If that thy gentry, Britain, go before This lout, as he exceeds our lords, the odds The Battle continues; the Britons fly; CYMBELINE is taken: then enter to his rescue, BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS. Bel. Stand, stand! We have the advantage of the ground; The lane is guarded: nothing routs us, but The villany of our fears. Gui. Arv. Stand, stand, and fight! Enter POSTHUMUS, and seconds the Britons: They rescue CYMBELINE, and exeunt. Then, enter LUCIUS, IACHIMO, and IMOGEN. Luc. Away, boy, from the troops, and save thyself: For friends kill friends, and the disorder's such As war were hood-wink'd. Iach. 'Tis their fresh supplies. Luc. It is a day turn'd strangely: or betimes Let's reinforce, or fly. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Another Part of the Field. Enter POSTHUMUS and a British Lord. Lord. Cam'st thou from where they made the stand? Though you, it seems, come from the fliers. I did: I did. Post. No blame be to you, sir; for all was lost, But that the heavens fought: The king himself Of his wings destitute1, the army broken, 1 The stopping of the Roman army by three persons is an allusion to the story of the Hays, as related by Holinshed in his History of Scotland, p. 155; upon which Milton once intended to have formed a drama. Shakspeare was evidently acquainted with it:'Haie beholding the king, with the most part of the nobles fighting with great valiancie in the middle-ward, now destitute of the wings, &c. And but the backs of Britons seen, Lord. Where was this lane? Post. Close by the battle, ditch'd, and wall'd with turf; Which gave advantage to an ancient soldier,- So long a breeding, as his white beard came to, Like beasts, which you shun beastly; and may save, Part, shame, part, spirit renew'd; that some, turn'd coward But by example (0, a sin in war, Damn'd in the first beginners!) 'gan to look The way that they did, and to grin like lions 2 A country game called prison bars, vulgarly prison-base. See vol. i. p. 103, note 9. 3 Shame for modesty, or shamefacedeness. Upon the pikes o'the hunters. Then began: A rout, confusion thick: Forthwith they fly The life o'the need; having found the back-door open Lord. Post. Nay, do not wonder at it: You are made Rather to wonder at the things you hear, Than to work any. Will you rhyme upon't, And vent it for a mockery? Here is one: Two boys, an old man twice a boy, a lane, Preserv'd the Britons, was the Romans' bane. Lord. Nay, be not angry, sir. Post. 'Lack, to what end? Who dares not stand his foe, I'll be his friend: For if he'll do, as he is made to do, I know, he'll quickly fly my friendship too. Lord. To be i'the field, and ask, what news, of me! 4 i. e. terrors, bugbears. See King Henry VI. Part 111. Act v. Sc. 2, 343: 'For Warwick was a bug that fear'd us all. 5 Alluding to the common superstition of charms being powerful enough to keep men unhurt in battle. See vol. iv. p, 299, note 6. Nor feel him, where he struck: Being an ugly monster, 'Tis strange, he hides him in fresh cups, soft beds, Sweet words; or hath more ministers than we That draw his knives i'the war.-Well, I will find him: For being now a favourer to the Roman, Enter Two British Captains, and Soldiers. 1 Cap. Great Jupiter be prais'd! Lucius is taken: 'Tis thought, the old man and his sons were angels. 2 Cap. There was a fourth man, in a silly habit, That gave the affronts with them. 1 Cap. So 'tis reported: But none of them can be found.--Stand! who is there? Post. A Roman; Who had not now been drooping here, if seconds Had answer'd him. 2 Cap. Lay hands on him; a dog! A leg of Rome shall not return to tell What crows have peck'd them here. He brags his service As if he were of note: bring him to the king. 6 i. e. retaliation. As in a former scene, p. 108, line 6:That which we've done, whose answer would be death.' 1 Silly is simple or rustic. Thus in the novel of Boccaccio, on which this play is formed:-The servant, who had no great good will to kill her, very easily grew pitifull, took off her upper garment, and gave her a poore ragged doublet, a silly chapperone.' 8 i. e. the encounter. See vol. iv. p. 101, note 5. Enter CYMBELINE, attended: BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, PISANIO, and Roman Captives. The Captains present POSTHUMUS to CYMBELINE, who delivers him over to a Gaoler: after which, all go out9. SCENE IV. A Prison. Enter POSTHUMUS, and Two Gaolers. 1 Gaol. You shall not now be stolen, you have locks upon you1; So graze, as you find pasture. 2 Gaol. Ay, or a stomach. [Exeunt Gaolers. Post. Most welcome, bondage! for thou art a way, I think, to liberty: Yet am I better Than one that's sick o'the gout: since he had rather Groan so in perpetuity, than be cur'd By the sure physician, death; who is the key To unbar these locks. My conscience! thou art fetter'd More than my shanks, and wrists: You good gods, give me The penitent instrument, to pick that bolt, 9 This stage direction for 'inexplicable dumb show' is probably an interpolation by the players. Shakspeare has expressed his contempt for such mummery in Hamlet. The wit of the Gaoler alludes to the custom of putting a lock on a horse's leg when he is turned out to pasture. 2 This passage is very obscure, and I must say with Malone that I think it is so rendered either by the omission of a line, or some other corruption of the text. I have no faith in Malone's explanation that which Steevens offers is not much more satisfactory; but I have nothing better to offer. Posthumus questions whether |