290

I further know not.
Gui.

Let me end the story :
I slew him there.
Сут.

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. Сут.

I am sorry for thee : By thine own tongue thou art condemn'd, and

must Endure our law : thou 'rt dead. Imo.

That headless man
I thought had been my lord.
Сут.

Bind the offender,
And take him from our presence.
Bel.

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

300

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
As good as we ?

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.

We will die all three : 310
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.
Arv.

Your danger's ours.
Gui. And our good his.
Bel.

Have at it then, by leave.
Thou hadst, great king, a subject who
Was call'd Belarius.
Сут.

What of him? he is
A banish'd traitor.
Bel.

He it is that hath
Assumed this age; indeed a banish'd man ;
I know not how a traitor.
Сут.

Take him hence :
The whole world shall not save him.
Bel.

Not too hot:
First pay me for the nursing of thy sons ;
And let it be confiscate all, so soon
As I have received it.
Сут.

Nursing of my sons !
Bel. I ain 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.
Сут.

How ! my issue !

320

330 340

Bel. So sure

as you your father's. I, old
Morgan,
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.
Сут.

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

350

:

360

370

Of his queen mother, which for more probation 17.
I can with ease produce.
Cym.

Guiderius had
Upon his neck a mole, a sanguine star;
It was a mark of wonder.
Bel.

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

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. Omy gentle brothers,
Have we thus met ? O, never say hereafter
But I am truest speaker : you calld me brother,
When I was but your sister ; I you brothers,
When ye were so indeed.
Cym.

Did you e'er meet ?
Aru. Ay, my good lord.
Gui.

And at first meeting loved ; Continued so, until we thought he died.

380 Cor. By the queen's dram she swallow'd. Сут.

O rare instinct ! When shall I hear all through? This fierce

abridgement Hath to it circumstantial branches, which Distinction should be rich in. Where? how lived

390

And when came you to serve our Roman captive ?
How parted with your brothers ? how first met

them?
Why fed 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.
Сут.

All o'erjoy'd,
Save these in bonds : let them be joyful too,
For they shall taste our comfort.
Imo.

My good master,
I will yet do you service.
Luc.

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

graced The thankings of a king.

400

:

388. your three motives, the 392. inter' gatories, Tyrwhitt s motives of you three.

conjecture for Ff interrogatories. 390. by - dependencies, acces- 396. the counterchange, the sory circumstances.

look returning hers. VOL. IV 257

S