William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare - Complete Works

KING. How is that?

PAROLLES. He lov'd her, sir, and lov'd her not.

KING. As thou art a knave and no knave.

What an equivocal companion is this!

PAROLLES. I am a poor man, and at your Majesty's command.

LAFEU. He's a good drum, my lord, but a naughty orator.

DIANA. Do you know he promis'd me marriage?

PAROLLES. Faith, I know more than I'll speak.

KING. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st?

PAROLLES. Yes, so please your Majesty. I did go between them, as I

said; but more than that, he loved her-for indeed he was mad for

her, and talk'd of Satan, and of Limbo, and of Furies, and I know

not what. Yet I was in that credit with them at that time that I

knew of their going to bed; and of other motions, as promising

her marriage, and things which would derive me ill will to speak

of; therefore I will not speak what I know.

KING. Thou hast spoken all already, unless thou canst say they are

married; but thou art too fine in thy evidence; therefore stand

aside.

This ring, you say, was yours?

DIANA. Ay, my good lord.

KING. Where did you buy it? Or who gave it you?

DIANA. It was not given me, nor I did not buy it.

KING. Who lent it you?

DIANA. It was not lent me neither.

KING. Where did you find it then?

DIANA. I found it not.

KING. If it were yours by none of all these ways,

How could you give it him?

DIANA. I never gave it him.

LAFEU. This woman's an easy glove, my lord; she goes of and on at

pleasure.

KING. This ring was mine, I gave it his first wife.

DIANA. It might be yours or hers, for aught I know.

KING. Take her away, I do not like her now;

To prison with her. And away with him.

Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring,

Thou diest within this hour.

DIANA. I'll never tell you.

KING. Take her away.

DIANA. I'll put in bail, my liege.

KING. I think thee now some common customer.

DIANA. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you.

KING. Wherefore hast thou accus'd him all this while?

DIANA. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty.

He knows I am no maid, and he'll swear to't:

I'll swear I am a maid, and he knows not.

Great King, I am no strumpet, by my life;

I am either maid, or else this old man's wife.

[Pointing to LAFEU]

KING. She does abuse our ears; to prison with her.

DIANA. Good mother, fetch my bail. Stay, royal sir;

Exit WIDOW

The jeweller that owes the ring is sent for,

And he shall surety me. But for this lord

Who hath abus'd me as he knows himself,

Though yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him.

He knows himself my bed he hath defil'd;

And at that time he got his wife with child.

Dead though she be, she feels her young one kick;

So there's my riddle: one that's dead is quick-

And now behold the meaning.

Re-enter WIDOW with HELENA

KING. Is there no exorcist

Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?

Is't real that I see?

HELENA. No, my good lord;

'Tis but the shadow of a wife you see,

The name and not the thing.

BERTRAM. Both, both; o, pardon!

HELENA. O, my good lord, when I was like this maid,

I found you wondrous kind. There is your ring,

And, look you, here's your letter. This it says:

'When from my finger you can get this ring,

And are by me with child,' etc. This is done.

Will you be mine now you are doubly won?

BERTRAM. If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly,

I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.

HELENA. If it appear not plain, and prove untrue,

Deadly divorce step between me and you!

O my dear mother, do I see you living?

LAFEU. Mine eyes smell onions; I shall weep anon. [To PAROLLES]

Good Tom Drum, lend me a handkercher. So, I

thank thee. Wait on me home, I'll make sport with thee;

let thy curtsies alone, they are scurvy ones.

KING. Let us from point to point this story know,

To make the even truth in pleasure flow.

[To DIANA] If thou beest yet a fresh uncropped flower,

Choose thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy dower;

For I can guess that by thy honest aid

Thou kept'st a wife herself, thyself a maid.-

Of that and all the progress, more and less,

Resolvedly more leisure shall express.

All yet seems well; and if it end so meet,

The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet. [Flourish]

KING. The King's a beggar, now the play is done.

All is well ended if this suit be won,

That you express content; which we will pay

With strife to please you, day exceeding day.

Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;

Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.

Exeunt omnes

THE END

1607

MARK ANTONY, Triumvirs

OCTAVIUS CAESAR, "

M. AEMILIUS LEPIDUS, "

SEXTUS POMPEIUS, "

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, friend to Antony

VENTIDIUS, " " "

EROS, " " "

SCARUS, " " "

DERCETAS, " " "

DEMETRIUS, " " "

PHILO, " " "

MAECENAS, friend to Caesar

AGRIPPA, " " "

DOLABELLA, " " "

PROCULEIUS, " " "

THYREUS, " " "

GALLUS, " " "

MENAS, friend to Pompey

MENECRATES, " " "

VARRIUS, " " "

TAURUS, Lieutenant-General to Caesar

CANIDIUS, Lieutenant-General to Antony

SILIUS, an Officer in Ventidius's army

EUPHRONIUS, an Ambassador from Antony to Caesar

ALEXAS, attendant on Cleopatra

MARDIAN, " " "

SELEUCUS, " " "

DIOMEDES, " " "

A SOOTHSAYER

A CLOWN

CLEOPATRA, Queen of Egypt

OCTAVIA, sister to Caesar and wife to Antony

CHARMIAN, lady attending on Cleopatra

IRAS, " " " "

Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants

Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO

PHILO. Nay, but this dotage of our general's

O'erflows the measure. Those his goodly eyes,

That o'er the files and musters of the war

Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,

The office and devotion of their view

Upon a tawny front. His captain's heart,

Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst

The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper,

And is become the bellows and the fan

To cool a gipsy's lust.

Flourish. Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her LADIES, the train,

with eunuchs fanning her

Look where they come!

Take but good note, and you shall see in him

The triple pillar of the world transform'd

Into a strumpet's fool. Behold and see.

CLEOPATRA. If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

ANTONY. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd.

CLEOPATRA. I'll set a bourn how far to be belov'd.

ANTONY. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

Enter a MESSENGER

MESSENGER. News, my good lord, from Rome.

ANTONY. Grates me the sum.

CLEOPATRA. Nay, hear them, Antony.

Fulvia perchance is angry; or who knows

If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent

His pow'rful mandate to you: 'Do this or this;

Take in that kingdom and enfranchise that;

Perform't, or else we damn thee.'

ANTONY. How, my love?

CLEOPATRA. Perchance? Nay, and most like,

You must not stay here longer; your dismission

Is come from Caesar; therefore hear it, Antony.

Where's Fulvia's process? Caesar's I would say? Both?

Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's Queen,

Thou blushest, Antony, and that blood of thine