Back to main page
The Two Gentlemen of Verona - Act 2, scene 7
Cite
Download The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Last updated: Fri, Jul 31, 2015
- PDF Download as PDF
- DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) without line numbers Download as DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) without line numbers
- DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) with line numbers Download as DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) with line numbers
- HTML Download as HTML
- TXT Download as TXT
- XML Download as XML
- TEISimple XML (annotated with MorphAdorner for part-of-speech analysis) Download as TEISimple XML (annotated with MorphAdorner for part-of-speech analysis)
Navigate this work
The Two Gentlemen of Verona - Act 2, scene 7Act 2, scene 7
Scene 7
Synopsis:
Julia decides to follow Proteus to Milan and asks Lucetta to help her disguise herself as a page.
Enter Julia and Lucetta.JULIA
0978 Counsel, Lucetta. Gentle girl, assist me;
0979 And ev’n in kind love I do conjure thee—
0980 Who art the table wherein all my thoughts
0981 Are visibly charactered and engraved—
0982 5 To lesson me and tell me some good mean
0983 How with my honor I may undertake
0984 A journey to my loving Proteus.
LUCETTA
0985 Alas, the way is wearisome and long.
JULIA
0986 A true-devoted pilgrim is not weary
0987 10 To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps;
0988 Much less shall she that hath Love’s wings to fly,
0989 And when the flight is made to one so dear,
0990 Of such divine perfection, as Sir Proteus.
LUCETTA
0991 Better forbear till Proteus make return.
JULIA
0992 15 O, know’st thou not his looks are my soul’s food?
0993 Pity the dearth that I have pinèd in
0994 By longing for that food so long a time.
p.
83
0995
Didst thou but know the inly touch of love,0996 Thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snow
0997 20 As seek to quench the fire of love with words.
LUCETTA
0998 I do not seek to quench your love’s hot fire,
0999 But qualify the fire’s extreme rage,
1000 Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason.
JULIA
1001 The more thou damm’st it up, the more it burns.
1002 25 The current that with gentle murmur glides,
1003 Thou know’st, being stopped, impatiently doth rage,
1004 But when his fair course is not hinderèd,
1005 He makes sweet music with th’ enameled stones,
1006 Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge
1007 30 He overtaketh in his pilgrimage;
1008 And so by many winding nooks he strays
1009 With willing sport to the wild ocean.
1010 Then let me go and hinder not my course.
1011 I’ll be as patient as a gentle stream
1012 35 And make a pastime of each weary step
1013 Till the last step have brought me to my love,
1014 And there I’ll rest as after much turmoil
1015 A blessèd soul doth in Elysium.
LUCETTA
1016 But in what habit will you go along?
JULIA
1017 40 Not like a woman, for I would prevent
1018 The loose encounters of lascivious men.
1019 Gentle Lucetta, fit me with such weeds
1020 As may beseem some well-reputed page.
LUCETTA
1021 Why, then, your Ladyship must cut your hair.
JULIA
1022 45 No, girl, I’ll knit it up in silken strings
1023 With twenty odd-conceited true-love knots.
p.
85
1024
To be fantastic may become a youth1025 Of greater time than I shall show to be.
LUCETTA
1026 What fashion, madam, shall I make your breeches?
JULIA
1027 50 That fits as well as “Tell me, good my lord,
1028 What compass will you wear your farthingale?”
1029 Why, ev’n what fashion thou best likes, Lucetta.
LUCETTA
1030 You must needs have them with a codpiece, madam.
JULIA
1031 Out, out, Lucetta. That will be ill-favored.
LUCETTA
1032 55 A round hose, madam, now’s not worth a pin
1033 Unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on.
JULIA
1034 Lucetta, as thou lov’st me, let me have
1035 What thou think’st meet and is most mannerly.
1036 But tell me, wench, how will the world repute me
1037 60 For undertaking so unstaid a journey?
1038 I fear me it will make me scandalized.
LUCETTA
1039 If you think so, then stay at home and go not.
JULIA 1040 Nay, that I will not.
LUCETTA
1041 Then never dream on infamy, but go.
1042 65 If Proteus like your journey when you come,
1043 No matter who’s displeased when you are gone.
1044 I fear me he will scarce be pleased withal.
JULIA
1045 That is the least, Lucetta, of my fear.
1046 A thousand oaths, an ocean of his tears,
1047 70 And instances of infinite of love
1048 Warrant me welcome to my Proteus.
LUCETTA
1049 All these are servants to deceitful men.
p.
87
JULIA 1050 Base men that use them to so base effect!
1051 But truer stars did govern Proteus’ birth.
1052 75 His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles,
1053 His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate,
1054 His tears pure messengers sent from his heart,
1055 His heart as far from fraud as heaven from Earth.
LUCETTA
1056 Pray heav’n he prove so when you come to him.
JULIA
1057 80 Now, as thou lov’st me, do him not that wrong
1058 To bear a hard opinion of his truth.
1059 Only deserve my love by loving him.
1060 And presently go with me to my chamber
1061 To take a note of what I stand in need of
1062 85 To furnish me upon my longing journey.
1063 All that is mine I leave at thy dispose,
1064 My goods, my lands, my reputation.
1065 Only, in lieu thereof, dispatch me hence.
1066 Come, answer not, but to it presently.
1067 90 I am impatient of my tarriance.
They exit.