Much Ado About Nothing: Act 2, Scene 3
Enter BENEDICK alone.
BENEDICK
1
Boy!
[Enter Boy.]
Boy
2
Signior?
BENEDICK
3
In my chamber-window lies a book: bring it hither4. orchard: garden. As we learn at the end of Benedick's long speech, this garden has an arbor, where Benedick hides and listens in on the conversation of Don Pedro, Leonato, and Claudio. >>>
5. I am here already: i.e., I'm already here in the orchard.
5. I am here already: i.e., I'm already here in the orchard.
4
to me in the orchard.
Boy
5
I am here already, sir.
BENEDICK
6
I know that; but I would have thee hence, and here 7
again. [Exit Boy.] I do much wonder that one man, 8
seeing how much another man is a fool when he9. behaviors: manner of behaving.
9
dedicates his behaviors to love, will, after he hath 10
laughed at such shallow follies in others, become
11. argument: subject.
11
the argument of his own scorn by failing in love: 12
and such a man is Claudio. I have known when 13
there was no music with him but the drum and the14. tabor: small drum. The tabor and pipe were used for fun and games at home; the drum and fife were played when marching to war. >>> 16. armor: suit of armor.
14
fife; and now had he rather hear the tabor and the 15
pipe: I have known when he would have walked 16
ten mile a-foot to see a good armor; and now will
17. carving: planning.
17
he lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a
18. doublet: gentleman's close-fitting jacket.
18
new doublet. He was wont to speak plain and to the 19
purpose, like an honest man and a soldier; and now
20. turned orthography: i.e., become a collection of pretty words. 21. fantastical banquet: Popular collections of love poetry in Shakespeare's time tended to have fantastical titles such as Paradise of Dainty Devices, and A Gorgeous Gallery of Gallant Inventions.
20
is he turned orthography; his words are a very 21
fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes. 22
May I be so converted and see with these eyes? 23
I cannot tell; I think not: I will not be sworn, but 24
love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take 25
my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, 26
he shall never make me such a fool. One woman 27
is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am 28
well; another virtuous, yet I am well; but till all 29
graces be in one woman, one woman shall not 30
come in my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain;31. I'll none: I'll have none of her. cheapen: bargain or bid for, ask the price of.
31
wise, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen 32
her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come
33. noble: i.e., a gentlewoman. noble . . . angel: Benedick is punning. "Noble and "angel" were both names of coins; the noble was worth more. 34-35. her hair shall be of what color it please God: Benedick is either making fun of his own pickiness, or he is saying that any woman he loves must have hair of the color that God gave, not dyed.
33
not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good 34
discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall 35
be of what color it please God. Ha! the prince 36
and Monsieur Love! I will hide me in the arbor.
[Withdraws.]
Enter prince [DON PEDRO], LEONATO,
CLAUDIO.
DON PEDRO
37
Come, shall we hear this music?
CLAUDIO
38
Yea, my good lord. How still the evening is,39. grace harmony: do honor to music.
39
As hush'd on purpose to grace harmony!
DON PEDRO
40
See you where Benedick hath hid himself?
CLAUDIO
41. the music ended: when the music is over.
41
O, very well, my lord: the music ended,
42. We'll fit the kid-fox with a pennyworth: i.e., we'll give the hidden fox (Benedick) more than he bargained for. This may be an allusion to the game of hide-and-seek, called in Shakespeare's time "Hide fox, and all after." with Music: i.e., with a small band.
42
We'll fit the kid-fox with a pennyworth.
Enter BALTHASAR with Music.
DON PEDRO
43
Come, Balthasar, we'll hear that song again.
BALTHASAR
44. tax: task.
44
O, good my lord, tax not so bad a voice 45
To slander music any more than once.
DON PEDRO
46-47. It is the witness still of excellency / To put on a strange face on his own perfection: It is always a proof of excellence that it does not admit its own perfection. 48. woo: entreat.
46
It is the witness still of excellency 47
To put a strange face on his own perfection. 48
I pray thee, sing, and let me woo no more.
BALTHASAR
49
Because you talk of wooing, I will sing; 50
Since many a wooer doth commence his suit 51
To her he thinks not worthy, yet he woos, 52
Yet will he swear he loves.
DON PEDRO
52
Now, pray thee, come; 53
Or, if thou wilt hold longer argument,54. notes: i.e., musical notes.
54
Do it in notes.
BALTHASAR
54
Note this before my notes; 55
There's not a note of mine that's worth the noting.
DON PEDRO
56. crotchets: (1) odd ideas; (2) quarter notes in music. Balthasar is being wittily modest, but Don Pedro jests that his belittling of his own singing is merely a crotchet. 57. Note, notes, forsooth, and nothing: i.e., take note, >>>
[Air.]: i.e., music is played. After a few bars, while Benedick is making his sarcastic comments from his place in hiding, Balthasar will sing the words to the music.
59. sheeps' guts: i.e., violin or lute strings.
60. hale: draw, drag.
61. horn: A horn, such as a bugle used in the military and in hunting, is a manly instrument, as opposed to a stringed instrument, such as a violin or lute. Also, Benedick's wish for a horn might make the audience giggle at the suggestion that Benedick wants to be a cuckold.
[Air.]: i.e., music is played. After a few bars, while Benedick is making his sarcastic comments from his place in hiding, Balthasar will sing the words to the music.
59. sheeps' guts: i.e., violin or lute strings.
60. hale: draw, drag.
61. horn: A horn, such as a bugle used in the military and in hunting, is a manly instrument, as opposed to a stringed instrument, such as a violin or lute. Also, Benedick's wish for a horn might make the audience giggle at the suggestion that Benedick wants to be a cuckold.
56
Why, these are very crotchets that he speaks; 57
Note, notes, forsooth, and nothing.
[Air.]
BENEDICK
58
Now, divine air! now is his soul ravished!
59
Is it not strange that sheeps' guts should
60
hale souls out of men's bodies? Well, a
61
horn for my money, when all's done.
THE SONG.
[BALTHASAR]
62
Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more, 63
Men were deceivers ever, 64
One foot in sea and one on shore, 65
To one thing constant never: 66
Then sigh not so, but let them go, 67
And be you blithe and bonny, 68
Converting all your sounds of woe 69
Into Hey nonny, nonny.70. moe: more.
70
Sing no more ditties, sing no moe,
71. dumps: mournful tunes.
71
Of dumps so dull and heavy; 72
The fraud of men was ever so, 73
Since summer first was leafy: 74
Then sigh not so, etc.
DON PEDRO
75
By my troth, a good song.
BALTHASAR
76
And an ill singer, my lord.
DON PEDRO
77
Ha, no, no, faith; thou singest well enough 78. for a shift: to make do.
78
for a shift.
BENEDICK
79. An: if.
79
An he had been a dog that should have 80
howled thus, they would have hanged him: 81
and I pray God his bad voice bode no mischief. 82. I had as lief have heard: I would have as gladly heard. night-raven: a bird of ill-omen, whose cry forecast the coming of a disaster, such as the plague.
82
I had as lief have heard the night-raven, come 83
what plague could have come after it.
DON PEDRO
84
Yea, marry, dost thou hear, Balthasar? I pray
85-87. for tomorrow ... chamber-window: Perhaps we're supposed to assume that some time as passed and it is now two days before the wedding of Hero and Claudio. On the night before Hero's wedding it would be appropriate to play music at Hero's chamber-window.
85
thee, get us some excellent music; for tomorrow 86
night we would have it at the Lady Hero's 87
chamber-window.
BALTHASAR
88
The best I can, my lord.
Exit Balthasar.
DON PEDRO
89
Do so: farewell. Come hither, Leonato. What 90
was it you told me of today, that your niece 91
Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick?
CLAUDIO [Aside.]
92. stalk on, stalk on; the fowl sits: walk stealthily, the bird has settled (in a bush). Birds were hunted with the aid of a "stalking-horse," a portable hunting blind.
92
O, ay: stalk on, stalk on; the fowl sits. I 93
did never think that lady would have 94
loved any man.
LEONATO
95
No, nor I neither; but most wonderful that she 96
should so dote on Signior Benedick, whom she 97
hath in all outward behaviors seemed ever to abhor.
BENEDICK
98. Sits the wind in that corner?: is that how the wind blows?
98
Is't possible? Sits the wind in that corner?
LEONATO
99
By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think100. enraged: mad with passion.
100
of it but that she loves him with an enraged101. infinite: infinity, boundlessness.
101
affection: it is past the infinite of thought.
DON PEDRO
102. May be she doth but counterfeit: maybe she's only pretending.
102
May be she doth but counterfeit.
CLAUDIO
103
Faith, like enough.
LEONATO
104
O God, counterfeit! There was never counterfeit 105
of passion came so near the life of passion as she106. discovers: reveals.
106
discovers it.
DON PEDRO
107. effects: manifestations.
107
Why, what effects of passion shows she?
CLAUDIO [Aside.]
108
Bait the hook well; this fish will109
bite.
LEONATO
110. She will sit you, . . . : i.e., you know, she will sit. It appears that Leonato is having a little trouble coming up with a suitable lie.
110
What effects, my lord? She will sit you, . . . you 111
heard my daughter tell you how.
CLAUDIO
112
She did, indeed.
DON PEDRO
113
How, how, pray you? You amaze me: I would 114
have thought her spirit had been invincible 115
against all assaults of affection.
LEONATO
116
I would have sworn it had, my lord; especially117
against Benedick.
BENEDICK
118. gull: trick, deception.
118
I should think this a gull, but that the119
white-bearded fellow speaks it: knavery cannot,120
sure, hide himself in such reverence.
CLAUDIO [Aside.]
121-122. Hold it up: keep up the jest.
121
He hath ta'en the infection: hold122
it up.
DON PEDRO
123
Hath she made her affection known to124
Benedick?
LEONATO
125
No; and swears she never will: that's her126
torment.
CLAUDIO
127
'Tis true, indeed; so your daughter says: 'Shall128
I', says she, 'that have so oft encountered him129
with scorn, write to him that I love him?'
LEONATO
130
This says she now when she is beginning to write 131
to him; for she'll be up twenty times a night, and132. smock: i.e., nightgown.
132
there will she sit in her smock till she have writ a133
sheet of paper: my daughter tells us all.
CLAUDIO
134
Now you talk of a sheet of paper, I remember a135
pretty jest your daughter told us of.
LEONATO
136
O, when she had writ it and was reading it over, 137
she found 'Benedick' and 'Beatrice' between138
the sheet?
CLAUDIO
139. That: that was it.
140. halfpence: very tiny silver coins; i.e., very small bits or pieces.
140. halfpence: very tiny silver coins; i.e., very small bits or pieces.
139
That.
LEONATO
140
O, she tore the letter into a thousand halfpence;141
railed at herself, that she should be so immodest142
to write to one that she knew would flout her; 'I143
measure him', says she, 'by my own spirit; for I144
should flout him, if he writ to me; yea, though I145
love him, I should'.
CLAUDIO
146
Then down upon her knees she falls, weeps, 147
sobs, beats her heart, tears her hair, prays, 148
curses; 'O sweet Benedick! God give me149
patience!'
LEONATO
150
She doth indeed; my daughter says so: and the151. ecstasy: madness.
151
ecstasy hath so much overborne her that my 152
daughter is sometime afeared she will do a
153. outrage: act of violence.
153
desperate outrage to herself: it is very true.
DON PEDRO
154-155. knew of it by some other: were told of it by some other person. 155. discover: reveal.
154
It were good that Benedick knew of it by some155
other, if she will not discover it.
CLAUDIO
156
To what end? He would make but a sport of it 157
and torment the poor lady worse.
DON PEDRO
158. An he should: if he does. an alms: a good deed.
159. out of: beyond.
159. out of: beyond.
158
An he should, it were an alms to hang him. She's 159
an excellent sweet lady; and, out of all suspicion,160
she is virtuous.
CLAUDIO
161
And she is exceeding wise.
DON PEDRO
162
In every thing but in loving Benedick.
LEONATO
163. blood: natural feeling.
163
O, my lord, wisdom and blood combating in 164
so tender a body, we have ten proofs to one 165
that blood hath the victory. I am sorry for her, 166
as I have just cause, being her uncle and her167
guardian.
DON PEDRO
168. dotage: doting.
168
I would she had bestowed this dotage on me: I
169. daffed: doffed, put or thrust aside. respects: considerations. 170. half myself: i.e., my wife.
169
would have daffed all other respects and made 170
her half myself. I pray you, tell Benedick of it, 171
and hear what a' will say.
LEONATO
172
Were it good, think you?
CLAUDIO
173
Hero thinks surely she will die; for she says she174
will die, if he love her not, and she will die, ere175
she make her love known, and she will die, if he 176. bate: abate.
176
woo her, rather than she will bate one breath of 177. crossness: contrariness.
177
her accustomed crossness.
DON PEDRO
178. tender: offer.
178
She doth well: if she should make tender of her179
love, 'tis very possible he'll scorn it; for the
180. contemptible: contemptuous.
180
man, as you know all, hath a contemptible181
spirit.
CLAUDIO
182. proper: handsome.
182
He is a very proper man.
DON PEDRO
183-184. hath indeed a good outward happiness: has indeed a fortunate outward appearance.
183
He hath indeed a good outward184
happiness.
CLAUDIO
185
Before God! and, in my mind, very wise.
DON PEDRO
186
He doth indeed show some sparks that187. wit: sense. Of course, "wit" also means "wittiness," so Don Pedro is taking a poke at Benedick's reputation as a wit.
187
are like wit.
CLAUDIO
188
And I take him to be valiant.
DON PEDRO
189. Hector: The greatest of the Trojan warriors.
189
As Hector, I assure you: and in the managing of190
quarrels you may say he is wise; for either he191
avoids them with great discretion, or undertakes192
them with a most Christian-like fear.
LEONATO
193
If he do fear God, a' must necessarily keep peace:194
if he break the peace, he ought to enter into a195
quarrel with fear and trembling.
DON PEDRO
196
And so will he do; for the man doth fear God,197. large: broad, indelicate.
197
howsoever it seems not in him by some large 198
jests he will make. Well I am sorry for your 199
niece. Shall we go seek Benedick, and tell him 200
of her love?
CLAUDIO
201
Never tell him, my lord: let her wear it out with202. good counsel: reflection, deliberation; i.e., giving herself good advice.
202
good counsel.
LEONATO
203
Nay, that's impossible: she may wear her204
heart out first.
DON PEDRO
205
Well, we will hear further of it by your daughter:206
let it cool the while. I love Benedick well; and I207
could wish he would modestly examine himself, 208
to see how much he is unworthy so good a 209
lady.
LEONATO
210. walk: go.
210
My lord, will you walk? dinner is ready.
CLAUDIO [Aside.]
211
If he do not dote on her upon this, I will never212
trust my expectation.
DON PEDRO [Aside.]
213
Let there be the same net spread for her; and 214
that must your daughter and her gentlewomen 215-216. carry: undertake. they hold one an opinion of another's dotage: i.e., they each believe that the other is infatuated with him/her. no such matter: nothing of the kind exists. 218. merely a dumb-show: entirely pantomime. Neither one will have anything to say because they are both used to hurling insults at one another.
215
carry. The sport will be, when they hold one an 216
opinion of another's dotage, and no such matter: 217
that's the scene that I would see, which will be 218
merely a dumb-show. Let us send her to call him 219
in to dinner.
[Exeunt Don Pedro, Claudio, and Leonato.]
BENEDICK
220
This can be no trick: the conference was 221. sadly borne: seriously conducted.
221
sadly borne. They have the truth of this 222
from Hero. They seem to pity the lady: it
223. have their full bent: are at full stretch [like a crossbow which is ready to fire].
223
seems her affections have their full bent. Love 224
me! why, it must be requited. I hear how I am
225. censured: criticized.
225
censured: they say I will bear myself proudly, if 226
I perceive the love come from her; they say too 227
that she will rather die than give any sign of 228
affection. I did never think to marry: I must not
229. happy: fortunate. their detractions: unfavorable criticisms of themselves. 230. put them to mending: i.e., start correcting their faults.
229
seem proud: happy are they that hear their detractions 230
and can put them to mending. They say the lady is fair; 231
'tis a truth, I can bear them witness; and virtuous; 'tis
232. reprove: refute, disprove, deny.
232
so, I cannot reprove it; and wise, but for loving233
me; by my troth, it is no addition to her wit, nor234
no great argument of her folly, for I will be
235-236. some odd: an unknown number of.
236. quirks: witticisms. remnants of wit: This phrase suggests that some of the witty things that Benedick has said about marriage and Beatrice will be thrown back at him.
236. quirks: witticisms. remnants of wit: This phrase suggests that some of the witty things that Benedick has said about marriage and Beatrice will be thrown back at him.
235
horribly in love with her. I may chance have some236
odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me,237
because I have railed so long against marriage: but238
doth not the appetite alter? a man loves the meat239
in his youth that he cannot endure in his age.
240-241. quips: sharp or sarcastic remarks. sentences: saws, maxims. paper bullets of the brain: i.e., verbal ammunition taken from books. 241. career of his humor: course or pursuit of his inclination.
240
Shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of241
the brain awe a man from the career of his humour?242
No, the world must be peopled. When I said I would243
die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I244
were married. Here comes Beatrice. By this day!245
she's a fair lady: I do spy some marks of love in246
her.
Enter BEATRICE.
BEATRICE
247
Against my will I am sent to bid you come248
in to dinner.
BENEDICK
249
Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains.
BEATRICE
250
I took no more pains for those thanks than you 251
take pains to thank me: if it had been painful, I 252
would not have come.
BENEDICK
253
You take pleasure then in the message?
BEATRICE
254
Yea, just so much as you may take upon a 255. daw: jackdaw. >>>
256. stomach: appetite. I think Beatrice expected a witty come-back from Benedick, didn't get one, and so is saying he doesn't have the stomach for verbal jousting.255
knife's point and choke a daw withal. You 256
have no stomach, signior: fare you well.
Exit.
BENEDICK
257
Ha! 'Against my will I am sent to bid you 258
come in to dinner'; there's a double meaning 259
in that! 'I took no more pains for those thanks 260
than you took pains to thank me'. That's as much 261
as to say, 'any pains that I take for you is as easy 262
as thanks'. If I do not take pity of her, I am a villain; 263. if I do not love her, I am a Jew: i.e., I will not be so vile as to refuse her love. ...more.
263
if I do not love her, I am a Jew. I will go get her 264
picture.
Exit.