Page 496 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

The kings your ancestors, together with
The natural bravery of your isle, which stands
As Neptune’s park, ribb’d and pal’d in [20]
With rocks unscaleable and roaring waters,

With sands that will not bear your enemies’ boats,
But suck them up to th’ topmast. A kind of conquest
Cæsar made here, but made not here his brag
Of ‘Came, and saw, and overcame:’ with shame [25]

(The first that ever touch’d him) he was carried
From off our coast, twice beaten: and his shipping
(Poor ignorant baubles!) on our terrible seas,
Like egg-shells mov’d upon their surges, crack’d

As easily ’gainst our rocks. For joy whereof [30]
The fam’d Cassibelan, who was once at point
(O giglot fortune!) to master Cæsar’s sword,
Made Lud’s town with rejoicing-fires bright,

And Britons strut with courage.

CLOTEN
Come, there’s no more tribute to be paid; our kingdom is [35] stronger than it
was at that time: and (as I said) there is no moe such Cæsars, other of them
may have crook’d noses, but to owe such straight arms, none.

CYMBELINE
Son, let your mother end.

CLOTEN
We have yet many among us can gripe as hard as [40] Cassibelan: I do not

say I am one: but I have a hand. Why tribute? Why should we pay tribute? If
Cæsar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket,
we will pay him tribute for light: else, sir, no more tribute, pray you now. [45]

CYMBELINE
You must know,

Till the injurious Romans did extort
This tribute from us, we were free. Cæsar’s ambition,
Which swell’d so much that it did almost stretch
The sides o’ th’ world, against all colour here [50]