Twelfth Night, Act 2, Scene 1
Original
Modern English
Enter Antonio and Sebastian.
Antonio and Sebastian come in.
Antonio1
Will you stay no longer? Nor will you not that I go with you?
Won't you stay any longer? And won't you let me go with you?
Sebastian2
By your patience, no; my stars shine darkly over me; the malignancy of my fate might perhaps distemper yours; therefore I shall crave of you your leave that I may bear my evils alone. It were a bad recompense for your love, to lay any of them on you.
If you'll allow it, no. My stars shine darkly over me; the evil influence of my fate might upset yours. So I'll beg your permission to carry my troubles alone. It would be a poor repayment for your love to lay any of them on you.
Antonio6
Let me know of you whither you are bound.
At least tell me where you're heading.
Sebastian7
No, sooth, sir; my determinate voyage is mere extravagancy. But I perceive in you so excellent a touch of modesty, that you will not extort from me what I am willing to keep in. Therefore it charges me in manners the rather to express myself. You must know of me then, Antonio, my name is Sebastian, which I called Roderigo; my father was that Sebastian of Messaline whom I know you have heard of. He left behind him myself and a sister, both born in an hour. If the heavens had been pleased, would we had so ended! But you, sir, altered that, for some hour before you took me from the breach of the sea was my sister drowned.
No, truly, sir; the voyage I've decided on is nothing but aimless wandering. But I see in you such a fine sense of restraint that you won't force out of me what I'd rather keep to myself. So good manners oblige me all the more to tell you about myself. You must know, then, Antonio, that my name is Sebastian, though I called myself Roderigo. My father was that Sebastian of Messaline whom I know you have heard of. He left behind him me and a sister, both born in the same hour. If it had pleased heaven, I wish we had died in the same hour too! But you, sir, changed that, for about an hour before you pulled me out of the breaking sea, my sister was drowned.
Antonio17
Alas the day!
What a terrible day!
Sebastian18
A lady, sir, though it was said she much resembled me, was yet of many accounted beautiful. But though I could not with such estimable wonder overfar believe that, yet thus far I will boldly publish her, she bore a mind that envy could not but call fair. She is drowned already, sir, with salt water, though I seem to drown her remembrance again with more.
A lady, sir, and though people said she looked very like me, many still counted her beautiful. But even though I couldn't go so far as to believe that with such admiring wonder, I will boldly declare this much about her: she had a mind that even envy would have to call lovely. She is drowned already, sir, in salt water, though I seem to be drowning her memory again with more of it.
Antonio24
Pardon me, sir, your bad entertainment.
Forgive me, sir, for having looked after you so poorly.
Sebastian25
O good Antonio, forgive me your trouble.
Oh, good Antonio, forgive me for the trouble I've given you.
Antonio26
If you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant.
If you won't kill me for loving you, let me be your servant.
Sebastian27
If you will not undo what you have done, that is, kill him whom you have recovered, desire it not. Fare ye well at once; my bosom is full of kindness, and I am yet so near the manners of my mother, that upon the least occasion more, mine eyes will tell tales of me. I am bound to the Count Orsino’s court: farewell.
If you don't want to undo what you've done—that is, kill the man you rescued—don't ask for it. Let's say goodbye right now. My heart is so full of feeling, and I'm still so close to my mother's way of doing things, that at the slightest thing more my eyes will give me away. I'm bound for Count Orsino's court. Goodbye.
Exit.
He leaves.
Antonio32
The gentleness of all the gods go with thee! I have many enemies in Orsino’s court, Else would I very shortly see thee there: But come what may, I do adore thee so, That danger shall seem sport, and I will go.
May the kindness of all the gods go with you! I have many enemies in Orsino's court, or else I would come and see you there very soon. But whatever happens, I love you so much that danger will feel like a game, and I'll go.
Exit.
He leaves.
Ask about this work
The reader has this scene in front of it — the original text and the modern English beside it, line by line — along with the act’s summary. Ask what a speech means, what a character is deciding, or where the language turns.
It cites the chapter or the line it is working from, and it says so plainly when the guide doesn’t cover something. It’s instructed never to write an essay, a paragraph or an answer for you to hand in, and never to grade anything — it will show you how to approach the question instead.
Sign in to ask the reader about this work — 1 credit covers three messages.
Create an accountSign inOriginal text: Project Gutenberg edition #1526 (public domain, edited by the PG Shakespeare Team). Modern English rendering by Storgy.