Benedick Lines

Don Pedro: I think this is your daughter

If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders for all Messina, as like him as she is.

Beatrice: I wonder that you will still be talking, Signoir Benedick; nobody marks you.

What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?

Beatrice: Is it possible Disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itslef most convert to Disdain if you come in her presence.

Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for truly I love none.

Beatrice: A dear happiness to women! They would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humor for that. I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.

God keep your ladyship still in that mind, so some gentleman or other shall escape a predestinate scratched face.

Beatrice: Scratching could not make it worse and ‘twere such a face as yours were.

I would my horse had the speed of your tongue. But keep your way, in God’s name! I have done.

… Claudio: Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of Signior Leonato?

I noted her not, but I looked on her.

Claudio: Is she not a modest young lady?

Do you question me as an honest man should do, for my simple true judgement? Or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a professed tyrant to their sex?

Claudio: No, I pray thee speak in sober judgement. Tell me truly how thou lik’st her.

Would you buy her, that you inquire after her?

Claudio: Can the world by such a jewel? In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on.

I can see yet without spectacle, and I see no much matter. There’s her cousin, and she were not possessed of a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty as the first of May doth the last of December. I hope you have no intent to turn husband, have you?

Claudio: I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Is’t come to this? Shall I never see a bachelor of threescore again?

Enter Don Pedro: What secret hath held you here, that you followed not to Leonato’s?

He’s in love, with Hero, Leonato’s short daughter

…

Claudio: And, in faith, my lord, I spoke mine.

And, by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I spoke mine.

Claudio: That I love her, I feel.

Don Pedro: That she is worthy, I know.

That I neither feel how she should be loved, nor how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me. I will die in it at the stake.

Don Pedro: Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty.

That a woman conceived me, I thank her; that she brought me up, I likewise give her most humble thanks but I will live a bachelor.

Don Pedro: I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love.

With anger, with sickness, or with hunger, my lord, not with love.

Don Pedro: Well, as time shall try: “In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke.”

The savage bull may, but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns and set them in my forehead, and let me be vilely painted, and in such great letters as they write "Here is good horse to hire," let them signify under my sign "Here you may see Benedick the married man.”

Don Pedro: Good Signior Benedick, repair to Leonato’s. Tell him I will not fail him at supper; for indeed he hath made great preperation.

Examine your conscience, and so I leave you.

… Act 2 Scene 1, party…

Beatrice: Will you not tell me who told you so?

No, you shall pardon me.

Beatrice: Nor will you not tell me who you are?

Benedick: Not Now

Beatrice: That I was disdainful, and that I had my good with out of the “Hundred Merry Tales.” Well, this was Signior Benedick that said so.

What’s he?

Beatrice: I am sure you know him well enough.

Not I, believe me.

Beatrice: Did he never make you laugh?

I pray you, what is he?

Beatrice: Why he is the Prince's jester, a very dull fool. Only his gait is in devising impossible slanders. None but lib- Vertines delight in him; for he both pleases man and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him.

When I know the gentlemen, I’ll tell him what you say.

Beatrice: Do, do. [Music] We must follow the leaders

In every good thing. (Dance, Exit, IDK)

Claudio: … This is an accident of hourly proof, which I mistrusted not. Farewell, therefore, Hero! (ENTER Benedick)

Count Claudio?

Claudio: Yea. The same.

Come, will you go with me?

Claudio: Whither?

About your own business. The Prince hath got you Hero.

Claudio: I wish him joy of her.

But did you think the Prince would have served you thus?

Claudio: I pray, you leave me.

Alas, poor hurt fowl! But that my Lady Beatrice should know me, and not know me! The Prince’s fool! Ha! I am not so reputed, It is the base, though bitter, disposition of Beatrice that puts the word into her person and so gives me out. Well, I’ll be revenged as I may.

Enter Don Pedro, Hero, and Leonato

Don Pedro: Now, signior, where’s the count?

Troth, my lord, I have played the part of lady Fame. I found him here as melancholy as a lodge in a warren. I told him, and I think I told him true, that your Grace had got the good will of this young lady.

Don Pedro: The lady Beatrice hath a quarrel to you. The gentleman that danced with her told her she is much wronged by you.

O, she misused me past the endurance of a block! She told me, not thinking I had been myself, that I was the Prince's jester, that I was duller than a great thaw; huddling jest upon jest with such impossible conveyance upon me that I stood like a man at a mark, with a whole army shooting at me. She speaks poniards, and every word stabs. If her breath were as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her, who would infect the North Star. So indeed all disquiet, horror, and perturbation follows her.

Enter Claudio, Beatrice

Don Pedro: Look, here she comes.

Will your Grace command me any service to the world’s end? I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes that you decide to send me on, rather then hold three words conference with this harpy. You have no employment for me?

Don Pedro: None, but to desire your good company

Oh god, sir, her’s a dish I love not! I cannot endure my Lady Tongue. (Probably Exit)

Act 2 Scene 3, the Garden, enter upstage right.

I do much wonder that one man, seeing how much another man is a foll when he dedicated his behaviors to love, will, after, he hath laughed at such shallow follies in others, become the argument of his socrn by following in love. One woman is fair yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well. But till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain; wise, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, of good discourse, an excellent musician; and her hair- shall be of what color it please G-d. Ha, the Prince and Monsieur Love! I will hid me in the arbor. (Hide in da tree)

…

Don Pedro: Come, Balthasar, we’ll hear that song again

Now divine air! Now is the soul ravished! Is it not strange that sheep’s guts should hale souls out of men’s bodies?

… Don Pedro: No faith! Thou sing’st well enough!

And he had been a dog that should have howled thus, they would have hanged him.

…

Leonato: No, nor I neither, but most wonderful that she should so dote on Signior Benedick, whom she hath in all outward behaviors seemed ever to Abhor.

Is it possible?

…

Don Pedro: How, how. I pray you?

I should think this a gull but that old fellow speaks it.

… Don Pedro: Let there be same net spread for her, and that must your daughter and her gentlewoman carry. Let us send her to call him to dinner. (they exit, I come forward)

This can be no trick; the concference was sadly borne. They have the thruth of this from Hero. Love me? Why, it must be requited. They say too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection. I did never think to marry; I must not seem proud for I will be horribly in love with her. I may chance have some odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me because I have railed so long against marriage; but doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age. The world must be peopled. When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married. Here comes Beatrice. By this day, she’s a fair lady. I do spy some marks of love in her.

Beatrice: Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner.

Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains.

Beatrice: I took no more pains for those thanks than you take pains to thank me. If it had been painful, I would not have come.

You take pleasure, then, in the message?

Beatrice: Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife’s point choke a dawl withal. You have no stomach, signior? Fare you well.

Ha! “Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner.” There’s a double meaning in that. (exit)

Act 3 Scene 2

Enter

Gallants, I am not as I have been.

Leonato: So say I. Methinks you are sadder

Claudio: I hope he be in love.

Old Signior, walk aside with me; I have studied eight or nine wise words to speak to you, which these hobbyhorse must not hear.

(exit)

Act 4, Scene 1

A lot happens before we talk….

Don John: Come let us go. These things, come thus to light, smother her spirits up.

How doth the lady?

… Leonato:… Why she, O, she is fallin into a pit of ink, that the wide sea—

Sir, sir, be patient. For my part, I am so attired in wonder, I know not what to say.

Beatrice: O, on my soul, my cousin is belied?

Lady, were you her bedfellow last night?