There vanish'd in the sunbeams; which portends -
Unless my sins abuse my divination ·

Success to th' Roman host.

Luc.

Dream often so,

And never false ! - Soft, ho! what trunk is here
Without his top? The ruin speaks that sometime
It was a worthy building. How! a page!

Or dead, or sleeping on him? But dead, rather;
For nature doth abhor to make his bed

With the defunct, or sleep upon the dead.

Let's see the boy's face.

Cap.

He's alive, my lord.

Luc. He'll, then, instruct us of this body. - Young one,

Inform us of thy fortunes; for it seems

They crave to be demanded. Who is this

Thou makest thy bloody pillow? Or who was he

That, otherwise than noble Nature

Hath alter'd that good picture ?40

did,

What's thy interest
In this sad wreck? How came it? Who is it?
What art thou?

Imo.

I am nothing; or, if not,

Nothing to be were better. This was my master,
A very valiant Briton and a good,

That here by mountaineers lies slain. Alas!
There is no more such masters: I may wander
From East to Occident, cry out for service,
Try many, and all good, serve truly, never
Find such another master.

as an epithet of south. I suppose it is because, in England, winds from the South are apt to be charged with moisture, and to bring fogs or rains, as if they had sponged up a good deal of water. So, in The Tempest, iv. 1, we have "spongy April." "Foggy south," and "dew-dropping south" also occur. 40 Who has altered this picture, so as to make it other than Nature did it?

Luc.

'Lack, good youth!

Thou movest no less with thy complaining than

Thy master in bleeding: say his name, good friend.

Imo. Richard du Champ. — [Aside.] If I do lie, and do No harm by it, though the gods hear, I hope

They'll pardon it. Say you, sir?

Luc.

Imo.

Thy name?

Fidele, sir.

Luc. Thou dost approve thyself the very same :
Thy name well fits thy faith, thy faith thy name.
Wilt take thy chance with me? I will not say
Thou shalt be so well master'd; but, be sure,
No less beloved. The Roman Emperor's letters,
Sent by a Consul to me, should not sooner

Than thine own worth prefer thee: 41 go with me.
Imo. I'll follow, sir. But first, an't please the gods,
I'll hide my master from the flies, as deep

As these poor pickaxes 42 can dig and, when

With wild wood-leaves and weeds I've strew'd his grave,
And on it said a century
43 of prayers,

Such as I can, twice o'er, I'll weep and sigh;

And, leaving so his service, follow you,

So please you entertain me.

Luc.

Ay, good youth;

My friends,

And rather father thee than master thee.
The boy hath taught us manly duties: let us
Find out the prettiest daisied plot we can,
And make him with our pikes and partisans
A grave: come, arm him.44.

Boy, he is preferr'd

41 Prefer was formerly used precisely as we use recommend.

42 "These poor pickaxes" are her hands.

48 A century is, properly, a hundred; here used for an indefinite number. 44 That is, "take him up in your arms." So in The Two Noble Kinsmen: "Arm your prize; I know you will not lose her." The prize is Emilia.

By thee to us; and he shall be interr'd

As soldiers can. Be cheerful; wipe thine eyes:
Some falls are means the happier to arise.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. The Same. A Room in CYMBELINE'S Palace.

Enter CYMBELINE, Lords, PISANIO, and Attendants.

Cym. Again; and bring me word how 'tis with her.
A fever with the absence of her son;
Madness, of which her life's in danger.

[Exit an Attendant.
Heavens,
Imogen,

-

How deeply you at once do touch me!
The great part of my comfort, gone; my Queen.
Upon a desperate bed, and in a time

When fearful wars point at me; her son gone,
So needful for this present: it strikes me, past

The hope of comfort. But for thee, thee, fellow,
Who needs must know of her departure, and
Dost seem so ignorant, we'll enforce it from thee
By a sharp torture.

I humbly set it at your will: but, for my mistress,
I nothing know where she remains, why gone,
Nor when she purposes return. Beseech your Highness,
Hold me your loyal servant.

Good my liege,

I Lord.
The day that she was missing he was here:
I dare be bound he's true, and shall1 perform
All parts of his subjection loyally. For Cloten,
There wants no diligence in seeking him,
And he'll, no doubt, be found.

Cym.

The time is troublesome.

1 Shall for will, as we have before had will for shall.

[TO PISANIO.] We'll slip you for a season; but our jealousy Does yet depend.2

I Lord.

So please your Majesty,

The Roman legions, all from Gallia drawn,

Are landed on your coast; with a supply
Of Roman gentlemen, by the Senate sent.

Cym. Now for the counsel of my son and Queen !

I am amazed with matter.3

I Lord.

Good my liege,

Your preparation can affront 4 no less

Than what you hear of: come more, for more you're ready : The want is, but to put those powers in motion

That long to move.

Cym.
I thank you.
And meet the time as it seeks us.
What can from Italy annoy us; but
We grieve at chances here. Away!

Let's withdraw ;
We fear not

[Exeunt all but PISANIO.

Pis. I've had no letter from my master since

I wrote him Imogen was slain: 'tis strange :
Nor hear I from my mistress, who did promise
To yield me often tidings; neither know I

What is betid to Cloten; but remain

Perplex'd in all. The Heavens still must work.
Wherein I'm false I'm honest; not true, to be true:
These present wars shall find I love my country,
Even to the note o' the King,5 or I'll fall in them.

2 Meaning, "My suspicion is still undetermined." In the same manner, we now say, "the cause is depending."

8 Amazed in its literal sense of perplexed or bewildered; in a maze. Often Matter is, here, variety of business.

SO.

4 To affront, as the word is here used, is to meet, encounter, or face. See vol. xiv. page 218, note 5.

5 Meaning, "So that even the King shall take notice of my valour."

All other doubts, by time let them be clear'd:
Fortune brings in some boats that are not steer'd.

[Exit.

SCENE IV. The Same. Wales: before the Cave of BELARIUS.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

Gui. The noise is round about us.

Bel.

Let us from it.

Arv. What pleasure, sir, find we in life, to lock1 it From action and adventure?

Gui.

Nay, what hope

Have we in hiding us? This way,2 the Romans

Must or for Britons slay us, or receive us

For barbarous and unnatural revolts 3

During their use, and slay us after.

Sons,

Bel.
We'll higher to the mountains; there secure us.
To the King's party there's no going: newness
Of Cloten's death

Among the bands

we being not known, not muster'd
may drive us to a render 4

Where we have lived; and so extort from's that

Which we have done, whose answer would be death
Drawn on with torture.

Gui.

This is, sir, a doubt 5

In such a time nothing becoming you,

Nor satisfying us.

1 To lock, for in locking, or by locking. See page 29, note 6.

2 We acting, or if we act, in this way.

3 Revolts for revolters, that is, rebels.

"

So in King John, v. 2: And you degenerate, you ingrate revolts." The Poet has many like forms of language." During their use" may mean, as long as they have any use for us"; or, perhaps, during their present armed occupancy.

4 A render, as the word is here used, is an account, or confession. 5 Doubt for fear; as we have before had the verb. See page 35, note 14.