Who to my father was a friend, to me Known but by letter: thither write, my queen, And with mine eyes I'll drink the words you send, Queen. Re-enter Queen. Be brief, I pray you: If the king come, I shall incur I know not How much of his displeasure: Yet I'll move him [Aside. Post. [Exit. Should we be taking leave As long a term as yet we have to live, The loathness to depart would grow: Adieu! Were you but riding forth to air yourself, When Imogen is dead. Post. [Putting on the Ring. While sense can keep it on! And sweetest, fairest, As I my poor self did exchange for you, To your so infinite loss; so, in our trifles I still win of you: For my sake, wear this; It is a manacle of love; I'll place it Upon this fairest prisoner. [Putting a Bracelet on her Arm. O, the gods! Imo. When shall we see again? Post. Enter CYMBELINE and Lords. g sear up-] i. e. Close up. Alack, the king! While sense can keep it on!] i. e. While sense can maintain its operations; while sense continues to have its usual power. To keep on signifies to continue in a state of action.-STEEVENS. a manacle-] What we now call a hand-cuff. Cym. Thou basest thing, avoid! hence, from my sight! If, after this command, thou fraught the court With thy unworthiness, thou diest: Away! Thou art poison to my blood. I beseech you, sir, Harm not yourself with your vexation; I Am senseless of your wrath; a touch more rare Сут. m Past grace? obedience? Imo. Past hope, and in despair; that way, past grace. Cym. That might'st have had the sole son of my queen! Imo. O bless'd, that I might not! I chose an eagle, And did avoid a puttock." Cym. Thou took'st a beggar; would'st have made my throne It is your fault that I have lov'd Posthumus: 1 Cym. pays. What!-art thou mad? Imo. Almost, sir: Heaven restore me !-'Would I were fraught-] i. e. Load, crowd. many-] This word was introduced into the text by Sir Thomas Hanmer; and, though approved by Steevens as essential both to sense and metre, has been in the late editions most unaccountably omitted. a touch more rare-] i. e. A more exquisite feeling.-STEEVENS. na puttock.] A mean degenerate species of hawk, too worthless to deserve training.-STEEVENS. A neat-herd's daughter! and my Leonatus Cym. Re-enter Queen. Thou foolish thing! They were again together: you have done [To the Queen. Not after our command. Away with her, And pen her up. Queen. 'Beseech your patience :-Peace, Dear lady daughter, peace ;-Sweet sovereign, Leave us to ourselves; and make yourself some comfort Out of your best advice.. Cym. A drop of blood a day; and, being aged, Die of this folly! Queen. Nay, let her languish [Exit. Enter PISANIO. Fye!-you must give way: Here is your servant.-How now, sir? What news? Queen. No harm, I trust, is done? Pis. Ha! There might have been, But that my master rather play'd than fought, Queen. I am very glad on't. Imo. Your son's my father's friend; he takes his part.— To draw upon an exile!-O brave sir! I would they were in Africk both together; Myself by with a needle, that I might prick The goer back.-Why came you from your master? To bring him to the haven: left these notes Queen. This hath been Your faithful servant; I dare lay mine honour, Pis. I humbly thank your highness. Queen. Pray, walk a while. About some half hour hence, I pray you, speak with me: you shall, at least, SCENE III. A publick Place. Enter CLOTEN, and Two Lords. 1 Lord. Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt; the violence of action hath made you reek as a sacrifice: Where air comes out, air comes in: there's none abroad so wholesome as that you vent. Clo. If my shirt were bloody, then to shift it-Have I hurt him? 2 Lord. No, faith; not so much as his patience. [Aside. 1 Lord. Hurt him? his body's a passable carcass, if he be not hurt: it is a thoroughfare for steel, if it be not hurt. 2 Lord. His steel was in debt; it went o'the back side the town. Clo. The villain would not stand me. [Aside. 2 Lord. No; but he fled forward still, toward your face. [Aside. 1 Lord. Stand you! You have land enough of your own: but he added to your having; gave you some ground. 2 Lord. As many inches as you have oceans: Puppies! [Aside. Clo. I would, they had not come between us. 2 Lord. So would I, till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground. [Aside. Clo. And that she should love this fellow, and refuse me! 2 Lord. If it be a sin to make a true election, she is damned. [Aside. I Lord. Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and her brain go not together: She's a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit. 2 Lord. She shines not upon fools, lest the reflection should hurt her. [Aside. Clo. Come, I'll to my chamber: 'Would there had been some hurt done! 2 Lord. I wish not so; unless it had been the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt. Clo. You'll go with us? 1 Lord. I'll attend your lordship. Clo. Nay, come, let's go together. 2 Lord. Well, my lord. SCENE IV. A Room in Cymbeline's Palace. Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO. [Aside. [Exeunt. Imo. I would thou grew'st unto the shores o'the haven, And question'dst every sail: if he should write, An I not have it, 'twere a paper lost, As offer'd mercy is. What was the last That he spake to thee? Pis. 'Twas, His queen! His queen! Imo. Then wav'd his handkerchief? Pis. And kiss'd it, madam. Imo. Senseless linen! happier therein than I! And that was all? No, madam; for so long As he could make me with this eye or ear -Pher beauty and her brain go not together:] i. e. Are not equal, "ne vont pas de pair."-M. MASON. She's a good sign, but I have seen small reflection of her wit.] She has a fair outside, but no wit. To understand the whole force of Shakspeare's idea, it should be remembered, that anciently almost every sign had a motto, or some attempt at a witticism underneath it.-EDWARDS and STEEVENS. r 'twere a paper lost, As offer'd mercy is.] I believe the poet's meaning is, that the loss of that paper would prove as fatal to her, as the loss of a pardon to a condemned criminal.-STEEVENS. |