| Original text | Modern text | Key line |
| YOu do not meet a man but Frownes. / Our bloods | You do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods | Cym I.i.1 |
| no more obey the Heauens / Then our Courtiers: | No more obey the heavens than our courtiers | Cym I.i.2 |
| Still seeme, as do's the Kings. | Still seem as does the king's. | Cym I.i.3.1 |
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| His daughter, and the heire of's kingdome (whom | His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom – whom | Cym I.i.4 |
| He purpos'd to his wiues sole Sonne, a Widdow | He purposed to his wife's sole son, a widow | Cym I.i.5 |
| That late he married) hath referr'd her selfe | That late he married – hath referred herself | Cym I.i.6 |
| Vnto a poore, but worthy Gentleman. She's wedded, | Unto a poor but worthy gentleman. She's wedded, | Cym I.i.7 |
| Her Husband banish'd; she imprison'd, all | Her husband banished; she imprisoned, all | Cym I.i.8 |
| Is outward sorrow, though I thinke the King | Is outward sorrow, though I think the king | Cym I.i.9 |
| Be touch'd at very heart. | Be touched at very heart. | Cym I.i.10.1 |
| | | |
| He that hath lost her too: so is the Queene, | He that hath lost her too: so is the queen, | Cym I.i.11 |
| That most desir'd the Match. But not a Courtier, | That most desired the match. But not a courtier, | Cym I.i.12 |
| Although they weare their faces to the bent | Although they wear their faces to the bent | Cym I.i.13 |
| Of the Kings lookes, hath a heart that is not | Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not | Cym I.i.14 |
| Glad at the thing they scowle at. | Glad at the thing they scowl at. | Cym I.i.15.1 |
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| He that hath miss'd the Princesse, is a thing | He that hath missed the princess is a thing | Cym I.i.16 |
| Too bad, for bad report: and he that hath her, | Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her – | Cym I.i.17 |
| (I meane, that married her, alacke good man, | I mean, that married her, alack good man, | Cym I.i.18 |
| And therefore banish'd) is a Creature, such, | And therefore banished – is a creature such | Cym I.i.19 |
| As to seeke through the Regions of the Earth | As, to seek through the regions of the earth | Cym I.i.20 |
| For one, his like; there would be something failing | For one his like; there would be something failing | Cym I.i.21 |
| In him, that should compare. I do not thinke, | In him that should compare. I do not think | Cym I.i.22 |
| So faire an Outward, and such stuffe Within | So fair an outward, and such stuff within | Cym I.i.23 |
| Endowes a man, but hee. | Endows a man, but he. | Cym I.i.24.1 |
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| I do extend him (Sir) within himselfe, | I do extend him, sir, within himself, | Cym I.i.25 |
| Crush him together, rather then vnfold | Crush him together, rather than unfold | Cym I.i.26 |
| His measure duly. | His measure duly. | Cym I.i.27.1 |
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| I cannot delue him to the roote: His Father | I cannot delve him to the root: his father | Cym I.i.28 |
| Was call'd Sicillius, who did ioyne his Honor | Was called Sicilius, who did join his honour | Cym I.i.29 |
| Against the Romanes, with Cassibulan, | Against the Romans with Cassibelan, | Cym I.i.30 |
| But had his Titles by Tenantius, whom | But had his titles by Tenantius, whom | Cym I.i.31 |
| He seru'd with Glory, and admir'd Successe: | He served with glory and admired success: | Cym I.i.32 |
| So gain'd the Sur-addition, Leonatus. | So gained the sur-addition Leonatus: | Cym I.i.33 |
| And had (besides this Gentleman in question) | And had – besides this gentleman in question – | Cym I.i.34 |
| Two other Sonnes, who in the Warres o'th'time | Two other sons, who in the wars o'th' time | Cym I.i.35 |
| Dy'de with their Swords in hand. For which, their Father | Died with their swords in hand. For which their father, | Cym I.i.36 |
| Then old, and fond of yssue, tooke such sorrow | Then old, and fond of issue, took such sorrow | Cym I.i.37 |
| That he quit Being; and his gentle Lady | That he quit being; and his gentle lady, | Cym I.i.38 |
| Bigge of this Gentleman (our Theame) deceast | Big of this gentleman – our theme – deceased | Cym I.i.39 |
| As he was borne. The King he takes the Babe | As he was born. The king he takes the babe | Cym I.i.40 |
| To his protection, cals him Posthumus Leonatus, | To his protection, calls him Posthumus Leonatus, | Cym I.i.41 |
| Breedes him, and makes him of his Bed-chamber, | Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber, | Cym I.i.42 |
| Puts to him all the Learnings that his time | Puts to him all the learnings that his time | Cym I.i.43 |
| Could make him the receiuer of, which he tooke | Could make him the receiver of, which he took, | Cym I.i.44 |
| As we do ayre, fast as 'twas ministred, | As we do air, fast as 'twas ministered, | Cym I.i.45 |
| And in's Spring, became a Haruest: Liu'd in Court | And in's spring became a harvest; lived in court – | Cym I.i.46 |
| (Which rare it is to do) most prais'd, most lou'd, | Which rare it is to do – most praised, most loved; | Cym I.i.47 |
| A sample to the yongest: to th'more Mature, | A sample to the youngest, to th' more mature | Cym I.i.48 |
| A glasse that feated them: and to the grauer, | A glass that feated them, and to the graver | Cym I.i.49 |
| A Childe that guided Dotards. To his Mistris, | A child that guided dotards. To his mistress – | Cym I.i.50 |
| (For whom he now is banish'd) her owne price | For whom he now is banished – her own price | Cym I.i.51 |
| Proclaimes how she esteem'd him; and his Vertue | Proclaims how she esteemed him; and his virtue | Cym I.i.52 |
| By her electiõ may be truly read, | By her election may be truly read | Cym I.i.53 |
| what kind of man he is. | What kind of man he is. | Cym I.i.54.1 |
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| His onely childe: | His only child. | Cym I.i.56.2 |
| He had two Sonnes (if this be worth your hearing, | He had two sons – if this be worth your hearing, | Cym I.i.57 |
| Marke it) the eldest of them, at three yeares old | Mark it – the eldest of them at three years old, | Cym I.i.58 |
| I'th'swathing cloathes, the other from their Nursery | I'th' swathing-clothes the other, from their nursery | Cym I.i.59 |
| Were stolne, and to this houre, no ghesse in knowledge | Were stolen; and to this hour no guess in knowledge | Cym I.i.60 |
| Which way they went. | Which way they went. | Cym I.i.61.1 |
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| Some twenty yeares. | Some twenty years. | Cym I.i.62 |
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| Howsoere, 'tis strange, | Howsoe'er 'tis strange, | Cym I.i.65.2 |
| Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at: | Or that the negligence may well be laughed at, | Cym I.i.66 |
| Yet is it true Sir. | Yet is it true, sir. | Cym I.i.67.1 |
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| We must forbeare. Heere comes the Gentleman, | We must forbear. Here comes the gentleman, | Cym I.i.68 |
| The Queene, and Princesse. | The queen, and princess. | Cym I.i.69 |