Page 772 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

Upon this ground: and more it would content me
To have her honour true than your suspicion, [160]
Be blam’d for ’t how you might.

LEONTES
Why, what need we
Commune with you of this, but rather follow

Our forceful instigation? Our prerogative
Calls not your counsels, but our natural goodness
Imparts this; which if you, or stupefied, [165]

Or seeming so, in skill, cannot or will not
Relish a truth, like us, inform yourselves
We need no more of your advice: the matter,
The loss, the gain, the ord’ring on ’t, is all
Properly ours.

ANTIGONUS
And I wish, my liege, [170]
You had only in your silent judgement tried it,
Without more overture.

LEONTES
How could that be?

Either thou art most ignorant by age,
Or thou wert born a fool. Camillo’s flight,
Added to their familiarity, [175]
(Which was as gross as ever touch’d conjecture,
That lack’d sight only, nought for approbation

But only seeing, all other circumstances
Made up to th’ deed) doth push on this proceeding.
Yet, for a greater confirmation [180]

(For in an act of this importance, ’twere
Most piteous to be wild), I have dispatch’d in post
To sacred Delphos, to Apollo’s temple,
Cleomenes and Dion, whom you know
Of stuff’d sufficiency; now from the Oracle [185]

They will bring all: whose spiritual counsel had,
Shall stop or spur me. Have I done well?