William Shakespeare - The Winter’s Tale

Sicilia. The palace of Leontes.

[Enter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS .]

Archidamus

If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

Camillo

Archidamus

Wherein our entertainment shall shame us we will be justified in our loves; for indeed –

Camillo

Beseech you –

Archidamus

Camillo

Archidamus

Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.

Camillo

Archidamus

Camillo

Archidamus

Would they else be content to die?

Camillo

Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should desire to live.

Archidamus

[Exeunt.]

Sicilia. The palace of Leontes.

[Enter LEONTES , POLIXENES , HERMIONE , MAMILLIUS , CAMILLO , and Attendants.]

Polixenes

Nine changes of the wat’ry star hath been

The shepherd’s note since we have left our throne

Without a burden. Time as long again

Would be fill’d up, my brother, with our thanks;

Go hence in debt. And therefore, like a cipher,

Yet standing in rich place, I multiply

With one ‘We thank you’ many thousands moe

That go before it.

Leontes

Stay your thanks a while,

And pay them when you part.

Polixenes

I am question’d by my fears of what may chance

Or breed upon our absence, that may blow

No sneaping winds at home, to make us say

‘This is put forth too truly’. Besides, I have stay’d

To tire your royalty.

Leontes

Than you can put us to’t.

Polixenes

No longer stays.

Leontes

One sev’night longer.

Polixenes

Very sooth, to-morrow.

Leontes

We’ll part the time between’s then; and in that

I’ll no gainsaying.

Polixenes

Press me not, beseech you, so.

So soon as yours could win me. So it should now,

Were there necessity in your request, although

’Twere needful I denied it. My affairs

Do even drag me homeward; which to hinder

To you a charge and trouble. To save both,

Farewell, our brother.

Leontes

Tongue-tied, our Queen? Speak you.

Hermione

I had thought, sir, to have held my peace until

You had drawn oaths from him not to stay. You, sir,

All in Bohemia’s well – this satisfaction

The by-gone day proclaim’d. Say this to him,

He’s beat from his best ward.

Leontes

Well said, Hermione.

Hermione

To tell he longs to see his son were strong;

But let him swear so, and he shall not stay;

We’ll thwack him hence with distaffs.

[To POLIXENES ] Yet of your royal presence I’ll adventure

The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia

To let him there a month behind the gest

Prefix’d for’s parting. – Yet, good deed, Leontes,

I love thee not a jar o’ th’ clock behind

What lady she her lord. – You’ll stay?

Polixenes

No, madam.

Hermione

Nay, but you will?

Polixenes

Hermione

Verily!

You put me off with limber vows; but I,

Though you would seek t’ unsphere the stars with oaths,

Should yet say ‘Sir, no going’. Verily,

You shall not go; a lady’s ‘verily’ is

Force me to keep you as a prisoner,

Not like a guest; so you shall pay your fees

When you depart, and save your thanks. How say you?

My prisoner or my guest? By your dread ‘verily’,

One of them you shall be.

Polixenes

To be your prisoner should import offending;

Which is for me less easy to commit

Than you to punish.

Hermione

Not your gaoler then,

But your kind hostess. Come, I’ll question you

You were pretty lordings then!

Polixenes

We were, fair Queen,

Two lads that thought there was no more behind

But such a day to-morrow as to-day,

And to be boy eternal.

Hermione

Was not my lord

Polixenes

We were as twinn’d lambs that did frisk i’ th’ sun

And bleat the one at th’ other. What we chang’d

Was innocence for innocence; we knew not

The doctrine of ill-doing, nor dream’d

And our weak spirits ne’er been higher rear’d