Cymbeline

Cymbeline, a play of uncertain date by William Shakespeare, was produced as early as 1611. It has been described as a tragi-comedy or a romance and is set in pre-Roman Britain.

Act I

 * Lest the bargain should catch cold and starve.
 * Iachimo, scene iv


 * His fortunes all lie speechless, and his name Is at last gasp.
 * Queen, scene v


 * Boldness be my friend! Arm me, audacity, from head to foot!
 * Iachimo, scene vi

Act II

 * Every Jack-slave hath his belly-full of fighting.
 * Cloten, scene i


 * The crickets sing, and man's o'er-labour'd sense Repairs itself by rest.
 * Iachimo, scene ii


 * How bravely thou becom'st thy bed, fresh lily.
 * Iachimo, scene ii


 * 'Tis her breathing that Perfumes the chamber thus.
 * Iachimo, scene ii


 * The most patient man in loss, the most coldest that ever turned up ace.
 * 1 Lord, scene iii


 * Hark! hark! The lark at heaven's gate sings, And Phoebus 'gins arise, His steeds to water at those springs On chalic'd flowers that lies; And winking Mary-buds begin To ope their golden eyes; With everything that pretty is, My lady sweet, arise: Arise, arise.
 * Cloten, scene iii


 * As chaste as unsunn'd snow.
 * Posthumus, scene v

Act III

 * Some griefs are med'cinable.
 * Imogen, scene ii


 * O, for a horse with wings!
 * Imogen, scene ii


 * Often, to our comfort, shall we find The sharded beetle in a safer hold Than is the full-wing'd eagle.
 * Belarius, scene iii


 * Richer, than doing nothing for a bribe; Prouder, than rustling in unpaid-for silk.
 * Belarius, scene iii


 * Our cage We make a choir, as doth the prison'd bird And sing our bondage freely.
 * Arviragus, scene iii


 * The art o' the court, As hard to leave as keep; whose top to climb Is certain falling, or so slippery that The fear’s as bad as falling.
 * Belarius, scene iii


 * The game is up!
 * Belarius, scene iii


 * 'Tis slander, Whose edge is sharper than the sword; whose tongue Outvenoms all the worms of Nile; whose breath Rides on the posting winds, and doth belie All corners of the world.
 * Pisanio, scene iv


 * Some jay of Italy, Whose mother was her painting, hath betray’d him: Poor I am stale, a garment out of fashion.
 * Imogen, scene iv


 * It is no act of common passage, but A strain of rareness.
 * Imogen, scene iv


 * I have not slept one wink.
 * Pisanio, scene iv


 * Thou art all the comfort The gods will diet me with.
 * Imogen, scene iv


 * Weariness Can snore upon the flint, when resty sloth Finds the down pillow hard.
 * Belarius, scene vi


 * By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly paragon! Behold divineness No elder than a boy.
 * Belarius, scene vi

Act IV

 * Triumphs for nothing, and lamenting toys, Is jollity for apes and grief for boys.
 * Guiderius, scene ii


 * I thought he slept, and put My clouted brogues from off my feet.
 * Arviragus, scene ii


 * With fairest flowers, Whilst summer lasts, and I live here, Fidele, I'll sweeten thy sad grave; thou shall not lack The flower that's like thy face, pale primrose, nor The azur'd harebell, like thy veins.
 * Arviragus, scene ii


 * Fear no more the heat o' the sun Nor the furious winter's rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages: Golden lads and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
 * Guiderius, scene ii

Act V

 * O, the charity of a penny cord! it sums up thousands in a trice.
 * 1 Gaoler, scene iv


 * O, never say hereafter But I am truest speaker: you call’d me brother When I was but your sister; I you, brothers, When you were so indeed.
 * Imogen, scene v