No Fear Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 2, Scene 3, Page 3
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BALTHASAR
O, good my lord, tax not so bad a voice
To slander music anymore than once.
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BALTHASAR
Oh, my good lord, don’t make me insult music again with
my awful singing.
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DON PEDRO
It is the witness still of excellency
To put a strange face on his own perfection.
I pray thee, sing, and let me woo no more.
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DON PEDRO
You can tell an artist is excellent when he denies his own
perfection. Please, sing for us; don’t make me woo you
anymore!
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BALTHASAR
Because you talk of wooing, I will sing,
Since many a wooer doth commence his suit
To her he thinks not worthy, yet he woos,
Yet will he swear he loves.
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BALTHASAR
Since you put it that way, I’ll sing. You’re
like a suitor who courts a woman insincerely, swearing that he loves
her even though he really doesn’t find her worthy.
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DON PEDRO
Nay, pray thee,
come,
Or, if thou wilt hold longer argument,
Do it in notes.
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DON PEDRO
Come on, please sing. If you’d like to continue this
discussion, at least do so with music.
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BALTHASAR
Note this before my notes:
There’s not a note of mine that’s worth the
noting.
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BALTHASAR
Just know this before I begin: I can’t play a single
note that’s worthy of note.
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DON PEDRO
Why, these are very crotchets that he speaks!
Note notes, forsooth, and nothing.
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DON PEDRO
Listen to him speaking in quarter notes! Get on with your
note-playing now.
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Music plays |
Music plays. |
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BENEDICK
(aside) Now, divine air! Now is his
soul ravished. Is it not
strange that sheeps' guts should hale souls out of
men’s
bodies? Well, a horn for my money, when all’s
done.
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BENEDICK
(to himself) That music must be
divine, because their souls have been captivated. Isn’t
it strange that strings made of sheep’s guts are capable
of drawing men’s souls out of their bodies? Well,
I’d rather listen to a
plain old hunting horn than this music, when all is said and
done.
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