Cymbeline

1 Enter in state Cymbeline, Queen, Cloten and Lords at one door, and at
2 another Caius Lucius and Attendants.
3 CYMBELINE.
4 Now say, what would Augustus Cæsar with us?
5 LUCIUS.
6 When Julius Cæsar, (whose remembrance yet
7 Lives in men’s eyes, and will to ears and tongues
8 Be theme and hearing ever) was in this Britain,
9 And conquer’d it, Cassibelan, thine uncle,
10 Famous in Cæsar’s praises no whit less
11 Than in his feats deserving it, for him
12 And his succession granted Rome a tribute,
13 Yearly three thousand pounds, which by thee lately
14 Is left untender’d.
15 QUEEN.
16 And, to kill the marvel,
17 Shall be so ever.
18 CLOTEN.
19 There be many Cæsars ere such another Julius. Britain is a world by
20 itself, and we will nothing pay for wearing our own noses.
21 QUEEN.
22 That opportunity,
23 Which then they had to take from’s, to resume
24 We have again. Remember, sir, my liege,
25 The kings your ancestors, together with
26 The natural bravery of your isle, which stands
27 As Neptune’s park, ribb’d and pal’d in
28 With rocks unscaleable and roaring waters,
29 With sands that will not bear your enemies’ boats
30 But suck them up to th’ top-mast. A kind of conquest
31 Cæsar made here, but made not here his brag
32 Of ‘Came, and saw, and overcame.’ With shame
33 (The first that ever touch’d him) he was carried
34 From off our coast, twice beaten; and his shipping
35 (Poor ignorant baubles!) on our terrible seas,
36 Like egg-shells mov’d upon their surges, crack’d
37 As easily ’gainst our rocks; for joy whereof
38 The fam’d Cassibelan, who was once at point
39 (O, giglot fortune!) to master Cæsar’s sword,
40 Made Lud’s Town with rejoicing fires bright
41 And Britons strut with courage.
42 CLOTEN.
43 Come, there’s no more tribute to be paid. Our kingdom is stronger than
44 it was at that time; and, as I said, there is no moe such Cæsars. Other
45 of them may have crook’d noses; but to owe such straight arms, none.
46 CYMBELINE.
47 Son, let your mother end.
48 CLOTEN.
49 We have yet many among us can gripe as hard as Cassibelan. I do not say
50 I am one; but I have a hand. Why tribute? Why should we pay tribute? If
51 Cæsar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his
52 pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, sir, no more tribute,
53 pray you now.
54 CYMBELINE.
55 You must know,
56 Till the injurious Romans did extort
57 This tribute from us, we were free. Cæsar’s ambition,
58 Which swell’d so much that it did almost stretch
59 The sides o’ th’ world, against all colour here
60 Did put the yoke upon’s; which to shake off
61 Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon
62 Ourselves to be.
63 CLOTEN.
64 We do.
65 CYMBELINE.
66 Say then to Cæsar,
67 Our ancestor was that Mulmutius which
68 Ordain’d our laws, whose use the sword of Cæsar
69 Hath too much mangled; whose repair and franchise
70 Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed,
71 Though Rome be therefore angry. Mulmutius made our laws,
72 Who was the first of Britain which did put
73 His brows within a golden crown, and call’d
74 Himself a king.
75 LUCIUS.
76 I am sorry, Cymbeline,
77 That I am to pronounce Augustus Cæsar
78 (Cæsar, that hath moe kings his servants than
79 Thyself domestic officers) thine enemy.
80 Receive it from me, then: war and confusion
81 In Cæsar’s name pronounce I ’gainst thee; look
82 For fury not to be resisted. Thus defied,
83 I thank thee for myself.
84 CYMBELINE.
85 Thou art welcome, Caius.
86 Thy Cæsar knighted me; my youth I spent
87 Much under him; of him I gather’d honour,
88 Which he to seek of me again, perforce,
89 Behoves me keep at utterance. I am perfect
90 That the Pannonians and Dalmatians for
91 Their liberties are now in arms, a precedent
92 Which not to read would show the Britons cold;
93 So Cæsar shall not find them.
94 LUCIUS.
95 Let proof speak.
96 CLOTEN.
97 His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a day or two, or
98 longer. If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in
99 our salt-water girdle. If you beat us out of it, it is yours; if you
100 fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and
101 there’s an end.
102 LUCIUS.
103 So, sir.
104 CYMBELINE.
105 I know your master’s pleasure, and he mine;
106 All the remain is, welcome.
107 [_Exeunt._]