The Works of William Shakespeare

If he should scorn me so apparently.
Of. I do arrest you, sir: you hear the suit.
Ant. E. I do obey thee till I give thee bail.
But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear,
As all the metal in your shop will answer.

Ang. Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus, To your notorious shame, I doubt it not. Enter Dromio of Syracuse.

Dro. S. Master, there is a bark of Epidam

num

Luc. That love I begg'd for you, he begg'd of me. [thy love? Adr. With what persuasion did he tempt Luc. With words, that in an honest suit

might move.

First, he did praise my beauty; then my speech.
Adr. Didst speak him fair?

Luc.
Have patience, I beseech.
Adr. I cannot, nor I will not, hold me still;
My tongue, though not my heart, shall have
his will.

That stays but till her owner comes aboard,
And then, sir, she bears away. Our fraught-He is deformed, crooked, old, and sere,

age, sir,

I have convey'd aboard; and I have bought
The oil, the balsamum, and aqua-vitæ.
The ship is in her trim; the merry wind [all
Blows fair from land: they stay for nought at
But for their owner, master, and yourself.
Ant. E. How now! a madman! Why,
thou peevish sheep,

What ship of Epidamnum stays for me?
Dro. S. A ship you sent me to, to hire
waftage.
[for a rope;

Ant. E. Thou drunken slave, I sent thee And told thee to what purpose, and what end. Dro. S. You sent me for a rope's end as

soon;

You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark.

Ant. E. I will debate this matter at more leisure,

And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
To Adriana, villain, hie thee straight :
Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
That's cover'd o'er with Turkish tapestry,
There is a purse of ducats; let her send it :
Tell her I am arrested in the street,
And that shall bail me: hie thee, slave, begone.
On, officer, to prison till it come. [Exeunt
Merchant, Angelo, Officer, and Ant. E.
Dro. S. To Adriana! that is where we din'd,
Where Dowsabel did claim me for her hus-
band:

She is too big, I hope, for me to compass.
Thither I must, although against my will,
For servants must their masters' minds fulfil.
[Exit.
SCENE II-A Room in the House of Anti-
pholus of Ephesus.

Enter Adriana and Luciana. Adr. Ah, Luciana, did he tempt thee so? Might'st thou perceive austerely in his eye That he did plead in earnest, yea or no? Look'd he or red, or pale, or sad, or merrily? What observation mad'st thou, in this case, Of his heart's meteors tilting in his face? Luc. First he denied you had in him no right. [my spite. Adr. He meant, he did me none; the more Luc. Then swore he, that he was a stranger here. [sworn he were. Adr. And true he swore, though yet forLuc. Then pleaded I for you. Adr.

And what said he?]

Ill-fac'd, worse bodied, shapeless everywhere ; Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind; Stigmatical in making, worse in mind.

Luc. Who would be jealous, then, of such No evil lost is wail'd when it is gone. [a one? Adr. Ah, but I think him better than I say, And yet would herein others' eyes were

worse.

Far from her nest the lapwing cries away : My heart prays for him, though my tongue do curse.

Enter Dromio of Syracuse. Dro. S. Here, go; the desk, the purse ! sweet, now, make haste.

Luc. How hast thou lost thy breath?
Dro. S.

By running fast. Adr. Where is thy master, Dromio? is he well? [than hell. Dro, S. No, he's in Tartar limbo, worse A devil in an everlasting garment hath him ; One whose hard heart is button'd up with steel; A fiend, a fairy, pitiless and rough; A wolf, nay, worse, a fellow all in buff; A back-friend, a shoulder-clapper, one that countermands [lands; The passages of alleys, creeks, and narrow A hound that runs counter, and yet draws dry-foot well; [souls to hell. One that, before the judgment, carries poor Adr. Why, man, what is the matter? Dro. S. I do not know the matter; he is [whose suit. Adr. What, is he arrested? tell me at Dro. S. I know not at whose suit he is arrested well; [that can I tell. But he's in a suit of buff which 'rested him, Will you send him, mistress, redemption,-the money in his desk?

'rested on the case.

Adr. Go fetch it, sister.-[Exit Luciana.]

This I wonder at:

That he, unknown to me, should be in debt. Tell me, was he arrested on a band? [thing,

Dro. S. Not on a band, but on a stronger A chain, a chain: do you not hear it ring? Adr. What, the chain?

Dro. S. No, no, the bell. 'Tis time that I were gone : [strikes one. It was two ere I left him, and now the clock Adr. The hours come back! that did I

never hear.

Dro. S. O yes; if any hour meet a serjeant, 'a turns back for very fear.

Adr. As if Time were in debt! how fondly dost thou reason!

Ant. S. The fellow is distract, and so am I ;
And here we wander in illusions :
Some blessed power deliver us from hence!
Enter a Courtezan. [pholus.
Cour. Well met, well met, master Anti-

Dro. S. Time is a very bankrupt, and owes more than he's worth, to season. [say, Nay, he's a thief too have you not heard men That time comes stealing on by night and day? I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now; Is that the chain you promised me to-day? Ant. S. Satan, avoid! I charge thee tempt

If Time be in debt and theft, and a sergeant in the way.

[day? Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a Re-enter Luciana.

ceit,

me not!

Dro. S. Master, is this mistress Satan?
Ant. S. It is the devil..

Adr. Go, Dromio; there's the money, bear it straight; Dro. S. Nay, she is worse, she is the devil's And bring thy master home immediately.-dam; and here she comes in the habit of a Come, sister: I am press'd down with con- light wench: and thereof comes that the wenches say, "God damn me;" that's as much as to say, "God make me a light wench." It is written, they appear to men like angels of light light is an effect of fire, and fire will burn; ergo, light wenches will burn. Come not near her. [merry, sir.

Conceit, my comfort and my injury.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-A Public Place.
Enter Antipholus of Syracuse.

Ant. S. There's not a man I meet but doth
salute me,

As if I were their well-acquainted friend;
And every one doth call me by my name.
Some tender money to me; some invite me ;
Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;
Some offer me commodities to buy:
Even now a tailor call'd me in his shop, [me,
And show'd me silks, that he had bought for
And therewithal took measure of my body.
Sure, these are but imaginary wiles,
And Lapland sorcerers inhabit here.

Enter Dromio of Syracuse. [for.
Dro. S. Master, here's the gold you sent me
What, have you got the picture of old Adam
new apparelled? [dost thou mean?
Ant. S. What gold is this? What Adam
Dro, S. Not that Adam that kept the para-

Cour. Your man and you are marvellous Will you go with me? we'll mend our dinner here.

Dro. S. Master, if you do, expect spoonmeat; so bespeak a long spoon.

Ant. S. Why, Dromio?

Dro. S. Marry, he must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil.

Ant. S. Avoid thee, fiend! what tell'st thou me of supping?

Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress :

I conjure thee to leave me, and be gone.
Cour. Give me the ring of mine you had at
dinner,

Or, for my diamond, the chain you promis'd;
And I'll be gone, sir, and not trouble you.
Dro. S. Some devils ask but the parings of
one's nail,

dise, but that Adam that keeps the prison: he│A rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin,
that goes in the calf's skin that was killed for A nut, a cherry-stone;

the prodigal : he that came behind you, sir, But she, more covetous, would have a chain. like an evil angel, and bid you forsake your Master, be wise! an' if you give it her, Ant. S. I understand thee not. [liberty. The devil will shake her chain, and fright us Dro. S. No? why, 'tis a plain case: he that with it. [chain : went, like a base-viol, in a case of leather; the Cour. I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the man, sir, that, when gentlemen are tired, gives hope you do not mean to cheat me so. them a fob, and 'rests them; he, sir, that takes Ant. S. Avaunt, thou witch! Come, Dromio, pity on decayed men, and gives them suits of let us go. [mistress, that you know. durance; he that sets up his rest to do more Dro. S. "Fly pride," says the peacock : exploits with his mace than a morris-pike. [Exeunt Ant. S. and Dro. S. Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholus is Else would he never so demean himself. [mad, A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats, And for the same he promis'd me a chain : Both one and other he denies me now. The reason that I gather he is mad, Besides this present instance of his rage, Is a mad tale he told to-day at dinner, Of his own doors being shut against his en

Ant. S. What, thou meanest an officer? Dro. S. Ay, sir, the sergeant of the band; he that brings any man to answer it, that breaks his band; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and says, "God give you good rest!

Ant. S. Well, sir, there rest in your foolery. Is there any ship puts forth to-night? may we be gone?

Dro. S. Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since, that the bark Expedition put forth to-night; and then were you hindered by the serjeant, to tarry for the holy Delay. Here are the angels that you sent for, to deliver you.

trance.

Belike, his wife, acquainted with his fits,
On purpose shut the doors against his way.
My way is now, to hie home to his house,
And tell his wife, that, being lunatic,

He rush'd into my house, and took perforce My ring away. This course I fittest choose; For forty ducats is too much to lose. [Exit.

SCENE IV.- A Street.

Enter Antipholus of Ephesus and an Officer. Ant. E. Fear me not, man; I will not break away:

I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money,
To warrant thee, as I am 'rested for.
My wife is in a wayward mood to-day,
And will not lightly trust the messenger:
That I should be attach'd in Ephesus,
I tell you, 'twill sound harshly in her ears.
Here comes my man; I think he brings the

money.

Enter Dromio of Ephesus with a rope's end. How now, sir! have you that I sent you for? Dro. E. Here's that, I warrant you, will pay them all.

Ant. E. But where's the money? [rope. Dro. F. Why, sir, I gave the money for the Ant. E. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope? [the rate. Dro. E. I'll serve you, sir, five hundred at Ant. E. To what end did I bid thee hie thee home? [end am return'd. Dro. E. To a rope's end, sir; and to that Ant. E. And to that end, sir, I will welcome [Beating him.

you.

Off. Good sir, be patient. Dro. E. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in adversity.

Off. Good now, hold thy tongue. Dro. E. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands.

Ant. E. Thou whoreson, senseless villain ! Dro. E. I would I were senseless, sir, that I might not feel your blows.

Ant. E. Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, and so is an ass.

Dro. E. I am an ass indeed; you may prove it by my long ears. I have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have nothing at his hands for my service but blows. When I am cold, he heats me with beating; when I am warm, he cools me with beating: I am waked with it when I sleep; raised with it when I sit; driven out of doors with it when I go from home; welcomed home with it when I return nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a beggar wont her brat; and, I think, when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door. [ing yonder. Ant. E. Come, go along; my wife is comEnter Adriana, Luciana, the Courtezan, and Pinch, &c.

Dro. E. Mistress, respice finem, respect your end; or rather, to prophesy like the parrot, "Beware the rope's end."

Ant. E. Wilt thou still talk? [Beats him. Cour. How say you now? is not your husband mad?

Adr. His incivility confirms no less.-

Good doctor Pinch, you are a conjurer;
Establish him in his true sense again,
And I will please you what you will demand.
Luc. Alas, how fiery and how sharp he

looks!

Cour. Mark how he trembles in his ecstasy! Pinch. Give me your hand, and let me feel your pulse.

Ant. E. There is my hand, and let it feel your ear. [this man, Pinch. I charge thee, Satan, housed within To yield possession to my holy prayers, And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight: I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven! Ant. E. Peace, doting wizard, peace! I am not mad. [soul! Adr. O, that thou wert not, poor distressed Ant. E. You minion, you, are these your

customers?

Did this companion with the saffron face
Revel and feast it at my house to-day,
Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut,
And I denied to enter in my house?

Adr. O husband, God doth know, you din'd

at home;

Where would you had remain'd until this time, Free from these slanders and this open shame! Ant. E. Din'd at home !-Thou villain, what say'st thou ? [at home. Dro. E. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine Ant. E. Were not my doors lock'd up, and I shut out? [you shut out. Dro. E. Perdy, your doors were lock'd, and Ant. E. And did not she herself revile me there? [there. Dro. E. Sans fable, she herself revil'd you Ant. E. Did not her kitchen-maid rail,

taunt, and scorn me? [scorn'd you. Dro. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal Ant. E. And did not I in rage depart from thence? [witness,

Dro. E. In verity, you did ;---my bones bear That since have felt the vigour of his rage. Adr. Is't good to soothe him in these contraries?

[vein,

Pinch. It is no shame: the fellow finds his And, yielding to him, humours well his frenzy. Ant. E. Thou hast suborn'd the goldsmith

room.

They must be bound, and laid in some dark Came to my house, and took away my ring,-
[forth to-day? The ring I saw upon his finger now,-
Straight after did I meet him with a chain.
Adr. It may be so, but I did never see it.
Come, gaoler, bring me where the goldsmith
I long to know the truth thereof at large. [is :
Enter Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of
Syracuse, with rapiers drawn.

Ant. E. Say, wherefore didst thou lock me And why dost thou deny the bag of gold? Adr. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth. gold; Dro. E. And, gentle master, I receiv'd no But I confess, sir, that we were lock'd out. Adr. Dissembling villain! thou speak'st false in both.

[in all; Ant. E. Dissembling harlot! thou art false And art confederate with a damned pack To make a loathsome abject scorn of me: But with these nails I'll pluck out those false eyes,

That would behold in me this shameful sport. Adr. O bind him, bind him! let him not [within him.

come near me.

Pinch. More company! the fiend is strong
Enter Assistants.

Luc. Ah me, poor man, how pale and wan
he looks!

Pinch and Assistants bind Ant. E. and Dro. E. Ant. E. What, will you murder me? Thou gaoler, thou,

Luc. God, for thy mercy! they are loose again. [call more help, Adr. And come with naked swords. To have them bound again.

Let's

Off.
Away! they'll kill us.
[Exeunt Adriana, Luciana, the Courtezan,
and Officer.

Ant. S. I see, these witches are afraid of
swords.
[ran from you.
Dro. S. She, that would be your wife, now
Ant. S. Come to the Centaur; fetch our
stuff from thence :

I long that we were safe and sound aboard. Dro. S. Faith, stay here this night; they will surely do us no harm: you saw they speak us fair, give us gold: methinks they are such a gentle nation, that, but for the mountain of mad flesh that claims marriage of me, I could find in my heart to stay here still, and turn of. witch. [town; He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him. Ant. S. I will not stay to-night for all the Pinch. Go bind this man, for he is frantic Therefore away, to get our stuff aboard.

I am thy prisoner: wilt thou suffer them
To make a rescue?

Masters, let him go:

too.

[officer?

Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish
Hast thou delight to see a wretched man
Do outrage and displeasure to himself?

Of. He is my prisoner: if I let him go,
The debt he owes will be requir'd of me.
Adr. I will discharge thee ere I go from
thee:

Bear me forthwith unto his creditor, [it.
And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay
Good master doctor, see him safe convey'd
Home to my house. O most unhappy day!
Ant. E. O most unhappy strumpet!
Dro. E. Master, I am here entered in bond
for you.
[dost thou mad me?
Ant. E. Out on thee, villain! wherefore
Dro. E. Will you be bound for nothing? be
Cry, the devil!
[mad, good master;
Luc. God help, poor souls, how idly do they
talk!

Adr. Go bear him hence.-Sister, go you with me.- [Exeunt Pinch and Assistants with Ant. E. and Dro. E.

Say now, whose suit is he arrested at ?
Of. One Angelo, a goldsmith; do you know
him?
[he owes?
Adr. I know the man. What is the sum
Of. Two hundred ducats.
Adr.
Say, how grows it due?
Uff. Due for a chain your husband had of
him.
[had it not.
Adr. He did bespeak a chain for me, but
Cour. When as your husband, all in rage,
to-day

ACT V.

SCENE I.-Before an Abbey.

Enter Merchant and Angelo.

[Exeunt.

Ang. I am sorry, sir, that I have hinder'd But, I protest, he had the chain of me. [you ; Though most dishonestly he doth deny it.

Mer. How is the man esteem'd here in the

city?

Ang. Of very reverend reputation, sir,
Of credit infinite, highly belov'd,
Second to none that lives here in the city :
His word might bear my wealth at any time.
Mer. Speak softly: yonder, as I think, he
walks.

Enter Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of
Syracuse.
[neck,

Ang. 'Tis so; and that self chain about his
Which he forswore most monstrously to have.
Good sir, draw near to me, I'll speak to him.
Signior Antipholus, I wonder much [trouble;
That you would put me to this shame and
And, not without some scandal to yourself,
With circumstance and oaths so to deny
This chain, which now you wear so openly:
Beside the charge, the shame, imprisonment,
You have done wrong to this my honest friend;
Who, but for staying on our controversy,
Had hoisted sail, and put to sea to-day:
This chain you had of me; can you deny it?

Ant. S. I think I had; I never did deny it.

Mer. Yes, that you did, sir, and forswore Thou say'st his meat was sauc'd with thy up-
it too.
[swear it? Unquiet meals make ill digestions, [braidings:
Ant. S. Who heard me to deny it or for- Thereof the raging fire of fever bred;
Mer. These ears of mine, thou know'st, did And what's a fever but a fit of madness?
hear thee.
Thou say'st his sports were hinder'd by thy
brawls:

Fie on thee, wretch! 'tis pity that thou liv'st
To walk where any honest men resort. [thus:
Ant. S. Thou art a villain to impeach me
I'll prove mine honour and mine honesty
Against thee presently, if thou dar`st stand.
Mer. I dare, and do defy thee for a villain.
[They draw.
Enter Adriana, Luciana, Courtezan, and others.
Adr. Hold! hurt him not, for God's sake!
he is mad.

Some get within him; take his sword away.
Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house.
Dro. S. Run, master, run; for God's sake,
take a house!

This is some priory :-in, or we are spoil'd.
[Exeunt Ant. S. and Dro. S. into the Abbey.
Enter the Abbess.

Abb. Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng
you hither?
[hence.
Adr. To fetch my poor distracted husband
Let us come in, that we may bind him fast,
And bear him home for his recovery.
Ang. I knew he was not in his perfect wits.
Mer. I am sorry now, that I did draw on
him.
[the man?
Abb. How long hath this possession held
Adr. This week he hath been heavy, sour,
sad,

And much different from the man he was;
But, till this afternoon, his passion
Ne'er brake into extremity of rage.

Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by
wreck at sea?

Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye
Stray'd his affection in unlawful love?
A sin prevailing much in youthful men,
Who give their eyes the liberty of gazing.
Which of these sorrows is he subject to?

Adr. To none of these, except it be the last;
Namely, some love that drew him oft from home.
Abb. You should for that have reprehended
Adr. Why, so I did.
[him.
Abb.
Ay, but not rough enough.
Adr. As roughly as my modesty would let
Abb. Haply, in private.
[me.
Adr.

And in assemblies too.
Abb. Ay, hut not enough.
Adr. It was the copy of our conference :
In bed, he slept not for my urging it;
At board, he fed not for my urging it;
Alone, it was the subject of my theme;
In company, I often glanc'd at it:
Still did I tell him it was vile and bad. [mad:
Abb. And therefore came it that the man was
The venom clamours of a jealous woman
Poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth.
It seems, his sleeps were hinder'd by thy rail-
ing,

And thereof comes it, that his head is light.

Sweet recreation barr'd, what doth ensue,
But moody and dull melancholy,
Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair;
And at her heels a huge infectious troop
Of pale distemperatures, and foes to life?
In food, in sport, and life-preserving rest
To be disturb'd, would mad or man or beast:
The consequence is, then, thy jealous fits
Have scar'd thy husband from the use of wits.

Luc. She never reprehended him but mildly, When he demean'd himself rough, rude, and wildly.

Why bear you these rebukes, and answer not?
Adr. She did betray me to my own reproof.
Good people, enter, and lay hold on him.

Abb. No; not a creature enters in my house.
Adr. Then, let your servants bring my hus-
band forth.
[tuary,

Abb. Neither; he took this place for sanc-
And it shall privilege him from your hands
Till I have brought him to his wits again,
Or lose my labour in assaying it.

Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse,
Diet his sickness; for it is my office
And will have no attorney but myself;
And therefore let me have him home with me.

Abb. Be patient; for I will not let him stir
Till I have us'd the approved means I have,
With wholesome syrups, drugs, and holy
prayers,

To make of him a formal man again :
It is a branch and parcel of mine oath,
A charitable duty of my order:
Therefore depart, and leave him here with me.
Adr. I will not hence, and leave my hus-
band here:

And ill it doth beseem your holiness
To separate the husband and the wife.
Abb. Be quiet, and depart: thou shalt not
have him.

[Exit.

Luc. Complain unto the duke of this indignity.

[feet,

Adr. Come, go: I will fall prostrate at his And never rise until my tears and prayers Have won his grace to come in person hither, And take perforce my husband from the abbess. Sec. Mer. By this, I think, the dial points

at five :

Anon, I'm sure, the duke himself in person
Comes this way to the melancholy vale,
The place of death and sorry execution,
Behind the ditches of the abbey here.

Ang. Upon what cause?

Sec. Mer. To see a reverend Syracusan Who put unluckily into this bay [merchant, Against the laws and statutes of this town, Beheaded publicly for his offence. [his death.

Ang. See where they come : we will behold

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The Works of William Shakespeare: Life, Glossary, &c : Reprinted ..., Volume 1