And make me bless'd to obey !-I am brought hither Among the Italian gentry, and to fight Against my lady's kingdom: 'Tis enough That, Britain, I have kill'd thy mistress; peace! Myself I'll dedicate. Let me make men know SCENE II. [Exit. The same. Iach. The heaviness and guilt within my bosom If that thy gentry, Britain, go before This lout, as he exceeds our lords, the odds Is, that we scarce are men, and you are gods. [Exit: The battle continues; the Britons fly; CYMBELINE is taken; then enter, to his rescue, BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVI RAGUS. Bel. Stand, stand! We have the advantage of the ground; The lane is guarded: nothing routs us, [2] Carl or churl, is a clown or husbandman. but RITSON. The villainy of our fears. Gui. Arv. Stand, stand, and fight! Enter POSTHUMUS, and seconds the Britons: They rescue CYм- Luc. Away, boy, from the troops, and save thyself: Iach. 'Tis their fresh supplies. Luc. It is a day turn'd strangely: Or betimes Let's re-enforce, or fly. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Another Part of the Field. Enter POSTHUMUs, and a British Lord. Lord. Cam'st thou from where they made the stand? Though you, it seems, come from the fliers. Lord. I did. Post. No blame be to you, sir; for all was lost, Lord. Where was this lane? Post. Close by the battle, ditch'd, and wall'd with turf; So long a breeding, as his white beard came to, [3] A rustic game called prison-bars, vulgarly prison-base. STEEVENS, 31 WARB. Our Britain's harts die flying, not our men: Like beasts, which you shun beastly; and may save, (For three performers are the file, when all The rest do nothing,) with this word, Stand, stand, Part, shame, part, spirit renew'd; that some, turn'd coward But by example (O, a sin in war, Damn'd in the first beginners!) 'gan to look A rout, confusion thick: Forth with, they fly The life o'the need; having found the back-door open Lord. This was strange chance: A narrow lane! an old man, and two boys! Post. Nay, do not wonder at it: You are made Post. Lack, to what end? Who dares not stand his foe, I'll be his friend : I know, he'll quickly fly my friendship too. You have put me into rhyme. Lord. Farewell; you are angry. [Exit. Post. Still going?—This is a lord! O noble misery! To be i'the field, and ask, what news, of me! To-day, how many would have given their honours To have sav'd their carcasses? took heel to do't, And yet died too? I, in mine own woe charm'd,6 Could not find death, where I did hear him groan; Nor feel him, where he struck: Being an ugly monster, 'Tis strange, he hides him in fresh cups, soft beds, Sweet words; or hath more ministers than we That draw his knives i'the war.-Well, I will find him : For being now a favourer to the Roman, No more a Briton, I have resum'd again The part I came in: Fight I will no more, But yield me to the veriest hind, that shall Once touch my shoulder. Great the slaughter is Here made by the Roman; great the answer be7 Britons must take; for me, my ransome's death; On either side I come to spend my breath; Which neither here I'll keep, nor bear again, But end it by some means for Imogen. Enter two British Captains, and Soldiers. 1 Cap. Great Jupiter be prais'd! Lucius is taken : 'Tis thought, the old man and his sons were angels. 2 Cap. There was a fourth man, in a silly habit, That gave the affront with them.8 1 Cap. So 'tis reported; But none of them can be found.-Stand! Who is there? Post. A Roman; Who had not now been drooping here, if seconds Had answer'd him. 2. Cap. Lay hands on him; a dog! A leg of Rome shall not return to tell service He brags his As if he were of note : bring him to the king. [6] Alluding to the common superstition of charms being powerful enough to keep men unhurt in battle. It was derived from our Saxon ancestors, and so is common to us with the Germans, who are above all other people given to this superstition; which made Erasmus, where, in his Moria Encomium, he gives to each nation its proper characteristic, say, "Germani corporum proceritate & magiæ cognitione sibi placent." And Prior, in his Alma, North-Britons hence have second sight; "And Germans free from gun-shot fight." [7] Answer, as once in this play before, is retaliation. [8] That is, that turned their faces to the enemy. WARB. JOHNSON. JOHNSON. Enter CYMBLINE, attended; BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, PISANI0, and Roman Captives. The Captains present POSTHUMUS to CYMBELINE, who delivers him over to a Gaoler: After which, all go out.9 SCENE IV. A Prison. Enter POSTHUMUS, and two Gaolers. 1 Gaol. You shall not now be stolen, you have locks upon you;' So, graze, as you find pasture. 2 Gaol. Ay, or a stomach. [Exeunt Gaolers. Post. Most welcome, bondage! for thou art a way, I think, to liberty: Yet am I better Than one that's sick o'the gout: since he had rather Groan so in perpetuity, than be cur'd By the sure physician, death; who is the key To unbar these locks. My conscience! thou art fetter'd I know you are more clement than vile men, [He sleeps. [9] This is the only instance in these plays of the business of the scene being entirely performed in dumb show. The direction must have proceeded from the players, as it is perfectly unnecessary, and our author has elsewhere [in Hamlet] expressed his contempt of such mummery. RITSON. [1] The wit of the gaoler alludes to the custom of putting a lock on a horse's leg, when he is turned to pasture. JOHNSON. |