Enter Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten, Lucius, Lords, ⌜and
Attendants.⌝CYMBELINE Thus far, and so farewell.LUCIUS Thanks, royal sir. My emperor hath wrote I must from hence, And am right sorry that I must report you5 My master’s enemy.CYMBELINE Our subjects, sir, Will not endure his yoke, and for ourself To show less sovereignty than they must needs Appear unkinglike.LUCIUS 10 So, sir. I desire of you A conduct overland to Milford Haven.— Madam, all joy befall your Grace—and you.CYMBELINE, ⌜to Lords⌝ My lords, you are appointed for that office. The due of honor in no point omit.—15 So, farewell, noble Lucius.LUCIUS, ⌜to Cloten⌝ Your hand, my lord.CLOTEN Receive it friendly, but from this time forth I wear it as your enemy.LUCIUS Sir, the event20 Is yet to name the winner. Fare you well.
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CYMBELINE Leave not the worthy Lucius, good my lords, Till he have crossed the Severn. Happiness!Exit Lucius ⌜and Lords.⌝QUEEN He goes hence frowning, but it honors us That we have given him cause.CLOTEN 25 ’Tis all the better. Your valiant Britons have their wishes in it.CYMBELINE Lucius hath wrote already to the Emperor How it goes here. It fits us therefore ripely Our chariots and our horsemen be in readiness.30 The powers that he already hath in Gallia Will soon be drawn to head, from whence he moves His war for Britain.QUEEN ’Tis not sleepy business, But must be looked to speedily and strongly.CYMBELINE 35 Our expectation that it would be thus Hath made us forward. But, my gentle queen, Where is our daughter? She hath not appeared Before the Roman, nor to us hath tendered The duty of the day. She ⌜looks⌝ us like40 A thing more made of malice than of duty. We have noted it.—Call her before us, for We have been too slight in sufferance.⌜An Attendant exits.⌝QUEEN Royal sir, Since the exile of Posthumus, most retired45 Hath her life been, the cure whereof, my lord, ’Tis time must do. Beseech your Majesty, Forbear sharp speeches to her. She’s a lady So tender of rebukes that words are ⌜strokes⌝ And strokes death to her.Enter ⌜Attendant.⌝
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CYMBELINE 50 Where is she, sir? How Can her contempt be answered?⌜ATTENDANT⌝ Please you, sir, Her chambers are all locked, and there’s no answer That will be given to th’ ⌜loud’st⌝ noise we make.QUEEN 55 My lord, when last I went to visit her, She prayed me to excuse her keeping close; Whereto constrained by her infirmity, She should that duty leave unpaid to you Which daily she was bound to proffer. This60 She wished me to make known, but our great court Made me to blame in memory.CYMBELINE Her doors locked? Not seen of late? Grant, heavens, that which I Fear prove false!He exits ⌜with Attendant.⌝QUEEN 65 Son, I say, follow the King.CLOTEN That man of hers, Pisanio, her old servant I have not seen these two days.QUEEN Go, look after.⌜Cloten⌝ exits. ⌜Aside.⌝ Pisanio, thou that stand’st so for Posthumus—70 He hath a drug of mine. I pray his absence Proceed by swallowing that, for he believes It is a thing most precious. But for her, Where is she gone? Haply despair hath seized her, Or, winged with fervor of her love, she’s flown75 To her desired Posthumus. Gone she is To death or to dishonor, and my end Can make good use of either. She being down, I have the placing of the British crown.Enter Cloten. How now, my son?CLOTEN 80 ’Tis certain she is fled.
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Go in and cheer the King. He rages; none Dare come about him.QUEEN, ⌜aside⌝ All the better. May This night forestall him of the coming day!Queen exits, ⌜with Attendants.⌝CLOTEN 85 I love and hate her, for she’s fair and royal, And that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite Than lady, ladies, woman. From every one The best she hath, and she, of all compounded, Outsells them all. I love her therefore, but90 Disdaining me and throwing favors on The low Posthumus slanders so her judgment That what’s else rare is choked. And in that point I will conclude to hate her, nay, indeed, To be revenged upon her. For, when fools95 Shall—Enter Pisanio. Who is here? What, are you packing, sirrah? Come hither. Ah, you precious pander! Villain, Where is thy lady? In a word, or else Thou art straightway with the fiends.⌜He draws his sword.⌝PISANIO 100 O, good my lord—CLOTEN Where is thy lady? Or, by Jupiter— I will not ask again. Close villain, I’ll have this secret from thy heart or rip Thy heart to find it. Is she with Posthumus,105 From whose so many weights of baseness cannot A dram of worth be drawn?PISANIO Alas, my lord, How can she be with him? When was she missed? He is in Rome.CLOTEN 110 Where is she, sir? Come nearer.
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No farther halting. Satisfy me home What is become of her.PISANIO O, my all-worthy lord!CLOTEN All-worthy villain!115 Discover where thy mistress is at once, At the next word. No more of “worthy lord”! Speak, or thy silence on the instant is Thy condemnation and thy death.PISANIO Then, sir,120 This paper is the history of my knowledge Touching her flight.⌜He gives Cloten a paper.⌝CLOTEN Let’s see ’t. I will pursue her Even to Augustus’ throne.PISANIO, ⌜aside⌝ Or this or perish.125 She’s far enough, and what he learns by this May prove his travail, not her danger.CLOTEN Humh!PISANIO, ⌜aside⌝ I’ll write to my lord she’s dead. O Imogen, Safe mayst thou wander, safe return again!CLOTEN 130Sirrah, is this letter true?PISANIO Sir, as I think.CLOTEN It is Posthumus’ hand, I know ’t. Sirrah, if thou wouldst not be a villain, but do me true service, undergo those employments wherein I should135 have cause to use thee with a serious industry— that is, what villainy soe’er I bid thee do to perform it directly and truly—I would think thee an honest man. Thou shouldst neither want my means for thy relief nor my voice for thy preferment.PISANIO 140Well, my good lord.CLOTEN Wilt thou serve me? For since patiently and constantly thou hast stuck to the bare fortune of that beggar Posthumus, thou canst not in the course of gratitude but be a diligent follower of145 mine. Wilt thou serve me?
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PISANIO Sir, I will.CLOTEN Give me thy hand. Here’s my purse. ⌜Gives
him money.⌝ Hast any of thy late master’s garments in thy possession?PISANIO 150I have, my lord, at my lodging the same suit he wore when he took leave of my lady and mistress.CLOTEN The first service thou dost me, fetch that suit hither. Let it be thy first service. Go.PISANIO I shall, my lord.He exits.CLOTEN 155Meet thee at Milford Haven!—I forgot to ask him one thing; I’ll remember ’t anon. Even there, thou villain Posthumus, will I kill thee. I would these garments were come. She said upon a time— the bitterness of it I now belch from my heart—160 that she held the very garment of Posthumus in more respect than my noble and natural person, together with the adornment of my qualities. With that suit upon my back will I ravish her. First, kill him, and in her eyes. There shall she see my valor,165 which will then be a torment to her contempt. He on the ground, my speech of insultment ended on his dead body, and when my lust hath dined—which, as I say, to vex her I will execute in the clothes that she so praised—to the court170 I’ll knock her back, foot her home again. She hath despised me rejoicingly, and I’ll be merry in my revenge.Enter Pisanio ⌜with the clothes.⌝ Be those the garments?PISANIO Ay, my noble lord.CLOTEN 175How long is ’t since she went to Milford Haven?PISANIO She can scarce be there yet.CLOTEN Bring this apparel to my chamber; that is the second thing that I have commanded thee. The third is that thou wilt be a voluntary mute to my
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180 design. Be but duteous, and true preferment shall tender itself to thee. My revenge is now at Milford. Would I had wings to follow it! Come, and be true.He exits.PISANIO Thou bidd’st me to my loss, for true to thee Were to prove false, which I will never be,185 To him that is most true. To Milford go, And find not her whom thou pursuest. Flow, flow, You heavenly blessings, on her. This fool’s speed Be crossed with slowness. Labor be his meed.He exits.
Cymbeline
