Now say, what would Augustus Cæsar with us?
Now say, what would Augustus Cæsar with us?
now say, what would augustus cæsar with us?
now say, what would augustus cæsar with us?
When Julius Cæsar, (whose remembrance yet
Lives in men’s eyes, and will to ears and tongues
Be theme and hearing ever) was in this Britain,
And conquer’d it, Cassibelan, thine uncle,
Famous in Cæsar’s praises no whit less
Than in his feats deserving it, for him
And his succession granted Rome a tribute,
Yearly three thousand pounds, which by thee lately
Is left untender’d.
When Julius Cæsar, (whose remembrance yet Lives in men’s eyes, and will to ears and tongues Be theme and hearing ever) was in this Britain, And conquer’d it, Cassibelan, your uncle, Famous in Cæsar’s praises no whit less Than in his feats deserving it, for him And his succession granted Rome a tribu
when julius cæsar, (whose remembrance yet lives in men’s eyes, and will to ears and tongues be theme and hearing ever) was in this britain, and conquer’d it, cassibelan, your uncle, famous in cæsar’s praises no whit less than in his feats deserving it, for him and his succession granted rome a tribu
when julius cæsar, (whose remembrance yet lives in
And, to kill the marvel,
Shall be so ever.
And, to kill the marvel, Shall be so ever.
and, to kill the marvel, shall be so ever.
and, to kill the marvel, shall be so ever....
There be many Cæsars ere such another Julius. Britain is a world by
itself, and we will nothing pay for wearing our own noses.
There be many Cæsars ere such another Julius. Britain is a world by itself, and we will nothing pay for wearing our own noses.
there be many cæsars ere such another julius. britain is a world by itself, and we will nothing pay for wearing our own noses.
there be many cæsars ere such another julius. brit...
Cloten keeps interrupting with absurd boasts — crooked-nosed Caesars, straight arms, crows eating Roman corpses. He's trying to perform martial confidence, but what emerges is pure bluster. The genius of the scene is that his crudeness is not just comic; it's politically consequential. His boasts about British strength will seem ridiculous once Rome invades. More importantly, the court's decision to refuse tribute is built partly on this bluster. Cymbeline listens to Cloten's trash talk and decides to go to war. The play suggests that bad intelligence and masculine pride, not strategy, drive the decision.
That opportunity,
Which then they had to take from’s, to resume
We have again. Remember, sir, my liege,
The kings your ancestors, together with
The natural bravery of your isle, which stands
As Neptune’s park, ribb’d and pal’d in
With rocks unscaleable and roaring waters,
With sands that will not bear your enemies’ boats
But suck them up to th’ top-mast. A kind of conquest
Cæsar made here, but made not here his brag
Of ‘Came, and saw, and overcame.’ With shame
(The first that ever touch’d him) he was carried
From off our coast, twice beaten; and his shipping
(Poor ignorant baubles!) on our terrible seas,
Like egg-shells mov’d upon their surges, crack’d
As easily ’gainst our rocks; for joy whereof
The fam’d Cassibelan, who was once at point
(O, giglot fortune!) to master Cæsar’s sword,
Made Lud’s Town with rejoicing fires bright
And Britons strut with courage.
That opportunity, Which then they had to take from’s, to resume We have again. Remember, sir, my liege, The kings your ancestors, together with The natural bravery of your isle, which stands As Neptune’s park, ribb’d and pal’d in With rocks unscaleable and roaring waters, With sands that will not be
that opportunity, which then they had to take from’s, to resume we have again. remember, sir, my liege, the kings your ancestors, together with the natural bravery of your isle, which stands as neptune’s park, ribb’d and pal’d in with rocks unscaleable and roaring waters, with sands that will not be
that opportunity, which then they had to take from
Come, there’s no more tribute to be paid. Our kingdom is stronger than
it was at that time; and, as I said, there is no moe such Cæsars. Other
of them may have crook’d noses; but to owe such straight arms, none.
Come, there’s no more tribute to be paid. Our kingdom is stronger than it was at that time; and, as I said, there is no moe such Cæsars. Other of them may have crook’d noses; but to owe such straight arms, none.
come, there’s no more tribute to be paid. our kingdom is stronger than it was at that time; and, as i said, there is no moe such cæsars. other of them may have crook’d noses; but to owe such straight arms, none.
come, there’s no more tribute to be paid. our king
Son, let your mother end.
Son, let your mother end.
son, let your mother end.
son, let your mother end.
We have yet many among us can gripe as hard as Cassibelan. I do not say
I am one; but I have a hand. Why tribute? Why should we pay tribute? If
Cæsar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his
pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, sir, no more tribute,
pray you now.
We have yet many among us can gripe as hard as Cassibelan. I do not say I am one; but I have a hand. Why tribute? Why should we pay tribute? If Cæsar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, sir, no more tribute, pray you now.
we have yet many among us can gripe as hard as cassibelan. i do not say i am one; but i have a hand. why tribute? why should we pay tribute? if cæsar can hide the sun from us with a blanket, or put the moon in his pocket, we will pay him tribute for light; else, sir, no more tribute, pray you now.
we have yet many among us can gripe as hard as cas
You must know,
Till the injurious Romans did extort
This tribute from us, we were free. Cæsar’s ambition,
Which swell’d so much that it did almost stretch
The sides o’ th’ world, against all colour here
Did put the yoke upon’s; which to shake off
Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon
Ourselves to be.
You must know, Till the injurious Romans did extort This tribute from us, we were free. Cæsar’s ambition, Which swell’d so much that it did almost stretch The sides o’ th’ world, against all colour here Did put the yoke upon’s; which to shake off Becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon Ourselves to
you must know, till the injurious romans did extort this tribute from us, we were free. cæsar’s ambition, which swell’d so much that it did almost stretch the sides o’ th’ world, against all colour here did put the yoke upon’s; which to shake off becomes a warlike people, whom we reckon ourselves to
you must know, till the injurious romans did extor
We do.
We do.
we do.
we do....
Lucius begins by invoking Julius Caesar's historical conquest of Britain as a precedent for Rome's current dominion. Cymbeline counters by invoking Mulmutius, a legendary ancestor, as proof of Britain's ancient independence. What's interesting is that neither side is arguing about facts — they're both performing historical authority. Cymbeline's response essentially says: yes, Rome conquered us once, but we are restoring what was ours before. The Queen supports this by adding: and we are stronger now. The play uses history not as truth but as rhetoric — as a tool each side uses to justify its position.
Say then to Cæsar,
Our ancestor was that Mulmutius which
Ordain’d our laws, whose use the sword of Cæsar
Hath too much mangled; whose repair and franchise
Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed,
Though Rome be therefore angry. Mulmutius made our laws,
Who was the first of Britain which did put
His brows within a golden crown, and call’d
Himself a king.
Say then to Cæsar, Our ancestor was that Mulmutius which Ordain’d our laws, whose use the sword of Cæsar has too much mangled; whose repair and franchise Shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed, Though Rome be therefore angry. Mulmutius made our laws, Who was the first of Britain which did put
say then to cæsar, our ancestor was that mulmutius which ordain’d our laws, whose use the sword of cæsar has too much mangled; whose repair and franchise shall, by the power we hold, be our good deed, though rome be therefore angry. mulmutius made our laws, who was the first of britain which did put
say then to cæsar, our ancestor was that mulmutius
I am sorry, Cymbeline,
That I am to pronounce Augustus Cæsar
(Cæsar, that hath moe kings his servants than
Thyself domestic officers) thine enemy.
Receive it from me, then: war and confusion
In Cæsar’s name pronounce I ’gainst thee; look
For fury not to be resisted. Thus defied,
I thank thee for myself.
I am sorry, Cymbeline, That I am to pronounce Augustus Cæsar (Cæsar, that has moe kings his servants than Thyself domestic officers) your enemy. Receive it from me, then: war and confusion In Cæsar’s name pronounce I ’gainst you; look For fury not to be resisted. Thus defied, I thank you for myself.
i am sorry, cymbeline, that i am to pronounce augustus cæsar (cæsar, that has moe kings his servants than thyself domestic officers) your enemy. receive it from me, then: war and confusion in cæsar’s name pronounce i ’gainst you; look for fury not to be resisted. thus defied, i thank you for myself.
i am sorry, cymbeline, that i am to pronounce augu
Thou art welcome, Caius.
Thy Cæsar knighted me; my youth I spent
Much under him; of him I gather’d honour,
Which he to seek of me again, perforce,
Behoves me keep at utterance. I am perfect
That the Pannonians and Dalmatians for
Their liberties are now in arms, a precedent
Which not to read would show the Britons cold;
So Cæsar shall not find them.
you art welcome, Caius. your Cæsar knighted me; my youth I spent Much under him; of him I gather’d honour, Which he to seek of me again, perforce, Behoves me keep at utterance. I am perfect That the Pannonians and Dalmatians for Their liberties are now in arms, a precedent Which not to read would sh
you art welcome, caius. your cæsar knighted me; my youth i spent much under him; of him i gather’d honour, which he to seek of me again, perforce, behoves me keep at utterance. i am perfect that the pannonians and dalmatians for their liberties are now in arms, a precedent which not to read would sh
you art welcome, caius. your cæsar knighted me; my
Let proof speak.
Let proof speak.
let proof speak.
let proof speak....
His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a day or two, or
longer. If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in
our salt-water girdle. If you beat us out of it, it is yours; if you
fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and
there’s an end.
His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a day or two, or longer. If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in our salt-water girdle. If you beat us out of it, it is yours; if you fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and there’s an end.
his majesty bids you welcome. make pastime with us a day or two, or longer. if you seek us afterwards in other terms, you shall find us in our salt-water girdle. if you beat us out of it, it is yours; if you fall in the adventure, our crows shall fare the better for you; and there’s an end.
his majesty bids you welcome. make pastime with us
So, sir.
So, sir.
so, sir.
so, sir.
I know your master’s pleasure, and he mine;
All the remain is, welcome.
I know your master’s pleasure, and he mine; All the remain is, welcome.
i know your master’s pleasure, and he mine; all the remain is, welcome.
i know your master’s pleasure, and he mine; all th...
The Reckoning
This is purely political theater — the moment when the play's political crisis moves from background to foreground. The historical echoes of Julius Caesar and Cassibelan are invoked, but the immediate action is about Cloten's mouth and Cymbeline's stubbornness. Cloten almost steals the scene with crude boasts about straight arms and salt-water girdles, but what matters is the structural moment: Rome and Britain have gone from cold war to hot. The play is now fighting on two fronts — the personal crisis (Imogen's danger) and the political crisis (Britain invaded).
If this happened today…
An ambassador arrives from a superpower with a demand for tribute. The king's court must decide whether to pay or fight. One advisor keeps interrupting with crude boasts about strength. Another advisor (the Queen) pushes for war. The king, remembering his own service to Rome, refuses the demand. The ambassador leaves knowing it means war.