No Fear Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 1, Scene 1
Original Text | Modern Text | |
Enter LEONATO, Governor of
Messina;HERO, his daughter; and
BEATRICE his niece, with a MESSENGER
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LEONATO, Governor of
Messina;HERO, his daughter; and
BEATRICE, his niece, enter with a
MESSENGER
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LEONATO
I learn in this letter that Don Pedro of Aragon comes this
night to Messina.
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LEONATO
(holding a letter) According to
this letter, Don Pedro of Aragon and his army are coming to Messina
tonight.
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MESSENGER
He is very near by this. He was not three leagues off when
I left him.
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MESSENGER
He must be very near by now. When I left him, he was less than
nine miles from here.
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5 |
LEONATO
How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?
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LEONATO
How many noblemen were killed in the battle you just
fought?
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MESSENGER
But few of any sort, and none of name.
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MESSENGER
Not many, and no one important.
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LEONATO
A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full
numbers. I find here that Don Pedro hath bestowed much
honor on a young Florentine called Claudio.
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LEONATO
A victory in battle is twice as victorious when all the soldiers
return home safely. This letter also says that Don Pedro has given
honors to a young man from Florence named Claudio.
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10 |
MESSENGER
Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by
Don Pedro. He hath borne himself beyond the promise of
his age, doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion. He
hath indeed better bettered expectation than you must
expect of me to tell you how.
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MESSENGER
Claudio deserves to be honored, and Don Pedro has rewarded him
accordingly. Claudio has done more than anyone would expect of a man
his age. He looks like a lamb but fights like a lion. He has so
greatly exceeded all expectations that I can’t even
describe all he’s done.
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15 |
LEONATO
He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of
it.
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LEONATO
He has an uncle here in Messina who will be glad to hear this
news.
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