ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

The Forest.

Drums, Trumpets, &c.

Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

Guid. The noise is round about us.
Bel. Let us from it.

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, nor muster'd
Among the bands), may drive us to a render

Where we have liv'd; and so extort from us
That, which we have done, whose answer would be
death,

Drawn on with torture.

Guid. This is, sir, a doubt,

In such a time, nothing becoming you,

Nor satisfying us.

Arv. 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.

Bel. O, I am known Of many in the army:

And, besides, the King

Hath not deserv'd my service nor your loves.
Guid. '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.

Aro. 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 !
I am asham'd

To look upon the holy sun, to have

The benefit of his bless'd beams, remaining,
So long a poor unknown.

Guid. 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!

Aro. So say I; Amen!

Bel. No reason I, since on 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, and there I'll lie. [Exeunt.

Drums, Trumpets, &c.

SCENE II.

A Plain, between the British and Roman Camps.

Enter POSTHUMUS, with a bloody Handkerchief.

Post. Yea, bloody cloth, I'll keep thee; for I wish'd

Thou shouldst be colour'd thus. You married ones,
If each of you would take this course, how many
Must murder wives much better than themselves,
For wrying but a little !—O, Pisanio!

Every good servant does not all commands:
No bond, but to do just ones.-Gods! if you
Should have ta'en vengeance on my faults, I never
Had liv'd to put on this: so had you sav'd
The noble Imogen to repent; and struck
Me,-wretch!-more worth your vengeance.→
But Imogen is your own: Do your best wills,
And make me bless'd to obey:-I am brought hither
Among the Italian gentry, and to fight

Against my lady's kingdom: "Tis enough
That, Britain, I have kill'd thy mistress; peace!
I'll give no wound to thee. Therefore, good Heavens,
Hear patiently my purpose: I have conceal'd

My Italian weeds, under this semblance of

A Briton peasant: so I'll fight

Against the part I come with; so I'll die
For thee, O Imogen ! even for whom my life
Is, every breath, a death: and thus, unknown,
Pitied nor hated, to the face of peril
Myself I'll dedicate.
[Drums, Trumpets, &c.
Gods, put the strength o' the Leonati in me!
To shame the guise o' the world, I will begin
The fashion, less without, and more within.

[Drums, Trumpets, &c.-Exit.

SCENE III.

The Field of Battle.

Alarums.

An Engagement between the Britons and the Romans— the Britons are repulsed.

Enter POSTHUMUS and IACHIMO, fighting.-IACHIMO is disarmed.

Post. Or yield thee, Roman, or thou diest!
Iach. Peasant, behold my breast!
Post. No; take thy life, and mend it.

[Exit.
Iach. The heaviness and guilt within my bosom
Takes off my manhood: I have belied a lady,
The princess of this country, and the air on't
Revengingly enfeebles me; or could this carl,
A very drudge of nature's, have subdu'd me
In my profession? Knighthoods and honours, borne
As I wear mine, are titles but of scorn.

With Heaven against me, what is sword or shield?
My guilt, my guilt o'erpowers me, and I yield.

[Drums, Trumpets, &c.-Exit.

An Engagement between the Britons and the Romans, in which the Romans fly before BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS.

SCENE IV.

The Forest, near the Cave.

Drums, Trumpets, &c.

Enter PISANIO and SECOND LORD.

2 Lord. This is a day turn'd strangely. Cam'st thou from where they made the stand? Pisanio. I did:

Though you, it seems, come from the fliers. 2 Lord. I did.

Pisanio. No blame be to you, sir; for all was lost,
But that the heavens fought: The king himself,
Of his wings destitute, the army broken,

And but the backs of Britons seen, all flying
Through a straight lane: the enemy full hearted,
Lolling the tongue with slaughtering, struck down
Some mortally, some slightly touch'd, some falling
Merely through fear; that the straight pass was
damn'd

With dead men, hurt behind, and cowards living
To die with lengthen'd shame,

2 Lord. Where was this lane?

Pisanio. Close by the battle, ditch'd, and wall'd with turf;

Which gave advantage to an ancient soldier ;
(An honest one, I warrant ;)—athwart the lane,
He, with two striplings, (lads, more like to run
The country base, than to commit such slaughter),
Made good the passage; cry'd to the fliers, "Stand!
Or we are Romans, and will give you that

Like beasts, which you shun beastly; and may save,