The Shakespeare Book

318

K

ing of Britain, Cymbeline

banishes Posthumus, his

adopted son, who has

married his daughter Innogen.

Cymbeline’s queen wanted her

idiot son Cloten to marry Innogen.

Posthumus flees to Rome where

Giacomo bets him he can seduce

Innogen, but when Giacomo arrives

in Britain, Innogen resists his

efforts. The wicked Queen asks

Dr. Cornelius for a poison but the

doctor gives her a sleeping potion.

Giacomo smuggles himself into

Innogen’s bedroom in a trunk. He

sees her half-naked and steals the

CYMBELINE

bracelet given to her by Posthumus.

In Rome, Giacomo shows Posthumus

the bracelet and describes Innogen’s

body to prove he has slept with her.

Posthumus gives Giacomo Innogen’s

ring and swears vengeance on her.

Cymbeline refuses the tribute

imposed by Rome, so the Roman

ambassador Lucius declares that

Rome is at war with Britain. In

Wales, the exiled Belarius tells tales

of the old days to Cymbeline’s two

sons Guiderius and Arviragus, whom

he has stolen. Pisanio receives a

letter from Posthumus asking him

to kill Innogen, but Pisanio flees

DRAMATIS

PERSONAE

Cymbeline King of Britain

at the time of Jesus’ birth.

Innogen Cymbeline’s

only daughter and wife to

Posthumus, later disguised

as the youth Fidele.

Guiderius Known as

Polydore, one of Cymbeline’s

two lost sons.

Arviragus Known as Cadwal,

Cymbeline’s other lost son.

Queen Cymbeline’s second

wife, and stepmother to

Innogen. A wicked woman.

Cloten The Queen’s oafish

son by her first husband.

Belarius A banished

British lord, living in Wales

and calling himself Morgan.

Dr. Cornelius A good-hearted

physician.

Posthumus Leonatus An

orphan adopted and brought

up by Cymbeline, husband

to Innogen.

Pisanio Posthumus’s servant.

Filario Friend to Posthumus.

Giacomo A sly, self-confident

Italian friend of Filario.

Caius Lucius Ambassador

from Rome, later Roman

general.

Helen Lady in waiting to

Innogen.

A Frenchman, a Dutchman,

and a Spaniard

Friends of Filario.

2.2

2.4

1.1

1.4

3.1

Hiding in her room,

Giacomo sees the

partly naked

Innogen sleeping

and steals a love

token given to her

by Posthumus.

Cymbeline banishes his

adopted son Posthumus for

marrying his daughter

Innogen in secret.

In Rome, Posthumus

bets Giacomo that

Innogen will resist all

attempts at seduction.

After urging Cymbeline

to defy Rome, the queen

obtains “poison” for

Posthumus.

Believing that

Giacomo has slept

with Innogen,

Posthumus sends

a letter to Pisanio

asking him to

kill her.

Act 1 Act 2