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Volpone; or, The Fox · 1606

Act V, Scene 3

by Ben Jonson 1572-1637


A ROOM IN VOLPONE'S HOUSE.

ENTER MOSCA IN THE HABIT OF A CLARISSIMO;
AND VOLPONE IN THAT OF A COMMANDADORE.

VOLP: Am I then like him?

MOS: O, sir, you are he;
No man can sever you.

VOLP: Good.

MOS: But what am I?

VOLP: 'Fore heaven, a brave clarissimo, thou becom'st it!
Pity thou wert not born one.

MOS [ASIDE.]: If I hold
My made one, 'twill be well.

VOLP: I'll go and see
What news first at the court.

[EXIT.]

MOS: Do so. My Fox
Is out of his hole, and ere he shall re-enter,
I'll make him languish in his borrow'd case,
Except he come to composition with me.--
Androgyno, Castrone, Nano!

[ENTER ANDROGYNO, CASTRONE AND NANO.]

ALL: Here.

MOS: Go, recreate yourselves abroad; go sport.--
[EXEUNT.]
So, now I have the keys, and am possest.
Since he will needs be dead afore his time,
I'll bury him, or gain by him: I am his heir,
And so will keep me, till he share at least.
To cozen him of all, were but a cheat
Well placed; no man would construe it a sin:
Let his sport pay for it, this is call'd the Fox-trap.

[EXIT.]

MLA

Jonson, Ben. Volpone; or, The Fox, Act V, Scene 3. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/volpone-jonson/17/.

Chicago

Jonson, Ben. Volpone; or, The Fox, Act V, Scene 3. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/volpone-jonson/17/.

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