No Fear Shakespeare: The Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act 5, Scene 2

	Original Text	Modern Text
	Enter THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA disguised in page’s attire	THURIO, PROTEUS, and JULIA enter. JULIA is disguised in the clothing of a male servant.
	THURIO Sir Proteus, what says Sylvia to my suit?	THURIO Sir Proteus, what does Sylvia have to say about my declarations of love for her?
	PROTEUS O, sir, I find her milder than she was, And yet she takes exceptions at your person.	PROTEUS Oh, sir, she’s not as cold as she used to be, though she still objects to you.
	THURIO What, that my leg is too long?	THURIO What, because my leg is too long?
5	PROTEUS No, that it is too little.	PROTEUS No, because it’s too skinny.
	THURIO I’ll wear a boot, to make it somewhat rounder.	THURIO I’ll wear a boot with spurs, then, to make it look thicker.
	JULIA [Aside] But love will not be spurred to what it loathes.	JULIA (aside) But love can’t be spurred to like what it hates.
	THURIO What says she to my face?	THURIO What does she have to say about my face?
	PROTEUS She says it is a fair one.	PROTEUS She says it is an attractive one.
10	THURIO Nay, then, the wanton lies; my face is black.	THURIO No, then, she’s lying—my face is ugly.
	PROTEUS But pearls are fair, and the old saying is, Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies’ eyes.	PROTEUS But pearls are beautiful, and the old saying is that ugly men are pearls in beautiful women’s eyes.
	JULIA [Aside] ’Tis true, such pearls as put out ladies’ eyes, For I had rather wink than look on them.	JULIA (aside) It’s true—the kind of pearls that make ladies go blind Meaning cataracts, a condition in which the lens of the eye grows opaque and white, blurring vision and making the eye somewhat resemble a pearl. pearls that make ladies go blind. I’d rather shut my eyes than look at them.
15	THURIO How likes she my discourse?	THURIO How does she like my conversation?
	PROTEUS Ill, when you talk of war.	PROTEUS Not much, when you talk about war.
	THURIO But well when I discourse of love and peace?	THURIO But she likes it when I talk about love and peace?
	JULIA [Aside] But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.	JULIA (aside) But even better when you hold your peace and don’t talk at all.
	THURIO What says she to my valor?	THURIO What does she have to say about my bravery?
20	PROTEUS O, sir, she makes no doubt of that.	PROTEUS Oh, sir, she doesn’t question it at all.
	JULIA [Aside] She needs not, when she knows it cowardice.	JULIA (aside) She doesn’t need to, since she knows he’s a coward.
	THURIO What says she to my birth?	THURIO What does she have to say about my lineage?

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Act 5, Scene 1

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 2

Original Text

Modern Text

pearls that make ladies go blind

Act 5, Scene 1

Act 5, Scene 2, Page 2