← 2.2
Act 2, Scene 3 — Cymbeline’s palace. An ante-chamber adjoining Imogen’s
on stage:
Next: 2.4 →
Original
Faithful Conversational Text-message
The argument Cloten has musicians play the waking song 'Hark, hark! The lark' under Imogen's window; the king and queen appear briefly before the Roman ambassador Lucius is announced; Cloten corners Imogen and she destroys him with one of the play's most memorable insults; Cloten is left fuming.
apartments.
Enter Cloten and Lords.
FIRST LORD dialogue

Your lordship is the most patient man in loss, the most coldest that

ever turn’d up ace.

[FIRST LORD in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

It would make any man cold to lose.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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FIRST LORD dialogue

But not every man patient after the noble temper of your lordship. You

are most hot and furious when you win.

[FIRST LORD in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

Winning will put any man into courage. If I could get this foolish

Imogen, I should have gold enough. It’s almost morning, is’t not?

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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FIRST LORD dialogue

Day, my lord.

[FIRST LORD in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

I would this music would come. I am advised to give her music a

mornings; they say it will penetrate.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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Enter Musicians.
Come on, tune. If you can penetrate her with your fingering, so. We’ll
try with tongue too. If none will do, let her remain; but I’ll never
give o’er. First, a very excellent good-conceited thing; after, a
wonderful sweet air, with admirable rich words to it, and then let her
consider.
SONG
Hark, hark! the lark at heaven’s gate sings,
And Phœbus ’gins arise,
His steeds to water at those springs
On chalic’d flow’rs that lies;
And winking Mary-buds begin
To ope their golden eyes.
With everything that pretty is,
My lady sweet, arise;
Arise, arise!
CLOTEN dialogue

So, get you gone. If this penetrate, I will consider your music the

better; if it do not, it is a vice in her ears which horsehairs and

calves’ guts, nor the voice of unpaved eunuch to boot, can never amend.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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[_Exeunt Musicians._]
Enter Cymbeline and Queen.
SECOND LORD dialogue

Here comes the King.

[SECOND LORD in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

I am glad I was up so late, for that’s the reason I was up so early. He

cannot choose but take this service I have done fatherly.—Good morrow

to your Majesty and to my gracious mother.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CYMBELINE ≋ verse dialogue

Attend you here the door of our stern daughter?

Will she not forth?

[CYMBELINE in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

I have assail’d her with musics, but she vouchsafes no notice.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CYMBELINE ≋ verse dialogue

The exile of her minion is too new;

She hath not yet forgot him; some more time

Must wear the print of his remembrance on’t,

And then she’s yours.

[CYMBELINE in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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QUEEN ≋ verse dialogue

You are most bound to th’ King,

Who lets go by no vantages that may

Prefer you to his daughter. Frame yourself

To orderly solicits, and be friended

With aptness of the season; make denials

Increase your services; so seem as if

You were inspir’d to do those duties which

You tender to her; that you in all obey her,

Save when command to your dismission tends,

And therein you are senseless.

[QUEEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

Senseless? Not so.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER ≋ verse dialogue

So like you, sir, ambassadors from Rome;

The one is Caius Lucius.

[MESSENGER in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CYMBELINE ≋ verse dialogue

A worthy fellow,

Albeit he comes on angry purpose now;

But that’s no fault of his. We must receive him

According to the honour of his sender;

And towards himself, his goodness forespent on us,

We must extend our notice. Our dear son,

When you have given good morning to your mistress,

Attend the Queen and us; we shall have need

T’ employ you towards this Roman. Come, our queen.

[CYMBELINE in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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[_Exeunt all but Cloten._]
CLOTEN ≋ verse dialogue

If she be up, I’ll speak with her; if not,

Let her lie still and dream. By your leave, ho!

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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[_Knocks._]
I know her women are about her; what
If I do line one of their hands? ’Tis gold
Which buys admittance (oft it doth) yea, and makes
Diana’s rangers false themselves, yield up
Their deer to th’ stand o’ th’ stealer; and ’tis gold
Which makes the true man kill’d and saves the thief;
Nay, sometime hangs both thief and true man. What
Can it not do and undo? I will make
One of her women lawyer to me, for
I yet not understand the case myself.
By your leave.
[_Knocks._]
Enter a Lady.
LADY dialogue

Who’s there that knocks?

[LADY in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

A gentleman.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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LADY dialogue

No more?

[LADY in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

Yes, and a gentlewoman’s son.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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LADY ≋ verse dialogue

That’s more

Than some whose tailors are as dear as yours

Can justly boast of. What’s your lordship’s pleasure?

[LADY in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

Your lady’s person; is she ready?

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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LADY ≋ verse dialogue

Ay,

To keep her chamber.

[LADY in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

There is gold for you; sell me your good report.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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LADY ≋ verse dialogue

How? My good name? or to report of you

What I shall think is good? The Princess!

[LADY in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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Enter Imogen.
CLOTEN dialogue

Good morrow, fairest sister. Your sweet hand.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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[_Exit Lady._]
IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

Good morrow, sir. You lay out too much pains

For purchasing but trouble. The thanks I give

Is telling you that I am poor of thanks,

And scarce can spare them.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

Still I swear I love you.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

If you but said so, ’twere as deep with me.

If you swear still, your recompense is still

That I regard it not.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

This is no answer.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

But that you shall not say I yield, being silent,

I would not speak. I pray you spare me. Faith,

I shall unfold equal discourtesy

To your best kindness; one of your great knowing

Should learn, being taught, forbearance.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN ≋ verse dialogue

To leave you in your madness ’twere my sin;

I will not.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN dialogue

Fools are not mad folks.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

Do you call me fool?

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

As I am mad, I do;

If you’ll be patient, I’ll no more be mad;

That cures us both. I am much sorry, sir,

You put me to forget a lady’s manners

By being so verbal; and learn now, for all,

That I, which know my heart, do here pronounce,

By th’ very truth of it, I care not for you,

And am so near the lack of charity

To accuse myself I hate you; which I had rather

You felt than make’t my boast.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN ≋ verse dialogue

You sin against

Obedience, which you owe your father. For

The contract you pretend with that base wretch,

One bred of alms and foster’d with cold dishes,

With scraps o’ th’ court, it is no contract, none.

And though it be allowed in meaner parties

(Yet who than he more mean?) to knit their souls

(On whom there is no more dependency

But brats and beggary) in self-figur’d knot,

Yet you are curb’d from that enlargement by

The consequence o’ th’ crown, and must not foil

The precious note of it with a base slave,

A hilding for a livery, a squire’s cloth,

A pantler; not so eminent!

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

Profane fellow!

Wert thou the son of Jupiter, and no more

But what thou art besides, thou wert too base

To be his groom. Thou wert dignified enough,

Even to the point of envy, if ’twere made

Comparative for your virtues to be styl’d

The under-hangman of his kingdom, and hated

For being preferr’d so well.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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Why it matters The 'meanest garment' insult is one of the most famous lines in the play — not a specific garment is better than Cloten, but the worst thing Posthumus ever wore. It will obsess Cloten to the point of murder.
CLOTEN dialogue

The south fog rot him!

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

He never can meet more mischance than come

To be but nam’d of thee. His mean’st 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!

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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Enter Pisanio.
CLOTEN dialogue

‘His garment’! Now the devil—

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN dialogue

To Dorothy my woman hie thee presently.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

‘His garment’!

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

I am sprited with a fool;

Frighted, and ang’red 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.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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↩ Callback to 2-2 Imogen notices the missing bracelet for the first time here — it was stolen by Iachimo while she slept. She doesn't know yet how significant its absence will prove.
🎭 Dramatic irony Imogen worries about the missing bracelet and Pisanio reassures her it will turn up. The audience knows exactly where it is — in Iachimo's possession, on its way to Rome to destroy her marriage.
PISANIO dialogue

’Twill not be lost.

[PISANIO in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN dialogue

I hope so. Go and search.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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[_Exit Pisanio._]
CLOTEN ≋ verse dialogue

You have abus’d me.

‘His meanest garment’!

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

Ay, I said so, sir.

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

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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CLOTEN dialogue

I will inform your father.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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IMOGEN ≋ verse dialogue

Your mother too.

She’s my good lady and will conceive, I hope,

But the worst of me. So I leave you, sir,

To th’ worst of discontent.

[IMOGEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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[_Exit._]
CLOTEN ≋ verse dialogue

I’ll be reveng’d.

‘His mean’st garment’! Well.

[CLOTEN in Act 2 Scene 3: Translation needed]

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Why it matters Cloten's final line — the obsessive repetition of 'his meanest garment' — foreshadows his plan in Act 3 to dress in Posthumus's clothes before attacking Imogen. The insult has planted a seed.
[_Exit._]

The Reckoning

The waking song is genuinely beautiful — one of Shakespeare's finest lyrics — deployed in the service of one of the play's worst intentions. Cloten's harassment of Imogen is relentless, and she meets it with an increasing directness that reaches its climax in 'His meanest garment / That ever hath but clipped his body is dearer / In my respect than all the hairs above thee.' It's an extraordinary insult — not just that Posthumus is better than Cloten, but that Posthumus's laundry is better than Cloten. And then she repeats it. He cannot let it go. Shakespeare makes the grotesque comedy almost unbearable by showing how little recourse Imogen has.

If this happened today…

The boss's son is standing outside your office door with a hired string quartet playing Spotify's most romantic playlist. You can hear it through the wall. Your actual boss (the CEO, his father) comes by, nods approvingly, and gets called away on business. Now it's just you and the son. He tells you he loves you. You tell him you'd rather be anywhere else. He tells you that you owe him love because you're legally obligated to prefer him to the guy who was fired. You tell him, very clearly and to his face, that the fired guy's old gym bag is worth more to you than everything Cloten owns. He's still repeating it to himself as you walk away.

Continue to 2.4 →