Authors: William Shakespeare
Exeunt
F = First Folio text of 1623
F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632
F3 = a correction introduced in the Third Folio text of 1663–64
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
SD = stage direction
SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker’s name)
List of parts
= Ed
1.1.1 SH FIRST GENTLEMAN
= Ed. F = 1.
Gent, subsequently
1
3 king
= Ed. F = Kings
4 SH SECOND GENTLEMAN
= Ed. F = 2
Gent
,
subsequently
2
35 Cassibelan
= F2. F =
Cassibulan
65 clothes the other
, = Ed. F = cloathes, the other
78 SD
Exeunt
= Ed. F =
Exeunt / Scena Secunda
SD
Innogen
= Ed. F =
Imogen (throughout)
109 Philario’s
= Ed. F =
Filorio’s
131 cere
spelled
seare
in
F
Act 1 Scene 2
= Ed. F =
Scena Tertia
1.2.1 SH FIRST LORD
= Ed. F = 1
7 SH SECOND LORD
= Ed. F = 2
9 thoroughfare
= F3. F = thorough-fare
Act 1 Scene 3
= Ed. F =
Scena Quarta
Act 1 Scene 4
= Ed. F =
Scena Quinta
1.4.24 Briton
spelled
Britaine
in
F
40 not
= Ed.
Not in
F
64 Britain
= Ed. F = Britanie
64 others I have
= Ed. F = others. I haue
66 not but
= Ed. F= not
74 purchase
= Ed. F = purchases
113 thousand
= F3. F = thousands
120 a friend
= F.
Sometimes emended to
afraid
Act 1 Scene 5
= Ed. F =
Scena Sexta
1.5.84 SD
Exit Pisanio
printed one line earlier in
F
Act 1 Scene 6
= Ed. F =
Scena Septima
1.6.7 desire
= F2. F = desires
26 trust
= F.
Sometimes emended to
truest
29 takes
= Ed. F = take
38 th’unnumbered
= Ed. F = the number’d
67 Briton
spelled
Britaine
in
F
125 illustrous
= Ed. F = illustrious
169 Solicit’st
= Ed. F = Solicites
190 men’s
= F2. F = men
192 descended
= F2. F = defended
2.1.6 SH FIRST LORD
= Ed. F = 1
(throughout scene)
14 give
= F2. F = gaue
25 your
= Ed. F = you
32 tonight
= F2. F = night
59 husband, than
= Ed. F = Husband. Then
60 make! The
= Ed. F = make the
2.2.51 bare
spelled
beare
in
F
2.3.24 SH CLOTEN
= Ed.
Not in
F
25 vice
= Ed. F = voyce
27 amend
= F2
F = amed
44 solicits
= F2. F = solicity
107 cure
= Ed. F = are
129 foil
= F.
Sometimes emended to
soil
149 garment
= F2. F = Garments
169 you
= Ed. F = your
2.4.7 seared hopes
= Ed. F = fear’d hope
20 legions
= Ed. F = Legion
26 mingled
= F2. F = wing-led
39 through
= Ed. F = thorough
42 tenor
= Ed. F = tenure
44 SH PHILARIO
= Ed. F =
Post
.
51 had
= Ed. F = haue
59 not
= F2. F = note
71 you
= F2. F = yon
74 leaves
= Ed. F = leaue
146 one of
= F2. F = one
169 the
= Ed. F = her
209 German one
= Ed. F = Iarmen on
220 may be named
= F2. F = name
3.1.23 oaks
= F.
Sometimes emended to
rocks
39 more
spelled
mo
in
F
55 be. We do say
= Ed. F = be, we do. Say
3.2.2 monster’s her accuser
= Ed. F = Monsters her accuse
21 fedary
= Ed. F = Foedarie
63 get
= F2. F = ger
66 score
= F2. F = store
ride
= F2. F = rid
79 here, nor
= F2. F = heere, not
3.3.2 Stoop
= Ed. F = Sleepe
25 robe
= Ed. F = Babe.
Sometimes emended to
bauble
27 ’em
= Ed. F = him
30 know
= F2. F = knowes
33 known, well
= Ed. F = knowne. Well
35 travelling
spelled
trauailing
in
F
36 for
= Ed. F = or
88 wherein they bow
= Ed. F = whereon the Bowe
91 Polydore
= Ed. F =
Paladour
108 reft’st
= Ed. F = refts
111 Morgan
= Ed. F =
Mergan
3.4.82 afore’t
= Ed. F = a-foot
92 make
= Ed. F = makes
106 out
= Ed.
Not in
F
164 haply
= Ed. F = happily
3.5.22 SD
and others
spelled &c. in
F
39 looks us
= Ed. F = looke vs
48 strokes
= Ed. F = stroke
54 th’loud’st
= Ed. F = th’lowd
161 insultment
= F2. F = insulment
3.6.27
F
marks a new scene here: Scena Septima
78 Ay
= Ed. F = I
I’d
= Ed. F = I do
Act 3 Scene 7
= Ed. F =
Scena Octaua
4.1.12 imperceiverant
= Ed. F = imperseuerant
16 thy face
= F. Ed = her face
17 haply
spelled
happily
in
F
4.2.63 cookery! He
= Ed. F = Cookerie? /
Arui
. He (
some editors assign
‘He … dieter’
to Belarius
)
73 him
= Ed. F = them
75 patience
= Ed. F = patient
90 mountaineers
spelled
Mountainers
in
F
157 thank
= Ed. F = thanks
169 humour
= Ed. F = Honor
233 ingenious
= Ed. F = ingenuous
257 crare
= Ed. F = care
258 Might
= F2. F = Might’st
easiliest
= Ed. F = easilest
259 ay
spelled
I
in
F
281 ruddock
= Ed. F = Raddocke
297 once
= Ed. F = once to
355 is
= Ed. F = are
401 are
= F2. F = are heere
464 wildwood leaves
= Ed. F = wild wood-leaues
475 he is
= F2. F = hee’s
4.3.18 SH FIRST LORD
= Ed. F =
Lord
.
46 betid
= Ed. F = betide
4.4.3 find we
= F2. F = we finde
11 us
= F2. F = v..
22 the
= Ed. F = their
33 hard
= Ed. F = heard
5.1.1 wished
= Ed. F = am wisht
5.3.27 harts
= Ed. F = hearts
45 stooped
= Ed. F = ftopt
46 they
= Ed. F = the
90 SH FIRST CAPTAIN
= Ed. F = 1
92 SH SECOND CAPTAIN
=
Ed. F = 2
102 SD
Jailers
=
Ed. F =
Gaoler
SD
Exeunt … Jailers
= Ed. F =
Enter Posthumus, and Gaoler (
F
begins new scene here, Scena Quarta)
103 SH FIRST JAILER
= Ed. F =
Gao
.
170 geck
= Ed. F = geeke
184 look
= F2. F = looke, / looke
221 claws
spelled
cloyes
in
F
263 are as
= Ed. F = are
268 Of this
= Ed. F = Oh, of this
272 sir
= F2. F = Sis
285 on
= Ed. F = one
Act 5 Scene 4
= Ed. F =
Scena Quinta
5.4.76 heard
= Ed. F = heare
158 On
= Ed. F = One
235 got it
= F2. F = got
302 from
= Ed. F = fro
368 on’s
= Ed. F = one’s
399 mere
= Ed. F = neere
400 treason. That
= Ed. F = Treason that
416 like
= F2. F = liks
449 ye
= Ed. F = we
460 brothers
= Ed. F = Brother
461 whither? These
= Ed. F = whether these?
482 so
= F2. F = no
519 SH SOOTHSAYER
= Ed.
Not in
F
554 this yet
= F3. F = yet this
Lines 1–78:
In Roman Britain, two Gentlemen, courtiers of the Briton king, Cymbeline, discuss in secret the scandals within the court. They reveal that Posthumus Leonatus, an orphan of uncertain lineage brought up by Cymbeline, has been banished for marrying the king’s daughter, Innogen, who has been imprisoned. Cymbeline and his new Queen wanted to marry Innogen to the Queen’s son, Cloten, who is “Too bad for bad report,” though all the courtiers are inwardly glad she was spared such a fate. They also reveal that Posthumus’ elder brothers were killed in battle, his father died in grief for them, and his mother died giving birth to him. However, he has grown to be an honorable man, highly regarded by everyone he meets, and all grieve for the separation of the virtuous young lovers. Cymbeline’s anguish at Innogen’s revolt, they say, is compounded by the fact that she is his only child; his two infant sons were kidnapped without trace twenty years earlier.
Lines 79–213:
Posthumus and Innogen enter with the Queen, who condoles with them, saying she will plead with Cymbeline on their behalf; they play along, but reveal knowledge of her wickedness when she leaves. Innogen gives Posthumus a diamond ring which belonged to her mother as a symbol of their fidelity to each other. He swears to keep it safe, and gives her a bracelet in return. Cymbeline enters and orders Posthumus gone, berating Innogen, who is openly unrepentant, for refusing Cloten. Cymbeline leaves and the Queen again professes sympathy. Pisanio, Posthumus’ servant, enters to tell them that as his master was leaving the court Cloten drew his sword on him, but that Posthumus “rather played than fought” and no harm was done. Innogen feignedly praises Cloten for loyalty to the king, but in an aside wishes Posthumus could have fought him to the death. Pisanio reveals that Posthumus has given him letters with commands to serve Innogen, and the Queen says that he will prove a
“faithful servant.” She entreats Innogen to walk with her, and Innogen sends Pisanio to see Posthumus aboard his ship.
Cloten enters with two Lords, the First of whom politely tries to persuade him to change his shirt as “the violence of action” in his duel with Posthumus has clearly made him smell. He flatters Cloten for bravery and fighting skill, suggesting Posthumus was lucky to escape, while the Second Lord, in a series of asides, reveals Cloten’s cowardice, his inferiority to Posthumus in every way, and his unworthiness of Innogen.
Innogen questions Pisanio on every detail of Posthumus’ leave-taking at the harbor, saying that she would have watched him on his departing ship until he “had melted from / The smallness of a gnat to air.” She laments the fact that she did not have the chance to say to him everything she had wanted before her father had forced them apart, chiefly to beware temptation from “the shes of Italy.” A Lady summons Innogen to the Queen, and Pisanio is sent to undertake errands.
1–23:
In Italy, Philario, an old comrade of Posthumus’ father who has agreed to host the young Briton, awaits, with Iachimo (an Italian nobleman) and other lords, the arrival of his old friend’s son. The play’s move from Roman Britain to Renaissance Italy underlines its fairy-tale, transhistorical setting. All the others remark that they have met Posthumus in the past and that he does not deserve his high reputation, but Philario alone defends him, saying that he has grown much since then. Iachimo suggests that it is Posthumus’ marriage to a king’s daughter that falsely enhances his reputation.
24–155:
Posthumus arrives and exchanges reminiscences with a French lord, thanking him for cooling an argument he was once in about the virtue of Innogen over any “ladies in France.” Iachimo scoffs, claiming that no such woman exists, and that every woman, including Innogen, can be seduced. He wagers Posthumus ten thousand ducats against the diamond ring Posthumus wears that he could seduce Innogen “with no more advantage than the opportunity of a second conference.” Philario tries to stop them, but Posthumus consents on the condition that Iachimo must also fight him if he loses for “th’assault … made to her chastity.” The wager is agreed.