http://www.arcamax.com/plays/b-1510-1
Twelfth Night
TWELFTH NIGHT OR, WHAT YOU WILL
by William Shakespeare
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ORSINO, Duke of Illyria SEBASTIAN, brother to Viola ANTONIO, a sea
captain, friend to Sebastian A SEA CAPTAIN, friend to Viola VALENTINE,
gentleman attending on the Duke CURIO, gentleman attending on the Duke
SIR TOBY BELCH, uncle to Olivia SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK MALVOLIO, steward
to Olivia FABIAN, servant to Olivia FESTE, a clown, servant to Olivia
OLIVIA, a rich countess VIOLA MARIA, Olivia's waiting woman
Lords, Priests, Sailors, Officers, Musicians, and other Attendants
SCENE: A city in Illyria, and the sea-coast near it
ACT I.
SCENE I. An apartment in the DUKE'S palace.
[Enter DUKE, CURIO, and other LORDS; MUSICIANS attending.]
DUKE. If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it,
that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken and so die. That strain
again! It had a dying fall; O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet
sound That breathes upon a bank of violets, Stealing and giving odour!
Enough; no more; 'T is not so sweet now as it was before. O spirit of
love, how quick and fresh art thou! That, notwithstanding thy capacity
Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there, Of what validity and pitch
soe'er, But falls into abatement and low price, Even in a minute! so
full of shapes is fancy That it alone is high fantastical.
CURIO. Will you go hunt, my lord?
DUKE. What, Curio?
CURIO. The hart.
DUKE. Why, so I do, the noblest that I have. O, when mine eyes did see
Olivia first, Methought she purg'd the air of pestilence! That instant
was I turn'd into a hart; And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds,
E'er since pursue me.
[Enter VALENTINE.]
How now! what news from her?
VALENTINE. So please my lord, I might not be admitted, But from her
handmaid do return this answer: The element itself, till seven years'
heat, Shall not behold her face at ample view; But, like a cloistress,
she will veiled walk And water once a day her chamber round With
eye-offending brine; all this to season A brother's dead love, which
she would keep fresh And lasting in her sad remembrance.
DUKE. O, she that hath a heart of that fine frame To pay this debt of
love but to a brother, How will she love when the rich golden shaft
Hath kill'd the flock of all affections else That live in her; when
liver, brain, and heart, These sovereign thrones, are all supplied,
and fill'd-- Her sweet perfections -- with one self king! Away before
me to sweet beds of flow'rs; Love-thoughts lie rich when canopied with
bow'rs.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE II. The sea-coast.
[Enter VIOLA, a CAPTAIN, and SAILORS.]
VIOLA. What country, friends, is this?
CAPTAIN. This is Illyria, lady.
VIOLA. And what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium.
Perchance he is not drown'd. What think you, sailors?
CAPTAIN. It is perchance that you yourself were sav'd.
VIOLA. O my poor brother! and so perchance may he be.
CAPTAIN. True, madam: and, to comfort you with chance, Assure
yourself, after our ship did split, When you, and those poor number
sav'd with you, Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother, Most
provident in peril, bind himself, Courage and hope both teaching him
the practice, To a strong mast that liv'd upon the sea; Where, like
Arion on the dolphin's back, I saw him hold acquaintance with the
waves So long as I could see.
VIOLA. For saying so, there's gold: Mine own escape unfoldeth to my
hope, Whereto thy speech serves for authority, The like of him.
Know'st thou this country?
CAPTAIN. Ay, madam, well; for I was bred and born Not three hours'
travel from this very place.
VIOLA. Who governs here?
CAPTAIN. A noble duke, in nature as in name.
VIOLA. What is his name?
CAPTAIN. Orsino.
VIOLA. Orsino! I have heard my father name him; He was a bachelor
then.
CAPTAIN. And so is now, or was so very late; For but a month ago I
went from hence, And then 'twas fresh in murmur--as, you know, What
great ones do the less will prattle of-- That he did seek the love of
fair Olivia.
VIOLA. What's she?
CAPTAIN. A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count That died some
twelvemonth since, then leaving her In the protection of his son, her
brother, Who shortly also died; for whose dear love, They say, she
hath abjur'd the company And sight of men.
VIOLA. O that I serv'd that lady, And might not be delivered to the
world, Till I had made mine own occasion mellow, What my estate is!
CAPTAIN. That were hard to compass, Because she will admit no kind of
suit, No, not the duke's.
VIOLA. There is a fair behaviour in thee, captain; And though that
nature with a beauteous wall Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee
I will believe thou hast a mind that suits With this thy fair and
outward character. I prithee, and I'll pay thee bounteously, Conceal
me what I am, and be my aid For such disguise as haply shall become
The form of my intent. I'll serve this duke: Thou shalt present me as
an eunuch to him; It may be worth thy pains, for I can sing And speak
to him in many sorts of music That will allow me very worth his
service. What else may hap, to time I will commit; Only shape thou
silence to my wit.
CAPTAIN. Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be; When my tongue
blabs, then let mine eyes not see.
VIOLA. I thank thee; lead me on.
[Exeunt.]