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Act 4, Scene 1
The Two Gentlemen of Verona Translation Act 4, Scene 2
Enter PROTEUS
PROTEUS
Already have I been false to Valentine And now I must be as unjust to Turio. Under the colour of commending him, I have access my own love to prefer: But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy, To be corrupted with my worthless gifts. When I protest true loyalty to her, She twits me with my falsehood to my friend; When to her beauty I commend my vows, She bids me think how I have been forsworn In breaking faith with Julia whom I loved: And notwithstanding all her sudden quips, The least whereof would quell a lover's hope, Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love, The more it grows and fawneth on her still. But here comes Turio: now must we to her window, And give some evening music to her ear.
PROTEUS
I have already lied to Valentine, and now I have to be unfair to Turio. Under the pretense of praising him, I have access to my own love, and can praise her. But Silvia is too beautiful, too true, too saintly, to be corrupted by my worthless gifts. When I swear true loyalty to her, she'll taunt me for how falsely I've treated my friend. When I declare my vows to her beauty, she'll ask me to think about how I have broken a promise to Julia, whom I loved. Despite all her sudden sharp retorts—the smallest of which would crush a lover's hope—I'll be devoted to her like a dog. The more she rejects my love, the more it grows and flatters her still. But here comes Turio. Now we must go to her window, and play some evening music for her.
Enter TURIO and Musicians
TURIO
How now, Sir Proteus, are you crept before us?
TURIO
How are you, Sir Proteus? Have you snuck here quietly before us?
PROTEUS
Ay, gentle Turio: for you know that loveWill creep in service where it cannot go.
PROTEUS
Yes, noble Turio. Because you know that love will crawl in service where it is forbidden to go.
TURIO
Ay, but I hope, sir, that you love not here.
TURIO
Yes. But I hope, sir, that you don't come here as a lover.
PROTEUS
Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence.
PROTEUS
But I do, sir. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.
TURIO
Who? Silvia?
TURIO
Whom do you love? Silvia?
PROTEUS
Ay, Silvia; for your sake.
PROTEUS
Yes, Silvia—in your name.
TURIO
I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen,Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile.
TURIO
Thank you, for your own sake, that you made your meaning clear. Now, gentlemen, let's play and do so heartily!
Enter, at a distance, Host, and JULIA in boy's clothes
HOST
Now, my young guest, methinks you're allycholly: Ipray you, why is it?
HOST
My young guest, I think you're melancholic. Tell me, what's wrong?
JULIA
Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry.
JULIA
Indeed, I can't be happy, my host.
HOST
Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you whereyou shall hear music and see the gentleman that you asked for.
HOST
Come, we'll make you happy! I'll bring you where you will hear music, and see the gentleman that you asked for.
JULIA
But shall I hear him speak?
JULIA
But will I hear him speak?
HOST
Ay, that you shall.
HOST
Yes, you will.
JULIA
That will be music.
JULIA
Now that will be music.
Music plays
HOST
Hark, hark!
HOST
Listen, listen!
JULIA
Is he among these?
JULIA
Is he among these gentlemen?
HOST
Ay: but, peace! Let's hear 'em.
HOST
Yes, but quiet! Let's hear them!
PROTEUS/MUSICIAN
[sings the song] Who is Silvia? What is she? That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair and wise is she; The heaven such grace did lend her, That she might admired be. Is she kind as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness. Love doth to her eyes repair, To help him of his blindness, And, being help'd, inhabits there. Then to Silvia let us sing, That Silvia is excelling; She excels each mortal thing Upon the dull earth dwelling: To her let us garlands bring.
PROTEUS/MUSICIAN
[Singing]
Who is Silvia? What is she?
That all our lovers praise her?
She is saintly, beautiful and wise.
The heavens lent her such virtue,
So that she might be admired.
Is she as kind as she is beautiful?
Because beauty lives with kindness.
Love hastens to her eyes,
To help him with his blindness,
And being helped, stays there.
Then let us sing to Silvia,
That Silvia is perfection.
She is better than every mortal thing
Dwelling on this dull earth:
Let us bring wreaths to her.
HOST
How now! Are you sadder than you were before? Howdo you, man? The music likes you not.
HOST
What's this? Are you sadder than you were before? What's wrong, man? The music doesn't please you.
JULIA
You mistake; the musician likes me not.
JULIA
You're wrong. The musician doesn't please me.
HOST
Why, my pretty youth?
HOST
Why, my pretty young boy?
JULIA
He plays false, father.
JULIA
He plays out of tune, old man.
HOST
How? Out of tune on the strings?
HOST
Out of tune on the strings?
JULIA
Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my veryheart-strings.
JULIA
No. But yet he's so out of tune that he makes my heart-strings sad.
HOST
You have a quick ear.
HOST
You have a sharp ear.
JULIA
Ay, I would I were deaf; it makes me have a slow heart.
JULIA
Yes. I wish that I were deaf. This is making my heart heavy.
HOST
I perceive you delight not in music.
HOST
I see that you don't enjoy music.
JULIA
Not a whit, when it jars so.
JULIA
Not at all, when it sounds discordant like this.
HOST
Hark, what fine change is in the music!
HOST
Listen, what a nice variation in the music!
JULIA
Ay, that change is the spite.
JULIA
Yes, that change is what vexes me.
HOST
You would have them always play but one thing?
HOST
You would have them always play only one melody?
JULIA
I would always have one play but one thing.But, host, doth this Sir Proteus that we talk onOften resort unto this gentlewoman?
JULIA
I would always have one play only one melody. But, host, does this Sir Proteus that we are talking about come to see this gentlewoman often?
HOST
I tell you what Lance, his man, told me: he lovedher out of all nick.
HOST
I'll tell you what his servant Lance told me. He loved her beyond reckoning.
JULIA
Where is Lance?
JULIA
Where is Lance?
HOST
Gone to seek his dog; which tomorrow, by hismaster's command, he must carry for a present to his lady.
HOST
He's gone to look for his dog, which he must carry to his lady as a present tomorrow—as his master ordered.
JULIA
Peace! Stand aside: the company parts.
JULIA
Quiet! Let's back up. The men are leaving. [JULIA and the HOST step back, unseen by the others]
PROTEUS
Sir Turio, fear not you: I will so pleadThat you shall say my cunning drift excels.
PROTEUS
Sir Turio, don't be afraid. I will carry on so that you shall say my clever plan is successful.
TURIO
Where meet we?
TURIO
Where should we meet?
PROTEUS
At Saint Gregory's well.
PROTEUS
At Saint Gregory's Well.
TURIO
Farewell.
TURIO
Goodbye.
Exeunt TURIO and Musicians
Enter SILVIA above.
PROTEUS
Madam, good even to your ladyship.
PROTEUS
Madam, good evening to your Ladyship.
SILVIA
I thank you for your music, gentlemen.Who is that that spake?
SILVIA
Thank you for your music, gentlemen. Who was the man that spoke to me?
PROTEUS
One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth,You would quickly learn to know him by his voice.
PROTEUS
One whose voice you would quickly learn to recognize, if you knew the truth of his pure heart.
SILVIA
Sir Proteus, as I take it.
SILVIA
I take it that it's Sir Proteus.
PROTEUS
Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant.
PROTEUS
Sir Proteus, noble lady. I am your servant.
SILVIA
What's your will?
SILVIA
What's your intent?
PROTEUS
That I may compass yours.
PROTEUS
That I may fulfill your wishes.
SILVIA
You have your wish; my will is even this: That presently you hie you home to bed. Thou subtle, perjured, false, disloyal man! Think'st thou I am so shallow, so conceitless, To be seduced by thy flattery, That hast deceived so many with thy vows? Return, return, and make thy love amends. For me, by this pale queen of night I swear, I am so far from granting thy request That I despise thee for thy wrongful suit, And by and by intend to chide myself Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.
SILVIA
You have your wish. My wish is this: that you hurry home to bed immediately. You treacherous, lying, false, disloyal man! Do you think that I am so shallow, so witless that I can be seduced by your flattery; you that have deceived so many with your promises? Return, return, and make things right with your beloved. I swear by this moon that I am so far from agreeing to your request that I hate you and your insulting courtship. And for that, I plan to scold myself for spending even this time talking to you.
PROTEUS
I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady;But she is dead.
PROTEUS
I agree, sweet love, that I did love a lady. But she is dead.
JULIA
[Aside] 'Twere false, if I should speak it;For I am sure she is not buried.
JULIA
[To herself] That's not true, if I should say it. I'm sure she's not buried yet.
SILVIA
Say that she be; yet Valentine thy friend Survives; to whom, thyself art witness, I am betroth'd : and art thou not ashamed To wrong him with thy importunacy?
SILVIA
Even if she is dead, your friend Valentine is alive. You know that we are engaged, and yet you're not ashamed to wrong him with your persistent courtship?
PROTEUS
I likewise hear that Valentine is dead.
PROTEUS
I also heard that Valentine is dead.
SILVIA
And so suppose am I; for in his graveAssure thyself my love is buried.
SILVIA
So then, imagine that I am dead too. You can be sure that my love is buried with Valentine in his grave.
PROTEUS
Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth.
PROTEUS
Sweet lady, let me gather your buried love from the earth.
SILVIA
Go to thy lady's grave and call hers thence,Or, at the least, in hers sepulchre thine.
SILVIA
Go to your lady's grave, and call her there. Or at least bury your love with hers there.
JULIA
[Aside] He heard not that.
JULIA
[To herself] He didn't hear that.
PROTEUS
Madam, if your heart be so obdurate, Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love, The picture that is hanging in your chamber; To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep: For since the substance of your perfect self Is else devoted, I am but a shadow; And to your shadow will I make true love.
PROTEUS
Madam, if your heart is so unyielding, allow me to get your picture for my love. The picture that is hanging in your room. I'll speak to that; I'll sigh and cry to that. Since the substance of your perfect self is devoted elsewhere, I am only a shadow. I will woo your image.
JULIA
[Aside] If 'twere a substance, you would, sure,deceive it,And make it but a shadow, as I am.
JULIA
[To herself] If this picture of Silvia were a real live woman, you would be unfaithful to it. You'd act as if it were a mere shadow to be discarded—the same way you've treated me.
SILVIA
I am very loath to be your idol, sir; But since your falsehood shall become you well To worship shadows and adore false shapes, Send to me in the morning and I'll send it: And so, good rest.
SILVIA
I hate to be your idol, sir. It would be just like you to worship shadows and adore false shapes, because you are so false to women. Send for the picture in the morning and I'll give it to you. And so, goodnight.
PROTEUS
As wretches have o'ernightThat wait for execution in the morn.
PROTEUS
I feel like the wretches who have to wait overnight for an execution in the morning.
Exeunt PROTEUS and SILVIA severally
JULIA
Host, will you go?
JULIA
Host, will you go?
HOST
By my halidom, I was fast asleep.
HOST
By all I consider holy, I fell asleep.
JULIA
Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus?
JULIA
Tell me, where is Sir Proteus staying?
HOST
Marry, at my house. Trust me, I think 'tis almostday.
HOST
Indeed, at my inn. Trust me, I think it's almost day.
JULIA
Not so; but it hath been the longest nightThat e'er I watch'd and the most heaviest.
JULIA
No, it's not. But it has been the longest night that I've ever stayed up, and the most sorrowful.
Exeunt
