You heavenly blessings, on her! This fool's speed
Be cross'd with slowness: labour be his meed! [Exit.

SCENE VI.

Before the Cave of BELARIUS.

Enter IMOGEN, in Boy's Clothes.

Imo. I see, a man's life is a tedious one:
I have tir'd myself, and for two nights together
Have made the ground my bed: I should be sick,
But that my resolution helps me.-Milford,
When from the mountain-top Pisanio show'd thee,
Thou wast within a ken. O Jove! I think,
Foundations fly the wretched; such, I mean,
Where they should be reliev'd. Two beggars told me,
I could not miss my way: will poor folks lie,
That have afflictions on them, knowing 'tis
A punishment, or trial? Yes; no wonder,
When rich ones scarce tell true: to lapse in fulness
Is sorer, than to lie for need; and falsehood

Is worse in kings, than beggars.-My dear lord!
Thou art one o' the false ones: now I think on thee,
My hunger's gone; but even before, I was
At point to sink for food.-But what is this?
Here is a path to it: 'tis some savage hold:
I were best not call; I dare not call; yet famine,
Ere clean it o'erthrow nature, makes it valiant.
Plenty, and peace, breeds cowards; hardness ever
Of hardiness is mother.-Ho! Who's here?
If any thing that's civil, speak; if savage,
Take, or lend.-Ho!-No answer? then, I'll enter.
Best draw my sword; and if mine enemy

But fear the sword like me, he'll scarcely look on't.
Such a foe, good heavens!
[She enters the Cave.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

Bel. You, Polydore, have prov'd best woodman, and Are master of the feast: Cadwal, and I,

Will play the cook and servant; 'tis our match:

The sweat of industry would dry, and die,

But for the end it works to. Come; our stomachs
Will make what's homely, savoury: weariness

Can snore upon the flint, when resty sloth

Finds the down pillow hard.-Now, peace be here,
Poor house, that keep'st thyself!

Gui.
I am thoroughly weary.
Arv. I am weak with toil, yet strong in appetite.
Gui. There is cold meat i' the cave: we'll browze on

that,

Whilst what we have kill'd be cook'd.

Bel.

Stay come not in. [Looking in.

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

I have stolen nought; nor would not, though I had

found

Gold strew'd i' the floor. Here's money for my meat:

5 Gold strewed i' the floor.] O' the floor, or on the floor, as we should now say another instance of licence in the use of prepositions in the time of Shakespeare. To alter it to "o' the floor," with Sir T. Hanmer, is to sacrifice the characteristic language of our poet and his contemporaries. Farther on we have "fallen in this offence," for "fallen into this offence," and there is as much reason for amending the one as the other.

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.

I see, you are angry.

Know, if you kill me for my fault, I should
Have died, had I not made it.

Bel.

Imo. To Milford-Haven.

Bel. What's your name?

Whither bound?

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.

Pr'ythee, fair youth,

Bel.
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 do 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 is yours.-Most welcome.
Be sprightly, for you fall 'mongst friends.

Imo.

'Mongst friends! If brothers?[Aside.] Would it had been so, that

they

Had been my father's sons: then, had my prize
Been less; and so more equal ballasting

To thee, Posthumus.

Bel.

He wrings at some distress.

Gui. Would I could free't!

Arv.

Or I; whate'er it be,

What pain it cost, what danger. Gods!

Bel.

Imo. Great men,

Hark, boys. [Whispering.

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 multitudes")

Could not out-peer these twain. Pardon me, gods!
I'd change my sex to be companion with them,
Since Leonatus false".

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,

6 That nothing gift of DIFFERING multitudes] Some dispute has arisen respecting the word "differing" in this line, but no commentator has taken what appears to be the plain sense of the author: "differing multitudes" does not mean "deferring multitudes," with Theobald, Hanmer, and Warburton ; nor many-headed, with Johnson; nor unsteady, with Monck Mason and Steevens; but merely, as it seems to us, differing in respect of rank from the persons upon whom the multitudes bestow the "nothing gift" of reputation. The poet is contrasting, in a manner, the givers with the person to whom the gift is made. 7 Since Leonatus false.] i. e. Since Leonatus is false; an unusual but not an unprecedented form of expression.

VOL. VIII.

P

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
Full weak to undertake our wars against
The fallen-off Britons, that we do incite
The gentry to this business. He creates
Lucius pro-consul; and to you, the tribunes,
For this immediate levy he commands
His absolute commission. Long live Cæsar!
Tri. Is Lucius general of the forces?
2 Sen.

Tri. Remaining now in Gallia?

1 Sen.

Ay.

With those legions

Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy

Must be suppliant: the words of your commission
Will tie you to the numbers, and the time
Of their despatch.

Tri.

We will discharge our duty.

[Exeunt.

$ 'Gainst the Pannonians and Dalmatians ;] The revolt of the Pannonians and Dalmatians has been already mentioned, in Act iii. sc. 1. Malone correctly observes, that this event occurred, not in the reign of Cymbeline, but in that of his father, Tenantius, whose name was introduced in the beginning of this play. Tenantius was nephew to Cassibelan. These were niceties of history, to which Shakespeare did not think it necessary to attend: he adapted history to his drama, not his drama to history.