Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare

• Publisher: Read & Co. Classics
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781446013465
• eBook ISBN: 9781473370463
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Read & Co. Classics presents this new beautiful edition of William Shakespeare's sharp-witted comedy, "Much Ado About Nothing". Featuring a specially commissioned new biography of William Shakespeare, it is a must for Shakespeare enthusiasts and newcomers alike. On returning from war, Benedick finds himself in combat with the assertive Beatrice. They are tricked into believing they are victims of each other's unrequited love. Meanwhile, Benedick's fellow soldier and companion Claudio is also fooled by the false news that his beloved, Hero, has been unfaithful before their wedding. Thorny exchanges give way to romance and run parallel with the more serious themes of court politics and honour in one of Shakespeare's most popular and well-loved comedies. William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and is celebrated as the world's most famous dramatist.

ACT V.

SCENE I. Before Leonato’s House.

[Enter Leonato and Antonio.]

ANTONIO.
If you go on thus, you will kill yourself
And ’tis not wisdom thus to second grief
Against yourself.

LEONATO.
I pray thee, cease thy counsel,
Which falls into mine ears as profitless
As water in a sieve: give not me counsel;
Nor let no comforter delight mine ear
But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine:
Bring me a father that so lov’d his child,
Whose joy of her is overwhelm’d like mine,
And bid him speak of patience;
Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine,
And let it answer every strain for strain,
As thus for thus and such a grief for such,
In every lineament, branch, shape, and form:
If such a one will smile, and stroke his beard;
Bid sorrow wag, cry ‘hem’ when he should groan,
Patch grief with proverbs; make misfortune drunk
With candle-wasters; bring him yet to me,
And I of him will gather patience.
But there is no such man; for, brother, men
Can counsel and speak comfort to that grief
Which they themselves not feel; but, tasting it,
Their counsel turns to passion, which before
Would give preceptial medicine to rage,
Fetter strong madness in a silken thread,
Charm ache with air and agony with words.
No, no; ’tis all men’s office to speak patience
To those that wring under the load of sorrow,
But no man’s virtue nor sufficiency
To be so moral when he shall endure
The like himself. Therefore give me no counsel:
My griefs cry louder than advertisement.

ANTONIO.
Therein do men from children nothing differ.

LEONATO.
I pray thee peace! I will be flesh and blood;
For there was never yet philosopher
That could endure the toothache patiently,
However they have writ the style of gods
And made a push at chance and sufferance.

ANTONIO.
Yet bend not all the harm upon yourself;
Make those that do offend you suffer too.

LEONATO.
There thou speak’st reason: nay, I will do so.
My soul doth tell me Hero is belied;
And that shall Claudio know; so shall the Prince,
And all of them that thus dishonour her.

ANTONIO.
Here comes the Prince and Claudio hastily.

[Enter Don Pedro and Claudio.]

DON PEDRO.
Good den, good den.

CLAUDIO.
Good day to both of you.

LEONATO.
Hear you, my lords,—

DON PEDRO.
We have some haste, Leonato.

LEONATO.
Some haste, my lord! well, fare you well, my lord:
Are you so hasty now?—well, all is one.

DON PEDRO.
Nay, do not quarrel with us, good old man.

ANTONIO.
If he could right himself with quarrelling,
Some of us would lie low.

CLAUDIO.
Who wrongs him?

LEONATO.
Ma...

Table of contents

• William Shakespeare
• DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
• ACT I.
• ACT II.
• ACT III.
• ACT IV.
• ACT V.
• TO THE MEMORY OF MY BELOVED THE AUTHOR, MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE