SCENE I. The sea-coast. Twelfth Night  Shakespeare homepage  |  Twelfth Night  | Act 2, Scene 1 

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 Enter ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN  ANTONIO  Will you stay no longer? nor will you not that I go with you? 

 SEBASTIAN  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. 

 ANTONIO: Let me yet know of you whither you are bound. 

 SEBASTIAN  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. 

 ANTONIO  Alas the day! 

 SEBASTIAN  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. 

 ANTONIO  Pardon me, sir, your bad entertainment. 

 SEBASTIAN  O good Antonio, forgive me your trouble. 

 ANTONIO  If you will not murder me for my love, let me be 

 your servant. 

 SEBASTIAN  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. 



 Exit  ANTONIO  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. 



 Exit  Shakespeare homepage  |  Twelfth Night  | Act 2, Scene 1 

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