Cymbeline

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes references to violence, war, and threat of death.

Posthumus is in the Roman camp in Britain. While living in Italy, he was drafted to fight for the Romans. Pisanio has told him that he killed Imogen. Posthumus is wracked with guilt: He feels that Imogen did not deserve to die, and that many who have committed worse sins live longer, including himself. He resolves to disguise himself as a British peasant and fight for his dead Lady’s country.

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.