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Luc. When Julius Cæsar, whose remembrance

yet
Lives in men's eyes and will to ears and tongues
Be theme and hearing ever, was in this Britain
And conquer'd it, Cassibelan, thine uncle,-
Famous in Cæsar's praises, no whit less
Than in his feats deserving it—for him
And his succession granted Rome a tribute,
Yearly three thousand pounds, which by thee lately
Is left untender'd.
Qucen.

And, to kill the marvel,
Shall be so ever.
Clo.

There be many Cæsars,
Ere such another Julius. Britain is
A world by itself; and we will nothing pay
For wearing our own noses.
Queen.

That opportunity
Which then they had to take from 's, to resume
We have again. Remember, sir, my liege,
The kings your ancestors, together with
The natural bravery of your isle, which stands
As Neptune's park, ribbed and paled in
With rocks unscaleable and roaring waters,
With sands that will not bear your enemies' boats,
But suck them up to the topmast. A kind of

conquest Cæsar made here; but made not here his brag Of Came' and 'saw' and 'overcame :' with

shame The first that ever touch'd him-he was carried From off our coast, twice beaten; and his

shippingPoor ignorant baubles !-on our terrible seas,

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6

30

Like egg-shells moved upon their surges, crack'd
As easily 'gainst our rocks for joy whereof
The famed Cassibelan, who was once at point-
O giglot fortune !-to master Cæsar's sword,
Made Lud's town with rejoicing fires bright
And Britons strut with courage.

Clo. Come, there's no more tribute to be paid : our kingdom is stronger than it was at . that time; and, as I said, there is no moe such Cæsars : other of them may have crook'd noses, but to owe such straight arms, none.

Cym. Son, let your mother end.

Clo. We have yet many among us can gripe 40 as hard as Cassibelan: I do not say I am one; but I have a hand. Why tribute? why should we pay tribute ?

If Cæsar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, sir, no more tribute, pray you now.

Cym. You must know,
Till the injurious Romans did extort
This tribute from us, we were free : Cæsar's am-

bition,
Which swell'd so much that it did almost stretch
The sides o' the world, against all colour here
Did put the yoke upon 's; which to shake off
Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon
Ourselves to be.

Clo. and Lords. We do.
Cym.

Say, then, to Cæsar,
Our ancestor was that Mulmutius which
Ordain'd our laws, whose use the sword of Cæsar

50 60

Hath too much mangled; whose repair and

franchise Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed, Though Rome be therefore angry: Mulmutius

made our laws,
Who was the first of Britain which did put
His brows within a golden crown and call’d
Himself a king.
Luc.

I am sorry, Cymbeline,
That I am to pronounce Augustus Cæsar-
Cæsar, that hath more kings his servants than
Thyself domestic officers—thine enemy:
Receive it from me, then : war and confusion
In Cæsar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee: look
For fury not to be resisted.

Thus defied,
I thank thee for myself.
Сут.

Thou art welcome, Caius.
Thy Cæsar knighted me; my youth I spent 70
Much under him ; of him I gather'd honour;
Which he to seek of me again, perforce,
Behoves me keep at utterance. I am perfect
That the Pannonians and Dalmatians for
Their liberties are now in arms; a precedent
Which not to read would show the Britons cold :
So Cæsar shall not find them.
Luc.

Let proof speak. Clo. His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a day or two, or longer : if you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find 80 us in our salt-water girdle: if you beat us out of it, it is yours; if you fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and there's an end.

Luc. So, sir.
Cym. I know your master's pleasure and he

mine :
All the remain is Welcome!'

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Another room in the palace.

Enter PISANIO, with a letter.
Pis. How! of adultery? Wherefore write you

not
What monster's her accuser ? Leonatus!
O master! what a strange infection
Is fall’n into thy ear !

What false Italian,
As poisonous-tongued as handed, hath prevail'd
On thy too ready hearing? Disloyal! No:
She's punished for her truth, and undergoes,
More goddess-like than wife-like, such assaults
As would take in some virtue. O my master!
Thy mind to her is now as low as were
Thy fortunes. How ! that I should murder her?
Upon the love and truth and vows which I
Have made to thy command ? I, her? her blood ?
If it be so to do good service, never
Let me be counted serviceable. How look I,
That I should seem to lack humanity
So much as this fact comes to ? Do't: the

letter That I have sent her, by her own command

ΤΟ

Shall give thee opportunity. O damn'd

O damn'd paper !
Black as the ink that's on thee ! Senseless

bauble,
Art thou a feodary for this act, and look’st
So virgin-like without? Lo, here she comes.
I am ignorant in what I am commanded.

20

Enter IMOGEN.

30

Imo. How now, Pisanio !
Pis. Madam, here is a letter from my

lord.
Imo. Who? thy lord? that is my lord, Leonatus !
O, learn’d indeed were that astronomer
That knew the stars as I his characters;
He 'ld lay the future open. You good gods,
Let what is here contain'd relish of love,
Of my lord's health, of his content, yet not
That we two are asunder; let that grieve him :
Some griefs are med'cinable ; that is one of them,
For it doth physic love: of his content,
All but in that ! Good wax, thy leave. Blest be
You bees that make these locks of counsel. Lovers
And men in dangerous bonds pray not alike :
Though forfeiters you cast in prison, yet
You clasp young Cupid's tables. Good news, gods!

[Reads] 'Justice, and your father's wrath, 40 should he take me in his dominion, could not be so cruel to me, as you, O the dearest of creatures, would even renew me with your eyes. Take notice that I am in Cambria, at Milford

21. feodary, ally.

validity of the bond. The ‘for23. I amignorant, I must feign feiter' of a bond does not thereignorance.

fore 'bless' the bees who fur37. in dangerous bonds, who nished its seal, as the lover does have entered into bonds entailing those whose wax 'clasps' his a penalty if broken or .forfeited.' lady's billets. The seal was essential to the

42. as, but that. VOL. IV

177

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