The Works of William Shakespeare

330

Dol.
Cæsar, thy thoughts
Touch their effects in this: thyself art coming
To see perform'd the dreaded act which thou
So sought'st to hinder.

[Within 'A way there, a way for Cæsar!'
Re-enter CESAR and all his train, marching.
Dol. O sir, you are too sure an augurer;
That you did fear is done.

Cæs.
Bravest at the last,
She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, 339
Took her own way. The manner of their deaths?
I do not see them bleed.
Dol.

Who was last with them?

350

First Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves

Cæs.

360

Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves
Upon the caves of Nile.
Most probable
That so she died; for her physician tells me
She hath pursued conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die. Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument:
She shall be buried by her Antony:
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them; and their story is
No less in pity than his glory which
Brought them to be lamented.
Our army
In solemn show attend this funeral;
And then to Rome. Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

shall

[Exeunt.

palace.

Enter two Gentlemen.

First Gent.

Two British Captains.

A Frenchman, friend to Philario.
Two Lords of Cymbeline's court.
Two Gentlemen of the same.
Two Gaolers.

Queen, wife to Cymbeline.

IMOGEN, daughter to Cymbeline by a former

queen.

HELEN, a lady attending on Imogen.

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, a Soothsayer, a Dutchman, a Spaniard, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants.

Sec. Gent.

Apparitions.

SCENE: Britain; Rome.

What's his name and birth?

First Gent. I cannot delve him to the root:

his father

Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour
Against the Romans with Cassibelan,

You do not meet a man but But had his titles by Tenantius whom frowns: our blood's

No more obey the heavens than our courtiers

Still seem as does the king.

Sec. Gent.
But what's the matter?
First Gent. His daughter, and the heir of 's |
kingdom, whom

He purposed to his wife's sole son--a widow
That late he married-hath referr'd herself
Unto a poor but worthy gentleman: she's wedded;
Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all
Is outward sorrow; though I think the king
Be touch'd at very heart.

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He served with glory and admired success,
So gain'd the sur-addition Leonatus;
And had, besides this gentleman in question,
Two other sons, who in the wars o' the time
Died with their swords in hand; for which their
father,

Then old and fond of issue, took such sorrow
That he quit being, and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman our theme, deceased
As he was born. The king he takes the babe 40
To his protection, calls him Posthumus Leonatus,
Breeds him and makes him of his bed-chamber,
Puts to him all the learnings that his time
Could make him the receiver of; which he took,
As we do air, fast as 'twas minister'd,
And in 's spring became a harvest, lived in court-
Which rare it is to do--most praised, most loved,
A sample to the youngest, to the more mature
A glass that feated them, and to the graver
A child that guided dotards; to his mistress, 50
For whom he now is banish'd, her own price
Proclaims how she esteem'd him and his virtue;
By her election may be truly read
What kind of man he is.

Sec. Gent.
I honour him
Even out of your report. But, pray you, tell me,
Is she sole child to the king?
First Gent.
His only child.
He had two sons: if this be worth your hearing,
Mark it: the eldest of them at three years old,
I' the swathing-clothes the other, from their nur

This diamond was my mother's: take it, heart;
But keep it till you woo another wife,
When Imogen is dead.

Post.

How, how! another?
You gentle gods, give me but this I have,
And sear up my embracements from a next
With bonds of death! [Putting on the ring.]
Remain, remain thou here

While sense can keep it on. And, sweetest,
fairest,

As I my poor self did exchange for you,
To your so infinite loss, so in our trifles
I still win of you: for my sake wear this;
It is a manacle of love; I'll place it
Upon this fairest prisoner.

120

[Putting a bracelet upon her arm.
Imo.
O the gods!
When shall we see again?

Enter CYMBELINE and Lords.
Post.
Alack, the king!
Cym. Thou basest thing, avoid! hence, from
my sight!

If after this command thou fraught the court
With thy unworthiness, thou diest: away!
Thou'rt poison to my blood.

Post.
The gods protect you!
And bless the good remainders of the court!
I am gone.
[Exit.
Imo. There cannot be a pinch in death 130
More sharp than this is.
Cym.

O disloyal thing,
That shouldst repair my youth, thou heap'st
A year's age on me.
Imo.
I beseech you, sir,

Dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant
Can tickle where she wounds! My dearest hus-Harm not yourself with your vexation:
band,

I something fear my father's wrath; but nothing--
Always reserved my holy duty-what
His rage can do on me: you must be gone;
And I shall here abide the hourly shot
Of angry eyes, not comforted to live,

But that there is this jewel in the world
That I may see again.

Post.
My queen! my mistress!
O lady, weep no more, lest I give cause
To be suspected of more tenderness
Than doth become a man. I will remain
The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth:
My residence in Rome at one Philario's,
Who to my father was a friend, to me
Known but by letter: thither write, my queen,
And with mine eyes I'll drink the words you send,
Though ink be made of gall.

I am senseless of your wrath; a touch more rare
Subdues all pangs, all fears.

Cym.

Past grace? obedience?

Imo. Past hope, and in despair; that way, past

grace.

Cym. That mightst have had the sole son of my queen!

Imo. Oblest, that I might not! I chose an eagle, And did avoid a puttock.

140

Cym. Thou took'st a beggar; wouldst have made my throne

A seat for baseness.

It is your fault that I have loved Posthumus:
You bred him as my playfellow, and he is
A man worth any woman, overbuys me
Almost the sum he pays.

Cym.
What, art thou mad?
Imo. Almost, sir: heaven restore me! Would

I were

A neat-herd's daughter, and my Leonatus
Our neighbour shepherd's son!

Сут.

Thou foolish thing! 150

Re-enter QUEEN.

They were again together: you have done
Not after our command. Away with her,
And pen her up.

Qucen. Beseech your patience. Peace,
Dear lady daughter, peace! Sweet sovereign,

бо

Queen.

I am very glad on't.

Imo. Your son's my father's friend; he takes his part.

To draw upon an exile! O brave sir!

I would they were in Afric both together;
Myself by with a needle, that I might prick
The goer-back. Why came you from your master?
Pis. On his command: he would not suffer me
To bring him to the haven; left these notes 171
Of what commands I should be subject to,
When 't pleased you to employ me.
Queen.
This hath been
Your faithful servant: I dare lay mine honour
He will remain so.

Clo. If my shirt were bloody, then to shift it. Have I hurt him?

Sec. Lord. [Aside] No, 'faith; not so much as his patience.

First Lord. Hurt him! his body's a passable carcass, if he be not hurt: it is a throughfare for steel, if it be not hurt.

Sec. Lord. [Aside] His steel was in debt; it went o' the backside the town.

Clo. The villain would not stand me. Sec. Lord. [Aside] No; but he fled forward still, toward your face.

First Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own: but he added to your having; gave you some ground.

Sec. Lord. [Aside] As many inches as you have oceans. Puppies!

Clo. I would they had not come between us. Sec. Lord. [Aside] So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground.

Clo. And that she should love this fellow and refuse me!

Sec. Lord. [Aside] If it be a sin to make a true election, she is damned. 30

First Lord. Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together: she's a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit.

Sec. Lord. [Aside] She shines not upon fools, lest the reflection should hurt her.

Clo. Come, I'll to my chamber. Would there had been some hurt done!

Sec. Lord. [Aside] I wish not so; unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt. Clo. You'll go with us?

First Lord. I'll attend your lordship.
Clo. Nay, come, let's go together.
Sec. Lord. Well, my lord.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. A room in Cymbeline's palace.

Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO.

Imo. I would thou grew'st unto the shores o' the haven,

And question'dst every sail: if he should write,
And I not have it, 'twere a paper lost,
As offer'd mercy is. What was the last
That he spake to thee?
Pis.
It was his queen, his queen!
Imo. Then waved his handkerchief?
Pis.
And kiss'd it, madam.
Imo. Senseless linen! happier therein than I!
And that was all?

Lady.

Enter a Lady.

The queen, madam, Desires your highness' company. Imo. Those things I bid you do, get them dispatch'd.

Iach. Can we, with manners, ask what was the difference?

French. Safely, I think: 'twas a contention in public, which may, without contradiction, suffer the report. It was much like an argument that fell out last night, where each of us fell in praise Madam, I shall. [Exeunt. 40 of our country mistresses; this gentleman at that

I will attend the queen.
Pis.

SCENE IV. Rome. Philario's house. Enter PHILARIO, IACHIMO, a Frenchman, a Dutchman, and a Spaniard.

Iach. Believe it, sir, I have seen him in Britain: he was then of a crescent note, expected to prove so worthy as since he hath been allowed the name of; but I could then have looked on him without the help of admiration, though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his side and I to peruse him by items.

Phi. You speak of him when he was less furnished than now he is with that which makes him both without and within.

French. I have seen him in France: we had very many there could behold the sun with as firm eyes as he.

Iach. This matter of marrying his king's daughter, wherein he must be weighed rather by her value than his own, words him, I doubt not, a great deal from the matter.

French. And then his banishment.

Iach. Ay, and the approbation of those that weep this lamentable divorce under her colours are wonderfully to extend him; be it but to fortify her judgement, which else an easy battery might lay flat, for taking a beggar without less quality. But how comes it he is to sojourn with you? How creeps acquaintance?

Phi. His father and I were soldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life. Here comes the Briton: let him be so entertained amongst you as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of his quality. 30

Post. Since when I have been debtor to you for courtesies, which I will be ever to pay and yet pay still.

French. Sir, you o'er-rate my poor kindness: I was glad I did atone my countryman and you; it had been pity you should have been put together with so mortal a purpose as then each bore, upon importance of so slight and trivial a nature. Post. By your pardon, sir, I was then a young traveller; rather shunned to go even with what I heard than in my every action to be guided by others' experiences: but upon my mended judgement-if I offend not to say it is mended-my quarrel was not altogether slight.

French. 'Faith, yes, to be put to the arbitrement of swords, and by such two that would by all likelihood have confounded one the other, or have fallen both.

time vouching-and upon warrant of bloody affirmation-his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste, constant-qualified and less attemptable than any the rarest of our ladies in France.

Iach. That lady is not now living, or this gentleman's opinion by this worn out. Post. She holds her virtue still and I my mind. Iach. You must not so far prefer her 'fore ours of Italy.

Post. Being so far provoked as I was in France, I would abate her nothing, though I profess myself her adorer, not her friend.

Iach. As fair and as good—a kind of hand-inhand comparison-had been something too fair and too good for any lady in Britain. If she went before others I have seen, as that diamond of yours outlustres many I have beheld, I could not but believe she excelled many: but I have not seen the most precious diamond that is, nor you the lady.

Post. I praised her as I rated her: so do I my stone.

mistress is

Iach. What do you esteem it at? Post. More than the world enjoys. Iach. Either your unparagoned dead, or she's outprized by a trifle. Post. You are mistaken: the one may be sold, or given, if there were wealth enough for the purchase, or merit for the gift: the other is not a thing for sale, and only the gift of the gods. Iach. Which the gods have given you? Post. Which, by their graces, I will keep. Iach. You may wear her in title yours: but, you know, strange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds. Your ring may be stolen too: so your brace of unprizable estimations; the one is but frail and the other casual; a cunning thief, or a that way accomplished courtier, would hazard the winning both of first and last.

Post. Your Italy contains none so accomplished a courtier to convince the honour of my mistress, if, in the holding or loss of that, you term her frail. I do nothing doubt you have store of thieves; notwithstanding, I fear not my ring.

Phi. Let us leave here, gentlemen.

109

Post. Sir, with all my heart. This worthy signior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; we are familiar at first.

Iach. With five times so much conversation, I should get ground of your fair mistress, make her go back, even to the yielding, had I admittance and opportunity to friend.

Post. No, no.

Iach. I dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my estate to your ring; which, in my opinion, o'ervalues it something: but I make my wager rather against your confidence than her reputation: and, to bar your offence herein too, I durst attempt it against any lady in the world."

Post. You are a great deal abused in too bold

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