ACT I
SCENE II The sea-coast.


 [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]




 TWELFTH NIGHT


ACT I