Kin to Jove's thunder, so surprised my sense, That I was nothing. Dion. If the event o' the journey Prove as successful to the queen,-O be 't so !— The time is worth the use on 't. Cleo. Turn all to the best! Great Apollo These proclamations, So forcing faults upon Hermione, I little like. Dion. The violent carriage of it Will clear or end the business: when the oracle, Shall the contents discover, something rare Even then will rush to knowledge. Go: fresh horses! And gracious be the issue! SCENE II. A court of Justice. [Exeunt. Enter LEONTES, Lords, and Officers. Leon. This sessions, to our great grief we pro nounce, Even pushes 'gainst our heart: the party tried Produce the prisoner. Off. It is his highness' pleasure that the queen Appear in person here in court. Silence! 14. The time is worth the use on't, has been well spent. The idea implicit in the phrase appears more distinctly in a ΤΟ 20 10 'common saying' quoted by Singer from Florio's Montaigne: The time we live is worth the money we pay for it.' Enter HERMIONE guarded; PAULINA and Leon. Read the indictment. Off. [Reads] Hermione, queen to the worthy Leontes, king of Sicilia, thou art here accused and arraigned of high treason, in committing adultery with Polixenes, king of Bohemia, and conspiring with Camillo to take away the life of our sovereign lord the king, thy royal husband: the pretence whereof being by circumstances partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and allegiance of a true subject, didst 20 counsel and aid them, for their better safety, to fly away by night. Her. Since what I am to say must be but that Which contradicts my accusation and The testimony on my part no other But what comes from myself, it shall scarce boot me Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it, I doubt not then but innocence shall make Tremble at patience. You, my lord, best know, 18. pretence, intention. borrows several turns from 30 shall make fortune blushe, and my unspotted life shall staine spiteful discredit.... How I have led my life before Egistus coming, I appeale, Pandosto, to the gods and to thy conscience.' 36. which, sc. unhappiness. And play'd to take spectators. For behold me A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter, And only that I stand for. I appeal To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes Have strain'd to appear thus: if one jot beyond Leon. That any I ne'er heard yet of these bolder vices wanted Less impudence to gainsay what they did Than to perform it first. Her. That's true enough ; Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me. Leon. You will not own it. Her. 40 50 More than mistress of 60 Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not 50. With what encounter so uncurrent I have strain'd, with what unwarranted behaviour I have offended, that I appear here. Strain'd probably means 'swerved from, done violence to, right.' Johnson conjectured Been strain'd, Collier stray'd. 57. Less, i.e. more; probably this is a kind of attraction to the notion of 'want.' 60. More than mistress of, etc. The passage is probably corrupt; possibly a line has been omitted. But the meaning intended is clear: I must not in any degree acknowledge faults charged against me further than they are mine.' With whom I am accused, I do confess Which not to have done I think had been in me To you and toward your friend, whose love had Even since it could speak, from an infant, freely I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd Is that Camillo was an honest man; And why he left your court, the gods themselves, Leon. You knew of his departure, as you know You speak a language that I understand not: Leon. Your actions are my dreams; You had a bastard by Polixenes, And I but dream'd it. As you were past all shame,- Her. Sir, spare your threats : The bug which you would fright me with I seek. 70 80 90 To me can life be no commodity : The crown and comfort of my life, your favour, But know not how it went. My second joy I am barr'd, like one infectious. My third comfort, The innocent milk in it most innocent mouth, Apollo be my judge! First Lord. This your request Is altogether just therefore bring forth, And in Apollo's name, his oracle. [Exeunt certain Officers. 94. commodity, object of desire. IOI. it; see note ii. 3. 178. 103. immodest, passing all bounds. 107. strength of limit, probably the limited or prescribed strength to be recovered after childbirth before going out. 120. In Greene's romance it is Egistus' (Polixenes') wife who is the daughter of the emperor of Russia. |