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Whom thou didst banish; and (which more may

grieve thee,

As it doth me,) a nobler sir ne'er liv'd

"Twixt sky and ground.

Wilt thou hear more, my

lord?

Cym. All that belongs to this.

Iach. For whom my heart drops blood, and my false spirits Quail to remember,2-Give me leave; Í faint. Cym. My daughter! what of her? Renew thy strength:

That paragon, thy daughter,

I had rather thou should'st live while nature will,
Than die ere I hear more: strive man, and speak.
Iach. Upon a time, (unhappy was the clock
That struck the hour!) it was in Rome, (accurs'd
The mansion where!) 'twas at a feast, (O 'would
Our viands had been poison'd! or, at least,
Those which I heav'd to head!) the good Posthúmus,
(What should I say? he was too good, to be
Where ill men were; and was the best of all
Among'st the rar'st of good ones,) sitting sadly,
Hearing us praise our loves of Italy

For beauty that made barren the swell'd boast
Of him that best could speak: for feature, laming
The shrine of Venus, or straight-pight Minerva,
Postures beyond brief nature; for condition,
A shop of all the qualities that man

Loves woman for; besides, that hook of wiving,
Fairness which strikes the eye:-

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(Most like a noble lord in love, and one

2 Quail to remember,] To quail is to sink into dejection.

That had a royal lover,) took his hint;
And, not dispraising whom we prais'd, (therein
He was as calm as virtue) he began

His mistress picture; which by his tongue being made,

And then a mind put in't, either our brags
Were crack'd of kitchen trulls, or his description
Prov'd us unspeaking sots.

Cym

Nay, nay, to the purpose.
Tach. Your daughter's chastity-There it begins.
He spake of her as Dian3 had hot dreams,
And she alone were cold: Whereat, I, wretch!
Made scruple of his praise; and wager'd with him
Pieces of gold, 'gainst this which then he wore
Upon his honour'd finger, to attain

In suit the place of his bed, and win this ring
By hers and mine adultery: he, true knight,
No lesser of her honour confident

Than I did truly find her, stakes this ring;
And would so, had it been a carbuncle
Of Phoebus' wheel; and might so safely, had it
Been all the worth of his car. Away to Britain
Post I in this design: Well may you, sir,
Remember me at court, where I was taught
Of your chaste daughter the wide difference
"Twixt amorous and villainous. Being thus quench'd
Of hope, not longing, mine Italian brain
'Gan in your duller Britain operate
Most vilely; for my vantage, excellent;
And, to be brief, my practice so prevail'd,
That I return'd with simular proof enough
To make the noble Leonatus mad,

By wounding his belief in her renown

With tokens thus, and thus; averring notes*

3

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as Dian- i. e. as if Dian.

averring notes-] Such marks of the chamber and pictures, as averred or confirmed my report.

Of chamber-hanging, pictures, this her bracelet,
(O, cunning, how I got it!) nay, some marks
Of secret on her person, that he could not
But think her bond of chastity quite crack'd,
I having ta'en the forfeit. Whereupon,-
Methinks, I see him now,-

Post.

Ay, so thou dost,
[Coming forward.
Italian fiend!-Ah me, most credulous fool,
Egregious murderer, thief, any thing
That's due to all the villains past, in being,

To come! O, give me cord, or knife, or poison,
Some upright justicer!5 Thou, king, send out
For tortures ingenious: it is I

That all the abhorred things o'the earth amend,
By being worse than they. I am Posthúmus,
That kill'd thy daughter:-villain-like, I lie;
That caus'd a lesser villain than myself,
A sacrilegious thief, to do't:-the temple
Of virtue was she; yea, and she herself."
Spit, and throw stones, cast mire upon me, set
The dogs o'the street to bay me: every villain
Be call'd, Posthúmus Leonatus; and

Be villainy less than 'twas!-O Imogen!
My queen, my life, my wife! O Imogen,
Imogen, Imogen

Imo.

Peace, my lord; hear, hear

Post. Shall's have a play of this? Thou scornful

page,

There lie thy part..

Pis.

[Striking her: she falls.

O, gentlemen, help, help Mine, and your mistress:-O, my lord Posthumus!

Some upright justicer!] Justicer is used by Shakspeare thrice in King Lear. The most ancient law books have justicers of the peace, as frequently as justices of the peace.

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and she herself.] That is,-She was not only the temple of virtue, but virtue herself.

You ne'er kill'd Imogen till now:-Help, help!

Mine honour'd lady!

Сут.

Does the world go round? Post. How come these staggers' on me?

Wake, my mistress!

Pis.
Cym. If this be so, the gods do mean to strike me

To death with mortal joy.

Pis.
How fares my mistress?
Imo. O, get thee from my sight;

Thou gav'st me poison: dangerous fellow, hence!
Breathe not where princes are.

Сут.
Pis. Lady,

The tune of Imogen!

The gods throw stones of sulphur on me, if
That box I gave you was not thought by me
A precious thing; I had it from the queen.
Cym. New matter still?

Imo.

Cor.

It poison'd me.

O Gods!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.

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Сут.
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
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?

7 these staggers-] This wild and delirious perturbation. Staggers is the horse's apoplexy.

Imo. Most like I did, for I was dead.

Bel.

There was our error.

Gui.

My boys,

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 him.

Post.

Till the tree die!

Cym.

What, mak'st thou me a dullard' in this act?

Hang there like fruit, my soul,

How now, my flesh, my child?

Your blessing, sir.

Kneeling.

Wilt thou not speak to me?

Imo.

Bel. Though you did love this youth, I blame

ye not;

You had a motive for't.

Cym.

[To GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS.

My tears, that fall,

Prove holy water on thee! Imogen,

Thy mother's dead.

Imo.

I am sorry for't, my lord.

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

swore,

* Think, that you are upon a rock;] In this speech, or in the answer, there is little meaning. Perhaps, she would say,-Consider such another act as equally fatal to me with precipitation from a rock, and now let me see whether you will repeat it.

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concerned.

a dullard-] In this place means a person stupidly un

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