THE

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

FIRST printed in the folio of 1623.—It is mentioned by Meres in his Palladis Tamia, &c. 1598 (see the Memoir of Shakespeare); and there can be no doubt that it was written at a considerably earlier period :—it is evidently one of the first of Shakespeare's original productions,—that is, of pieces that were not rifacimenti of older dramas. -"Some of the incidents in this play may be supposed to have been taken from The Arcadia [by Sir P. Sidney, entered in the Stationers' Registers 1588, and printed 1590], book i. chap. vi., where Pyrocles consents to head the Helots." STEEVENS. "Mrs. Lennox observes, and I think not improbably, that the story of Proteus and Julia might be taken from a similar one in the Diana of George of Montemayor. This pastoral romance,' says she, 'was translated from the Spanish in Shakespeare's time.' I have seen no earlier translation than that of Bartholomew Yong, who dates his Dedication in November 1598. . . . . Indeed, Montemayor was translated two or three years before by one Thomas Wilson; but this work, I am persuaded, was never published entirely; perhaps some parts of it were, or the tale might have been translated by others. However, Mr. Steevens says, very truly, that this kind of love-adventure is frequent in the old novelists." FARMER. It appears from Yong's Preface, that his version, though not printed till 1598, had "lyen by him finished Horaces ten and sixe yeeres more." After all, however, the story of Felix and Felismena (the portion of the Diana, b. ii., which closely resembles the story of Proteus and Julia) may have become known to Shakespeare from a play entitled The history of Felix and Philiomena shewed and enacted before her highnes by her Ma1. servaunts on the sondaie next after neweyeares daie, at night at Grenewiche, &c., 1584: see Malone's Shakespeare, by Boswell, vol. iii. 408. ("The Story of the Shepherdess Felismena," from Yong's translation of the Diana, is reprinted in Collier's Shakespeare's Library, vol. ii.)

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

Duke of Milan.

ANTONIO.

PROTEUS, his son.

VALENTINE.

THURIO.

EGLAMOUR.

SPEED, servant to Valentine.

LAUNCE, servant to Proteus.

PANTHINO, servant to Antonio.
Host.

Outlaws.

SILVIA, daughter to the Duke.

JULIA.

LUCETTA, her waiting-woman.

Servants, Musicians.

SCENE-In Verona; in Milan; and in a forest near Milan.

THE

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Verona. An open place in the city.

Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS.

Val. Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus :
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits.
Were't not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour'd love,
I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully sluggardiz'd at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But since thou lov'st, love still, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

Pro. Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu!
Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply see'st
Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel:

Wish me partaker in thy happiness,

When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy danger,
If ever danger do environ thee,

Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy beadsman, Valentine.

Val. And on a love-book pray for my success?
Pro. Upon some book I love I'll pray for thee.
Val. That's on some shallow story of deep love;
How
young Leander cross'd the Hellespont.