The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works
Page 113
Re-enter PISANIO, with the clothes.
Be those the garments?
PISANIO Ay, my noble lord.
CLOTEN How long is’t since she went to Milford-
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Haven?
PISANIO She can scarce be there yet.
CLOTEN Bring this apparel to my chamber, that is the
second thing that I have commanded thee. The third
is, that thou wilt be a voluntary mute to my design. Be
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but duteous, and true preferment shall tender itself to
thee. My revenge is now at Milford: would I had wings
to follow it! Come, and be true. Exit.
PISANIO Thou bid’st me to my loss: for true to thee
Were to prove false, which I will never be,
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To him that is most true. To Milford go,
And find not her whom thou pursuest. Flow, flow,
You heavenly blessings, on her! This fool’s speed
Be cross’d with slowness; labour be his meed! Exit.
3.6 Enter IMOGEN, in boy’s clothes.
IMOGEN I see a man’s life is a tedious one,
I have tir’d myself: and for two nights together
Have made the ground my bed. I should be sick,
But that my resolution helps me: Milford,
When from the mountain-top Pisanio show’d thee,
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Thou was within a ken. O Jove! I think
Foundations fly the wretched: such, I mean,
Where they should be reliev’d. Two beggars told me
I could not miss my way. Will poor folks lie,
That have afflictions on them, knowing ’tis
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A punishment, or trial? Yes; no wonder,
When rich ones scarce tell true. To lapse in fulness
Is sorer than to lie for need: and falsehood
Is worse in kings than beggars. My dear lord,
Thou art one o’th’ false ones! Now I think on thee,
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My hunger’s gone; but even before, I was
At point to sink, for food. – But what is this?
Here is a path to’t: ’tis some savage hold:
I were best not call; I dare not call: yet famine,
Ere clean it o’erthrow Nature, makes it valiant.
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Plenty and peace breeds cowards: hardness ever
Of hardiness is mother. Ho! who’s here?
If any thing that’s civil, speak: if savage,
Take, or lend. Ho! No answer? Then I’ll enter.
Best draw my sword; and if mine enemy
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But fear the sword like me, he’ll scarcely look on’t.
Such a foe, good heavens! Exit, to the cave.
3.7 Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS.
BELARIUS
You, Polydore, have prov’d best woodman, and
Are master of the feast: Cadwal and I
Will play the cook and servant, ’tis our match:
The sweat and industry would dry and die,
But for the end it works to. Come, our stomachs
5
Will make what’s homely savoury: weariness
Can snore upon the flint, when resty sloth
Finds the down-pillow hard. Now peace be here,
Poor house, that keep’st thyself!
GUIDERIUS I am throughly weary.
ARVIRAGUS I am weak with toil, yet strong in appetite.
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GUIDERIUS
There is cold meat i’th’ cave, we’ll browse on that,
Whilst what we have kill’d be cook’d.
BELARIUS [looking into the cave] Stay, come not in:
But that it eats our victuals, I should think
Here were a fairy.
GUIDERIUS What’s the matter, sir?
BELARIUS By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not,
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An earthly paragon! Behold divineness
No elder than a boy!
Enter IMOGEN.
IMOGEN Good masters, harm me not:
Before I enter’d here, I call’d, and thought
To have begg’d or bought what I have took: good
troth,
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I have stol’n nought, nor would not, though I had
found
Gold strew’d i’th’ floor. Here’s money for my meat,
I would have left it on the board, so soon
As I had made my meal; and parted
With pray’rs for the provider.
GUIDERIUS Money, youth?
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ARVIRAGUS All gold and silver rather turn to dirt,
As ’tis no better reckon’d, but of those
Who worship dirty gods.
IMOGEN I see you’re angry:
Know, if you kill me for my fault, I should
Have died had I not made it.
BELARIUS Whither bound?
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IMOGEN To Milford-Haven.
BELARIUS What’s your name?
IMOGEN Fidele, sir: I have a kinsman who
Is bound for Italy; he embark’d at Milford;
To whom being going, almost spent with hunger,
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I am fall’n in this offence.
BELARIUS Prithee, fair youth,
Think us no churls: nor measure our good minds
By this rude place we live in. Well encounter’d!
’Tis almost night, you shall have better cheer
Ere you depart; and thanks to stay and eat it:
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Boys, bid him welcome.
GUIDERIUS Were you a woman, youth,
I should woo hard, but be your groom in honesty:
I bid for you as I do buy.
ARVIRAGUS I’ll make’t my comfort
He is a man, I’ll love him as my brother:
And such a welcome as I’ld give to him
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(After long absence) such is yours. Most welcome!
Be sprightly, for you fall ’mongst friends.
IMOGEN ’Mongst friends?
If brothers: [aside] would it had been so, that they
Had been my father’s sons, then had my prize
Been less, and so more equal ballasting
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To thee, Posthumus.
BELARIUS He wrings at some distress.
GUIDERIUS Would I could free’t!
ARVIRAGUS Or I, whate’er it be,
What pain it cost, what danger! Gods!
BELARIUS [whispering] Hark, boys.
IMOGEN Great men,
That had a court no bigger than this cave,
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That did attend themselves, and had the virtue
Which their own conscience seal’d them, laying by
That nothing-gift of differing multitudes,
Could not out-peer these twain. Pardon me, gods!
I’ld change my sex to be companion with them,
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Since Leonatus false.
BELARIUS It shall be so:
Boys, we’ll go dress our hunt. Fair youth, come in;
Discourse is heavy, fasting: when we have supp’d
We’ll mannerly demand thee of thy story,
So far as thou wilt speak it.
GUIDERIUS Pray, draw near.
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ARVIRAGUS
The night to th’owl and morn to th’ lark less
welcome.
IMOGEN Thanks, sir.
ARVIRAGUS I pray, draw near. Exeunt.
3.8 Enter two Senators and Tribunes.
1 SENATOR
This is the tenour of the emperor’s writ;
That since the common men are now in action
’Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians,
And that the legions now in Gallia are
Full weak to undertake our wars against
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The fall’n-off Bri
tons, that we do incite
The gentry to this business. He creates
Lucius proconsul: and to you the tribunes,
For this immediate levy, he commands
His absolute commission. Long live Caesar!
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1 TRIBUNE Is Lucius general of the forces?
2 SENATOR Ay.
1 TRIBUNE Remaining now in Gallia?
1 SENATOR With those legions
Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy
Must be supplyant: the words of your commission
Will tie you to the numbers and the time
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Of their despatch.
1 TRIBUNE We will discharge our duty.
Exeunt.
4.1 Enter CLOTEN alone.
CLOTEN I am near to th’ place where they should meet,
if Pisanio have mapp’d it truly. How fit his garments
serve me! Why should his mistress who was made by
him that made the tailor, not be fit too? The rather
(saving reverence of the word) for ’tis said a woman’s
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fitness comes by fits. Therein I must play the
workman, I dare speak it to myself, for it is not vain-
glory for a man and his glass to confer in his own
chamber; I mean, the lines of my body are as well
drawn as his; no less young, more strong, not beneath
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him in fortunes, beyond him in the advantage of the
time, above him in birth, alike conversant in general
services, and more remarkable in single oppositions;
yet this imperseverant thing loves him in my despite.
What mortality is! Posthumus, thy head (which now is
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growing upon thy shoulders) shall within this hour
be off, thy mistress enforced, thy garments cut to
pieces before thy face: and all this done, spurn her
home to her father, who may (haply) be a little angry
for my so rough usage: but my mother, having power
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of his testiness, shall turn all into my commendations.
My horse is tied up safe, out, sword, and to a sore
purpose! Fortune, put them into my hand! This is the
very description of their meeting-place, and the fellow
dares not deceive me. Exit.
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4.2 Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS and IMOGEN from the cave.
BELARIUS [to Imogen]
You are not well: remain here in the cave,
We’ll come to you after hunting.
ARVIRAGUS [to Imogen] Brother, stay here:
Are we not brothers?
IMOGEN So man and man should be;
But clay and clay differs in dignity,
Whose dust is both alike. I am very sick.
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GUIDERIUS Go you to hunting, I’ll abide with him.
IMOGEN So sick I am not, yet I am not well:
But not so citizen a wanton as
To seem to die ere sick: so please you, leave me,
Stick to your journal course: the breach of custom
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Is breach of all. I am ill, but your being by me
Cannot amend me. Society is no comfort
To one not sociable: I am not very sick,
Since I can reason of it: pray you, trust me here,
I’ll rob none but myself, and let me die,
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Stealing so poorly.
GUIDERIUS I love thee: I have spoke it,
How much the quantity, the weight as much,
As I do love my father.
BELARIUS What? How? How?
ARVIRAGUS If it be sin to say so, sir, I yoke me
In my good brother’s fault: I know not why
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I love this youth, and I have heard you say,
Love’s reason’s without reason. The bier at door,
And a demand who is’t shall die, I’ld say
‘My father, not this youth.’
BELARIUS [aside] O noble strain!
O worthiness of nature! breed of greatness!
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Cowards father cowards, and base things sire base;
Nature hath meal, and bran; contempt, and grace.
I’m not their father, yet who this should be,
Doth miracle itself, lov’d before me. –
’Tis the ninth hour o’ th’ morn.
ARVIRAGUS Brother, farewell.
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IMOGEN I wish ye sport.
ARVIRAGUS You health. – So please you, sir.
IMOGEN [aside]
These are kind creatures. Gods, what lies I have
heard!
Our courtiers say all’s savage but at court;