As great as is thy master, greater, for
His fortunes all lie speechless and his name

Is at last gasp: return he cannot, nor

Continue where he is: to shift his being +Dwelling.
Is to exchange one misery with another,
And every day that comes comes to decay

59

A day's work in him. What shalt thou expect,
To be depender on a thing that leans,
Who cannot be new built, nor has no friends,
So much as but to prop him? [The Queen drops the
box: Pisanio takes it up.] Thou takest up
Thou know'st not what; but take it for thy labour:
It is a thing I made, which hath the king
Five times redeem'd from death: I do not know
What is more cordial. Nay, I prithee, take it;
It is an earnest of a further good

That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do 't as from thyself.
Think what a chance thou changest on, but think
Thou hast thy mistress still, to boot, my son,
Who shall take notice of thee: I'll move the king
To any shape of thy preferment such

As thou 'lt desire; and then myself, I chiefly,
That set thee on to this desert, am bound
To load thy merit richly. Call my women:
Think on my words.

71

[Exit Pisanio.

A sly and constant knave, Not to be shaked; the agent for his master And the remembrancer of her to hold

The hand-fast to her lord. I have given him that
Which, if he take, shall quite unpeople her

Of liegers for her sweet, and which she after, So
Except she bend her humour, shall be assured
To taste of too.

Re-enter PISANIO and Ladies.

Ambassadors.

So, so: well done, well done:

The violets, cowslips, and the primroses,
Bear to my closet. Fare thee well, Pisanio;
Think on my words. [Exeunt Queen and Ladies.
And shall do:

Pis.

But when to my good lord I prove untrue,

I'll choke myself: there's all I'll do for you. [Exit.

Another room in the

SCENE VI. The same.

palace.

Enter IMOGEN.

Imo. A father cruel, and a step-dame false;

A foolish suitor to a wedded lady,

That hath her husband banish'd;-O, that husband!

My supreme crown of grief! and those repeated
Vexations of it! Had I been thief-stol'n,

As my two brothers, happy! but most miserable
Is the desire that's glorious: blest be those,
How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills,
Which seasons comfort. Who may this be? Fie!
Enter PISANIO and IACHIMO.

Pis. Madam, a noble gentleman of Rome, IO Comes from my lord with letters.

Change you, madam?

Iach.
The worthy Leonatus is in safety
And greets your highness dearly.

Imo.

You're kindly welcome.

[Presents a letter. Thanks, good sir:

Iach. [Aside] All of her that is out of door most rich!

If she be furnish'd with a mind so rare,

She is alone the Arabian bird, and I

Have lost the wager. Boldness be my friend!
Arm me, audacity, from head to foot!

Or, like the Parthian, I shall flying fight;
Rather, directly fly.

20

Imo. [Reads] He is one of the noblest note to whose kindnesses I am most infinitely tied. Reflect upon him accordingly, as you value your trustLEONATUS.'

So far I read aloud:

But even the very middle of my heart

Is warm'd by the rest, and takes it thankfully.
You are as welcome, worthy sir, as I

Have words to bid you, and shall find it so
In all that I can do.

Iach.

Thanks, fairest lady.

30

What, are men mad? Hath nature given them

eyes

To see this vaulted arch, and the rich crop
Of sea and land, which can distinguish 'twixt
The fiery orbs above and the twinn'd stones
Upon the number'd beach? and can we not
Partition make with spectacles so precious
'Twixt fair and foul?

Imo.

What makes your admiration? Iach. It cannot be i' the eye, for apes and monkeys

'Twixt two such shes would chatter this way and Contemn with mows* the other; nor i' the judge

ment,

*Grimaces.

For idiots in this case of favour would
Be wisely definite; nor i' the appetite;
Sluttery to such neat excellence opposed
Should make desire vomit emptiness,
Not so allured to feed.

Imo. What is the matter, trow?
Iach.

4I

The cloyed will, That satiate yet unsatisfied desire, that tub Both fill'd and running, ravening first the lamb Longs after for the garbage.

Imo.

What, dear sir,

Thus raps you? Are you well?

50

Iach. Thanks, madam; well. [To Pisanio]

Beseech you, sir, desire

My man's abode where I did leave him: he

Is strange and peevish.

Pis.

To give him welcome.

I was going, sir,

[Exit.

Imo. Continues well my lord? His health,

beseech you?

Iach. Well, madam.

Imo. Is he disposed to mirth? I hope he is.
Iach. Exceeding pleasant; none a stranger

there

So merry and so gamesome: he is call'd

The Briton reveller.

Imo.

When he was here,

He did incline to sadness, and oft-times
Not knowing why.

60

Iach.

I never saw him sad.

There is a Frenchman his companion, one

An eminent monsieur, that, it seems, much loves A Gallian girl at home; he furnaces

The thick sighs from him, whiles the jolly Briton

Your lord, I mean-laughs from 's free lungs, cries 'O,

Can my sides hold, to think that man, who knows

By history, report, or his own proof,

What woman is, yea, what she cannot choose
But must be, will his free hours languish for
Assured bondage?'

Imo.

Iach.

Will my lord say so?

70

Ay, madam, with his eyes in flood with laughter:

It is a recreation to be by

And hear him mock the Frenchman. But, heavens

know,

Some men are much to blame.

Imo.

Not he, I hope.

Iach. Not he: but yet heaven's bounty towards him might

Be used more thankfully. In himself, 'tis much;

In you, which I account his beyond all talents, 80 Whilst I am bound to wonder, I am bound

To pity too.

Imo. What do you pity, sir?
Iach. Two creatures heartily.

Imo.

Am I one, sir?

You look on me: what wreck discern you in me Deserves your pity?

Iach.

Lamentable! What,

To hide me from the radiant sun and solace

I' the dungeon by a snuff?

Imo.
I pray you, sir,
Deliver with more openness your answers
To my demands. Why do you pity me?
Iach. That others do-

I was about to say-enjoy your-But
It is an office of the gods to venge it,

90

Not mine to speak on 't.

Imo.

You do seem to know

Something of me, or what concerns me: pray

you,

Since doubting things go ill often hurts more
Than to be sure they do; for certainties

Either are past remedies, or, timely knowing,
The remedy then born-discover to me
What both you spur and stop.

Iach.
Had I this cheek 99
To bathe my lips upon; this hand, whose touch,
Whose every touch, would force the feeler's soul
To the oath of loyalty; this object, which
Takes prisoner the wild motion of mine eye,
Fixing it only here; should I, damn'd then,
Slaver with lips as common as the stairs
That mount the Capitol; join gripes with hands
Made hard with hourly falsehood-falsehood, as
With labour; then by-peeping in an eye
Base and unlustrous as the smoky light
That's fed with stinking tallow; it were fit
That all the plagues of hell should at one time
Encounter such revolt.

Inclined to this intelligence, pronounce

IIO

The beggary of his change: but 'tis your graces That from my mutest conscience to my tongue Charms this report out.

Imo.
Iach.

Let me hear no more.
O dearest soul! your cause doth strike
my heart

With pity, that doth make me sick. A lady
So fair, and fasten'd to an empery,

I 20

Would make the great'st king double,-to be partner'd

With tomboys hired with that self-exhibition Which your own coffers yield! with diseased

ventures

That play with all infirmities for gold

Which rottenness can lend nature! such boil'd stuff