CYMBELINE

ACT I.

SCENE I. Britain.

The garden of Cymbeline's palace.

Enter two Gentlemen.

First Gent. You do not meet a man but frowns:

our bloods

No more obey the heavens than our courtiers

Still seem as does the king.

Sec. Gent.

But what's the matter?

First Gent. His daughter, and the heir of's
kingdom, whom

He purposed 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.

1. bloods, dispositions.

3. king. Tyrwhitt's correction for Ff king's. Many conjectural emendations have been proposed; but the sense is clear, though idiomatically expressed :

-the courtiers' faces reflect the king's mood as absolutely as our dispositions the varying influence of the stars.

6. referr'd herself, committed her destiny.

Sec. Gent.

None but the king?

First Gent. He that hath lost her too; so is

the queen,

That most desired 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.

Sec. Gent.

And why so? First Gent. He that hath miss'd the princess

is a thing

Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her—
I mean, that married her, alack, good man!
And therefore banish'd-is a creature such
As, to seek through the regions of the earth
For one his like, there would be something failing
In him that should compare. I do not think

So fair an outward and such stuff within

Endows a man but he.

Sec. Gent.

You speak him far.

First Gent. I do extend him, sir, within him

self,

Crush him together rather than unfold

His measure duly.

Sec. Gent.

What's his name and birth?

First Gent. I cannot delve him to the root:

his father

Was called Sicilius, who did join his honour
Against the Romans with Cassibelan,
But had his titles by Tenantius whom
He served with glory and admired success,
So gain'd the sur-addition Leonatus ;
And had, besides this gentleman in question,

22. compare, compare himself with him.

24. speak him far, give his merits a large compass.

ΤΟ

20

30

29. join his honour, brought his renowned soldiership to the service of Cassibelan.

31. Tenantius, the father of Cymbeline.

Two other sons, who in the wars o' the time

Died with their swords in hand; for which their father,

Then old and fond of issue, took such sorrow
That he quit being, and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman our theme, deceased
As he was born. The king he takes the babe
To his protection, calls him Posthumus Leonatus,
Breeds him and makes him of his bed-chamber,
Puts to him all the learnings that his time
Could make him the receiver of; which he took,
As we do air, fast as 'twas minister'd,

And in 's spring became a harvest, lived in court—
Which rare it is to do-most praised, most loved,
A sample to the youngest, to the more mature
A glass that feated them, and to the graver
A child that guided dotards; to his mistress,
For whom he now is banish'd, her own price
Proclaims how she esteem'd him and his virtue ;
By her election may be truly read

He had two sons: if this be worth your hearing,
Mark it the eldest of them at three years old,
I' the swathing-clothes the other, from their nursery
Were stol'n, and to this hour no guess in know-
ledge

Which way they went.

49. feated, shaped, fashioned. 51. price, worth.

52. Proclaims how she esteem'd him. By a slight change of construction this is substituted

40

50

60

for proclaims what he was (to his mistress).

60. no guess in knowledge, none which approves itself as true.

Sec. Gent.

How long is this ago? First Gent. Some twenty years.

Sec. Gent. That a king's children should be so

convey'd,

So slackly guarded, and the search so slow,

That could not trace them!

First Gent.

Howsoe'er 'tis strange,

Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at,
Yet is it true, sir.

Sec. Gent.

I do well believe you.

First Gent. We must forbear: here comes the

gentleman,

The queen, and princess.

[Exeunt.

Enter the QUEEN, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN.

Queen. No, be assured you shall not find me,

daughter,

After the slander of most stepmothers,

Evil-eyed unto you: you're my prisoner, but
Your gaoler shall deliver you the keys
That lock up your restraint.

For you, Posthumus,

So soon as I can win the offended king,

I will be known your advocate: marry, yet
The fire of rage is in him, and 'twere good
You lean'd unto his sentence with what patience
Your wisdom may inform you.

Post.

I will from hence to-day.

Queen.

70

Please your highness,

I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying
The pangs of barr'd affections, though the king
Hath charged you should not speak together.

Imo.

Dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant

[Exit.

Can tickle where she wounds! My dearest hus

band,

I something fear my father's wrath; but nothing-
Always reserved my holy duty-what

His rage can do on me: you must be gone;
And I shall here abide the hourly shot
Of angry eyes, not comforted to live,
But that there is this jewel in the world
That I may see again.

Post.

My queen! my mistress ! O lady, weep no more, lest I give cause

To be suspected of more tenderness

Than doth become a man. I will remain
The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth:
My residence in Rome at one Philario's,

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, 100
Though ink be made of gall.

Queen.

Re-enter QUEEN.

Be brief, I pray you:

If the king come, I shall incur I know not
How much of his displeasure. [Aside] Yet I'll

move him

To walk this way: I never do him wrong,
But he does buy my injuries, to be friends;
Pays dear for my offences.

[Exit.

Post. Should we be taking leave As long a term as yet we have to live, The loathness to depart would grow. Imo. Nay, stay a little :

IOI. Though ink be made of gall. Ox-gall was actually one of the constituents of Elizabethan ink, as is shown by contem

Adieu !

porary receipts for making it.

105. buy my injuries, give me satisfaction for the wrongs I do him.