Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (Folger Shakespeare Library)

by William Shakespeare

If music be the food of love, play on. 1 Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, 2 The appetite may sicken and so die.

Act 1 Scene 1 Enter Orsino, Duke of Illyria , Curio, and other Lords, < with Musicians playing. > ORSINO If music be the food of love, play on. 1 Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, 2 The appetite may sicken and so die. 3 That strain again! It had a dying fall . 4 O, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound 5 That breathes upon a bank of violets, 6 Stealing and giving odor. Enough; no more. 7 ’Tis not so sweet now as it was before. 8 O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou, 9 That, notwithstanding thy capacity 10 Receiveth as the sea, naught enters there, 11 Of what validity and pitch soe’er, 12 But falls into abatement and low price 13 Even in a minute. So full of shapes is fancy 14

Stealing and giving odor. Enough; no more. 7 ’Tis not so sweet now as it was before.

So full of shapes is fancy

Why, so I do, the noblest that I have. 19 O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, 20 Methought she purged the air of pestilence. 21 That instant was I turned into a hart, 22 And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, 23 E’er since pursue me.

ORSINO Why, so I do, the noblest that I have. 19 O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, 20 Methought she purged the air of pestilence . 21 That instant was I turned into a hart, 22 And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, 23 E’er since pursue me. 24

Love thoughts lie rich when canopied with bowers.

What country, friends, is this?

VIOLA What country, friends, is this? 1 CAPTAIN This is Illyria, lady. 2 VIOLA And what should I do in Illyria? 3 My brother he is in Elysium . 4 Perchance he is not drowned.—What think you, 5 sailors? 6 CAPTAIN It is perchance that you yourself were saved. 7 VIOLA O, my poor brother! And so perchance may he be. 8

Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother, 12 Most provident in peril, bind himself

CAPTAIN True, madam. And to comfort you with chance, 9 Assure yourself, after our ship did split, 10 When you and those poor number saved with you 11 Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother, 12 Most provident in peril, bind himself 13 (Courage and hope both teaching him the practice) 14 To a strong mast that lived upon the sea, 15 Where, like < Arion > on the dolphin’s back , 16 I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves 17 So long as I could see. 18

Conceal me what I am, and be my aid 56 For such disguise as haply shall become 57 The form of my intent. I’ll serve this duke.

care’s an enemy to 2 life.

I have unclasped 14 To thee the book even of my secret soul.

Be clamorous and leap all civil bounds 23 Rather than make unprofited return.

ORSINO Be clamorous and leap all civil bounds 23 Rather than make unprofited return. 24

I’ll do my best 44 To woo your lady.

Let her hang me. He that is well hanged in this 5 world needs to fear no colors.

Well, God give them wisdom that have it, and 14 those that are Fools, let them use their talents.

Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage,

For what says Quinapalus? 33 “Better a witty Fool than a foolish wit.

For give the dry Fool drink, then is 41 the Fool not dry. Bid the dishonest man mend 42 himself; if he mend, he is no longer dishonest; if he 43 cannot, let the botcher mend him.

cucullus 53 non facit monachum. That’s as much to say as, I 54 wear not motley in my brain.

FOOL Misprision in the highest degree! Lady, cucullus 53 non facit monachum . That’s as much to say as, I 54 wear not motley in my brain. Good madonna, give 55 me leave to prove you a fool. 56

Good madonna, give 55 me leave to prove you a fool.

Good madonna, why mourn’st thou? 64 OLIVIA Good Fool, for my brother’s death. 65 FOOL I think his soul is in hell, madonna. 66 OLIVIA I know his soul is in heaven, Fool. 67 FOOL The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your 68 brother’s soul, being in heaven.

FOOL Good madonna, why mourn’st thou? 64 OLIVIA Good Fool, for my brother’s death. 65 FOOL I think his soul is in hell, madonna. 66 OLIVIA I know his soul is in heaven, Fool. 67 FOOL The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your 68 brother’s soul, being in heaven. Take away the fool, 69 gentlemen. 70

Yes, and shall do till the pangs of death 73 shake him. Infirmity, that decays the wise, doth 74 ever make the better Fool.

OLIVIA What’s a drunken man like, Fool? 128 FOOL Like a drowned man, a fool, and a madman. One 129 draught above heat makes him a fool, the second 130 mads him, and a third drowns him. 131

OLIVIA What’s a drunken man like, Fool? 128 FOOL Like a drowned man, a fool, and a madman. One 129 draught above heat makes him a fool, the second 130 mads him, and a third drowns him. 131

OLIVIA What kind o’ man is he? 149 MALVOLIO Why, of mankind. 150

OLIVIA What kind o’ man is he? 149 MALVOLIO Why, of mankind. 150

I can say little more than I have studied, and 176 that question’s out of my part.

What I am and 215 what I would are as secret as maidenhead: to your 216 ears, divinity; to any other’s, profanation.

VIOLA The rudeness that hath appeared in me have I 214 learned from my entertainment . What I am and 215 what I would are as secret as maidenhead: to your 216 ears, divinity ; to any other’s, profanation . 217

Where lies your text? 223 VIOLA In Orsino’s bosom. 224 OLIVIA In his bosom? In what chapter of his bosom? 225 VIOLA To answer by the method, in the first of his heart.

OLIVIA . . . Where lies your text? 223 VIOLA In Orsino’s bosom. 224 OLIVIA In his bosom? In what chapter of his bosom? 225 VIOLA To answer by the method , in the first of his heart. 226

Lady, you are the cruel’st she alive 240 If you will lead these graces to the grave 241 And leave the world no copy.

O, sir, I will not be so hard-hearted! I will give 243 out divers schedules of my beauty. It shall be 244 inventoried and every particle and utensil labeled 245 to my will: as, item, two lips indifferent red; item, 246 two gray eyes, with lids to them; item, one neck, one 247 chin, and so forth.

OLIVIA O, sir, I will not be so hard-hearted! I will give 243 out divers schedules of my beauty. It shall be 244 inventoried and every particle and utensil labeled 245 to my will: as, item , two lips indifferent red; item, 246 two gray eyes, with lids to them; item, one neck, one 247 chin, and so forth. Were you sent hither to praise 248 me? 249

OLIVIA How does he love me? 256 VIOLA With adorations, fertile tears, 257 With groans that thunder love, with sighs of fire. 258

OLIVIA How does he love me? 256 VIOLA With adorations, fertile tears, 257 With groans that thunder love, with sighs of fire. 258

Make me a willow cabin at your gate 271 And call upon my soul within the house, 272 Write loyal cantons of contemnèd love 273 And sing them loud even in the dead of night, 274 Hallow your name to the reverberate hills 275 And make the babbling gossip of the air 276 Cry out “Olivia!” O, you should not rest 277 Between the elements of air and earth 278 But you should pity me.

VIOLA Make me a willow cabin at your gate 271 And call upon my soul within the house , 272 Write loyal cantons of contemnèd love 273 And sing them loud even in the dead of night, 274 Hallow your name to the reverberate hills 275 And make the babbling gossip of the air 276 Cry out “Olivia!” O, you should not rest 277 Between the elements of air and earth 278 But you should pity me . 279

I am no fee’d post, lady. Keep your purse.

How now? 300 Even so quickly may one catch the plague?

I do I know not what, and fear to find 315 Mine eye too great a flatterer for my mind. 316 Fate, show thy force. Ourselves we do not owe. 317 What is decreed must be, and be this so.

OLIVIA I do I know not what, and fear to find 315 Mine eye too great a flatterer for my mind. 316 Fate, show thy force. Ourselves we do not owe . 317 What is decreed must be, and be this so. 318 < She exits. >

Will you stay no longer? Nor will you not that 1 I go with you?

ANTONIO Will you stay no longer? Nor will you not that 1 I go with you? 2 SEBASTIAN By your patience , no. My stars shine darkly 3 over me. The malignancy of my fate might perhaps 4 distemper yours. Therefore I shall crave of you your 5 leave that I may bear my evils alone. It were a bad 6 recompense for your love to lay any of them on you. 7

My stars shine darkly 3 over me.

My determinate voyage is 10 mere extravagancy

But I perceive in you so excel- 11 lent a touch of modesty that you will not extort 12 from me what I am willing to keep in

A lady, sir, though it was said she much 24 resembled me, was yet of many accounted beauti- 25 ful.

SEBASTIAN . . . for some hour before you took me 21 from the breach of the sea was my sister drowned. 22 ANTONIO Alas the day! 23 SEBASTIAN A lady, sir, though it was said she much 24 resembled me, was yet of many accounted beauti-25 ful.

But come what may, I do adore thee so 46 That danger shall seem sport, and I will go.

Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness 27 Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.

Alas, <our> frailty is the cause, not we, 31 For such as we are made <of,> such we be

O Time, thou must untangle this, not I. 40 It is too hard a knot for me t’ untie.

Does not our lives consist of the four 9 elements? 10 ANDREW Faith, so they say, but I think it rather con- 11 sists of eating and drinking.

Scene 3 Enter Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. TOBY Approach, Sir Andrew. Not to be abed after 1 midnight is to be up betimes , and “ diluculo sur-2 gere ,” thou know’st—3 ANDREW Nay, by my troth, I know not. But I know to 4 be up late is to be up late. 5 TOBY . . . A false conclusion. I hate it as an unfilled can . To 6 be up after midnight and to go to bed then, is early, 7 so that to go to bed after midnight is to go to bed 8 betimes. Does not our lives consist of the four 9 elements ? 10 ANDREW Faith, so they say, but I think it rather con-11 sists of eating and drinking. 12

O mistress mine, where are you roaming?

FOOL sings O mistress mine , where are you roaming? 40 O, stay and hear! Your truelove’s coming, 41 That can sing both high and low. 42 Trip no further, pretty sweeting. 43 Journeys end in lovers meeting , 44 Every wise man’s son doth know. 45

Journeys end in lovers meeting, 44 Every wise man’s son doth know.

He does it with a better grace, but 83 I do it more natural.

Dost thou think, because thou art virtu- 114 ous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?

The devil a puritan that he is, or anything 145 constantly but a time-pleaser; an affectioned ass 146 that cons state without book and utters it by great 147 swaths; the best persuaded of himself, so crammed, 148 as he thinks, with excellencies, that it is his grounds 149 of faith that all that look on him love him. And on 150 that vice in him will my revenge find notable cause 151 to work.

MARIA The devil a puritan that he is , or anything 145 constantly but a time-pleaser ; an affectioned ass 146 that cons state without book and utters it by great 147 swaths; the best persuaded of himself, so crammed, 148 as he thinks, with excellencies, that it is his grounds 149 of faith that all that look on him love him. And on 150 that vice in him will my revenge find notable cause 151 to work. 152

For, boy, however we do praise ourselves, 37 Our fancies are more giddy and unfirm, 38 More longing, wavering, sooner lost and worn, 39 Than women’s are.

ORSINO For, boy, however we do praise ourselves, 37 Our fancies are more giddy and unfirm, 38 More longing, wavering, sooner lost and worn, 39 Than women’s are. 40 VIOLA I think it well, my lord. 41 ORSINO Then let thy love be younger than thyself, 42 Or thy affection cannot hold the bent . 43 For women are as roses, whose fair flower, 44 Being once displayed , doth fall that very hour. 45 VIOLA And so they are. Alas, that they are so, 46 To die even when they to perfection grow! 47 Enter Curio and < Feste, the Fool. >

Then let thy love be younger than thyself, 42 Or thy affection cannot hold the bent. 43 For women are as roses, whose fair flower, 44 Being once displayed, doth fall that very hour.

ORSINO Then let thy love be younger than thyself, 42 Or thy affection cannot hold the bent . 43 For women are as roses, whose fair flower, 44 Being once displayed , doth fall that very hour. 45