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Did put the yoke upon us; which to shake off,
Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon
Ourselves to be. We do say then to Cæsar,
Our ancestor was that Mulmutius, which

Ordain'd our laws; (whose use the sword of Cæsar Hath too much mangled; whose repair, and franchise,

Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed,
Though Rome be therefore angry;) Mulmutius,
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 domestick 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.

Cym. Thou art welcome, Caius. Thy Cæsar knighted me; my youth I spent 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,3 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, longer: If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us

keep at utterance ;] means to keep at the extremity of defiance. Combat à outrance is a desperate fight, that must conclude with the life of one of the combatants.

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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.

SCENE II.

Another Room in the same.

Enter PISANIO.

[Exeunt.

Pis. How! of adultery? Wherefore write you not What monster's her accuser?-Leonatus!

O, master! what a strange infection

Is fallen into thy ear? What false Italian

(As poisonous tongue'd, as handed,) hath prevail'd
On thy too ready hearing?-Disloyal? No:
She's punish'd 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 too? Do't: The letter

What false Italian

[Reading.

(As poisonous-tongue'd, as handed,)] About Shakspeare's time the practice of poisoning was very common in Italy, and the suspicion of Italian poisons yet more common.

take in some virtue.] To take in a town, is to conquer it. 6 Thy mind to her is now as low.] That is, thy mind compared to hers is now as low, as thy condition was, compared to hers.

That I have sent her, by her own command
Shall give thee opportunity :-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.

Enter IMOGEN.

I am ignorant in what I am commanded.
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'd 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 physick love ;-of his content, All but in that!-Good wax, thy leave:-Bless'd 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, should he take me in his dominion, could not be so cruel to me, as you, O the dearest of creatures, would not even renew me with your eyes. Take notice, that I am in Cambria, at Milford-Haven: What your own love

? Art thou a feodary for this act,] Feodary means, here, a confederate, or accomplice.

I am ignorant in what I am commanded.] i. e. I am unpractised in the arts of murder.

9 For it doth physick love;] That is, grief for absence keeps love in health and vigour.

will, out of this, advise you, follow. So, he wishes you all happiness, that remains loyal to his vow, and your, increasing in love, LEONATUS POSTHUMUS.

O, for a horse with wings!-Hear'st thou, Pisanio?
He is at Milford-Haven: Read, and tell me
How far 'tis thither. If one of mean affairs
May plod it in a week, why may not I
Glide thither in a day?-Then, true Pisanio,
(Who long'st, like me, to see thy lord; who long'st,-
O, let me 'bate,-but not like me:-yet long'st,-
But in a fainter kind:-O, not like me;
For mine's beyond beyond,) say, and speak thick,'
(Love's counsellor should fill the bores of hearing,
To the smothering of the sense,) how far it is
To this same blessed Milford: And, by the way,
Tell me how Wales was made so happy, as
To inherit such a haven: But, first of all,
How we may steal from hence; and, for the
gap
That we shall make in time, from our hence-going,
And our return, to excuse :-but first, how get hence:
Why should excuse be born or e'er begot?2
We'll talk of that hereafter. Pr'ythee, speak,
How many score of miles may we well ride
"Twixt hour and hour?

Pis.
One score, 'twixt sun and sun,
Madam, 's enough for you; and too much too.

Imo. Why, one that rode to his execution, man, Could never go so slow: I have heard of riding wagers, Where horses have been nimbler than the sands That run i'the clock's behalf:-But this is foolery:

1 speak thick,] i. e. croud one word on another, as fast as possible.

2 Why should excuse be born or e'er begot?] Why should I contrive an excuse, before the act is done, for which excuse will be necessary?

Go, bid my woman feign a sickness; say

She'll home to her father: and provide me, pre

sently,

A riding suit; no costlier than would fit

A franklin's housewife.3

Pis.

Madam, you're best consider. Imo. I see before me, man, nor here, nor here, Nor what ensues; but have a fog in them, That I cannot look through. Away, I pr'ythee; Do as I bid thee: There's no more to say; Accessible is none but Milford way.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

Wales. A mountainous Country, with a Cave.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

Bel. A goodly day not to keep house, with such Whose roof's as low as ours! Stoop, boys: This gate Instructs you how to adore the heavens; and bows

you

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To morning's holy office: The gates of monarchs Are arch'd so high, that giants may jet* through And keep their impious turbands on, without Good morrow to the sun.-Hail, thou fair heaven! We house i'the rock, yet use thee not so hardly As prouder livers do.

Gui.

Arv.

Hail, heaven!

Hail, heaven!

Bel. Now, for our mountain sport: Up to yon

hill,

A franklin's housewife.] A franklin is literally a freeholder, with a small estate, neither villain nor vassal.

may jet i. e. strut, walk proudly.

Their impious turbands on,] The idea of a giant was, among the readers of romances, who were almost all the readers of those times, always confounded with that of a Saracen.

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