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Cymbeline - Act 2, scene 3
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Cymbeline - Act 2, scene 3Act 2, scene 3
Scene 3
Synopsis:
Cloten serenades Imogen in an attempt to win her love. Imogen enrages Cloten by saying that he is not as dear as Posthumus’s “meanest garment.” Cloten vows revenge. In the meantime, Imogen realizes that her bracelet is lost.
Enter Cloten and Lords.FIRST LORD 0957 Your Lordship is the most patient man in
0958 loss, the most coldest that ever turned up ace.
CLOTEN 0959 It would make any man cold to lose.
FIRST LORD 0960 But not every man patient after the noble
0961 5 temper of your Lordship. You are most hot and
0962 furious when you win.
⌜CLOTEN⌝ 0963 Winning will put any man into courage. If I
0964 could get this foolish Imogen, I should have gold
0965 enough. It’s almost morning, is ’t not?
FIRST LORD 0966 10Day, my lord.
CLOTEN 0967 I would this music would come. I am advised
0968 to give her music a-mornings; they say it will
0969 penetrate.
Enter Musicians.
0970 Come on, tune. If you can penetrate her with your
0971 15 fingering, so. We’ll try with tongue, too. If none
0972 will do, let her remain, but I’ll never give o’er. First,
0973 a very excellent good-conceited thing; after, a wonderful
0974 sweet air, with admirable rich words to it,
0975 and then let her consider.
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⌜Musicians begin to play.⌝Song.
0976 20 Hark, hark, the lark at heaven’s gate sings,
0977 And Phoebus gins arise,
0978 His steeds to water at those springs
0979 On chaliced flowers that lies;
0980 And winking Mary-buds begin
0981 25 To ope their golden eyes.
0982 With everything that pretty is,
0983 My lady sweet, arise,
0984 Arise, arise.
⌜CLOTEN⌝ 0985 So, get you gone. If this penetrate, I will
0986 30 consider your music the better. If it do not, it is a
0987 ⌜vice⌝ in her ears which horsehairs and calves’
0988 guts, nor the voice of unpaved eunuch to boot, can
0989 never amend.
⌜Musicians exit.⌝
Enter Cymbeline and Queen, ⌜with Attendants.⌝
SECOND LORD 0990 Here comes the King.
CLOTEN 0991 35I am glad I was up so late, for that’s the reason
0992 I was up so early. He cannot choose but take this
0993 service I have done fatherly.—Good morrow to
0994 your Majesty and to my gracious mother.
CYMBELINE
0995 Attend you here the door of our stern daughter?
0996 40 Will she not forth?
CLOTEN 0997 I have assailed her with musics, but she
0998 vouchsafes no notice.
CYMBELINE
0999 The exile of her minion is too new;
1000 She hath not yet forgot him. Some more time
1001 45 Must wear the print of his remembrance on ’t,
1002 And then she’s yours.
QUEEN, ⌜to Cloten⌝ 1003 You are most bound to th’ King,
1004 Who lets go by no vantages that may
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1005
Prefer you to his daughter. Frame yourself1006 50 To orderly solicits and be friended
1007 With aptness of the season. Make denials
1008 Increase your services. So seem as if
1009 You were inspired to do those duties which
1010 You tender to her; that you in all obey her,
1011 55 Save when command to your dismission tends,
1012 And therein you are senseless.
CLOTEN 1013 Senseless? Not so.
⌜Enter a Messenger.⌝
MESSENGER, ⌜to Cymbeline⌝
1014 So like you, sir, ambassadors from Rome;
1015 The one is Caius Lucius.⌜Messenger exits.⌝
CYMBELINE 1016 60 A worthy fellow,
1017 Albeit he comes on angry purpose now.
1018 But that’s no fault of his. We must receive him
1019 According to the honor of his sender,
1020 And towards himself, his goodness forespent on us,
1021 65 We must extend our notice.—Our dear son,
1022 When you have given good morning to your mistress,
1023 Attend the Queen and us. We shall have need
1024 T’ employ you towards this Roman.—Come, our
1025 queen.
⌜Cymbeline and Queen⌝ exit, ⌜with
Lords and Attendants.⌝
CLOTEN
1026 70 If she be up, I’ll speak with her; if not,
1027 Let her lie still and dream. (⌜He knocks.⌝) By your
1028 leave, ho!—
1029 I know her women are about her. What
1030 If I do line one of their hands? ’Tis gold
1031 75 Which buys admittance—oft it doth—yea, and makes
1032 Diana’s rangers false themselves, yield up
1033 Their deer to th’ stand o’ th’ stealer; and ’tis gold
1034 Which makes the true man killed and saves the thief,
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1035
Nay, sometime hangs both thief and true man. What1036 80 Can it not do and undo? I will make
1037 One of her women lawyer to me, for
1038 I yet not understand the case myself.
1039 By your leave.Knocks.
Enter a Lady.
LADY
1040 Who’s there that knocks?
CLOTEN 1041 85 A gentleman.
LADY 1042 No more?
CLOTEN
1043 Yes, and a gentlewoman’s son.
LADY 1044 That’s more
1045 Than some whose tailors are as dear as yours
1046 90 Can justly boast of. What’s your Lordship’s pleasure?
CLOTEN
1047 Your lady’s person. Is she ready?
LADY 1048 Ay,
1049 To keep her chamber.
CLOTEN 1050 There is gold for you.
1051 95 Sell me your good report.⌜He offers a purse.⌝
LADY
1052 How, my good name? Or to report of you
1053 What I shall think is good?
Enter Imogen.
1054 The Princess.
⌜Lady exits.⌝
CLOTEN
1055 Good morrow, fairest sister. Your sweet hand.
IMOGEN
1056 100 Good morrow, sir. You lay out too much pains
1057 For purchasing but trouble. The thanks I give
1058 Is telling you that I am poor of thanks
1059 And scarce can spare them.
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CLOTEN
1060
Still I swear I love you.IMOGEN
1061 105 If you but said so, ’twere as deep with me.
1062 If you swear still, your recompense is still
1063 That I regard it not.
CLOTEN 1064 This is no answer.
IMOGEN
1065 But that you shall not say I yield being silent,
1066 110 I would not speak. I pray you, spare me. Faith,
1067 I shall unfold equal discourtesy
1068 To your best kindness. One of your great knowing
1069 Should learn, being taught, forbearance.
CLOTEN
1070 To leave you in your madness ’twere my sin.
1071 115 I will not.
IMOGEN
1072 Fools are not mad folks.
CLOTEN 1073 Do you call me fool?
IMOGEN 1074 As I am mad, I do.
1075 If you’ll be patient, I’ll no more be mad.
1076 120 That cures us both. I am much sorry, sir,
1077 You put me to forget a lady’s manners
1078 By being so verbal; and learn now for all
1079 That I, which know my heart, do here pronounce,
1080 By th’ very truth of it, I care not for you,
1081 125 And am so near the lack of charity
1082 To accuse myself I hate you—which I had rather
1083 You felt than make ’t my boast.
CLOTEN 1084 You sin against
1085 Obedience, which you owe your father. For
1086 130 The contract you pretend with that base wretch—
1087 One bred of alms and fostered with cold dishes,
1088 With scraps o’ th’ court—it is no contract, none;
1089 And though it be allowed in meaner parties—
1090 Yet who than he more mean?—to knit their souls,
1091 135 On whom there is no more dependency
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1092
But brats and beggary, in self-figured knot;1093 Yet you are curbed from that enlargement by
1094 The consequence o’ th’ crown, and must not foil
1095 The precious note of it with a base slave,
1096 140 A hilding for a livery, a squire’s cloth,
1097 A pantler—not so eminent.
IMOGEN 1098 Profane fellow,
1099 Wert thou the son of Jupiter and no more
1100 But what thou art besides, thou wert too base
1101 145 To be his groom. Thou wert dignified enough,
1102 Even to the point of envy, if ’twere made
1103 Comparative for your virtues to be styled
1104 The under-hangman of his kingdom and hated
1105 For being preferred so well.
CLOTEN 1106 150 The south fog rot him!
IMOGEN
1107 He never can meet more mischance than come
1108 To be but named of thee. His mean’st garment
1109 That ever hath but clipped his body is dearer
1110 In my respect than all the hairs above thee,
1111 155 Were they all made such men.—How now, Pisanio!
Enter Pisanio.
CLOTEN 1112 “His ⌜garment⌝”? Now the devil—
IMOGEN, ⌜to Pisanio⌝
1113 To Dorothy, my woman, hie thee presently.
CLOTEN
1114 “His garment”?
IMOGEN, ⌜to Pisanio⌝ 1115 I am sprighted with a fool,
1116 160 Frighted and angered worse. Go bid my woman
1117 Search for a jewel that too casually
1118 Hath left mine arm. It was thy master’s. Shrew me
1119 If I would lose it for a revenue
1120 Of any king’s in Europe. I do think
1121 165 I saw ’t this morning. Confident I am
1122 Last night ’twas on mine arm; I kissed it.
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1123
I hope it be not gone to tell my lord1124 That I kiss aught but he.
PISANIO 1125 ’Twill not be lost.
IMOGEN
1126 170 I hope so. Go and search.⌜Pisanio exits.⌝
CLOTEN 1127 You have abused me.
1128 “His meanest garment”?
IMOGEN 1129 Ay, I said so, sir.
1130 If you will make ’t an action, call witness to ’t.
CLOTEN
1131 175 I will inform your father.
IMOGEN 1132 Your mother too.
1133 She’s my good lady and will conceive, I hope,
1134 But the worst of me. So I leave ⌜you,⌝ sir,
1135 To th’ worst of discontent.She exits.
CLOTEN
1136 180 I’ll be revenged! “His mean’st garment”? Well.
He exits.