Shakespeare''s Romances: All Four Plays, Bilingual edition (in English with line numbers and in French translation) (eBook)

SCENE III Another part of the field.

[Enter POSTHUMUS LEONATUS and a BRITISH LORD]

(1) LORD Camest thou from where they made the stand?

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS           I did.

 Though you, it seems, come from the fliers.

LORD           I did.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS 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 straight lane; the enemy full-hearted,

 Lolling the tongue with slaughtering, having work

 More plentiful than tools to do't, struck down

(10) Some mortally, some slightly touch'd, some falling

 Merely through fear; that the straight pass was damm'd

 With dead men hurt behind, and cowards living

 To die with lengthen'd shame.

LORD           Where was this lane?

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS Close by the battle, ditch'd, and wall'd with turf;

 Which gave advantage to an ancient soldier,

 An honest one, I warrant; who deserved

 So long a breeding as his white beard came to,

 In doing this for's country: athwart the lane,

 He, with two striplings-lads more like to run

(20) The country base than to commit such slaughter

 With faces fit for masks, or rather fairer

 Than those for preservation cased, or shame--

 Made good the passage; cried to those that fled,

 'Our Britain s harts die flying, not our men:

 To darkness fleet souls that fly backwards. Stand;

 Or we are Romans and will give you that

 Like beasts which you shun beastly, and may save,

 But to look back in frown: stand, stand.'

 These three,

 Three thousand confident, in act as many--

(30) For three performers are the file when all

 The rest do nothing--with this word 'Stand, stand,'

 Accommodated by the place, more charming

 With their own nobleness, which could have turn'd

 A distaff to a lance, gilded pale looks,

 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

 The way that they did, and to grin like lions

 Upon the pikes o' the hunters. Then began

(40) A stop i' the chaser, a retire, anon

 A rout, confusion thick; forthwith they fly

 Chickens, the way which they stoop'd eagles; slaves,

 The strides they victors made: and now our cowards,

 Like fragments in hard voyages, became

 The life o' the need: having found the backdoor open

 Of the unguarded hearts, heavens, how they wound!

 Some slain before; some dying; some their friends

 O'er borne i' the former wave: ten, chased by one,

 Are now each one the slaughter-man of twenty:

(50) Those that would die or ere resist are grown

 The mortal bugs o' the field.

LORD           This was strange chance

 A narrow lane, an old man, and two boys.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS 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,

 And vent it for a mockery? Here is one:

 'Two boys, an old man twice a boy, a lane,

 Preserved the Britons, was the Romans' bane.'

LORD Nay, be not angry, sir.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS           'Lack, to what end?

(60) 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.

 You have put me into rhyme.

LORD           Farewell; you're angry.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS Still going?

[Exit LORD]

 This is a lord! O noble misery,

 To be i' the field, and ask 'what news?' of me!

 To-day how many would have given their honours

 To have saved their carcasses! took heel to do't,

 And yet died too! I, in mine own woe charm'd,

 Could not find death where I did hear him groan,

(70) Nor feel him where he struck: being an ugly monster,

 'Tis strange he hides him in fresh cups, soft beds,

 Sweet words; or hath more ministers than we

 That draw his knives i' the war. Well, I will find him

 For being now a favourer to the Briton,

 No more a Briton, I have resumed again

 The part I came in: fight I will no more,

 But yield me to the veriest hind that shall

 Once touch my shoulder. Great the slaughter is

 Here made by the Roman; great the answer be

(80) Britons must take. For me, my ransom's death;

 On either side I come to spend my breath;

 Which neither here I'll keep nor bear again,

 But end it by some means for Imogen.

[Enter two BRITISH CAPTAINs and SOLDIERS]

FIRST CAPTAIN Great Jupiter be praised! Lucius is taken.

 'Tis thought the old man and his sons were angels.

SECOND CAPTAIN There was a fourth man, in a silly habit,

 That gave the affront with them.

FIRST CAPTAIN           So 'tis reported:

 But none of 'em can be found. Stand! who's there?

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS A Roman,

 Who had not now been drooping here, if seconds

 Had answer'd him.

(90) SECOND CAPTAIN                   Lay hands on him; a dog!

 A leg of Rome shall not return to tell

 What crows have peck'd them here. He brags

 his service

 As if he were of note: bring him to the king.

[Enter CYMBELINE , BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, PISANIO, SOLDIERS, ATTENDANTs, and ROMAN CAPTIVES. The CAPTAINs present POSTHUMUS LEONATUS to CYMBELINE , who delivers him over to a GAOLER: then exeunt omnes]

SCENE IV A British prison.

[Enter POSTHUMUS LEONATUS and two GAOLERS]

(1) FIRST GAOLER You shall not now be stol'n, you have locks upon you;

 So graze as you find pasture.

SECOND GAOLER Ay, or a stomach.

[Exeunt GAOLERS]

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS Most welcome, bondage! for thou art away,

 think, to liberty: yet am I better

 Than one that's sick o' the gout; since he had rather

 Groan so in perpetuity than be cured

 By the sure physician, death, who is the key

 To unbar these locks. My conscience, thou art fetter'd

 More than my shanks and wrists: you good gods, give me

(10) The penitent instrument to pick that bolt,

 Then, free for ever! Is't enough I am sorry?

 So children temporal fathers do appease;

 Gods are more full of mercy. Must I repent?

 I cannot do it better than in gyves,

 Desired more than constrain'd: to satisfy,

 If of my freedom 'tis the main part, take

 No stricter render of me than my all.

 I know you are more clement than vile men,

 Who of their broken debtors take a third,

(20) A sixth, a tenth, letting them thrive again

 On their abatement: that's not my desire:

 For Imogen's dear life take mine; and though

 'Tis not so dear, yet 'tis a life; you coin'd it:

 'Tween man and man they weigh not every stamp;

 Though light, take pieces for the figure's sake:

 You rather mine, being yours: and so, great powers,

 If you will take this audit, take this life,

 And cancel these cold bonds. O Imogen!

 I'll speak to thee in silence.

[Sleeps]

[Solemn music. Enter, as in an apparition, SICILIUS LEONATUS, father to POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, an old man, attired like a warrior; leading in his hand an ancient matron, his wife, and mother to POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, with music before them: then, after other music, follow the two young LEONATI, BROTHERS to POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, with wounds as they died in the wars. They circle POSTHUMUS LEONATUS round, as he lies sleeping]

(30) SICILIUS LEONATUS No more, thou thunder-master, show

 Thy spite on mortal flies:

 With Mars fall out, with Juno chide,

 That thy adulteries

 Rates and revenges.

 Hath my poor boy done aught but well,

 Whose face I never saw?

 I died whilst in the womb he stay'd

 Attending nature's law:

 Whose father then, as men report

(40) Thou orphans' father art,

 Thou shouldst have been, and shielded him

 From this...