SCENE II. The same. A Court of Justice. LEONTES, Lords, and Officers, appear properly seated. Leon. This sessions (to our great grief, we pronounce) Even pushes 'gainst our heart. The party tried, Produce the prisoner. Offi. It is his highness' pleasure, that the queen Appear in person here in court.-Silence! HERMIONE is brought in, guarded; PAULINA and Ladies, attending. Leon. Read the indictment. Offi. Hermione, queen to the worthy Leontes, king of Sicilia, thou art here accused and arraigned of high treason, in committing adultery with Polixenes, king of Bohemia; and conspiring with Camillo to take away the life of our sovereign lord and king, thy royal husband; the pretence1 whereof being by circumstances partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to the faith and allegiance of a true subject, didst counsel and aid them, for their better safety, to fly away by night. Her. Since what I am to say, must be but that Which contradicts my accusation; and The testimony on my part, no other But what comes from myself; it shall scarce boot me Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it, 11. e. the design. Shakspeare often uses the word for design or intention. False accusation blush, and tyranny Tremble at patience.-You, my lord, best know 1 A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter, Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize it And only that I stand for. I appeal To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes With what encounter so uncurrent I Have strained, to appear thus:2 if one jot beyond Leon. Her. Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me. That's true enough; More than mistress of, Leon. You will not own it. Her. Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not 1 Own, possess. 2 Encounter so uncurrent is unallowed or unlawful meeting.-Strained means swerved or gone astray from the line of duty. The explanations of this passage are not very satisfactory. It appears to be designed as a question. 3 It is to be observed that originally, in our language, two negatives did not affirm, but only strengthen the negation. In this passage, Johnson observes that, according to the present use of words, less should be more, or wanted should be had. At all acknowledge. For Polixenes, To you and toward your friend; whose love had spoke, I know not how it tastes; though it be dished Is, that Camillo was an honest man; And why he left your court, the gods themselves, Leon. You knew of his departure, as you know You speak a language that I understand not. Leon. Your actions are my dreams; You had a bastard by Polixenes, And I but dreamed it.-As you were past all shame, (Those of your fact are so,) so past all truth; 2 Which to deny, concerns more than avails; for as Shalt feel our justice; in whose easiest passage, Her. 1 See note 1, p. 35. To stand within the level of a gun is to stand in a direct line with its mouth, and in danger of being hurt by its discharge. This expression often occurs in Shakspeare. 2 i. e. they who have done like you. 3 Bugbear. The crown and comfort of my life, your favor, But know not how it went. My second joy, Apollo be my judge. 1 Lord. This your request Is altogether just therefore, bring forth, And in Apollo's name, his oracle. [Exeunt certain Officers. Her. The emperor of Russia was my father. O that he were alive, and here, beholding His daughter's trial! that he did but see 3 The flatness of my misery; yet with eyes 1 "Starred most unluckily;" ill-starred, born under an inauspicious planet. 2 Strength of limit, i. e. the degree of strength which it is customary to acquire before women are suffered to go abroad after child-bearing. 3 The completeness of my misery. Re-enter Officers, with CLEOMENES and DION. Offi. You here shall swear upon this sword of justice, That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have Been both at Delphos; and from thence have brought Of great Apollo's priest; and that, since then, Cleo. Dion. All this we swear. Leon. Break up the seals, and read. Offi. [Reads.] Hermione is chaste, Polixenes blameless, Camillo a true subject, Leontes a jealous tyrant, his innocent babe truly begotten; and the king shall live without an heir, if that, which is lost, be not found.' Lords. Now blessed be the great Apollo! Her. Leon. Hast thou read truth? Offi. As it is here set down. Praised! Ay, my lord; even so Leon. There is no truth at all i'the oracle. The sessions shall proceed; this is mere falsehood. Enter a Servant, hastily. Serv. My lord the king, the king! Leon. What is the business? Serv. O, sir, I shall be hated to report it; The prince your son, with mere conceit and fear Of the queen's speed, is gone. Leon. Serv. How! gone? Is dead. Leon. Apollo's angry; and the Heavens themselves Do strike at my injustice. [HERMIONE faints. How now there? Paul. This news is mortal to the queen.-Look down, And see what death is doing. 1 This is almost literally from Greene's novel. 2 i. e. of the event of the queen's trial. We still say, he sped well or ill. |