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Cymbeline: Act 4 Scene 4

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]