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Gold strew'd o' the floor. Here 's money for my meat: I would have left it on the board, so soon

As I had made my meal; and parted

With prayers for the provider.

Gui.

Money, youth?

Arv. All gold and silver rather turn to dirt! As 'tis no better reckon'd, but of those

Who worship dirty gods.

Imo.
Know, if you kill me for my fault, I should

I see, you are angry:

Whither bound?

Have died, had I not made it.

Bel.

Imo. To Milford-Haven, sir.7
Bel.

What is your name?

Imo. Fidele, sir: I have a kinsman, who
Is bound for Italy; he embark'd at Milford;
To whom being going, almost spent with hunger,
I am fallen in this offence.8

Bel.
Pr'ythee, fair youth,
Think us no churls; nor measure our good minds
By this rude place we live in. Well encounter'd!
'Tis almost night: you shall have better cheer
Ere you depart; and thanks, to stay and eat it.—
Boys, bid him welcome.

Gui.

Were you a woman, youth, I should woo hard, but be your groom.-In honesty, I bid for you, as I 'd buy.9

5---- -o' the floor.] Old copy-i' the floor. Corrected by Sir T. Hanmer. Malone.

6

and parted -] A syllable being here wanting to the measure, we might read, with Sir Thomas Hanmer-and parted thence. Steevens.

7 - sir.] This word, which is deficient in the old copies, has been supplied by some modern editor, for the sake of metre.

Steevens.

8 I am fallen in this offence.] In, according to the ancient mode of writing, is here used instead of-into. Thus, in Othello: "Fallen in the practice of a cursed slave."

Again, in King Richard III:

"But first, I'll turn yon fellow in his grave." Steevens. I should woo hard, but be your groom.—In honesty,

I bid for you, as I'd buy.] The old copy reads as I do buy. The correction was made by Sir T. Hanmer. He reads unneces sarily, I'd bid for you, &c. In the folio the line is thus pointed:

Arv.

I'll make 't my comfort,

He is a man: I'll love him as my brother:-
And such a welcome as I'd give to him,

After long absence, such is yours:-Most welcome!
Be sprightly, for you fall 'mongst friends.
Imo.

'Mongst friends!

If brothers?-'Would it had been so, that they
Had been my father's sons! then had my prize
Been less; and so more equal ballasting1
To thee, Posthúmus.

Bel.

Aside.

He wrings at some distress.2

Gui. 'Would, I could free 't!
Arv.

Or I; whate'er it be,

What pain it cost, what danger! Gods!

Bel.

Imo. Great men,

Hark, boys. [Whispering.

That had a court no bigger than this cave,

That did attend themselves, and had the virtue Which their own conscience seal'd them, (laying by

"I should woo hard, but be your groom in honesty:

I bid for you," &c. Malone.

I think this passage might be better read thus:

I should woo hard, but be your groom.-In honesty,
I bid for you, as I'd buy.

That is, I should woo hard, but I would be your bridegroom. [And when I say, that I would woo hard, be assured that in honesty I bid for you, only at the rate at which I would purchase you.

1

then had my prize

Tyrwhitt.

Been less; and so more equal ballasting -] Sir Thos. Hanmer reads plausibly, but without necessity, price for prize, and balancing for ballasting. He is followed by Dr. Warburton. The meaning is,-Had I been a less prize, I should not have been too heavy for Posthumus. Johnson.

The old reading is undoubtedly the true one. So, in King Henry VI, P. III:

"It is war's prize to take all vantages."

Again, ibidem:

"Methinks, 'tis prize enough to be his son."

The same word occurs again in this play of Cymbeline, as well as in Hamlet. Steevens.

2 He wrings at some distress.] i. e. writhes with anguish. So, in our author's Much Ado about Nothing:

"To those that wring under a load of sorrow."

Again, in Tom Tyler and his Wife, bl. 1.

"I think I have made the cullion to wring." Steevens.

That nothing gift of differing multitudes,)3

Could not out-peer these twain. Pardon me, gods!
I'd change my sex to be companion with them,
Since Leonatus false.4

3 That nothing gift of differing multitudes,] The poet must mean, that court, that obsequious adoration, which the shifting vulgar pay to the great, is a tribute of no price or value. I am persuaded therefore our poet coined this participle from the French verb, and wrote:

That nothing gift of defering multitudes:

i. e. obsequious, paying deference.—Deferer, Ceder par respect a quelqu'un, obeir, condescendre, &c.-Deferent, civil, respectueux, &c. Richelet. Theobald.

He is followed by Sir Thomas Hanmer and Dr. Warburton; but I do not see why differing may not be a general epithet, and the expression equivalent to the many-headed rabble. Johnson.

It certainly may; but then nothing is predicated of the manyheaded multitude, unless we supply words that the text does not exhibit, "That worthless boon of the differing of many-headed multitude, [attending upon them, and paying their court to them;]" or suppose the whole line to be a periphrasis for adulation or obei

sance.

There was no such word as defering or deferring in Shakspeare's time. "Deferer a une compaigne," Cotgrave, in his Dictionary, 1611, explains thus: "To yeeld, referre, or attribute much, unto a companie." Malone.

That nothing gift which the multitude are supposed to bestow, is glory, reputation, which is a present of little value from their hands; as they are neither unanimous in giving it, nor constant in continuing it. Heath.

I believe the old to be the right reading. Differing multitudes means unsteady multitudes, who are continually changing their opinions, and condemn to-day what they yesterday applauded. M. Mason. Mr. M. Mason's explanation is just. So, in the Induction to The Second Part of King Henry IV:

"The still discordant, wav'ring multitude." Steevens.

4 Since Leonatus false.] Mr. M. Mason would read: Since Leonatus is false..

but this conjecture is injurious to the metre. If we are to connect the words in question with the preceding line, and suppose that Imogen has completed all she meant to say, we might read:

Since Leonate is false.

Thus, for the convenience of versification, Shakspeare some. times calls Prospero, Prosper, and Enobarbus, Enobarbe. Steevens. As Shakspeare has used "thy mistress' ear,” and “ Menelaus' tent," for thy mistresses ear, and Menelauses tent, so, with still greater licence, he uses-Since Leonatus false, for-Since Leonatus is false. Malone.

Bel.

It shall be so:

Boys, we 'll go dress our hunt.-Fair youth, come in: Discourse is heavy, fasting; when we have supp'd, We'll mannerly demand thee of thy story,

So far as thou wilt speak it.

Gui.

Pray, draw near.

Arv. The night to the owl, and morn to the lark, less.

welcome.

Imo. Thanks, sir.

Arv.

I pray, draw near.

SCENE VII.

Rome.

Enter Two Senators and Tribunes.

[Exeunt.

1 Sen. This is the tenour of the emperor's writ;
That since the common men are now in action
'Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians;
And that the legions now in Gallia are
Full weak to undertake our wars against
The fallen-off Britons; that we do incite
The gentry to this business: He creates
Lucius pro-consul: and to you the tribunes
For this immediate levy, he commands
His absolute commission. Long live Cæsar!
Tri. Is Lucius general of the forces?
2 Sen.

Tri. Remaining now in Gallia?

1 Sen.

Ay.

With those legions

Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy

Must be supplyant: The words of your commission
Will tie you to the numbers, and the time

Of such a licence, I believe, there is no example either in the works of Shakspeare, or of any other author. Steevens.

5 That since the common men are now in action

'Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians;

And that &c.] These facts are historical. Steevens.
Malone.

See p. 77, n. 3.

6

and to you the tribunes,

For this immediate levy, he commands

His absolute commission.] He commands the commission to be given to you. So we say, I ordered the materials to the workmen.

Johnson.

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Clo. I am near to the place where they should meet, if Pisanio have mapped it truly. How fit his garments serve me! Why should his mistress, who was made by him that made the tailor, not be fit too? the rather (saving reverence of the word) for 'tis said, a woman's fitness comes by fits. Therein I must play the workman. I dare speak it to myself (for it is not vain-glory, for a man and his glass to confer; in his own chamber, I mean,) the lines of my body are as well drawn as his; no less young, more strong, not beneath him in fortunes, beyond him in the advantage of the time, above him in birth, alike conversant in general services, and more remarkable in single oppositions: yet this imperseverant thing loves him in my despite. What mortality is! Posthumus, thy head, which now is growing upon thy shoulders, shall within this hour be off; thy mistress enforced; thy garments cut to pieces before thy face:1 and all this

7 -for-] i. e. because. Steevens.

8

in single oppositions:] In single combat. So, in King Henry IV, P. I:

"In single opposition, hand to hand,

"He did confound the best part of an hour,

"In changing hardiment with great Glendower."

An opposite was in Shakspeare the common phrase for an adversary, or antagonist. See Vol. XI, p. 192, n. 2. Malone. 9 imperseverant -] Thus the former editions. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads-ill-perseverant. Johnson.

Imperseverant may mean no more than perseverant, like imbosomed, impassioned, immasked. Steevens.

before thy face:] Posthumus was to have his head struck off, and then his garments cut to pieces before his face! We should read-her face, i. e. Imogen's: done to despite her, who had said, she esteemed Posthumus's garment above the person of Cloten. Warburton.

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