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A court of Justice.
[Enter LEONTES, Lords, and Officers]
LEONTES
,
, ,
, ,
This ses|sions (to | our great | grief we |
pronounce)
2 ,
, , ,
,
Even push|es 'gainst | our heart.| the part|y
tried,
, ,
, ,
,
The daught|er of | a king,| our wife,| and one
,
, , ,
,
Of us | too much | beloved.| Let us | be cleared
x
, ,
, , 2
Of being | tyran|nous, since | we so | openly
,
, , , ,
Proceed | in just|ice, which | shall have / due
course,
, ,
, ,
,
Even | to the | guilt, or / the pur|gation:
,
, ,
Produce | the pris|oner. \\
OFFICER
,
, ,
, ,
It is | his high|ness' pleas|ure, that | the
queen
,
, ,
, oo
Appear | in pers|on, here | in court.|
[Enter HERMIONE guarded; PAULINA and Ladies attending]
LEONTES
Read the indictment.
OFFICER
Hermione, queen to the worthy Leontes, king of Sicilia, thou art here
accused and arraigned of high treason, in committing adultery with Polixenes
king of Bohemia, and conspiring with Camillo to take away the life of our
sovereign lord the king thy royal husband: the pretense whereof being by
circumstances partly laid open, thou (Hermione) contrary to the faith and
allegiance of a true subject, didst counsel and aid them, for their better
safety, to fly away by night.
HERMIONE
, ,
, ,
,
Since^what | I am | to say,| must be | but that
,
, , ,
,
Which con|tradicts | my ac|cusa|tion, and
,
, , ,
, ->
The test|imo|ny on | my part,| no oth||er
,
, 2 ,
, ,
But what | comes from my|self, it | shall scarce | boot me
. T T
T ,
, ,
To say, not guil|ty: mine | integ|rity
2 ,
, ,
, x
Being count|ed false|hood, shall |(as I | express
it)
,
, ,
x ,
Be so | received.| But thus,| if powers | divine
,
, ,
, ,
Behold | our hum|an act|ions (as | they do)
,
, ,
, ,
I doubt | not then,| but in|nocence | shall make
T T . T ,
, ,
False accusa|tion blush,| and tyr|anny
, 2
, ,
T T T
Tremble at | patience.| You (my | lord) best know
,
, ,
, ,
(Who least | will seem | to do | so) my / past
life
,
, ,
, ,
Hath been | as cont|inent,| as chaste,| as true,
,
, ,
, ,
As I | am now | unhap|py; which | is more
,
, , ,
,
Than his|tory | can pat|tern, though | devised,
,
. T T T 2 ,
,
And played,| to take specta|tors. For be/hold me,
,
, ,
, ,
A fel|low of | the roy|al bed,| which^owe
, , 2
T . T T
,
A moie|ty of the | throne: a great king's |
daughter,
,
, , ,
, 2->
The mot|her to | a hope|ful prince,| here*
stand||ing
,
, ,
, ,
To prate | and talk | for life,| and hon|or, fore
,
, ,
, x
Who please | to come,| and hear.| For life,| I
prize it
2 ,
, ,
, ,
As I weigh | grief (which^|I would | spare): for
| honor,
,
, ,
, ,
'Tis a | deriv|ative | from me | to mine,
,
, ,
, ,
And on|ly that | I stand | for. I | appeal
2 ,
, ,
, , 2
To your own | conscience |(sir) be|fore
Pol|ixenes
,
, ,
, ,
Came to | your court,| how I | was in | your
grace,
x
, , T
T T
How merit|ed to | be so:| since he came,
,
, , ,
,
With what | encount|er so | uncur|rent, I
, 2 ,
T . T T
,
Have strained | to appear | thus: if one jot |
beyond
,
, ,
, ,
The bound | of hon|or, or | in act,| or will
,
, , ,
,
That way | inclin|ing, hard|ened be | the hearts
,
, ,
, ,
Of all | that hear | me, and | my nearst | of kin
T T . T
,
Cry fie upon | my grave.
LEONTES
, ,
I nere | heard^yet,
, 2
, ,
, ,
That an|y of these | bolder | vices | wanted
, ,
, , ,
Less imp/udence | to gain|say what | they did,
,
, ,
Than to | perform | it first.
HERMIONE
, ,
That's true | enough,
,
, , ,
,
Through 'tis | a say|ing (sir)| not due | to me.
LEONTES
,
,
You will / not own | it.
HERMIONE
, ,
,
More | than mist|ress of,
, ,
, ,
2 ,
Which comes | to me | in name | of fault,| I
must^not
, ,
, , ,
At all | acknow|ledge. For | Polix|enes
, ,
, ,
,
(With whom | I am | accused)| I do | confess
,
, , ,
,
I loved | him, as | in hon|or he | required:
,
, ,
, ,
With such | a kind | of love,| as might | become
,
, ,
. T Tx T
A la|dy like | me; with | a love, even such,
, 2
, ,
, ,
So, and no | other,| as your|self com|manded:
, ,
, ,
2 ,
Which, not / to have | done, I | think had been |
in me
,
, 2 , ,
,
Both^dis|obed|ience, and | ingrat|itude
,
, , ,
,
To you,| and toward | your friend,| whose^love |
had spoke
, x
, 2 ,
,
Even | since it could | speak, from an | infant,|
freely,
,
, ,
, ,
That it | was yours.| Now for | conspir|acy,
,
, ,
, ,
I know | not how | it tastes,| though^it | be
dished
,
. T T T ,
,
For me | to try how: all | I know | of it,
,
, , ,
,
Is, that | Camil|lo was | an hon|est man;
,
, ,
, ,
And why | he left | your court,| the gods |
themselves
,
, ,
, ,
(Wotting | no more | than I)| are ig|norant.
LEONTES
,
, , ,
,
You knew | of his | depart|ure, as | you know
, 2 ,
, , 2
, 2
What you have | under|tane to | do in his |
absence.
HERMIONE
Sir,
T T .
T , 2 T . T
T
You speak a lang|uage that I | understand not:
,
, ,
, ,
My life | stands in | the lev|el of | your
dreams,
,
,
Which I'll | lay* down.
LEONTES
, ,
,
Your act|ions are | my dreams.
,
, , ,
,
You had | a bast|ard by | Polix|enes,
,
x , 2
T T T
And I | but dreamed it:| As you were | past all
shame,
, 2
, ,
T T T
(Those of your | fact are | so) so | past all
truth;
, 2
, ,
2 , ,
Which to de|ny, con|cerns more* | than avails:
for as
,
, T T T
2 ,
Thy brat | hath been | cast out, like | to
itself,
,
, ,
, ,
No fath|er own|ing it |(which is | indeed
,
, ,
, ,
More crim|inal | in thee,| than it)| so thou
, ,
, , 2 ,
->
Shalt feel | our just|ice, in / whose eas|iest
pas||sage,
,
2 ,
,
Look | for no less | than death.
HERMIONE
, ,
Sir, spare | your threats:
,
, ,
, ,
The bug | which you | would fright | me with,| I
seek:
, ,
, , ,
To me | can life | be no | commod|ity;
, ,
, 2 ,
,
The crown | and com|fort of my | life (your |
favor)
,
, ,
, ,
I do | give^lost,| for I | do feel | it gone,
,
, ,
, ,
But know | not how | it went.| My sec|ond joy,
,
, 2 ,
, ,
And first | fruits of my | body,| from his |
presence
2 ,
, x
, ,
I am barred,| like^one^|infectious.| My third |
comfort
T
T T , 2
, ,
(Starred most un|luckily)| is from | my breast
,
2 , ,
, 2 ,
(The in|nocent milk | in its / most in|nocent
mouth)
T T .
T ,
, ,
Haled out to murd|er. Myself on every post
????
,
x , ,
,
Proclaimed | a strumpet:| with im|modest | hatred
. T T
T , , ,
The child-bed priv|ilege | denied,| which longs
, 2
, ,
, ,
To wom|en of all | fashion.| Lastly,| hurried
T . T
T 2 ,
, ,
Here, to this place,| in the op|en air,| before
, ,
, ,
,
I have / got strength | of lim|it. Now |(my
liege)
,
, ,
, ,
Tell me | what bless|ings I | have here | alive,
,
, ,
, ,
That I | should fear | to die?| Therefore |
proceed:
. T T
T ,
. T T T
But yet hear this:| mistake | me not: no life,
x
, ,
, ,
(I prize it | not a | straw) but | for mine |
honor,
,
, ,
, ,
Which I | would free:| if I | shall be |
condemned
x
, T T
T ,
Upon sur|mises |(all proofs sleep|ing else,
,
, , ,
, 2->
But what | your jeal|ousies | awake)| I tell ||
you
,
, , ,
,
'Tis rig|or, and / not law.| Your hon|ors all,
,
, , ,
,
I do | refer | me to | the or|acle:
, ,
,
Apol|lo be | my judge.
FIRST LORD
, ,
This your | request
, ,
, , , ,
Is al|togeth|er just:| therefore* bring forth
????
,
, ,
, ,
(And in | Apol|lo's name)| his or|acle.
HERMIONE
, ,
, ,
,
The Empe|ror of | Russia | was my | father:
, ,
2 ,
, ,
Oh that | he were a|live, and | here be|holding
,
, , ,
,
His daught|er's tri|al: that | he did | but see
,
, , 2 ,
,
The flat|ness of | my mis|ery; yet | with eyes
,
, ,
Of pi|ty, not | revenge. \\
OFFICER
,
, x
, ,
You here | shall swear | upon this | sword of |
justice,
,
, , ,
,
That you |(Cleo|menes | and Di|on) have
T T .
T ,
, ,
Been both at Del|phos, and | from thence | have
brought
. T
T T 2 ,
, , 2->
The sealed-up or|acle, by | the hand |
deliv||ered
,
, ,
, ,
Of great | Apol|lo's priest;| and that / since
then,
, ,
, , ,
You have / not dared | to break | the ho|ly seal,
,
, x
Nor read | the sec|rets in it.
CLEOMENES and DION
, ,
All this | we swear.
LEONTES
,
, ,
Break up | the seals,| and read. \\
OFFICER
Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a
jealous tyrant, his innocent babe truly begotten, and the king shall live
without an heir, if that which is lost, be not found.
LORDS
,
, ,
,
Now bles|sed be | the great | Apol|lo.
HERMIONE
,
Praised.
LEONTES
,
,
Hast thou | read^truth?
OFFICER
<- , T
Tx T ,
. T T T
Aye (my | lord) even so || as it | is here set
down. \\
LEONTES
, , ,
2 , ,
There is / no truth | at all | in the or|acle.
,
, ,
2 , ,
The ses|sions shall | proceed:| this is mere |
falsehood.
SERVANT
,
, ,
My lord | the king:| the king?
LEONTES
, 2 ,
What is the | business?
SERVANT
,
, , ,
x
O sir,| I shall | be hat|ed to | report it.
,
, , ,
,
The prince | your son,| with mere | conceit,| and
fear
, ,
,
Of the / queen's speed,| is gone.
LEONTES
T T
How? gone?
SERVANT
. T
Is dead.
LEONTES
,
, , x
,
Apol|lo's ang|ry, and | the heavens | themselves
x
, ,
T T T
Do strike at | my in|justice.| How now there?
PAULINA
,
, ,
, ,
This news | is mort|al to the // queen: look down
,
, ,
And see | what death | is do|ing.
LEONTES
, ,
Take | her hence:
,
. T T T
, 2 ,
Her heart | is but orecharged:| she will
re|cover.
2 ,
, ,
, ,
I have too | much be|lieved mine | own
sus|picion:
,
, , ,
,
Beseech | you tend|erly | apply | to her
,
, , ,
x
Some rem|edies | for life.| Apol|lo, pardon
,
, ,
, ,
My great | profane|ness 'gainst | thine or|acle.
,
, ,
, ,
I'll re|concile | me to | Polix|enes,
,
, ,
, , 2
New^woo | my queen,| recall | the good | Camillo
,
, ,
, ,
2->
(Whom I | proclaim | a man | of truth,| of
mer||cy)
x
, ,
, ,
For being | transport|ed by | my jeal|ousies
,
, ,
, ,
To blood|y thoughts,| and to | revenge,| I chose
, ,
2 , ,
,
Camil|lo for the | mini|ster, to | poison
,
, , ,
,
My friend | Polix|enes:| which^had | been done,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
But that | the good | mind of | Camillo | tardied
,
, ,
, ,
My swift | command:| though^I | with death,| and
with
,
, ,
, ,
Reward,| did threat|en and | encour|age him,
x x
, ,
,
Not^doing | it, and / being done:| he (most |
humane
,
, ,
, ,
And filled | with hon|or) to | my king|ly guest
,
, , ,
,
Unclasped | my prac|tice, quit | his for|tunes
here
,
T T T ,
,
(Which^you | knew great) and | to the | hazard
,
, ,
, ,
->
Of all | encert|ainties,| himself | commen||ded,
, ,
, , ,
, ->
No | richer | than his | honor:| how he ||
glisters
,
, . T T T
2->
Through | my rust?| And how his pi|||ty
,
T T . T
Does my | deeds make the black|er?
PAULINA
,
,
Woe | the while:
,
, , ,
,
O cut | my lace,| lest my | heart (crack/ing it)
T T
Break too.
FIRST LORD
T
, ,
,
What | fit is |
this? Good | lady?
PAULINA
,
, , ,
,
What stud|ied tor|ments (ty|rant) hast | for me?
, T T
T , ,
What* wheels?| Racks? Fires?| What | flaying?|
Boiling?
,
, , ,
, ->
In leads,| or oils?| What old,| or new|er
tort||ure
, 2
, ,
, ,
Must | I receive?| Whose^eve|ry word | deserves
,
, ,
, ,
To taste | of thy / most worst.| Thy tyr|anny
, ,
, ,
,
(Togeth|er work|ing with | thy jeal|ousies,
,
, ,
, x
Fancies | too weak | for boys,| too green | and
idle
,
, ,
, ,
For girls | of nine)| O think | what they | have
done,
,
T T . T T
T . T
And then | run mad indeed:| stark mad: for^all
. T T
T ,
, x
Thy by-gone foole|ries were | but spi|ces of it.
,
, , ,
, ->
That thou | betrayedst | Polix|enes,| 'twas
noth||ing,
,
2 , ,
, ,
(That | did but show | thee, of | a fool,|
inconstant,
, ,
, ,
2 ,
And damn|able | ingrate|ful:) nor | was it much,
, ,
, , 2
,
Thou wouldst | have pois|oned good | Camillo's |
honor,
,
, , ,
,
To have | him kill | a king:| poor tres/passes,
,
, ,
, x
More* monst|rous stand|ing by:| whereof | I
reckon
,
, ,
, , 2->
The cast|ing forth | to crows,| thy bab|y
daught||er,
, ,
, ,
x
To be | or none,| or lit|tle; though | a devil
,
, ,
, x
Would have / shed wat|er out | of fire,| ere done
it:
x
, , ,
,
Nor is it | direct|ly laid | to thee | the death
, ,
, ,
,
Of the / young prince,| whose hon|ora|ble
thoughts
T
T . T , ,
,
(Thoughts high for one | so tend|er) cleft | the
heart
,
, ,
, ,
That could | conceive | a gross | and fool|ish
sire
,
, ,
, ,
Blemished | his grac|ious dam:| this is / not,
no,
, ,
, ,
,
Laid to | thy ans|wer: but | the last.| O* lords,
, 2
T T T
, ,
When I have | said, cry woe:| the queen,| the
queen,
. T T
T , ,
x
The sweetst, dearst creat|ure's dead:| and
venge|ance for it
,
T T
Not dropped | down yet.
FIRST LORD
. T x
,
The high|er powers | forbid.
PAULINA
, ,
x ,
,
I say | she's dead:| I'll swear it.| If word,|
nor oath
,
T T . T
, ,
Prevail | not, go and see:| if you | can bring
,
, ,
, ,
Tincture,| or lust|er in | her lip,| her eye
, ,
, ,
, 2->
Heat^out|wardly,| or breath | within,| I'll serve
|| you
, ,
, , 2
,
As I | would do | the gods.| But, O thou |
tyrant,
,
. T T T
, ,
3 3->
Do not | repent these things,| for they | are
heav||ier
,
, , ,
2 ,
Than all | thy woes | can stir:| therefore
be|take thee
,
, , ,
,
To noth|ing but | despair.| A thous|and knees,
,
, , x
,
Ten^thous|and years | togeth|er, naked,| fasting,
x
, ,
, ,
Upon a | barren | mountain,| and still | winter
,
, 2 , ,
,
In storm | perpet|ual, could | not move | the
gods
,
, ,
To look | that way | thou wert.
LEONTES
, ,
Go on,| go on:
,
, ,
, ,
Thou canst | not speak | too much,| I have |
deserved
T T
. T x
All tongues to talk | their bitter|est.
FIRST LORD
, ,
Say | no more:
,
, ,
, ,
Howere | the bus|iness goes,| you have / made
fault
2 ,
, ,
In the bold|ness of | your speech.
PAULINA
2 , x
I am sor|ry for it:
,
, , 2 ,
,
All* faults | I make,| when I shall | come to |
know them,
,
, , 2
, ,
I do | repent:| Alas,| I have showed | too much
,
, , ,
,
The rash|ness of | a wom|an: he | is touched
2 ,
, , .
T T T
To the nob|le heart.| What's gone,| and what's
past help
, T T
T , ,
, 2->
Should be | past grief: do | not re|ceive
af|fliction
,
, , ,
,
At | my pe|tition;| I be|seech you,| rather
,
, ,
, ,
Let^me | be pun|ished, that | have mind|ed you
,
, , ,
,
Of what | you should | forget.| Now* (good | my
liege)
T Tx T
, , x
Sir, royal sir,| forgive | a fool|ish woman:
,
, ,
T T . T
The love | I bore | your queen |(lo, fool again)
,
, ,
, 2 ,
I'll speak | of her | no more,| nor of your |
children:
,
, ,
, ,
I'll not | remem|ber you | of my / own lord,
,
, ,
, ,
(Who is / lost too:)| take your | patience | to
you,
,
,
And I'll | say noth|ing.
LEONTES
, ,
,
Thou | didst speak | but well,
,
, ,
, x
When most | the truth:| which I | receive | much
better,
, 2
, ,
, ,
Than to be | pitied | of thee.| Prithee | bring
me
,
, ,
, ,
To the / dead bod|ies of | my queen,| and son.
, ,
, ,
,
One grave / shall be | for both:| upon | them
shall
,
, ,
, ,
The caus|es of | their death | appear |(unto
,
, 2 ,
, x
Our shame | perpet|ual) once | a day,| I'll visit
,
, ,
. T T T
The chap|el where | they lie,| and tears shed
there
,
, , x
, 2->
Shall be | my rec|rea|tion. So long | as na||ture
,
, , ,
,
Will bear | up with | this ex|ercise,| so long
, ,
x ,
,
I dail|y vow | to use it.| Come, and | lead me
,
,
Unto | these^sor|rows. \\
[Exeunt]