If that thy gentry, Britian, go before Post. Close by the battle, ditched, and walled Which gave advantage to an ancient soldier, - Bel. Stand, stand! We have the advantage of The country base than to commit such slaughter; Lord. Cam'st thou from where they made the The way that they did, and to grin like lions Upon the pikes o' the hunters. Then began The strides they victors made. cowards And now our (Like fragments in hard voyages) became Post. No blame be to you, sir; for all was lost But that the heavens fought. The king himself Of his wings destitute, the army broken, And but the backs of Britons seen, all flying Through a strait lane; the enemy full-hearted, Lolling the tongue with slaughtering, having work More plentiful than tools to do 't, struck down Some mortally, some slightly touched, some falling Merely through fear; that the strait pass was Some, slain before; some, dying; some, their Of the unguarded hearts, Heavens, how they wound! friends O'er-borne i' the former wave: ten, chased by one, Are now each one the slaughter-man of twenty: Post. 'Lack, to what end? Who dares not stand his foe, I'll be his friend: Enter CYMBELINE, attended; BELARIUS, GUI DERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, PISANIO, and Roman Captives. The Captains present POSTHUMUS to CYMBELINE, who delivers him over to a Jailer; after which, all go out. SCENE IV. - A Prison. Enter POSTHUMUS and two Jailers. To be i' the field, and ask, what news, of me! For being now a favorer to the Roman, Enter two British Captains, and Soldiers. were angels. 1st Jail. You shall not now be stolen; you have locks, upon you; The penitent instrument, to pick that bolt, 2nd Cap. There was a fourth man, in a silly No stricter render of me than my all. habit, That gave the front with them. I know you are more clement than vile men, Solemn Music. Enter, as an apparition, SICILIUS LEONATUS, father to POSTHUMUS, an old man, attired like a warrior; leading in his hand an ancient Matron, his wife, and mother to PosTHUMUS, with music before them. Then, after other music, follow the two young LEONATI, brothers to POSTHUMUS, with wounds, as they died in the wars. They circle POSTHUMUS round, as he lies sleeping. Sici. No more, thou thunder-master, shew Thy spite on mortal flies: With Mars fall out, with Juno chide, Rates and revenges. Hath my poor boy done aught but well, Whose face I never saw? I died whilst in the womb he stayed, Whose father then (as men report Thou orphans' father art) Thou shouldst have been, and shielded him From this earth-vexing smart. Moth. Lucina lent not me her aid, But took me in my throes; Sici. Great nature, like his ancestry, Moulded the stuff so fair, That he deserved the praise o' the world, 1st Bro. When once he was mature for man, In eye of Imogen, that best Moth. With marriage wherefore was he mocked, Sweet Imogen? Sici. Why did you suffer Iachimo, To taint his nobler heart and brain And to become the geck and scorn O' the other's villany? 2nd Bro. For this, from stiller seats we came, Our parents, and us twain, That, striking in our country's cause, 1st Bro. Like hardiment Posthumus hath Why hast thou thus adjourned Being all to dolors turned? Upon a valiant race, thy harsh And potent injuries: Moth. Since, Jupiter, our son is good, Sici. Peep through thy marble mansion; help To the shining synod of the rest, 2nd Bro. Help, Jupiter; or we appeal, Be not with mortal accidents oppressed ; No care of yours it is; you know 't is ours. Whom best I love, I cross; to make my gift, The more delayed, delighted. Be content: Your low-laid son our godhead will uplift: His comforts thrive, his trials well are spent. Our Jovial star reigned at his birth, and in Our temple was he married. Rise, and fade! He shall be lord of lady Imogen, And happier much by his affliction made. This tablet lay upon his breast; wherein Our pleasure his full fortune doth confine; And so, away: no farther with your din Express impatience, lest you stir up mine.Mount, eagle, to my palace crystalline. [Ascends. Sici. He came in thunder: his celestial breath Was sulphurous to smell: the holy eagle Stooped, as to foot us; his ascension is More sweet than our blessed fields: his royal bird Prunes the immortal wing, and cloys his beak, As when his god is pleased. All. Thanks, Jupiter! Sici. The marble pavement closes, he is entered His radiant roof. Away! and, to be blessed, Let us with care perform his great behest. [Ghosts vanish. Post. [waking]. Sleep, thou hast been a grandsire, and begot A father to me; and thou hast created rare one! Be not, as is our fangled world, a garment Nobler than that it covers: let thy effects So follow, to be most unlike our courtiers, As good as promise. Reads. O "When as a lion's whelp shall, to himself unknown, without seeking, find, and be embraced by a piece of tender air; and when from a stately cedar shall be lopped branches, which, being dead many years, shall after revive, be jointed to the old stock, and freshly grow; then shall Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be fortunate, and flourish in peace and plenty." 'T is still a dream; or else such stuff as madmen you Jail. A heavy reckoning for you, sir: but the comfort is, you shall be called to no more payments, fear no more tavern bills: which are often the sadness of parting, as the procuring of mirth: you come in faint for want of meat, depart reeling with too much drink: sorry that you have paid too much, and that sorry are paid too much; purse and brain both empty the brain the heavier for being too light, the purse too light, being drawn of heaviness: O! of this contradiction you shall now be quit. O, the charity of a penny cord! it sums up thousands in a trice: you have no true debitor and creditor but it; of what 's past, is, and to come, the discharge :- your neck, sir, is pen, book, and counters; so the acquittance follows. Post. I am merrier to die than thou art to live. Jail. Indeed, sir, he that sleeps feels not the tooth-ache: but a man that were to sleep your sleep, and a hangman to help him to bed, I think he would change places with his officer; for, look you, sir, you know not which way you shall go. Post. Yes, indeed do I, fellow. Jail. Your death has eyes in 's head then; I have not seen him so pictured: you must either be directed by some that take upon them to know; or take upon yourself that which I am sure you do not know; or jump the after-inquiry on your own peril: and how you shall speed in your journey's end, I think you'll never return to tell one. Post. I tell thee, fellow, there are none want eyes to direct them the way I am going, but such as wink, and will not use them. Jail. What an infinite mock is this, that a man should have the best use of eyes, to see the way of blindness! I am sure hanging's the way of winking. Enter a Messenger. The heir of his reward; which I will add [To BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS. By whom, I grant, she lives. 'T is now the time Mess. Knock off his manacles; bring your pris- To ask of whence you are: report it. oner to the king. Sir, Bel. Post. Thou bringest good news: I am called to In Cambria are we born, and gentlemen : be made free. Jail. I'll be hanged, then. Post. Thou shalt be then freer than a jailer; no bolts for the dead. [Exeunt POSTHUMUS and Messenger. Jail. Unless a man would marry a gallows, and beget young gibbets, I never saw one so prone. Yet, on my conscience there are verier knaves desire to live, for all he be a Roman: and there be some of them too that die against their wills; so should I, if I were one. I would we were all of one mind, and one mind good; O, there were desolation of jailers and gallowses! I speak against my present profit; but my wish hath a preferment in 't. [Exeunt. SCENE V.-CYMBELINE'S Tent. Enter CYMBELINE, BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVI- tendants. Further to boast were neither true nor modest, Cor. With horror, madly dying, like her life; Cym. Stand by my side, you whom the gods Were present when she finished. Cym. Pr'y thee, say. |