Cymbeline | Page 3

and
does *not* contain characters other than those
intended by the author

of the work, although tilde (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters
may be used to convey punctuation intended by the
author, and
additional characters may be used to
indicate hypertext links; OR
[*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at
no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent form by the
program that displays the etext (as is the case, for instance, with most
word processors); OR
[*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at
no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the etext in its original
plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC or other equivalent proprietary form).
[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this
"Small Print!" statement.
[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Project of 20% of the
net profits you derive calculated using the method you already use to
calculate your applicable taxes. If you don't derive profits, no royalty is
due. Royalties are payable to "Project Gutenberg
Association/Carnegie-Mellon University" within the 60 days following
each
date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) your
annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return.
WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU
DON'T HAVE TO? The Project gratefully accepts contributions in
money, time, scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts,
royalty free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution you
can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg Association /
Carnegie-Mellon University".
*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN
ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END*

This etext was prepared by the PG Shakespeare Team,
a team of
about twenty Project Gutenberg volunteers.
CYMBELINE
by William Shakespeare
Dramatis Personae
CYMBELINE, king of Britain.
CLOTEN, son to the Queen by a
former husband.
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, a gentleman, husband
to Imogen.
BELARIUS, a banished lord disguised under the name of
Morgan. GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS, sons to Cymbeline,
disguised under the names of POLYDORE and CADWAL, supposed
sons to Morgan.
PHILARIO, Italian, friend to Posthumus.

IACHIMO, Italian, friend to Philario.
CAIUS LUCIUS, general of
the Roman forces.
PISANIO, servant to Posthumus.
CORNELIUS,
a physician.
A Roman Captain.
Two British Captains.
A
Frenchman, friend to Philario.
Two Lords of Cymbeline's court.

Two Gentlemen of the same.
Two Gaolers.
Queen, wife to Cymbeline.
Imogen, daughter to Cymbeline by a
former Queen.
Helen, a lady attending on Imogen.
Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, a Soothsayer, a
Dutchman,
a Spaniard, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and
other Attendants.
Apparitions.
SCENE: Britain; Rome.
ACT FIRST.
SCENE I. Britain. The garden of Cymbeline's palace.
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
You do not meet a man but frowns. Our

bloods
No more obey the heavens than our courtiers
Still seem as
does the King.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
But what's the matter?
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom,
whom
He purpos'd to his wife's sole son--a widow
That late he
married--hath referr'd herself
Unto a poor but worthy gentleman.
She's wedded,
Her husband banish'd, she imprison'd; all
Is outward
sorrow; though I think the King
Be touch'd at very heart.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
None but the King?
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
He that hath lost her too; so is the Queen,

That most desir'd the match: but not a courtier,
Although they wear
their faces to the bent
Of the King's looks, hath a heart that is not

Glad at the thing they scowl at.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
And why so?
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
He that hath miss'd the Princess is a thing

Too bad for bad report; and he that hath her--
I mean, that married her,
alack, good man!
And therefore banish'd--is a creature such
As, to
seek through the regions of the earth
For one his like, there would be
something failing
In him that should compare. I do not think
So fair
an outward and such stuff within
Endows a man but he.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
You speak him far.
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
I do extend him, sir, within himself;
Crush
him together rather than unfold
His measure duly.
SECOND GENTLEMAN.
What's his name and birth?
FIRST GENTLEMAN.
I cannot delve him to the root. His father


Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour
Against the Romans with
Cassibelan,
But had his titles by Tenantius whom
He serv'd with
glory and admir'd success,
So gain'd the sur-addition Leonatus;
And
had, besides this gentleman in question,
Two other sons, who in the
wars o' the time,
Died with their swords in hand; for which their
father,
Then old and fond of issue, took such sorrow
That he quit
being, and his gentle lady,
Big of this gentleman our theme, deceas'd

As he was born. The King he takes the babe
To his protection, calls
him Posthumus Leonatus,
Breeds him and makes him of his
bed-chamber,
Puts to him all the learnings that his time
Could make
him the receiver of; which he took,
As we do air, fast as 'twas
minist'red,
And in's spring became a harvest; liv'd in court--
Which
rare it is to do--most prais'd, most lov'd,
A sample to the youngest, to
the more mature
A glass that feated them, and to the graver
A child
that guided dotards; to his mistress,
For whom he now is
banish'd--her own price
Proclaims how she esteem'd him and his
virtue;
By her election