Act IScene 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.Perchance he is not drown’d. What think you, sailors?
Captain
It is perchance that you yourself were sav’d.
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,When you, and those poor number sav’d with you,Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother,Most provident in peril, bind himself,(Courage and hope both teaching him the practice)To a strong mast that liv’d upon the sea;Where, like Arion on the dolphin’s back,I saw him hold acquaintance with the wavesSo long as I could see.
Viola
For saying so, there’s gold!Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope,Whereto thy speech serves for authority,The like of him. Know’st thou this country?
Captain
Ay, madam, well, for I was bred and bornNot three hours’ travel from this very place.
Viola
Who governs here?
Captain
A noble duke, in nature as in name.
Viola
What is his name?
Captain
Orsino.
Viola
Orsino! I have heard my father name him.He was a bachelor then.
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.
Viola
What’s she?
Captain
A virtuous maid, the daughter of a countThat died some twelvemonth since; then leaving herIn the protection of his son, her brother,Who shortly also died; for whose dear loveThey say, she hath abjur’d the companyAnd 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,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 behaviour in thee, Captain;And though that nature with a beauteous wallDoth oft close in pollution, yet of theeI will believe thou hast a mind that suitsWith this thy fair and outward character.I pray thee, and I’ll pay thee bounteously,Conceal me what I am, and be my aidFor such disguise as haply shall becomeThe form of my intent. I’ll serve this duke;Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him.It may be worth thy pains; for I can sing,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;When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see.
Viola
I thank thee. Lead me on.
Exeunt.