Act V · Scene IV

A British prison.

Hover a speech to translate it — or press play to hear it performed.

Enter POSTHUMUS LEONATUS and two Gaolers

First Gaoler

You shall not now be stol'n, you have locks upon you;So graze as you find pasture.

Second Gaoler

Ay, or a stomach.

Exeunt Gaolers

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS

Most welcome, bondage! for thou art away,think, to liberty: yet am I betterThan one that's sick o' the gout; since he had ratherGroan so in perpetuity than be curedBy the sure physician, death, who is the keyTo unbar these locks. My conscience, thou art fetter'dMore than my shanks and wrists: you good gods, give meThe penitent instrument to pick that bolt,Then, free for ever! Is't enough I am sorry?So children temporal fathers do appease;Gods are more full of mercy. Must I repent?I cannot do it better than in gyves,Desired more than constrain'd: to satisfy,If of my freedom 'tis the main part, takeNo stricter render of me than my all.I know you are more clement than vile men,Who of their broken debtors take a third,A sixth, a tenth, letting them thrive againOn their abatement: that's not my desire:For Imogen's dear life take mine; and though'Tis not so dear, yet 'tis a life; you coin'd it:'Tween man and man they weigh not every stamp;Though light, take pieces for the figure's sake:You rather mine, being yours: and so, great powers,If you will take this audit, take this life,And cancel these cold bonds. O Imogen!I'll speak to thee in silence.

Sleeps

Solemn music. Enter, as in an apparition, SICILIUS LEONATUS, father to Posthumus Leonatus, an old man, attired like a warrior; leading in his hand an ancient matron, his wife, and mother to Posthumus Leonatus, with music before them: then, after other music, follow the two young Leonati, brothers to Posthumus Leonatus, with wounds as they died in the wars. They circle Posthumus Leonatus round, as he lies sleeping

Sicilius Leonatus

No more, thou thunder-master, showThy spite on mortal flies:With Mars fall out, with Juno chide,That thy adulteriesRates and revenges.Hath my poor boy done aught but well,Whose face I never saw?I died whilst in the womb he stay'dAttending nature's law:Whose father then, as men reportThou orphans' father art,Thou shouldst have been, and shielded himFrom this earth-vexing smart.

Mother

Lucina lent not me her aid,But took me in my throes;That from me was Posthumus ript,Came crying 'mongst his foes,A thing of pity!

Sicilius Leonatus

Great nature, like his ancestry,Moulded the stuff so fair,That he deserved the praise o' the world,As great Sicilius' heir.

First Brother

When once he was mature for man,In Britain where was heThat could stand up his parallel;Or fruitful object beIn eye of Imogen, that bestCould deem his dignity?

Mother

With marriage wherefore was he mock'd,To be exiled, and thrownFrom Leonati seat, and castFrom her his dearest one,Sweet Imogen?

Sicilius Leonatus

Why did you suffer Iachimo,Slight thing of Italy,To taint his nobler heart and brainWith needless jealosy;And to become the geck and scornO' th' other's villany?

Second Brother

For this from stiller seats we came,Our parents and us twain,That striking in our country's causeFell bravely and were slain,Our fealty and Tenantius' rightWith honour to maintain.

First Brother

Like hardiment Posthumus hathTo Cymbeline perform'd:Then, Jupiter, thou king of gods,Why hast thou thus adjourn'dThe graces for his merits due,Being all to dolours turn'd?

Sicilius Leonatus

Thy crystal window ope; look out;No longer exerciseUpon a valiant race thy harshAnd potent injuries.

Mother

Since, Jupiter, our son is good,Take off his miseries.

Sicilius Leonatus

Peep through thy marble mansion; help;Or we poor ghosts will cryTo the shining synod of the restAgainst thy deity.

Second Brother

Help, Jupiter; or we appeal,And from thy justice fly.

Jupiter descends in thunder and lightning, sitting upon an eagle: he throws a thunderbolt. The Apparitions fall on their knees

Jupiter

No more, you petty spirits of region low,Offend our hearing; hush! How dare you ghostsAccuse the thunderer, whose bolt, you know,Sky-planted batters all rebelling coasts?Poor shadows of Elysium, hence, and restUpon your never-withering banks of flowers:Be not with mortal accidents opprest;No care of yours it is; you know 'tis ours.Whom best I love I cross; to make my gift,The more delay'd, delighted. Be content;Your low-laid son our godhead will uplift:His comforts thrive, his trials well are spent.Our Jovial star reign'd at his birth, and inOur temple was he married. Rise, and fade.He shall be lord of lady Imogen,And happier much by his affliction made.This tablet lay upon his breast, whereinOur pleasure his full fortune doth confine:and so, away: no further with your dinExpress impatience, lest you stir up mine.Mount, eagle, to my palace crystalline.

Ascends

Sicilius Leonatus

He came in thunder; his celestial breathWas sulphurous to smell: the holy eagleStoop'd as to foot us: his ascension isMore sweet than our blest fields: his royal birdPrunes the immortal wing and cloys his beak,As when his god is pleased.

All

Thanks, Jupiter!

Sicilius Leonatus

The marble pavement closes, he is enter'dHis radiant root. Away! and, to be blest,Let us with care perform his great behest.

The Apparitions vanish

Posthumus Leonatus

[Waking] Sleep, thou hast been a grandsire, and begotA father to me; and thou hast createdA mother and two brothers: but, O scorn!Gone! they went hence so soon as they were born:And so I am awake. Poor wretches that dependOn greatness' favour dream as I have done,Wake and find nothing. But, alas, I swerve:Many dream not to find, neither deserve,And yet are steep'd in favours: so am I,That have this golden chance and know not why.What fairies haunt this ground? A book? O rare one!Be not, as is our fangled world, a garmentNobler than that it covers: let thy effectsSo follow, to be most unlike our courtiers,As good as promise.

Reads

Posthumus Leonatus

'When as a lion's whelp shall, to himself unknown,without seeking find, and be embraced by a piece oftender air; and when from a stately cedar shall belopped branches, which, being dead many years,shall after revive, be jointed to the old stock andfreshly grow; then shall Posthumus end his miseries,Britain be fortunate and flourish in peace and plenty.''Tis still a dream, or else such stuff as madmenTongue and brain not; either both or nothing;Or senseless speaking or a speaking suchAs sense cannot untie. Be what it is,The action of my life is like it, whichI'll keep, if but for sympathy.

Re-enter First Gaoler

First Gaoler

Come, sir, are you ready for death?

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS

Over-roasted rather; ready long ago.

First Gaoler

Hanging is the word, sir: ifyou be ready for that, you are well cooked.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS

So, if I prove a good repast to thespectators, the dish pays the shot.

First Gaoler

A heavy reckoning for you, sir. But the comfort is,you shall be called to no more payments, fear nomore tavern-bills; which are often the sadness ofparting, as the procuring of mirth: you come inflint for want of meat, depart reeling with toomuch drink; sorry that you have paid too much, andsorry that you are paid too much; purse and brainboth empty; the brain the heavier for being toolight, the purse too light, being drawn ofheaviness: of this contradiction you shall now bequit. O, the charity of a penny cord! It sums upthousands in a trice: you have no true debitor andcreditor but it; of what's past, is, and to come,the discharge: your neck, sir, is pen, book andcounters; so the acquittance follows.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS

I am merrier to die than thou art to live.

First Gaoler

Indeed, sir, he that sleeps feels not thetooth-ache: but a man that were to sleep yoursleep, and a hangman to help him to bed, I think hewould change places with his officer; for, look you,sir, you know not which way you shall go.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS

Yes, indeed do I, fellow.

First Gaoler

Your death has eyes in 's head then; I have not seenhim so pictured: you must either be directed bysome that take upon them to know, or do take uponyourself that which I am sure you do not know, orjump the after inquiry on your own peril: and howyou shall speed in your journey's end, I think you'llnever return to tell one.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS

I tell thee, fellow, there are none want eyes todirect them the way I am going, but such as wink andwill not use them.

First Gaoler

What an infinite mock is this, that a man shouldhave the best use of eyes to see the way ofblindness! I am sure hanging's the way of winking.

Enter a Messenger

Messenger

Knock off his manacles; bring your prisoner to the king.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS

Thou bring'st good news; I am called to be made free.

First Gaoler

I'll be hang'd then.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS

Thou shalt be then freer than a gaoler; no bolts for the dead.

Exeunt POSTHUMUS LEONATUS and Messenger

First Gaoler

Unless a man would marry a gallows and beget younggibbets, I never saw one so prone. Yet, on myconscience, there are verier knaves desire to live,for all he be a Roman: and there be some of themtoo that die against their wills; so should I, if Iwere one. I would we were all of one mind, and onemind good; O, there were desolation of gaolers andgallowses! I speak against my present profit, butmy wish hath a preferment in 't.

Exeunt