Much Ado About Nothing: Act 5, Scene 4
Enter LEONATO, BENEDICK, [BEATRICE,]
MARGARET, URSULA, old man [ANTONIO,]
FRIAR [FRANCIS], HERO.
FRIAR FRANCIS
1 Did I not tell you she was innocent?
LEONATO
2 So are the prince and Claudio, who accused her3. Upon: because of. debated: publicly discussed.
3 Upon the error that you heard debated: 4 But Margaret was in some fault for this,
5. against her will: unintentionally.
6. question: investigation, judicial examination.
6. question: investigation, judicial examination.
5 Although against her will, as it appears 6 In the true course of all the question.
ANTONIO
7. sort: turn out.
7 Well, I am glad that all things sort so well.
BENEDICK
8. faith: i.e., by his pledge to Beatrice.
8 And so am I, being else by faith enforced 9 To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.
LEONATO
10 Well, daughter, and you gentle-women all, 11 Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves, 12 And when I send for you, come hither mask'd. 13 The prince and Claudio promised by this hour14. office: function, role.
14 To visit me. You know your office, brother: 15 You must be father to your brother's daughter 16 And give her to young Claudio.
Exeunt Ladies.
ANTONIO
17. confirm'd: grave, steadfast. —Antonio is promising that nothing in his face will give away the secret that the woman who is to wed Claudio is really Hero.
17 Which I will do with confirm'd countenance.
BENEDICK
18 Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
FRIAR FRANCIS
19 To do what, signior?
BENEDICK
20. To bind me, or undo me, one of them: i.e., to bind me in the knot of marriage, which may be my undoing. —Benedick puns on the other meaning of "undo," which is "unbind."
20 To bind me, or undo me, one of them. 21 Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior, 22 Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.
LEONATO
23 That eye my daughter lent her: 'tis most true.
BENEDICK
24 And I do with an eye of love requite her.
LEONATO
25 The sight whereof I think you had from me, 26 From Claudio and the prince: but what's your will?
BENEDICK
27 Your answer, sir, is enigmatical: 28 But, for my will, my will is your good will 29 May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd 30 In the state of honorable marriage: 31 In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
LEONATO
32. My heart is with your liking: i.e., I thoroughly approve of your desire (to marry Beatrice).
32 My heart is with your liking.
FRIAR FRANCIS
32 And my help. 33 Here comes the prince and Claudio.
Enter Prince [DON PEDRO] and CLAUDIO,
and two or three others.
DON PEDRO
34 Good morrow to this fair assembly.
LEONATO
35 Good morrow, prince; good morrow, Claudio:36. yet: still.
36 We here attend you. Are you yet determined 37 Today to marry with my brother's daughter?
CLAUDIO
38. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope: i.e., I'll stick to my promise, no matter what she looks likes. —"Ethiope" was a term for any black person, and black was considered to be the opposite of fair, beautiful.
38 I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.
LEONATO
39 Call her forth, brother; here's the friar ready.
[Exit Antonio.]
DON PEDRO
40 Good morrow, Benedick. Why, what's the matter, 41 That you have such a February face, 42 So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?
CLAUDIO
43. savage bull: —Another reference to Benedick's claim that the saying, "In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke," does not apply to him, since he will never marry. See 1.1.260-268. 45. Europa: Europe. 46. Europa: a Phoenician princess whom Jove, in the form of a white bull, carried off from her native land through the sea and to the island of Crete.
43 I think he thinks upon the savage bull. 44 Tush, fear not, man; we'll tip thy horns with gold 45 And all Europa shall rejoice at thee, 46 As once Europa did at lusty Jove, 47 When he would play the noble beast in love.
BENEDICK
48. low: cow's moo.
48 Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;
49. leap'd: mounted, impregnated.
49 And some such strange bull leap'd your father's cow, 50 And got a calf in that same noble feat 51 Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.
Enter Brother [ANTONIO], HERO, BEATRICE,
MARGARET, URSULA, [the ladies masked].
CLAUDIO
52. owe you: will repay you later. —Claudio says that later he will answer Benedick's jest about his "bleat" with a jest of his own against Benedick. other reckonings: other accounts (that I must settle first).
52 For this I owe you: here comes other reckonings. 53 Which is the lady I must seize upon?
ANTONIO
54 This same is she, and I do give you her.
CLAUDIO
55 Why, then she's mine. Sweet, let me see your face.
LEONATO
56 No, that you shall not, till you take her hand 57 Before this friar and swear to marry her.
CLAUDIO
58 Give me your hand: before this holy friar,59. like of: care for, like, are willing to take.
59 I am your husband, if you like of me.
HERO [Unmasking.]
60 And when I lived, I was your other wife: 61 And when you loved, you were my other husband.
CLAUDIO
62 Another Hero!
HERO
62 Nothing certainer:63. defiled: disgraced, slandered.
63 One Hero died defiled, but I do live,
64. maid: virgin.
64 And surely as I live, I am a maid.
DON PEDRO
65 The former Hero! Hero that is dead!
LEONATO
66 She died, my lord, but whiles her slander lived.
FRIAR FRANCIS
67. qualify: moderate, calm down.
67 All this amazement can I qualify: 68 When after that the holy rites are ended,
69. largely: fully, in detail.
69 I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death:
70. let wonder seem familiar: accept these amazing events as natural, ordinary matters. 71. to the chapel let us presently: let us immediately go to the chapel (for the wedding).
70 Meantime let wonder seem familiar, 71 And to the chapel let us presently.
BENEDICK
72 Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice?
BEATRICE [Unmasking.]
73 I answer to that name. What is your will?
BENEDICK
74 Do not you love me?
BEATRICE
74 Why, no; no more than reason.
BENEDICK
75 Why, then your uncle and the prince and Claudio 76 Have been deceived; they swore you did.
BEATRICE
77 Do not you love me?
BENEDICK
77 Troth, no; no more than reason.
BEATRICE
78 Why, then my cousin Margaret and Ursula 79 Are much deceived; for they did swear you did.
BENEDICK
80 They swore that you were almost sick for me.
BEATRICE
81 They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.
BENEDICK
82 'Tis no such matter. Then you do not love me?
BEATRICE
83 No, truly, but in friendly recompense.
LEONATO
84 Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.
CLAUDIO
85 And I'll be sworn upon't that he loves her; 86 For here's a paper written in his hand,87. halting: stumbling. —Benedick's verse does not flow smoothly. of his own pure brain: purely his own.
87 A halting sonnet of his own pure brain, 88 Fashion'd to Beatrice.
HERO
88 And here's another 89 Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket, 90 Containing her affection unto Benedick.
BENEDICK
91-92. here's our own hands against our hearts: i.e., here is the testimony, written by our own hands, that our hearts are guilty of love for each other.
91 A miracle! here's our own hands against our 92 hearts. Come, I will have thee; but, by this 93 light, I take thee for pity.
BEATRICE
94 I would not deny you; but, by this good day, 95 I yield upon great persuasion; and partly to 96-97. were in a comsumption: were the victim of a disease that was making you waste away to nothing.
96 save your life, for I was told you were in a 97 consumption.
BENEDICK
98 Peace! I will stop your mouth.
[Kissing her.]
DON PEDRO
99 How dost thou, Benedick, the married man?
BENEDICK
100. college: large company.
100 I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of
101. wit-crackers: jokesters, wiseacres.
101 wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humor.102 Dost thou think I care for a satire or an epigram?
103-104. if a man will be beaten with brains, 'a shall wear nothing handsome about him: i.e., if a man will allow himself to be cowed by witticisms he'll always be schmuck. >>>
103 No: if a man will be beaten with brains, a' shall104 wear nothing handsome about him. In brief,105 since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to106 any purpose that the world can say against it; and107 therefore never flout at me for what I have said108. giddy: fickle, changeable.
108 against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my109 conclusion. For thy part, Claudio, I did think110 to have beaten thee, but in that thou art like to be111 my kinsman, live unbruised and love my cousin.
CLAUDIO
112 I had well hoped thou wouldst have denied Beatrice,113 that I might have cudgelled thee out of thy single114-115. double-dealer: (1) man who breaks his word. —Benedick had vowed to never marry. (2) deceiver, unfaithful husband. out of question: without doubt. 116. narrowly: closely.
114 life, to make thee a double-dealer; which, out of 115 question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look116 exceedingly narrowly to thee.
BENEDICK
117 Come, come, we are friends: let's have a dance ere118 we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts119 and our wives' heels.
LEONATO
120 We'll have dancing afterward.
BENEDICK
121. First, of my word: i.e., I say we dance first!
121 First, of my word; therefore play, music. Prince, 122 thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife:
123. reverend: honorable. 123-124. tipped with horn: Any mention of "horn" in Shakespeare is an allusion to the idea that cuckolds sprouted horns from their heads.
123 there is no staff more reverend than one tipped 124 with horn.
Enter MESSENGER.
Messenger
125 My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight,126 And brought with armed men back to Messina.
BENEDICK
127 Think not on him till tomorrow:128. I'll devise thee brave punishments for him: for your sake, I'll devise suitable and notable punishments for him [Don John].
128 I'll devise thee brave punishments for him.129 Strike up, pipers.
Dance.
[Exeunt.]