Cor. The queen, sir, very oft importun'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
The present power of life; but, in short time,
All offices of nature should again

Do their due functions.-Have you ta'en of it?
Imo. Most like I did, for I was dead.
Bel.

There was our error.

My boys, Gui. This is, sure, Fidele. Imo. Why did you throw your wedded lady from you? Think, that you are upon a rock; and now Throw me again. [Embracing POSTHUMUS. Hang there like fruit, my soul,

Post.

Till the tree die ! Сут.

How now! my flesh, my child? What! mak'st thou me a dullard in this act? Wilt thou not speak to me?

Imo.

Your blessing, sir. [Kneeling. Bel. Though you did love this youth, I blame ye not; You had a motive for't. [To GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS. Cym. My tears that fall, Prove holy water on thee! Imogen, Thy mother's dead.

I would not thy good deeds should from my lips Pluck a hard sentence: pr'ythee, valiant youth, Deny't again.

Gui.

I have spoke it, and I did it. Cym. He was a prince.

Gui. A most uncivil 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 art dead.

Assum'd 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

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 Excited me to treason. Their dear loss, The more of you 'twas felt, the more it shap'd 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

Hath to it circumstantial branches, which
Distinction should be rich in.-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 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.—
Thou art my brother: so we'll hold thee ever.

[TO BELARIUS.
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!

Sooth. Here, my good lord. [Coming forward. Luc. 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

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
We term it mulier : which mulier, I divine,
Is this most constant wife; who, even now,
Answering the letter of the oracle,
Unknown to you, unsought, were clipp'd about
With this most tender air.

Cym.
This hath some seeming.
Sooth. The lofty cedar, royal Cymbeline,
Personates thee; and thy lopp'd branches point
Thy two sons forth; who, by Belarius stolen,
For many years thought dead, are now reviv'd,
To the majestic cedar join'd, whose issue
Promises Britain peace and plenty.

Сут.

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

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, Th' imperial Cæsar, should again unite His favour with the radiant Cymbeline, Which shines here in the west.

Laud we the gods;

Cym. And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils From our bless'd 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,
And in the temple of great Jupiter

Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.-
Set on there!-Never was a war did cease,

Ere bloody hands were wash'd, with such a peace.

[Exeunt.

ANTIOCHUS, King of Antioch. PERICLES, Prince of Tyre. HELICANUS, two Lords of Tyre.

ESCANES,

SIMONIDES, King of Pentapolis. CLEON, Governor of Tharsus. LYSIMACHUS, Governor of Mitylene. CERIMON, a Lord of Ephesus. THALIARD, a Lord of Antioch. PHILEMON, Servant to Cerimon. LEONINE, Servant to Dionyza.

Marshal.

A Pander, and his Wife. BOULT, their Servant. GOWER, as Chorus.

Enter GoWER.

Before the Palace of Antioch.

To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come;
Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear, and please your eyes.
It hath been sung at festivals,
On ember-eves, and holy ales,
And lords and ladies in their lives
Have read it for restoratives:
The purpose is to make men glorious;
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times,
When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,
And that to hear an old man sing,
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you, like taper-light.-
This Antioch, then: Antiochus the great
Built up this city for his chiefest seat,
The fairest in all Syria;

I tell you what my authors say:
This king unto him took a feere,
Who died and left a female heir,
So buxom, blithe, and full of face,
As heaven had lent her all his grace;
With whom the father liking took,
And her to incest did provoke.

Bad child, worse father, to entice his own
To evil, should be done by none.
By custom what they did begin
Was with long use account no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame
Made many princes thither frame,
To seek her as a bed-fellow,
In marriage pleasures play-fellow :
Which to prevent he made a law,
To keep her still and men in awe,
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life :

So, for her many a wight did die,
As yond' grim looks do testify.

What now ensues, to the judgment of your eye
I give, my cause who best can justify. [Exit.
SCENE I.-Antioch. A Room in the Palace.
Enter ANTIOCHUS, PERICLES, and Attendants.
Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large receiv'd
The danger of the task you undertake.

Per. I have, Antiochus, and with a soul Embolden'd with the glory of her praise, Think death no hazard in this enterprise.

[Music.

Ant. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride, For the embracements even of Jove himself;

At whose conception, (till Lucina reign'd)
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
The senate-house of planets all did sit,
To knit in her their best perfections.

Enter the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS.
Per. See, where she comes, apparell'd like the spring,
Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king

Of every virtue gives renown to men!

Her face, the book of praises, where is read
Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
Sorrow were ever ras'd, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.

Ye gods, that made me man, and sway in love,
That have inflam'd desire in my breast,
To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree,
Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
As I am son and servant to your will,
To compass such a boundless happiness!
Ant. Prince Pericles,-

Per. That would be son to great Antiochus.
Ant. Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:
Her face, like heaven, enticeth thee to view
Her countless glory, which desert must gain;
And which, without desert, because thine eye
Presumes to reach, all thy whole heap must die.