William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare - Complete Works

FIRST SENATOR. 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 fall'n-off Britons, that we do incite

The gentry to this business. He creates

Lucius proconsul; and to you, the tribunes,

For this immediate levy, he commands

His absolute commission. Long live Caesar!

TRIBUNE. Is Lucius general of the forces?

SECOND SENATOR. Ay.

TRIBUNE. Remaining now in Gallia?

FIRST SENATOR. 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 their dispatch.

TRIBUNE. We will discharge our duty. Exeunt

Enter CLOTEN alone

CLOTEN. I am near to th' place where they should meet, if Pisanio have mapp'd 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 imperceiverant 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 her face; and all this done, spurn her home to her father, who may, haply, be a little angry for my so rough usage; but my mother, having power of his testiness, shall turn all into my commendations. My horse is tied up safe. Out, sword, and to a sore purpose! Fortune, put them into my hand. This is the very description of their meeting-place; and the fellow dares not deceive me. Exit

Enter, from the cave, BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, and IMOGEN

BELARIUS. [To IMOGEN] You are not well. Remain here in the cave;

We'll come to you after hunting.

ARVIRAGUS. [To IMOGEN] Brother, stay here.

Are we not brothers?

IMOGEN. So man and man should be;

But clay and clay differs in dignity,

Whose dust is both alike. I am very sick.

GUIDERIUS. Go you to hunting; I'll abide with him.

IMOGEN. So sick I am not, yet I am not well;

But not so citizen a wanton as

To seem to die ere sick. So please you, leave me;

Stick to your journal course. The breach of custom

Is breach of all. I am ill, but your being by me

Cannot amend me; society is no comfort

To one not sociable. I am not very sick,

Since I can reason of it. Pray you trust me here.

I'll rob none but myself; and let me die,

Stealing so poorly.

GUIDERIUS. I love thee; I have spoke it.

How much the quantity, the weight as much

As I do love my father.

BELARIUS. What? how? how?

ARVIRAGUS. If it be sin to say so, sir, I yoke me

In my good brother's fault. I know not why

I love this youth, and I have heard you say

Love's reason's without reason. The bier at door,

And a demand who is't shall die, I'd say

'My father, not this youth.'

BELARIUS. [Aside] O noble strain!

O worthiness of nature! breed of greatness!

Cowards father cowards and base things sire base.

Nature hath meal and bran, contempt and grace.

I'm not their father; yet who this should be

Doth miracle itself, lov'd before me.-

'Tis the ninth hour o' th' morn.

ARVIRAGUS. Brother, farewell.

IMOGEN. I wish ye sport.

ARVIRAGUS. Your health. [To BELARIUS] So please you, sir.

IMOGEN. [Aside] These are kind creatures. Gods, what lies I have

heard!

Our courtiers say all's savage but at court.

Experience, O, thou disprov'st report!

Th' imperious seas breed monsters; for the dish,

Poor tributary rivers as sweet fish.

I am sick still; heart-sick. Pisanio,

I'll now taste of thy drug. [Swallows some]

GUIDERIUS. I could not stir him.

He said he was gentle, but unfortunate;

Dishonestly afflicted, but yet honest.

ARVIRAGUS. Thus did he answer me; yet said hereafter

I might know more.

BELARIUS. To th' field, to th' field!

We'll leave you for this time. Go in and rest.

ARVIRAGUS. We'll not be long away.

BELARIUS. Pray be not sick,

For you must be our huswife.

IMOGEN. Well, or ill,

I am bound to you.

BELARIUS. And shalt be ever. Exit IMOGEN into the cave

This youth, howe'er distress'd, appears he hath had

Good ancestors.

ARVIRAGUS. How angel-like he sings!

GUIDERIUS. But his neat cookery! He cut our roots in characters,

And sauc'd our broths as Juno had been sick,

And he her dieter.

ARVIRAGUS. Nobly he yokes

A smiling with a sigh, as if the sigh

Was that it was for not being such a smile;

The smile mocking the sigh that it would fly

From so divine a temple to commix

With winds that sailors rail at.

GUIDERIUS. I do note

That grief and patience, rooted in him both,

Mingle their spurs together.

ARVIRAGUS. Grow patience!

And let the stinking elder, grief, untwine

His perishing root with the increasing vine!

BELARIUS. It is great morning. Come, away! Who's there?

Enter CLOTEN

CLOTEN. I cannot find those runagates; that villain

Hath mock'd me. I am faint.

BELARIUS. Those runagates?

Means he not us? I partly know him; 'tis

Cloten, the son o' th' Queen. I fear some ambush.

I saw him not these many years, and yet

I know 'tis he. We are held as outlaws. Hence!

GUIDERIUS. He is but one; you and my brother search

What companies are near. Pray you away;

Let me alone with him. Exeunt BELARIUS and ARVIRAGUS

CLOTEN. Soft! What are you

That fly me thus? Some villain mountaineers?

I have heard of such. What slave art thou?

GUIDERIUS. A thing

More slavish did I ne'er than answering

'A slave' without a knock.

CLOTEN. Thou art a robber,

A law-breaker, a villain. Yield thee, thief.

GUIDERIUS. To who? To thee? What art thou? Have not I

An arm as big as thine, a heart as big?

Thy words, I grant, are bigger, for I wear not

My dagger in my mouth. Say what thou art;

Why I should yield to thee.

CLOTEN. Thou villain base,

Know'st me not by my clothes?

GUIDERIUS. No, nor thy tailor, rascal,

Who is thy grandfather; he made those clothes,

Which, as it seems, make thee.

CLOTEN. Thou precious varlet,

My tailor made them not.

GUIDERIUS. Hence, then, and thank

The man that gave them thee. Thou art some fool;

I am loath to beat thee.

CLOTEN. Thou injurious thief,

Hear but my name, and tremble.

GUIDERIUS. What's thy name?

CLOTEN. Cloten, thou villain.

GUIDERIUS. Cloten, thou double villain, be thy name,

I cannot tremble at it. Were it toad, or adder, spider,

'Twould move me sooner.

CLOTEN. To thy further fear,

Nay, to thy mere confusion, thou shalt know

I am son to th' Queen.

GUIDERIUS. I'm sorry for't; not seeming

So worthy as thy birth.

CLOTEN. Art not afeard?

GUIDERIUS. Those that I reverence, those I fear- the wise:

At fools I laugh, not fear them.