Cœs.

1 Guard.

Poison'd then.

O Cæsar,

This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood, and spake
I found her trimming up the diadem

On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood,
And on the sudden dropp'd.

Cœs.

O noble weakness!

If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear By external swelling but she looks like sleep, As she would catch another Antony

:

In her strong toil of grace.1

Dol. Here, on her breast, There is a vent of blood, and something blown: The like is on her arm.

1 Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these fig. leaves

Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves Upon the caves of Nile.

Cas.

Most probable, That so she died; for her physician tells me, She hath pursu'd conclusions2 infinite

Of

easy ways to die.-Take up her bed;

And bear her women from the monument :-
She shall be buried by her Antony:
No grave upon the earth shall clip3 in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them: and their story is
No less in pity, than his glory, which

Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall,
In solemn show, attend this funeral ;

And then to Rome.-Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

(1) Graceful appearance.

(2) Tried experiments.

[Exeunt

(3) Enfold.

This play keeps curiosity always busy, and the passions always interested. The continual hurry of the action, the variety of incidents, and the quick succession of one personage to another, call the mind forward without intermission, from the first act to the last. But the power of delighting is derived principally from the frequent changes of the scene; for, except the feminine arts, some of which are too low, which distinguish Cleopatra, no character is very strongly discriminated. Upton, who did not easily miss what he desired to find, has discov ered that the language of Antony is, with great skill and learning, made pompous and superb, according to his real practice. But I think his diction not distinguishable from that of others: the most tumid speech in the play is that which Cæsar makes to Octavia.

The events, of which the principal are described according to history, are produced without any art of connection or care of disposition.

JOHNSON

CYMBELINE.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Cymbeline, king of Britain.

Cloten, son to the queen by a former husband. Leonatus Posthumus, a gentleman, husband to Imogen.

Belarius, a banished lord, disguised under the name of Morgan.

Guiderius,
Arviragus,

sons to Cymbeline, disguised under
the names of Polydore and Cad-
wal, supposed sons to Belarius.

Philario, friend to Posthumus,
Iachimo, friend to Philario,

Italians.

A French Gentleman, friend to Philario.
Caius Lucius, general of the Roman forces.
A Roman Captain. Two British Cavtains.
Pisanio, servant to Posthumus

Cornelius, a physician.

Two Gentlemen.

Two Gaolers.

Queen, wife to Cymbeline.

Imogen, daughter to Cymbeline by a former queen. Helen, woman to Imogen.

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, Appa- · ritions, a Soothsayer, a Dutch Gentleman, a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attend

ants.

Scene, sometimes in Britain; sometimes in Italy.

CYMBELINE

ACT I.

SCENE I-Britain. The garden behind Cym beline's palace. Enter Two Gentlemen.

1 Gentleman.

You do not meet a man, but frowns: our bloods! No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers; Still seem, as does the king's.

2 Gent.

But what's the matter? 1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of his king. dom, whom

He purpos'd to his wife's sole son (a widow,
That late he married,) hath referr'd herself'
Unto a poor but worthy gentleman: She's wedded;
Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all

Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the king
Be touch'd at very heart.

2 Gent.

None but the king?

1 Gent. He, that hath lost her, too: so is the

queen,

That most desir'd the match: But not a courtier,
Although they wear their faces to the bent
Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not
Glad at the thing they scowl at.

2 Gent.

And why so? 1 Gent. He that hath miss'd the princess, is a thing

(1) Inclination natural disposition.