A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 1 of Twelfth Night, or What You Will from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter Sebastian and Feste, the Fool. FOOL Will you make me believe that I am not sent for SEBASTIAN Go to, go to, thou art a foolish fellow. Let FOOL Well held out, i’ faith. No, I do not know you, nor 5 SEBASTIAN I prithee, vent thy folly somewhere else. 10 FOOL Vent my folly? He has heard that word of some SEBASTIAN I prithee, foolish Greek, depart from me. FOOL By my troth, thou hast an open hand. These wise | Meanwhile, outside of Olivia's house, Feste has stumbled across Sebastian (Viola's un-dead brother) and has mistaken him for "Cesario" (Viola's disguise). Feste tells Sebastian that Olivia's looking for him but Sebastian tells him to beat it—he's not in the mood for silliness. Besides, Sebastian has no idea who this "Cesario" person is. Feste's pretty insistent, so Sebastian gives him some money to go away and threatens to give him a knuckle sandwich if he doesn't scram. Feste takes his money and jokes that wise men who give money to fools can get good reputations...if they keep up the payments. |
Enter Andrew, Toby, and Fabian. ANDREW, to Sebastian Now, sir, have I met you again? SEBASTIAN, returning the blow Why, there’s for thee, TOBY Hold, sir, or I’ll throw your dagger o’er the FOOL, aside This will I tell my lady straight. I would 30 He exits. TOBY, seizing Sebastian Come on, sir, hold! ANDREW Nay, let him alone. I’ll go another way to SEBASTIAN, to Toby Let go thy hand! TOBY Come, sir, I will not let you go. Come, my young SEBASTIAN He pulls free and draws his sword. What wouldst thou now? TOBY What, what? Nay, then, I must have an ounce or He draws his sword. | Just then, Andrew, Toby, and Fabian show up and mistake Sebastian for "Cesario." Andrew slaps him, and Sebastian hits him back multiple times. He's beginning to think everyone in Illyria is insane. While Feste runs in to tell Olivia what's going on, Toby tells Andrew to fight back. But Andrew says he doesn't need to fight now. Instead, he'll charge Sebastian (who he thinks is "Cesario") with battery. Fine. If Andrew won't fight, Toby will. Sebastian draws his sword and challenges Toby to do the same. So he does. |
Enter Olivia. OLIVIA TOBY Madam. OLIVIA Toby, Andrew, and Fabian exit. I prithee, gentle friend, | Sebastian and Toby are about to go at it when Olivia runs outside and breaks up the fight. Olivia tells her uncle he's not fit to live anywhere but in a cave and yells at him to leave. Then she apologizes to Sebastian, who she thinks is her "Cesario." She tells him to come into her house and hear about all of the ridiculous things her uncle has done so he can laugh at this scene instead of being offended. Her uncle really gave her a scare—she was seriously worried for "Cesario." |
SEBASTIAN, aside OLIVIA SEBASTIAN OLIVIA O, say so, and so be! 70 They exit. | Sebastian is stunned by Olivia's beauty. If he's dreaming, he doesn't want to wake up. Olivia says she wishes he would do what she asks and just come with her, and Sebastian says, "Yes, please." Olivia is pretty excited by that. She hopes he means what she thinks he means. |