But Imogen is your own: Do your best wills, Against my lady's kingdom: 'Tis enough Myself I'll dedicate. Let me make men know SCENE II. The same. Enter at one side, LUCIUS, IACHIMO, and the Roman Army; at the other side, the British Army; LEONATUS POSTHUMUS following it, like a poor Soldier. They march over, and go out. Alarums. Then enter again in skirmish, IACHIMO and POSTHUMUS: he vanquisheth and disarmeth IACHIMO, and then leaves him. bosom Iach. The heaviness and guilt within my Takes off my manhood: I have belied a lady, The princess of this country, and the air on't Revengingly enfeebles me; Or could this carl1, 1 Carl or churl (ceonl, Sax.), is a clown or countryman, and is used by our old writers in opposition to a gentleman. Palsgrave, in his Eclaircissement de la Langue Françoise, 1530, explains the words carle, chorle, churle, by vilain, vilain lourdier; and A very drudge of nature's, have subdu`d me, 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. LUCIUS, IACHIMO, and IMOGEN. Then, enter 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? Post. Though you, it seems, come from the fliers. I did: churlyshnesse by vilainie, rusticité. The thought seems to have been imitated in Philaster : : The gods take part against me; could this boor Lord. I did. Post. No blame be to you, sir; for all was lost, But that the heavens fought: The king himself Of his wings destitute', the army broken, And but the backs of Britons seen, all flying Through a strait lane; the enemy full-hearted, Lolling the tongue with slaughtering, having work More plentiful than tools to do't, struck down Some mortally, some slightly touch'd, some falling Merely through fear; that the strait damm'd pass was With dead men, hurt behind, and cowards living To die with lengthen'd shame. 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, 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. 2 A country game called prison bars, vulgarly prison-base. See vol. i. p. 108, note 9. 3 Shame for modesty, or shamefacedness. But to look back in frown: stand, stand.-These three, The rest do nothing), with this word, stand, stand, Part, shame, part, spirit renew'd; that some, turn'd coward But by example (O, a sin in war, Damn'd in the first beginners!) 'gan to look A rout, confusion thick: Forthwith they fly 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, 4i. e. terrors, bugbears. See King Henry VI. Part III. Act v. Sc. 2, p. 371: 'For Warwick was a bug that fear'd us all.' sir. 'Lack, to what end? Lord. Nay, be not angry, Post. 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. Farewell, you are angry. [Exit. Post. Still going?-This is a lord! O noble misery! To be i'the field, and ask, what news, of me! For being now a favourer to the Roman, Once touch my shoulder. Great the slaughter is 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. 5 Alluding to the common superstition of charms being powerful enough to keep men unhurt in battle. See vol. iv. p. 322, note 6. 6 i. e. retaliation. As in a former scene, p. 115, line 1 : That which we've done, whose answer would be death.' |