324 PERSONS REPRESENTED. CYMBELINE, King of Britain. CLOTEN, Son to the Queen by a former Husband. LEONATUS POSTHUMUS, a Gentleman, Husband to Imogen. BELARIUS, a banished Lord, disguised under the name of Morgan. GUIDERIUS, Sons to Cymbeline, disguised under the names ARVIRAGUS, of Polydore and Cadwal, supposed Sons to Belarius. IACHIMO, Friend to Philario, Italians, A French Gentlemen, Friend to Philario. CAIUS LUCIUS, General of the Roman Forces. CORNELIUS, a Physician. Two Gaolers. Queen, Wife to Cymbeline. IMOGEN, Daughter to Cymbeline by a former Queen. Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, Apparitions, a Soothsayer, a Dutch Gentleman, a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE, sometimes in Britain; sometimes in Italy. OU do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods 1 No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers Still seem as does the king. 1 "Our bloods [i. e. our dispositions or temperaments] are not more regulated by the heavens, by every skyey influence, than our courtiers seem to follow the disposition of the king: when he frowns every man frowns." Blood is used in old phraseology for disposition or temperament. So in King Lear : "Were it my fitness To let these hands obey my blood." The word seem is emphatic, for the speaker a little after says:"But not a courtier, Although they wear their faces to the bent Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not The following passage in Greene's Never too Late, 4to. 1599, illustrates the thought:-" If the king smiled, every one in court was in his jollitie; if he frowned, their plumes fell like peacock's feathers, so that their outward presence depended on his inward passions." The old copies have kings: Tyrwhitt corrected it. 2 Gent. But what's the matter? 1 Gent. His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom, whom He purpos'd to his wife's sole son (a widow That late he married), hath referr'd herself Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the king 2 Gent. None but the king? 1 Gent. He, that hath lost her, too: so is the queen, That most desir'd the match: But not a courtier, Although they wear their faces to the bent Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not 2 Gent. And why so? 1 Gent. He that hath miss'd the princess, is a thing Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her, (I mean, that married her,—alack, good man! And therefore banish'd) is a creature such As, to seek through the regions of the earth For one his like, there would be something failing In him that should compare. I do not think, So fair an outward, and such stuff within Endows a man but he. 2 Gent. You speak him far2. 1 Gent. I do extend him, sir, within himself; 2 You speak him far, i. e. praise him extensively. Extend him here means 66 display him," "develope his good qualities." The word occurs again in the same sense in the fifth scene of this act. A passage in Troilus and Cressida, Act iii. Sc. 3, will serve to illustrate the meaning: : "No man is the lord of any thing, Till he communicate his parts to others: Till he behold them form'd in the applause Where they are extended." [i. e. displayed at length.] In Coriolanus, Act v. Scene 2, Menenius "notifies his friends with all the size that verity would without lapsing suffer." Crush him together, rather than unfold 2 Gent. What's his name, and birth? 1 Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: His father Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour3 Against the Romans, with Cassibelan ; But had his titles by Tenantius*, whom He serv'd with glory and admir'd success; So gain'd the sur-addition, Leonatus : And had, besides this gentleman in question, Two other sons, who, in the wars o' the time, Died with their swords in hand; for which their father (Then old and fond of issue) took such sorrow, That he quit being; and his gentle lady, Big of this gentleman, our theme, deceas'd As he was born. The king, he takes the babe To his protection; calls him Posthumus Leonatus ; Breeds him, and makes him of his bedchamber : Puts to him all the learnings that his time Could make him the receiver of; which he took, As we do air, fast as 'twas minister'd; and In's spring became a harvest: Liv'd in court (Which rare it is to do) most prais'd, most lov'd5: A sample to the youngest; to the more mature A glass that feated them; and to the graver, A child that guided dotards: To his mistress7, 3 "I do not," says Steevens, "understand what can be meant by joining his honour against, &c. with, &c.' perhaps Shakespeare wrote:'Did join his banner.' In the last scene of the play Cymbeline proposes that 'a Roman and a British ensign should wave together."" 4 The father of Cymbeline. 5 "This encomium," says Johnson," is highly artful. To be at once in any great degree loved and praised is truly rare." 6 Feated is shaped, fashioned. "I am well feted or shapen of my lymmes; Je suis bien aligné." Palsgrave. And in Horman's Vulgaria, 1519:-" He would see himselfe in a glasse, that all things were feet." Feate, is well fashioned, proper, trim, handsome, well compact, concinnus. 7 To his mistress means as to his mistress. For whom he now is banish'd,-her own price What kind of man he is. 2 Gent. Even out of your report. I honour him But, 'pray you, tell me, Is she sole child to the king? 1 Gent. His only child. He had two sons (if this be worth your hearing, Mark it), the eld'st of them at three years old, I' the swathing clothes the other, from their nursery Were stolen and to this hour, no guess in knowledge Which way they went. 2 Gent. How long is this ago? 1 Gent. Some twenty years. 2 Gent. That a king's children should be so con vey'd ! So slackly guarded! And the search so slow, 1 Gent. Howsoe'er 'tis strange, Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at, 2 Gent. I do well believe you. 1 Gent. We must forbear: Here comes the gentle man, The queen, and princess. SCENE II. The same. [Exeunt. Enter the Queen, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN. Queen. No, be assur'd, you shall not find me, daughter, After the slander of most step-mothers, Evil-eyed unto you: you are my prisoner, but |