SEBASTIAN                            What is it thou didst say? This is a strange repose, to be asleep With eyes wide open—standing, speaking, moving, And yet so fast asleep. ANTONIO                               Noble Sebastian, Thou let’st thy fortune sleep—die rather; wink’st Whiles thou art waking. SEBASTIAN                                        Thou dost snore distinctly. There’s meaning in thy snores. ANTONIO       I am more […]

SEBASTIAN    What a strange drowsiness possesses them! ANTONIO       It is the quality o’th’ climate. SEBASTIAN                                        Why Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not Myself disposed to sleep. ANTONIO                                           Nor I. My spirits are nimble. They fell together all, as by consent; They dropped, as by a thunderstroke. What might, Worthy Sebastian, O, […]

ANTONIO       Nay, good my lord, be not angry. GONZALO       No, I warrant you, I will not adventure my discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy. ANTONIO       Go sleep, and hear us. [All sleep except Alonso, Sebastian and Antonio.] ALONSO         What, all so soon asleep? I wish mine eyes Would, […]

GONZALO       And—do you mark me, sir?— ALONSO                                             Prithee, no more. Thou dost talk nothing to me. GONZALO       I do well believe your highness, and did it to minister occasion to these gentlemen, who are of such sensible and nimble lungs that they always use to laugh at nothing. ANTONIO       ’Twas you we laughed at. GONZALO       […]

GONZALO       All things in common nature should produce Without sweat or endeavour; treason, felony, Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine Would I not have; but nature should bring forth Of its own kind all foison, all abundance, To feed my innocent people. SEBASTIAN    No marrying ’mongst his subjects? ANTONIO       None, man, all […]

GONZALO       Had I plantation of this isle, my lord— ANTONIO       He’d sow’t with nettle-seed. SEBASTIAN                                                    Or docks, or mallows. GONZALO       And were the king on’t, what would I do? SEBASTIAN    ’Scape being drunk, for want of wine. GONZALO       I’th’ commonwealth I would by contraries Execute all things, for no kind of traffic Would I admit; […]

GONZALO                               My lord Sebastian, The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness, And time to speak it in. You rub the sore When you should bring the plaster. SEBASTIAN    Very well. ANTONIO                   And most chirurgeonly! GONZALO       It is foul weather in us all, good sir, When you are cloudy. SEBASTIAN                                        Foul weather? ANTONIO                                                                   Very foul. […]

SEBASTIAN    Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss, That would not bless our Europe with your daughter But rather loose her to an African, Where she at least is banished from your eye, Who hath cause to wet the grief on’t. ALONSO                                                         Prithee, peace. SEBASTIAN    You were kneeled to and importuned otherwise By […]

ALONSO         You cram these words into mine ears, against The stomach of my sense. Would I had never Married my daughter there, for coming thence My son is lost and (in my rate) she too, Who is so far from Italy removed I ne’er again shall see her. O thou mine heir Of Naples and […]

GONZALO       I— ANTONIO       Why, in good time. GONZALO       Sir, we were talking that our garments seem now as fresh as when we were at Tunis at the marriage of your daughter, who is now Queen. ANTONIO       And the rarest that e’er came there. SEBASTIAN    Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido. ANTONIO       O, widow Dido? Ay, […]