Cymbeline, King of Britain Lies and Deceit Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)

Quote #7

IMOGEN
Pisanio,
All curses madded Hecuba gave the Greeks,
And mine to boot, be darted on thee! Thou,
Conspired with that irregulous devil Cloten,
Hast here cut off my lord. To write and read
Be henceforth treacherous. Damned Pisanio
Hath with his forgèd letters—damned Pisanio (4.2.385-391)

As if being wrongfully accursed of adultery weren't enough, now Imogen is poisoned. But we're more interested in whom she blames: she thinks Pisanio has been in on it with Cloten the whole time. He's a filthy, no good liar, right? Not right. The irony is that Pisanio is one of the only characters who is honest with her the entire time. She's acting a lot like Posthumus, who suspects Imogen instead of Iachimo when things seem to go wrong.

Quote #8

PISANIO
Wherein I am false I am honest; not true, to be true.
These present wars shall find I love my country,
Even to the note o' th' King, or I'll fall in them.
All other doubts, by time let them be cleared.
Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered. (4.3.50-54)

Poor Pisanio: he's accused of all kinds of deception, and yet he's the most trustworthy of the lot. He says he trusts that he will clear his name. No one likes to be called a liar, but Pisanio takes it in his stride; he knows the truth will set him free.

Quote #9

CORNELIUS
Your daughter, whom she bore in hand to love
With such integrity, she did confess
Was as a scorpion to her sight, whose life,
But that her flight prevented it, she had
Ta'en off by poison. (5.5.52-56)

Don't kill the messenger: that's what Cornelius is thinking when he delivers a laundry list of wicked deeds from the Queen to Cymbeline. Here, he uncovers all the Queen's lies. We knew she was mean, but killing the king and princess so that your son can reign? That's a whole new level of deception.