SCENE I.
Cymbeline's Palace.
Enter, in state, Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten, and Lords, at
one door; and at another, Caius Lucius, and Attendants.
Cym.
Now say, what would Augustus Cæsar with us1 note
?
Luc.
When Julius Cæsar (whose remembrance yet
Lives in men's eyes; and will to ears, and tongues,
Be theme, and hearing ever) was in this Britain,
And conquer'd it, Cassibelan, thine uncle,
(Famous in Cæsar's praises, no whit less
Than in his feats deserving it) for him,
And his succession, granted Rome a tribute,
Yearly three thousand pounds; which by thee lately
It left untender'd.
Queen.
And, to kill the marvel,
Shall be so ever.
Clot.
There be many Cæsars,
Ere such another Julius. Britain is
A world by itself; and we will nothing pay
For wearing our own noses.
Queen.
That opportunity,
Which then they had to take from us, to resume
We have again.—Remember, sir, my liege,
The kings your ancestors; together with
The natural bravery of your isle; which stands
As Neptune's park, ribbed and paled in
-- 239 --
2 note
With rocks unscaleable, and roaring waters;
With sands, that will not bear your enemies' boats,
But suck them up to the top-mast. A kind of conquest
Cæsar made here; but made not here his brag
Of, came, and saw, and overcame: with shame
(The first that ever touch'd him) he was carried
From off our coast, twice beaten; and his shipping,
3 note
(Poor ignorant baubles!) on our terrible seas,
Like egg-shells mov'd upon their surges, crack'd
As easily 'gainst our rocks: For joy whereof,
The fam'd Cassibelan, who was once at point
(O, giglet fortune!) to master Cæsar's sword,
Made Lud's town with rejoicing fires bright,
And Britons strut with courage.
Clot.
Come, there's no more tribute to be paid:
Our kingdom is stronger than it was at that time;
and, as I said, there is no more such Cæsars: other
of them may have crook'd noses; but, to own such
strait arms, none.9Q1055
Cym.
Son, let your mother end.
Clot.
We have yet many among us can gripe as
hard as Cassibelan: I do not say, I am one; but I
have a hand.—Why tribute? why should we pay
tribute? If Cæsar can hide the sun from us with a
blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay
-- 240 --
him tribute for light; else, sir, no more tribute,
pray you now.
Cym.
You must know,
'Till the injurious Roman did extort
This tribute from us, we were free: Cæsar's ambition,
(Which swell'd so much, that it did almost stretch
The sides o' the world) 4 noteagainst all colour, here
Did put the yoke upon us; which to shake off,
Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon
Ourselves to be; we do. Say then to Cæsar,
Our ancestor was that Mulmutius, which
Ordain'd our laws; whose use the sword of Cæsar
Hath too much mangled; whose repair, and franchise,
Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed,
Though Rome be therefore angry. Mulmutius made our laws,
Who was the first of Britain, which did put
His brows within a golden crown, and call'd
Himself a king.
Luc.
I am sorry, Cymbeline,
That I am to pronounce Augustus Cæsar
(Cæsar, that hath more kings his servants, than
Thyself domestic officers) thine enemy:
Receive it from me then:—War, and confusion,
In Cæsar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee: look
For fury not to be resisted:—Thus defy'd,
I thank thee for myself.
Cym.
5 note
Thou art welcome, Caius.
-- 241 --
Thy Cæsar knighted me; my youth I spent
Much under him: of him I gather'd honour;
Which he, to seek of me again, perforce,
Behoves me 6 note
keep at utterance. 7 note
I am perfect,
That the Pannonians and Dalmatians, for
Their liberties, are now in arms: a precedent
Which, not to read, would shew the Britons cold:
So Cæsar shall not find them.
Luc.
Let proof speak.
Clot.
His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime
with us a day, or two, or longer: If you seek
us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in our
salt-water girdle: if you beat us out of it, it is
yours; if you fall in the adventure, our crows
shall fare the better for you; and there's an end.
Luc.
So, sir.
Cym.
I know your master's pleasure, and he mine:
All the remain is, welcome.
[Exeunt.
-- 242 --
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
