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Act 5, Scene 2 — The same. A room in the Duke’s palace
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Enter Thurio, Proteus and Julia.
THURIO Proteus's lackey, asking about progress with Silvia

Sir Proteus, what says Silvia to my suit?

Sir Proteus, is Silvia responding to my marriage proposal?

So is Silvia warming up to my proposal or what?

is silvia into me

PROTEUS ≋ verse Proteus lying smoothly, betraying both Thurio and Julia

O, sir, I find her milder than she was,

And yet she takes exceptions at your person.

Well, sir, she seems nicer than before, but she still finds problems with everything about you.

She's being warmer, but honestly she's got issues with you.

she's softening but she hates everything about you

THURIO Thurio mishearing, thinking about his physical appearance

What? That my leg is too long?

What? My leg is too long?

My leg's too long?

my leg is too long

PROTEUS Proteus twisting the knife

No, that it is too little.

No, too short.

Too short.

nope too short

THURIO Thurio immediately accepting fashion advice

I’ll wear a boot to make it somewhat rounder.

I'll wear a boot with a thick heel to make my leg look thicker.

I'll get a chunky boot then.

i'll wear a boot make it look thicker

[_Aside_.] But love will not be spurred to what it loathes.
THURIO Thurio still trying to understand what Silvia wants

What says she to my face?

What does she say about my face?

What about my face?

what about my face

PROTEUS Proteus complimenting while scheming

She says it is a fair one.

She says you have a handsome face.

She says you're good-looking.

she says you're handsome

THURIO Thurio contradicting the compliment, honest about himself

Nay, then, the wanton lies; my face is black.

No, she's lying. My face is dark—I'm not handsome at all.

Come on, I'm dark-skinned. I'm not good-looking.

nah i'm not pretty i'm too dark

PROTEUS ≋ verse Proteus inverting the insult into compliment

But pearls are fair; and the old saying is,

“Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies’ eyes.”

But pearls are white and beautiful, and the old saying is that dark men are like pearls to beautiful ladies.

But pearls are valuable and beautiful, and people say dark skin is like pearls to women.

pearls are beautiful and dark men are pearls to beautiful women

[_Aside_.] ’Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies’ eyes,
JULIA Julia as a boy, voicing contempt for Thurio

For I had rather wink than look on them.

I'd rather close my eyes than look at them.

I'd rather not see them.

i don't want to look

THURIO Thurio trying every angle to win Silvia

How likes she my discourse?

How does she like the way I talk?

Does she like how I talk?

does she like my voice

PROTEUS Proteus delivering another insult disguised as advice

Ill, when you talk of war.

Poorly, when you talk about war.

Not great when you talk about war.

not when you talk war

THURIO Thurio misunderstanding, thinking he has a chance

But well when I discourse of love and peace.

But well when I talk about love and peace.

But good when I talk about love and peace?

but good for love and peace talk

[_Aside_.] But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.
THURIO Thurio trying one more attribute

What says she to my valour?

What about my courage?

What about my bravery?

what about my courage

PROTEUS Proteus reassuring him with false hope

O, sir, she makes no doubt of that.

Oh, she's not worried about that.

She's not questioning that.

no doubts there

[_Aside_.] She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.
THURIO Thurio moving to his social status

What says she to my birth?

What does she think of my family background?

What about my family?

what about my family

PROTEUS Proteus giving genuine praise

That you are well derived.

She says you're well-born.

She says your family's good.

she says you're well-born

[_Aside_.] True, from a gentleman to a fool.
THURIO Thurio asking about his wealth

Considers she my possessions?

Does she think about my wealth?

Is she impressed by my money?

what about my wealth

PROTEUS Proteus with a cutting joke

O, ay, and pities them.

Oh yes, and she feels sorry for you.

Yeah, she pities you for it.

yeah she pities you

THURIO Thurio confused by the pity

Wherefore?

Pities me? Why?

She pities my money?

why does she pity me

[_Aside_.] That such an ass should owe them.
PROTEUS Proteus: your wealth is rented, not owned

That they are out by lease.

Because it's only temporary—you're renting it, not owning it.

Because you're renting everything—you don't actually own it.

because you're renting not owning

JULIA Julia spotting the Duke approaching

Here comes the Duke.

The Duke is coming.

Here comes the Duke.

duke's coming

Enter Duke.
DUKE ≋ verse The Duke asking urgently about his daughter

How now, Sir Proteus! How now, Thurio!

Which of you saw Sir Eglamour of late?

How are you both? Has anyone seen Sir Eglamour recently?

Hey you two. Anyone seen Eglamour?

have you seen eglamour

THURIO Thurio denying knowledge

Not I.

I haven't.

Not me.

no

PROTEUS Proteus also denying, lying

Nor I.

Neither have I.

Me neither.

me neither

DUKE The Duke getting to his real question

Saw you my daughter?

Have you seen my daughter?

What about Silvia?

what about your daughter

PROTEUS Proteus lying directly about Silvia

Neither.

Neither.

Nope.

no

DUKE ≋ verse The Duke realizing the truth

Why then, she’s fled unto that peasant Valentine,

And Eglamour is in her company.

’Tis true, for Friar Lawrence met them both

As he in penance wandered through the forest;

Him he knew well, and guessed that it was she,

But, being masked, he was not sure of it.

Besides, she did intend confession

At Patrick’s cell this even, and there she was not.

These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.

Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse,

But mount you presently and meet with me

Upon the rising of the mountain foot

That leads toward Mantua, whither they are fled.

Dispatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me.

Then she's run away to that peasant Valentine. Eglamour is with her. It's true—a friar saw them together.

Then she's gone to Valentine. Eglamour's with her. A friar told me.

she ran away with valentine eglamour too a friar saw them

[_Exit._]
THURIO ≋ verse Thurio angry and moralistic about Silvia's escape

Why, this it is to be a peevish girl

That flies her fortune when it follows her.

I’ll after, more to be revenged on Eglamour

Than for the love of reckless Silvia.

This is what happens when a stubborn girl throws away her luck. She had a good chance with me and she's throwing it away. I'm going after her to get revenge on Eglamour.

This is ridiculous. She had a great guy and she threw it away. I'm gonna catch her and get back at Eglamour.

stupid girl throwing away her chance i'm going after them get revenge on eglamour

[_Exit._]
PROTEUS ≋ verse Proteus claiming he's going for revenge but really for Silvia

And I will follow, more for Silvia’s love

Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her.

And I'll follow too, more because I love Silvia than because I hate Eglamour.

I'm going too—but honestly more for Silvia than to get at Eglamour.

i'm going too for silvia more than revenge on eglamour

[_Exit._]
JULIA ≋ verse Julia as a boy, voicing her real motives

And I will follow, more to cross that love

Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love.

And I'll follow, more to stop that love than because I hate Silvia, though she's gone for love.

I'm going too—to break up whatever's happening between them more than anything else.

i'm going to stop this love thing more than anything

[_Exit._]

The Reckoning

If this happened today…

Continue to 5.3 →