Twelfth Night, or What You Will: ACT I
Introduction ACT I SCENE I. DUKE ORSINO's palace. SCENE II. The sea-coast. SCENE III. OLIVIA'S house. SCENE IV. DUKE ORSINO's palace. SCENE V. OLIVIA'S house. ACT II ACT III ACT IV ACT V About the Play Feedback			Search: All the plays Hamlet Coriolanus Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Richard II Richard III Titus Andronicus Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry the Fifth Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry VIII King John Pericles Troilus and Cressida All's Well... As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline A Midsummer... Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives... Much Ado about Nothing The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night The Taming of... The Tempest The Two Gentlemen... The Winter's Tale    for: SCENE II. The sea-coast. Enter VIOLA, a Captain, and Sailors VIOLA       What country, friends, is this? Captain       This is Illyria, lady. VIOLA       And what should I do in Illyria?       My brother he is in Elysium. 5     Perchance he is not drown'd: what think you, sailors? Captain       It is perchance that you yourself were saved. VIOLA       O my poor brother! and so perchance may he be. Captain       True, madam: and, to comfort you with chance,       Assure yourself, after our ship did split, 10    When you and those poor number saved with you       Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother,       Most provident in peril, bind himself,       Courage and hope both teaching him the practise,       To a strong mast that lived upon the sea; 15    Where, like Arion on the dolphin's back,       I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves       So long as I could see. VIOLA       For saying so, there's gold:       Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope, 20    Whereto thy speech serves for authority,       The like of him. Know'st thou this country? Captain       Ay, madam, well; for I was bred and born       Not three hours' travel from this very place. VIOLA       Who governs here? Captain 25    A noble duke, in nature as in name. VIOLA       What is the name? Captain       Orsino. VIOLA       Orsino! I have heard my father name him:       He was a bachelor then. Captain 30    And so is now, or was so very late;       For but a month ago I went from hence,       And then 'twas fresh in murmur,--as, you know,       What great ones do the less will prattle of,--       That he did seek the love of fair Olivia. VIOLA 35    What's she? Captain       A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count       That died some twelvemonth since, then leaving her       In the protection of his son, her brother,       Who shortly also died: for whose dear love, 40    They say, she hath abjured the company       And sight of men. VIOLA       O that I served that lady       And might not be delivered to the world,       Till I had made mine own occasion mellow, 45    What my estate is! Captain       That were hard to compass;       Because she will admit no kind of suit,       No, not the duke's. VIOLA       There is a fair behavior in thee, captain; 50    And though that nature with a beauteous wall       Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee       I will believe thou hast a mind that suits       With this thy fair and outward character.       I prithee, and I'll pay thee bounteously, 55    Conceal me what I am, and be my aid       For such disguise as haply shall become       The form of my intent. I'll serve this duke:       Thou shall present me as an eunuch to him:       It may be worth thy pains; for I can sing 60    And speak to him in many sorts of music       That will allow me very worth his service.       What else may hap to time I will commit;       Only shape thou thy silence to my wit. Captain       Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be: 65    When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see. VIOLA       I thank thee: lead me on. Exeunt Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene