. Your very goodness and your company
O'erpays all I can do. By [] this [this time] your king
Hath heard of great Augustus. Caius Lucius
Will do's commission throughly; and I think
He'll grant the tribute, send th' arrearages,
Or look upon our Romans, whose remembrance
Is yet fresh in their grief.

[Action: stand up for the home team]

POSTHUMUS. I do believe
[] Statist [statesman, politician] though I am none, nor like to be,
That this will prove a war; and you shall hear
The legions now in [] Gallia [France] sooner landed
In our not-fearing Britain than have tidings
Of any penny tribute paid. Our countrymen
Are men [] more order'd [better prepared] than when Julius Caesar
Smil'd 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 [those who test them] they are people such
That [] mend [improve] upon the world.

Enter IACHIMO

PHILARIO. See! Iachimo!


[Posthumus gives a warm welcome to Iachimo. He is positive Imogen is faithful. The more sure he is of this, the more crushed he'll be later.]

POSTHUMUS. The swiftest harts [] have posted [must have sped] you by land,
And winds of all the [] corners [quarters] kiss'd your sails,
To make your vessel nimble.
PHILARIO. Welcome, sir.

[Action: gloat.]
POSTHUMUS. I hope the briefness of your answer made
The speediness of your return.


[Action: wind up for a pitch]
IACHIMO. Your lady
Is one of the fairest that I have look'd upon.

[Action: gloat ... then temp fate by making an oath (as a sign of confidence)]
POSTHUMUS. And therewithal the best; or let her beauty
Look through a [] casement [window: whore looking through a window at clients] to allure false hearts,
And be false with them.

[Action: stall (before going in for the kill)]
IACHIMO. Here are letters for you.

[Action: fish (have you read them?)]
POSTHUMUS. Their tenour good, I trust.

[Action: play cards close to chest]
IACHIMO. 'Tis very like.

[Action: change the subject (is Philario still interested in politics, or is he trying to avert disaster?)]
PHILARIO. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court
When you were there?

[Action: solve and move on]
IACHIMO. He was expected then,
But not approach'd.

[Action: claim victory]
POSTHUMUS. All is well yet.
Sparkles this stone as it was wont, or is't not
Too dull for your good wearing? [indicates his ring]

[Action: luxuriate]
IACHIMO. If I have lost it,
I should have lost the worth of it in gold.
I'll make a journey twice as far t' enjoy
A second night of such sweet shortness which
Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won.

[Action: withhold]
POSTHUMUS. The stone's too hard to come by.

[Action: shrug it off]
IACHIMO. Not a whit,
Your lady being so easy.

[Action: warn, wipe the smile off his face, drop the mask]
POSTHUMUS. Make not, sir,
Your loss your sport. I hope you know that we
Must not continue friends.

[Action: reason]
IACHIMO. Good sir, we must,
If you [] keep covenant [adhere to your contract]. 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.

[Action: draw a line in the sand]
POSTHUMUS. 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.

[Action: boast]
IACHIMO. Sir, [] my circumstances [the details I will tell],
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.

[Action: accept the challenge]
POSTHUMUS. Proceed.

[Action: make the case, "accidently", "absentmindedly" getting lost in details]
IACHIMO. 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 [river where Anthony met Cleopatra] swell'd above the banks, [] or for [either due to]
The press of boats or pride. A piece of work
So bravely done, so rich, that it did [] strive [compete]
In workmanship and value; which I wonder'd
Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't was --

[Action: shrug off]
POSTHUMUS. This is true;
And this you might have heard of here, by me
Or by some other.

[Action: feign confusion]
IACHIMO. More particulars
Must justify my knowledge.

[Action: dare]
POSTHUMUS. So they must,
Or do your honour injury.

[Action: produce evidence]
IACHIMO. The chimney
Is south the chamber, and the chimneypiece
Chaste Dian bathing. Never saw I figures
So likely to report themselves. The cutter
Was as another nature, dumb; [] outwent her [surpassed nature, except...],
Motion and breath [] left [he left] out.

[Action: disprove]
POSTHUMUS. This is a thing
Which you might from relation likewise [] reap [learn],
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

[Action: bombard with facts]
IACHIMO. The roof o' th' chamber
With golden cherubins is [] fretted [adorned]; her [] andirons [fired irons] --
I had forgot them -- were two winking Cupids
Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
[] Depending on their brands [leaning on their torches].

[Action: "slap" ... then close the case]
POSTHUMUS. [] This is her honour! [This is her honor we're talking about!]
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.

[Action: pull out the ace]
IACHIMO. Then, if you can, [Shows the bracelet]
[] Be pale [be calm]. I beg but leave to air this jewel. See!
And now 'tis [] up again [put away again, e.g. in my pocket]. It must be married
To that your diamond; I'll keep them.

[Action: rub eyes]
POSTHUMUS. Jove!
Once more let me behold it. Is it that
Which I left with her?

[Action: stick the knife in further]
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 priz'd it once.

[Action: grasp at straws]
POSTHUMUS. May be she pluck'd it off
To send it me.

[Action: let him connect the dots]
IACHIMO. She writes so to you, doth she?

[Action: topple over into a realization ... curse]
POSTHUMUS. O, no, no, no! 'tis true. Here, take this too;
[Gives the ring]
It is a [] basilisk [serpent whose looks could kill] 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 [let the vows] of women
Of no more [] bondage [obligation] be to [] where they [those to whom the vows] are made
Than [] they [the women] are to their virtues, which is nothing.}

{Let women's vows no more bind them to men then their vows bind them to virtue, which they don't at all}

O, above measure false!

[Action: calm, reason]
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 her women, being corrupted
Hath stol'n it from her?

[Action: bounce back, demand proof]
POSTHUMUS. 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 stol'n.

[Action: rail at injustice]
IACHIMO. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm!

[Action: give in to the inevitable]
POSTHUMUS. 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 induc'd to steal it!
And by a stranger! No, he hath enjoy'd her.
The [] cognizance [sign] of her incontinency
Is this: she hath bought the name of whore thus dearly.
There, take thy [] hire [winnings]; and all the fiends of hell
Divide themselves between you!

[Action: reason]
PHILARIO. Sir, be patient;
This is not strong enough to be believ'd
Of one [] persuaded [thought] well of.

[Action: scorn]
POSTHUMUS. Never talk on't;
She hath been colted by him.

[Action: rub salt into the wound, revel]
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?

[Action: withdraw (e.g. to a dark place)]
POSTHUMUS. Ay, and it doth confirm
Another stain, as big as hell can hold,
Were there no more but it.

[Action: toy with]
IACHIMO. Will you hear more?


[Action: hurl away]
POSTHUMUS. Spare your arithmetic; never count the [] turns [sexual acts].
Once, and a million!

[Action: jump back in the ring]
IACHIMO. I'll be sworn --

[Action: refuse to play ... then threaten]
POSTHUMUS. 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.

[Action: stand firm]
IACHIMO. I'll deny nothing.

[Action: wish ... then vow]
POSTHUMUS. O that I had her here to tear her [] limb-meal [limb from limb]!
I will go there and do't, i' th' court, before
Her father. I'll do something -- Exit

[Action: pick up the pieces]
PHILARIO. Quite [] besides
The government [beyond the control] of patience! You have won.
Let's follow him and [] pervert [divert] the present wrath
He hath against himself.
IACHIMO. With all my heart. Exeunt