SCENE III. The same. Enter LEONTES, ANTI A Room in the Palace. Leo. Nor night, nor day, no rest: It is but weakness Leo. How does the boy? 1 Attend. He took good rest to-night; 'Tis hop'd, his sickness is discharg'd. Leo. To see, His nobleness! Conceiving the dishonour of his mother, [Advancing. He straight declin'd, droop'd, took it deeply; The very thought of my revenges that way Laugh at me; make their pastime at my sorrow : Enter PAULINA, with a Child. 1 Lord. You must not enter. Paul. Nay, rather, good my lords, be second to me: Fear you his tyrannous passion more, alas, Than the queen's life? a gracious innocent soul; More free, than he is jealous. Ant. That's enough. 46] Blank and level, mean mark and aim; they are terms of gunnery. DOUCE. 1 Atten. Madam, he hath not slept to-night; commanded None should come at him. Paul. Not so hot, good sir ; I come to bring him sleep.-'Tis such as you,- Do come with words as med'cinal as true; Leo. What noise there, ho? Paul. No noise, my lord; but needful conference, About some gossips for your highness. Leo. How ? Away with that audacious lady: Antigonus, I charg'd thee, that she should not come about me, Ant. I told her so, my lord, On your displeasure's peril, and on mine, Leo. What, canst not rule her? Paul. From all dishonesty, he can: in this, Ant. Lo you now; you hear! When she will take the rein, I let her run; Paul. Good my liege, I come, And, I beseech you, hear me, who profess Leo. Good queen! Paul. Good queen, my lord, good queen: I say, good queen; And would by combat make her good, so were I A man, the worst about you. [7] To comfort, in old language, is to aid and encourage. Evils here mean wicked courses. MALONE. Leo. Force her hence. Paul. Let him, that makes but trifles of his eyes, Leo. Out! [Laying down the child A mankind witch! Hence with her, out o' door: Paul. Not so: I am as ignorant in that, as you In so entitling me: and no less honest Than you are mad; which is enough, I'll warrant, Leo. Traitors! Will you not push her out? Give her the bastard :— Thou, dotard, [To ANTIGONUS.] thou art woman-tir'd, unroosted By thy dame Partlet here,—take up the bastard; Paul. For ever Unvenerable be thy hands, if thou Take'st up the princess, by that forced baseness Leo. He dreads his wife. Paul. So, I would, you did; then, 'twere past all doubt, You'd call your children yours. Leo. A nest of traitors! Ant. I am none, by this good light. Paul. Nor I; nor any, But one, that's here; and that's himself: for he The sacred honour of himself, his queen's, [8] A mankind woman is yet used in the midland counties, for a woman violent, ferocious, and mischievous. It has the same sense in this passage. Witches are supposed to be mankind, to put off the softness and delicacy of women; therefore Sir Hugh, in The Merry Wives of Windsor, says of a woman suspected to be a witch, "that he does not like when a woman has a beard." JOHNSON. [9] Woman-tir'd, is peck'd by a woman; hen-peck'd. The phrase is taken from falconry, and is often employed by writers contemporary with Shakespeare. STEEVENS. [1] i. e. thy old worn-out woman. A croan is an old toothless sheep; thence an old woman. STEEVENS. [2] Leontes had ordered Antigonus to take up the bastard; Paulina forbids him to touch the Princess under that appellation. Forced is false, uttered with violence to truth. JOHNSON His hopeful son's, his babe's betrays to slander, Leo. A callat, Of boundless tongue; who late hath beat her husband, Hence with it; and, together with the dam, Paul. It is yours; And, might we lay th' old proverb to your charge, The trick of his frown, his forehead; nay, the valley, And, thou, good goddess nature, which hast made it The ordering of the mind too, 'mongst all colours Leo. A gross hag!— And, lozel, thou art worthy to be hang'd, That wilt not stay her tongue. Ant. Hang all the husbands, That cannot do that feat, you'll leave yourself Leo. Once more, take her hence. Paul. A most unworthy and unnatural lord Can do no more. Leo. I'll have thee burn'd. [3] Yellow is the colour of jealousy. JOHNSON. [4] In the ardour of composition Shakespeare seems here to have forgotten the difference of sexes. Unless she were herself "a bed-swerver," (which is not supposed,) she could have no doubt of his being the father of her children. However painful female jealousy may be to her that feels it, Paulina, therefore, certainly attributes to it in the present instance, a pang that it can never give. MALONE. I regard this circumstance as a beauty, rather than a defect. The seeming absurdity in the last clause of Paulina's ardent address to Nature, was undoubtedly designed, being an extravagance characteristically preferable to languid correctness and chastised declamation. STEEVENS. [5] This is a term of contempt frequently used by Spenser. STEEVENS. Paul. I care not: It is an heretick, that makes the fire, Not she which burns in't. I'll not call you tyrant ; (Not able to produce more accusation Than your own weak-hing'd fancy,) something savours Leo. On your allegiance, Out of the chamber with her. Were I a tyrant, Paul. I pray you, do not push me; I'll be gone. -Look to your babe, my lord; 'tis your's: Jove send her A better guiding spirit !-What need these hands ?You, that are thus so tender o'er his follies, Will never do him good, not one of you. So, so Farewell; we are gone. : Leo. Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this.- And see it instantly consum'd with fire; [Exit. Even thou, and none but thou. Take it up straight: (And by good testimony) or I'll seize thy life, Ant. I did not, sir: These lords, my noble fellows, if they please, 1 Lord. We can ; my royal liege, He is not guilty of her coming hither. 1 Lord. 'Beseech your highness, give us better credit; We have always truly serv'd you; and beseech So to esteem of us: And on our knees we beg, (As recompense of our dear services, Past, and to come,) that you do change this purpose; Lead on to some foul issue : We all kneel. Leo. I am a feather for each wind that blows |