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You did mistake him sure

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.

’Tis wonder
That an invisible instinct should frame them
To royalty unlearned, honor untaught

Arviragus, as Cadwal
In this place we left them.
I wish my brother make good time with him,
You say he is so fell.
Belarius, as Morgan
Being scarce made up,
I mean to man, he had not apprehension
Of roaring terrors; for defect of judgment
Is oft the cause of fear.
 Enter Guiderius as Polydor, carrying Cloten’s head.
But see, thy brother.
Guiderius, as Polydor
This Cloten was a fool, an empty purse;
There was no money in ’t. Not Hercules
Could have knocked out his brains, for he had none.
Yet I not doing this, the fool had borne
My head as I do his.
Belarius, as Morgan
What hast thou done?
Guiderius, as Polydor
I am perfect what: cut off one Cloten’s head,
Son to the Queen, after his own report,
Who called me traitor mountaineer, and swore
With his own single hand he’d take us in,
Displace our heads where, thank the gods, they grow,
And set them on Lud’s Town.
Belarius, as Morgan
We are all undone.
Guiderius, as Polydor
Why, worthy father, what have we to lose
But that he swore to take, our lives? The law
Protects not us. Then why should we be tender
To let an arrogant piece of flesh threat us,
Play judge and executioner all himself,
For we do fear the law? What company
Discover you abroad?
Belarius, as Morgan
No single soul
Can we set eye on, but in all safe reason
He must have some attendants. Though his humor
Was nothing but mutation—ay, and that
From one bad thing to worse—not frenzy,
Not absolute madness could so far have raved
To bring him here alone. Although perhaps
It may be heard at court that such as we
Cave here, hunt here, are outlaws, and in time
May make some stronger head, the which he hearing—
As it is like him—might break out and swear
He’d fetch us in, yet is ’t not probable
To come alone, either he so undertaking
Or they so suffering. Then on good ground we fear,
If we do fear this body hath a tail
More perilous than the head.
Arviragus, as Cadwal
Let ord’nance
Come as the gods foresay it. Howsoe’er,
My brother hath done well.
Belarius, as Morgan
I had no mind
To hunt this day. The boy Fidele’s sickness
Did make my way long forth.
Guiderius, as Polydor
With his own sword,
Which he did wave against my throat, I have ta’en
His head from him. I’ll throw ’t into the creek
Behind our rock, and let it to the sea
And tell the fishes he’s the Queen’s son, Cloten.
That’s all I reck.  He exits.
Belarius, as Morgan
I fear ’twill be revenged.
Would, Polydor, thou hadst not done ’t, though valor
Becomes thee well enough.
Arviragus, as Cadwal
Would I had done ’t,
So the revenge alone pursued me. Polydor,
I love thee brotherly, but envy much
Thou hast robbed me of this deed. I would revenges
That possible strength might meet would seek us through
And put us to our answer.
Belarius, as Morgan
Well, ’tis done.
We’ll hunt no more today, nor seek for danger
Where there’s no profit. I prithee, to our rock.
You and Fidele play the cooks. I’ll stay
Till hasty Polydor return, and bring him
To dinner presently.
Arviragus, as Cadwal
Poor sick Fidele.
I’ll willingly to him. To gain his color
I’d let a parish of such Clotens blood,
And praise myself for charity.  He exits.
Belarius
O thou goddess,
Thou divine Nature, thou thyself thou blazon’st
In these two princely boys! They are as gentle
As zephyrs blowing below the violet,
Not wagging his sweet head; and yet as rough,
Their royal blood enchafed, as the rud’st wind
That by the top doth take the mountain pine
And make him stoop to th’ vale. ’Tis wonder
That an invisible instinct should frame them
To royalty unlearned, honor untaught,
Civility not seen from other, valor
That wildly grows in them but yields a crop
As if it had been sowed. Yet still it’s strange
What Cloten’s being here to us portends,
Or what his death will bring us.

Source:
Act 4
Scene 2
Line 134

Source Type:

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