A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 2 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 Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Fabian. ANDREW No, faith, I’ll not stay a jot longer. TOBY Thy reason, dear venom, give thy reason. FABIAN You must needs yield your reason, Sir Andrew. ANDREW Marry, I saw your niece do more favors to the TOBY Did she see thee the while, old boy? Tell me ANDREW As plain as I see you now. FABIAN This was a great argument of love in her toward 10 ANDREW ’Slight, will you make an ass o’ me? FABIAN I will prove it legitimate, sir, upon the oaths of TOBY And they have been grand-jurymen since before 15 FABIAN She did show favor to the youth in your sight ANDREW An ’t be any way, it must be with valor, for 30 TOBY Why, then, build me thy fortunes upon the basis FABIAN There is no way but this, Sir Andrew. ANDREW Will either of you bear me a challenge to him? 40 TOBY Go, write it in a martial hand. Be curst and ANDREW Where shall I find you? 50 TOBY We’ll call thee at the cubiculo. Go. Sir Andrew exits. | Back at Olivia's pad, Sir Andrew Aguecheek tells Fabian and Sir Toby Belch that he's out of there—Olivia's never going to marry him so he should just go home. In fact, Olivia seems to be after Duke Orsino's serving boy, "Cesario." Fabian tells Andrew that Olivia's just pretending to be into "Cesario" because she wants to make him jealous. Toby says Andrew should pick a sword fight with "Cesario" and kick "his" butt if he wants Olivia to respect him. He tells Andrew to write a mean and nasty note to "Cesario" so he can deliver the challenge to the "boy." He tells his pal to make it really mean and scary. |
FABIAN This is a dear manikin to you, Sir Toby. TOBY I have been dear to him, lad, some two thousand FABIAN We shall have a rare letter from him. But you’ll 55 TOBY Never trust me, then. And by all means stir on FABIAN And his opposite, the youth, bears in his visage | Andrew runs off to write the letter and Fabian and Toby laugh at what a chump he is. Toby says he's been using Sir Andrew to fund his partying. Fabian asks Toby if he's really going to deliver the letter and Toby says of course. And Fabian should try to get "Cesario" to answer it, but Toby doubts anything will come of it. Andrew is a wimp and "Cesario" doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body. |
Enter Maria. TOBY Look where the youngest wren of mine comes. 65 MARIA If you desire the spleen, and will laugh yourselves TOBY And cross-gartered? MARIA Most villainously, like a pedant that keeps a TOBY Come, bring us, bring us where he is. They all exit. | Maria enters and tells them to come quick: Malvolio's wearing yellow stockings and smiling like a fool (just like the forged letter instructed him to do). Olivia's going to think he's gone crazy. They run off to watch what happens. |