Re-enter Officers, with CLEOMENES and DION. Offi. You here shall swear upon this sword of justice, That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have Been both at Delphos; and from thence have brought Of great Apollo's priest; and that, since then, Cleo. Dion. All this we swear. Leon. Break up the seals, and read. Offi. [Reads.] Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jealous tyrant, his innocent babe truly begotten; and the king shall live without an heir, if that, which is lost, be not found.1 Lords. Now blessed be the great Apollo! Her. Praised! Ay, my lord; even so Leon. There is no truth at all i'the oracle. The sessions shall proceed; this is mere falsehood. Enter a Servant, hastily. Serv. My lord the king, the king! Leon. What is the business? Serv. O, sir, I shall be hated to report it; Leon. Serv. How! gone? Is dead. Leon. Apollo's angry; and the Heavens themselves Do strike at my injustice. [HERMIONE faints. How now there? Paul. This news is mortal to the queen.-Look down, And see what death is doing. 1 This is almost literally from Greene's novel. 2 i. e. of the event of the queen's trial. We still say, he sped well or ill. Leon. Take her hence; Her heart is but o'ercharged; she will recover.— [Exeunt PAULINA and Ladies, with HERM. My great profaneness 'gainst thine oracle!I'll reconcile me to Polixenes; New woo my queen; recall the good Camillo; My friend Polixenes; which had been done, Not doing it, and being done: he, most humane, No richer than his honor.-How he glisters Paul. Re-enter PAULINA. Woe the while! O cut my lace; lest my heart, cracking it, 1 Lord. What fit is this, good lady? Paul. What studied torments, tyrant, hast for me? What wheels? racks? fires? What flaying? boiling In leads or oils? What old, or newer torture Must I receive; whose every word deserves To taste of thy most worst? Thy tyranny 1 Certain is not in the first folio; it was supplied by the editor of the second. Together working with thy jealousies,— Of the young prince; whose honorable thoughts When I have said, cry, woe!-The queen, the queen, The sweetest, dearest creature's dead; and vengeance for't Not dropped down yet. 1 Lord. The higher powers forbid! Paul. I say, she's dead; I'll swear't. If word nor oath Prevail not, go and see; if you can bring 1 i. e. a devil would have shed tears of pity, ere he would have perpetrated such an action. Leon. Go on, go on. Thou canst not speak too much; I have deserved 1 Lord. Say no more; Howe'er the business goes, you have made fault Paul. I do repent. Alas, I have showed too much The rashness of a woman: he is touched To the noble heart.-What's gone and what's past help, Should be past grief. Do not receive affliction Let me be punished, that have minded you Of what you should forget. Now, good my liege, Sir, royal sir, forgive a foolish woman. The love I bore your queen,-lo, fool again!- Who is lost too. Take your patience to you, And I'll say nothing. Leon. Thou didst speak but well, When most the truth; which I receive much better One grave shall be for both; upon them shall The chapel where they lie; and tears, shed there, Nature will bear up with this exercise, So long I daily vow to use it. Come, [Exeunt. SCENE III. Bohemia. the Sea. A desert Country near Enter ANTIGONUS, with the Child; and a Mariner. Ant. Thou art perfect,' then, our ship hath touched upon The deserts of Bohemia? Mar. Ant. Their sacred wills be done!-Go, get aboard; Look to thy bark; I'll not be long, before I call upon thee. Mar. Make your best haste; and go not Ant. I'll follow instantly. Mar. Go thou away. I am glad at heart To be so rid o'the business. Ant. Come, poor babe. [Exit. I have heard (but not believed) the spirits of the dead So filled, and so becoming; in pure white robes, My cabin where I lay; thrice bowed before me; 1 i. e. well assured. |