A Roman train: and you must hold me sure too; You'll spoil all else. When I have brought it, uncle, We'll be as merry- Go i' the name of heaven, boy! [He lets Hengo down by his belt. Hengo. Quick, quick, uncle! I have it. [Judas shoots Hengo with an arrow.] Oh! Caratach. What ailest thou ? Hengo. O my best uncle, I am slain! 45 Caratach [marking Judas]. I see you, and heaven direct my hand! destruction Go with thy coward soul ! [He kills Judas with a stone, and then draws up Hengo. Macer runs away.] How dost thou, boy? O villain, cursèd villain ! Hengo. O uncle, uncle, Oh, how it pricks me!-am I preserved for this ? Extremely pricks me ! Caratach. Dogs eat thy flesh ! Hengo. Oh, I bleed hard! I faint too; out upon 't, How sick I am! The lean rogue, uncle ! Caratach. I have laid him sure enough. Hengo. Look, boy; Have ye knocked his brains out ? Caratach. I warrant thee, for stirring more : cheer up, child. Hengo. Hold my sides hard; stop, stop; oh, wretched fortune, 55 Must we part thus ? Still I grow sicker, uncle. Hengo. You draw away my soul then. I would live A little longer-spare me, heavens !-but only Caratach. O my chicken, My dear boy, what shall I lose! 65 Hengo. Pray for me; 75 Caratach. Mercy ! And, noble uncle, when my bones are ashes, Think of your little nephew. Mercy! You blessed angels, take him ! Farewell, farewell. Kiss me: so. [Caratach kisses him. [He dies. Farewell the hopes of Britain! Thou royal graft, farewell for ever! Time and Death, Ye have done your worst. Fortune, now see, now proudly 80 Pluck off thy veil, and view thy triumph! look What thou hast brought this land to! O fair flower, How lovely yet thy ruins show, how sweetly 85 [Petilius and Junius by this time have climbed the rock behind him. Ha! dare ye, Romans? Ye shall win me bravely. Thou art mine! [He strikes Junius down.] 'em Enter below Suetonius, Demetrius, Decius, Curius, Regulus, Drusus, and Soldiers. Suetonius. Yield thee, bold Caratach. By all the gods, As I am soldier, as I envy thee, I'll use thee like thyself, the valiant Briton. 90 Petilius. Brave soldier, yield, thou stock of arms and honour, Thou filler of the world with fame and glory! Junius. Most worthy man, we'll woo thee, be thy prisoners. 95 Suetonius. Excellent Briton, do me but that honour, That more to me than conquests, that true happiness, To be my friend ! Caratach [pointing to Hengo's body]. O Romans, see what here is ! Had this boy lived Suetonius. For fame's sake, for thy sword's sake, As thou desir'st to make thy virtues greater ! 100 Caratach. I do believe. Ye have had me a brave foe; Make me a noble friend, and from your goodness Suetonius. He shall have fitting funeral. I yield then- 105 Not to your blows, but your brave courtesies. [He comes down with Petilius and Junius. Soldiers climb up and take Hengo's body. Petilius. Thus we conduct then to the arms of peace The wonder of the world. Thus I embrace thee, [The trumpets sound a flourish. And let it be no flattery that I tell thee, Thou art the only soldier. Caratach. How to thank ye, IIO I must hereafter find upon your usage. Suetonius. March on, and through the camp, in every tongue, The virtues of great Caratach be sung! [Exeunt, marching. II. A KING'S DEFIANCE BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Cymbeline, King of Britain, summoned to pay tribute to Rome, refuses. Old legends say this of more than one British king. Tennyson, in the 'Idylls of the King', tells it of King Arthur. Enter, at one door, Cymbeline in royal state, attended by his Queen, Prince Cloten, and Lords ; and at another, the Roman Ambassador, Caius Lucius, and Attendants. Cymbeline. Now say, what would Augustus Caesar with us ? Lucius. When Julius Caesar (whose remembrance yet Lives in men's eyes, and will to ears and tongues Be theme and hearing ever) was in this Britain And conquered it, Cassibelan, thine uncle (Famous in Caesar's praises no whit less Than in his feats deserving it) for him 5 And his succession granted Rome a tribute, Is left untendered. A world by itself. 15 Queen [to Cymbeline]. Remember, sir my liege, The kings your ancestors, together with The natural bravery of your isle, which stands As Neptune's park, ribbed and palèd in With rocks unscaleable and roaring waters, With sands that will not bear your enemies' boats, But suck them up to the topmast. A kind of conquest Caesar made here; but made not here his brag Of 'Came, and saw, and overcame': with shame (The first that ever touched him) he was carried From off our coast, twice beaten; and his shipping (Poor ignorant baubles !) on our terrible seas, D2 20 i Made Lud's town with rejoicing fires bright, Cymbeline [to Lucius]. You must know, 30 Till the injurious Romans did extort Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon Ourselves to be. Cloten and Lords. We do. Cymbeline. Say then to Caesar, 35 Our ancestor was that Mulmutius which laws, Who was the first of Britain which did put Himself a king. Lucius. I am sorry, Cymbeline, That I am to pronounce Augustus Caesar Receive it from me, then :- War and confusion, I thank thee for myself. Cymbeline. 40 45 50 Thou art welcome, Caius. Thy Caesar knighted me; my youth I spent Lucius. Let proof speak. 55 Cloten. His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a day or two, or longer: if you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in our salt-water |