Whiles yet the dew’s on ground, gather those flowers;
Make haste; who has the note of them?
While the dew is still on the ground, gather those flowers. Hurry. Who knows them by their properties?
Go get those flowers while they're fresh. Who knows what they are?
gather flowers quickly while dewy
I, madam.
I do, madam.
I do.
i know them
Dispatch.
Hurry.
Go.
now
Now, Master Doctor, have you brought those drugs?
Tell me, Doctor, did you bring those poisons?
So, Doctor, did you bring those drugs?
u got the drugs
He speaks in careful, deferential language that hides his true knowledge — he defers to her while thwarting her. 'I do suspect you, madam; but you shall do no harm' is said in an aside, not to her face. Watch for this habit of concealing competence behind courtesy.
Pleaseth your Highness, ay. Here they are, madam.
It pleases your Highness, yes. Here they are, madam.
Yes, here they are.
yes here the poisons
But I beseech your Grace, without offence,
(My conscience bids me ask) wherefore you have
Commanded of me these most poisonous compounds
Which are the movers of a languishing death,
But, though slow, deadly?
But I must ask, with respect, your Highness— My conscience makes me ask—why have you Ordered from me these most deadly poisons, Which cause a slow but certain death?
But I have to ask, with all respect, your Highness—my conscience won't let me stay quiet—why did you order these super deadly poisons from me? They cause a slow, agonizing death.
why'd u ask for these poisons they cause slow death my conscience is bothering me
I wonder, Doctor,
Thou ask’st me such a question. Have I not been
Thy pupil long? Hast thou not learn’d me how
To make perfumes? distil? preserve? yea, so
That our great king himself doth woo me oft
For my confections? Having thus far proceeded
(Unless thou think’st me devilish) is’t not meet
That I did amplify my judgement in
Other conclusions? I will try the forces
Of these thy compounds on such creatures as
We count not worth the hanging (but none human)
To try the vigour of them, and apply
Allayments to their act, and by them gather
Their several virtues and effects.
I wonder at your question, Doctor. Haven't I been your student all this time? Haven't you taught me how to make perfumes, distill liquids, preserve things—so expertly that the King himself often seeks me out for my preparations? Since I've learned so much from you (unless you think me wicked), isn't it reasonable that I would extend my knowledge into other areas? I will test the power of these compounds on animals—creatures we consider not worth the effort to hang, but not humans—to learn their strength and effects and discover their various properties and remedies.
I'm surprised at your question, Doctor. Haven't I been learning from you all this time? Didn't you teach me how to make perfumes, distill, preserve things—so well that the King himself often asks me for my preparations? Since I've learned so much (unless you think I'm evil), why shouldn't I expand my knowledge further? I'll test your compounds on animals—things we don't consider worth hanging, but no humans—to learn their strength and effects and their properties.
you taught me perfumes and potions why question now? i want to learn more test on animals not humans
The Queen is one of Shakespeare's most deliberately theatrical villains. She doesn't have a name — she's only ever called 'the Queen.' She's a composite of every wicked-stepmother archetype, but Shakespeare makes her specifically dangerous by giving her scientific knowledge. She's not just cruel; she's a student of poisons, a practitioner of distillation, a woman who understands chemistry in an age when that was unusual and therefore slightly suspect. The mixture of domestic femininity (gathering flowers, making perfumes) and lethal intent is exactly the combination the Jacobean audience would have found most alarming. Women who knew too much about plants were historically the ones most likely to be accused of witchcraft.
Your Highness
Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;
Besides, the seeing these effects will be
Both noisome and infectious.
Your Highness, this practice will only harden your heart. Besides, witnessing these poisons' effects will be both foul-smelling and contagious with evil.
This will harden you. And watching what these poisons do will corrupt you.
practice hardens witness corrupts infects the soul
O, content thee.
Never mind. Stop worrying.
Enough. Don't worry.
stop worrying enough
[_Aside._] Here comes a flattering rascal; upon him
Will I first work. He’s for his master,
An enemy to my son. How now, Pisanio!
Doctor, your service for this time is ended;
Take your own way.
Here comes a flatterer; I'll test my poison on him first. He serves his master, who is an enemy to my son. Now that Pisanio is here, Doctor, you're done for now. Go on your way.
Perfect, here comes a kisser. I'll work on him. He's loyal to that guy who's against my son. Okay Pisanio, Doctor, you're finished here. Get going.
here comes a flatterer i'll use him for my plan he's for the guy against my son doctor ur done go
[_Aside._] I do suspect you, madam;
But you shall do no harm.
I suspect you, madam, but you won't accomplish your evil plans.
I'm onto you, but you're not going to pull this off.
i see what ur doing but u won't win
[_To Pisanio._] Hark thee, a word.
Listen, I need to speak with you.
Listen, come here a minute.
listen i need to talk to u
[_Aside._] I do not like her. She doth think she has
Strange ling’ring poisons. I do know her spirit,
And will not trust one of her malice with
A drug of such damn’d nature. Those she has
Will stupefy and dull the sense awhile,
Which first perchance she’ll prove on cats and dogs,
Then afterward up higher; but there is
No danger in what show of death it makes,
More than the locking up the spirits a time,
To be more fresh, reviving. She is fool’d
With a most false effect; and I the truer
So to be false with her.
I don't like her. She thinks she has deadly slow poisons. But I know her evil intentions and won't give her a truly lethal drug. What I gave her will just stupefy and dull the senses for a while. She might test it on cats and dogs first, then on people, but it won't kill anyone—it just puts them to sleep so they can wake refreshed. She's fooled by my false poison, and I'm honest by deceiving her.
I don't trust her. She thinks I gave her something really deadly. But I know what she's plotting, so I'm not about to hand over real poison. What she has will just knock people out for a bit. She might test it on animals first, then people, but nobody's going to die—they'll just sleep it off. She's been tricked by my fake poison, and that's me being truthful by lying to her.
i don't like her she thinks she has deadly poison but i know her plans i won't give her real poison what i gave just knocks u out she'll test on animals first no one dies just sleeps she's fooled by my fake i'm honest by lying
No further service, Doctor,
Until I send for thee.
No more service needed, Doctor, until I call for you.
I don't need anything else from you right now, Doctor. I'll send for you when I do.
don't need u rn, i'll call when i do
I humbly take my leave.
I respectfully take my leave.
Thank you, your Majesty. I'll go.
i'm outta here
Cornelius tells no one what he's done. He doesn't alert Pisanio, doesn't warn Imogen, doesn't confront the Queen. He simply swaps the poison for a sedative and says nothing. This quiet counter-deception is the play's unsung moral act — it's what will ultimately save Imogen's life in Act 4. Shakespeare uses Cornelius to make a subtle argument: sometimes the right response to manipulation is not exposure but preemptive neutralization. He works within the Queen's scheme rather than against it, and makes it harmless. It's the approach of someone who doesn't trust public accusation to protect people, and uses craft instead. In this play where almost everyone is manipulated by someone, Cornelius is the only manipulator whose manipulation is entirely protective.
Weeps she still, say’st thou? Dost thou think in time
She will not quench, and let instructions enter
Where folly now possesses? Do thou work.
When thou shalt bring me word she loves my son,
I’ll tell thee on the instant thou art then
As great as is thy master; greater, for
His fortunes all lie speechless, and his name
Is at last gasp. Return he cannot, nor
Continue where he is. To shift his being
Is to exchange one misery with another,
And every day that comes comes to decay
A day’s work in him. What shalt thou expect
To be depender on a thing that leans,
Who cannot be new built, nor has no friends
So much as but to prop him?
Is she still weeping, you say? Do you think that with time she won't be able to sustain her sorrow and will let wisdom enter where foolishness now controls? Do your work. When you tell me she loves my son, I'll tell you instantly that you're as great as your master; greater, actually, because his situation is hopeless and his reputation is dying. He can't return, and he can't stay where he is. To change his circumstances is just to trade one misery for another, and every passing day just makes his situation worse. What do you expect—to depend on someone who's falling, who can't be rebuilt and has no friends to support him?
Is she still crying? Do you think eventually she'll get over it and wake up to what's really happening? Come on, do your job. When you tell me she's fallen for my son, I'll make you rich—richer than your current master, actually, because he's completely ruined. He can't come back home, and if he stays abroad he's just dying slowly. Any choice he makes is just swapping one disaster for another. Why would you want to help someone who's already going down and has nobody to back him up?
make her fall for my son - her husband's finished anyway, why stick with a loser
Thou tak’st up
Thou know’st not what; but take it for thy labour.
It is a thing I made, which hath the King
Five times redeem’d from death. I do not know
What is more cordial. Nay, I prithee take it;
It is an earnest of a further good
That I mean to thee. Tell thy mistress how
The case stands with her; do’t as from thyself.
Think what a chance thou changest on; but think
Thou hast thy mistress still; to boot, my son,
Who shall take notice of thee. I’ll move the King
To any shape of thy preferment, such
As thou’lt desire; and then myself, I chiefly,
That set thee on to this desert, am bound
To load thy merit richly. Call my women.
Think on my words.
You're taking on something you don't understand; but take this for your work. It's something I made, which has brought the King Back from death five times. I don't know Anything more powerful. Please take it; It's proof of even greater rewards That I'm promising you. Tell your mistress how Things stand; do it as if from yourself. Think about what a change you're making; but remember You still have your mistress; and besides, my son, Who will notice you and reward you. I'll convince the King To give you any position you want, And I myself, most of all, who sent you On this risky task, will make sure Your loyalty is richly rewarded. Call my women. Remember what I've told you.
You're taking on something you don't fully grasp, but here—take this as payment for your work. It's something I made, and it's brought the King back from death five times. I don't know anything more powerful than this. Please take it—it's a sign of even bigger rewards I'm planning for you. Go tell your mistress how things really stand, but make it sound like you're saying it on your own. Think about what a huge change you're making for yourself. But remember, you've still got your mistress, and you've got my son too, who's going to notice you and take care of you. I'll get the King to give you any job you want. And me? I'm the one who sent you on this, so I'm going to make absolutely sure your loyalty pays off big. Call my ladies. Remember everything I said.
here's payment most powerful thing i made brought king back from death use it tell ur mistress how it is shell reward u my son will notice u ill get u a position remember my words
A sly and constant knave,
Not to be shak’d; the agent for his master,
And the remembrancer of her to hold
The hand-fast to her lord. I have given him that
Which, if he take, shall quite unpeople her
Of liegers for her sweet; and which she after,
Except she bend her humour, shall be assur’d
To taste of too.
A loyal, unyielding servant to his master—the very one who keeps her bound to her husband. I've given him this poison. If he uses it, it will deprive her entirely of his support. And that same poison, unless she changes her mind, she will certainly have to experience as well.
He's a faithful servant to his master, completely unmovable—and he's the one keeping her true to her husband. I've given him poison. If he uses it, it removes him as her ally. And that same poison, unless she changes her mind, she'll have to take too.
loyal servant to his master if he uses the poison it removes him from helping her she takes it too
So, so. Well done, well done.
The violets, cowslips, and the primroses,
Bear to my closet. Fare thee well, Pisanio;
Think on my words.
Good, good. Excellent. Take the violets, cowslips, and primroses To my chamber. Farewell, Pisanio; Remember what I've said.
Good, good. Perfect. Take those violets, cowslips, and primroses to my room. Take care, Pisanio. Don't forget what I told you.
well done get the flowers to my room goodbye pisanio remember what i said
And shall do.
But when to my good lord I prove untrue
I’ll choke myself: there’s all I’ll do for you.
And I will do it. But if I ever prove false to my good lord, I'll strangle myself—that's all I'll do for you.
Yeah, I'll do what you're asking. But if I ever betray my master, I'll kill myself. That's my promise to you.
i'll do it but if i betray him i'm killing myself
The Reckoning
A layered scene of manipulation operating on three simultaneous levels: the Queen deceives Cornelius (she thinks she's getting poison), Cornelius outmaneuvers the Queen (he substitutes a sleeping drug), and the Queen tries to recruit Pisanio (who won't budge). The audience watches three schemes running simultaneously. The relief is that Cornelius's counter-deception neutralizes the worst of the Queen's plan — for now.
If this happened today…
The stepmom calls in a favor from the company pharmacist: 'I need something strong, for research.' The pharmacist nods professionally, then quietly swaps the dangerous compound for a sedative and calls nobody — but resolves to watch carefully. Meanwhile stepmom corners the fired employee's personal assistant and offers her a package: money, a promotion, access to the CEO's son. All she has to do is pass the 'medicine' to her bosses and tell them it's good for them. The assistant says nothing useful, pockets nothing, gives away nothing.