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Cym. 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 revived from death? Arv. One sand another 120 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;

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. [To Iachimo] Sir, step you forth; 130

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.
Cym.

How! me? 140
Iach. I am glad to be constrain'd to utter that
Which torments me to conceal. By villany
I got this ring: 'twas Leonatus' jewel;
Whom thou didst banish; and-which more may
grieve thee,

As it doth me-a nobler sir ne'er lived
'Twixt sky and ground. Wilt thou hear more,
my lord?

Cym. All that belongs to this.
Iach.

That paragon, thy daughter,

For whom my heart drops blood, and my false spirits

Quail to remember Give me leave; I faint. Cym. My daughter! what of her? Renew thy strength:

150 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, accursed

The mansion where !-'twas at a feast,-O, would
Our viands had been poison'd, or at least
Those which I heaved to head!-the good Post-
humus-

What should I say? he was too good to be
Where ill men were; and was the best of all
Amongst the rarest of good ones, sitting sadly,
Hearing us praise our loves of Italy

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For beauty that made barren the swell'd boast
Of him that best could speak, for feature, laming
The shrine of Venus, or straight-pight Minerva,
Postures beyond brief nature, for condition,
A shop of all the qualities that man

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humus,

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Most like a noble lord in love and one
That had a royal lover, took his hint ;
And, not dispraising whom we praised,-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 Proved 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, 180 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

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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's 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 villanous. Being thus
quench'd

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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,
I having ta'en the forfeit. Whereupon.
Methinks, I see him now-

Post. [Advancing] Ay, so thou dost,
Italian fiend! Ay me, most credulous fool, 210
Egregious murderer, thief, any thing
That's due to all the villains past, in being,
To come! O, give me cord, or knife, or poison,
Some upright justicer! Thou, king, send out
For torturers ingenious: it is I
That all the abhorred things o' the earth amend
By being worse than they. I am Posthumus,
That kill'd thy daughter :-villain-like, I lie
That caused a lesser villain than myself,
A sacrilegious thief, to do 't: the temple
Of virtue was she; yea, and she herself.
Spit, and throw stones, cast mire upon me, set
The dogs o' the street to bay me: every villain
Be call'd Posthumus Leonatus; and
Be villany less than 'twas! O Imogen!
My queen, my life, my wife! O Imogen,
Imogen, Imogen!

Imo.

Peace, my lord; hear, hear

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Сут.
What's this, Cornelius?
Cor. The queen, sir, very oft importuned me
To temper poisons for her, still pretending
The satisfaction of her knowledge only
In killing creatures vile, as cats and dogs,
Of no esteem: I, dreading that her purpose
Was of more danger, did compound for her
A certain stuff, which, being ta'en, would cease
The present power of life, but in short time
All offices of nature should again

Do their due functions. Have you ta'en of it?
Imo. Most like I did, for I was dead.
Bel.

There was our error.

My boys,

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I slew him there. Cym.

Let me end the story:

Marry, the gods forfend! I would not thy good deeds should from my lips Pluck a hard sentence: prithee, valiant youth, Deny't again.

Gui. I have spoke it, and I did it. 290 Cym. He was a prince.

Gui. A most incivil one: the wrongs he did me Were nothing prince-like; for he did provoke me With language that would make me spurn the sea, If it could so roar to me: I cut off's head; And am right glad he is not standing here To tell this tale of mine.

Сут.

I am sorry for thee: By thine own tongue thou art condemn'd, and

must

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They were not born for bondage.
Cym.

Why, old soldier,
Wilt thou undo the worth thou art unpaid for,
By tasting of our wrath? How of descent
As good as we?
Arv.
In that he spake too far.
Cym. And thou shalt die for't.

Bel.

We will die all three: 310 But I will prove that two on's are as good As I have given out him. My sons, I must, For mine own part, unfold a dangerous speech, Though, haply, well for you. Your danger's ours.

Thou hadst, great king, a subject who

Arv.

Gui.

And our good his.

Bel.

Have at it then, by leave.

Cym.

What of him? he is

A banish'd traitor. Bel.

He it is that hath

Was call'd Belarius.

Assumed this age; indeed a banish'd man ; I know not how a traitor.

Cym.

Take him hence: The whole world shall not save him. Bel.

320 Not too hot:

First pay me for the nursing of thy sons;
And let it be confiscate all, so soon
As I have received it.

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Itself, and all my treason; that I suffer'd
Was all the harm I did. These gentle princes-
For such and so they are-these twenty years
Have I train'd up: those arts they have as I
Could put into them; my breeding was, sir, as 339
Your highness knows. Their nurse, Euriphile,
Whom for the theft I wedded, stole these children
Upon my banishment: I moved her to't,
Having received the punishment before,
For that which I did then: beaten for loyalty
Excited me to treason: their dear loss,
The more of you 'twas felt, the more it shaped
Unto my end of stealing them. But, gracious sir,
Here are your sons again; and I must lose
Two of the sweet'st companions in the world.
The benediction of these covering heavens 350
Fall on their heads like dew! for they are worthy
To inlay heaven with stars.
Cym.
Thou weep'st, and speak'st.
The service that you three have done is more
Unlike than this thou tell'st. I lost my children:
If these be they, I know not how to wish
A pair of worthier sons.
Bel.

359

Be pleased awhile. This gentleman, whom I call Polydore, Most worthy prince, as yours, is true Guiderius: This gentleman, my Cadwal, Arviragus, Your younger princely son; he, sir, was lapp'd In a most curious mantle, wrought by the hand Of his queen mother, which for more probation I can with ease produce. Cym.

Guiderius had Upon his neck a mole, a sanguine star; It was a mark of wonder.

Bel.

This is he;

Who hath upon him still that natural stamp:
It was wise nature's end in the donation,
To be his evidence now.
Сут.

O, what, am I

A mother to the birth of three? Ne'er mother 369
Rejoiced deliverance more. Blest pray you be,
That, after this strange starting from your orbs,
You may reign in them now! O Imogen,
Thou hast lost by this a kingdom.
Imo.

No, my lord;
I have got two worlds by 't. O my gentle brothers,
Have we thus met? O, never say hereafter
But I am truest speaker: you call'd me brother,
When I was but your sister; I you brothers,
When ye were so indeed.

Сут.

Did you e'er meet?

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Arv. Ay, my good lord. Gui. And at first meeting loved; Continued so, until we thought he died.

380

Cor. By the queen's dram she swallow'd. Сут. O rare instinct! When shall I hear all through? This fierce abridgement

Hath to it circumstantial branches, which Distinction should be rich in. Where? how lived you?

And when came you to serve our Roman captive? How parted with your brothers? how first met them?

Why fled you from the court? and whither? These,

And your three motives to the battle, with
I know not how much more, should be demanded;
And all the other by-dependencies,
390
From chance to chance: but nor the time nor
place
Sée,

Will serve our long inter'gatories.
Posthumus anchors upon Imogen,
And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye
On him, her brothers, me, her master, hitting
Each object with a joy: the counterchange
Is severally in all. Let's quit this ground,
And smoke the temple with our sacrifices.
[To Belarius] Thou art my brother; so we'll
hold thee ever.

Imo. You are my father too, and did relieve me, 400.

To see this gracious season.
Сут.

All o'erjoy'd,

Save these in bonds: let them be joyful too, For they shall taste our comfort.

Imo.

My good master,

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Happy be you!

Cym. The forlorn soldier, that so nobly fought, He would have well becomed this place, and graced

The thankings of a king.

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Sooth. Here, my good lord. Luc.

Read, and declare the meaning. Sooth. [Reads] When as 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.' Thou, Leonatus, art the lion's whelp; The fit and apt construction of thy name, Being Leo-natus, doth import so much.

[To Cymbeline] The piece of tender air, thy virtuous daughter,

Which we call 'mollis aer;' and 'mollis aer'
We term it mulier:' which mulier' I divine
Is this most constant wife; who, even now,
Answering the letter of the oracle,
Unknown to you, unsought, were clipp'd about
With this most tender air.

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Cym. This hath some seeming. Sooth. The lofty cedar, royal Cymbeline, Personates thee: and thy lopp'd branches point Thy two sons forth; who, by Belarius stol'n, For many years thought dead, are now revived, To the majestic cedar join'd, whose issue Promises Britain peace and plenty.

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The vision

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The harmony of this peace.
Which I made known to Lucius, ere the stroke
Of this yet scarce-cold battle, at this instant
Is full accomplish'd; for the Roman eagle,
From south to west on wing soaring aloft,
Lessen'd herself, and in the beams o' the sun
So vanish'd: which foreshow'd our princely eagle,
The imperial Cæsar, should again unite
His favour with the radiant Cymbeline,
Which shipes here in the west.

Cym
Laud we the gods:
And let our crooked smokes climb to their
nostrils

From our blest altars. Publish we this peace
To all our subjects. Set we forward: let
A Roman and a British ensign wave
480
Friendly together: so through Lud's-town march:
And in the temple of great Jupiter

Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.
Set on there! Never was a war did cease,
Ere bloody hands were wash'd, with such a peace.
[Exeunt.

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Enter Gower.

Before the palace of Antioch.
To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come;
Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear, and please your eyes.
It hath been sung at festivals,

On ember-eves and holy-ales;

And lords and ladies in their lives
Have read it for restoratives:

The purchase is to make men glorious;
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times,
When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,
And that to hear an old man sing
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you, like taper-light.
This Antioch, then, Antiochus the Great
Built up,
this city, for his chiefest seat;
The fairest in all Syria,

I tell you what mine authors say:
This king unto him took a fere,
Who died and left a female heir,
So buxom, blithe, and full of face,
As heaven had lent her all his grace;
With whom the father liking took,
And her to incest did provoke:

Bad child; worse father! to entice his own
To evil should be done by none:
But custom what they did begin
Was with long use account no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame
Made many princes thither frame,
To seek her as a bed-fellow,
In marriage-pleasures play-fellow:
Which to prevent he made a law,
To keep her still, and men in awe,
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life:

IO

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The Daughter of Antiochus.
DIONYZA, wife to Cleon.

THAISA, daughter to Simonides.
MARINA, daughter to Pericles and Thaisa.
LYCHORIDA, nurse to Marina.

A Bawd.

Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, Sailors, Pirates, Fishermen, and Messengers.

DIANA.

GOWER, as Chorus.

SCENE: Dispersedly in various countries.

So for her many a wight did die, As yon grim looks do testify.

40

What now ensues, to the judgement of your eye I give, my cause who best can justify. [Exit. SCENE I. Antioch. A room in the palace. Enter ANTIOCHUS, PRINCE PERICLES, and followers.

Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large received

The danger of the task you undertake.

Per. I have, Antiochus, and, with a soul
Embolden'd with the glory of her praise,
Think death no hazard in this enterprise.
Ant. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a
bride,

For the embracements even of Jove himself;
At whose conception, till Lucina reign'd,
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
The senate-house of planets all did sit,
To knit in her their best perfections.

ΙΟ

Music. Enter the Daughter of Antiochus.
Per. See where she comes, apparell'd like the
spring,

Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king
Of every virtue gives renown to men!

Her face the book of praises, where is read
Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
Sorrow were ever razed, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.

You gods that made me man, and sway in love,
That have inflamed desire in my breast
30 To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree,
Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
As I am son and servant to your will,
To compass such a boundless happiness!
Ant. Prince Pericles,-

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Per. That would be son to great Antiochus. Ant. Before thee stands this fair Hesperides, With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd; For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:

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