powers,

If you will take this audit, take this life,
And cancel these cold bonds. O Imogen !
I'll speak to thee in silence.

[Sleeps. Solemn music. Enter, as in an apparition, SI

CILIUS LEONATUS, father to POSTHUMUS, an
old man, attired like a warrior; leading in
his hand an ancient matron, his wife, and
mother to POSTHUMUS, with music before
them: then, after other music, follow the two
young LEONATI, brothers to POSTHUMUS, with
wounds, as they died in the wars. They circle
POSTHUMUS round, as he lies sleeping.

SICI. No more, thou thunder-master, show
Thy spite on mortal flies;

With Mars fall out, with Juno chide,
That thy adulteries

Rates and revenges.

Hath my poor boy done aught but well,

Whose face I never saw?

I died, whilst in the womb he stay'd
Attending Nature's law:

Solemn music, &c.] By whom, or under what circumstances this pitiful mummery was foisted into the play, will probably never be known. That Shakespeare had no hand in it is certain; he, as Steevens remarks, "who has conducted his fifth

Whose father then (as men report

Thou orphans' father art)

Thou shouldst have been, and shielded him From this earth-vexing smart.

MOTH. Lucina lent not me her aid,

But took me in my throes;
That from me was Posthumus ripp'd,
Came crying 'mongst his foes,
A thing of pity!

SICI. Great nature, like his ancestry,
Moulded the stuff so fair,

That he deserv'd the praise o' the world,
As great Sicilius' heir.

1 BRO. When once he was mature for man, In Britain where was he

That could stand up his parallel;
Or fruitful object be

In eye of Imogen, that best
Could deem his dignity?

MOTH. With marriage wherefore was he mock'd,
To be exil'd, and thrown
From Leonati' seat, and cast
From her his dearest one,
Sweet Imogen?

SICI. Why did you suffer Iachimo,
Slight thing of Italy,

To taint his nobler heart and brain
With needless jealousy;

And to become the geck and scorn
O' the other's villainy?

act with such matchless skill, could never have designed the vision to be twice described by Posthumus, had this contemptible nonsense been previously delivered on the stage,"

2 BRO. For this, from stiller seats we came, Our parents and us twain,

That, striking in our country's cause,
Fell bravely, and were slain;
Our fealty, and Tenantius' right,
With honour to maintain.

1 BRO. Like hardiment Posthumus hath
To Cymbeline perform'd :
Then Jupiter, thou king of gods,
Why hast thou thus adjourn'd
The graces for his merits due;
Being all to dolours turn'd?

SICI. Thy crystal window ope; look * out;
No longer exercise,

Upon a valiant race, thy harsh
And potent injuries.

MOTH. Since, Jupiter, our son is good,
Take off his miseries.

SICI. Peep through thy marble mansion; help!
Or we poor ghosts will cry

To the shining synod of the rest,
Against thy deity.

2 BRO. Help, Jupiter! or we appeal,

And from thy justice fly.

JUPITER descends in thunder and lightning, sitting upon an eagle: he throws a thunderbolt. The Ghosts fall on their knees.

JUP. No more, you petty spirits of region low,

Offend our hearing; hush!-How dare you ghosts
Accuse the Thunderer, whose bolt you know,
Sky-planted, batters all rebelling coasts?
Poor shadows of Elysium, hence; and rest

Upon your never-withering banks of flowers:
Be not with mortal accidents opprest;

No care of yours it is; you know 't is ours.
Whom best I love I cross; to make my gift,
The more delay'd, delighted. Be content;
Your low-laid son our godhead will uplift :

His comforts thrive, his trials well are spent.
Our Jovial star reign'd at his birth, and in
Our temple was he married.-Rise, and fade !-
He shall be lord of lady Imogen,

And happier much by his affliction made.
This tablet lay upon his breast; wherein
Our pleasure his full fortune doth confine;
And so, away: no farther with your din

Express impatience, lest you stir up mine.-
Mount, eagle, to my palace crystalline.

[Ascends.

SICI. He came in thunder; his celestial breath
Was sulphurous to smell: the holy eagle
Stoop'd, as to foot us: his ascension is
More sweet than our blest fields: his royal bird
Prunes the immortal wing, and cloys his beak,
As when his god is pleas'd.

ALL.
Thanks, Jupiter!
SICI. The marble pavement closes, he is enter'd
His radiant roof:-away! and, to be blest,
Let us with care perform his great behest.
[Ghosts vanish.

POST. [Waking.] Sleep, thou hast been a grandsire, and begot

a Which are-]

(*) First folio, looke, looke out.

As is understood:-" which are as often," &c. b And sorry that you are paid too much ;] Paid, here, is equivalent to the slang phrase, to settle, now in use; as, I've settled

A father to me: and thou hast created
A mother, and two brothers; but (O scorn!)
Gone! they went hence so soon as they were
born.

And so I am awake.-Poor wretches that depend
On greatness' favour, dream as I have done;
Wake, and find nothing. But, alas, I swerve:
Many dream not to find, neither deserve,
And yet are steep'd in favours; so am I,
That have this golden chance, and know not why.
What fairies haunt this ground? A book? O
rare one!

Be not, as is our fangled world, a garment
Nobler than that it covers: let thy effects
So follow, to be most unlike our courtiers,
As good as promise.

[Reads.] Whenas a lion's whelp shall, to himself unknown, without seeking find, and be embraced by a piece of tender air; and when from a stately cedar shall be lopped branches, which, being dead many years, shall after revive, be jointed to the old stock, and freshly grow; then shall Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty.

'Tis still a dream; or else such stuff as madmen
Tongue, and brain not: either both, or nothing:
Or senseless speaking, or a speaking such
As sense cannot untie. Be what it is,
The action of my life is like it, which
I'll keep, if but for sympathy.

Re-enter First Gaoler.

GAOL. Come, sir, are you ready for death? POST. Over-roasted rather; ready long ago. GAOL. Hanging is the word, sir; if you be ready for that, you are well cooked.

POST. So, if I prove a good repast to the spectators, the dish pays the shot.

A

have

GAOL. A heavy reckoning for you, sir. But the comfort is, you shall be called to no more payments, fear no more tavern bills; which are often the sadness of parting, as the procuring of mirth; you come in faint for want of meat, depart reeling with too much drink; sorry that you paid too much, and sorry that you are paid too much; purse and brain both empty,-the brain the heavier for being too light, the purse too light, being drawn of heaviness: O! of this contradiction you shall now be quit.-O, the charity of a penny cord! it sums up thousands in a trice: you have

him, he's settled, and the like. With this import, which is that of punished, paid is often met with in old authors; we find it, among other places, in "Henry the Fourth," Part I. Act II. Sc. 4:"two, I am sure, I have paid;" and again in the same scene:-" seven of the eleven I paid."

no true debitor and creditor but it; of what's past, is, and to come, the discharge.-Your neck, sir, is pen, book, and counters; so the acquittance follows.

POST. I am merrier to die than thou art to live. GAOL. Indeed, sir, he that sleeps feels not the tooth-ache: but a man that were to sleep your sleep, and a hangman to help him to bed, I think he would change places with his officer; for, look you, sir, you know not which way you shall go. PosT. Yes, indeed, do I, fellow.

GAOL. Your death has eyes in 's head then ; I have not seen him so pictured: you must either be directed by some that take upon them to know, or take upon yourself that which I am sure you do not know; for, jump the after-inquiry on your own peril, and how you shall speed in your journey's end, I think you'll never return to tell one.

POST. I tell thee, fellow, there are none want eyes to direct them the way I am going, but such as wink, and will not use them.

GAOL. What an infinite mock is this, that a man should have the best use of eyes to see the way of blindness! I am sure hanging's the way of winking.

GAOL. I'll be hanged, then. POST. Thou shalt be then freer than a gaoler ; no bolts for the dead.

[Exeunt POSTHUMUS and Messenger. GAOL. Unless a man would marry a gallows, and beget young gibbets, I never saw one so prone. Yet, on my conscience, there are verier knaves desire to live, for all he be a Roman: and there be some of them too, that die against their wills: so should I, if I were one. I would we were all of one mind, and one mind good; O, there were desolation of gaolers and gallowses! I speak against my present profit; but my wish hath a preferment in 't. [Exit.

SCENE V.-Cymbeline's Tent.

Enter CYMBELINE, BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, PISANIO, Lords, Officers, and Attendants.

CYм. Stand by my side, you whom the gods have made

(*) Old text inserts, to.

There's business in these faces.-Why so sadly Greet you our victory? you look like Romans, And not o' the court of Britain.

COR. Hail, great king! To sour your happiness, I must report The queen is dead. Сум. Whom worse than a physician Would this report become? But I consider, By med'cine life may be prolong'd, yet death Will seize the doctor too. How ended she?

COR. With horror, madly dying, like her life, Which, being cruel to the world, concluded Most cruel to herself. What she confess'd I will report, so please you: these her women Can trip me, if I err; who with wet cheeks Were present when she finish'd.

Сум.

Pr'ythee, say.

COR. First, she confess'd she never lov'd you ;

only

Affected greatness got by you, not you: Married your royalty, was wife to your place; Abhorr'd your person.

CYM. She alone knew this: And, but she spoke it dying, I would not Believe her lips in opening it. Proceed.

you

*

For you a mortal mineral; which, being took,
Should by the minute feed on life, and, lingering,
By inches waste you: in which time she purpos'd,
By watching, weeping, tendance, kissing, to
O'ercome with her show: yes, and in time
When she had fitted you with her craft, to work
Her son into the adoption of the crown:
But, failing of her end by his strange absence,
Grew shameless-desperate: open'd, in despite
Of heaven and men, her purposes; repented
The evils she hatch'd were not effected: so,
Despairing, died.

Сум.
Heard you all this, her women?
LADY. We did, so please your highness.
Сум.

Mine

eyes

Were not in fault, for she was beautiful;
Mine ears, that heard her flattery; nor my heart
That thought her like her seeming: it had been

vicious

(*) First folio omits, yes.

(†) Old text, heare.

[SCENE V.

I will entreat; my boy, a Briton born,
Let him be ransom'd: never master had
A page so kind, so duteous, diligent,
So tender over his occasions, true,
So feat, so nurse-like: let his virtue join
With my request, which, I'll make bold, your
highness

Cannot deny; he hath done no Briton harm,
Though he have serv'd a Roman: save him, sir,
And spare no blood beside.

CYM.

I have surely seen him:
His favour is familiar to me.
Boy, thou hast look'd thyself into my grace,
And art mine own.-I know not why, nor where-
fore,

To say, live, boy: ne'er thank thy master; live:
And ask of Cymbeline what boon thou wilt,
Fitting my bounty and thy state, I'll give it ;
Yea, though thou do demand a prisoner
The noblest ta'en.
IMO.

I humbly thank your highness. Luc. I do not bid thee beg my life, good lad; And yet I know thou wilt.

IMO.

No, no: alack, There's other work in hand: I see a thing Bitter to me as death: your life, good master, Must shuffle for itself.

Luc. The boy disdains me, He leaves me, scorns me: briefly die their joys, That place them on the truth of girls and boys.Why stands he so perplex'd?

Сум.

What wouldst thou, boy? I love thee more and more; think more and more What's best to ask. Know'st him thou look'st on?

speak,

Wilt have him live? Is he thy kin? thy friend? IMO. He is a Roman; no more kin to me Than I to your highness; who, being born your vassal,

Am something nearer.

Сум.

Wherefore ey'st him so? Imo. I'll tell you, sir, in private, if you please To give me hearing.

Сум.

Ay, with all my heart,

And lend my best attention. What's thy name? IMO. Fidele, sir.

CYм. Thou 'rt my good youth, my page; I'll be thy master: walk with me; speak freely. [CYMBELINE and IMOGEN converse apart. BEL. Is not this boy reviv'd from death? ARV. One sand another Not more resembles that sweet rosy lad Who died, and was Fidele :—what think you? GUI. The same dead thing alive. BEL, Peace, peace! see further; he eyes us not; forbear;

(*) Old text omits, nor.

Creatures may be alike: were 't he, I am sure
He would have spoke to us.
GUI.

But we saw him dead. BEL. Be silent; let's see further. PIS. [Aside.]

It is my mistress : Since she is living, let the time run on To good, or bad.

[CYMBELINE and IMOGEN come forward. CYM. Come, stand thou by our side; Make thy demand aloud.-Sir [To IACHIMO.], step you forth;

Give answer to this boy, and do it freely;
Or, by our greatness, and the grace of it,
Which is our honour, bitter torture shall
Winnow the truth from falsehood.-On,† speak to
him.

IMO. My boon is, that this gentleman may render Of whom he had this ring.

POST. [Aside.]

What's that to him?

CYM. That diamond upon your finger, say

How came it yours?

IACH. Thou 'It torture me to leave unspoken that, Which, to be spoke, would torture thee.

Quail to remember,-give me leave; I faint.

CYм. My daughter! what of her? Renew thy strength:

I had rather thou shouldst live while nature will,
Than die ere I hear more strive, man, and speak.
IACH. Upon a time,-unhappy was the clock
That struck the hour!-it was in Rome,-accurs'd
The mansion where!-'t was at a feast,-O
would

Our viands had been poison'd, or, at least,
Those which I heav'd to head!-the good Post-

Unless thou wouldst grieve quickly. This Posthumus

Most like a noble lord in love, and one
That had a royal lover-took his hint ;
And, not dispraising whom we prais'd,—therein
He was as calm as virtue,-he began
His mistress' picture; which by his tongue being
made,

And then a mind put in't, either our brags
Were crack'd of kitchen trulls, or his description
Prov'd us unspeaking sots.

CYM.

Nay, nay, to the purpose.
IACH. Your daughter's chastity-there it begins.
He spake of her, as Dian had hot dreams,
And she alone were cold: whereat, I, wretch!
Made scruple of his praise, and wager'd with
him

Pieces of gold 'gainst this, which then he wore
Upon his honour'd finger, to attain

In suit the place of 's bed, and win this ring
By hers and mine adultery: he, true knight,
No lesser of her honour confident

Than I did truly find her, stakes this ring,
And would so, had it been a carbuncle
Of Phoebus' wheel; and might so safely, had it
Been all the worth of his car. Away to Britain
Post I in this design :-well may you, sir,
Remember me at court, where I was taught
Of your chaste daughter, the wide difference
"Twixt amorous and villainous. Being thus quench'd
Of hope, not longing, mine Italian brain
'Gan in your duller Britain operate
Most vilely for my vantage, excellent;
And, to be brief, my practice so prevail'd
That I return'd with simular proof enough
To make the noble Leonatus mad,
By wounding his belief in her renown,
With tokens thus, and thus; averring notes
Of chamber-hanging, pictures, this her bracelet,-
O, cunning, how I got it!*-nay, some marks
Of secret on her person, that he could not
But think her bond of chastity quite crack'd,