Speeches (Lines) for Beatrice
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# | Act, Scene, Line (Click to see in context) |
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1 |
Leonato. A kind overflow of kindness: there are no faces
Beatrice. I pray you, is Signior Mountanto returned from the
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2 |
Messenger. O, he's returned; and as pleasant as ever he was. Beatrice. He set up his bills here in Messina and challenged
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3 |
Messenger. He hath done good service, lady, in these wars. Beatrice. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it:
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Messenger. And a good soldier too, lady. Beatrice. And a good soldier to a lady: but what is he to a lord? |
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Messenger. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all
Beatrice. It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man:
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6 |
Leonato. You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a
Beatrice. Alas! he gets nothing by that. In our last
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Messenger. Is't possible? Beatrice. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as
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Messenger. I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books. Beatrice. No; an he were, I would burn my study. But, I pray
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Messenger. He is most in the company of the right noble Claudio. Beatrice. O Lord, he will hang upon him like a disease: he
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10 |
Messenger. I will hold friends with you, lady. Beatrice. Do, good friend. |
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11 |
Leonato. You will never run mad, niece. Beatrice. No, not till a hot January. |
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12 |
Benedick. If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not
Beatrice. I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior
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13 |
Benedick. What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living? Beatrice. Is it possible disdain should die while she hath
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Benedick. Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I
Beatrice. A dear happiness to women: they would else have
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15 |
Benedick. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some
Beatrice. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such
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16 |
Benedick. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. Beatrice. A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours. |
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17 |
Benedick. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and
Beatrice. You always end with a jade's trick: I know you of old. |
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18 |
Antonio. I saw him not. Beatrice. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can see
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Hero. He is of a very melancholy disposition. Beatrice. He were an excellent man that were made just in the
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20 |
Leonato. Then half Signior Benedick's tongue in Count John's
Beatrice. With a good leg and a good foot, uncle, and money
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21 |
Antonio. In faith, she's too curst. Beatrice. Too curst is more than curst: I shall lessen God's
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Leonato. So, by being too curst, God will send you no horns. Beatrice. Just, if he send me no husband; for the which
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23 |
Leonato. You may light on a husband that hath no beard. Beatrice. What should I do with him? dress him in my apparel
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24 |
Leonato. Well, then, go you into hell? Beatrice. No, but to the gate; and there will the devil meet
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25 |
Antonio. [To HERO] Well, niece, I trust you will be ruled
Beatrice. Yes, faith; it is my cousin's duty to make curtsy
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Leonato. Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband. Beatrice. Not till God make men of some other metal than
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27 |
Leonato. Daughter, remember what I told you: if the prince
Beatrice. The fault will be in the music, cousin, if you be
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28 |
Leonato. Cousin, you apprehend passing shrewdly. Beatrice. I have a good eye, uncle; I can see a church by daylight. |
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29 |
Ursula. Come, come, do you think I do not know you by your
Beatrice. Will you not tell me who told you so? |
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30 |
Benedick. No, you shall pardon me. Beatrice. Nor will you not tell me who you are? |
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31 |
Benedick. Not now. Beatrice. That I was disdainful, and that I had my good wit
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32 |
Benedick. What's he? Beatrice. I am sure you know him well enough. |
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33 |
Benedick. Not I, believe me. Beatrice. Did he never make you laugh? |
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34 |
Benedick. I pray you, what is he? Beatrice. Why, he is the prince's jester: a very dull fool;
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Benedick. When I know the gentleman, I'll tell him what you say. Beatrice. Do, do: he'll but break a comparison or two on me;
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36 |
Benedick. In every good thing. Beatrice. Nay, if they lead to any ill, I will leave them at
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37 |
Don Pedro. Come, lady, come; you have lost the heart of
Beatrice. Indeed, my lord, he lent it me awhile; and I gave
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Don Pedro. You have put him down, lady, you have put him down. Beatrice. So I would not he should do me, my lord, lest I
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39 |
Claudio. Neither, my lord. Beatrice. The count is neither sad, nor sick, nor merry, nor
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40 |
Leonato. Count, take of me my daughter, and with her my
Beatrice. Speak, count, 'tis your cue. |
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41 |
Claudio. Silence is the perfectest herald of joy: I were
Beatrice. Speak, cousin; or, if you cannot, stop his mouth
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42 |
Don Pedro. In faith, lady, you have a merry heart. Beatrice. Yea, my lord; I thank it, poor fool, it keeps on
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Claudio. And so she doth, cousin. Beatrice. Good Lord, for alliance! Thus goes every one to the
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Don Pedro. Lady Beatrice, I will get you one. Beatrice. I would rather have one of your father's getting.
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Don Pedro. Will you have me, lady? Beatrice. No, my lord, unless I might have another for
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46 |
Don Pedro. Your silence most offends me, and to be merry best
Beatrice. No, sure, my lord, my mother cried; but then there
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47 |
Leonato. Niece, will you look to those things I told you of? Beatrice. I cry you mercy, uncle. By your grace's pardon. |
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48 |
(stage directions). [Enter BEATRICE] Beatrice. Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner. |
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Benedick. Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains. Beatrice. I took no more pains for those thanks than you take
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50 |
Benedick. You take pleasure then in the message? Beatrice. Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife's
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51 |
(stage directions). [Exeunt HERO and URSULA] Beatrice. [Coming forward]
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Hero. Good morrow, coz. Beatrice. Good morrow, sweet Hero. |
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Hero. Why how now? do you speak in the sick tune? Beatrice. I am out of all other tune, methinks. |
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54 |
Margaret. Clap's into 'Light o' love;' that goes without a
Beatrice. Ye light o' love, with your heels! then, if your
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Margaret. O illegitimate construction! I scorn that with my heels. Beatrice. 'Tis almost five o'clock, cousin; tis time you were
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Margaret. For a hawk, a horse, or a husband? Beatrice. For the letter that begins them all, H. |
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Margaret. Well, and you be not turned Turk, there's no more
Beatrice. What means the fool, trow? |
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Hero. These gloves the count sent me; they are an
Beatrice. I am stuffed, cousin; I cannot smell. |
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Margaret. A maid, and stuffed! there's goodly catching of cold. Beatrice. O, God help me! God help me! how long have you
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Margaret. Even since you left it. Doth not my wit become me rarely? Beatrice. It is not seen enough, you should wear it in your
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Hero. There thou prickest her with a thistle. Beatrice. Benedictus! why Benedictus? you have some moral in
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Margaret. Moral! no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I
Beatrice. What pace is this that thy tongue keeps? |
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63 |
(stage directions). [HERO swoons] Beatrice. Why, how now, cousin! wherefore sink you down? |
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Benedick. How doth the lady? Beatrice. Dead, I think. Help, uncle!
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Leonato. O Fate! take not away thy heavy hand.
Beatrice. How now, cousin Hero! |
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Benedick. Sir, sir, be patient.
Beatrice. O, on my soul, my cousin is belied! |
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Benedick. Lady, were you her bedfellow last night? Beatrice. No, truly not; although, until last night,
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68 |
Benedick. Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while? Beatrice. Yea, and I will weep a while longer. |
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Benedick. I will not desire that. Beatrice. You have no reason; I do it freely. |
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Benedick. Surely I do believe your fair cousin is wronged. Beatrice. Ah, how much might the man deserve of me that would right her! |
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Benedick. Is there any way to show such friendship? Beatrice. A very even way, but no such friend. |
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Benedick. May a man do it? Beatrice. It is a man's office, but not yours. |
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73 |
Benedick. I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is
Beatrice. As strange as the thing I know not. It were as
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74 |
Benedick. By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me. Beatrice. Do not swear, and eat it. |
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75 |
Benedick. I will swear by it that you love me; and I will make
Beatrice. Will you not eat your word? |
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76 |
Benedick. With no sauce that can be devised to it. I protest
Beatrice. Why, then, God forgive me! |
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77 |
Benedick. What offence, sweet Beatrice? Beatrice. You have stayed me in a happy hour: I was about to
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Benedick. And do it with all thy heart. Beatrice. I love you with so much of my heart that none is
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Benedick. Come, bid me do any thing for thee. Beatrice. Kill Claudio. |
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Benedick. Ha! not for the wide world. Beatrice. You kill me to deny it. Farewell. |
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81 |
Benedick. Tarry, sweet Beatrice. Beatrice. I am gone, though I am here: there is no love in
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Benedick. Beatrice,— Beatrice. In faith, I will go. |
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Benedick. We'll be friends first. Beatrice. You dare easier be friends with me than fight with mine enemy. |
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Benedick. Is Claudio thine enemy? Beatrice. Is he not approved in the height a villain, that
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Benedick. Hear me, Beatrice,— Beatrice. Talk with a man out at a window! A proper saying! |
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Benedick. Nay, but, Beatrice,— Beatrice. Sweet Hero! She is wronged, she is slandered, she is undone. |
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Benedick. Beat— Beatrice. Princes and counties! Surely, a princely testimony,
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Benedick. Tarry, good Beatrice. By this hand, I love thee. Beatrice. Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it. |
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Benedick. Think you in your soul the Count Claudio hath wronged Hero? Beatrice. Yea, as sure as I have a thought or a soul. |
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Benedick. And therefore will come.
Beatrice. Yea, signior, and depart when you bid me. |
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Benedick. O, stay but till then! Beatrice. 'Then' is spoken; fare you well now: and yet, ere
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Benedick. Only foul words; and thereupon I will kiss thee. Beatrice. Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but
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Benedick. Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense,
Beatrice. For them all together; which maintained so politic
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Benedick. Suffer love! a good epithet! I do suffer love
Beatrice. In spite of your heart, I think; alas, poor heart!
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Benedick. Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably. Beatrice. It appears not in this confession: there's not one
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96 |
Benedick. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in
Beatrice. And how long is that, think you? |
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Benedick. Question: why, an hour in clamour and a quarter in
Beatrice. Very ill. |
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Benedick. And how do you? Beatrice. Very ill too. |
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99 |
Ursula. Madam, you must come to your uncle. Yonder's old
Beatrice. Will you go hear this news, signior? |
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100 |
Benedick. Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice? Beatrice. [Unmasking] I answer to that name. What is your will? |
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101 |
Benedick. Do not you love me? Beatrice. Why, no; no more than reason. |
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102 |
Benedick. Why, then your uncle and the prince and Claudio
Beatrice. Do not you love me? |
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103 |
Benedick. Troth, no; no more than reason. Beatrice. Why, then my cousin Margaret and Ursula
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104 |
Benedick. They swore that you were almost sick for me. Beatrice. They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me. |
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105 |
Benedick. 'Tis no such matter. Then you do not love me? Beatrice. No, truly, but in friendly recompense. |
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Benedick. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts.
Beatrice. I would not deny you; but, by this good day, I yield
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