Scene 1
Enter the Second Merchant and Angelo the
Goldsmith .
ANGELO
I am sorry , sir , that I have hindered you ,
But I protest he had the chain of me ,
Though most dishonestly he doth deny it .
SECOND MERCHANT
How is the man esteemed here in the city ?
ANGELO
Of very reverend reputation , sir ,
Of credit infinite , highly beloved ,
Second to none that lives here in the city .
His word might bear my wealth at any time .
SECOND MERCHANT
Speak softly . Yonder , as I think , he walks .
Enter Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse again ,
Antipholus wearing the chain .
ANGELO
’Tis so , and that self chain about his neck
Which he forswore most monstrously to have .
Good sir , draw near to me . I’ll speak to him . —
Signior Antipholus , I wonder much
That you would put me to this shame and trouble ,
And not without some scandal to yourself ,
[131] ACT 5. SC. 1 With circumstance and oaths so to deny
This chain , which now you wear so openly .
Besides the charge , the shame , imprisonment ,
You have done wrong to this my honest friend ,
Who , but for staying on our controversy ,
Had hoisted sail and put to sea today .
This chain you had of me . Can you deny it ?
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
I think I had . I never did deny it .
SECOND MERCHANT
Yes , that you did , sir , and forswore it too .
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
Who heard me to deny it or forswear it ?
SECOND MERCHANT
These ears of mine , thou know’st , did hear thee .
Fie on thee , wretch . ’Tis pity that thou liv’st
To walk where any honest men resort .
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
Thou art a villain to impeach me thus .
I’ll prove mine honor and mine honesty
Against thee presently if thou dar’st stand .
SECOND MERCHANT
I dare , and do defy thee for a villain .
They draw .
Enter Adriana , Luciana , Courtesan , and others .
ADRIANA
Hold , hurt him not , for God’s sake . He is mad . —
Some get within him ; take his sword away .
Bind Dromio too , and bear them to my house !
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
Run , master , run . For God’s sake , take a house .
This is some priory . In , or we are spoiled .
Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse
exit to the Priory .
Enter Lady Abbess .
[133]ACT 5. SC. 1
ABBESS
Be quiet , people . Wherefore throng you hither ?
ADRIANA
To fetch my poor distracted husband hence .
Let us come in , that we may bind him fast
And bear him home for his recovery .
ANGELO
I knew he was not in his perfect wits .
SECOND MERCHANT
I am sorry now that I did draw on him .
ABBESS
How long hath this possession held the man ?
ADRIANA
This week he hath been heavy , sour , sad ,
And much different from the man he was .
But till this afternoon his passion
Ne’er brake into extremity of rage .
ABBESS
Hath he not lost much wealth by wrack of sea ?
Buried some dear friend ? Hath not else his eye
Strayed his affection in unlawful love ,
A sin prevailing much in youthful men
Who give their eyes the liberty of gazing ?
Which of these sorrows is he subject to ?
ADRIANA
To none of these , except it be the last ,
Namely , some love that drew him oft from home .
ABBESS
You should for that have reprehended him .
ADRIANA
Why , so I did .
ABBESS
Ay , but not rough enough .
ADRIANA
As roughly as my modesty would let me .
ABBESS
Haply in private .
[135]ACT 5. SC. 1
ADRIANA
And in assemblies too .
ABBESS
Ay , but not enough .
ADRIANA
It was the copy of our conference .
In bed he slept not for my urging it ;
At board he fed not for my urging it .
Alone , it was the subject of my theme ;
In company I often glancèd it .
Still did I tell him it was vile and bad .
ABBESS
And thereof came it that the man was mad .
The venom clamors of a jealous woman
Poisons more deadly than a mad dog’s tooth .
It seems his sleeps were hindered by thy railing ,
And thereof comes it that his head is light .
Thou sayst his meat was sauced with thy
upbraidings .
Unquiet meals make ill digestions .
Thereof the raging fire of fever bred ,
And what’s a fever but a fit of madness ?
Thou sayest his sports were hindered by thy brawls .
Sweet recreation barred , what doth ensue
But moody and dull melancholy ,
Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair ,
And at her heels a huge infectious troop
Of pale distemperatures and foes to life ?
In food , in sport , and life-preserving rest
To be disturbed would mad or man or beast .
The consequence is , then , thy jealous fits
Hath scared thy husband from the use of wits .
LUCIANA
She never reprehended him but mildly
When he demeaned himself rough , rude , and
wildly . —
Why bear you these rebukes and answer not ?
[137]ACT 5. SC. 1
ADRIANA
She did betray me to my own reproof . —
Good people , enter and lay hold on him .
ABBESS
No , not a creature enters in my house .
ADRIANA
Then let your servants bring my husband forth .
ABBESS
Neither . He took this place for sanctuary ,
And it shall privilege him from your hands
Till I have brought him to his wits again
Or lose my labor in assaying it .
ADRIANA
I will attend my husband , be his nurse ,
Diet his sickness , for it is my office
And will have no attorney but myself ;
And therefore let me have him home with me .
ABBESS
Be patient , for I will not let him stir
Till I have used the approvèd means I have ,
With wholesome syrups , drugs , and holy prayers ,
To make of him a formal man again .
It is a branch and parcel of mine oath ,
A charitable duty of my order .
Therefore depart and leave him here with me .
ADRIANA
I will not hence and leave my husband here ;
And ill it doth beseem your holiness
To separate the husband and the wife .
ABBESS
Be quiet and depart . Thou shalt not have him .
She exits .
LUCIANA
, to Adriana
Complain unto the Duke of this indignity .
ADRIANA
Come , go . I will fall prostrate at his feet
And never rise until my tears and prayers
[139] ACT 5. SC. 1 Have won his grace to come in person hither
And take perforce my husband from the Abbess .
SECOND MERCHANT
By this , I think , the dial points at five .
Anon , I’m sure , the Duke himself in person
Comes this way to the melancholy vale ,
The place of death and sorry execution
Behind the ditches of the abbey here .
ANGELO
Upon what cause ?
SECOND MERCHANT
To see a reverend Syracusian merchant ,
Who put unluckily into this bay
Against the laws and statutes of this town ,
Beheaded publicly for his offense .
ANGELO
See where they come . We will behold his death .
LUCIANA
, to Adriana
Kneel to the Duke before he pass the abbey .
Enter the Duke of Ephesus , and Egeon the Merchant
of Syracuse , bare head , with the Headsman
and other Officers .
DUKE
Yet once again proclaim it publicly ,
If any friend will pay the sum for him ,
He shall not die ; so much we tender him .
ADRIANA
, kneeling
Justice , most sacred duke , against the Abbess .
DUKE
She is a virtuous and a reverend lady .
It cannot be that she hath done thee wrong .
ADRIANA
May it please your Grace , Antipholus my husband ,
Who I made lord of me and all I had
At your important letters , this ill day
A most outrageous fit of madness took him ,
[141] ACT 5. SC. 1 That desp’rately he hurried through the street ,
With him his bondman , all as mad as he ,
Doing displeasure to the citizens
By rushing in their houses , bearing thence
Rings , jewels , anything his rage did like .
Once did I get him bound and sent him home
Whilst to take order for the wrongs I went
That here and there his fury had committed .
Anon , I wot not by what strong escape ,
He broke from those that had the guard of him ,
And with his mad attendant and himself ,
Each one with ireful passion , with drawn swords ,
Met us again and , madly bent on us ,
Chased us away , till raising of more aid ,
We came again to bind them . Then they fled
Into this abbey , whither we pursued them ,
And here the Abbess shuts the gates on us
And will not suffer us to fetch him out ,
Nor send him forth that we may bear him hence .
Therefore , most gracious duke , with thy command
Let him be brought forth and borne hence for help .
DUKE
Long since , thy husband served me in my wars ,
And I to thee engaged a prince’s word ,
When thou didst make him master of thy bed ,
To do him all the grace and good I could .
Go , some of you , knock at the abbey gate ,
And bid the Lady Abbess come to me .
I will determine this before I stir .
Adriana rises .
Enter a Messenger .
MESSENGER
O mistress , mistress , shift and save yourself .
My master and his man are both broke loose ,
Beaten the maids a-row , and bound the doctor ,
[143] ACT 5. SC. 1 Whose beard they have singed off with brands of
fire ,
And ever as it blazed they threw on him
Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair .
My master preaches patience to him , and the while
His man with scissors nicks him like a fool ;
And sure , unless you send some present help ,
Between them they will kill the conjurer .
ADRIANA
Peace , fool . Thy master and his man are here ,
And that is false thou dost report to us .
MESSENGER
Mistress , upon my life I tell you true .
I have not breathed almost since I did see it .
He cries for you and vows , if he can take you ,
To scorch your face and to disfigure you .
Cry within .
Hark , hark , I hear him , mistress . Fly , begone !
DUKE
Come , stand by me . Fear nothing . — Guard with
halberds .
Enter Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus .
ADRIANA
Ay me , it is my husband . Witness you
That he is borne about invisible .
Even now we housed him in the abbey here ,
And now he’s there , past thought of human reason .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
Justice , most gracious duke . O , grant me justice ,
Even for the service that long since I did thee
When I bestrid thee in the wars and took
Deep scars to save thy life . Even for the blood
That then I lost for thee , now grant me justice .
EGEON
, aside
Unless the fear of death doth make me dote ,
I see my son Antipholus and Dromio .
[145]ACT 5. SC. 1
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
Justice , sweet prince , against that woman there ,
She whom thou gav’st to me to be my wife ,
That hath abusèd and dishonored me
Even in the strength and height of injury .
Beyond imagination is the wrong
That she this day hath shameless thrown on me .
DUKE
Discover how , and thou shalt find me just .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
This day , great duke , she shut the doors upon me
While she with harlots feasted in my house .
DUKE
A grievous fault . — Say , woman , didst thou so ?
ADRIANA
No , my good lord . Myself , he , and my sister
Today did dine together . So befall my soul
As this is false he burdens me withal .
LUCIANA
Ne’er may I look on day nor sleep on night
But she tells to your Highness simple truth .
ANGELO
O perjured woman ! — They are both forsworn .
In this the madman justly chargeth them .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
My liege , I am advisèd what I say ,
Neither disturbed with the effect of wine ,
Nor heady-rash provoked with raging ire ,
Albeit my wrongs might make one wiser mad .
This woman locked me out this day from dinner .
That goldsmith there , were he not packed with her ,
Could witness it , for he was with me then ,
Who parted with me to go fetch a chain ,
Promising to bring it to the Porpentine ,
Where Balthasar and I did dine together .
Our dinner done and he not coming thither ,
[147] ACT 5. SC. 1 I went to seek him . In the street I met him ,
And in his company that gentleman .
He points to Second Merchant .
There did this perjured goldsmith swear me down
That I this day of him received the chain ,
Which , God He knows , I saw not ; for the which
He did arrest me with an officer .
I did obey and sent my peasant home
For certain ducats . He with none returned .
Then fairly I bespoke the officer
To go in person with me to my house .
By th’ way we met
My wife , her sister , and a rabble more
Of vile confederates . Along with them
They brought one Pinch , a hungry , lean-faced
villain ,
A mere anatomy , a mountebank ,
A threadbare juggler , and a fortune-teller ,
A needy , hollow-eyed , sharp-looking wretch ,
A living dead man . This pernicious slave ,
Forsooth , took on him as a conjurer ,
And , gazing in mine eyes , feeling my pulse ,
And with no face ( as ’twere ) outfacing me ,
Cries out I was possessed . Then all together
They fell upon me , bound me , bore me thence ,
And in a dark and dankish vault at home
There left me and my man , both bound together ,
Till gnawing with my teeth my bonds in sunder ,
I gained my freedom and immediately
Ran hither to your Grace , whom I beseech
To give me ample satisfaction
For these deep shames and great indignities .
ANGELO
My lord , in truth , thus far I witness with him :
That he dined not at home , but was locked out .
[149]ACT 5. SC. 1
DUKE
But had he such a chain of thee or no ?
ANGELO
He had , my lord , and when he ran in here ,
These people saw the chain about his neck .
SECOND MERCHANT
, to Antipholus of Ephesus
Besides , I will be sworn these ears of mine
Heard you confess you had the chain of him
After you first forswore it on the mart ,
And thereupon I drew my sword on you ,
And then you fled into this abbey here ,
From whence I think you are come by miracle .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
I never came within these abbey walls ,
Nor ever didst thou draw thy sword on me .
I never saw the chain , so help me heaven ,
And this is false you burden me withal .
DUKE
Why , what an intricate impeach is this !
I think you all have drunk of Circe’s cup .
If here you housed him , here he would have been .
If he were mad , he would not plead so coldly .
To Adriana .
You say he dined at home ; the
goldsmith here
Denies that saying .
To Dromio of Ephesus .
Sirrah ,
what say you ?
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
, pointing to the Courtesan
Sir , he dined with her there at the Porpentine .
COURTESAN
He did , and from my finger snatched that ring .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
, showing a ring
’Tis true , my liege , this ring I had of her .
DUKE
, to Courtesan
Saw’st thou him enter at the abbey here ?
COURTESAN
As sure , my liege , as I do see your Grace .
[151]ACT 5. SC. 1
DUKE
Why , this is strange . — Go call the Abbess hither .
Exit one to the Abbess .
I think you are all mated or stark mad .
EGEON
Most mighty duke , vouchsafe me speak a word .
Haply I see a friend will save my life
And pay the sum that may deliver me .
DUKE
Speak freely , Syracusian , what thou wilt .
EGEON
, to Antipholus of Ephesus
Is not your name , sir , called Antipholus ?
And is not that your bondman Dromio ?
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Within this hour I was his bondman , sir ,
But he , I thank him , gnawed in two my cords .
Now am I Dromio , and his man , unbound .
EGEON
I am sure you both of you remember me .
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Ourselves we do remember , sir , by you ,
For lately we were bound as you are now .
You are not Pinch’s patient , are you , sir ?
EGEON
, to Antipholus of Ephesus
Why look you strange on me ? You know me well .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
I never saw you in my life till now .
EGEON
O , grief hath changed me since you saw me last ,
And careful hours with time’s deformèd hand
Have written strange defeatures in my face .
But tell me yet , dost thou not know my voice ?
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
Neither .
EGEON
Dromio , nor thou ?
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
No , trust me , sir , nor I .
[153]ACT 5. SC. 1
EGEON
I am sure thou dost .
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Ay , sir , but I am sure I do not , and
whatsoever a man denies , you are now bound to
believe him .
EGEON
Not know my voice ! O time’s extremity ,
Hast thou so cracked and splitted my poor tongue
In seven short years that here my only son
Knows not my feeble key of untuned cares ?
Though now this grainèd face of mine be hid
In sap-consuming winter’s drizzled snow ,
And all the conduits of my blood froze up ,
Yet hath my night of life some memory ,
My wasting lamps some fading glimmer left ,
My dull deaf ears a little use to hear .
All these old witnesses — I cannot err —
Tell me thou art my son Antipholus .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
I never saw my father in my life .
EGEON
But seven years since , in Syracusa , boy ,
Thou know’st we parted . But perhaps , my son ,
Thou sham’st to acknowledge me in misery .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
The Duke and all that know me in the city
Can witness with me that it is not so .
I ne’er saw Syracusa in my life .
DUKE
I tell thee , Syracusian , twenty years
Have I been patron to Antipholus ,
During which time he ne’er saw Syracusa .
I see thy age and dangers make thee dote .
Enter Emilia the Abbess , with Antipholus of
Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse .
[155]ACT 5. SC. 1
ABBESS
Most mighty duke , behold a man much wronged .
All gather to see them .
ADRIANA
I see two husbands , or mine eyes deceive me .
DUKE
One of these men is genius to the other .
And so , of these , which is the natural man
And which the spirit ? Who deciphers them ?
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
I , sir , am Dromio . Command him away .
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
I , sir , am Dromio . Pray , let me stay .
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
Egeon art thou not , or else his ghost ?
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
O , my old master . — Who hath bound him here ?
ABBESS
Whoever bound him , I will loose his bonds
And gain a husband by his liberty . —
Speak , old Egeon , if thou be’st the man
That hadst a wife once called Emilia ,
That bore thee at a burden two fair sons .
O , if thou be’st the same Egeon , speak ,
And speak unto the same Emilia .
DUKE
Why , here begins his morning story right :
These two Antipholus’ , these two so like ,
And these two Dromios , one in semblance —
Besides her urging of her wrack at sea —
These are the parents to these children ,
Which accidentally are met together .
EGEON
If I dream not , thou art Emilia .
If thou art she , tell me , where is that son
That floated with thee on the fatal raft ?
[157]ACT 5. SC. 1
ABBESS
By men of Epidamium he and I
And the twin Dromio all were taken up ;
But by and by rude fishermen of Corinth
By force took Dromio and my son from them ,
And me they left with those of Epidamium .
What then became of them I cannot tell ;
I to this fortune that you see me in .
DUKE
, to Antipholus of Syracuse
Antipholus , thou cam’st from Corinth first .
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
No , sir , not I . I came from Syracuse .
DUKE
Stay , stand apart . I know not which is which .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
I came from Corinth , my most gracious lord .
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
And I with him .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
Brought to this town by that most famous warrior
Duke Menaphon , your most renownèd uncle .
ADRIANA
Which of you two did dine with me today ?
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
I , gentle mistress .
ADRIANA
And are not you my husband ?
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
No , I say nay to that .
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
And so do I , yet did she call me so ,
And this fair gentlewoman , her sister here ,
Did call me brother .
To Luciana .
What I told you
then
I hope I shall have leisure to make good ,
If this be not a dream I see and hear .
ANGELO
, turning to Antipholus of Syracuse
That is the chain , sir , which you had of me .
[159]ACT 5. SC. 1
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
I think it be , sir . I deny it not .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
, to Angelo
And you , sir , for this chain arrested me .
ANGELO
I think I did , sir . I deny it not .
ADRIANA
, to Antipholus of Ephesus
I sent you money , sir , to be your bail
By Dromio , but I think he brought it not .
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
No , none by me .
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
, to Adriana
This purse of ducats I received from you ,
And Dromio my man did bring them me .
I see we still did meet each other’s man ,
And I was ta’en for him , and he for me ,
And thereupon these errors are arose .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
, to the Duke
These ducats pawn I for my father here .
DUKE
It shall not need . Thy father hath his life .
COURTESAN
, to Antipholus of Ephesus
Sir , I must have that diamond from you .
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
There , take it , and much thanks for my good cheer .
ABBESS
Renownèd duke , vouchsafe to take the pains
To go with us into the abbey here
And hear at large discoursèd all our fortunes ,
And all that are assembled in this place
That by this sympathizèd one day’s error
Have suffered wrong . Go , keep us company ,
And we shall make full satisfaction . —
Thirty-three years have I but gone in travail
Of you , my sons , and till this present hour
My heavy burden ne’er deliverèd . —
The Duke , my husband , and my children both ,
[161] ACT 5. SC. 1 And you , the calendars of their nativity ,
Go to a gossips’ feast , and go with me .
After so long grief , such nativity !
DUKE
With all my heart I’ll gossip at this feast .
All exit except the two Dromios
and the two brothers Antipholus .
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
, to Antipholus of Ephesus
Master , shall I fetch your stuff from shipboard ?
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
Dromio , what stuff of mine hast thou embarked ?
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
Your goods that lay at host , sir , in the Centaur .
ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE
, to Antipholus of Ephesus
He speaks to me . — I am your master , Dromio .
Come , go with us . We’ll look to that anon .
Embrace thy brother there . Rejoice with him .
The brothers Antipholus exit .
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
There is a fat friend at your master’s house
That kitchened me for you today at dinner .
She now shall be my sister , not my wife .
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Methinks you are my glass , and not my brother .
I see by you I am a sweet-faced youth .
Will you walk in to see their gossiping ?
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
Not I , sir . You are my elder .
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
That’s a question . How shall we
try it ?
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
We’ll draw cuts for the signior .
Till then , lead thou first .
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Nay , then , thus :
We came into the world like brother and brother ,
And now let’s go hand in hand , not one before
another .
They exit .