Cymbeline

The battle between the British and the Romans begins. Posthumus fights Iachimo; he gets the upper hand and disarms him, but lets him go. Iachimo believes he is an ordinary peasant: He thinks that if the British lords fight even better than this, then the Romans are doomed. He feels guilty for his actions against Imogen, wondering if the British air is seeking revenge by sapping his strength.

Cymbeline is captured briefly, but Belarius, Guiderius, Arviragus and Posthumus bravely rescue him. Lucius tells “Fidele” to flee the battlefield, as the battlefield is descending into chaos.

Posthumus meets a British lord who fled from the battlefield. Posthumus recounts how the Romans began to overwhelm the British, causing them to panic and flee. However, an old man and two noble-looking young men made a stand. Their bravery inspired others and the tide of the battle turned. His fury at those he deems cowards drives away the lord. Posthumus threw himself into danger, wishing to die. He decides to switch back to his Roman appearance, so that the victorious British capture him and kill him.

British soldiers enter, discussing the heroism of the anonymous old man and his two sons, and a fourth man in peasant’s garb who joined them. They think Posthumus is a Roman soldier and arrest him, handing him over to Cymbeline.

The jailers leave Posthumus constrained. He is glad to be imprisoned as he hopes it is the first step in his penance for Imogen’s death. Ultimately he exhorts the gods for his death as payment for hers. He sleeps.

Music sounds. He is visited by the apparitions of his dead father, mother, and two brothers: the “Leonati,” as their family name is Leonatus. They recite or sing a poem that tells the story of his life. They lament that he was an orphan, making life harder for him despite his noble spirit. They say that Imogen’s choice of him as husband substantiates his worth, and rebuke him for allowing Iachimo to manipulate him. They praise his bravery in battle, and exhort Jupiter to intervene to help him.

Jupiter descends and chastises them for daring to criticize him. He says that he gives his favorites extra challenges so they appreciate the reward all the more, and promises Posthumus will have a good life. He bids them place a tablet on Posthumus’s chest.

Posthumus wakes, and remembers dreaming of his dead family. He finds the tablet, and reads a strange prophecy that promises that both Britain and Posthumus will have prosperity when certain conditions are met: A lion’s offspring must be embraced by a tender spirit, and branches lopped off a tree must return to it.

The jailers come to take Posthumus to execution. One of them jests that at least Posthumus will now avoid the trap of the alehouse; however he agrees that, ultimately, he would not want to swap fates with him. He wonders what awaits Posthumus after his death. A messenger enters. He tells the jailers to remove Posthumus’s bonds and bring him before the king.

Cymbeline thanks Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus for their pivotal role in winning the battle and saving his kingdom. He is sad that the fourth person in peasant clothes cannot be found. He promises to reward Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus and make them his trusted companions.

Cornelius enters. He reports that the Queen has died horribly, “mad” with her illness. He says he must tell Cymbeline her deathbed confessions, which her ladies also witnessed. She confessed that she didn’t really love Cymbeline himself, only his title and the status it gave her. She only pretended to love Imogen, but actually hated her. She planned to manipulate Cymbeline into making Cloten his heir, and then kill him. Cymbeline is shocked, as he had trusted her completely.

The Roman prisoners are brought in, including Lucius, “Fidele,” Iachimo, and Posthumus at the back. Cymbeline says that his people demand their deaths, in retaliation for the British dead. Lucius finds this dishonorable but says they will face it as Romans. However, he asks Cymbeline to spare his virtuous page, who is a Briton by birth. On seeing “Fidele,” Cymbeline feels naturally inclined to not only spare him, but take him in and grant him a wish. Lucius says “Fidele” doesn’t have to use this wish to save him, but is perturbed when “Fidele” says he won’t.

Among themselves, Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus wonder if this person is “Fidele” whom they thought was dead, or a twin image. Pisanio is relieved Imogen is alive.

“Fidele” asks Iachimo to reveal how he got the ring he wears. Iachimo says he is glad to be forced to confess what has happened, as it is torturing him. Iachimo reveals the wager he made with Posthumus. He says that Imogen was chaste, so he could not win the wager truthfully, but did so by deception.

Furious, Posthumus reveals himself. He takes responsibility for Imogen’s death and asks for punishment, devastated. When “Fidele” speaks to him, he angrily knocks him to the ground. Pisanio reveals that “Fidele” is actually Imogen. Imogen angrily rebuffs Pisanio’s concern, accusing him of poisoning her. Pisanio protests that he gave her medicine from the Queen, not poison. Cornelius interjects with another deathbed confession from the Queen: She gave Pisanio poison. He reveals his ploy to swap out the poison for a convincing sleeping draught.

Imogen has emotional reunions with Posthumus and Cymbeline. They wonder what happened to Cloten: Pisanio reveals that he went off to try to murder Posthumus and rape Imogen. Guiderius admits that he killed him. Cymbeline reluctantly says that if that’s true, he will have to execute him for killing his social superior. Belarius interjects. He reveals the true identity of himself, Guiderius, and Arviragus, telling the story their lives.

Imogen, Guiderius, and Arviragus rejoice at being reunited, recounting their immediate love even when Imogen was in disguise. She is happy that she is no longer the kingdom’s heir, as she is free to be Posthumus’s wife.

Cymbeline has many questions for his children, but decides that everyone should celebrate: He will even free the captives. He wonders about the unknown valiant soldier; Posthumus reveals that was him. Remembering their fight, Iachimo invites Posthumus to kill him this time. Posthumus spares him, telling him he must live and repent.

He asks Lucius’s soothsayer to decode the prophecy he found. The soothsayer explains that Posthumus is the lion’s offspring, the spirit is Imogen, and the tree and its branches are Cymbeline and his sons. 

Cymbeline decides to pay the Roman tribute as agreed, blaming the Queen’s influence for reneging on his promise. The soothsayer says his original prophecy is fulfilled: The Roman eagle is reunited with the great sun, Cymbeline. Cymbeline declares peace between Rome and Britain, to be celebrated with great feasts.