Click on any scene below for a side-by-side translation from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Act 1, Scene 1
Two British guys enter and start dishing to each other about what's going on with their king. The big news is that his daughter Imogen has married Posthumus. Gasp. The problem is that the king...
Act 1, Scene 2
The Queen, Imogen, and Posthumus show up, and things are tense. Posthumus knows his new dad-in-law has just banished him. The
Queen promises Imogen and Posthumus that she'll talk to Cymbeline for...
Act 1, Scene 3
Cloten is certain he would have defeated Posthumus in a fight. At least that's what he tells a couple of lords hangin' in the public square. Of course, of course, the lords tell him. You'd destroy...
Act 1, Scene 4
Imogen begs Pisanio for any morsel about her lovey-dovey, Posthumus. When she asks what he heard Posthumus talk about last, Pisanio says it was about her, of course.
Act 1, Scene 5
Enter Iachimo, an Italian talking with a Frenchman, a Dutchman, and a Spaniard about everything that's going on with the British royal family. Looks like the news has made it to Rome (where this sc...
Act 1, Scene 6
The Queen shoos her ladies away so she can talk one-on-one with Dr. Cornelius. She's asked him to make a secret potion that will kill anyone who drinks it. Dun-dun-dun. She just wants it for scient...
Act 1, Scene 7
Imogen sits alone in her room and feels sorry for herself. For those keeping track, she has a cruel dad, a fake stepmother, a foolish suitor, and a banished husband. Her life sucks.
Act 2, Scene 1
Poor Cloten. He's in the palace bowling with two lords and complaining about his life. He has the worst luck of anyone alive, he says.
Act 2, Scene 2
Back in her room, Imogen goes to bed. She prays that the fairies and tempters of the night will not harm her, and then she goes to sleep. The trunk Imogen promised to guard is safely stowed away in...
Act 2, Scene 3
Cloten figures that the way to a lady's heart is through music. So he orders musicians to serenade Imogen as she wakes.
Act 2, Scene 4
Welcome back to Rome. Posthumus and Philario are discussing politics. Cymbeline was supposed to pay a tribute (as in money, not a nice speech) to the Romans. The two countries have worked out a sys...
Act 3, Scene 1
The Roman ambassador Caius Lucius has not come to Britain on a friendly visit: he wants to know why Cymbeline has not paid the tribute money to Rome yet. Lucius fills us in on the history of the tr...
Act 3, Scene 2
Mail call: Pisanio reads a letter aloud to us from Posthumus. In it, his master accuses Imogen of adultery.
Pisanio can't believe it, but he follows his master's orders. He's supposed to deliver a...
Act 3, Scene 3
In the woods in Wales, Belarius tells Guiderius and Arviragus to worship the sun and the heavens. Wait, who are these dudes? Don't worry—you haven't missed anything. We're just meeting these guys...
Act 3, Scene 4
Imogen and Pisanio have made it to Wales, but there's no sign of Posthumus. Imogen wonders why Pisano is sad and asks him to explain what's happening.
Act 3, Scene 5
Lucius meets with Cymbeline and company again, hoping they will reconsider the whole stick-it-to-Rome plan.
Act 3, Scene 6
Dressed as a boy, Imogen is alone in the woods, wandering around. She's really tired from roaming around for two days.Imogen remembers two beggars telling her where to go, but she still hasn't come...
Act 3, Scene 7
In a Roman square, senators and tribunes gather. They want to know who will fight to Rome against Britain. Since Lucius is the general, many men want to sign up right away. We're betting this m...
Act 3, Scene 8
Keep on movin', folks.
Act 4, Scene 1
Cloten enters, alone, dressed in Posthumus's clothes, near Belarius's cave. He congratulates himself on his brilliant plan. There's a lot of "Wow, I'm amazing" happening here. Cloten's pretty s...
Act 4, Scene 2
Inside Belarius's cave, the three hunters and Imogen talk. Belarius declares that Imogen doesn't look well.
Act 4, Scene 3
Back at the palace, Cymbeline asks for a report on his wife. It seems that the Queen became sick after her son left. Cymbeline thinks it's just because Cloten is gone.
Cymbeline threatens to tortur...
Act 4, Scene 4
Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus discuss the fight with the Romans. They disagree about what they should do about it. Always afraid he will be recognized by somebody from the court, Belarius want...
Act 5, Scene 1
At the Roman camp, Posthumus enters and talks to a bloody cloth. We're not kidding, folks: he got it from Pisanio as "proof" of Imogen's death. Posthumus feels really bad about Imogen's death. He w...
Act 5, Scene 2
Lucius, Iachimo, and the Roman army enter on one side of the stage; the British army enters on the other. Posthumus follows.
Act 5, Scene 3
Posthumus runs into a couple of British lords who had fled from the fight. He tells them what happened in the battle.
Act 5, Scene 4
In the stocks, Posthumus talks of his fate. He just wants to die for what he's done; he doesn't mind being in prison.
Posthumus decides to speak to Imogen alone by falling asleep. Um, okay.
Act 5, Scene 5
Cymbeline thanks Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus for fighting so bravely for him. He knights them. Cymbeline says it's a real shame that no one could find that other guy who helped fight.