| ACT V SCENE I | Britain. The Roman camp. | |
| | Enter POSTHUMUS, with a bloody handkerchief | |
| POSTHUMUS LEONATUS | Yea, bloody cloth, I'll keep thee, for I wish'd | |
| | Thou shouldst be colour'd thus. You married ones, | |
| | If each of you should take this course, how many | |
| | Must murder wives much better than themselves | 5 |
| | For wrying but a little! O Pisanio! | |
| | Every good servant does not all commands: | |
| | No bond but to do just ones. Gods! if you | |
| | Should have ta'en vengeance on my faults, I never | |
| | Had lived to put on this: so had you saved | 10 |
| | The noble Imogen to repent, and struck | |
| | Me, wretch more worth your vengeance. But, alack, | |
| | You snatch some hence for little faults; that's love, | |
| | To have them fall no more: you some permit | |
| | To second ills with ills, each elder worse, | 15 |
| | And make them dread it, to the doers' thrift. | |
| | But Imogen is your own: do your best wills, | |
| | And make me blest to obey! I am brought hither | |
| | Among the Italian gentry, and to fight | |
| | Against my lady's kingdom: 'tis enough | 20 |
| | That, Britain, I have kill'd thy mistress; peace! | |
| | I'll give no wound to thee. Therefore, good heavens, | |
| | Hear patiently my purpose: I'll disrobe me | |
| | Of these Italian weeds and suit myself | |
| | As does a Briton peasant: so I'll fight | 25 |
| | Against the part I come with; so I'll die | |
| | For thee, O Imogen, even for whom my life | |
| | Is every breath a death; and thus, unknown, | |
| | Pitied nor hated, to the face of peril | |
| | Myself I'll dedicate. Let me make men know | 30 |
| | More valour in me than my habits show. | |
| | Gods, put the strength o' the Leonati in me! | |
| | To shame the guise o' the world, I will begin | |
| | The fashion, less without and more within. | |
| | Exit | |