PERSONS REPRESENTED. DUKE of MILAN, Father to Silvia. PROTEUS, ANTONIO, Father to Proteus. THURIO, a foolish Rival to Valentine. LAUNCE, Servant to Proteus. PANTHINO, Servant to Antonio. Host, where Julia lodges in Milan. JULIA, a Lady of Verona, beloved by Proteus. SILVIA, the Duke's Daughter, beloved by Valentine. LUCETTA, Waitingwoman to Julia. Servants, Musicians. SCENE-Sometimes in VERONA; sometimes in MILAN; and on the frontiers of MANTUA. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. ACT I. SCENE I. An open Place in Verona. Val. CEASE to persuade, my loving Proteus; Even as I would, when I to love begin. Pro. Wilt thou begone? Sweet Valentine, adieu ! Think on thy Proteus, when thou, haply, seest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel: Wish me partaker in thy happiness, When thou dost meet good hap; and, in thy danger, If ever danger do environ thee, Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers, For I will be thy beadsman, Valentine. Val. And on a love-book pray for my success, Pro. Upon some book I love, I'll pray for thee. Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love, How young Leander cross'd the Hellespont. Pro. That's a deep story of a deeper love; For he was more than over shoes in love. VOL. I. F Val. 'Tis true; for you are over boots in love, And yet you never swam the Hellespont. Pro. Over the boots? nay, give me not the boots. Val. No, I will not, for it boots thee not. Pro. What? Val. To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans; Coy looks, with heart-sore sighs; one fading mo. ment's mirth, With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights: Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me fool. Val. So, by your circumstance, I fear, you'll prove. Pro. 'Tis love you cavil at; I am not Love. Val. Love is your master, for he masters you: And he that is so yoked by a fool, Methinks should not be chronicled for wise. Pro. Yet writers say; As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so eating love Inhabits in the finest wits of all. Val. And writers say, As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even so by Love the young and tender wit Once more adieu: my father at the road To Milan, let me hear from thee by letters, Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love. He leaves his friends, to dignify them more; I leave myself, my friends, and all for love. Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos'd me; Made me neglect my studies, lose my time, War with good counsel, set the world at nought: Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought. master? Enter SPEED. Speed. Sir Proteus, save you: Saw you my [Milan. Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Speed. Twenty to one then, he is shipp'd al ready; And I have play'd the sheep, in losing him. Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd then, and I a sheep? Pro. I do. Speed. Why then, my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep. Pro. A silly answer, and fitting well a sheep. Speed. This proves me still a sheep. Pro. True; and thy master a shepherd. Speed. Nay, that I can deny by a circumstance. Pro. It shall go hard, but I'll prove it by another. Speed. The shepherd seeks the sheep, and not the sheep the shepherd; but I seek my master, and my master seeks not me: therefore I am no sheep. Pro. The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep; thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee: therefore thou art a sheep. Speed. Such another proof will make me cry baa. Pro. But dost thou hear? gav'st thou my letter to Julia? Speed. Ay, sir; I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton; and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour. |