To wipe out our ingratitude with loves 2 Sen. So did we woo Transformed Timon to our city's love, By humble message, and by promis'd means; 1 Sen. These walls of ours Were not erected by their hands, from whom You have receiv'd your griefs: nor are they such, Than these great towers, trophies, and schools should fall For private faults in them. 2 Sen. Nor are they living, Who were the motives that you first went out; And by the hazard of the spotted die, 1 Sen. All have not offended; For those that were, it is not square, to take, On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands, Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman, Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage: Spare thy Athenian cradle, and those kin, Which, in the bluster of thy wrath, must fall, With those that have offended: like a shepherd, Approach the fold, and cull the infected forth, But kill not altogether. 2 Sen. What thou wilt, Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile. 1 Sen. Set but thy foot [ope; Against our rampir'd gates, and they shall So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before, To say, thou'lt enter friendly. 2 Sen. Throw thy glove; Or any token of thine honour else, That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress, * 1 t. By promising him a competent subsistence. Not regular, not equitable. Shall make their harbour in our town, till we Have seal'd thy full desire. Alcib. Then there's my glove; Descend, and open your uncharged ports;* Those enemies of Timon's, and mine own, Whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof, Fall, and no more: and,-to atone your fears With my more noble meaning,—not a man Shall pass his quarter, or offend the stream Of regular justice in your city's bounds, But shall be remedied, to your public laws At heaviest answer. Both. 'Tis most nobly spoken. Alcib. Descend, and keep your words. The SENATORS descend, and open the Gates. Enter a SOLDIER. Sold. My noble general, Timon is dead; Entomb'd upon the very hem o'the sea: And on his grave-stone, this insculpture; which [sion With wax I brought away, whose soft impres Interprets for my poor ignorance. Alcib. [Reads.] Here lies a wretched corse, of wretched soul bereft: Seek not my name: A plague consume you wicked caitiff's left! Here lie I Timon; who, alive, all living men did hute: Pass by, and curse thy fill; but pass, and stay not here thy gait. These well express in thee thy latter spirits: Though thou abhorr'dst in us our human griefs, Scorn'dst our brain's flow, and those our droplets which From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit Taught thee to make vast Neptune weep for A FRENCH GENTLEMAN, Friend to Philario. CAIUS LUCIUS, General of the Roman Forces. CORNELIUS, a Physician. QUEEN, Wife to Cymbeline. Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, Apparitions, a Soothsayer, a Dutch Gentleman, a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. A ROMAN CAPTAIN. TWO BRITISH CAPTAINS. SCFNE Sometimes in Britain; sometimes in PISANIO, Servant to Posthumus. Italy. ACT I. SCENE 1.-Britain.-The Garden behind Enter two GENTLEMEN. 1 Gent. You do not meet a man, but frowns: our bloods No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers; Still seem, as does the king's. 2 Gen. But what's the matter? 1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of his kingdom, whom He purpos'd 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. 2 Gent. None but the king? queen, 1 Gent. He, that hath lost her, too: so is the [tier, That most desir'd the match: But not a courAlthough they wear their faces to the bent Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not Glad at the thing they scowl at. 2 Gent. And why so? 1 Gent. He that hath miss'd the princess, is a thing Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her, Inclination, natural disposition. For one his like, there would be something failing In him that should compare. I do not think, So fair an outward, and such stuff within, Endows a man but he. 2 Gent. You speak him far.* 1 Gent. I do extend him, Sir, within himself; Crush him together, rather than unfold His measure duly.t 2 Gent. What's his name, and birth? 1 Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: His Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour, (Then old and fond of issue,) took such sorrow, Puts him to all the learnings that his time *Ie. You praise him extensively. + My praise, however extensive, is within his menit. The father of Cymbeline. Were stolen: and to this hour, no guess in 2 Gent. How long is this ago? 1 Gent. Some twenty years. 2 Gent. That a king's children should be so So slackly guarded! And the search so slow, 1 Gent. Howsoe'er 'tis strange, To walk this way: I never do him wrong, But he does buy my injuries, to be friends; Pays dear for my offences. [Exit: Post. Should we be taking leave Were you but riding forth to air yourself, Post. How! how! another?- [Putting on the Ring. While senset can keep it on! And sweetest, fairest, As I my poor self did exchange for you, Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at, To your so infinite loss; so, in our trifles Yet is it true, Sir. 2 Gent. I do well believe you. 1 Gent. We must forbear: Here comes the queen and princess. SCENE II.-The same. [Exeunt. Enter the QUEEN, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN. daughter, After the slander of most step-mothers, I will be known your advocate: marry, yet Post. Please your highness, I will from hence to-day. [tience I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying The pangs of barr'd affections; though the king Hath charg'd you should not speak together. I something fear my father's wrath; but no- Post. My queen! my mistress! O, lady, weep no more; lest I give cause [send, I still win of you: For my sake, wear this; It is a manacle of love; I'll place it Upon this fairest prisoner. [Putting a Bracelet on her Arm. Imo. O, the gods! When shall we see again? A seat for baseness. Imo. No; I rather added Cym. thou vile one! It is your fault that I have lov'd Posthumus: Cym. What!-art thou mad? Queen. Fie!-you must give way: [Exit. [news? Here is your servant.-How now, Sir? What Pis. My lord your son drew on my master. Queen. Ha! No harm, I trust, is done? Pis. There might have been, But that my master rather play'd than fought, And had no help of anger: they were parted By gentlemen at hand. 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 !-- Enter CLOTEN, and two LORDS. 1 Lord. Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt; the violence of action hath made you reek as a sacrifice: Where air comes out, air comes in: there's none abroad so wholesome as that you vent. Clo. If my shirt were bloody, then to shift it-Have I hurt him? 2 Lord. No, faith; not so much as his paience. [Aside. Lord. Hurt him? his body's a passable car. cass, if he be not hurt: it is a thoroughfare for steel if it be not hurt. 2 Lord. As many inches as you have oceans: Puppies! [Aside. Clo. I would, they had not come between us. 2 Lord. So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground. Aside. Clo. And that she should love this fellow, and refuse me! 2 Lord. If it be a sin to make a true election she is damned. [Aside 1 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.t 2 Lord. She shines not upon fools, lest the reflection should hurt her. [Aside. Clo. Come, I'll to my chamber: 'Would there had been some hurt done! 2 Lord. I wish not so; unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt. [Aside. Clo. You'll go with us? 1 Lord. I'll attend your lordship. Clo. Nay, come, let's go together. 2 Lord. Well, my lord. [Exeunt, As he could make me with this eye or ear Imo. Thou should'st have made him Pis. Madam, so I did. Imo. I would have broke mine eye-strings; crack'd them, but To look upon him; till the diminution Pis. Be assur'd, madam, Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had How I would think on him, at certain hours, Most pretty things to say: ere I could tell him, Such thoughts, and such; or I could make him The shes of Italy should not betray [swear Mine interest, and his honour; or have charg'd [night, him. At the sixth hour of morn, at noon, at mid- Her beauty and sense are not equal. To understand the force of this idea, it should be remembered that anciently almost every sign had a motto, or some attempt at a witticism underneath it. + Opportunity. Meet me with reciprocal prayer SCENE V-Rome.-An Apartment in PHILARIO'S House. Enter PHILARIO, IACHIMO, a FRENCHMAN, a DUTCHMAN, and a SPANIARD. lach. 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 makest 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: lach. 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 more quality. But how comes it, he is to sojourn with you? How creeps acquain tance? Phi. His father and I were soldiers together; to whom I have been often bound for no less than my life: Enter POSTHUMUS. Here comes the Briton: Let him be so entertained amongst you, as suits, with gentlemen of your knowing, to a stranger of quality.-1 beseech you all, be better known to this gentleman; whom I commend to you as a noble friend of mine: How worthy he is, I will leave to appear hereafter, rather than story him in his own hearing. French. Sir, we have known together in Orleans. 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; 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. 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 of our country mistresses: This gentleman at that time vouching, (and upon warrant of bloody affirmation,) his to be more fair, virtuous, wise, chaste, constant-qualified, and less attemptible, than any the rarest of our ladies in France. gentleman's opinion, by this, worn out. Lach. That lady is not now living; or this 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 profess myself her adorer, not her friend.t France, I would abate her nothing; though I Iach. As fair, and as good, (a kind of handfair, and too good for any lady in Britany. If in-hand comparison,) had been something too she went before others I have seen, as that held, I could not but believe she excelled diamond of yours outlustres many I have bemany: 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. Tach. What do you esteem it at? Post. More than the world enjoys. dead, or she's outpriz'd by a trifle. Iach. Either your unparagoned mistress is sold, or given; if there were wealth enough Jach. Which the gods have given you? Iach. You may wear her in title yours: but, ing ponds. Your ring may be stolen too: so, you know, strange fowl light upon neighbourof your brace of unprizeable 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 convircet the honour of my mistress; if, in the holding or loss of that, have store of thieves; notwithstanding I fear you term her frail. I do nothing doubt, you not my ring. Phi. Let us leave here, gentlemen. nior, I thank him, makes no stranger of me; Post. Sir, with all heart. This worthy sigwe are familiar at first. lach. With five times so much conversation I should get ground of your fair mistress: I admittance, and opportunity to friend. make her go back, even to the yielding; had Post. No, no. my estate to your ring; which, in my opinion, Iach. I dare, thereon, pawn the moiety of o'er-values it something: But I make my wager rather against your confidence, than her repu* Destroyed. + Lover, I speak of her as a being I reverence, not as a beauty whom I enjoy. + Overcome |