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- $Unique_ID{SSP02102}
- $Title{Love's Labour's Lost: Act I, Scene II}
- $Author{Shakespeare, William}
- $Subject{}
- $Log{Dramatis Personae*02100.txt}
-
- Portions copyright (c) CMC ReSearch, Inc., 1989
-
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
-
- LOVE'S LABOURS LOST
-
-
- ACT I
- ................................................................................
-
-
- SCENE II: The same.
- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-
- {Enter DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO and MOTH.}
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Boy, what sign is it when a man of great spirit
- grows melancholy?
-
- MOTH: A great sign, sir, that he will look sad.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Why, sadness is one and the self-same thing, dear imp.
-
- MOTH: No, no; O Lord, sir, no.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: How canst thou part sadness and melancholy, my
- tender juvenal?
-
- MOTH: By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough
- senior.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Why tough senior? why tough senior? 10
-
- MOTH: Why tender juvenal? why tender juvenal?
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent epitheton
- appertaining to thy young days, which we may
- nominate tender.
-
- MOTH: And I, tough senior, as an appertinent title to your
- old time, which we may name tough.
-
- DON ADRIANO DE
- ARMADO: Pretty and apt.
-
- MOTH: How mean you, sir? I pretty, and my saying apt? or
- I apt, and my saying pretty?
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Thou pretty, because little. 20
-
- MOTH: Little pretty, because little. Wherefore apt?
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: And therefore apt, because quick.
-
- MOTH: Speak you this in my praise, master?
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: In thy condign praise.
-
- MOTH: I will praise an eel with the same praise.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: What, that an eel is ingenious?
-
- MOTH: That an eel is quick.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I do say thou art quick in answers: thou heatest my
- blood.
-
- MOTH: I am answered, sir. 30
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I love not to be crossed.
-
- MOTH: [Aside] He speaks the mere contrary; crosses love
- not him.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I have promised to study three years with the duke.
-
- MOTH: You may do it in an hour, sir.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Impossible.
-
- MOTH: How many is one thrice told?
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I am ill at reckoning; it fitteth the spirit of a
- tapster.
-
- MOTH: You are a gentleman and a gamester, sir. 40
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I confess both: they are both the varnish of a
- complete man.
-
- MOTH: Then, I am sure, you know how much the gross sum of
- deuce-ace amounts to.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: It doth amount to one more than two.
-
- MOTH: Which the base vulgar do call three.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: True.
-
- MOTH: Why, sir, is this such a piece of study? Now here
- is three studied, ere ye'll thrice wink: and how
- easy it is to put 'years' to the word 'three,' and 50
- study three years in two words, the dancing horse
- will tell you.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: A most fine figure!
-
- MOTH: To prove you a cipher.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I will hereupon confess I am in love: and as it is
- base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a
- base wench. If drawing my sword against the humour
- of affection would deliver me from the reprobate
- thought of it, I would take Desire prisoner, and
- ransom him to any French courtier for a new-devised 60
- courtesy. I think scorn to sigh: methinks I should
- outswear Cupid. Comfort, me, boy: what great men
- have been in love?
-
- MOTH: Hercules, master.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear boy, name
- more; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good
- repute and carriage.
-
- MOTH: Samson, master: he was a man of good carriage, great
- carriage, for he carried the town-gates on his back
- like a porter: and he was in love. 70
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: O well-knit Samson! strong-jointed Samson! I do
- excel thee in my rapier as much as thou didst me in
- carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Samson's
- love, my dear Moth?
-
- MOTH: A woman, master.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Of what complexion?
-
- MOTH: Of all the four, or the three, or the two, or one of
- the four.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Tell me precisely of what complexion.
-
- MOTH: Of the sea-water green, sir. 80
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Is that one of the four complexions?
-
- MOTH: As I have read, sir; and the best of them too.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Green indeed is the colour of lovers; but to have a
- love of that colour, methinks Samson had small reason
- for it. He surely affected her for her wit.
-
- MOTH: It was so, sir; for she had a green wit.
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: My love is most immaculate white and red.
-
- MOTH: Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under
- such colours. 90
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Define, define, well-educated infant.
-
- MOTH: My father's wit and my mother's tongue, assist me!
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty and
- pathetical!
-
- MOTH: If she be made of white and red,
- Her faults will ne'er be known,
- For blushing cheeks by faults are bred
- And fears by pale white shown:
- Then if she fear, or be to blame,
- By this you shall not know, 100
- For still her cheeks possess the same
- Which native she doth owe.
- A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of
- white and red.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the
- Beggar?
-
- MOTH: The world was very guilty of such a ballad some
- three ages since: but I think now 'tis not to be
- found; or, if it were, it would neither serve for
- the writing nor the tune. 110
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I will have that subject newly writ o'er, that I may
- example my digression by some mighty precedent.
- Boy, I do love that country girl that I took in the
- park with the rational hind Costard: she deserves
- well.
-
- MOTH: [Aside] To be whipped; and yet a better love than
- my master.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love.
-
- MOTH: And that's great marvel, loving a light wench.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I say, sing. 120
-
- MOTH: Forbear till this company be past.
-
- {Enter DULL, COSTARD, and JAQUENETTA.}
-
- DULL: Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep Costard
- safe: and you must suffer him to take no delight
- nor no penance; but a' must fast three days a week.
- For this damsel, I must keep her at the park: she
- is allowed for the day-woman. Fare you well.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I do betray myself with blushing. Maid!
-
- JAQUENETTA: Man?
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I will visit thee at the lodge. 130
-
- JAQUENETTA: That's hereby.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I know where it is situate.
-
- JAQUENETTA: Lord, how wise you are!
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I will tell thee wonders.
-
- JAQUENETTA: With that face?
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I love thee.
-
- JAQUENETTA: So I heard you say.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: And so, farewell.
-
- JAQUENETTA: Fair weather after you!
-
- DULL: Come, Jaquenetta, away! 140
-
- [Exeunt DULL and JAQUENETTA.]
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou
- be pardoned.
-
- COSTARD: Well, sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a
- full stomach.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Thou shalt be heavily punished.
-
- COSTARD: I am more bound to you than your fellows, for they
- are but lightly rewarded.
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: Take away this villain; shut him up.
-
- MOTH: Come, you transgressing slave; away!
-
- COSTARD: Let me not be pent up, sir: I will fast, being 150
- loose.
-
- MOTH: No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt to
- prison.
-
- COSTARD: Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation
- that I have seen, some shall see.
-
- MOTH: What shall some see?
-
- COSTARD: Nay, nothing, Master Moth, but what they look upon.
- It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their
- words; and therefore I will say nothing: I thank
- God I have as little patience as another man; and 160
- therefore I can be quiet.
-
- [Exeunt MOTH and COSTARD.]
-
- DON
- ADRIANO DE ARMADO: I do affect the very ground, which is base, where
- her shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which
- is basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn, which
- is a great argument of falsehood, if I love. And
- how can that be true love which is falsely
- attempted? Love is a familiar; Love is a devil:
- there is no evil angel but Love. Yet was Samson so
- tempted, and he had an excellent strength; yet was
- Solomon so seduced, and he had a very good wit. 170
- Cupid's butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules' club;
- and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier.
- The first and second cause will not serve my turn;
- the passado he respects not, the duello he regards
- not: his disgrace is to be called boy; but his
- glory is to subdue men. Adieu, valour! rust rapier!
- be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea,
- he loveth. Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme,
- for I am sure I shall turn sonnet. Devise, wit;
- write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. 180
-
- [Exit.]
-