SCENE IV. Wales: before the cave of Belarius. Cymbeline  Shakespeare homepage  |  Cymbeline  | Act 4, Scene 4 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE IV. Wales: before the cave of Belarius. 

 Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.  GUIDERIUS  The noise is round about us. 

 BELARIUS  Let us from it. 

 ARVIRAGUS  What pleasure, sir, find we in life, to lock it 

 From action and adventure? 

 GUIDERIUS  Nay, what hope 

 Have we in hiding us? This way, the Romans 

 Must or for Britons slay us, or receive us 

 For barbarous and unnatural revolts 

 During their use, and slay us after. 

 BELARIUS  Sons, 

 We'll higher to the mountains; there secure us. 

 To the king's party there's no going: newness 

 Of Cloten's death--we being not known, not muster'd 

 Among the bands--may drive us to a render 

 Where we have lived, and so extort from's that 

 Which we have done, whose answer would be death 

 Drawn on with torture. 

 GUIDERIUS  This is, sir, a doubt 

 In such a time nothing becoming you, 

 Nor satisfying us. 

 ARVIRAGUS  It is not likely 

 That when they hear the Roman horses neigh, 

 Behold their quarter'd fires, have both their eyes 

 And ears so cloy'd importantly as now, 

 That they will waste their time upon our note, 

 To know from whence we are. 

 BELARIUS  O, I am known 

 Of many in the army: many years, 

 Though Cloten then but young, you see, not wore him 

 From my remembrance. And, besides, the king 

 Hath not deserved my service nor your loves; 

 Who find in my exile the want of breeding, 

 The certainty of this hard life; aye hopeless 

 To have the courtesy your cradle promised, 

 But to be still hot summer's tamings and 

 The shrinking slaves of winter. 

 GUIDERIUS  Than be so 

 Better to cease to be. Pray, sir, to the army: 

 I and my brother are not known; yourself 

 So out of thought, and thereto so o'ergrown, 

 Cannot be question'd. 

 ARVIRAGUS  By this sun that shines, 

 I'll thither: what thing is it that I never 

 Did see man die! scarce ever look'd on blood, 

 But that of coward hares, hot goats, and venison! 

 Never bestrid a horse, save one that had 

 A rider like myself, who ne'er wore rowel 

 Nor iron on his heel! I am ashamed 

 To look upon the holy sun, to have 

 The benefit of his blest beams, remaining 

 So long a poor unknown. 

 GUIDERIUS  By heavens, I'll go: 

 If you will bless me, sir, and give me leave, 

 I'll take the better care, but if you will not, 

 The hazard therefore due fall on me by 

 The hands of Romans! 

 ARVIRAGUS  So say I	amen. 

 BELARIUS  No reason I, since of your lives you set 

 So slight a valuation, should reserve 

 My crack'd one to more care. Have with you, boys! 

 If in your country wars you chance to die, 

 That is my bed too, lads, an there I'll lie: 

 Lead, lead. 



 Aside  The time seems long; their blood 

 thinks scorn, 

 Till it fly out and show them princes born. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Cymbeline  | Act 4, Scene 4 

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