Enter Antonio and Pantino

ANTONIO       Tell me, Pantino, what sad talk was that

Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister?

PANTINO       ’Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son.

ANTONIO Why, what of him?

PANTINO He wondered 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.  (1.3.1-10)

Another scene, another pair of characters. And a generational shift: who are these older men? (In early productions, they were likely bearded, to make clear their distinction from the younger men.) Careful, even leaden expository writing: tell me, Pantino—so the other guy is called Pantino—what sad talk was that wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? You were looking very serious chatting with my brother (unnamed); he held you up, delayed you—that it was in the cloister doesn’t necessarily suggest ‘after Mass’, say, but that could be imagined, or else, out under the loggia, after dinner, perhaps. What was it all about? He wanted to talk about his nephew, your son, Proteus. Ah, so the initial speaker (as yet unnamed) is Proteus’s father. And the extended family have concerns about his parenting, which are about to be relayed.

Why, what of him? What’s he done now? Well…. It’s not so much what he’s done (hmmm) as what he’s not doing. The boy’s drifting, needs direction, something to do. Your brother, Proteus’s concerned uncle, wondered that your lordship would suffer him to spend his youth at home. Why haven’t you sent Proteus off into the world, to let him get some experience, make connections, smooth his rough edges, even sow his wild oats? (Urk.) After all, other men, of slender reputation—of far less status than you, and more modest means and ambition, they put forth their sons to seek preferment out: they have their sons leave home in order to advance themselves (and their families), to find patrons and gain a foothold on the greasy pole. Some go to the wars, to try their fortune there—fame, honour, national service-type thing: discipline! self-respect!—and some go to discover islands far away (would resonate in the 1590s in particular: Drake, Raleigh, Hawkins). And some even go to the studious universities; there might be a knowing look on studious, as if to say, well, even students have to study sometimes…