For even to vice They are not conftant, but are changing ftill; Not half fo old as that. I'll write against them, [Exit. ACT III. SCENE Í. Cymbeline's palace. Enter, in ftate, Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten, and Lords at one door; and at another Caius Lucius and Attendants. NOW CYMBELINE. OW fay, what would Auguftus Cæfar with us? Lives in mens' eyes, and will to ears and tongues Queen. And, to kill the marvel, Shall be fo ever. Clot. There be many Cæfars, Ere fuch another Julius. Britain is A world by itself, and we will nothing pay Queen. That opportunity, Which then they had to take from us, to refume 2 The The natural bravery of your isle, which stands, * With rocks unfcalable, and roaring waters; With fands, that will not bear your enemies' boats, But fuck them up to the top-maft. conqueft Of, came, and faw, and overcame. 2 A kind of Cæfar made here; but made not here his brag With fhame, (The first that ever touch'd him) he was carried From off our coaft, twice beaten; and his fhipping, (Poor ignorant baubles!) on our terrible feas, Like egg-fhells mov'd upon their furges, crack'd As eafily 'gainft our rocks. For joy whereof, The fam'd Caffibelan, who was once at point (Oh, giglet fortune!) to mafter Cæfar's fword, Made Lud's town with rejoicing-fires bright, And Britons ftrut with courage. Clot. Come, there's no more tribute to be paid. Our kingdom is ftronger than it was at that time; and, as I faid, there is no more fuch Cæfars: other of them may have crook'd nofes, but, to own fuch strait arms, none. Cym. Son, let your mother end. Clot. We have yet many among us can gripe as hard as Caffibelan: I do not fay, I am one; but I have a hand. Why, tribute? Why fhould we pay tribute? If Cæfar can hide the fun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; elfe, Sir, no more tribute, pray you now. • Cym. You must know Till the injurious Roman did extort With rocks unfcalable,] This reading is HANMER'S. The old editions have, With oaks unfcalable, JOHNSON. 2 (Poor ignorant baubles!)-] Ignorant, for of no use. WARB. Rather, unacquainted with the nature of our boisterous feas. O 2 JOHNSON. This This tribute from us, we were free. Cæfar's ambition, Who was the first of Britain which did put Luc. I am forry, Cymbeline, That I am to pronounce Auguftus Cæfar Receive it from me then :-war and confufion Cym. 4 Thou art welcome, Caius: Thy Cæfar knighted me; my youth I spent 3 Which against all colour, Without any pretence of right. JOHNSON. 4 Thou art welcome, Caius: Thy Cafar knighted me; my youth I spent Much under him: -] Some few hints for this part of the play, relating to Cymbeline, are taken from Holinfhead: Kymbeline, fays he, (as fome write) was brought up at "Rome, and there was made knight by Auguftus Cæfar, under "whom he ferved in the wars, and was in fuch favour with him, that he was at liberty to pay his tribute or not." Yet we find in the Roman writers, that after Julius "Cæfar's death, when Auguftus had taken upon him the rule "of the empire, the Britains refufed to pay that tribute." 86 Which he, to feek of me again, perforce Luc. Let proof speak. Clot. His majefty bids you welcome. Make paftime with us a day or two, or longer: if you feek us afterwards on other terms, you fhall find us in our faltwater girdle: if you beat us out of it, it is yours; you fall in the adventure, our crows fhall fare the better for you; and there's an end. if Luc. So, Sir. Cym. I know your mafter's pleasure, and he mine: All the remain is, welcome. SCENE II. Another room. Enter Pifanio. [Exeunt. Pif. How? of adultery? wherefore write you not I What monsters her accufe? Leonatus! Oh master! what a ftrange infection But whether the controverfy, which appeareth to "fall forth betwixt the Britains and Augufus, was occalioned 46 by Kimbeline, I have not a vouch." Kymbeline reigned thirty-five years, leaving behind him two fons, Guiderius and Arviragus." S STEEVENS. keep at utterance.-] i. e. At extreme diftance. WARB. More properly, in a ftate of hoftile defiance, and deadly oppofition. JOHNSON. I am perfect,] I am well informed. So, in Macbeth, in your state of honour I am perfect." JOHNS. 'What monsters her accufe?—] Might we not fafely road, What monster's her accufer ?- STEEVENS. Is fallen into thy ear? 2 What falfe Italian Thy fortunes.-How! that I should murder her? Let me be counted ferviceable. How look I, So much as this fact comes to? Do't.-The letter, That I have fent her, by her own command [Reading, -O damn'd paper! Black as the ink that's on thee! fenfelefs bauble! Art thou a feodary for this act, and look'st Enter Imogen. + I am ignorant in what I am commanded. Imo. How now, Pifanio? Pif. Madam, here is a letter from my lord. Imo. Who? thy lord? that is my lord? Leonatus? 5 Oh, learn'd, indeed were that aftrologer, 2 What falfe Italian, That (As pois nous tongu'd as handed)-] About Shakespeare's time the practice of poifoning was very common in Italy, and the fufpicion of Italian poifens yet more common. JOHNSON. 3 - take in fome virtue. -] To take in a town, is to conquer it. JOHNSON. Father cheat, beguile. This expreffion is at prefent used only in burlefque language. STEEVENS. I am ignorant in what I am commanded.] i. e. I am unpractifed in the arts of murder. STEEVENS. $ Ob, learn'd, indeed, were that aftrologer, &c.] This was a very natural thought, She must needs be fuppofed, in her circumftances, |