The part I came in. Fight I will no more, Enter two British Captains, and Soldiers. 1 Cap. Great Jupiter be prais'd, Lucius is taken. 'Tis thought, the old man, and his fons, were angels. 2 Cap. There was a fourth man, in a filly habit, That gave th' affront with them. 1 Cap. So 'tis reported; But none of them can be found. Stand, who's there? Poft. A Roman Who had not now been drooping here, if Seconds Had anfwer'd him. 2 Cap. Lay hands on him; a dog! A leg of Rome fhall not return to tell What crows have peck'd them here. He brags his service, As if he were of note; bring him to th' King. Enter Cymbeline, Belarius, Guiderius, Arviragus, Pifanio, and Roman captives. The captains present Pofthumus to Cymbeline, who delivers him over to a Gaoler. After which, all go out. 6-great the answer be] Anfwer, as once in this play before, is retaliation. 7 That gave th' affront with them.] That is, that turned enemy. their faces to the Bb 4 SCENE SCENE III. Changes to a Prifon. Enter Pofthumus, and two Gaolers. I 1 Gaol. 8 You OU fhail not now be ftoll'n, you've locks upon you; So, graze, as you find pafture. 2 Gaol. Ay, or ftomach. [Exeunt Gaolers. Poft. Moft welcome, bondage! for thou art a way. I think, to liberty; yet am I better Than one that's fick o' th' gout, fince he had rather Groan fo in perpetuity than be cur'd By th' fure phyfician, death; who is the key The penitent inftrument to pick that bolt; Defir'd, more than constrain'd; ? to fatisfy, I know, you are more clement than vile men, 8 You shall not now be foll'n,] This wit of the Gaoler alludes to the custom of putting a lock on a horfe's leg, when he is turned to pasture. 9 -to fatisfy, No ftricter render of me, than A fixth, my all] What we can dif cover from the nonfenfe of thefe lines is, that the speaker, in a fit of penitency, compares his circumftances with a debtor's, who is willing to furrender up all to appeafe his creditor. This being the fenfe in general, I may venture to say, the true reading muft A fixth, a tenth, letting them thrive again I And cancel thofe cold bonds. Oh Imogen! [He fleeps. 2 Solemn mufick: Enter, as in an apparition, Sicilius Leonatus, father to Pofthumus, an old man, attired like a warrior; leading in his hand an ancient matron, his wife, and mother to Pofthumus, with mufick before them. Then, after other mufick, follow the two young Leonati, brothers to Pofthumus, with wounds as they died in the wars. They circle Pofthumus round as he lies fleeping. Sici. No more, thou thunder-mafter, fhew With Mars fall out, with Juno chide, That thy Adulteries Rates and revenges. have been this, to fatisfy, I d'off my freedom; 'tis the The verb d'off is too frequently -take No frier Render of me, than '-cold bonds.-] This equi- 2 Solemn mufick: &c.] Here follow a vifion, a masque, and a prophefy, which interrupt the fable without the leaft neceffity, and unmeasurably lengthen this act. I think it plainly foifted in afterwards for meer fhow, and apparently not of Shakespear. POPE. Hath 1 Hath my poor boy done aught but well, I dy'd, whilft in the womb he ftay'd, Whofe father, Jove! (as men report Thou shouldft have been, and fhielded him Moth. Lucina lent not me her aid, But took not me in my throes; ? That from me my Pofthumus ript, Came crying 'mongst his foes, A thing of pity! Sici. Great Nature, like his ancestry, That he deferv'd the praise o' th' world, As great Sicilius' heir. I Bro. When once he was mature for man, That could ftand up his parallel, Or fruitful object be In eye of Imogen, that best Could deem his dignity? Moth. With marriage wherefore was he mockt, To be exil'd, and thrown From Leonatus' feat, and caft Sweet Imogen! — Sici. Why did you fuffer Jachimo, To taint his noble heart and brain 3 That from me my Pofthumus ript] The old copy reads, That from me was Pofthumus ript. Perhaps we fhould read, That from my womb Pofthu mus ript, Came crying 'mongft bis foes. And And to become the geek and fcorn 2 Bro. From this, from ftiller-feats we came, 1 Bro. Like hardiment Pofthumus hath The graces for his merits due, Being all to dolours turn'd? Sici. Thy cryftal window ope; look out; Upon a valiant race thy harsh And potent injuries. Moth. Since, Jupiter, our fon is good, Take off his miferies. Sici. Peep through thy marble mansion, help! To th' fhining fynod of the reft Against thy Deity. 2 Breth. Help, Jupiter, or we appeal, And from thy juftice fly. Jupiter defcends in thunder and lightning, fitting upon an eagle; he throws a thunder bolt. The ghosts fall on their knees. Jupit. No more, you petty fpirits of region low, Be |