The Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act 4, Scene 2

comedy

Milan. Outside the DUKE's palace, under SILVIA's chamber.

Scene Summary

Thurio and Proteus serenade Silvia at her window with musicians, singing 'Who is Silvia?' — a song that praises her beauty. Julia has arrived in Milan disguised as a boy and stands in the crowd watching, with the inn-keeper who is hosting her. She hears Proteus sing rapturously about Silvia and says nothing, but the Host notices she looks unwell. Silvia appears and rejects both Thurio and Proteus. She tells Proteus he is a traitor to Valentine and that she knows Julia exists. Proteus claims Julia is dead. Silvia says she pities the real Julia — then goes in. Julia has heard all of it.

Enter PROTEUS

PROTEUS

Already have I been false to Valentine

And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.

Under the colour of commending him,

I have access my own love to prefer:

But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,

To be corrupted with my worthless gifts.

When I protest true loyalty to her,

She twits me with my falsehood to my friend;

When to her beauty I commend my vows,

She bids me think how I have been forsworn

In breaking faith with Julia whom I loved:

And notwithstanding all her sudden quips,

The least whereof would quell a lover's hope,

Yet, spaniel-like, the more she spurns my love,

The more it grows and fawneth on her still.

But here comes Thurio: now must we to her window,

And give some evening music to her ear.

Enter THURIO and Musicians

THURIO

How now, Sir Proteus, are you crept before us?

PROTEUS

Ay, gentle Thurio: for you know that love

Will creep in service where it cannot go.

THURIO

Ay, but I hope, sir, that you love not here.

PROTEUS

Sir, but I do; or else I would be hence.

THURIO

Who? Silvia?

PROTEUS

Ay, Silvia; for your sake.

THURIO

I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen,

Let's tune, and to it lustily awhile.

Enter, at a distance, Host, and JULIA in boy's clothes

Host

Now, my young guest, methinks you're allycholly: I

pray you, why is it?

JULIA

Marry, mine host, because I cannot be merry.

Host

Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where

you shall hear music and see the gentleman that you asked for.

JULIA

But shall I hear him speak?

Host

Ay, that you shall.

JULIA

That will be music.

Music plays

Host

Hark, hark!

JULIA

Is he among these?

Host

Ay: but, peace! let's hear 'em.

SONG.

Who is Silvia? what is she,

That all our swains commend her?

Holy, fair and wise is she;

The heaven such grace did lend her,

That she might admired be.

Is she kind as she is fair?

For beauty lives with kindness.

Love doth to her eyes repair,

To help him of his blindness,

And, being help'd, inhabits there.

Then to Silvia let us sing,

That Silvia is excelling;

She excels each mortal thing

Upon the dull earth dwelling:

To her let us garlands bring.

Host

How now! are you sadder than you were before? How

do you, man? the music likes you not.

JULIA

You mistake; the musician likes me not.

Host

Why, my pretty youth?

JULIA

He plays false, father.

Host

How? out of tune on the strings?

JULIA

Not so; but yet so false that he grieves my very

heart-strings.

Host

You have a quick ear.

JULIA

Ay, I would I were deaf; it makes me have a slow heart.

Host

I perceive you delight not in music.

JULIA

Not a whit, when it jars so.

Host

Hark, what fine change is in the music!

JULIA

Ay, that change is the spite.

Host

You would have them always play but one thing?

JULIA

I would always have one play but one thing.

But, host, doth this Sir Proteus that we talk on

Often resort unto this gentlewoman?

Host

I tell you what Launce, his man, told me: he loved

her out of all nick.

JULIA

Where is Launce?

Host

Gone to seek his dog; which tomorrow, by his

master's command, he must carry for a present to his lady.

JULIA

Peace! stand aside: the company parts.

PROTEUS

Sir Thurio, fear not you: I will so plead

That you shall say my cunning drift excels.

THURIO

Where meet we?

PROTEUS

At Saint Gregory's well.

THURIO

Farewell.

Exeunt THURIO and Musicians

Enter SILVIA above

PROTEUS

Madam, good even to your ladyship.

SILVIA

I thank you for your music, gentlemen.

Who is that that spake?

PROTEUS

One, lady, if you knew his pure heart's truth,

You would quickly learn to know him by his voice.

SILVIA

Sir Proteus, as I take it.

PROTEUS

Sir Proteus, gentle lady, and your servant.

SILVIA

What's your will?

PROTEUS

That I may compass yours.

SILVIA

You have your wish; my will is even this:

That presently you hie you home to bed.

Thou subtle, perjured, false, disloyal man!

Think'st thou I am so shallow, so conceitless,

To be seduced by thy flattery,

That hast deceived so many with thy vows?

Return, return, and make thy love amends.

For me, by this pale queen of night I swear,

I am so far from granting thy request

That I despise thee for thy wrongful suit,

And by and by intend to chide myself

Even for this time I spend in talking to thee.

PROTEUS

I grant, sweet love, that I did love a lady;

But she is dead.

JULIA

[Aside] 'Twere false, if I should speak it;

For I am sure she is not buried.

SILVIA

Say that she be; yet Valentine thy friend

Survives; to whom, thyself art witness,

I am betroth'd: and art thou not ashamed

To wrong him with thy importunacy?

PROTEUS

I likewise hear that Valentine is dead.

SILVIA

And so suppose am I; for in his grave

Assure thyself my love is buried.

PROTEUS

Sweet lady, let me rake it from the earth.

SILVIA

Go to thy lady's grave and call hers thence,

Or, at the least, in hers sepulchre thine.

JULIA

[Aside] He heard not that.

PROTEUS

Madam, if your heart be so obdurate,

Vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love,

The picture that is hanging in your chamber;

To that I'll speak, to that I'll sigh and weep:

For since the substance of your perfect self

Is else devoted, I am but a shadow;

And to your shadow will I make true love.

JULIA

[Aside] If 'twere a substance, you would, sure,

deceive it,

And make it but a shadow, as I am.

SILVIA

I am very loath to be your idol, sir;

But since your falsehood shall become you well

To worship shadows and adore false shapes,

Send to me in the morning and I'll send it:

And so, good rest.

PROTEUS

As wretches have o'ernight

That wait for execution in the morn.

Exeunt PROTEUS and SILVIA severally

JULIA

Host, will you go?

Host

By my halidom, I was fast asleep.

JULIA

Pray you, where lies Sir Proteus?

Host

Marry, at my house. Trust me, I think 'tis almost

day.

JULIA

Not so; but it hath been the longest night

That e'er I watch'd and the most heaviest.

Exeunt