quotes, notes, timelines & more

Home » Shakespeare's Works » Elements » Characters » Belarius

Belarius

Town and Country

Read the Note

In Cymbeline, Belarius advises his two adoptive sons to embrace the idyllic life in the country rather than the political life at court:

“O, this life
Is nobler than attending for a check;
Richer than doing nothing for a bable;
Prouder than rustling in unpaid-for silk:
Such gain the cap of him that makes him fine,
… continue reading this note

Now for our mountain sport

Read the Quote

Belarius (as Morgan)
Now for our mountain sport: up to yond hill,
Your legs are young; I’ll tread these flats. Consider,
When you above perceive me like a crow,
That it is place which lessens and sets off,
And you may then revolve what tales I have told you
Of courts, of princes, of the tricks in war.
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 3
Scene 3
Line 12

Source Type:

Spoken by:
, ,

Themes:

Connected Notes:
Town and Country

How hard it is to hide the sparks of nature!

Read the Quote

Belarius
How hard it is to hide the sparks of nature!
These boys know little they are sons to th’ King,
Nor Cymbeline dreams that they are alive.

The game is up!

They think they are mine, and, though trained up thus meanly,
I’ th’ cave wherein they bow, their thoughts do hit
The roofs of palaces,
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 3
Scene 3
Line 85

Source Type:

Spoken by:

You, Polydor, have proved best woodman

Read the Quote

Belarius, as Morgan
You, Polydor, have proved best woodman and
Are master of the feast. Cadwal and I
Will play the cook and servant; ’tis our match.
The sweat of industry would dry and die
But for the end it works to.
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 3
Scene 6
Line 28

Source Type:

Spoken by:
, , ,

You are not well. Remain here in the cave.

Read the Quote

Belarius, as Morgan, to Fidele
You are not well. Remain here in the cave.
We’ll come to you after hunting.
Arviragus, as Cadwal, to Fidel
Brother, stay here.
Are we not brothers?

I am ill, but your being by me
Cannot amend me. Society is no comfort
To one not sociable.
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 4
Scene 2
Line 1

Source Type:

Spoken by:
, , ,

This youth, howe’er distressed

Read the Quote

Belarius, as Morgan
This youth, howe’er distressed, appears he hath had
Good ancestors.
Arviragus, as Cadwal
How angel-like he sings!

Nobly he yokes
A smiling with a sigh, as if the sigh
Was that it was for not being such a smile

Guiderius,
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 4
Scene 2
Line 60

Source Type:

Spoken by:
, ,

I cannot find those runagates

Read the Quote

Cloten, to himself
I cannot find those runagates. That villain
Hath mocked me. I am faint.
Belarius, as Morgan, to Polydor and Cadwal
“Those runagates”?
Means he not us? I partly know him. ’Tis
Cloten, the son o’ th’ Queen. I fear some ambush.
I saw him not these many years,
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 4
Scene 2
Line 79

Source Type:

Spoken by:
, ,

You did mistake him sure

Read the Quote

Arviragus, as Cadwal
You did mistake him sure.
Belarius, as Morgan
I cannot tell. Long is it since I saw him,
But time hath nothing blurred those lines of favor
Which then he wore. The snatches in his voice
And burst of speaking were as his. I am absolute
’Twas very Cloten.
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 4
Scene 2
Line 134

Source Type:

Spoken by:
, ,

I have sent Cloten’s clotpole down the stream

Read the Quote

Guiderius, as Polydor
I have sent Cloten’s clotpole down the stream
In embassy to his mother. His body’s hostage
For his return.
 Solemn music.
Belarius, as Morgan
My ingenious instrument!
Hark, Polydor, it sounds! But what occasion
Hath Cadwal now to give it motion? Hark.
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 4
Scene 2
Line 234

Source Type:

Spoken by:
, ,

And let us, Polydore, though now our voices

Read the Quote

Arviragus as Cadwal
And let us, Polydore, though now our voices
Have got the mannish crack, sing him to th’ ground,
As once to our mother; use like note and words,
Save that Euriphile must be Fidele.
Guiderius as Polydor
Cadwal,
I cannot sing. I’ll weep, and word it with thee;
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 4
Scene 2
Line 301

Source Type:
,

Spoken by:
, ,

The noise is round about us

Read the Quote

Guiderius, as Polydor
The noise is round about us.
Belarius, as Morgan
Let us from it.
Arviragus, as Cadwal
What pleasure, sir, find we in life, to lock it
From action and adventure?

Have with you, boys!
If in your country wars you chance to die,
… continue reading this quote

Source:
Act 4
Scene 4
Line 1

Source Type:

Spoken by:
, ,