SSA

Early modern literature
Drama, gender & the body

Cymbeline

Act 5, Scene 2

Modern spelling. Stage directions omitted.

Listen to Act 5. LibriVox volunteers recorded “Act 5” as one track, so it runs past this scene and includes stage directions this page leaves out. LibriVox catalog.

IACHIMO

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.
If that gentry, Britain, go before
This lout as he exceeds our lords, the odds
Is that we scarce are men, and you are gods.

BELARIUS

Stand, stand! We have th’ advantage of the ground;
The lane is guarded; nothing routs us but
The villainy of our fears.

BELARIUS

GUIDERIUS and ARVIRAGUS.
Stand, stand, and fight!

LUCIUS

Away, boy, from the troops, and save thyself;
For friends kill friends, and the disorder’s such
As war were hoodwink’d.

IACHIMO

their fresh supplies.

LUCIUS

It is a day turn’d strangely. Or betimes
Let’s reinforce or fly.

All of Cymbeline

Act 1

Act 1, Scene 1Act 1, Scene 2Act 1, Scene 3Act 1, Scene 4Act 1, Scene 5Act 1, Scene 6Act 1, Scene 7,

Act 2

Act 2, Scene 1Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 3Act 2, Scene 4Act 2, Scene 5,

Act 3

Act 3, Scene 1Act 3, Scene 2Act 3, Scene 3Act 3, Scene 4Act 3, Scene 5Act 3, Scene 6Act 3, Scene 7Act 3, Scene 8,

Act 4

Act 4, Scene 1Act 4, Scene 2Act 4, Scene 3Act 4, Scene 4,

Act 5

Act 5, Scene 1Act 5, Scene 2Act 5, Scene 3Act 5, Scene 4Act 5, Scene 5

Open Cymbeline in the 1623 First Folio. See its words in the cloud.

Modern spelling for reading. The edition is public domain in the United States. Edition source.