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Of eyes again so royal! -Your crown's awry;
I'll mend it, and then play.

Enter the Guard, rushing in.

First Guard.
Char.

Where is the queen?

Speak softly, wake her not.

First Guard.
Char.

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Too slow a messenger. [Applies an asp.

O, come apace, dispatch: I partly feel thee.

First Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's beguil'd.

Sec. Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar; call him. First Guard. What work is here! - Charmian, is this well

done?

Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings.

Ah, soldier!

Dol. How goes it here?

Sec. Guard.

Dol.

[Dies.

Re-enter DOLABELLA.

All dead.

Cæsar, thy thoughts

Touch their effects in this: thyself art coming
To see perform'd the dreaded act which thou
So sought'st to hinder.

Within. A way there, a way for Cæsar!

Re-enter CESAR and his Train.

Dol. O sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear is done.

Cæs.

Brav'st at the last,

She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal,

Took her own way.

The manner of their deaths?

I do not see them bleed.

Dol.

Who was last with them?

First Guard. A simple countryman, that brought her figs:

This was his basket.

Cæs.

Poison'd, then.

O Cæsar,

First Guard.

This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood and spake:
I found her trimming up the diadem

On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood,
And on the sudden dropp'd.

O noble weakness!

Cæs.
If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear
By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,
As she would catch another Antony

In her strong toil of grace.

Dol.

Here, on her breast,

There is a vent of blood, and something blown:

The like is on her arm.

First Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves Have slime upon them, such as th' aspic leaves

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That so she died; for her physician tells me
She hath pursu'd conclusions infinite

Of easy ways to die.

Take up her bed;

And bear her women from the monument:

She shall be buried by her Antony:

No grave upon the earth shall clip in it

A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them; and their story is
No less in pity than his glory which

Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall
In solemn show attend this funeral;
And then to Rome. Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

[Exeunt.

CYMBELIN E.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

CYMBELINE, king of Britain.
CLOTEN, Son to the Queen by a

former husband.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, a gentle-
man, husband to Imogen.
BELARIUS, a banished lord, dis-

A French Gentleman, friend to
Philario.

CAIUS LUCIUS, general of the
Roman forces.

A Roman Captain.
Two British Captains.

guised nder the name of PISANIO, servant to Posthumus.

Morgan.

GUIDERIUS,

ARVIRAGUS,

CORNELIUS, a physician.

sons to Cymbeline, Two Lords of Cymbeline's court. disguised under the Two Gentlemen of the same.

names of Polydore
and Cadwal, sup-
posed sons of Be-
larius.

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Two Gaolers.

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Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, a Soothsayer, a Dutch Gentleman, a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants.

SCENE

Apparitions.

sometimes in Britain, sometimes in Italy.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Britain. The garden of CYMBELINE's palace.

Enter two Gentlemen.

First Gent. You do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods

No more obey the heavens than our courtiers

Still seem as does the king.

Sec. Gent.

But what's the matter?

First Gent. His daughter, and the heir of 's kingdom, whom He purpos'd to his wife's sole son

a widow

That late he married - hath referr'd herself

Unto a poor but worthy gentleman: she's wedded;
Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all

Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the king
Be touch'd at very heart.

Sec. Gent.

None but the king?

First Gent. He that hath lost her too: so is the queen,
That most desir'd the match: but not a courtier,
Although they wear their faces to the bent

Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not
Glad at the thing they scowl at.

Sec. Gent.

And why so?

First Gent. He that hath miss'd the princess is a thing Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her I mean, that married her, alack, good man! And therefore banish'd — is a creature such As, to seek through the regions of the earth For one his like, there would be something failing In him that should compare: - I do not think So fair an outward, and such stuff within, Endows a man but he.

Sec. Gent.

You speak him far.

First Gent. I do extend him, sir, within himself; Crush him together, rather than unfold

His measure duly.

Sec. Gent.

What's his name and birth?

First Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: his father

Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour,

Against the Romans, with Cassibelan;
But had his titles by Tenantius, whom
He serv'd with glory and admir'd success,
So gain'd the sur-addition Leonatus:
And had, besides this gentleman in question,
Two other sons, who, in the wars o' the time,

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