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Cymbeline

Act V, Scene 4

A British prison.
 
[Enter POSTHUMUS LEONATUS and two Jailers]
 
FIRST JAILER
            ,          ,          x
      You shall | not now | be stolen,
       ,           ,      ,
      You have | locks u|pon you:   (tri with prev)
           ,       2      ,     ,
      So graze,| as you find | pasture.
 
SECOND JAILER
                                         ,     2     ,
                                        Aye, or a | stomach.
 
[Exeunt Jailers]
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
            ,        ,         ,          ,      ,
      Most wel|come bon|dage; for | thou art | away
           ,         ,     ,    ,    2     ,
      (I think)| to lib|erty:| yet am I | better
            ,             ,      2      ,      ,     2        ,
      Than one | that's sick | of the gout,| since he had | rather
        T    T  .  T     ,  2     ,         ,
      Groan so in per|petu|ity, than | be cured
        2      ,        ,         ,      ,            ,
      By the sure | physi|cian, death;| who is | the key
        2   ,            ,         ,             ,         ,        ->
      To unbar | these^locks.| My con|science, thou | art fet||tered
        ,        2      ,            ,                   ,    ,       ->
      More | than my shanks,| and wrists:| you good* / gods give || me
           ,   2     ,       ,         ,           ,
      The pe|nitent inst|rument | to pick | that bolt,
`             ,         x      x       ,     2      ,
      Then free | for ever.| Is it e|nough I am | sorry?
           ,        ,    2     ,       ,       ,
      So child|ren tem|poral fath|ers do | appease;
        ,                ,        ,        ,     2    ,
      Gods are | more* full | of mer|cy. Must | I repent,
         ,       ,       ,        ,         ,
      I can|not do | it bet|ter than | in gyves,
          ,       ,                ,          ,     ,
      Desired | more than | constrained:| to sat|isfy
          ,        ,                    ,    ,     ,
      If of | my free|dom 'tis the // main part, take
           ,        ,       ,         ,        ,
      No stric|ter rend|er of | me, than | my all.
          ,                ,    ,               ,   ,
      I know | you are / more clem|ent than / vile men,
       ,               ,       ,        ,        ,
      Who of | their brok|en debt|ors take | a third,
          ,         ,      ,                ,        ,
      A sixth,| a tenth,| letting | them thrive | again
           ,        ,           ,      ,           ,
      On their | abate|ment; that's | not my | desire,
           ,    2     ,      T     T    T           ,
      For Im|ogen's^dear | life, take mine,| and though
            ,         ,          ,        ,              x
      'Tis not | so dear,| yet 'tis | a life;| you coined it,
              ,         ,           ,          ,       ,
      'Tween man | and man | they weigh | not eve|ry stamp:
               ,       ,   ,                 ,          ,
      Though light,| take pie/ces for | the fig|ure's sake,
            ,         ,      2     ,      .   T   T     Tx
      (You rath|er) mine | being yours:| and so great powers,
          ,           ,          ,        ,           ,
      If you | will take | this aud|it, take | this life,
           ,                ,    ,         ,   ,
      And can|cel these / cold bonds.| Oh Im|ogen,
             ,          ,        ,
      I'll speak | to thee | in sil|ence.  \\
 
[Sleeps. Solemn music. Enter, as in an apparition, SICILIUS LEONATUS, father to Posthumus Leonatus, an old man, attired like a warrior; leading in his hand an ancient matron, his wife, and mother to Posthumus Leonatus, with music before them: then, after other music, follow the two young Leonati, brothers to Posthumus Leonatus, with wounds as they died in the wars. They circle Posthumus Leonatus round, as he lies sleeping]
 
SICILIUS LEONATUS
           ,           ,       ,
      No more | thou thund|er-mast|er
      <-  ,            ,        ,        ,     oo
        Show || thy spite | on mort|al flies:|
             ,          ,          ,      ,      __    ___     ,      ,
      With Mars | fall^out | with Ju|no chide,| that | thy | adul|teries
        ,       2    ,
      Rates, and rev|enges.  \\
            ,          ,           ,           ,
      Hath my | poor* boy | done^aught | but well,
              ,       ,      ,    oo
      Whose face | I nev|er saw:|
          ,            ,         ,          ,
      I died | whilst in | the womb | he stayed,
         ,        ,         ,    oo
      Attend|ing na|ture's law.|
              ,       ,        ,        ,
      Whose fath|er then |(as men | report,
             ,         ,      ,    oo
      Thou orph|ans' fath|er art)|
               ,             ,           ,       ,
      Thou shouldst | have been,| and shield|ed him,
             ,           ,        ,     oo
      From this | earth^vex|ing smart.|
 
MOTHER
         ,      ,         ,        ,
      Luci|na lent | not me | her aid,
            ,        ,         ,     oo
      But took | me in | my throes,|
             ,        ,        ,        ,
      That from | me was | Posthu|mus ript,
       __     ,         ,           __
      Came | crying |'mongst his | foes,
          ,         ,     o   oo
      A thing | of pi|ty.   |
 
SICILIUS LEONATUS
             ,        ,         ,     ,
      Great^na|ture like | his an|cestry,
       ,             ,          ,    oo
      Molded | the stuff | so fair:|
            ,        ,            ,       2      ,
      That he | deserved | the praise | of the world,
           ,        ,   2     ,    oo
      As great | Sicil|ius' heir.|
 
FIRST BROTHER
             ,        ,        ,         ,
      When once | he was | mature | for man,
           ,        ,          ,   oo
      In Brit|ain where | was he |
             ,            ,        ,     ,
      That could | stand^up | his par|allel?
           ,        ,       ,   oo
      Or fruit|ful ob|ject be?|
          ,        ,    ,          ,            ,         ,     ,   oo
      In eye | of Im|ogen,| that best | could deem | his dig|nity.|
 
MOTHER
            ,          ,         ,          ,
      With mar|riage where|fore was | he mocked
          ,       ,           ,     oo
      To be | exiled,| and thrown |
            ,   ,        ,          ,          ,          ,       ,    oo
      From Le|ona|ti's^seat,| and cast | from her,| his dear|est one:|
            ,    ,
      Sweet^I|mogen?  \\
 
SICILIUS LEONATUS
           ,         ,       ,     ,      T     T    .  T   ,   oo
      Why did | you suf|fer Ia|chimo,| slight thing of It|aly,|
           ,          ,        ,           ,            ,        ,      ,   oo
      To taint | his nob|ler heart | and brain,| with need|less jeal|ousy,|
           ,       ,          ,          ,      ,       ,          ,    __
      And to | become | the geck | and scorn | of the | other's | villa|ny?
 
SECOND BROTHER
            ,           ,        ,          ,
      For this,| from stil|ler seats | we came,
           ,         ,         ,     oo
      Our par|ents, and | us twain,|
             ,        ,         ,          ,
      That strik|ing in | our count|ry's cause,
        ,    ,                    ,     oo
      Fell brave/ly, and | were slain,|
            ,       ,       ,          ,           ,      ,         ,    oo
      Our feal|ty, and | Tenan|tius' right,| with hon|or to | maintain.|
 
FIRST BROTHER
            ,      ,        ,        ,
      Like^har|diment | Posthu|mus hath
          ,      ,          ,     oo
      To Cym|beline | performed:|
            ,    ,           ,         ,          ,           ,         ,      oo
      Then Jup|iter,| thou king | of gods,| why hast | thou thus | adjourned |
           ,       ,         ,       ,      2    ,        ,          ,
      The gra|ces for | his mer|its due,| being all | to dol|ors turned?
 
SICILIUS LEONATUS
           ,        ,       ,     __
      Thy cry|stal wind|ow ope;| look,
            ,        ,       ,     ,
      Look^out,| no long|er ex|ercise
        ,       ,   2     ,          ,          ,       ,     ,    oo
      Upon | a val|iant race,| thy harsh,| and pot|ent in|juries:|
 
MOTHER
              ,    ,         ,         ,
      Since^(Jup|iter)| our son | is good,
            ,         ,     ,    oo
      Take^off | his mis|eries.|
 
SICILIUS LEONATUS
              ,           ,       ,          ,
      Peep^through | thy marb|le man|sion, help,
       .  T   T     T           ,    oo
      Or we poor ghosts | will cry |
        2      ,       ,      ,         ,        ,          ,   ,   oo
      To the shin|ing sy|nod of | the rest,| against | thy de|ity.|
 
FIRST and SECOND BROTHER
        T    T . T        ,       ,
      Help (Jupiter)| or we | appeal,
            ,         ,        ,    oo
      And from | thy just|ice fly.|
 
[Jupiter descends in thunder and lightning, sitting upon an eagle: he throws a thunderbolt. The Apparitions fall on their knees]
 
JUPITER
           ,         ,        x          ,       ,
      No more,| you pet|ty spirits | of re|gion low
          ,          ,         ,          ,           ,
      Offend | our hear|ing: hush.| How dare | you ghosts
          ,          ,     ,            ,          ,
      Accuse | the thund|erer,| whose^bolt |(you know)
       T     Tx     T        ,       ,          ,
      Sky-planted, bat|ters all | rebel|ling coasts.
        ,   ,              ,   2     ,           ,
      Poor sha/dows of | Ely|sium, hence,| and rest
        ,           x     ,           ,           x
      Upon | your never-|wither|ing banks | of flowers.
           ,          ,       ,      ,         ,
      Be* not | with mort|al ac|cidents | oppressed.
           ,         ,         ,         ,          ,
      No care | of yours | it is,| you know |'tis ours.
             ,        ,        ,          ,         ,
      Whom best | I love,| I cross;| to make | my gift
            ,        ,         ,        ,        ,
      The more | delayed,| delight|ed. Be | content,
            ,         ,         ,    ,             ,
      Your low-|laid^son,| our god|head will | uplift:
           ,           ,          ,        ,          ,
      His com|forts thrive,| his tri|als well | are spent:
           ,   2    ,       ,               ,          ,
      Our Jov|ial star | reigned at | his birth,| and in
       ,    ,               ,          ,          ,
      Our temp/le was | he mar|ried: rise,| and fade,
           ,          ,        ,     ,   ,
      He shall | be lord | of la|dy Im|ogen,
           ,         ,        ,        ,         ,
      And hap|pier much | by his | afflic|tion made.
            ,       ,      ,           ,           ,
      This tab|let lay | upon | his breast,| wherein
            ,                ,   ,          ,         ,
      Our pleas|ure, his / full for|tune, doth | confine,
           ,     ,         ,        ,          ,
      And so | away:| no furth|er with | your din
          ,        ,           ,          ,         ,
      Express | impa|tience, lest | you stir | up mine:
        ,    ,               ,        ,       ,
      Mount eag/le, to | my pal|ace cryst|alline.
 
[Ascends]
 
SICILIUS LEONATUS
           ,         ,        ,       ,    2     ,
      He came | in thund|er, his | celes|tial breath
           ,       ,         ,          ,      x
      Was sul|phurous | to smell:| the hol|y eagle
         ,                 x      ,     ,      2
      Stooped, as | to foot us:| his a|scen|sion is
      <-  ,       ,                ,         ,          ,       ,
        More || sweet than | our bles|sed fields:| his roy|al bird
         ,            ,        ,          ,           ,
      Prunes the | immort|al wing,| and cloys | his beak,
           ,         ,          ,
      As when | his god | is pleased.
 
All
                                         ,    ,
                                      Thanks Jup/iter.
 
SICILIUS LEONATUS
            ,       ,         ,        x      ,
      The marb|le pave|ment clos|es, he is | entered
           ,   2     ,      ,         ,         ,
      His rad|iant roof:| Away,| and to | be blessed
           ,          ,         ,          ,         ,
      Let^us | with care | perform | his great | behest.
 
[The Apparitions vanish]
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
        ,                  ,        ,     ,            ,
      Sleep, thou | hast been | a grand|sire, and | begot
          ,      ,        ,      ,      2    ,
      A fath|er to | me: and | thou hast cre|ated
          ,             ,   ,          ,         ,
      A moth|er, and / two broth|ers: but |(O* scorn)
        ,                 ,          ,         ,           ,
      Gone, they | went^hence | so soon | as they | were born:
         2   ,     2   ,            ,         ,        ,
      And so I | am awake.| Poor^wretch|es, that | depend
           ,          ,        ,        ,          ,
      On great|ness' fav|or; dream | as I | have done,
        T    .    T    T        ,      ,         ,
      Wake, and find noth|ing. But |(alas)| I swerve:
       ,       T    T   .   T     ,            ,
      Many | dream not to find,| neither | deserve,
           ,           ,          ,        ,      ,
      And yet | are steeped | in fav|ors: so | am I
             ,           ,        ,      .    T   T   T
      That have | this gold|en chance,| and know not why:
             ,       ,           ,        ,       ,   ,
      What fairies haunt this ground? A book? O rare one,  ????
          ,        ,         ,        ,        ,       ->
      Be not,| as is | our fang|led world,| a gar||ment
       ,     2       ,        ,        ,       2    ,
      nob|ler than that | it cov|ers. Let | thy effects
          ,        ,        ,        ,          ,      ,  ->
      So fol|low, to | be most | unlike | our cour||tiers,
           ,        ,
      As good,| as prom|ise.   \\
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 fortunate and flourish in peace and plenty.
             ,         ,          ,              x      ,
      'Tis still | a dream:| or else | such^stuff as | madmen
         T     .    T    T     ,         ,         ,
      Tongue, and brain not:| either | both, or | nothing,
           ,          ,         ,       ,         ,
      Or sense|less speak|ing, or | a speak|ing such
           ,         ,       ,     ,            ,
      As sense | cannot | untie.| Be what | it is,
           ,       ,        ,         ,          ,             ,  ->
      The ac|tion of | my life | is like | it, which || I'll keep
          ,         ,      ,   oo
      If but | for sym|pathy.|
 
[Enter First Jailer]
 
FIRST JAILER
Come sir, are you ready for death?
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
Over-roasted rather; ready long ago.
 
FIRST JAILER
Hanging is the word, sir: if you be ready for that, you are well cooked.
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
So, if I prove a good repast to the spectators, the dish pays the shot.
 
FIRST JAILER
A heavy reckoning for you, sir. But the comfort is, you shall be called to no more payments, fear no more tavern-bills; which are often the sadness of parting, as the procuring of mirth: you come in flint for want of meat, depart reeling with too much drink; sorry that you have paid too much, and sorry that you are paid too much; purse and brain both empty; the brain the heavier for being too light, the purse too light, being drawn of heaviness: of this contradiction you shall now be quit. O, the charity of a penny cord! It sums up thousands in a trice: you have no true debitor and creditor but it; of what's past, is, and to come, the discharge: your neck, sir, is pen, book and counters; so the acquittance follows.
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
I am merrier to die than thou art to live.
 
FIRST JAILER
Indeed, sir, he that sleeps feels not the tooth-ache: but a man that were to sleep your sleep, and a hangman to help him to bed, I think he would change places with his officer; for, look you, sir, you know not which way you shall go.
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
Yes, indeed do I, fellow.
 
FIRST JAILER
Your death has eyes in his head then; I have not seen him so pictured: you must either be directed by some that take upon them to know, or do take upon yourself that which I am sure you do not know, or jump the after inquiry on your own peril: and how you shall speed in your journey's end, I think you'll never return to tell one.
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
I tell thee, fellow, there are none want eyes to direct them the way I am going, but such as wink and will not use them.
 
FIRST JAILER
What an infinite mock is this, that a man should have the best use of eyes to see the way of blindness! I am sure hanging's the way of winking.
 
[Enter a Messenger]
 
MESSENGER
Knock off his manacles; bring your prisoner to the king.
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
Thou bringst good news; I am called to be made free.
 
FIRST JAILER
I'll be hanged then.
 
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS
Thou shalt be then freer than a jailer; no bolts for the dead.
 
[Exeunt POSTHUMUS LEONATUS and Messenger]
 
FIRST JAILER
Unless a man would marry a gallows and beget young gibbets, I never saw one so prone. Yet, on my conscience, there are verier knaves desire to live, for all he be a Roman: and there be some of them too that die against their wills; so should I, if I were one. I would we were all of one mind, and one mind good; O, there were desolation of jailers and gallowses! I speak against my present profit, but my wish hath a preferment in it.
 
[Exeunt]

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