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Cymbeline: Act IV, Scene 4

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Cymbeline
Act IV, Scene 4

Wales. The forest near Belarius’ cave.

Costume designs for the Viola Allen production of Cymbeline

From: Costume designs for the Viola Allen production of Cymbeline

Design probably for Belarius

Tom Heslewood, 1906

  1. Enter Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.

Guiderius

1
  1. The noise is round about us.

Belarius

2
  1.                              Let us from it.

Arviragus

3 - 4
  1. What pleasure, sir, find we in life, to lock it
  2. From action and adventure?

Guiderius

5 - 9
  1.                            Nay, what hope
  2. Have we in hiding us? This way, the Romans
  3. Must or for Britains slay us or receive us
  4. For barbarous and unnatural revolts
  5. During their use, and slay us after.

Belarius

10 - 17
  1.                                      Sons,
  2. We’ll higher to the mountains, there secure us.
  3. To the King’s party there’s no going. Newness
  4. Of Cloten’s death (we being not known, not muster’d
  5. Among the bands) may drive us to a render
  6. Where we have liv’d, and so extort from ’s that
  7. Which we have done, whose answer would be death
  8. Drawn on with torture.

Guiderius

18 - 20
  1.                        This is, sir, a doubt
  2. In such a time nothing becoming you,
  3. Nor satisfying us.

Arviragus

21 - 26
  1.                    It is not likely
  2. That when they hear their Roman horses neigh,
  3. Behold their quarter’d fires, have both their eyes
  4. And ears so cloy’d importantly as now,
  5. That they will waste their time upon our note,
  6. To know from whence we are.

Belarius

27 - 36
  1.                             O, I am known
  2. Of many in the army. Many years,
  3. Though Cloten then but young, you see, not wore him
  4. From my remembrance. And besides, the King
  5. Hath not deserv’d my service nor your loves,
  6. Who find in my exile the want of breeding,
  7. The certainty of this hard life, aye hopeless
  8. To have the courtesy your cradle promis’d,
  9. But to be still hot summer’s tanlings and
  10. The shrinking slaves of winter.

Guiderius

37 - 41
  1.                                 Than be so,
  2. Better to cease to be. Pray, sir, to th’ army.
  3. I and my brother are not known; yourself
  4. So out of thought, and thereto so o’ergrown,
  5. Cannot be question’d.

Arviragus

42 - 51
  1.                       By this sun that shines,
  2. I’ll thither. What thing is’t that I never
  3. Did see man die, scarce ever look’d on blood,
  4. But that of coward hares, hot goats, and venison!
  5. Never bestrid a horse, save one that had
  6. A rider like myself, who ne’er wore rowel
  7. Nor iron on his heel! I am asham’d
  8. To look upon the holy sun, to have
  9. The benefit of his blest beams, remaining
  10. So long a poor unknown.

Guiderius

52 - 56
  1.                         By heavens, I’ll go.
  2. If you will bless me, sir, and give me leave,
  3. I’ll take the better care; but if you will not,
  4. The hazard therefore due fall on me by
  5. The hands of Romans!

Arviragus

57
  1.                      So say I, amen.

Belarius

58 - 65
  1. No reason I, since of your lives you set
  2. So slight a valuation, should reserve
  3. My crack’d one to more care. Have with you, boys!
  4. If in your country wars you chance to die,
  5. That is my bed too, lads, and there I’ll lie.
  6. Lead, lead!
  7. Aside.
  8. The time seems long, their blood thinks scorn
  9. Till it fly out and show them princes born.
  1. Exeunt.
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