Twelfth Night, or What You Will: Act 1, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 1, Scene 2 of Twelfth Night, or What You Will from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Viola, a Captain, and Sailors. VIOLA What country, friends, is this? CAPTAIN This is Illyria, lady. VIOLA And what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium. Perchance he is not drowned.—What think you, 5 sailors? CAPTAIN It is perchance that you yourself were saved. VIOLA O, my poor brother! And so perchance may he be. CAPTAIN True, madam. And to comfort you with chance, Assure yourself, after our ship did split, 10 When you and those poor number saved with you Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother, Most provident in peril, bind himself (Courage and hope both teaching him the practice) To a strong mast that lived upon the sea, 15 Where, like Arion on the dolphin’s back, I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves So long as I could see.	Viola, a few sailors, and a (sea) Captain arrive on shore, and Viola asks where they are. The Captain says they're in Illyria. Viola is bummed that she's in Illyria and says her brother is probably in heaven, but she's holding onto hope that he is alive. The Captain tries to comfort Viola and says that, after the ship sank, he saw her brother tie himself to the mast, which had somehow managed to stay afloat. (The Captain's description of Sebastian clinging to the ship's mast also reveals to the audience what went down at sea.) Apparently, when the ship split in two and the passengers and crew went into the water, Viola, being a very scrappy girl, avoided drowning by hanging on to the side of a life boat.
VIOLA, giving him money For saying so, there’s gold. Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope, 20 Whereto thy speech serves for authority, The like of him. Know’st thou this country? CAPTAIN Ay, madam, well, for I was bred and born Not three hours’ travel from this very place. VIOLA Who governs here? 25 CAPTAIN A noble duke, in nature as in name. VIOLA What is his name? CAPTAIN Orsino. VIOLA Orsino. I have heard my father name him. He was a bachelor then. 30 CAPTAIN And so is now, or was so very late; For but a month ago I went from hence, And then ’twas fresh in murmur (as, you know, What great ones do the less will prattle of) That he did seek the love of fair Olivia. 35 VIOLA What’s she? CAPTAIN A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count That died some twelvemonth since, then leaving her In the protection of his son, her brother, Who shortly also died, for whose dear love, 40 They say, she hath abjured the sight And company of men.	Viola gives the Captain some gold for being a nice guy and for cheering her up. The Captain, who grew up three hours away from Illyria, tells Viola about the country and dishes a little dirt about its local celebs. The beloved Duke Orsino is a bachelor who's been trying to hook up with the Countess Olivia. But, Olivia's so not into him. Her dad died about a year ago and then her brother died shortly after, so she's sworn off the company of men while she grieves.
VIOLA O, that I served that lady, And might not be delivered to the world Till I had made mine own occasion mellow, 45 What my estate is. CAPTAIN That were hard to compass Because she will admit no kind of suit, No, not the Duke’s. VIOLA There is a fair behavior in thee, captain, 50 And though that nature with a beauteous wall Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee I will believe thou hast a mind that suits With this thy fair and outward character. I prithee—and I’ll pay thee bounteously— 55 Conceal me what I am, and be my aid For such disguise as haply shall become The form of my intent. I’ll serve this duke. Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him. It may be worth thy pains, for I can sing 60 And speak to him in many sorts of music That will allow me very worth his service. What else may hap, to time I will commit. Only shape thou thy silence to my wit. CAPTAIN Be you his eunuch, and your mute I’ll be. 65 When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see. VIOLA I thank thee. Lead me on. They exit.	Viola responds to the gossip by wishing she could disguise her identity and social class for a while by working as Olivia's servant—at least until she gets her bearings and figures out what to do next. The Captain explains why that's just not going to happen: Olivia isn't seeing any visitors, not even the Duke. Viola tells the Captain that he seems like a trusty fellow, so she's going to pay him a ton of dough to dress her up like a boy and not tell anyone about it. Since she's got such a great singing voice, she wants the Captain to introduce her to the Duke as a eunuch. That will keep anyone from suspecting she's a woman, while allowing her singing talents to earn her some props in the Duke's court. The Captain agrees to keep his lips zipped while Viola dresses up like a boy and plays "I'm a singing eunuch" at Orsino's court.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Viola, a Captain, and Sailors.

VIOLA What country, friends, is this?

CAPTAIN This is Illyria, lady.

VIOLA
And what should I do in Illyria?
My brother he is in Elysium.
Perchance he is not drowned.—What think you, 5
sailors?

CAPTAIN
It is perchance that you yourself were saved.

VIOLA
O, my poor brother! And so perchance may he be.

CAPTAIN
True, madam. And to comfort you with chance,
Assure yourself, after our ship did split, 10
When you and those poor number saved with you
Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother,
Most provident in peril, bind himself
(Courage and hope both teaching him the practice)
To a strong mast that lived upon the sea, 15
Where, like Arion on the dolphin’s back,
I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves
So long as I could see.

Viola, a few sailors, and a (sea) Captain arrive on shore, and Viola asks where they are. The Captain says they're in Illyria.

Viola is bummed that she's in Illyria and says her brother is probably in heaven, but she's holding onto hope that he is alive.

The Captain tries to comfort Viola and says that, after the ship sank, he saw her brother tie himself to the mast, which had somehow managed to stay afloat. (The Captain's description of Sebastian clinging to the ship's mast also reveals to the audience what went down at sea.)

Apparently, when the ship split in two and the passengers and crew went into the water, Viola, being a very scrappy girl, avoided drowning by hanging on to the side of a life boat.

VIOLA, giving him money For saying so, there’s gold.
Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope, 20
Whereto thy speech serves for authority,
The like of him. Know’st thou this country?

CAPTAIN
Ay, madam, well, for I was bred and born
Not three hours’ travel from this very place.

VIOLA Who governs here? 25

CAPTAIN
A noble duke, in nature as in name.

VIOLA What is his name?

CAPTAIN Orsino.

VIOLA
Orsino. I have heard my father name him.
He was a bachelor then. 30

CAPTAIN
And so is now, or was so very late;
For but a month ago I went from hence,
And then ’twas fresh in murmur (as, you know,
What great ones do the less will prattle of)
That he did seek the love of fair Olivia. 35

VIOLA What’s she?

CAPTAIN
A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count
That died some twelvemonth since, then leaving her
In the protection of his son, her brother,
Who shortly also died, for whose dear love, 40
They say, she hath abjured the sight
And company of men.

Viola gives the Captain some gold for being a nice guy and for cheering her up.

The Captain, who grew up three hours away from Illyria, tells Viola about the country and dishes a little dirt about its local celebs.

The beloved Duke Orsino is a bachelor who's been trying to hook up with the Countess Olivia. But, Olivia's so not into him. Her dad died about a year ago and then her brother died shortly after, so she's sworn off the company of men while she grieves.

VIOLA O, that I served that lady,
And might not be delivered to the world
Till I had made mine own occasion mellow, 45
What my estate is.

CAPTAIN That were hard to compass
Because she will admit no kind of suit,
No, not the Duke’s.

VIOLA
There is a fair behavior in thee, captain, 50
And though that nature with a beauteous wall
Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee
I will believe thou hast a mind that suits
With this thy fair and outward character.
I prithee—and I’ll pay thee bounteously— 55
Conceal me what I am, and be my aid
For such disguise as haply shall become
The form of my intent. I’ll serve this duke.
Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him.
It may be worth thy pains, for I can sing 60
And speak to him in many sorts of music
That will allow me very worth his service.
What else may hap, to time I will commit.
Only shape thou thy silence to my wit.

CAPTAIN
Be you his eunuch, and your mute I’ll be. 65
When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see.

VIOLA I thank thee. Lead me on.

They exit.

Viola responds to the gossip by wishing she could disguise her identity and social class for a while by working as Olivia's servant—at least until she gets her bearings and figures out what to do next.

The Captain explains why that's just not going to happen: Olivia isn't seeing any visitors, not even the Duke.

Viola tells the Captain that he seems like a trusty fellow, so she's going to pay him a ton of dough to dress her up like a boy and not tell anyone about it. Since she's got such a great singing voice, she wants the Captain to introduce her to the Duke as a eunuch. That will keep anyone from suspecting she's a woman, while allowing her singing talents to earn her some props in the Duke's court.

The Captain agrees to keep his lips zipped while Viola dresses up like a boy and plays "I'm a singing eunuch" at Orsino's court.

Twelfth Night, or What You Will: Act 1, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 1, Scene 2 of Twelfth Night, or What You Will from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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