Orsino, Duke of Illyria. 
Sebastian, brother to Viola. 
Antonio, a sea captain, friend to Sebastian. 
A Sea Captain, friend to Viola. 
Valentine,}gentlemen attending on the Duke.
Curio,}
Sir Toby Belch, uncle to Olivia. 
Sir Andrew Aguecheek. 
Malvolio, steward to Olivia. 
Fabian,} servants to Olivia.
Feste a Clown,}
Olivia. 
Viola. 
Maria, Olivia's woman. 
Lords, Priests, Sailors, Officers, Musicians, and  
other Attendants. 
Scene: A city in Illyria, and the sea-coast near it. 

TWELFTH NIGHT;
OR,
WHAT YOU WILL.

ACT I.

Scene I. An apartment in the Duke's palace.

Enter Duke, Curio, and other Lords; Musicians attending.
Duke. If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
That strain again! it had a dying fall:
5
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:
'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.
O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou!
10
That, notwithstanding thy capacity
Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there,
Of what validity and pitch soe'er,
But falls into abatement and low price,
Even in a minute! so full of shapes is fancy,
15
That it alone is high fantastical.
Cur. Will you go hunt, my lord?
Duke. What, Curio?
Cur. The hart.
Duke. Why, so I do, the noblest that I have:
O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first,
20
Methought she purged the air of pestilence!
That instant was I turn'd into a hart;
And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds,
E'er since pursue me.
Enter Valentine.
How now! what news from her?
Val. So please my lord, I might not be admitted;
25
But from her handmaid do return this answer:
The element itself, till seven years' heat,
Shall not behold her face at ample view;
But, like a cloistress, she will veiled walk
And water once a day her chamber round
30
With eye-offending brine: all this to season
A brother's dead love, which she would keep fresh
And lasting in her sad remembrance.
Duke. O, she that hath a heart of that fine frame
To pay this debt of love but to a brother,
35
How will she love, when the rich golden shaft
Hath kill'd the flock of all affections else
That live in her; when liver, brain and heart,
These sovereign thrones, are all supplied, and fill'd
Her sweet perfections with one self king!
40
Away before me to sweet beds of flowers:
Love-thoughts lie rich when canopied with bowers. [Exeunt.

LINENOTES:

Twelfth Night] Twelfe Night F1.

Musicians ...] Musick ... Capell. om. Ff.

[2, 3] surfeiting, The appetite may] surfeiting The app'tite, Love may Warburton.

[5] sound] Ff. wind Rowe (ed. 1). south Pope. sou' wind Anon. conj. scent Dent MS. apud Halliwell. sough Anon. conj.

[11] sea,] Rowe (ed. 2). sea. Ff. sea; Rowe (ed. 1).

[14] is fancy] in fancy Theobald (Warburton).

[15] That it alone is] And thou all o'er art Hanmer.

high] hight Warburton.

[16] Curio] Curia F4.

[19] mine] my Pope (ed. 2).

[20] Methought ... pestilence!] (Methought ... pestilence) Capell.

[23] E'er] Rowe. Ere F1 F2 F4. E're F3.

Enter V.] Ff (after her).

[26] years' heat] Harness. yeares heate F1 F2. yeares heat F3. years heat F4. years hence Rowe (ed. 2). See note (ii).

[29] chamber] F1. chambers F2 F3 F4. chamber's Capell.

[32] remembrance] remembrance still Pope, rememberance Capell conj. MS.

[38] These] Three Hanmer (Warburton).

[38, 39] are ... fill'd Her ... perfections] are ... fill'd, (O sweet perfection!) Warburton conj. are ... filled, Her ... perfections, Pope. are ... fill'd, (Her sweet perfection) Capell. her ... perfections Are ... fill'd Collier conj.

[39] self] selfe F1. selfe same F2. self same F3. self-same F4.

[41] Love-thoughts] F1 F2 F3. Love thoughts F4.

Scene II. The sea-coast.

Enter Viola, a Captain, and Sailors.
Vio. What country, friends, is this?
Cap. This is Illyria, lady.
Vio. And what should I do in Illyria?
My brother he is in Elysium.
5
Perchance he is not drown'd: what think you, sailors?
Cap. It is perchance that you yourself were saved.
Vio. O my poor brother! and so perchance may he be.
Cap. 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 practice,
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.
Vio. 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?
Cap. Ay, madam, well; for I was bred and born
Not three hours' travel from this very place.
Vio. Who governs here?
25
Cap. A noble Duke, in nature as in name.
Vio. What is his name?
Cap. Orsino.
Vio. Orsino! I have heard my father name him:
He was a bachelor then.
30
Cap. 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.
35
Vio. What's she?
Cap. 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.
Vio. O that I served that lady,
And might not be delivered to the world,
Till I had made mine own occasion mellow,
What my estate is!
Cap. That were hard to compass;
45
Because she will admit no kind of suit,
No, not the Duke's.
Vio. There is a fair behaviour in thee, captain;
And though that nature with a beauteous wall
Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee
50
I will believe thou hast a mind that suits
With this thy fair and outward character.
I prithee, and I'll pay thee bounteously,
Conceal me what I am, and be my aid
For such disguise as haply shall become
55
The form of my intent. I'll serve this Duke:
Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him:
It may be worth thy pains; for I can sing,
And speak to him in many sorts of music,
That will allow me very worth his service.
60
What else may hap to time I will commit;
Only shape thou thy silence to my wit.
Cap. Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be:
When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see.
Vio. I thank thee: lead me on. [Exeunt.

LINENOTES:

Scene II.: The sea-coast] Capell. The street. Rowe.

[2] This is] om. Pope.

[7] and so] so Pope.

[10] those] that Rowe (ed. 2). this Capell. the Anon. conj.

[11] our] your Rowe.

driving] droving F3 F4.

[15] Arion] Pope. Orion Ff.

[18] For ... gold] There's gold for saying so Pope.

[21] Know'st] And knowest Hanmer.

[24-27] Who ... Orsino] As two lines in Hanmer, ending nature ... Orsino.

[25] in name] in his name Hanmer.

[29-35] He was ... she?] As six lines in Steevens (1793), ending, now, ... month ... fresh ... do, ... seek ... she?

[37] twelvemonth] twelve months Rowe.

[39] love] loss S. Walker conj.

[40] hath] F1. had F2 F3 F4.

[40, 41] company And sight] Hanmer. sight And company Ff.

[42] And] And't Hanmer.

delivered] deliver'd Rowe.

[43] mellow,] Hanmer. mellow Ff. fellow Anon. conj.

[50] will] weil S. Walker conj.

Scene III. Olivia's house.

Enter Sir Toby Belch and Maria.
Sir To. What a plague means my niece, to take the death
of her brother thus? I am sure care's an enemy to life.
Mar. By my troth, Sir Toby, you must come in earlier
o' nights: your cousin, my lady, takes great exceptions to
5
your ill hours.
Sir Toby. Why, let her except, before excepted.
Mar. Ay, but you must confine yourself within the
modest limits of order.
Sir To. Confine! I'll confine myself no finer than I
10
am: these clothes are good enough to drink in; and so be
these boots too: an they be not, let them hang themselves
in their own straps.
Mar. That quaffing and drinking will undo you: I
heard my lady talk of it yesterday; and of a foolish knight
15
that you brought in one night here to be her wooer.
Sir To. Who, Sir Andrew Aguecheek?
Mar. Ay, he.
Sir To. He's as tall a man as any's in Illyria.
Mar. What's that to the purpose?
20
Sir To. Why, he has three thousand ducats a year.
Mar. Ay, but he'll have but a year in all these ducats:
he's a very fool and a prodigal.
Sir To. Fie, that you'll say so! he plays o' the viol-de-gamboys,
and speaks three or four languages word for word
25
without book, and hath all the good gifts of nature.
Mar. He hath indeed, almost natural: for besides
that he's a fool, he's a great quarreller; and but that he
hath the gift of a coward to allay the gust he hath in quarrelling,
'tis thought among the prudent he would quickly
30
have the gift of a grave.
Sir To. By this hand, they are scoundrels and substractors
that say so of him. Who are they?
Mar. They that add, moreover, he's drunk nightly in
your company.
35
Sir To. With drinking healths to my niece: I 'll drink
to her as long as there is a passage in my throat and drink
in Illyria: he's a coward and a coystrill that will not drink
to my niece till his brains turn o' the toe like a parish-top.
What, wench! Castiliano vulgo; for here comes Sir Andrew
40
Agueface.
Enter Sir Andrew Aguecheek.
Sir And. Sir Toby Belch! how now, Sir Toby Belch!
Sir To. Sweet Sir Andrew!
Sir And. Bless you, fair shrew.
Mar. And you too, sir.
45
Sir To. Accost, Sir Andrew, accost.
Sir And. What's that?
Sir To. My niece's chambermaid.
Sir And. Good Mistress Accost, I desire better acquaintance.
50
Mar. My name is Mary, sir.
Sir And. Good Mistress Mary Accost,—
Sir To. You mistake, knight: 'accost' is front her, board
her, woo her, assail her.
Sir And. By my troth, I would not undertake her in
55
this company. Is that the meaning of 'accost'?
Mar. Fare you well, gentlemen.
Sir To. An thou let part so, Sir Andrew, would thou
mightst never draw sword again.
Sir And. An you part so, mistress, I would I might
60
never draw sword again. Fair lady, do you think you have
fools in hand?
Mar. Sir, I have not you by the hand.
Sir And. Marry, but you shall have; and here's my
hand.
65
Mar. Now, sir, 'thought is free': I pray you, bring your
hand to the buttery-bar and let it drink.
Sir And. Wherefore, sweet-heart? what's your metaphor?
Mar. It's dry, sir.
70
Sir And. Why, I think so: I am not such an ass but I
can keep my hand dry. But what's your jest?
Mar. A dry jest, sir.
Sir And. Are you full of them?
Mar. Ay, sir, I have them at my fingers' ends: marry,
75
now I let go your hand, I am barren. [Exit.
Sir To. O knight, thou lackest a cup of canary: when
did I see thee so put down?
Sir And. Never in your life, I think; unless you see
canary put me down. Methinks sometimes I have no more
80
wit than a Christian or an ordinary man has: but I am a
great eater of beef and I believe that does harm to my wit.
Sir To. No question.
Sir And. An I thought that, I'ld forswear it. I'll ride
home to-morrow, Sir Toby.
85
Sir To. Pourquoi, my dear knight?
Sir And. What is 'pourquoi'? do or not do? I would
I had bestowed that time in the tongues that I have in
fencing, dancing and bear-baiting: O, had I but followed
the arts!
90
Sir To. Then hadst thou had an excellent head of
hair.
Sir And. Why, would that have mended my hair?
Sir To. Past question; for thou seest it will not curl
by nature.
95
Sir And. But it becomes me well enough, does't not?
Sir To. Excellent; it hangs like flax on a distaff; and
I hope to see a housewife take thee between her legs and
spin it off.
Sir And. Faith, I'll home to-morrow, Sir Toby: your
100
niece will not be seen; or if she be, it's four to one she'll
none of me: the count himself here hard by woos her.
Sir To. She'll none o' the count: she'll not match
above her degree, neither in estate, years, nor wit; I have
heard her swear't. Tut, there's life in't, man.
105
Sir And. I'll stay a month longer. I am a fellow o'
the strangest mind i' the world; I delight in masques and
revels sometimes altogether.
Sir To. Art thou good at these kickshawses, knight?
Sir And. As any man in Illyria, whatsoever he be,
110
under the degree of my betters; and yet I will not compare
with an old man.
Sir To. What is thy excellence in a galliard, knight?
Sir And. Faith, I can cut a caper.
Sir To. And I can cut the mutton to't.
115
Sir And. And I think I have the back-trick simply as
strong as any man in Illyria.
Sir To. Wherefore are these things hid? wherefore
have these gifts a curtain before 'em? are they like to take
dust, like Mistress Mall's picture? why dost thou not go to
120
church in a galliard and come home in a coranto? My
very walk should be a jig; I would not so much as make
water but in a sink-a-pace. What dost thou mean? Is it
a world to hide virtues in? I did think, by the excellent
constitution of thy leg, it was formed under the star of a
125
galliard.
Sir And. Ay, 'tis strong, and it does indifferent well
in a flame-coloured stock. Shall we set about some revels?
Sir To. What shall we do else? were we not born
under Taurus?
130
Sir And. Taurus! That's sides and heart.
Sir To. No, sir; it is legs and thighs. Let me see thee
caper: ha! higher: ha, ha! excellent! [Exeunt.

LINENOTES:

Scene III.: Olivia's house.] Rowe.

[4] o'] Capell. a Ff.

cousin] neice Rowe (ed. 2).

[6] except,] Ff. except Hanmer.

before] as before Rann (Farmer conj.).

[11] an] Theobald. and Ff. if Pope.

[18] any's] any Pope.

[20] has] F3 F4. ha's F1 F2.

[23, 24] viol-de-gamboys] viol-de-gambo Rowe.

[26] indeed, almost] indeed all, most Collier (Upton conj.).

[28] gust] gift Meredith conj.

[31] substractors] subtractors Warburton.

[33] that add, moreover,] add, moreover, that Anon. conj.

[36] there is] there's Pope (ed. 2).

[37] coystrill] coystril F4. kestrel Hanmer.

[39] vulgo] volto Hanmer (Warburton). volgo Johnson.

[40] Agueface] Auge-cheek Theobald.

[41] Scene iv. Pope.

Enter ...] Enter Sir Andrew. Ff.

[48] Sir And.] Ma. F1.

acquaintance] acquaintance— S. Walker conj. See note (iii).

[51] Mary Accost] Rowe. Mary, accost Ff.

[52, 53] board her] bourd her Whalley conj. bourd with her Steevens conj.

[57] An thou let part] Capell. And thou let part F1 F2. And thou let her part F3 F4. If thou let her part Pope. An thou let her part Theobald.

[59] An] Theobald. And Ff. If Pope.

[65] Now] Nay S. Walker conj.

[74] Fingers'] fingers F1 F2. finger F3 F4. finger's Steevens.

[75] [Exit.] Exit Maria. Ff.

[79] put me] F1. put F2 F3 F4.

[80] has] F4. ha's F1 F2 F3.

[83] An] Theobald. And Ff. If Pope.

[85] Pourquoi] Pur-quoy Ff.

[93, 94] curl by] Theobald. cool my Ff.

[95] me] we F1.

[101, 102] count] Ff. Duke Rowe.

[104] swear't] sweare t F1. sweare F2. swear F3 F4. swear it Theobald.

[108] kickshawses] F3. kicke-chawses F1 F2. kick-shaws F4.

[111] an old man] a nobleman Theobald conj.

[112] excellence] excellence? Mason conj.

[115] [Dances fantastically. Collier (Collier MS.).

[120] coranto] Rowe (ed. 2). carranto Ff.

[122] sink-a-pace] cinque-pace Hanmer.

[123] think] not think Rowe.

[127] in a] in Warburton.

flame-coloured] Rowe (ed. 2). dam'd colour'd Ff. damask-coloured Knight. dun-colour'd Collier MS. damson-coloured Phelps conj. dove-coloured Anon. conj.

stock] stocke F1 F2. stocken F3 F4. stocking Pope.

set] Rowe (ed. 2). sit Ff.

[130] That's] F3 F4. That F1 F2.

[132] [Sir A. dances again. Collier (Collier MS.).

Scene IV. The Duke's palace.