Arv. One sand another | And, not dispraising whom he prais'd (therein Not more resembles: That sweet rosy lad, Bel. Peace, peace! see further; he eyes us not; Creatures may be alike: were't he, I am sure Gui. But we saw him dead. It is my mistress: Since she is living, let the time run on, [Cymbeline and Imogen come forward. Give answer to this boy, and do it freely; Imo. My boon is, that this gentlemen may render [Aside. Cym. That diamond upon your finger, say, How came it yours? lach. Thou❜lt torture me to leave unspoken that Which, to be spoke, would torture thee. Cym. How! me? Jach. I am glad to be constrain'd to utter that which Torments me to conceal. By villany I got this ring; 'twas Leonatus' jewel: His mistress' picture; which by his tongue being Cym. made, And then a mind put in't, either our brags Whom thou didst banish; and (which more may But think her bond of chastity quite crack'd, grieve thee, As it doth me,) a nobler sir ne'er liv'd 'Twixt sky and ground. Wilt thou hear more, my Cym. All that belongs to this. I had rather thou shonld'st live while nature will, For beauty that made barren the swell'd boast Come to the matter. lach. I stand on fire: All too soon I shall, Unless thou would'st grieve quickly.-This Pos thúmus (Most like a noble lord in love, and one That had a royal lover,) took his hint ; (1) Sink into dejection, I having ta'en the forfeit. Whereupon,— Post. Ay, so thou dost, That all the abhorred things o'the earth amend, It poison'd me. O gods! Cor. I left out one thing which the queen confess'd, Which must approve thee honest: If Pisanio Have, said she, given his mistress that confection Which I gave him for a cordial, she is serv'd As I would serve a rat. Cym. What's this, Cornelius ? Cor. The queen, sir, very oft impórtun'd me To temper' poisons for her; still pretending The satisfaction of her knowledge, only In killing creatures vile, as cats and dogs Of no esteem: I, dreading that her purpose Was of more danger, did compound for her A certain stuff, which, being ta'en, would cease Do their due functions.-Have you ta'en of it? This is sure, Fidele. My boys, There was our error. Think, that you are upon a rock; and now Throw me again. Post. Till the tree die! Cym. And take him from our presence. This man is better than the man he slew, They were not born for bondage. Cym. [To the Guard. Why, old soldier, We will die all three : [Embracing him. Hang there like fruit, my soul, How now, my flesh, my child? What, mak'st thou me a dullard in this act? Wilt thou not speak to me? Imo. not; Your blessing, sir. [Kneeling. Bel. Though you did love this youth, I blame ye [To Gui. and Arv. My tears that fall, I am sorry for't, my lord. You had a motive for't. Cym. Prove holy water on thee! Imogen, Thy mother's dead. Imo. Cym. O, she was naught; and 'long of her it was, That we meet here so strangely: But her son Is gone, we know not how, nor where. Pis. My lord, Now fear is from me, I'll speak troth. Lord Cloten, Upon my lady's missing, came to me With his sword drawn; foam'd at the mouth, and Arv. Ours. Gui. And our good his. Bel. Your danger is Have at it then. First pay me for the nursing of thy sons; Cym. Cym. How! my issue? 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 punishment 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 mov'd her to't; Having receiv'd the punishment before, For that which I did then: Beaten for loyalty Fall on their heads like dew! for they are worthy Cym. A pair of worthier sons. Cym. Upon his neck a mole, a sanguine star; It was a mark of wonder. This is he; Bel. 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 Imo. No, my lord; I have got two worlds by't.-O my gentle brother, 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 you were so indeed. Cym. Arv. Ay, my good lord. Gui. Did you e'er meet? And at first meeting lov'd; Continued so, until we thought he died. Cor. By the queen's dram she swallow'd. Cym. O rare instinct! When shall I hear all through? This fierce' abridg ment Hath to it circumstantial branches, which Distinction should be rich in.2-Where? how liv'd you? 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 she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye To see this gracious season. Cym. Save these in bonds; let them be joyful too, Happy be you! I will yet do you service. Post. I am, sir, In poor beseeming; 'twas a fitment for I am down again: [Kneeling. But now my heavy conscience sinks my knee, As then your force did. Take that life, 'beseech you, Which I so often owe: but, your ring first; And here the bracelet of the truest princess, That ever swore her faith. Post. As you did mean indeed to be our brother: Post. Your servant, princes.-Good my lord of Call forth your soothsayer: As I slept, methought, Great Jupiter, upon his eagle back, Appear'd to me, with other spritely shows Of mine own kindred: when I wak'd, I found Read, and declare the meaning. Sooth. [Reads.] When as a lion's whelp shall, to himself unknown, without seeking, find, and be embraced by a piece of tender air: and when from a stately cedar shall be lopped branches, which, being dead many years, shall after revive, be jointed to the old stock, and freshly grow; then shall Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be forLunate, and flourish in peace and plenty. Thou, Leonatus, art the lion's whelp; The fit and apt construction of thy name, Being Leo-natus, doth import so much: The piece of tender air, thy virtuous daughter, [To Cymbeline. Which we call mollis aer; and mollis aer Cym. (3) Ghostly appearances. (4) Embrace Cym. Well, My peace we will begin :-And, Caius Lucius, Although the victor, we submit to Cæsar, And to the Roman empire; promising To pay our wonted tribute, from the which We were dissuaded by our wicked queen; Whom heavens, in justice (both on her and hers,) Have laid most heavy hand. Sooth. The fingers of the powers above do tune The harmony of this peace. The vision Which I made known to Lucius, ere the stroke Of this yet scarce-cold battle, at this instant Is full accomplish'd: For the Roman eagle, From south to west on wing soaring aloft, Lessen'd herself, and in the beams o'the sun So vanish'd: which foreshow'd our princely eagle, The imperial Cæsar, should again unite His favour with the radiant Cymbeline, Which shines here in the west. Cym. Laud we the gods And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils; From our blessed altars! Publish we this peace To all our subjects. Set we forward: Let A Roman and a British ensign wave Friendly together: So through Lud's town march: Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.- This play has many just sentiments, some natural dialogues, and some pleasing scenes, but they are obtained at the expense of much incongruity. To remark the folly of the fiction, the absurdity of the conduct, the confusion of the names and manners of different times, and the impossibility of the events in any system of life, were to waste criticism upon unresisting imbecility, upon faults too evident for detection, and too gross for aggravation. JOHNSON. SONG, SUNG BY GUIDERIUS AND ARVIRAGUS OVER FIDELE, SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD. BY MR. WILLIAM COLLINS. To fair Fidele's grassy tomb, Soft maids and village hinds shall bring Each opening sweet, of earliest bloom, And rifle all the breathing spring. No wailing ghost shall dare appear To vex with shrieks his quiet grove; But shepherd lads assemble here, And melting virgins own their love. No wither'd witch shall here be seen, No goblins lead their nightly crew: The female fays shall haunt the green, And dress thy grave with pearly dero. The red-breast oft at evening hours, To deck the ground where thou art laid. When howling winds, and beating rain, Each lonely scene shall thee restore; For thee the tear be duly shed: Belov'd, till life could charm no more; And mourn'd till pity's self be dead. TITUS ANDRONICUS. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Saturninus, son to the late emperor of Rome, and Alarbus, afterwards declared emperor himself. Chiron, Bassianus, brother to Saturninus; in love with Demetrius, Lavinia. Aaron, a Moor, beloved by Tamora. Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman, general against A Captain, Tribune, Messenger, and Clown; the Goths. Romans. Marcus Andronicus, tribune of the people; and Goths, and Romans. brother to Titus. Tamora, Queen of the Goths. Lavinia, daughter to Titus Andronicus. Kinsmen of Titus, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Scene, Rome; and the country near it. ACT I. SCENE I-Rome. Before the Capitol. The tomb of the Andronici appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft, as in the senate. Enter, below, Saturninus and his Followers, on one side; and Bassianus and his Followers, on the other; with drum and colours. Saturninus. NOBLE patricians, patrons of my right, If ever Bassianus, Caesar's son, Enter Marcus Andronicus aloft, with the crown. Lives not this day within the city walls: And now at last, laden with honour's spoils, Mar. Princes that strive by factions, and by friends, Ambitiously for rule and empery, Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy And so I love and honour thee and thine, I thank you all, and here dismiss you all; Know, that the people of Rome, for whom we And to the love and favour of my country stand A special party, have, by their comon voice, (1) i. e. Title to the succession. (2) Summoned. Commit myself, my person, and the cause. [Exeunt the Followers of Saturninus. Bas. Tribunes! and me, a poor competitor. |