But that it eats our victuals, I should think Here were a fairy. Gui. What's the matter, sir? Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly paragon!-Behold divineness. No elder than a boy! Enter IMOGEN. Imo. Good masters, harm me not: Before I enter'd here, I call'd: and thought To have begg'd, or bought, what I have took: Good troth, I have stolen nought; nor would not, though I had found Gold strew'd i'the floor. Here's money for my meat: I would have left it on the board, so soon As I had made my meal; and parted With prayers for the provider. Gui. Money, youth? Arv. All gold and silver rather turn to dirt! As 'tis no better reckon'd, but of those Who worship dirty gods. Imo. Fidele, sir: I have a kinsman, who Is bound for Italy; he embark'd at Milford; To whom being going, almost spent with hunger, I am fallen in this offence. 8 7 Hanmer altered this to 'o'the floor,' but unnecessarily, in was frequently used for on in Shakspeare's time, as in the Lord's Prayer, Thy will be done in earth,' kaì EIII rŋS YNS.. 8 In for into, as in Othello: Fallen in the practice of a cursed slave.' Bel. Pr'ythee, fair youth, Think us no churls; nor measure our good minds By this rude place we live in. Well encounter'd! 'Tis almost night: you shall have better cheer Ere you depart; and thanks, to stay and eat it.Boys, bid him welcome. Gui. Were you a woman, youth, I should woo hard, but be your groom.-In honesty, I bid for you, as I'd buy. Arv. I'll make't my comfort, He is a man; I'll love him as my brother:And such a welcome as I'd give to him, After long absence, such as yours:-Most welcome! Be sprightly, for you fall 'mongst friends. Imo. 'Mongst friends, If brothers?-'Would, it had been so, that they Had been my father's sons! then had my prize 9 Been less; and so more equal ballasting Bel. Aside. He wrings 10 at some distress. Or I; whate'er it be, Gui. 'Would, I could free't! Arv. What pain it cost, what danger! Gods! Hark, boys. [Whispering. 9 I have elsewhere observed that prize, prise, and price were confounded, or used indiscriminately by our ancestors. Indeed it is not now uncommon at this day, as Malone observes, to hear persons above the vulgar confound the words, and talk of highpriz'd and low-priz'd goods. Prize here is evidently used for value, estimation. The reader who wishes to see how the words were formerly confounded may consult Baret's Alvearie, in v. price. 10 To wring is to writhe. So in Much Ado about Nothing, Act v. Sc. 1, p. 195: To those that wring under the load of sorrow.' Imo. Great men, That had a court no bigger than this cave, That did attend themselves, and had the virtue Which their own conscience seal'd them (laying by That nothing gift of differing 11 multitudes), Could not out-peer these twain. Pardon me, gods! I'd change my sex to be companion with them, Since Leonatus false 12. Bel. It shall be so: Boys, we'll go dress our hunt.-Fair youth, come in: Discourse is heavy, fasting; when we have supp'd, We'll mannerly demand thee of thy story, So far as thou wilt speak it. Gui. Pray draw near. Arv. The night to the owl, and morn to the lark, less welcome. Imo. Thanks, sir. Arv. I pray, draw near. [Exeunt. SCENE VII. Rome. Enter Two Senators and Tribunes. 1 Sen. This is the tenour of the emperor's writ; That since the common men are now in action 'Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians; And that the legions now in Gallia are 11 Differing multitudes are varying or wavering multitudes: So in the Induction to the Second Part of King Henry VI.:'The still discordant wavering multitude.' 12 Malone says, 'As Shakspeare has used in other places Menelaus' tent, and thy mistress' ear for Menelauses tent,' and thy mistresses ear;' it is probable that he used since Leonatus' false' for 'since Leonatus is false.' Steevens doubts this, and says that the poet may have written 'Since Leonate is false,' as he calls Enobarbus, Enobarbe; and Prospero, Prosper, in other places. The gentry to this business: He creates His absolute commission 13. Long live Cæsar! Tri. Remaining now in Gallia ? 1 Sen. Ay. With those legions Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy Of their despatch. Tri. 1 ACT IV. SCENE I. The Forest, near the Cave. Enter CLOTEN. Clo. I am near to the place where they should meet, if Pisanio have mapped it truly. How fit his garments serve me! Why should his mistress, who was made by him that made the tailor, not be fit too? the rather (saving reverence of the word) for 'tis said, a woman's fitness comes by fits. Therein I must play the workman. I dare speak it to myself (for it is not vain-glory, for a man and his glass to confer; in his own chamber, I mean), the lines of my body are as well drawn as his; no less young, more strong, not beneath him in fortunes, beyond him in the advantage of the time, 13 He commands the commission to be given you. So, we say, I ordered the materials to the workmen. 1 i. e. cause. See vol. iii. p. 284, note 4. above him in birth, alike conversant in general services, and more remarkable in single oppositions 2: yet this imperseverant thing loves him in my despite. What mortality is! Posthumus, thy head, which now is growing upon thy shoulders, shall within this hour be off; thy mistress enforced; thy garments cut to pieces before thy face3: and all this done, spurn her home to her father: who may, haply, be a little angry for my so rough usage: but my mother, having power of his testiness, shall turn all into my commendations. My horse is tied up safe: Out, sword, and to a sore purpose! Fortune, put them into my hand! This is the very description of their meeting-place; and the fellow dares not deceive me. [Exit. SCENE II. Before the Cave. Enter, from the Cave, BELARIUS, Guiderius, ARVIRAGUS, and IMOGEN. Bel. You are not well [To IMOGEN]: remain here in the cave: We'll come to you after hunting. Arv. Are we not brothers? Brother, stay here: [To IMOGEN. 2 In single combat.' So in King Henry IV. Part 1. Act i. Sc. 3: In single opposition, hand to hand, He did confound the best part of an hour In changing hardiment with great Glendower.' An opposite, in the language of Shakspeare's age, was the common phrase for an antagonist. See vol. i. p. 365; vol. ii. p. 65, Imperseverant probably means no more than perseverant, like imbosomed, impassioned, immasked. 3 Warburton thought we should read, 'before her face.' Malone says, that Shakspeare may have intentionally given this absurd and brutal language to Cloten. The Clown in The Winter's Tale says, 'If thou❜lt see a thing to talk of after thou art dead.' |