Enter in state Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten, and Lords at
one door, and, at another, 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 Britain5 And conquered it, Cassibelan, thine uncle, Famous in Caesar’s praises no whit less Than in his feats deserving it, for him And his succession granted Rome a tribute, Yearly three thousand pounds, which by thee lately10 Is left untendered.QUEEN And, to kill the marvel, Shall be so ever.CLOTEN There be many Caesars Ere such another Julius. Britain’s a world15 By itself, and we will nothing pay For wearing our own noses.QUEEN That opportunity Which then they had to take from ’s, to resume We have again.—Remember, sir, my liege,20 The Kings your ancestors, together with The natural bravery of your isle, which stands
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As Neptune’s park, ribbed and palèd in With ⌜rocks⌝ unscalable and roaring waters, With sands that will not bear your enemies’ boats25 But suck them up to th’ 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,30 Poor ignorant baubles, on our terrible seas Like eggshells moved upon their surges, cracked As easily ’gainst our rocks. For joy whereof The famed Cassibelan, who was once at point— O, giglet Fortune!—to master Caesar’s sword,35 Made Lud’s Town with rejoicing fires bright And Britons strut with courage.CLOTEN Come, there’s no more tribute to be paid. Our kingdom is stronger than it was at that time, and, as I said, there is no more such Caesars. Other of40 them may have crooked noses, but to owe such straight arms, none.CYMBELINE Son, let your mother end.CLOTEN We have yet many among us can grip as hard as Cassibelan. I do not say I am one, but I have a45 hand. Why tribute? Why should we pay tribute? If Caesar can hide the sun from us with a blanket or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, sir, no more tribute, pray you now.CYMBELINE, ⌜to Lucius⌝ You must know,50 Till the injurious Romans did extort This tribute from us, we were free. Caesar’s ambition, Which swelled so much that it did almost stretch The sides o’ th’ world, against all color here Did put the yoke upon ’s, which to shake off55 Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon Ourselves to be. We do say, then, to Caesar, Our ancestor was that Mulmutius which
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Ordained our laws, whose use the sword of Caesar Hath too much mangled, whose repair and franchise60 Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed, Though Rome be therefore angry. Mulmutius made our laws, Who was the first of Britain which did put His brows within a golden crown and called65 Himself a king.LUCIUS I am sorry, Cymbeline, That I am to pronounce Augustus Caesar— Caesar, that hath more kings his servants than Thyself domestic officers—thine enemy.70 Receive it from me, then: war and confusion In Caesar’s name pronounce I ’gainst thee. Look For fury not to be resisted. Thus defied, I thank thee for myself.CYMBELINE Thou art welcome, Caius.75 Thy Caesar knighted me; my youth I spent Much under him. Of him I gathered honor, Which he to seek of me again perforce Behooves me keep at utterance. I am perfect That the Pannonians and Dalmatians for80 Their liberties are now in arms, a precedent Which not to read would show the Britons cold. So Caesar shall not find them.LUCIUS Let proof speak.CLOTEN His Majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime85 with us a day or two, or longer. If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in our saltwater girdle; if you beat us out of it, it is yours. If you fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you, and there’s an end.LUCIUS 90So, sir.CYMBELINE I know your master’s pleasure, and he mine. All the remain is welcome.They exit.