READ STUDY GUIDE: Act III, Scenes i-ii |
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Section 7:
ACT III, SCENE II The same. A Court of Justice
ACT III, SCENE II The same. A Court of Justice
| [Enter LEONTES, Lords, and Officers appear, properly seated.] |
| LEONTES.: |
| This sessions,—to our great grief we pronounce,— |
| Even pushes 'gainst our heart;—the party tried, |
| The daughter of a king, our wife; and one |
| Of us too much belov'd. Let us be clear'd |
| Of being tyrannous, since we so openly |
| Proceed in justice; which shall have due course, |
| Even to the guilt or the purgation.— |
| Produce the prisoner. |
| OFFICER.: |
| It is his highness' pleasure that the queen |
| Appear in person here in court.— |
| CRIER.: |
| Silence! |
| [HERMIONE, is brought in guarded; PAULINA, and Ladies attending.] |
| LEONTES.: |
| Read the indictment. |
| OFFICER.: |
| [Reads.] '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 pretence whereof being by |
| circumstances partly laid open, thou, Hermione, contrary to the |
| faith and allegiance of true subject, didst counsel and aid them, |
| for their better safety, to fly away by night.' |
| HERMIONE.: |
| 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 |
| To say 'Not guilty': mine integrity |
| Being counted falsehood, shall, as I express it, |
| Be so receiv'd. But thus,—if powers divine |
| Behold our human actions,—as they do,— |
| I doubt not, then, but innocence shall make |
| False accusation blush, and tyranny |
| Tremble at patience.—You, my lord, best know— |
| Who least will seem to do so,—my past life |
| Hath been as continent, as chaste, as true, |
| As I am now unhappy: which is more |
| Than history can pattern, though devis'd |
| And play'd to take spectators; for behold me,— |
| A fellow of the royal bed, which owe |
| A moiety of the throne, a great king's daughter, |
| The mother to a hopeful prince,—here standing |
| To prate and talk for life and honour 'fore |
| Who please to come and hear. For life, I prize it |
| As I weigh grief, which I would spare: for honour, |
| 'Tis a derivative from me to mine, |
| And only that I stand for. I appeal |
| To your own conscience, sir, before Polixenes |
| Came to your court, how I was in your grace, |
| How merited to be so; since he came, |
| With what encounter so uncurrent I |
| Have strain'd t' appear thus: if one jot beyond |
| The bound of honour, or in act or will |
| That way inclining, harden'd be the hearts |
| Of all that hear me, and my near'st of kin |
| Cry, Fie upon my grave! |
| LEONTES.: |
| I ne'er heard yet |
| That any of these bolder vices wanted |
| Less impudence to gainsay what they did |
| Than to perform it first. |
| HERMIONE.: |
| That's true enough; |
| Though 'tis a saying, sir, not due to me. |
| LEONTES.: |
| You will not own it. |
| HERMIONE.: |
| More than mistress of |
| Which comes to me in name of fault, I must not |
| At all acknowledge. For Polixenes,— |
| With whom I am accus'd,—I do confess |
| I lov'd him, as in honour he requir'd; |
| With such a kind of love as might become |
| A lady like me; with a love even such, |
| So and no other, as yourself commanded: |
| Which not to have done, I think had been in me |
| Both disobedience and ingratitude |
| To you and toward your friend; whose love had spoke, |
| Ever since it could speak, from an infant, freely, |
| That it was yours. Now for conspiracy, |
| I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd |
| For me to try how: all I know of it |
| Is that Camillo was an honest man; |
| And why he left your court, the gods themselves, |
| Wotting no more than I, are ignorant. |
| LEONTES.: |
| You knew of his departure, as you know |
| What you have underta'en to do in's absence. |
| HERMIONE.: |
| Sir, |
| You speak a language that I understand not: |
| My life stands in the level of your dreams, |
| Which I'll lay down. |
| LEONTES.: |
| Your actions are my dreams; |
| You had a bastard by Polixenes, |
| And I but dream'd it:—as you were past all shame,— |
| Those of your fact are so,—so past all truth: |
| Which to deny concerns more than avails; for as |
| Thy brat hath been cast out, like to itself, |
| No father owning it,—which is, indeed, |
| More criminal in thee than it,—so thou |
| Shalt feel our justice; in whose easiest passage |
| Look for no less than death. |
| HERMIONE.: |
| Sir, spare your threats: |
| The bug which you would fright me with, I seek. |
| To me can life be no commodity: |
| The crown and comfort of my life, your favour, |
| I do give lost; for I do feel it gone, |
| But know not how it went: my second joy, |
| And first-fruits of my body, from his presence |
| I am barr'd, like one infectious: my third comfort, |
| Starr'd most unluckily, is from my breast,— |
| The innocent milk in it most innocent mouth,— |
| Hal'd out to murder: myself on every post |
| Proclaim'd a strumpet; with immodest hatred |
| The child-bed privilege denied, which 'longs |
| To women of all fashion; lastly, hurried |
| Here to this place, i' the open air, before |
| I have got strength of limit. Now, my liege, |
| Tell me what blessings I have here alive, |
| That I should fear to die. Therefore proceed. |
| 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! |
| FIRST LORD.: |
| This your request |
| Is altogether just: therefore, bring forth, |
| And in Apollo's name, his oracle: |
| [Exeunt certain Officers.] |
| HERMIONE.: |
| The Emperor of Russia was my father; |
| O that he were alive, and here beholding |
| His daughter's trial! that he did but see |
| The flatness of my misery; yet with eyes |
| Of pity, not revenge! |
| [Re-enter OFFICERS, with CLEOMENES and DION.] |
| OFFICER.: |
| You here shall swear upon this sword of justice, |
| That you, Cleomenes and Dion, have |
| Been both at Delphos, and from thence have brought |
| This seal'd-up oracle, by the hand deliver'd |
| Of great Apollo's priest; and that since then, |
| You have not dar'd to break the holy seal, |
| Nor read the secrets in't. |
| CLEOMENES, DION. |
| All this we swear. |
| LEONTES.: |
| Break up the seals and read. |
| OFFICER.: |
| [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! |
| HERMIONE.: |
| Praised! |
| LEONTES.: |
| Hast thou read truth? |
| OFFICER.: |
| Ay, my lord; even so |
| As it is here set down. |
| LEONTES.: |
| There is no truth at all i' the oracle: |
| The sessions shall proceed: this is mere falsehood! |
| [Enter a Servant hastily.] |
| SERVANT.: |
| My lord the king, the king! |
| LEONTES.: |
| What is the business? |
| SERVANT.: |
| 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. |
| LEONTES.: |
| How! gone? |
| SERVANT.: |
| Is dead. |
| LEONTES.: |
| Apollo's angry; and the heavens themselves |
| Do strike at my injustice.[HERMIONE faints.] |
| How now there! |
| PAULINA.: |
| This news is mortal to the queen:—Look down |
| And see what death is doing. |
| LEONTES.: |
| Take her hence: |
| Her heart is but o'ercharg'd; she will recover.— |
| I have too much believ'd mine own suspicion:— |
| Beseech you tenderly apply to her |
| Some remedies for life.—Apollo, pardon |
| [Exeunt PAULINA and Ladies with HERMIONE.] |
| My great profaneness 'gainst thine oracle!— |
| I'll reconcile me to Polixenes; |
| New woo my queen; recall the good Camillo— |
| Whom I proclaim a man of truth, of mercy; |
| For, being transported by my jealousies |
| To bloody thoughts and to revenge, I chose |
| Camillo for the minister to poison |
| My friend Polixenes: which had been done, |
| But that the good mind of Camillo tardied |
| My swift command, though I with death and with |
| Reward did threaten and encourage him, |
| Not doing it and being done: he, most humane, |
| And fill'd with honour, to my kingly guest |
| Unclasp'd my practice; quit his fortunes here, |
| Which you knew great; and to the certain hazard |
| Of all incertainties himself commended, |
| No richer than his honour:—how he glisters |
| Thorough my rust! And how his piety |
| Does my deeds make the blacker! |
| [Re-enter PAULINA.] |
| PAULINA.: |
| Woe the while! |
| O, cut my lace, lest my heart, cracking it, |
| Break too! |
| FIRST LORD.: |
| What fit is this, good lady? |
| PAULINA.: |
| What studied torments, tyrant, hast for me? |
| What wheels? racks? fires? what flaying? boiling |
| In leads or oils? what old or newer torture |
| Must I receive, whose every word deserves |
| To taste of thy most worst? Thy tyranny |
| Together working with thy jealousies,— |
| Fancies too weak for boys, too green and idle |
| For girls of nine,—O, think what they have done, |
| And then run mad indeed,—stark mad! for all |
| Thy by-gone fooleries were but spices of it. |
| That thou betray'dst Polixenes, 'twas nothing; |
| That did but show thee, of a fool, inconstant, |
| And damnable ingrateful; nor was't much |
| Thou wouldst have poison'd good Camillo's honour, |
| To have him kill a king; poor trespasses,— |
| More monstrous standing by: whereof I reckon |
| The casting forth to crows thy baby daughter, |
| To be or none or little, though a devil |
| Would have shed water out of fire ere done't; |
| Nor is't directly laid to thee, the death |
| Of the young prince, whose honourable thoughts,— |
| Thoughts high for one so tender,—cleft the heart |
| That could conceive a gross and foolish sire |
| Blemish'd his gracious dam: this is not,—no, |
| Laid to thy answer: but the last,—O lords, |
| When I have said, cry Woe!,—the queen, the queen, |
| The sweetest, dearest creature's dead; and vengeance for't |
| Not dropp'd down yet. |
| FIRST LORD.: |
| The higher powers forbid! |
| PAULINA.: |
| I say she's dead: I'll swear't. If word nor oath |
| Prevail not, go and see: if you can bring |
| Tincture, or lustre, in her lip, her eye, |
| Heat outwardly or breath within, I'll serve you |
| As I would do the gods.—But, O thou tyrant! |
| Do not repent these things; for they are heavier |
| Than all thy woes can stir; therefore betake thee |
| To nothing but despair. A thousand knees |
| Ten thousand years together, naked, fasting, |
| Upon a barren mountain, and still winter |
| In storm perpetual, could not move the gods |
| To look that way thou wert. |
| LEONTES.: |
| Go on, go on: |
| Thou canst not speak too much; I have deserv'd |
| All tongues to talk their bitterest! |
| FIRST LORD.: |
| Say no more: |
| Howe'er the business goes, you have made fault |
| I' the boldness of your speech. |
| PAULINA.: |
| I am sorry for't: |
| All faults I make, when I shall come to know them, |
| I do repent. Alas, I have show'd too much |
| The rashness of a woman: he is touch'd |
| To th' noble heart—What's gone and what's past help, |
| Should be past grief: do not receive affliction |
| At my petition; I beseech you, rather |
| Let me be punish'd, that have minded you |
| Of what you should forget. Now, good my liege, |
| Sir, royal sir, forgive a foolish woman: |
| The love I bore your queen,—lo, fool again!— |
| I'll speak of her no more, nor of your children; |
| I'll not remember you of my own lord, |
| Who is lost too: take your patience to you, |
| And I'll say nothing. |
| LEONTES.: |
| Thou didst speak but well, |
| When most the truth; which I receive much better |
| Than to be pitied of thee. Pr'ythee, bring me |
| To the dead bodies of my queen and son: |
| One grave shall be for both; upon them shall |
| The causes of their death appear, unto |
| Our shame perpetual. Once a day I'll visit |
| The chapel where they lie; and tears shed there |
| Shall be my recreation: so long as nature |
| Will bear up with this exercise, so long |
| I daily vow to use it.—Come, and lead me |
| To these sorrows. |
| [Exeunt.] |
