him in the advantage of the time, above him in birth, alike conversant in general services, and more remarkable in single oppositions : yet this imperseverant thing loves him in my despite. What mortality is! Posthumus, thy head, which now is growing upon thy shoulders, shall within this hour be off; thy mistress enforced; thy garments cut to pieces before thy face: and all this done, spurn her home to her father: who may, haply, be a little angry for my so rough usage: but my mother, having power of his testiness, shall turn all into my commendations. My horse is tied up safe: Out, sword, and to a sore purpose! Fortune, put them into my hand! This is very description of their

meeting-place; and the fellow dares not deceive me. [Exit.

SCENE II.

Before the Cave.

Enter, from the Cave, BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, ARVIRAGUS, and IMOGEN.

Bel. You are not well: [to IMOGEN.] remain

here in the cave;

We'll come to you after hunting.

Arv.

Brother, stay here:

[TO IMOGEN.

Are we not brothers?
Imo.

So man and man should be;

But clay and clay differs in dignity,

Whose dust is both alike. I am very sick.

Gui. Go you to hunting. I'll abide with him Imo. So sick I am not; yet I am not well:

6 In single combat.

But not so citizen a wanton, as

To seem to die, ere sick : So please you, leave me; Stick to your journal course: the breach of custom

Is breach of all. I am ill; but your being by me

Cannot amend me: Society is no comfort

To one not sociable: I'm not very sick,

Since I can reason of it. Pray you, trust me here:

I'll rob none but myself; and let me die,

Stealing so poorly.

Gui.

I love thee; I have spoke it:

How much the quantity, the weight as much,

As I do love my father.

Bel.

What? how? how?

Arv. If it be sin to say so, sir, I yoke me In my good brother's fault : I know not why I love this youth; and I have heard you say, Love's reason's without reason; the bier at door, And a demand who is't shall die, I'd say,

My father, not this youth.

Bel.

O noble strain!

[Aside.

O worthiness of nature! breed of greatness! Cowards father cowards, and base things sire base : Nature hath meal, and bran; contempt, and grace. I am not their father; yet who this should be,

Doth miracle itself, lov'd before me.

'Tis the ninth hour o'the morn.

Arv.

Imo. I wish ye sport.
Arv.

Brother, farewell.

You, health. - So please you, sir.

Imo. [aside.] These are kind creatures. Gods,

what lies I have heard!

Our courtiers say, all's savage, but at court:

Experience, O, thou disprov'st report !

The imperious 8 seas breed monsters; for the dish,

7 Keep your daily course.

8 Imperial.

Poor tributary rivers as sweet fish.
I am sick still; heart-sick: - Pisanio,

I'll now taste of thy drug.

Gui.

I could not stir him;

He said, he was gentle 9, but unfortunate;

Dishonestly afflicted, but yet honest.

Arv. Thus did he answer me: yet said, hereafter

I might know more.

Bel.

To the field, to the field :

We'll leave you for this time; go in, and rest.

Arv. We'll not be long away.

Bel.

Pray, be not sick,

For you must be our housewife.
Imo.

Well, or ill,

I am bound to you.

Bel.

And so shalt be ever.

[Exit IMOGEN.

This youth, howe'er distress'd, appears, he hath had Good ancestors.

Arv.

How angel-like he sings !

Gui. But his neat cookery! He cut our roots in

characters;

And sauc'd our broths, as Juno had been sick,

And he her dieter.

Arv.

Nobly he yokes

A smiling with a sigh: as if the sigh
Was that it was, for not being such a smile;
The smile mocking the sigh, that it would fly
From so divine a temple, to commix

With winds that sailors rail at.

Gui.

I do note,

That grief and patience, rooted in him both,
Mingle their spurs 1 together.

Grow, patience!

And let the stinking elder, grief, untwine
His perishing root, with the increasing vine !

Bel. It is great morning. Come; away. - Who's

there?

Enter CLOTEN.

Clo. I cannot find those runagates; that villain

Hath mock'd me: I am faint.

Bel.

Those runagates!

Means he not us? I partly know him; 'tis
Cloten, the son o'the queen. I fear some ambush.
I saw him not these many years, and yet
I know 'tis he: - We are held as outlaws: -Hence.
Gui. He is but one: You and my brother search
What companies are near: pray you, away;
Let me alone with him.

Clo.

[Exeunt Belarius and ArviRAGUS. Soft! What are you That fly me thus ? some villain mountaineers ? I have heard of such. - What slave art thou? Gui.

More slavish did I ne'er, than answering

A slave without a knock.

Clo.

A thing

Thou art a robber,

A law-breaker, a villain: Yield thee, thief.

Gui. To who? to thee? What art thou? Have

not I

An arm as big as thine? a heart as big?

Thy words, I grant, are bigger; for I wear not

My dagger in my mouth. Say, what thou art;

Why I should yield to thee?

Clo.

Thou villain base,

No, nor thy tailor, rascal,

Know'st me not by my clothes?
Gui.

Who is thy grandfather; he made those clothes,
Which, as it seems, make thee.

Clo.

Gui.

Thou precious varlet,

My tailor made them not.

Hence then, and thank

The man that gave them thee. Thou art some

fool;

I am loath to beat thee.
Clo.

Thou injurious thief,

Hear but my name, and tremble.
Gui.

Clo. Cloten, thou villain.

What's thy name?

Gui. Cloten, thou double villain, be thy name, I cannot tremble at it; were't toad, or adder,

To thy further fear,

Nay, to thy mere confusion, thou shalt know

I'm son to the queen.
Gui.

So worthy as thy birth.

Clo.

I'm sorry for't; not seeming

Art not afeard?

Gui. Those that I reverence, those I fear; the wise:

At fools I laugh, not fear them.

Clo.

Die the death:

When I have slain thee with my proper hand,
I'll follow those that even now fled hence,
And on the gates of Lud's town set your heads:
Yield, rustick mountaineer.

[Exeunt, fighting.

Enter BELARIUS and ARVIRAGUS.

Bel. No company's abroad.

Arv. None in the world: you did mistake him,

sure.

Bel. I cannot tell: Long is it since I saw him, But time hath nothing blurr'd those lines of favour 2