Cymbeline

King Cymbeline who rules Britain under licence from Rome banishes his ward Posthumous Leonatus for secretly marrying his daughter and heir, Imogen. Posthumous exchanges his bracelet for his wife’s ring and leaves for Italy where, after he boasts to his host and companions of Imogen's love for him, he is challenged to wager with Iachimo on her fidelity.

Meanwhile the Queen attempts to get her stepdaughter Imogen's marriage to Posthumous overruled in favour of her foolish son, Cloten. Imogen rejects Cloten and seeks the help of her husband’s servant, Pisanio.

Iachimo comes to court and after realising Imogen is true to her husband he persuades her to give safe overnight storage to his travelling chest. He secretly hides in the chest and so gains access to Imogen’s bedroom. When she is asleep Iachimo creeps out to record details of the room. He also notes a mole he sees on her breast while he steals Posthumous's bracelet from Imogen’s arm. As the clock strikes he returns unseen to the chest.

On his return to Italy Iachimo claims to have won the wager. Posthumous believes the false story and is enraged that Imogen has been unfaithful to him. As Pisanio reads a letter from Posthumous directing that Imogen must be killed she interrupts him and, learning that her husband is travelling to Milford Haven she decides she will join him. The faithful Pisanio does not believe Imogen is guilty of any wrongdoing, but he advises her that to avoid danger she should travel in disguised as a boy. Once they reach Wales Pisanio reveals his instructions about Imogen’s death but will not carry out the deed. He leaves Imogen to seek her fortune, and sends word to Posthumous that he has carried out the murder. His master, distraught by this news, Posthumous returns to Britain.

Prince Cloten has discovered Imogen’s flight and, wearing a stolen set of her husband‘s clothes, he follows her to Wales. There he meets the young hunters Polydore and Cadwal who have befriended the disguised Imogen, whom they know as Fidele. Cloten's arrogance annoys them and in the ensuing fight Cloten is killed, and beheaded. The young men return to their cave with Morgan whom they believe to be their father, and they find Fidele apparently dead. (Imogen has taken ‘medicine’ given to her by the Queen, her stepmother, who had said it was a restorative while she really believed it to be a deadly poison. The doctor who made the potion, suspecting the Queen's motives, had secretly substituted a sleeping draught.)

Fidele/Imogen is mourned by the young men as they place Cloten’s body beside her for later burial. When Imogen awakes from her drugged sleep she finds herself lying beside a headless corpse. She recognises Posthumous’ clothes and as she bewails her husband’s apparent death a Roman army, including Iachimo, arrives and she is taken by the General Caius Lucius to be his page The Romans are demanding payment of tribute that Cymbeline has denied and in the ensuing battle Polydore, Cadwal and Morgan, overcome the Roman invaders. They are helped by Posthumous who, then changes sides to be taken prisoner with the defeated Romans. In jail he dreams of his dead parents whose ghosts, with the god Jupiter, leave him a prophetic inscription and the hope that his wife may yet return.

Back at court the Queen has died admitting her plots and treasons, but she goes unmourned as the martial prowess of the ‘Welshmen’ is praised. The Romans are condemned but Caius Lucius asks for Fidele’s freedom. When Cymbeline grants a boon to Fidele/Imogen she, disregarding Caius Lucius, asks why Iachimo wears a ring she recognises as the one she had given her husband. Iachimo’s deception in the wager is uncovered and as Iachimo admits his trickery Posthumous challenges him. When he admits arranging for Imogen’s death she intervenes and reveals herself. Once she is reunited with Posthumous, Pisanio tells the story of Cloten’s journey to Wales. Polydore and Cadwal admit to killing the Prince but Morgan protects them from Cymbeline‘s wrath by revealing that he is the banished courtier, Belarius who, many years before, had escaped with the royal nursemaid, stealing her charges the infant crown prince Guiderius and his brother Arviragus. Belarius has brought them up to believe they are his sons Polydore and Cadwal. With Imogen’s long-lost brothers acknowledged the prophesy of Posthumous’ dream is explained and the play ends with Cymbeline pardoning Belarius and making peace with Rome.