Cymbeline Act Three –“How hard it is to hide the sparks of nature!”

Cymbeline Act Three –“How hard it is to hide the sparks of nature!”

Act Three of ‘Cymberline’ starts off with Rome’s ambassador Caius Lucius explaining to Cymberline, the Queen and Cloten, Rome’s demand to have its tribute paid. In short, this is a tribute to have Rome not invade:

“When Julius Caesar, whose remembrance yet

Lives in men's eyes and will to ears and tongues

Be theme and hearing ever, was in this Britain

And conquer'd it, Cassibelan, thine uncle,--

Famous in Caesar's praises, no whit less

Than in his feats deserving it--for him

And his succession granted Rome a tribute,

Yearly three thousand pounds, which by thee lately

Is left untender'd.”

The Queen speaks eloquently against it and Cloten also speaks against it (but not so eloquently diplomatically). This reinforces Cymbeline's view that he will pay no tribute and he reinforces this with stating that Britain is an independent island. Caius Lucius calmly apologizes to Cymberline that Britain and Rome must now be at war.

“I am sorry, Cymbeline,

That I am to pronounce Augustus Caesar--

Caesar, that hath more kings his servants than

Thyself domestic officers--thine enemy:

Receive it from me, then: war and confusion

In Caesar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee: look

For fury not to be resisted. Thus defied,

I thank thee for myself.”

We then cross to elsewhere in Cymberline’s palace where Pisanio has in his possession a letter from Posthumus, charging Imogen with infidelity. Furthermore Posthumus asks Pisanio to take Imogen away and to kill her. Pisanio is taken back at his master’s request:

“How? of adultery? Wherefore write you not

What monster's her accuser? Leonatus,

O master! what a strange infection

Is fall'n into thy ear! What false Italian,

As poisonous-tongued as handed, hath prevail'd

On thy too ready hearing? Disloyal! No:

She's punish'd for her truth, and undergoes,

More goddess-like than wife-like, such assaults

As would take in some virtue. O my master!

Thy mind to her is now as low as were

Thy fortunes. How! that I should murder her?

Upon the love and truth and vows which I

Have made to thy command? I, her? her blood?

If it be so to do good service, never

Let me be counted serviceable. How look I,

That I should seem to lack humanity

so much as this fact comes to?”

Despite his horror, Pisanio decides (at this point) that he will do as Posthumus commands. Imogen enters and Pisanio gives her a letter telling her that Posthumus is coming and that he will meet her Milford Haven (on the coastland of Wales). Imogen is excited and filled with joy at the prospect of seeing her husband Posthumus, and asks Pisanio about the distance to Milford Haven. Imogen makes plans to leave as soon as possible and cover the tracks of her leaving.

“O, for a horse with wings! Hear'st thou, Pisanio?

He is at Milford-Haven: read, and tell me

How far 'tis thither. If one of mean affairs

May plod it in a week, why may not I

Glide thither in a day? Then, true Pisanio,--

Who long'st, like me, to see thy lord; who long'st,--

let me bate,-but not like me--yet long'st,

But in a fainter kind:--O, not like me;

For mine's beyond beyond--say, and speak thick;

Love's counsellor should fill the bores of hearing,

To the smothering of the sense--how far it is

To this same blessed Milford: and by the way

Tell me how Wales was made so happy as

To inherit such a haven: but first of all,

How we may steal from hence, and for the gap

That we shall make in time, from our hence-going

And our return, to excuse: but first, how get hence:

Why should excuse be born or e'er begot?

We'll talk of that hereafter. Prithee, speak,

How many score of miles may we well ride

'Twixt hour and hour?

… Go bid my woman feign a sickness; say

She'll home to her father: and provide me presently

A riding-suit, no costlier than would fit

A franklin's housewife…

I see before me, man: nor here, nor here,

Nor what ensues, but have a fog in them,

That I cannot look through. Away, I prithee;

Do as I bid thee: there's no more to say,

Accessible is none but Milford way.”

We then encounter a strange scene in the mountains of Wales where Belarius, an old shepherd tells Guiderius and Arviragus (who he calls Polydore and Cadwal and who we think are his two sons) about how wonderful nature and the wilderness are wonderful compared to the city. Guiderius and Arviragus want to leave their home for the city but Belarius points out that the city is filled with treachery and he recounts how he was banished from Cymberline’s court after being falsely accused. The boys leave and then Belarius tells the audience that the boys are in fact the sons of Cymberline and that he took them to get even with Cymberline. He tells the audience that the boys think that he is Morgan and they know themselves by the names Polydore and Cadwal he gave them.

“How hard it is to hide the sparks of nature!

These boys know little they are sons to the king;

Nor Cymbeline dreams that they are alive.

They think they are mine; and though train'd

up thus meanly

I' the cave wherein they bow, their thoughts do hit

The roofs of palaces, and nature prompts them

In simple and low things to prince it much

Beyond the trick of others. This Polydore,

The heir of Cymbeline and Britain, who

The king his father call'd Guiderius,--Jove!

When on my three-foot stool I sit and tell

The warlike feats I have done, his spirits fly out

Into my story: say 'Thus, mine enemy fell,

And thus I set my foot on 's neck;' even then

The princely blood flows in his cheek, he sweats,

Strains his young nerves and puts himself in posture

That acts my words. The younger brother, Cadwal,

Once Arviragus, in as like a figure,

Strikes life into my speech and shows much more

His own conceiving.--Hark, the game is roused!

O Cymbeline! heaven and my conscience knows

Thou didst unjustly banish me: whereon,

At three and two years old, I stole these babes;

Thinking to bar thee of succession, as

Thou reft'st me of my lands. Euriphile,

Thou wast their nurse; they took thee for

their mother,

And every day do honour to her grave:

Myself, Belarius, that am Morgan call'd,

They take for natural father. The game is up.”

The scene then moves to Milford Haven in Wales where Imogen and Pisanio have arrived. Imogen is upset that her husband is not there and Pisanio gives Imogen Posthumus’s letter accusing her of infidelity and asking Pisanio to kill her:

'Thy mistress, Pisanio, hath played the

strumpet in my bed; the testimonies whereof lie

bleeding in me. I speak not out of weak surmises,

but from proof as strong as my grief and as certain

as I expect my revenge. That part thou, Pisanio,

must act for me, if thy faith be not tainted with

the breach of hers. Let thine own hands take away

her life: I shall give thee opportunity at

Milford-Haven. She hath my letter for the purpose

where, if thou fear to strike and to make me certain

it is done, thou art the pandar to her dishonour and

equally to me disloyal.'

Imogen is distraught and upset that her husband would accuse her of infidelity and she asks Pisanio to kill her:

“False to his bed! What is it to be false?

To lie in watch there and to think on him?

To weep 'twixt clock and clock? if sleep

charge nature,

To break it with a fearful dream of him

And cry myself awake? that's false to's bed, is it?

… I false! Thy conscience witness: Iachimo,

Thou didst accuse him of incontinency;

Thou then look'dst like a villain; now methinks

Thy favour's good enough. Some jay of Italy

Whose mother was her painting, hath betray'd him:

Poor I am stale, a garment out of fashion;

And, for I am richer than to hang by the walls,

I must be ripp'd:--to pieces with me!--O,

Men's vows are women's traitors! All good seeming,

By thy revolt, O husband, shall be thought

Put on for villany; not born where't grows,

But worn a bait for ladies…

True honest men being heard, like false Aeneas,

Were in his time thought false, and Sinon's weeping

Did scandal many a holy tear, took pity

From most true wretchedness: so thou, Posthumus,

Wilt lay the leaven on all proper men;

Goodly and gallant shall be false and perjured

From thy great fall. Come, fellow, be thou honest:

Do thou thy master's bidding: when thou see'st him,

A little witness my obedience: look!

I draw the sword myself: take it, and hit

The innocent mansion of my love, my heart;

Fear not; 'tis empty of all things but grief;

Thy master is not there, who was indeed

The riches of it: do his bidding; strike

Thou mayst be valiant in a better cause;

But now thou seem'st a coward.”

Pisanio says he will not kill her and Imogen is confused as to why they came to Milford Haven but Pisanio says that he did this so it would seem like she was killed but he wants to fake her death. He has obviously changed his mind and his plans since last we saw him. He believes that once Posthumus thinks Imogen is dead than he will feel guilty and feel greater love for her. Pisanio then reveals that he thinks that someone has deceived Posthumus:

“…It cannot be

But that my master is abused:

Some villain, ay, and singular in his art.

Hath done you both this cursed injury…

I'll give but notice you are dead and send him

Some bloody sign of it; for 'tis commanded

I should do so: you shall be miss'd at court,

And that will well confirm it.”

Pisanio then advocates that Imogen pretends to be a boy and he gives her garments he has brought for this deception. If audiences were in any doubt as to the fact that 'Cymberline' is a Comedy, then Imogen's gender switch would confirm which genre this play sits firmly in. Pisanio then suggests that she offer herself as a servant to Caius Lucius who is going to leave from Milford Haven to go back to Rome. Imogen changes immediately and before she leaves, Pisanio presents her with a potion which the Queen gave him which he believes is will calm her and help her if she gets sea sick on her journey.

Cymbeline sees off Caius Lucius knowing what is to come and then he asks for Imogen but is told her chamber door is locked. Cymbeline goes to confirm this and Cloten goes too and then returns to tell his mother, the Queen, that Imogen is missing. The Queen exits to look for Cymbeline, and Cloten starts to plan how he can take revenge on Imogen and her husband.

Then Pisanio enters, having returned from Wales. Cloten asks where Imogen is and Pisanio (believing that Imogen has probably already left Mitford Haven, sends Cloten to Wales to find her (even though he knows she has already got away). Cloten then reveals to the audience his plans to kill Posthumus and rape Imogen.

We cross back to Imogen, who is dressed as a boy but has become lost in the wilderness even though she asked directions of two beggars. She has slept outside for two nights and is hungry when she comes across Belarius’s cave. The boys and Belarius come home from hunting and they are "...weak with toil and strong with appetite..." In what seems like a scene from Goldilocks, Imogen is discovered and thought initially to be a fairy by the boys and Belatius. Imogen who introduces herself as the young boy Fidele, apologizes for eating their food and generally making herself at home. The boys  like the boy (not knowing that he is really a lady and that she is their sister) and welcome him (her). 

The last scene of Act Three sees Roman senators talking to Roman tribunes about how the Roman forces are spread out bu that an army under the command of Caius Lucius is preparing to sail for war against Britain.