Cymbeline: Novel Summary: Act 3 Scene 7

Summary
Belarius congratulates Guiderius for being most successful in the hunt, and names him as master of the feast. Arviragus and he will play cook and servant. The boys are both weary. Belarius notices Imogen in the cave, and remarks that if she were not eating their food, he would think her a fairy. He next thinks that she is an angel.
Imogen explains that she has stolen nothing and was going to leave them money for what she has eaten. Guiderius is not impressed, as gold and silver "turn to dirt" (line 26), and is only admired by those "who worship dirty gods" (line 28). Imogen tells him that had she not helped herself to the food, she would have died of starvation. She tells them she is going to Milford Haven and gives her name as Fidele, which means 'faithful' in French. She says a relative of hers has just embarked at Milford for Italy.
Belarius bids her welcome, asking her not to measure their minds by the "rude" place they live in (line 38). Guiderius seems to feel an attraction towards her, saying her would court her if she were a woman. Arviragus welcomes her as a friend. Aside to the audience, she wishes they had been her brothers, for then she would not have been Cymbeline's sole heir, and Posthumus would have been more her financial equal. The boys notice her distress and sympathize with her.
Imogen reflects that great men could not surpass the two boys. She would change her sex to be their companion, since Posthumus has proved false.
Belarius invites her to tell as much of her story as she wishes, after they have eaten.
Analysis
'Magic sleep' is one of the themes of the Romance plays. It generally marks some transformative change in the characters' lives. It is significant that both Imogen and the lost royal sons arrive at the cave very tired. The mood is heightened by Belarius's first impression of Imogen, that she is a fairy, and his second, that she is an angel.
Imogen wishes that she had been poorer and offered "more equal ballasting" with Posthumus uses another image of weight and worth, this time to express the balance of power in her relationship (line 50).