SCENE III. The same. ANTONIO's house. Two Gentlemen of Verona  Shakespeare homepage  |  Two Gentlemen of Verona  | Act 1, Scene 3 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE III. The same. ANTONIO's house. 

 Enter ANTONIO and PANTHINO  ANTONIO  Tell me, Panthino, what sad talk was that 

 Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? 

 PANTHINO  'Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son. 

 ANTONIO  Why, what of him? 

 PANTHINO  He wonder'd that your lordship 

 Would suffer him to spend his youth at home, 

 While other men, of slender reputation, 

 Put forth their sons to seek preferment out: 

 Some to the wars, to try their fortune there; 

 Some to discover islands far away; 

 Some to the studious universities. 

 For any or for all these exercises, 

 He said that Proteus your son was meet, 

 And did request me to importune you 

 To let him spend his time no more at home, 

 Which would be great impeachment to his age, 

 In having known no travel in his youth. 

 ANTONIO  Nor need'st thou much importune me to that 

 Whereon this month I have been hammering. 

 I have consider'd well his loss of time 

 And how he cannot be a perfect man, 

 Not being tried and tutor'd in the world: 

 Experience is by industry achieved 

 And perfected by the swift course of time. 

 Then tell me, whither were I best to send him? 

 PANTHINO  I think your lordship is not ignorant 

 How his companion, youthful Valentine, 

 Attends the emperor in his royal court. 

 ANTONIO  I know it well. 

 PANTHINO  'Twere good, I think, your lordship sent him thither: 

 There shall he practise tilts and tournaments, 

 Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen. 

 And be in eye of every exercise 

 Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth. 

 ANTONIO  I like thy counsel; well hast thou advised: 

 And that thou mayst perceive how well I like it, 

 The execution of it shall make known. 

 Even with the speediest expedition 

 I will dispatch him to the emperor's court. 

 PANTHINO  To-morrow, may it please you, Don Alphonso, 

 With other gentlemen of good esteem, 

 Are journeying to salute the emperor 

 And to commend their service to his will. 

 ANTONIO  Good company; with them shall Proteus go: 

 And, in good time! now will we break with him. 



 Enter PROTEUS  PROTEUS  Sweet love! sweet lines! sweet life! 

 Here is her hand, the agent of her heart; 

 Here is her oath for love, her honour's pawn. 

 O, that our fathers would applaud our loves, 

 To seal our happiness with their consents! 

 O heavenly Julia! 

 ANTONIO  How now! what letter are you reading there? 

 PROTEUS  May't please your lordship, 'tis a word or two 

 Of commendations sent from Valentine, 

 Deliver'd by a friend that came from him. 

 ANTONIO  Lend me the letter; let me see what news. 

 PROTEUS  There is no news, my lord, but that he writes 

 How happily he lives, how well beloved 

 And daily graced by the emperor; 

 Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune. 

 ANTONIO  And how stand you affected to his wish? 

 PROTEUS  As one relying on your lordship's will 

 And not depending on his friendly wish. 

 ANTONIO  My will is something sorted with his wish. 

 Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed; 

 For what I will, I will, and there an end. 

 I am resolved that thou shalt spend some time 

 With Valentinus in the emperor's court: 

 What maintenance he from his friends receives, 

 Like exhibition thou shalt have from me. 

 To-morrow be in readiness to go: 

 Excuse it not, for I am peremptory. 

 PROTEUS  My lord, I cannot be so soon provided: 

 Please you, deliberate a day or two. 

 ANTONIO  Look, what thou want'st shall be sent after thee: 

 No more of stay! to-morrow thou must go. 

 Come on, Panthino: you shall be employ'd 

 To hasten on his expedition. 



 Exeunt ANTONIO and PANTHINO  PROTEUS  Thus have I shunn'd the fire for fear of burning, 

 And drench'd me in the sea, where I am drown'd. 

 I fear'd to show my father Julia's letter, 

 Lest he should take exceptions to my love; 

 And with the vantage of mine own excuse 

 Hath he excepted most against my love. 

 O, how this spring of love resembleth 

 The uncertain glory of an April day, 

 Which now shows all the beauty of the sun, 

 And by and by a cloud takes all away! 



 Re-enter PANTHINO  PANTHINO  Sir Proteus, your father calls for you: 

 He is in haste; therefore, I pray you to go. 

 PROTEUS  Why, this it is: my heart accords thereto, 

 And yet a thousand times it answers 'no.' 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Two Gentlemen of Verona  | Act 1, Scene 3 

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