William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare - Complete Works

BELARIUS. My boys,

There was our error.

GUIDERIUS. This is sure Fidele.

IMOGEN. Why did you throw your wedded lady from you?

Think that you are upon a rock, and now

Throw me again. [Embracing him]

POSTHUMUS. Hang there like fruit, my soul,

Till the tree die!

CYMBELINE. How now, my flesh? my child?

What, mak'st thou me a dullard in this act?

Wilt thou not speak to me?

IMOGEN. [Kneeling] Your blessing, sir.

BELARIUS. [To GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS] Though you did love this

youth, I blame ye not;

You had a motive for't.

CYMBELINE. My tears that fall

Prove holy water on thee! Imogen,

Thy mother's dead.

IMOGEN. I am sorry for't, my lord.

CYMBELINE. O, she was naught, and long of her it was

That we meet here so strangely; but her son

Is gone, we know not how nor where.

PISANIO. My lord,

Now fear is from me, I'll speak troth. Lord Cloten,

Upon my lady's missing, came to me

With his sword drawn, foam'd at the mouth, and swore,

If I discover'd not which way she was gone,

It was my instant death. By accident

I had a feigned letter of my master's

Then in my pocket, which directed him

To seek her on the mountains near to Milford;

Where, in a frenzy, in my master's garments,

Which he enforc'd from me, away he posts

With unchaste purpose, and with oath to violate

My lady's honour. What became of him

I further know not.

GUIDERIUS. Let me end the story:

I slew him there.

CYMBELINE. Marry, the gods forfend!

I would not thy good deeds should from my lips

Pluck a hard sentence. Prithee, valiant youth,

Deny't again.

GUIDERIUS. I have spoke it, and I did it.

CYMBELINE. He was a prince.

GUIDERIUS. 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.

CYMBELINE. I am sorry for thee.

By thine own tongue thou art condemn'd, and must

Endure our law. Thou'rt dead.

IMOGEN. That headless man

I thought had been my lord.

CYMBELINE. Bind the offender,

And take him from our presence.

BELARIUS. Stay, sir King.

This man is better than the man he slew,

As well descended as thyself, and hath

More of thee merited than a band of Clotens

Had ever scar for. [To the guard] Let his arms alone;

They were not born for bondage.

CYMBELINE. Why, old soldier,

Wilt thou undo the worth thou art unpaid for

By tasting of our wrath? How of descent

As good as we?

ARVIRAGUS. In that he spake too far.

CYMBELINE. And thou shalt die for't.

BELARIUS. We will die all three;

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.

ARVIRAGUS. Your danger's ours.

GUIDERIUS. And our good his.

BELARIUS. Have at it then by leave!

Thou hadst, great King, a subject who

Was call'd Belarius.

CYMBELINE. What of him? He is

A banish'd traitor.

BELARIUS. He it is that hath

Assum'd this age; indeed a banish'd man;

I know not how a traitor.

CYMBELINE. Take him hence,

The whole world shall not save him.

BELARIUS. Not too hot.

First pay me for the nursing of thy sons,

And let it be confiscate all, so soon

As I have receiv'd it.

CYMBELINE. Nursing of my sons?

BELARIUS. I am too blunt and saucy: here's my knee.

Ere I arise I will prefer my sons;

Then spare not the old father. Mighty sir,

These two young gentlemen that call me father,

And think they are my sons, are none of mine;

They are the issue of your loins, my liege,

And blood of your begetting.

CYMBELINE. How? my issue?

BELARIUS. So sure as you your father's. I, old Morgan,

Am that Belarius whom you sometime banish'd.

Your pleasure was my mere offence, my punishment

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

Could put into them. My breeding was, sir, as

Your Highness knows. Their nurse, Euriphile,

Whom for the theft I wedded, stole these children

Upon my banishment; I mov'd her to't,

Having receiv'd 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 shap'd

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

Fall on their heads like dew! for they are worthy

To inlay heaven with stars.

CYMBELINE. 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.

BELARIUS. Be pleas'd 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 th' hand

Of his queen mother, which for more probation

I can with ease produce.

CYMBELINE. Guiderius had

Upon his neck a mole, a sanguine star;

It was a mark of wonder.

BELARIUS. 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.

CYMBELINE. O, what am I?

A mother to the birth of three? Ne'er mother

Rejoic'd 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.

IMOGEN. 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 we were so indeed.

CYMBELINE. Did you e'er meet?

ARVIRAGUS. Ay, my good lord.

GUIDERIUS. And at first meeting lov'd,

Continu'd so until we thought he died.

CORNELIUS. By the Queen's dram she swallow'd.

CYMBELINE. O rare instinct!

When shall I hear all through? This fierce abridgment

Hath to it circumstantial branches, which

Distinction should be rich in. Where? how liv'd 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-dependences,

From chance to chance; but nor the time nor place

Will serve our long interrogatories. See,

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.

IMOGEN. You are my father too, and did relieve me

To see this gracious season.

CYMBELINE. All o'erjoy'd

Save these in bonds. Let them be joyful too,

For they shall taste our comfort.

IMOGEN. My good master,