Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will

This etext was prepared by the PG Shakespeare Team,
a team of about twenty Project Gutenberg volunteers.
by William Shakespeare
ORSINO, Duke of Illyria SEBASTIAN, brother to Viola ANTONIO, a sea captain, friend to Sebastian A SEA CAPTAIN, friend to Viola VALENTINE, gentleman attending on the Duke CURIO, gentleman attending on the Duke SIR TOBY BELCH, uncle to Olivia SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK MALVOLIO, steward to Olivia FABIAN, servant to Olivia FESTE, a clown, servant to Olivia
OLIVIA, a rich countess VIOLA MARIA, Olivia's waiting woman
Lords, Priests, Sailors, Officers, Musicians, and other Attendants
DUKE. If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken and so die. That strain again! It had a dying fall; O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound That breathes upon a bank of violets, Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more; 'T is not so sweet now as it was before. O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou! That, notwithstanding thy capacity Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there, Of what validity and pitch soe'er, But falls into abatement and low price, Even in a minute! so full of shapes is fancy That it alone is high fantastical.
CURIO. Will you go hunt, my lord?
DUKE. What, Curio?
CURIO. The hart.
DUKE. Why, so I do, the noblest that I have. O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, Methought she purg'd the air of pestilence! That instant was I turn'd into a hart; And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, E'er since pursue me.
How now! what news from her?