Much Ado About Nothing: Act 5, Scene 3



           Enter CLAUDIO, Prince [Don Pedro],
           and three or four with tapers.

      CLAUDIO
monument of Leonato: tomb of Leonato's family.
  1   Is this the monument of Leonato?

      Lord
  2   It is, my lord.

                EPITAPH.

  3        Done to death by slanderous tongues
  4        Was the Hero that here lies:
5. guerdon: recompense.
  5        Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,
  6        Gives her fame which never dies.
  7        So the life that died with shame
  8        Lives in death with glorious fame.

  9   Hang thou there upon the tomb,

           [Hangs up the scroll.]

 10   Praising her when I am dumb.
11. music: —A group of musicians and singers was referred to as a "music."
 11   Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn hymn.

                SONG.

12. goddess of the night: i.e., Diana. —Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, chastity, and hunting.




18. Heavily: mournfully.
19. yawn: open wide. yield your dead: release your dead. —Apparently the idea is that even the dead in the tomb are to join in the mourning for Hero. 20. uttered: fully expressed; i.e., adequately lamented.
 12        Pardon, goddess of the night,
 13        Those that slew thy virgin knight;
 14        For the which, with songs of woe,
 15        Round about her tomb they go.
 16             Midnight, assist our moan;
 17             Help us to sigh and groan,
 18                  Heavily, heavily:
 19             Graves, yawn and yield your dead,
 20             Till death be uttered,
 21                  Heavily, heavily.

      CLAUDIO
 22    Now, unto thy bones good night!
 23   Yearly will I do this rite.

      DON PEDRO
 24   Good morrow, masters; put your torches out:
25. have prey'd: i.e., have finished their night's hunting.
26. Before the wheels of Pboebus: i.e., preceding the chariot of the sun.
 25   The wolves have prey'd; and look, the gentle day,
 26   Before the wheels of Phoebus, round about
 27   Dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey.
 28   Thanks to you all, and leave us: fare you well.

      CLAUDIO
 29    Good morrow, masters: each his several way.

      DON PEDRO
30. weeds: clothes.
 30   Come, let us hence, and put on other weeds;
 31   And then to Leonato's we will go.

      CLAUDIO
32-33. Hymen: the god of marriage. with luckier issue speed's / Than this for whom we render'd up this woe: i.e., may Hymen provide better fortune in this marriage than in the planned wedding of Hero, for whom we have mourned.
 32   And Hymen now with luckier issue speed's
 33   Than this for whom we render'd up this woe.

           Exeunt.