Comedy of Errors.docx

Comedy of Errors.docx

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ComedyofErrors

ComedyofErrors:

EntirePlayTheComedyofErrorsbyWilliamShakespeareACTISCENEI.AhallinDUKESOLINUS'Spalace.EnterDUKESOLINUS,AEGEON,Gaoler,Officers,andotherAttendantsAEGEONProceed,Solinus,toprocuremyfallAndbythedoomofdeathendwoesandall.DUKESOLINUSMerchantofSyracuse,pleadnomore;

Iamnotpartialtoinfringeourlaws:

TheenmityanddiscordwhichoflateSprungfromtherancorousoutrageofyourdukeTomerchants,ourwell-dealingcountrymen,WhowantingguilderstoredeemtheirlivesHaveseal'dhisrigorousstatuteswiththeirbloods,Excludesallpityfromourthreateninglooks.

For,sincethemortalandintestinejars'Twixtthyseditiouscountrymenandus,IthathinsolemnsynodsbeendecreedBothbytheSyracusiansandourselves,ToadmitnotraffictoouradversetownsNay,more,IfanybornatEphesusbeseenAtanySyracusianmartsandfairs;

Again:

ifanySyracusianbornCometothebayofEphesus,hedies,Hisgoodsconfiscatetotheduke'sdispose,Unlessathousandmarksbelevied,Toquitthepenaltyandtoransomhim.

Thysubstance,valuedatthehighestrate,Cannotamountuntoahundredmarks;

Thereforebylawthouartcondemnedtodie.AEGEONYetthismycomfort:

whenyourwordsaredone,Mywoesendlikewisewiththeeveningsun.DUKESOLINUSWell,Syracusian,sayinbriefthecauseWhythoudeparted'stfromthynativehomeAndforwhatcausethoucamesttoEphesus.AEGEONAheaviertaskcouldnothavebeenimposedThanItospeakmygriefsunspeakable:

Yet,thattheworldmaywitnessthatmyendWaswroughtbynature,notbyvileoffence,I'llutterwhatmysorrowsgivemeleave.

InSyracusawasIborn,andwedUntoawoman,happybutforme,Andbyme,hadnotourhapbeenbad.

WithherIlivedinjoy;ourwealthincreasedByprosperousvoyagesIoftenmadeToEpidamnum;tillmyfactor'sdeathAndthegreatcareofgoodsatrandomleftDrewmefromkindembracementsofmyspouse:

FromwhommyabsencewasnotsixmonthsoldBeforeherself,almostatfaintingunderThepleasingpunishmentthatwomenbear,HadmadeprovisionforherfollowingmeAndsoonandsafearrivedwhereIwas.

Therehadshenotbeenlong,butshebecameAjoyfulmotheroftwogoodlysons;

And,whichwasstrange,theonesoliketheother,Ascouldnotbedistinguish'dbutbynames.

Thatveryhour,andintheself-sameinn,AmeanerwomanwasdeliveredOfsuchaburden,maletwins,bothalike:

Those,--fortheirparentswereexceedingpoor,--

Iboughtandbroughtuptoattendmysons.

Mywife,notmeanlyproudoftwosuchboys,Madedailymotionsforourhomereturn:

UnwillingIagreed.Alas!

toosoon,Wecameaboard.

AleaguefromEpidamnumhadwesail'd,Beforethealwayswind-obeyingdeepGaveanytragicinstanceofourharm:

Butlongerdidwenotretainmuchhope;

ForwhatobscuredlighttheheavensdidgrantDidbutconveyuntoourfearfulmindsAdoubtfulwarrantofimmediatedeath;

Whichthoughmyselfwouldgladlyhaveembraced,Yettheincessantweepingsofmywife,Weepingbeforeforwhatshesawmustcome,Andpiteousplainingsoftheprettybabes,Thatmourn'dforfashion,ignorantwhattofear,Forcedmetoseekdelaysforthemandme.

Andthisitwas,forothermeanswasnone:

Thesailorssoughtforsafetybyourboat,Andlefttheship,thensinking-ripe,tous:

Mywife,morecarefulforthelatter-born,Hadfasten'dhimuntoasmallsparemast,Suchasseafaringmenprovideforstorms;

Tohimoneoftheothertwinswasbound,WhilstIhadbeenlikeheedfuloftheother:

Thechildrenthusdisposed,mywifeandI,Fixingoureyesonwhomourcarewasfix'd,Fasten'dourselvesateitherendthemast;

Andfloatingstraight,obedienttothestream,WascarriedtowardsCorinth,aswethought.

Atlengththesun,gazingupontheearth,Dispersedthosevapoursthatoffendedus;

Andbythebenefitofhiswishedlight,Theseaswax'dcalm,andwediscoveredTwoshipsfromfarmakingamaintous,OfCorinththat,ofEpidaurusthis:

Buteretheycame,--O,letmesaynomore!

Gatherthesequelbythatwentbefore.DUKESOLINUSNay,forward,oldman;donotbreakoffso;

Forwemaypity,thoughnotpardonthee.AEGEONO,hadthegodsdoneso,IhadnotnowWorthilyterm'dthemmercilesstous!

For,eretheshipscouldmeetbytwicefiveleagues,Wewereencounterdbyamightyrock;

Whichbeingviolentlyborneupon,Ourhelpfulshipwassplittedinthemidst;

Sothat,inthisunjustdivorceofus,FortunehadlefttobothofusalikeWhattodelightin,whattosorrowfor.

Herpart,poorsoul!

seemingasburdenedWithlesserweightbutnotwithlesserwoe,Wascarriedwithmorespeedbeforethewind;

AndinoursighttheythreeweretakenupByfishermenofCorinth,aswethought.

Atlength,anothershiphadseizedonus;

And,knowingwhomitwastheirhaptosave,Gavehealthfulwelcometotheirshipwreck'dguests;

Andwouldhavereftthefishersoftheirprey,Hadnottheirbarkbeenveryslowofsail;

Andthereforehomewarddidtheybendtheircourse.

Thushaveyouheardmesever'dfrommybliss;

Thatbymisfortuneswasmylifeprolong'd,Totellsadstoriesofmyownmishaps.DUKESOLINUSAndforthesakeofthemthousorrowestfor,DomethefavourtodilateatfullWhathathbefall'nofthemandtheetillnow.AEGEONMyyoungestboy,andyetmyeldestcare,AteighteenyearsbecameinquisitiveAfterhisbrother:

andimportunedmeThathisattendant--sohiscasewaslike,Reftofhisbrother,butretain'dhisname--

Mightbearhimcompanyinthequestofhim:

WhomwhilstIlabour'dofalovetosee,IhazardedthelossofwhomIloved.

FivesummershaveIspentinfurthestGreece,RoamingcleanthroughtheboundsofAsia,And,coastinghomeward,cametoEphesus;

Hopelesstofind,yetloathtoleaveunsoughtOrthatoranyplacethatharboursmen.

Butheremustendthestoryofmylife;

AndhappywereIinmytimelydeath,Couldallmytravelswarrantmetheylive.DUKESOLINUSHaplessAEgeon,whomthefateshavemark'dTobeartheextremityofdiremishap!

Now,trustme,wereitnotagainstourlaws,Againstmycrown,myoath,mydignity,Whichprinces,wouldthey,maynotdisannul,Mysoulwouldsueasadvocateforthee.

But,thoughthouartadjudgedtothedeathAndpassedsentencemaynotberecall'dButtoourhonour'sgreatdisparagement,YetIwillfavourtheeinwhatIcan.

Therefore,merchant,I'lllimittheethisdayToseekthylifebybeneficialhelp:

TryallthefriendsthouhastinEphesus;

Begthou,orborrow,tomakeupthesum,Andlive;ifno,thenthouartdoom'dtodie.

Gaoler,takehimtothycustody.GaolerIwill,mylord.AEGEONHopelessandhelplessdothAEgeonwend,Buttoprocrastinatehislifelessend.

ExeuntSCENEII.TheMart.EnterANTIPHOLUSofSyracuse,DROMIOofSyracuse,andFirstMerchantFirstMerchantThereforegiveoutyouareofEpidamnum,Lestthatyourgoodstoosoonbeconfiscate.

ThisverydayaSyracusianmerchantIsapprehendedforarrivalhere;

AndnotbeingabletobuyouthislifeAccordingtothestatuteofthetown,Dieserethewearysunsetinthewest.

ThereisyourmoneythatIhadtokeep.

ANTIPHOLUSOFSYRACUSEGobearittotheCentaur,wherewehost,Andstaythere,Dromio,tillIcometothee.

Withinthishouritwillbedinner-time:

Tillthat,I'llviewthemannersofthetown,Perusethetraders,gazeuponthebuildings,Andthenreturnandsleepwithinmineinn,ForwithlongtravelIamstiffandweary.

Gettheeaway.DROMIOOFSYRACUSEManyamanwouldtakeyouatyourword,Andgoindeed,havingsogoodamean.

ExitANTIPHOLUSOFSYRACUSEAtrustyvillain,sir,thatveryoft,WhenIamdullwithcareandmelancholy,Lightensmyhumourwithhismerryjests.

What,willyouwalkwithmeaboutthetown,Andthengotomyinnanddinewithme?

FirstMerchantIaminvited,sir,tocertainmerchants,OfwhomIhopetomakemuchbenefit;

Icraveyourpardon.Soonatfiveo'clock,Pleaseyou,I'llmeetwithyouuponthemartAndafterwardconsortyoutillbed-time:

Mypresentbusinesscallsmefromyounow.

ANTIPHOLUSOFSYRACUSEFarewelltillthen:

IwillgolosemyselfAndwanderupanddowntoviewthecity.FirstMerchantSir,Icommendyoutoyourowncontent.

ExitANTIPHOLUSOFSYRACUSEHethatcommendsmetomineowncontentCommendsmetothethingIcannotget.

ItotheworldamlikeadropofwaterThatintheoceanseeksanotherdrop,Who,fallingtheretofindhisfellowforth,Unseen,inquisitive,confoundshimself:

SoI,tofindamotherandabrother,Inquestofthem,unhappy,losemyself.

EnterDROMIOofEphesusHerecomesthealmanacofmytruedate.

Whatnow?

howchancethouartreturn'dsosoon?

DROMIOOFEPHESUSReturn'dsosoon!

ratherapproach'dtoolate:

Thecaponburns,thepigfallsfromthespit,Theclockhathstruckentwelveuponthebell;

Mymistressmadeitoneuponmycheek:

Sheissohotbecausethemeatiscold;

Themeatiscoldbecauseyoucomenothome;

Youcomenothomebecauseyouhavenostomach;

Youhavenostomachhavingbrokeyourfast;

Butwethatknowwhat'tistofastandprayArepenitentforyourdefaultto-day.

ANTIPHOLUSOFSYRACUSEStopinyourwind,sir:

tellmethis,Ipray:

WherehaveyouleftthemoneythatIgaveyou?

DROMIOOFEPHESUSO,--sixpence,thatIhado'WednesdaylastTopaythesaddlerformymistress'crupper?

Thesaddlerhadit,sir;Ikeptitnot.

ANTIPHOLUSOFSYRACUSEIamnotinasportivehumournow:

Tellme,anddallynot,whereisthemoney?

Webeingstrangershere,howdarestthoutrustSogreatachargefromthineowncustody?

DROMIOOFEPHESUSIprayyou,air,asyousitatdinner:

Ifrommymistresscometoyouinpost;

IfIreturn,Ishallbepostindeed,Forshewillscoreyourfaultuponmypate.

Methinksyourmaw,likemine,shou