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

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 Enter VIOLA, a Captain, and Sailors  VIOLA  What country, friends, is this? 

 Captain  This is Illyria, lady. 

 VIOLA  And what should I do in Illyria? 

 My brother he is in Elysium. 

 Perchance he is not drown'd: what think you, sailors? 

 Captain  It is perchance that you yourself were saved. 

 VIOLA  O my poor brother! and so perchance may he be. 

 Captain  True, madam: and, to comfort you with chance, 

 Assure yourself, after our ship did split, 

 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 practise, 

 To a strong mast that lived upon the sea; 

 Where, like Arion on the dolphin's back, 

 I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves 

 So long as I could see. 

 VIOLA  For saying so, there's gold: 

 Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope, 

 Whereto thy speech serves for authority, 

 The like of him. Know'st thou this country? 

 Captain  Ay, madam, well; for I was bred and born 

 Not three hours' travel from this very place. 

 VIOLA  Who governs here? 

 Captain  A noble duke, in nature as in name. 

 VIOLA  What is the name? 

 Captain  Orsino. 

 VIOLA  Orsino! I have heard my father name him: 

 He was a bachelor then. 

 Captain  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. 

 VIOLA  What's she? 

 Captain  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, 

 They say, she hath abjured the company 

 And sight of men. 

 VIOLA  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! 

 Captain  That were hard to compass; 

 Because she will admit no kind of suit, 

 No, not the duke's. 

 VIOLA  There is a fair behavior in thee, captain; 

 And though that nature with a beauteous wall 

 Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee 

 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 

 The form of my intent. I'll serve this duke: 

 Thou shall 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. 

 What else may hap to time I will commit; 

 Only shape thou thy silence to my wit. 

 Captain  Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be: 

 When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see. 

 VIOLA  I thank thee: lead me on. 



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

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