Enter Posthumus and two Gaolers
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
Most welcome bondage; for thou art a way,
I think to liberty: yet am I better
Than one that's sick o'th' gout, since he had rather
Groan so in perpetuity than be cured
By th' sure physician, Death; who is the key
T' unbar these locks. My conscience, thou art fettered
More than my shanks and wrists: you good gods, give me
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 constrained: to satisfy,
If of my freedom 'tis the mainport, 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,
A sixth, a tenth, letting them thrive again
On their abatement: that's not my desire.
For Innogen's dear life take mine, and though
'Tis not so dear, yet 'tis a life; you coined it:
'Tween man and man they weigh not every stamp;
stamp (n.) 2 coin, impression [of the monarch's head] made on a coin
Though light, take pieces for the figure's sake:
light (adj.) 5 [of counterfeit coins] of less weight, worthless, cheap
You rather, mine being yours: and so, great powers,
If you will take this audit, take this life,
audit (n.) account, reckoning [especially: in the face of God]
And cancel these cold bonds. O Innogen,
I'll speak to thee in silence.
(sleeps)
Solemn music. Enter (as in an apparition) Sicilius Leonatus, father
to Posthumus, an old man, attired like a warrior, leading in his hand
an ancient matron (his wife, and mother to Posthumus) with music
before them. Then, after other music, follow the two young Leonati
(brothers to Posthumus) with wounds as they died in the wars. They
circle Posthumus round as he lies sleeping
SICILIUS
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 stayed,
attending Nature's law:
Whose father then – as men report
thou orphans' father art –
Thou shouldst have been, and shielded him
from this earth-vexing smart.
MOTHER
Lucina lent not me her aid,
but took me in my throes,
throe (n.) (plural) labour pains, pangs of childbirth
That from me was Posthumus ript,
came crying 'mongst his foes,
A thing of pity!
SICILIUS
Great nature, like his ancestry,
moulded the stuff so fair,
That he deserved the praise o'th' world,
as great Sicilius' heir.
FIRST BROTHER
When once he was mature for man,
in Britain where was he
That could stand up his parallel,
or fruitful object be
In eye of Innogen, that best
could deem his dignity?
MOTHER
With marriage wherefore was he mocked
to be exiled, and thrown
From Leonati seat, and cast
from her his dearest one,
Sweet Innogen?
SICILIUS
Why did you suffer Iachimo,
slight thing of Italy,
To taint his nobler heart and brain
with needless jealousy;
And to become the geck and scorn
o'th' other's villainy?
SECOND BROTHER
For this, from stiller seats we came,
our parents and us twain,
That striking in our country's cause
fell bravely and were slain,
Our fealty and Tenantius' right,
fealty (n.) [feudal obligation of obedience] duty of loyalty, allegiance, fidelity
with honour to maintain.
FIRST BROTHER
Like hardiment Posthumus hath
to Cymbeline performed:
Then, Jupiter, thou king of gods,
why hast thou thus adjourned
The graces for his merits due,
being all to dolours turned?
SICILIUS
Thy crystal window ope; look out;
no longer exercise
Upon a valiant race thy harsh
and potent injuries.
MOTHER
Since, Jupiter, our son is good,
take off his miseries.
SICILIUS
Peep through thy marble mansion, help,
or we poor ghosts will cry
To th' shining synod of the rest
against thy deity.
BROTHERS
Help, Jupiter, or we appeal,
and from thy justice fly.
Jupiter descends in thunder and lightning, sitting upon an
eagle: he throws a thunderbolt. The Ghosts fall on their knees
JUPITER
No more, you petty spirits of region low,
Offend our hearing: hush! How dare you ghosts
Accuse the thunderer, whose bolt – you know –
Sky-planted, batters all rebelling coasts?
Poor shadows of Elysium, hence, and rest
Upon your never-withering banks of flowers:
Be not with mortal accidents opprest,
No care of yours it is, you know 'tis ours.
Whom best I love I cross; to make my gift,
The more delayed, delighted. Be content,
Your low-laid son our godhead will uplift:
His comforts thrive, his trials well are spent:
Our Jovial star reigned at his birth, and in
Our temple was he married. Rise, and fade.
He shall be lord of lady Innogen,
And happier much by his affliction made.
This tablet lay upon his breast, wherein
Our pleasure his full fortune doth confine,
And so away: no farther with your din
Express impatience, lest you stir up mine.
Mount, eagle, to my palace crystalline.
Ascends
SICILIUS
He came in thunder; his celestial breath
Was sulphurous to smell: the holy eagle
Stooped, as to foot us: his ascension is
More sweet than our blest fields: his royal bird
Prunes the immortal wing, and cloys his beak,
prune (v.) [of birds] trim feathers with the beak, preen
As when his god is pleased.
ALL
Thanks, Jupiter!
SICILIUS
The marble pavement closes, he is entered
His radiant roof. Away! And to be blest
Let us with care perform his great behest.
The Ghosts vanish
POSTHUMUS
(waking)
Sleep, thou hast been a grandsire, and begot
A father to me: and thou hast created
A mother, and two brothers: but, O scorn!
Gone! They went hence so soon as they were born:
And so I am awake. Poor wretches, that depend
On greatness' favour, dream as I have done,
Wake, and find nothing. But, alas, I swerve:
Many dream not to find, neither deserve,
And yet are steeped in favours; so am I,
That have this golden chance, and know not why.
What fairies haunt this ground? A book? O rare one,
Be not, as is our fangled world, a garment
Nobler than that it covers. Let thy effects
So follow, to be most unlike our courtiers,
As good as promise.
(reads) When as a lion's whelp shall, to himself
unknown, without seeking find, and be embraced
by a piece of tender air: and when from a stately
cedar shall be lopped branches, which, being
dead many years, shall after revive, be jointed to
the old stock, and freshly grow, then shall
Posthumus end his miseries, Britain be fortunate,
and flourish in peace and plenty.
'Tis still a dream: or else such stuff as madmen
Tongue, and brain not: either both, or nothing,
Or senseless speaking, or a speaking such
As sense cannot untie. Be what it is,
The action of my life is like it, which
I'll keep, if but for sympathy.
Enter Gaolers
FIRST GAOLER
Come, sir, are you ready for death?
POSTHUMUS
Over-roasted rather: ready long ago.
FIRST GAOLER
Hanging is the word, sir: if you be ready for
that, you are well cooked.
POSTHUMUS
So, if I prove a good repast to the spectators, the
dish pays the shot.
FIRST GAOLER
A heavy reckoning for you sir: But the comfort
reckoning (n.) 4 [of personal qualities] rendering of account, settlement of debts
is you shall be called to no more payments, fear
no more tavern-bills, which are often the sadness of
parting, as the procuring of mirth: you come in
faint for want of meat, depart reeling with too much
drink: sorry that you have paid too much, and sorry
that you are paid too much: purse and brain, both
empty: the brain the heavier for being too light; the
purse too light, being drawn of heaviness. O, of this
contradiction you shall now be quit. O, the charity
of a penny cord! It sums up thousands in a trice: you
have no true debitor and creditor but it: of what's
past, is, and to come, the discharge: your neck, sir,
is pen, book, and counters; so the acquittance
follows.
POSTHUMUS
I am merrier to die than thou art to live.
FIRST GAOLER
Indeed sir, he that sleeps feels not the toothache:
but a man that were to sleep your sleep, and a
hangman to help him to bed, I think he would
change places with his officer: for, look you, sir, you
know not which way you shall go.
POSTHUMUS
Yes, indeed do I, fellow.
FIRST GAOLER
Your death has eyes in's head then: I have
not seen him so pictured: you must either be
directed by some that take upon them to know, or
to take upon yourself that which I am sure you do
not know, or jump the after-inquiry on your own
peril: and how you shall speed in your journey's
end, I think you'll never return to tell on.
POSTHUMUS
I tell thee, fellow, there are none want eyes to
direct them the way I am going, but such as wink,
and will not use them.
FIRST GAOLER
What an infinite mock is this, that a man
mock (n.) 1 act of mockery, mocking remark, derisive action, scornful irony
should have the best use of eyes to see the way of
blindness! I am sure hanging's the way of winking.
Enter a Messenger
MESSENGER
Knock off his manacles, bring your prisoner to
the king.
POSTHUMUS
Thou bring'st good news, I am called to be made
free.
FIRST GAOLER
I'll be hanged then.
POSTHUMUS
Thou shalt be then freer than a gaoler; no bolts for
the dead.
Exeunt all but First Gaoler
FIRST GAOLER
Unless a man would marry a gallows, and
beget young gibbets, I never saw one so prone: yet,
on my conscience, there are verier knaves desire to
live, for all he be a Roman; and there be some of
them too, that die against their wills; so should I, if
I were one. I would we were all of one mind, and
one mind good: O, there were desolation of gaolers
and gallowses! I speak against my present profit,
but my wish hath a preferment in't.
Exit