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 the 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 Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it, 1 i. e. the design. Shakspeare often uses the word for design or intention. So in The Two Gentlemen of Verona: 'publisher of this pretence.' And in Macbeth: 'Against the undivulg'd pretence I fight 2 i. e. my virtue being accounted wickedness, my assertion of it will pass but for a lie. Falsehood means both treachery and lie. 3 Which, that is, which unhappiness. And play'd, to take spectators: For behold me,— 4 A fellow of the royal bed, which owe And only that I stand for. I appeal Have strain'd, to appear thus : if one jot beyond Cry, Fye upon my grave! Leon. I ne'er heard yet, That any of these bolder vices wanted 4 Own, possess. 5 I prize my life no more than I value grief, which I would willingly spare. This sentiment, which is probably derived from Ecclesiasticus, iii. 11, cannot be too often impressed on the female mind: 'The glory of a man is from the honour of his father; and a mother in dishonour is a reproach to her children.' 6 Encounter so uncurrent is unallowed or unlawful meeting.Strain'd means swerv'd or gone astray from the line of duty. So in Romeo and Juliet: Nor aught so good, but strain'd from that fair use, To appear thus is to seem guilty. 7 It is to be observed that originally in our language, two negatives did not affirm, but only strengthen the negation. Examples of similar phraseology occur in several of our author's plays, and even in the first act of this very drama: in this passage, Johnson observes that, according to the present use of words, less should be more, or wanted should be had. Her. That's true enough; Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me. Leon. You will not own it. Her. More than mistress of, Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not To you, and toward your friend; whose love had spoke, Even since it could speak, from an infant freely, Leon. You knew of his departure, as you know What you have underta'en to do in his absence. Her. Sir, You speak a language that I understand not: Which I'll lay down. Leon. Your actions are my dreams; You had a bastard by Polixenes, 8 See note 1, p. 38. 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 ; take one instance from K. Henry VIII. Act i. Sc. 2: 'I stood i'the level Of a full charg'd confederacy, and give thanks 10 And I but dream'd it:-As you were past all shame More criminal in thee, than it), so thou Her. Sir, spare your threats; The bug 11, which you would fright me with, I seek. To me can life be no commodity: The crown and comfort of my life, your favour, 9 i. e. they who have done like you. Shakspeare had this from Dorastus and Fawnia, 'it was her part to deny such a monstrous crime, and to be impudent in forswearing the fact, since she had passed all shame in committing the fault.' 10 It is your business to deny this charge; but the mere denial will be useless, will prove nothing. 11 Bugbear. 12 Starr'd most unluckily.' Ill starred; born under an inauspicious planet. 13 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. But yet hear this; mistake me not; - No! life, I prize it not a straw :-but for mine honour (Which I would free), if I shall be condemn'd Upon surmises; all proofs sleeping else, But what your jealousies awake; I tell you, 'Tis rigour, and not law. -Your honours all, I do refer me to the oracle; Apollo be my judge. 1 Lord. [Exeunt certain Officers. Her. The emperor of Russia was my father: O, that he were alive, and here beholding Re-enter Officers with CLEOMEnes and Dion. Offi. You here shall swear upon this sword of justice, That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have You have not dar'd to break the holy seal, Nor read the secrets in't. 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 14 The flatness of my misery,' that is absoluteness, the completeness of my misery. So Milton, P. L. b. ii : Thus repuls'd, our final hope Is flat despair.' i. e. complete or downright despair. |