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: prithee, 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; And am right glad he is not standing here To tell this tale of mine.

290

That headless man

Bind the offender,

300

Stay, sir king:

And take him from our presence.

Bel.

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?

As good as we ?

How of descent

292. incivil, clownish.

305. Had ever scar for, ever deserved by their wounds.

Arv.

In that he spake too far.

Cym. And thou shalt die for 't..

Bel.
But I will prove that two on 's are as good
As I have given out him. My sons, I must
For mine own part unfold a dangerous speech,
Though, haply, well for you.

We will die all three : 310

Arv.

Gui. And our good his.

Bel.

Your danger's ours.

Have at it then, by leave.

Thou hadst, great king, a subject who

Was call'd Belarius.

Cym.

A banish'd traitor.

Bel.

What of him? he is

He it is that hath

Assumed this age; indeed a banish'd man ;

I know not how a traitor.

First pay me for the nursing of thy sons;
And let it be confiscate all, so soon

As I have received it.

Cym.

Nursing of my sons!

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.
Cym.

313. For mine own part. dangerous, dangerous as regards myself.

How! my issue!

330

319. Assumed this age, become the old man you see.

Bel. So sure

Morgan,

as you your father's. I, old

Am that Belarius whom you sometime banish'd:
Your pleasure was my mere offence, my punish-

ment

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 moved her to 't,
Having received the punishment before,
For that which I did then: beaten for loyalty
Excited me to treason: their dear loss,

The more of you 'twas felt, the more it shaped
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.

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 pleased awhile.
This gentleman, whom I call Polydore,
Most worthy prince, as yours, 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

338. those... as, such... as. 346. shaped unto, fell in with.

354. Unlike, unlikely.
361. curious, elaborate.

340

350

360

Of his queen mother, which for more probation 1.

I can with ease produce.

Cym.

Guiderius had

Upon his neck a mole, a sanguine star;

It was a mark of wonder.

Who hath upon him still that natural stamp:
It was wise nature's end in the donation,
To be his evidence now.

Cym.
O, what, am I
A mother to the birth of three? Ne'er mother
Rejoiced 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,
Have we thus met? O, never say hereafter
But I am truest speaker: you call'd me brother,
When I was but your sister; I you brothers,

When ye were so indeed.

Cym.

Arv. Ay, my good lord.

Gui.

370

Did you e'er meet?

And at first meeting loved;

380

O rare instinct !

Continued so, until we thought he died.

Cor. By the queen's dram she swallow'd. Cym. When shall I hear all through? This fierce abridgement

Hath to it circumstantial branches, which

Distinction should be rich in. Where? how lived you?

382. fierce abridgement, hurried summary.

383. circumstantial branches,

which distinction should be rich in, separate narratives which ought to be followed out in all their rich detail.

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.
[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.

All o'erjoy'd,

Save these in bonds: let them be joyful too,

For they shall taste our comfort.

Imo.

I will yet do you service.

Luc.

My good master,

Happy be you!

Cym. The forlorn soldier, that so nobly fought, He would have well becomed this place, and

390

400

392. inter gatories, Tyrwhitt s conjecture for Ff interrogatories. 396. the counterchange, the look returning hers.

S