brain both empty; the brain the heavier for being Would this report become? But I consider,
too light, the purse too light, being drawn of heavi-
ness: 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.
Gaol. 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.

Gaol. 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.

Gaol. 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.

Mess. Knock off his manacles; bring your prisoner
to the king.

Post. Thou bring'st good news;-I am called to be
Gaol. I'll be hanged then.

made free.

Post. Thou shalt be then freer than a gaoler: no

bolts for the dead.

[Exeunt Posthumus and Messenger. Gaol. 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 gaolers and gallowses! I speak against my present profit; but my wish hath a preferment in 't. [Ex.

SCENE V.-Cymbeline's Tent.

Enter Cymbeline, Belarius, Guiderius, Arviragus,
Pisanio, Lords, Officers, and Attendants.
Cym. Stand by my side, you whom the gods have
Preservers of my throne. Woe is my heart, [made
That the poor soldier that so richly fought,
Whose rags sham'd gilded arms, whose naked breast
Stepp'd before targes of proof, cannot be found:
He shall be happy that can find him, if
Our grace can make him so.

Bel.

I never saw
Such noble fury in so poor a thing;
Such precious deeds in one that promis'd nought
But beggary and poor looks.

Cym.
No tidings of him?
Pis. He hath been search'd among the dead and
living,

But no trace of him. Cym. To my grief, I am
The heir of his reward; which I will add
To you the liver, heart, and brain of Britain,

Bel. Sir,

[To Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.
By whom I grant she lives :-'T is now the time
To ask of whence you are:-report it.
In Cambria are we born, and gentlemen:
Further to boast were neither true nor modest,
Unless I add we are honest.

Cynt
Bow your knees:
Arise, my knights o' the battle; I create you
Companions to our person, and will fit you
With dignities becoming your estates.

Enter Cornelius and Ladies.

There's business in these faces:-Why so sadly
Greet you our victory? you look like Komans,
And not o' the court of Britain.

Cor.

By medicine life may be prolong'd, yet death
Will seize the doctor too.-How ended she?
Cor. With horror, madly dying, like her life,
Which, being cruel to the world, concluded
Most cruel to herself. What she confess'd
I will report, so please you: These her women
Can trip me, if I err; who, with wet cheeks,
Were present when she finish'd.
Cym.
Prithee, say.
Cor. First, she confess'd she never lov'd you: only
Affected greatness got by you, not you;
Married your royalty, was wife to your place;
Abhorr'd your person.
She alone knew this:
And, but she spoke it dying, I would not
Believe her lips in opening it. Proceed.
Cor. Your daughter, whom she bore in hand to
With such integrity, she did confess
[love
Was as a scorpion to her sight; whose life,
But that her flight prevented it, she had
Ta'en off by poison.

Сут.

Cym.
O most delicate fiend!
Who is 't can read a woman?-Is there more? [had
Cor. More, sir, and worse. She did confess she
For you a mortal mineral; which, being took,
Should by the minute feed on life, and, ling'ring,
By inches waste you: In which time she purpos'd,
By watching, weeping, tendance, kissing, to
When she had fitted you with her craft, to work
O'ercome you with her show: yes, and in time,
But, failing of her end by his strange absence,
Her son into the adoption of the crown:
Of heaven and men, her purposes; repented
Grew shameless-desperate; open'd, in despite
The evils she hatch'd were not effected: so,
Despairing, died.
Сут.
Heard you all this, her women?
Lady. We did, so please your highness.
were not in fault, for she was beautiful;
Cym.
Mine eyes
Mine cars, that heard her flattery; nor my heart,
That thought her like her seeming: it had been vi-
To have mistrusted her: yet, O my daughter!
That it was folly in me, thou may'st say,
And prove it in thy feeling. Heaven mend all!
Enter Lucius, Iachimo, the Soothsayer, and other
Roman prisoners, guarded; Posthumus behind,
and Imogen.

cious

Thou com'st not, Caius, now for tribute; that
Of many a bold one; whose kinsnien have made suit
The Britons have raz'd out, though with the loss
That their good souls may be appeas'd with slaugh-

ter

Of you their captives, which ourself have granted:
So, think of your estate.

Luc. Consider, sir, the chance of war: the day
Was yours by accident; had it gone with us,
We should not, when the blood was cool, have

threaten'd

Our prisoners with the sword. But since the gods
Will have it thus, that nothing but our lives
May be call'd ransom, let it come: sufficeth
A Roman with a Roman's heart can suffer:
For my peculiar care. This one thing only
Augustus lives to think on 't: and so much
I will entreat: my boy, a Briton born,
Let him be ransom'd: never master had
A page so kind, so duteous, diligent,
So tender over his occasions, true,
So feat, so nurse-like: let his virtue join
With my request, which, I 'll make bold, your high-
Cannot deny; he hath done no Briton harm,
Though he have served a Roman; save him, sir,
And spare no blood beside.
Сут.

[ness

I have surely seen him:

His favour is familiar to me.
Boy, thou hast look'd thyself into my grace,
And art mine own.-I know not why, nor wherefore,
To say live boy: ne'er thank thy master; live:
And ask of Cyinbeline what boon thou wilt,
Fitting my bounty and thy state, I'll give it;
Whom worse than a physician Yea, though thou do demand a prisoner,

Hail, great king!
To sour your happiness, I must report
The queen is dead.
Сут.

The boy disdains me,
He leaves me, scorns me: briefly die their joys,
That place them on the truth of girls and boys.
Why stands he so perplex'd?

Cym.

What would'st thou, boy?
I love thee more and more; think more and more
What's best to ask. Know'st him thou look'st on?
speak,

Wilt have him live? Is he thy kin? thy friend?
Imo. He is a Roman; no more kin to me
Than I to your highness; who, being born your
Am something nearer.
[vassal,
Cym.
Wherefore ey'st him so?
Imo. I'll tell you, sir, in private, if you please
To give me hearing.
Cym.
And lend my best attention. What's thy name?
Imo. Fidele, sir.
Cvm.
Thou art my good youth, my page:
I'll be thy master: Walk with me; speak freely.
[Cymbeline and Imogen converse apart.
Bel. Is not this boy reviv'd from death?
Arv.

Ay, with all my heart,

One sand another
Not more resembles that sweet rosy lad
Who died, and was Fidele :-What think you?
Gui. The same dead thing alive. [forbear;
Bel. Peace, peace! see further; he eyes us not;
Creatures may be alike: were 't he, I am sure
He would have spoke to us.
Gui.
But we saw him dead.
Bel. Be silent; let's see further.
Pis.
It is my mistress. [Aside.
Since she is living, let the time run on
To good, or bad.

[Cymbeline and Imogen come forward.
Cym.
Come, stand thou by our side;
Make thy demand aloud.-Sir, [to Iach.] step you
Give answer to this boy, and do it freely; [forth;
Or, by our greatness, and the grace of it,
Which is our honour, bitter torture shall [him.
Winnow the truth from falsehood.-On, speak to
Imo. My boon is, that this gentleman may render
Of whom he had this ring.
Post.

What 's that to him? [Aside.
Cym. That diamond upon your finger, say
How came it yours?

Iach. Thou 'It torture me to leave unspoken that
Which, to be spoke, would torture thee.
Cym.

Fairness, which strikes the eye :-
Cym.
I stand on fire:
Come to the matter. lach. All too soon I shall,
Unless thou wouldst grieve quickly.-This Posthu-
(Most like a noble lord in love, and one
That had a royal lover) took this hint;
And, not dispraising whom we prais'd, (therein
He was as calm as virtue,) he began

[mus

[made,

His mistress' picture; which by his tongue being
And then a mind put in 't, either our brags
Were crack'd of kitchen trulls, or his description
Prov'd us unspeaking sots.
Cym.
Nay, nay, to the purpose.
Jach. Your daughter's chastity-there it begins.
He spake of her, as Dian had hot dreams,
And she alone were cold: Whereat, I, wretch!
Made scruple of his praise; and wager'd with him
Pieces of gold, 'gainst this which then he wore
Upon his honour'd finger, to attain

In suit the place of his bed, and win this ring
By hers and mine adultery: he, true knight,
No lesser of her honour confident
Than I did truly find her, stakes this ring;
And would so, had it been a carbuncle
Of Phoebus' wheel; and might so safely, had it
Been all the worth of his car. Away to Britain
Post I in this design: Well may you, sir,
Remember me at court, where I was taught
Of your chaste daughter the wide difference
Twixt amorous and villainous. Being thus quench'd
Of hope, not longing, mine Italian brain
'Gan in your duller Britain operate
Most vilely; for my vantage, excellent;
And, to be brief, my practice so prevail'd
That I return'd with simular proof enough
To make the noble Leonatus mad,
By wounding his belief in her renown
With tokens thus, and thus; averring notes
Of chamber-hanging, pictures, this her bracelet,
(0, cunning, how I got it!) nay, some marks
Of secret on her person, that he could not
But think her bond of chastity quite crack'd,
I having ta'en the forfeit. Whereupon,-
Methinks, I see him now,-

Post. Ay, so thou dost, [Coming forward. Italian fiend!-Ah me, most credulous fool, Egregious murderer, thief, any thing That's due to all the villains past, in being, To come!-0, give me cord, or knife, or poison, Some upright justicer! Thou, king, send out For torturers ingenious: it is I That all the abhorred things o' the earth amend, By being worse than they. I am Posthumus, That kill'd thy daughter:-villain-like, I lie; How! me? That caus'd a lesser villain than myself, Iach. I am glad to be constrain'd to utter that A sacrilegious thief, to do 't :-the temple Which torments me to conceal. By villainy Of virtue was she; yea, and she herself. I got this ring; 't was Leonatus' jewel: Spit, and throw stones, cast mire upon me, set Whom thou didst banish; and (which more may The dogs o' the street to bay me: every villain As it doth me,) a nobler sir ne'er liv'd [grieve thee Be call'd Posthumus Leonatus; and 'Twixt sky and ground. Wilt thou hear more, my Be villainy less than 't was!-O Imogen! Cym. All that belongs to this. [lord? My queen, my life, my wife! O Imogen, Iach. That paragon, thy daughter, Imogen, Imogen! For whom my heart drops blood, and my false spirits Imo. Peace, my lord; hear, hear! [page, Quail to remember,-Give me leave; I faint. Post. Shall 's have a play of this? Thou scornful Cym. My daughter! what of her? Renew thy There lie thy part. [Striking her: she falls. strength: Pis. O, gentlemen, help Mine, and your mistress :-0, my lord Posthumus! You ne'er kill'd Imogen till now:-Help, help!Mine honour'd lady! Cym. Does the world go round? Post. How come these staggers on me? Pis. Wake, my mistress! Cym. If this be so, the gods do mean to strike me To death with mortal joy.

I had rather thou should'st live while nature will,
Than die ere I hear more: strive, man, and speak.
Iach. Upon a time, (unhappy was the clock
That struck the hour!) it was in Rome, (accurs'd
The mansion where !) 't was at a feast, (O 'would
Our viands had been poison'd! or, at least,
Those which I heav'd to head!) the good Posthumus,
(What should I say? he was too good, to be
Where ill men were; and was the best of all
Amongst the rar'st of good ones,) sitting sadly,
Hearing us praise our loves of Italy

For beauty that made barren the swell'd boast
Of him that best could speak; for feature, laming
The shrine of Venus, or straight-pight Minerva,
Postures beyond brief nature; for condition,
A shop of all the qualities that man

Joves woman for; besides, that hook of wiving,

Pis.

How fares my mistress?
Imo. O, get thee from my sight;

Thou gav'st me poison: dangerous fellow, hence!
Breathe not where princes are!
Сут. The tune of Imogen! Pis. Lady,
The gods throw stones of sulphur on me, if
That box I gave you was not thought by me
A precious thing; I had it from the queen.
Cym. New matter still?

[Several speaking at once. 1 Cit. You are all resolved rather to die than to Cit. Resolved, resolved.

[famish? 1 Cit. First, you know, Caius Marcius is chief enemy to the people.

Cit. We know 't, we know 't.

1 Cit. Let us kill him, and we 'll have corn at our own price. Is 't a verdict?

I cared for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their
storehouses crammed with grain; make edicts for
usury, to support usurers; repeal daily any whole-
some act established against the rich; and provide
more piercing statutes daily, to chain up and re-
strain the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they
will; and there 's all the love they bear us.
Men. Either you must

Confess yourselves wondrous malicious,
Or be accus'd of folly. I shall tell you
A pretty tale; it may be you have heard it;
But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture
To stale 't a little more.

2 Cit. Well, I'll hear it, sir: yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace with a tale: but, an 't please you, deliver.

Cit. No more talking on 't: let it be done: away, Men. There was a time when all the body's mem2 Cit. One word, good citizens. [away! Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it :- [bers 1 Cit. We are accounted poor citizens; the patri- That only like a gulf it did remain cians, good: What authority surfeits on would re-I' the midst o' the body, idle and unactive, lieve us. If they would yield us but the superfluity, while it were wholesome, we might guess they relieved us humanely; but they think we are too dear: the leanness that afflicts us, the object of our misery, is as an inventory to particularize their abundance; our sufferance is a gain to them.-Let us revenge this with our pikes, ere we become rakes: for the gods know, I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.

2 Cit. Would you proceed especially against Caius
Marcius?
[commonalty.
All. Against him first; he 's a very dog to the
2 Cit. Consider you what services he has done for

his country?

1 Cit. Very well; and could be content to give him good report for 't, but that he pays himself with Being proud.

All. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

1 Cit. I say unto you, what he hath done famously he did it to that end; though soft-conscienced men can be content to say it was for his country, he did it to please his mother, and to be partly proud; which he is, even to the altitude of his virtue. 2 Cit. What he cannot help in his nature you account a vice in him: You must in no way say he is

Men. What work 's, my countrymen, in hand?
Where go you

Still cupboarding the viand, never bearing [ments
Like labour with the rest; where the other instru
Did see and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel,
And mutually participate; did minister
Unto the appetite and affection common
Of the whole body. The belly answered,-
2 Cit. Well, sir, what answer made the belly?
Men. Sir, I shall tell you.-With a kind of smile,
Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus,
(For, look you, I may make the belly smile
As well as speak,) it tauntingly replied
To the discontented members, the mutinous parts
That envied his receipt; even so most fitly
As you malign our senators, for that
They are not such as you.

2 Cit.
Your belly's answer: What!
The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye,
The counsellor heart, the arın our soldier,
Our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter,
With other muniments and petty helps
In this our fabric, if that they-
Men.

What then?-
'Fore me, this fellow speaks!-what then? what
then?
2 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd,
Who is the sink o' the body,-
Men.

Well, what then?
2 Cit. The former agents, if they did complain,
What could the belly answer?
Men.
I will tell you;
If you 'll bestow a small (of what you have little)
Patience a while, you 'll hear the belly's answer.
2 Cit. You are long about it.
Men.
Note me this, good friend;
Your most grave belly was deliberate,
Not rash like his accusers, and thus answer'd.
True is it, my incorporate friends,' quoth he,
That I receive the general food at first,
Which you do live upon: and fit it is;
Because I am the storehouse, and the shop
Of the whole body: But if you do remember,
I send it through the rivers of your blood,

[you. With bats and clubs? The matter? Speak, I pray 2 Cit. Our business is not unknown to the senate; Even to the court, the heart, to the seat o' the brain, they have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend And through the cranks and offices of man: to do, which now we 'll show 'ein in deeds. They The strongest nerves, and small inferior veins, say poor suitors have strong breaths; they shall know we have strong arms too.

Men. Why, masters, my good friends, mine honest
Will you undo yourselves?
[neighbours,

2 Cit. We cannot, sir, we are undone already.
Men. I tell you, friends, most charitable care
Have the patricians of you. For your wants,
Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well
Strike at the heaven with your staves, as lift them
Against the Roman state; whose course will on
The way it takes, cracking ten thousand curbs
Of more strong link asunder than can ever
Appear in your impediment: For the dearth,
The gods, not the patricians, make it; and
Your knees to them, not arms, must help. Alack,
You are transported by calamity

Thither where more attends you; and you slander
The helins o' the state, who care for you like
When you curse them as enemies.
[fathers,
2 Cit. Care for us!-True, indeed 1-They ne'er

From me receive that natural competency
Whereby they live: And though that all at once,
You, my good friends,' (this says the belly.) mark
2 Cit. Ay, sir; well, well.
[me,-
Men.

'Though all at once cannot
See what I do deliver out to each;
Yet I can make my audit up, that all
From me do back receive the flour of all,
And leave me but the bran.' What say you to 't!
2 Cit. It was an answer: How apply you this?
Men. The senators of Rome are this good belly,
And you the mutinous members: For examine
Their counsels and their cares; digest things
rightly,

Touching the weal o' the common; you shall find,
No public benefit, which you receive,

But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you,
And no way from yourselves.-What do you think!
You, the great toe of this assembly -

2 Cit. I the great toe? Why the great toe!