Of no esteem: I, dreading that her purpose
Was of more danger, did compound for her
A certain stuff, which, being ta'en, would cease
The present power of life; but in short time
All offices of nature should again

Do their due functions. Have you ta'en of it?
IMO. Most like I did, for I was dead.

ACT V
Sc. V

IMO. Why did you throw your wedded Lady from you?
Think that you are upon a rock;1 and now

How now, my Flesh, my What, mak'st thou me a dullard in this act?

Wilt thou not speak to me?

IMO.

Your blessing, Sir. [kneeling.

BEL. [to GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS.] Though you did

love this youth, I blame ye not;

You had a motive for 't.

CYM. O, she was naught; and long of her it was
That we meet here so strangely: but her son
Is gone, we know not how nor where.
PIS.

Now fear is from me, I'll speak troth.

Upon my Lady's missing, came to me

My Lord,

Lord Cloten,

With his sword drawn; foam'd at the mouth, and

swore,

If I discover'd not which way she was gone,

It was my instant death. By accident,

I had a feigned letter of my master's

Then in my pocket; which directed him

To seek her on the mountains near to Milford;
Where, in a frenzy, in my master's garments,

1 Perhaps a misprint for 'lock,' a metaphor from wrestling.

280

ACT V

Sc. V

Which he enforc'd from me, away he posts
With unchaste purpose, and with oath to violate
My Lady's honour: what became of him

I further know not.

GUI.

I slew him there.

CYM.

Let me end the story:

Marry, the Gods forfend!

I would not thy good deeds should from my lips
Pluck a hard sentence: pr'ythee, valiant Youth,
Deny 't again.

GUI.

I have spoke it, and I did it.
CYM. He was a Prince.

GUI. A most incivil one: the wrongs he did me
Were nothing Prince-like; for he did provoke me
With language that would make me spurn the Sea,
If it could so roar to me: I cut off's head:
1;
And am right glad he is not standing here
To tell this tale of mine.

CYM.

I am sorry for thee:

By thine own tongue thou art condemn'd, and must
Endure our law: thou 'rt dead.

IMO.

I thought had been my Lord.
CYM.

And take him from our presence.
BEL.

290

That headless man

Bind the offender,

300

Stay, Sir King:

This man is better than the man he slew;

As well descended as thyself; and hath
More of thee merited than a band of Clotens

Had ever scar for. [to the Guard.] Let his arms alone;
They were not born for bondage.

CYM.

Why, old Soldier,

Wilt thou undo the worth thou art unpaid for,

By tasting of our wrath? How of descent

וחד

For mine own part, unfold a dangerous speech,

Though, haply, well for you.

ARV.

GUI. And our good his.

BEL.

Your danger's our's.

Have at it, then! By leave:

Thou hadst, great King, a subject who was call'd

BEL. I am too blunt and saucy; here's my knee:
Ere I arise, I will prefer my sons;
Then spare not the old father. Mighty Sir,
These two young gentlemen, that call me father,
And think they are my sons, are none of mine;
They are the issue of your loins, my Liege,
And blood of your begetting.

How! my issue!

CYM.
BEL. So sure as you your father's. I, old Morgan,
Am that Belarius whom you sometime banish'd:
Your pleasure1 was my mere offence, my punishment
Itself, and all my treason; that I suffer'd

Was all the harm I did. These gentle Princes
(For such and so they are) these twenty years
Have I train'd up: those arts they have as I
Could put into them; my breeding was, Sir, as
Your Highness knows. Their nurse, Euriphile,
Whom for the theft I wedded, stole these children
Upon my banishment: I mov'd her to 't;
Having receiv'd the punishment before,
For that which I did then: beaten for loyalty

320

330

340

1 caprioe.

ACT V
Sc. V

ACT V

Sc. V

Excited me to treason: their dear loss,

The more of you 'twas felt, the more it shap'd
Unto my end of stealing them. But, gracious Sir,
Here are your sons again; and I must lose
Two of the sweet'st companions in the World.
The benediction of these covering Heavens
Fall on their heads like dew! for they are worthy
To inlay Heaven with Stars.
CYM.

350

Thou weep'st, and speak'st.

The service that you three have done is more

Unlike than this thou tell'st. I lost my children:

If these be they, I know not how to wish

A pair of worthier sons.

BEL.

Be pleas'd awhile.
This gentleman, whom I call Polydore,
Most worthy Prince, as your's, is true Guiderius ;
This gentleman, my Cadwal, Arviragus,
Your younger princely son: he, Sir, was lapp'd

In a most curious mantle, wrought by the hand

Of his Queen-mother, which, for more probation,
I can with ease produce.

Who hath upon him still that natural stamp:

It was wise Nature's end in the donation,

To be his evidence now.

A mother to the birth of three? Ne'er mother

Rejoic'd deliverance more. Blest pray you be,
That, after this strange starting from your orbs,
You may reign in them now! O Imogen,
Thou hast lost by this a Kingdom.

IMO.

No, my Lord;

I have got two Worlds by 't. O my gentle Brothers,

O, never say hereafter

Have we thus met? O, never say

But I am truest speaker: you call'd me brother,

When I was but your sister; I you brothers,
When ye were so indeed.

360

370

ACT V

Sc. V

CYM.

ARV. Ay, my good Lord.
GUI.

Did you e'er meet?

And at first meeting lov'd;

Continued so, until we thought he died. COR. By the Queen's dram she swallow'd. CYM.

380

O rare instinct!

When shall I hear all through? This fierce abridg

ment

Hath to it circumstantial branches, which

Distinction should be rich in. Where, how, liv'd

And when came you to serve our Roman captive?

How parted with your brothers? how first met
them?

Why fled you from the Court, and whither? These,
And your three motives to the battle, with

I know not how much more, should be demanded;
And all the other by-dependencies,

From chance to chance: but nor the time nor place
Will serve our long inter'gatories. See,

Posthumus anchors upon Imogen ;

And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye
On him, her brothers, me, her master, hitting

Each object with a joy: the counterchange

Is severally in all. Let's quit this ground,

And smoke the temple with our sacrifices.

390

[to BELARIUS.] Thou art my brother; so we'll hold

thee ever.

IMO. You are my father too; and did relieve me,

To see this gracious season.

CYM. The forlorn soldier that so nobly fought,

He would have well becom❜d this place, and grac'd

The thankings of a King.

400