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

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

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Antonio and Sebastian. ANTONIO Will you stay no longer? Nor will you not that I go with you? SEBASTIAN By your patience, no. My stars shine darkly over me. The malignancy of my fate might perhaps distemper yours. Therefore I shall crave of you your 5 leave that I may bear my evils alone. It were a bad recompense for your love to lay any of them on you.	On a sea coast near Illyria we sort of stumble upon two guys (Antonio and Sebastian) in mid-conversation. Antonio wants to know why Sebastian is heading out on his own. Sebastian says something like, "Sorry man. It's not you, it's me, and I don't want to unload all of my problems on you, so I'm just gonna go."
ANTONIO Let me yet know of you whither you are bound. SEBASTIAN No, sooth, sir. My determinate voyage is 10 mere extravagancy. But I perceive in you so excellent a touch of modesty that you will not extort from me what I am willing to keep in. Therefore it charges me in manners the rather to express myself. You must know of me, then, Antonio, my name 15 is Sebastian, which I called Roderigo. My father was that Sebastian of Messaline whom I know you have heard of. He left behind him myself and a sister, both born in an hour. If the heavens had been pleased, would we had so ended! But you, sir, 20 altered that, for some hour before you took me from the breach of the sea was my sister drowned. ANTONIO Alas the day! SEBASTIAN A lady, sir, though it was said she much resembled me, was yet of many accounted beautiful. 25 But though I could not with such estimable wonder overfar believe that, yet thus far I will boldly publish her: she bore a mind that envy could not but call fair. She is drowned already, sir, with salt water, though I seem to drown her remembrance again 30 with more.	Antonio cuts in and begs Sebastian to tell him where he's going. Sebastian says no at first, then decides that since Antonio's such a great guy who would never force him into sharing his secret, he's going to share it. (Gee. That was easy.) And he does. His real name is "Sebastian," not "Roderigo," and he's really sad because he thinks his twin sister is dead. He also says that he would be dead too if Antonio hadn't scooped him up out of the ocean two hours after his ship sank and his sister drowned. (Hm. Sounds familiar...)
ANTONIO Pardon me, sir, your bad entertainment. SEBASTIAN O good Antonio, forgive me your trouble. ANTONIO If you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant. 35 SEBASTIAN If you will not undo what you have done— that is, kill him whom you have recovered—desire it not. Fare you well at once. My bosom is full of kindness, and I am yet so near the manners of my mother that, upon the least occasion more, mine 40 eyes will tell tales of me. I am bound to the Count Orsino’s court. Farewell. He exits. ANTONIO The gentleness of all the gods go with thee! I have many enemies in Orsino’s court, Else would I very shortly see thee there. 45 But come what may, I do adore thee so That danger shall seem sport, and I will go. He exits.	Antonio says that's just awful and Sebastian replies that he doesn't want to stress out Antonio with his problems. Antonio begs Sebastian to let him be his servant, but Sebastian brushes him off and tells Antonio to forget he ever existed. Then Antonio says he doesn't want to cry like his mother always does, so he needs to be on his way to Duke Orsino's court. (Note: At this point, we know a heck of a lot more than Sebastian does. It's obvious that he's Viola's lost twin brother, but neither of the sibs knows the other is alive. This means that Sebastian has no idea his twin sister is parading around as a boy at Duke Orsino's court. Hmm. We wonder what will happen next…)

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Antonio and Sebastian.

ANTONIO Will you stay no longer? Nor will you not that
I go with you?

SEBASTIAN By your patience, no. My stars shine darkly
over me. The malignancy of my fate might perhaps
distemper yours. Therefore I shall crave of you your 5
leave that I may bear my evils alone. It were a bad
recompense for your love to lay any of them on you.

On a sea coast near Illyria we sort of stumble upon two guys (Antonio and Sebastian) in mid-conversation. Antonio wants to know why Sebastian is heading out on his own.

Sebastian says something like, "Sorry man. It's not you, it's me, and I don't want to unload all of my problems on you, so I'm just gonna go."

ANTONIO Let me yet know of you whither you are
bound.

SEBASTIAN No, sooth, sir. My determinate voyage is 10
mere extravagancy. But I perceive in you so excellent
a touch of modesty that you will not extort
from me what I am willing to keep in. Therefore it
charges me in manners the rather to express myself.
You must know of me, then, Antonio, my name 15
is Sebastian, which I called Roderigo. My father was
that Sebastian of Messaline whom I know you have
heard of. He left behind him myself and a sister,
both born in an hour. If the heavens had been
pleased, would we had so ended! But you, sir, 20
altered that, for some hour before you took me
from the breach of the sea was my sister drowned.

ANTONIO Alas the day!

SEBASTIAN A lady, sir, though it was said she much
resembled me, was yet of many accounted beautiful. 25
But though I could not with such estimable
wonder overfar believe that, yet thus far I will boldly
publish her: she bore a mind that envy could not but
call fair. She is drowned already, sir, with salt water,
though I seem to drown her remembrance again 30
with more.

Antonio cuts in and begs Sebastian to tell him where he's going.

Sebastian says no at first, then decides that since Antonio's such a great guy who would never force him into sharing his secret, he's going to share it. (Gee. That was easy.) And he does. His real name is "Sebastian," not "Roderigo," and he's really sad because he thinks his twin sister is dead.

He also says that he would be dead too if Antonio hadn't scooped him up out of the ocean two hours after his ship sank and his sister drowned. (Hm. Sounds familiar...)

ANTONIO Pardon me, sir, your bad entertainment.

SEBASTIAN O good Antonio, forgive me your trouble.

ANTONIO If you will not murder me for my love, let me
be your servant. 35

SEBASTIAN If you will not undo what you have done—
that is, kill him whom you have recovered—desire
it not. Fare you well at once. My bosom is full of
kindness, and I am yet so near the manners of my
mother that, upon the least occasion more, mine 40
eyes will tell tales of me. I am bound to the Count
Orsino’s court. Farewell.

He exits.

ANTONIO
The gentleness of all the gods go with thee!
I have many enemies in Orsino’s court,
Else would I very shortly see thee there. 45
But come what may, I do adore thee so
That danger shall seem sport, and I will go.

He exits.

Antonio says that's just awful and Sebastian replies that he doesn't want to stress out Antonio with his problems.

Antonio begs Sebastian to let him be his servant, but Sebastian brushes him off and tells Antonio to forget he ever existed. Then Antonio says he doesn't want to cry like his mother always does, so he needs to be on his way to Duke Orsino's court.

(Note: At this point, we know a heck of a lot more than Sebastian does. It's obvious that he's Viola's lost twin brother, but neither of the sibs knows the other is alive. This means that Sebastian has no idea his twin sister is parading around as a boy at Duke Orsino's court. Hmm. We wonder what will happen next…)

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

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

Original Text

Translated Text

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