SCENE I-A Hall in the Duke's Palace. Duke. Well, Syracusan, say, in brief, the cause Enter DUKE, ÆGEON, Gaoler, Officers, and other Why thou departedst from thy native home; Attendants. Ege. Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall, To admit no traffic to our adverse towns: If any born at Ephesus, be seen are done, My woes end likewise with the evening sun. 1 Name of a coin. And for what cause thou cam'st to Ephesus. To Epidamnum, till my factor's death; The pleasing punishment that women bear) A joyful mother of two goodly sons; And which was strange, the one so like the other, Of such a burden, male twins, both alike: A league from Epidamnum had we sailed, Before the always-wind-obeying deep Gave any tragic instance of our harm: ''But longer did we not retain much hope; For what obscured light the heavens did grant Did but convey unto our fearful minds A doubtful warrant of immediate death; Which, though myself would gladly have embraced, Yet the incessant weepings of my wife, Weeping before for what she saw must come, And piteous plainings of the pretty babes, That mourn'd for fashion, ignorant what to fear, Forced me to seek delays for them and me, And this it was,-for other means was none.The sailors sought for safety by our boat, And left the ship, then sinking-ripe, to us: My wife, more careful for the elder born, Had fasten'd him unto a small spare mast, Such as sea-faring men provide for storms; To him one of the other twins was bound, Whilst I had been like heedful of the other. The children thus dispos'd, my wife and I, Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fix'd, Fasten'd ourselves at either end the mast; And floating straight, obedient to the stream, Were carried towards Corinth, as we thought. At length the sun, gazing upon the earth, Dispers'd those vapors that offended us; And, by the benefit of his wish'd light, The seas wax'd calm, and we discovered Two ships from far making amain to us, Of Corinth that, of Epidaurus this: But ere they came,-O, let me say no more! Gather the sequel by that went before. Duke. Nay, forward, old man, do not break off so; For we may pity, though not pardon thee. Ege. O, had the gods done so, I had not now Worthily term'd them merciless to us! For, ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues, We were encounter'd by a mighty rock; Which being violently borne upon, Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst, So that, in this unjust divorce of us, Fortune had left to both of us alike What to delight in, what to sorrow for. Her part, poor soul! seeming as burdened With lesser weight, but not with lesser woe, Was carried with more speed before the wind; And in our sight they three were taken up By fishermen of Corinth, as we thought. At length, another ship had seiz'd on us; And, knowing whom it was their hap to save, Gave helpful welcome to their shipwreck'd guests; And would have reft' the fishers of their prey, Had not their bark been very slow of sail, And therefore homeward did they bend their course. Thus have you heard me sever'd from my bliss; Duke. And, for the sake of them thou sorrowest for, Do me the favor to dilate at full What hath befall'n of them, and thee, till now. Might bear him company in the quest of him: Whom whilst I labor'd of a love to see I hazarded the loss of whom I lov'd. To bear the extremity of dire mishap! Gaol. I will, my lord. Ege. Hopeless, and helpless, doth Ægeon wend, But to procrastinate his lifeless end. SCENE IL-A public Place. [Exeunt. Mer. Therefore, give out, you are of Epidamnum Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate. This very day, a Syracusan merchant Is apprehended for arrival here; And, not being able to buy out his life, According to the statute of the town, Dies ere the weary sun set in the west, There is your money that I had to keep. Ant. S. Go bear it to the Centaur, where we host, And stay there, Dromio, till I come to thee. Within this hour it will be dinner-time: Till that I'll view the manners of the town, Peruse the traders, gaze upon the buildings, And then return, and sleep within mine inn; For with long travel I am stiff and weary. Get thee away. Dro, S. Many a man would take you at your word, And go indeed, having so good a mean. [Exit Dao. & Ant. S. A trusty villain,' sir; that very oft, When I am dull with care and melancholy, Lightens my humor with his merry jests. What, will you walk with me about the town, And then go to my inn, and dine with me? Mer. I am invited, sir, to certain merchants, Of whom I hope to make much benefit; I crave your pardon. Soon, at five o'clock, Please you, I'll meet with you upon the mart, And afterwards consort you till bed-time; My present business calls me from you now. Ant. S. Farewell till then: I will go lose myself And wander up and down, to view the city. • Go. 3 Clear, completely. i. e. Servant. Mer. Sir, I commend you to your own content. [Exit Merchant. Ant. S. He that commends me to mine own con- Commends me to the thing I cannot get. Enter DROMIO of Ephesus. Here comes the almanac of my true date,— The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit; The meat is cold, because you come not home; Ant. S. Stop in your wind, sir; tell me this, I Where have you left the money that I gave you? Dro. E. 0,-sixpence, that I had o'Wednesday last, To pay the saddler for my mistress' crupper;- Ant. S. I am not in a sportive humor now: And strike you home without a messenger. SCENE I.—A public Place. Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA. Ant. S. Come, Dromio, come, these jests are out of season; Reserve them till a merrier hour than this: And tell me, how thou hast dispos'd thy charge. mart Home to your house, the Phoenix, sir, to dinner; My mistress, and her sister, stay for you. Ant. S. Now, as I am a christian, answer me, In what safe place you have bestow'd my money; Or I shall break that merry sconce of yours, That stands on tricks when I am undispos'd: Where is the thousand marks thou hadst of me? Dro. E. I have some marks of yours upon my pate, Some of my mistress' marks upon my shoulders, But not a thousand marks between you both.--If I should pay your worship those again, Perchance, you will not bear them patiently. Ant. S. Thy mistress' marks! what mistress, slave, hast thou? [Phoenix: Dro. E. Your worship's wife, my mistress at the She that doth fast, till you come home to dinner, And prays, that you will hie you home to dinner. Ant. S. What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face, Being forbid? There, take you that, sir knave. Dro. E. What mean you, sir? for heaven's sake, hold your hands; Nay, an you will not, sir, I'll take my heels. [Exit DRO. E. Ant. S. Upon my life, by some device or other The villain is o'er-raught' of all my money. They say, this town is full of cozenage; As, nimble jugglers, that deceive the eye, Dark-working sorcerers, that change the mind, Soul-killing witches, that deform the body; Disguised cheaters, prating mountebanks, And many such like liberties of sin; If it prove so, I will be gone the sooner. I'll to the Centaur, to go seek this slave; I greatly fear my money is not safe. ACT II. Adr. Neither my husband, nor the slave return'd, That in such haste I sent to seek his master! Sure, Luciana, it is two o'clock. Luc. Perhaps, some merchant hath invited him, And from the mart he's somewhere gone to dinner, Good sister, let us dine, and never fret: A man is master of his liberty: Time is their master; and, when they see time, They'll go, or come: if so, be patient, sister. Adr. Why should their liberty than ours be more? Luc. Because their business still lies out o'door. Adr. Look, when I serve him so, he takes it ill. Luc. O, know, he is the bridle of your will. Adr. There's none but asses will be bridled so. Luc. Why headstrong liberty is lash'd with woe. There's nothing situate under heaven's eye, But hath his bound, in earth, in sea, in sky: [Exit The beasts, the fishes, and the winged fowls, Adr. This servitude makes you to keep unwed. A wretched soul, bruis'd with adversity, Luc. Well, I will marry one day, but to try;- Enter DROMIO of Ephesus. Adr. Say, is your tardy master now at hand? Dro. E. Nay, he is at two hands with me, and that my two ears can witness. Adr. Say, didst thou speak with him? know'st thou his mind? Dro. E. Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear: Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it. Luc. Spake he so doubtfully, thou couldst not feel his meaning? Dro. E. Nay, he struck so plainly, I could too well feel his blows; and withal so doubtfully, that I could scarce understand them." Adr. But say, I pr'ythee, is he coming home? When I desired him to come home to dinner, Dro. E. Quoth my master: I know, quoth he, no house, no wife, no mistress;- I thank him, I bear home upon my shoulders; Adr. Back, slave, or I will break thy pate across. Between you I shall have a holy head. Adr. Hence, prating peasant; fetch thy master Dro. E. Am I so round with you, as you with me, ⚫ie Scarce stand under them. What ruins are in me, that can be found pense, I know his eye doth homage otherwhere; SCENE II.-The same. Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse. How now, sir? is your merry humor alter'd ? Dro. S. What answer, sir? when spake I such a Ant. S. Even now, even here, not half an hour Dro. S. I did not see you since you sent me hence, Dro. S. I am glad to see you in this merry vein: teeth? Think'st thou, I jest? Hold, take thou that, and Ant. S. Because that I familiarly sometimes Dro. S. Sconce, call you it? so you would leave battering, I had rather have it a head: an you use these blows long, I must get a sconce for my head, and insconce it too; or else I shall seek my wit in my shoulders. But, I pray, sir, why am I beaten? Ant. S. Dost thou not know? Dro. S. Nothing, sir; but that I am beaten. Dro. S. Ay, sir, and wherefore; for, they say, every why hath a wherefore. Ant. S. Why, first;-for flouting me; and then, wherefore, For urging it the second time to me. Dro. S. Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season? When, in the why, and the wherefore, is neither rhyme nor reason? Well, sir, I thank you. Ant. S. Thank me, sir! for what? Dro. S. Marry, sir, for this something that you gave me for nothing. Ant. S. I'll make you amends next, to give you nothing for something. But say, sir, is it dinnertime? Dro. No, sir; I think, the meat wants that I have. Ant. S. In good time, sir, what's that? Ant. S. Well, sir, then 'twill be dry. Dro. S. If it be, sir, I pray you eat none of it. Ant. S. Your reason? Dro. S. Lest it make you choleric, and purchase me another dry basting. Ant. S. Well, sir, learn to jest in good time; 'There's a time for all things. Dro. S. I durst have denied that, before you were so choleric. Ant. S. By what rule, sir? Ant. S. You would all this time have proved, there is no time for all things. Dro. S. Marry, and did, sir; namely, no time to recover hair lost by nature. Ant. S. But your reason was not substantial, why there is no time to recover. Dro. S. Thus I mend it: Time himself is bald, and therefore, to the world's end, will have bald followers. Ant. S. I knew it would be a bald conclusion But soft! who wafts" us yonder? Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA. Adr. Ay, ay, Antipholus, look strange and frown. The time was once, when thou unurged wouldst vow As take from me thyself, and not me too. Dro. S. Marry, sir, by a rule as plain as the plain And hurl the name of husband in my face, bald pate of father Time himself. Ant. S. Let's hear it. Dro. S. There's no time for a man to recover his hair, that grows bald by nature. Ant. S. May he not do it by fine and recovery? Dro. S. Yes, to pay a fine for a peruke, and recover the lost hair of another man. Ant. S. Why is time such a niggard of hair, being, as it is, so plentiful an excrement? Dro. S. Because it is a blessing that he bestows on beasts: and what he hath scanted men in hair, he hath given them in wit. Ant. S. Why, but there's many a man hath more hair than wit. Dro. S. Not a man of those, but he hath the wit to lose his hair. Ant. S. Why, thou didst conclude hairy men plain dealers without wit. Dro. S. The plainer dealer, the sooner lost: Yet he loseth it in a kind of jollity. Ant. S. For what reason! Dro. S. For two; and sound ones too. Ant. S. Nay, not sound, I pray you. Ant. S. Nay, not sure, in a thing falsing. Ant. S. Name them. Dro. S. The one, to save the money that he spends in tiring; the other, that at dinner they should not drop in his porridge. A sconce was a fortification. And tear the stain'd skin off my harlot brow, I know thou canst; and therefore, see, thou do it. [not: [him, Adr. By thee: and this thou didst return from That he did buffet thee, and in his blows Denied my house for his, me for his wife. [man? Ant. S. Did you converse, sir, with this gentlewo What is the force and drift of your compact? Dro. S. I, sir? I never saw her till this time. Ant. S. Villain, thou liest; for even her very Didst thou deliver to me on the mart. [word. Dro. S. I never spake with her in all my life. • Beckons. |