First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Enter Viola, a Captaine, and Saylors. | Enter Viola, a Captain, and sailors | | TN I.ii.1 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| What Country (Friends) is this? | What country, friends, is this? | | TN I.ii.1 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| This is Illyria Ladie. | This is Illyria, lady. | Illyria (n.) E seaboard of the Adriatic and its hinterland (Dalmatia); in modern Croatia | TN I.ii.2 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| And what should I do in Illyria? | And what should I do in Illyria? | | TN I.ii.3 | |
| My brother he is in Elizium, | My brother, he is in Elysium. | Elysiummythological location of heaven | TN I.ii.4 | |
| Perchance he is not drown'd: What thinke you saylors? | Perchance he is not drowned. What think you, sailors? | perchance (adv.)perhaps, maybe | TN I.ii.5 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| It is perchance that you your selfe were saued. | It is perchance that you yourself were saved. | perchance (adv.)by good fortune, by chance | TN I.ii.6 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| O my poore brother, and so perchance may he be. | O, my poor brother! and so perchance may he be. | | TN I.ii.7 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| True Madam, and to comfort you with chance, | True, madam, and to comfort you with chance, | chance (n.)what may have happened, conceivability, possibility | TN I.ii.8 | |
| Assure your selfe, after our ship did split, | Assure yourself, after our ship did split, | split (v.)break up, split in two | TN I.ii.9 | |
| When you, and those poore number saued with you, | When you and those poor number saved with you | | TN I.ii.10 | |
| Hung on our driuing boate: I saw your brother | Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother, | driving (adj.)drifting, driven by the storm | TN I.ii.11 | |
| Most prouident in perill, binde himselfe, | Most provident in peril, bind himself – | | TN I.ii.12 | |
| (Courage and hope both teaching him the practise) | Courage and hope both teaching him the practice – | | TN I.ii.13 | |
| To a strong Maste, that liu'd vpon the sea: | To a strong mast, that lived upon the sea; | live (v.)stay afloat, avoid destruction | TN I.ii.14 | |
| Where like Orion on the Dolphines backe, | Where, like Arion on the dolphin's back, | Arion (n.)[a'riyon] legendary Greek musician; about to be robbed and killed by a ship’s crew, he was allowed to sing one last song; dolphins then appeared, Arion leapt overboard, and was carried by one of them to safety | TN I.ii.15 | |
| I saw him hold acquaintance with the waues, | I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves | | TN I.ii.16 | |
| So long as I could see. | So long as I could see. | | TN I.ii.17 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| For saying so, there's Gold: | For saying so, there's gold. | | TN I.ii.18 | |
| Mine owne escape vnfoldeth to my hope, | Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope, | | TN I.ii.19 | |
| Whereto thy speech serues for authoritie | Whereto thy speech serves for authority, | | TN I.ii.20 | |
| The like of him. Know'st thou this Countrey? | The like of him. Knowest thou this country? | like, thethe same | TN I.ii.21 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| I Madam well, for I was bred and borne | Ay, madam, well, for I was bred and born | | TN I.ii.22 | |
| Not three houres trauaile from this very place: | Not three hours' travel from this very place. | | TN I.ii.23 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| Who gouernes heere? | Who governs here? | | TN I.ii.24 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| A noble Duke in nature, as in name. | A noble Duke, in nature as in name. | | TN I.ii.25 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| What is his name? | What is his name? | | TN I.ii.26 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| Orsino. | Orsino. | | TN I.ii.27 | |
| Vio, | VIOLA | | | |
| Orsino: I haue heard my father name him. | Orsino . . . I have heard my father name him. | | TN I.ii.28 | |
| He was a Batchellor then. | He was a bachelor then. | | TN I.ii.29 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| And so is now, or was so very late: | And so is now, or was so, very late; | | TN I.ii.30 | |
| For but a month ago I went from hence, | For but a month ago I went from hence, | | TN I.ii.31 | |
| And then 'twas fresh in murmure (as you know | And then 'twas fresh in murmur – as you know, | murmur (n.)rumour, hearsay, gossip | TN I.ii.32 | |
| What great ones do, the lesse will prattle of,) | What great ones do, the less will prattle of – | | TN I.ii.33 | |
| That he did seeke the loue of faire Oliuia. | That he did seek the love of fair Olivia. | | TN I.ii.34 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| What's shee? | What's she? | | TN I.ii.35 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| A vertuous maid, the daughter of a Count | A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count | | TN I.ii.36 | |
| That dide some tweluemonth since, then leauing her | That died some twelvemonth since, then leaving her | | TN I.ii.37 | |
| In the protection of his sonne, her brother, | In the protection of his son, her brother, | | TN I.ii.38 | |
| Who shortly also dide: for whose deere loue | Who shortly also died; for whose dear love, | | TN I.ii.39 | |
| (They say) she hath abiur'd the sight | They say, she hath abjured the sight | abjure (v.)swear to abandon, solemnly reject | TN I.ii.40 | |
| And company of men. | And company of men. | | TN I.ii.41 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| O that I seru'd that Lady, | O, that I served that lady, | | TN I.ii.42 | |
| And might not be deliuered to the world | And might not be delivered to the world – | deliver (v.)present, show, display | TN I.ii.43 | |
| Till I had made mine owne occasion mellow | Till I had made mine own occasion mellow – | occasion (n.)circumstance, opportunity | TN I.ii.44 | |
| What my estate is. | What my estate is. | estate (n.)state, situation, circumstances | TN I.ii.45.1 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| That were hard to compasse, | That were hard to compass, | compass (v.)accomplish, fulfil, achieve, bring about | TN I.ii.45.2 | |
| Because she will admit no kinde of suite, | Because she will admit no kind of suit, | suit (n.)wooing, courtship | TN I.ii.46 | |
| | admit (v.)permit, allow, grant | | |
| No, not the Dukes. | No, not the Duke's. | | TN I.ii.47 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| There is a faire behauiour in thee Captaine, | There is a fair behaviour in thee, Captain, | | TN I.ii.48 | |
| And though that nature, with a beauteous wall | And though that nature with a beauteous wall | | TN I.ii.49 | |
| Doth oft close in pollution: yet of thee | Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee | oft (adv.)often | TN I.ii.50 | |
| I will beleeue thou hast a minde that suites | I will believe thou hast a mind that suits | suit (v.)match, compare, equate | TN I.ii.51 | |
| With this thy faire and outward charracter. | With this thy fair and outward character. | character (n.)personal appearance, demeanour | TN I.ii.52 | |
| I prethee (and Ile pay thee bounteously) | I prithee – and I'll pay thee bounteously – | bounteously (adv.)very well, liberally, generously | TN I.ii.53 | |
| Conceale me what I am, and be my ayde, | Conceal me what I am, and be my aid | | TN I.ii.54 | |
| For such disguise as haply shall become | For such disguise as haply shall become | haply (adv.)perhaps, maybe, by chance, with luck | TN I.ii.55 | |
| | become (v.)be fitting, befit, be appropriate to | | |
| The forme of my intent. Ile serue this Duke, | The form of my intent. I'll serve this Duke. | intent (n.)intention, purpose, aim | TN I.ii.56 | |
| | form (n.)physical appearance, outward appearance | | |
| Thou shalt present me as an Eunuch to him, | Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him. | | TN I.ii.57 | |
| It may be worth thy paines: for I can sing, | It may be worth thy pains, for I can sing | | TN I.ii.58 | |
| And speake to him in many sorts of Musicke, | And speak to him in many sorts of music | | TN I.ii.59 | |
| That will allow me very worth his seruice. | That will allow me very worth his service. | allow (v.)acknowledge, grant, admit | TN I.ii.60 | |
| What else may hap, to time I will commit, | What else may hap to time I will commit. | hap (v.)happen, take place, come to pass | TN I.ii.61 | |
| Onely shape thou thy silence to my wit. | Only shape thou thy silence to my wit. | wit (n.)cunning plan, ingenious design | TN I.ii.62 | |
| Cap. | CAPTAIN | | | |
| Be you his Eunuch, and your Mute Ile bee, | Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be. | mute (n.)dumb servant [as in a Turkish court] | TN I.ii.63 | |
| When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see. | When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see. | blab (v.)talk indiscreetly, betray secrets | TN I.ii.64 | |
| Vio. | VIOLA | | | |
| I thanke thee: Lead me on. | I thank thee. Lead me on. | | TN I.ii.65 | |
| Exeunt | Exeunt | | TN I.ii.65 | |