Cymbeline, Act 5 Scene 2 runs 21 lines of dialogue, spoken by 5 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 144 lines. This scene is part of Act 5 of Cymbeline.
Full Dialogue
Iachimo ♂
The heaviness and guilt within my bosom
Takes off my manhood: I have belied a lady,
The princess of this country, and the air on't
Revengingly enfeebles me; or could this carl,
A very drudge of nature's, have subdued me
In my profession? Knighthoods and honours, borne
As I wear mine, are titles but of scorn.
If that thy gentry, Britain, go before
This lout as he exceeds our lords, the odds
Is that we scarce are men and you are gods.
Takes off my manhood: I have belied a lady,
The princess of this country, and the air on't
Revengingly enfeebles me; or could this carl,
A very drudge of nature's, have subdued me
In my profession? Knighthoods and honours, borne
As I wear mine, are titles but of scorn.
If that thy gentry, Britain, go before
This lout as he exceeds our lords, the odds
Is that we scarce are men and you are gods.
Belarius ♂
Stand, stand! We have the advantage of the ground;
The lane is guarded: nothing routs us but
The villany of our fears.
The lane is guarded: nothing routs us but
The villany of our fears.
Guiderius ♂
Stand, stand, and fight!
Arviragus ♂
Stand, stand, and fight!
Caius Lucius ♂
Away, boy, from the troops, and save thyself;
For friends kill friends, and the disorder's such
As war were hoodwink'd.
For friends kill friends, and the disorder's such
As war were hoodwink'd.
Iachimo ♂
'Tis their fresh supplies.
Caius Lucius ♂
It is a day turn'd strangely: or betimes
Let's reinforce, or fly.
Let's reinforce, or fly.
21 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Iachimo | 11 | 52.4% |
| Caius Lucius | 5 | 23.8% |
| Belarius | 3 | 14.3% |
| Guiderius | 1 | 4.8% |
| Arviragus | 1 | 4.8% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 11 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 4 lines.
Total speakers on stage
5 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 5
This is Scene 2 of 5 in Act 5 of Cymbeline.
Scene length vs. play average
At 21 lines, this scene is shorter than the Cymbeline average scene in Cymbeline (~144 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 5 Scene 1 · Next: Act 5 Scene 3