Cymbeline Act Four –“Triumphs for nothing and lamenting toys is jollity for apes and grief for boys.”

Cymbeline Act Four –“Triumphs for nothing and lamenting toys, tis jollity for apes and grief for boys.”

The villainous Cloten arrives in Wales at the place Pisanio said Imogen would be:

“I am near to the place where they should meet, if

Pisanio have mapped it truly. How fit his garments

serve me! Why should his mistress, who was made by

him that made the tailor, not be fit too? the

rather--saving reverence of the word--for 'tis said

a woman's fitness comes by fits. Therein I must

play the workman. I dare speak it to myself--for it

is not vain-glory for a man and his glass to confer

in his own chamber--I mean, the lines of my body are

as well drawn as his; no less young, more strong,

not beneath him in fortunes, beyond him in the

advantage of the time, above him in birth, alike

conversant in general services, and more remarkable

in single oppositions: yet this imperceiverant

thing loves him in my despite. What mortality is!

Posthumus, thy head, which now is growing upon thy

shoulders, shall within this hour be off; thy

mistress enforced; thy garments cut to pieces before

thy face: and all this done, spurn her home to her

father; who may haply be a little angry for my so

rough usage; but my mother, having power of his

testiness, shall turn all into my commendations. My

horse is tied up safe: out, sword, and to a sore

purpose! Fortune, put them into my hand! This is

the very description of their meeting-place; and

the fellow dares not deceive me.”

We then go to Belarius’s cave where Imogen seems sick. Guiderius, Arviragus, and Belarius reluctantly go out to hunt. Imogen takes the potion which she was given by Pisanio thinking it to just a medicine for feeling sick.

Then, Cloten, who is disguised in the clothes of Posthumus comes across Guiderius, Arviragus, and Belarius, challenging them to a fight. Guiderius and Cloten fight and Guiderius kills Cloten and removes the prince’s head. Then Belarius identifies the dead Cloten as the Queen’s son and a prince and he gets anxious.

“O thou goddess,

Thou divine Nature, how 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 rudest wind,

That by the top doth take the mountain pine,

And make him stoop to the vale. 'Tis wonder

That an invisible instinct should frame them

To royalty unlearn'd, honour untaught,

Civility not seen from other, valour

That wildly grows in them, but yields a crop

As if it had been sow'd. Yet still it's strange

What Cloten's being here to us portends,

Or what his death will bring us. “

Guiderius and Arviragus are happy and Arviragus goes to tell Fidele (Imogen in disguise). Then Arviragus returns and tells them all that Fidele (Imogen) is dead. They put the body of Fidele (Imogen) in the forest and sing a prayer the body. Then they lay beside Fidele (Imogen) Cloten's headless body (which is still dressed in Posthumus’s clothes).

Then Imogen awakes, and she sees the headless body who she thinks is Posthumus. Imogen thinks her husband is dead. She also realizes that the potion Pisanio gave her is a sleeping potion and thinks that Pisanio must have also killed Posthumus:

“These flowers are like the pleasures of the world;

This bloody man, the care on't. I hope I dream;

For so I thought I was a cave-keeper,

And cook to honest creatures: but 'tis not so;

'Twas but a bolt of nothing, shot at nothing,

Which the brain makes of fumes: our very eyes

Are sometimes like our judgments, blind. Good faith,

I tremble stiff with fear: but if there be

Yet left in heaven as small a drop of pity

As a wren's eye, fear'd gods, a part of it!

The dream's here still: even when I wake, it is

Without me, as within me; not imagined, felt.

A headless man! The garments of Posthumus!

I know the shape of's leg: this is his hand;

His foot Mercurial; his Martial thigh;

The brawns of Hercules: but his Jovial face

Murder in heaven?--How!--'Tis gone. Pisanio,

All curses madded Hecuba gave the Greeks,

And mine to boot, be darted on thee! Thou,

Conspired with that irregulous devil, Cloten,

Hast here cut off my lord. To write and read

Be henceforth treacherous! Damn'd Pisanio

Hath with his forged letters,--damn'd Pisanio--

From this most bravest vessel of the world

Struck the main-top! O Posthumus! alas,

Where is thy head? where's that? Ay me!

where's that?

Pisanio might have kill'd thee at the heart,

And left this head on. How should this be? Pisanio?

'Tis he and Cloten: malice and lucre in them

Have laid this woe here. O, 'tis pregnant, pregnant!

The drug he gave me, which he said was precious

And cordial to me, have I not found it

Murderous to the senses? That confirms it home:

This is Pisanio's deed, and Cloten's: O!

Give colour to my pale cheek with thy blood,

That we the horrider may seem to those

Which chance to find us: O, my lord, my lord!”

Then the Roman army arrives and Caius Lucius comes upon Imogen and Cloten. Initially, they think that the two ‘men’ they have found are dead. At first, they think that both of them are dead, but then Imogen awakens. Imogen says name is Fidele. She asks whether she the Roman commander Caius Lucius would accept him (even though he is really a her) into his service as a page. Caius Lucius accepts.

The next scene transports us back to Cymbeline's castle where the Queen has had a fever since her son went missing from court. Cymbeline pressures Pisanio to reveal where Imogen has gone to. Messages then arrive to telling that the Romans have invaded and Cymbeline leaves to prepares to face the Romans. Pisanio thinks over his situation:

“I heard no letter from my master since

I wrote him Imogen was slain: 'tis strange:

Nor hear I from my mistress who did promise

To yield me often tidings: neither know I

What is betid to Cloten; but remain

Perplex'd in all. The heavens still must work.

Wherein I am false I am honest; not true, to be true.

These present wars shall find I love my country,

Even to the note o' the king, or I'll fall in them.

All other doubts, by time let them be clear'd:

Fortune brings in some boats that are not steer'd.”

We cross back to Guiderius, Arviragus, and Belarius who can hear both armies moving into their wilderness. Belarius wants them to hide and ride out the conflict. Guiderius and Arviragus are eager to fight on Cymberline’s side.

“No reason I, since of 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, an there I'll lie:

Lead, lead.

The time seems long; their blood

thinks scorn,

Till it fly out and show them princes born.”