| ACT I SCENE II | The sea-coast. | |
| | Enter VIOLA, a Captain, and Sailors | |
| VIOLA | What country, friends, is this? | |
| Captain | This is Illyria, lady. | |
| VIOLA | And what should I do in Illyria? | |
| | My brother he is in Elysium. | 5 |
| | Perchance he is not drown'd: what think you, sailors? | |
| Captain | It is perchance that you yourself were saved. | |
| VIOLA | O my poor brother! and so perchance may he be. | |
| Captain | True, madam: and, to comfort you with chance, | |
| | Assure yourself, after our ship did split, | 10 |
| | When you and those poor number saved with you | |
| | Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother, | |
| | Most provident in peril, bind himself, | |
| | Courage and hope both teaching him the practise, | |
| | To a strong mast that lived upon the sea; | 15 |
| | Where, like Arion on the dolphin's back, | |
| | I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves | |
| | So long as I could see. | |
| VIOLA | For saying so, there's gold: | |
| | Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope, | 20 |
| | Whereto thy speech serves for authority, | |
| | The like of him. Know'st thou this country? | |
| Captain | Ay, madam, well; for I was bred and born | |
| | Not three hours' travel from this very place. | |
| VIOLA | Who governs here? | 25 |
| Captain | A noble duke, in nature as in name. | |
| VIOLA | What is the name? | |
| Captain | Orsino. | |
| VIOLA | Orsino! I have heard my father name him: | |
| | He was a bachelor then. | 30 |
| Captain | And so is now, or was so very late; | |
| | For but a month ago I went from hence, | |
| | And then 'twas fresh in murmur,--as, you know, | |
| | What great ones do the less will prattle of,-- | |
| | That he did seek the love of fair Olivia. | 35 |
| VIOLA | What's she? | |
| Captain | A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count | |
| | That died some twelvemonth since, then leaving her | |
| | In the protection of his son, her brother, | |
| | Who shortly also died: for whose dear love, | 40 |
| | They say, she hath abjured the company | |
| | And sight of men. | |
| VIOLA | O that I served that lady | |
| | And might not be delivered to the world, | |
| | Till I had made mine own occasion mellow, | 45 |
| | What my estate is! | |
| Captain | That were hard to compass; | |
| | Because she will admit no kind of suit, | |
| | No, not the duke's. | |
| VIOLA | There is a fair behavior in thee, captain; | 50 |
| | And though that nature with a beauteous wall | |
| | Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee | |
| | I will believe thou hast a mind that suits | |
| | With this thy fair and outward character. | |
| | I prithee, and I'll pay thee bounteously, | 55 |
| | Conceal me what I am, and be my aid | |
| | For such disguise as haply shall become | |
| | The form of my intent. I'll serve this duke: | |
| | Thou shall present me as an eunuch to him: | |
| | It may be worth thy pains; for I can sing | 60 |
| | And speak to him in many sorts of music | |
| | That will allow me very worth his service. | |
| | What else may hap to time I will commit; | |
| | Only shape thou thy silence to my wit. | |
| Captain | Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be: | 65 |
| | When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see. | |
| VIOLA | I thank thee: lead me on. | |
| | Exeunt | |
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