Wales: before the cave of Belarius.
[Enter BELARIUS, GUIDERIUS, and ARVIRAGUS]
GUIDERIUS The noise is round about us.
BELARIUS Let us from it.
ARVIRAGUS What pleasure, sir,
find we in life, to lock it
From action and adventure?
GUIDERIUS Nay, what hope
Have we in hiding us?
BELARIUS Sons,
We’ll higher to the mountains; there secure us.
To the king’s party there’s no going.
GUIDERIUS This is, sir, a doubt
In such a time nothing becoming you,
Nor satisfying us.
ARVIRAGUS It is not likely
That when they hear the Roman horses neigh,
Behold their quarter’d fires, have both their eyes
And ears so cloy’d importantly as now,
That they will waste their time upon our note,
To know from whence we are.
BELARIUS O, I am known
Of many in the army: many years,
Though Cloten then but young, you see, not wore him
From my remembrance.
GUIDERIUS Pray, sir, to the army:
I and my brother are not known; yourself
So out of thought, and thereto so o’ergrown,
Cannot be question’d.
ARVIRAGUS By this sun that shines,
I’ll thither: what thing is it that I never
Did see man die! scarce ever look’d on blood,
But that of coward hares, hot goats, and venison!
Never bestrid a horse, save one that had
A rider like myself, who ne’er wore rowel
Nor iron on his heel! I am ashamed
To look upon the holy sun, to have
The benefit of his blest beams, remaining
So long a poor unknown.
GUIDERIUS By heavens, I’ll go:
If you will bless me, sir, and give me leave,
I’ll take the better care, but if you will not,
The hazard therefore due fall on me by
The hands of Romans!
ARVIRAGUS So say I amen.
BELARIUS No reason I,
since of your lives you set
So slight a valuation, should reserve
My crack’d one to more care.
Have with you, boys!
If in your country wars you chance to die,
That is my bed too, lads, an there I’ll lie…
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