DRAMATIS PERSONE. Duke of Milan. ANTONIO. PROTEUS, his son. VALENTINE. THURIO. EGLAMOUR. SPEED, servant to Valentine. LAUNCE, servant to Proteus. PANTHINO, servant to Antonio. Outlaws. SILVIA, daughter to the Duke. JULIA. LUCETTA, her waiting-woman. Servants, Musicians. SCENE-In Verona; in Milan; and on the frontiers of Mantua. THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. ACT I. SCENE I. Verona. An open place in the city. Val. Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus: Even as I would, when I to love begin. Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu! When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy danger, Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers, Val. And on a love-book pray for my success? 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. Val. 'Tis true; for(1) you are over boots in love, Pro. Over the boots! nay, give me not the boots. Pro. What? Val. To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans; Coy looks with heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights: If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain; If lost, why then a grievous labour won; Pro. So, by your circumstance, you call me 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 Is turn'd to folly; blasting in the bud, Losing his verdure even in the prime, Once more adieu! my father at the road Expects my coming, there to see me shipp'd. Pro. And thither will I bring thee, Valentine. Val. Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave. To Milan let me hear from thee by letters Pro. All happiness bechance to thee in Milan! Val. As much to you at home! and so, farewell. [Exit. Pro. He after honour hunts, I after love: He leaves his friends to dignify them more; War with good counsel, set the world at naught; Enter SPEED. Speed. Sir Proteus, save you! Saw you my master? Pro. But now he parted hence, to embark for Milan. Speed. Twenty to one, then, he is shipp'd already, And I have play'd the sheep in losing him. Pro. Indeed, a sheep doth very often stray, An if the shepherd be awhile away. Speed. You conclude that my master is a shepherd, then, and I a(3) 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? gavest 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. |