The under-hangman of his kingdom; and hated
For being preferr'd so well.

Clo.

The south-fog rot him! Imo. He never can meet more mischance than

come

To be but nam'd of thee. His meanest garment,
That ever hath but clipp'd his body, is dearer,
In my respect, than all the hairs above thee,
Were they all made such men. How now,

Pisanio?

Enter PISANIO.

Clo. His garment? Now, the devil-

Imo. To Dorothy my woman hie thee presently:Clo. His garment?

Imo.

I am sprighted13 with a fool; Frighted, and anger'd worse:-Go, bid my woman Search for a jewel, that too casually

Hath left mine arm; it was thy master's: 'shrew me,
If I would lose it for a revenue

Of any king's in Europe. I do think,
I saw't this morning: Confident I am,
Last night 'twas on mine arm; I kiss'd it:
I hope, it be not gone, to tell my lord
That I kiss aught but he.

If you will make't an action, call witness to't.

Clo. I will inform your father.

Imo.

Your mother too:

She's my good lady14; and will conceive, I hope,

13. e. haunted by a fool as by a spright.

14 This is said ironically. My good lady' is equivalent to my good friend. See vol. v. p. 328, note 5.

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.

Phi.

What means do you make to him? Post. 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 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 order'd, than when Julius Cæsar
Smil'd at their lack of skill, but found their courage
Worthy his frowning at: Their discipline

1 Or stands here for ere. See vol. iv. p. 379, note 3. Respecting the tribute here alluded to, see the Preliminary Remarks. 2 i. e. statesman. See Hamlet, Act v. Sc. 2, note 8.

(Now mingled with their courages) will make known wingTo their approvers3, they are people, such

That mend upon the world.

Phi.

Enter IACHIMO.

See! lachimo?

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 there1?

Iach.

But not approach'd.

Post.

'Tis very like.

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.

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, which odd reading Steevens seemed inclined to adopt, and explains it, their discipline borrowing wings from their courage.' 4 This speech is given to Posthumus in the old copy; but Posthumus was employed in reading his letters, and was too much interested in the end of lachimo's journey to put an indifferent question of this nature. It was transferred to Philario at the suggestion of Steevens.

VOL. IX.

3

Post. The stone's too hard to come by.

Not a whit,

Make not, sir,

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'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 bed-chamber

(Where, I confess, I slept not; but, profess,
Had that was well worth watching5), 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,

5 i. e. 'that which was well worth watching or lying awake [for]. See the preceding scene, note 5.

Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,
Since the true life on't was6——

Post.

This is true;

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

Fach.

Must justify my knowledge.

Post.

More particulars

So they must,

The chimney

Or do your honour 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, dumb7; 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.

The roof o'the chamber

Iach. With golden cherubins is fretteds. Her andirons (I had forgot them), were two winking Cupids

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.

Johnson observes, that Iachimo's language is such as a skilful villain would naturally use; a mixture of airy triumph and serious deposition. His gaiety shows his seriousness to be without anxiety, and his seriousness proves his gaiety to be without art.'

7 i. e. so near speech. A speaking picture is a common figurative mode of expression. 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.

8 Steevens says, this tawdry image occurs in King Henry VIII. :

their dwarfish pages were

As cherubins all gilt,'

The

By the very mention of cherubins his indignation is moved. sole recommendation of this Gothic idea (says he), which is critically repeated by modern artists, seems to be, that it occupies but little room on canvass or marble; for chubby unmeaning faces, with duck's wings tucked under them, are all the circumstances that enter into such infantine and absurd representations of the choirs of heaven.'