Sec. Mer. I dare, and do defy thee for a villain.

[They draw.

Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, the Courtezan, and others.

Adr. Hold, hurt him not, for God's sake! he is mad. Some get within him, take his sword away: Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house. 35

Dro. S. Run, master, run; for God's sake, take a house! This is some priory.—In, or we are spoil'd!

[Exeunt Ant. S. and Dro. S. to the Priory.

Enter the Lady Abbess.

Abb. Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng you hither?

Adr. To fetch my poor distracted husband hence. Let us come in, that we may bind him fast, 40 And bear him home for his recovery.

Ang. I knew he was not in his perfect wits.

Sec. Mer. I am sorry now that I did draw on him.

Abb. How long hath this possession held the man?

Adr. This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, 45 And much different from the man he was; But till this afternoon his passion Ne'er brake into extremity of rage.

Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck of sea? Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye 50 Stray'd his affection in unlawful love? A sin prevailing much in youthful men, Who give their eyes the liberty of gazing. Which of these sorrows is he subject to?

Adr. To none of these, except it be the last; 55 Namely, some love that drew him oft from home.

Abb. You should for that have reprehended him.

Adr. Why, so I did.

Abb. Ay, but not rough enough.

Adr. As roughly as my modesty would let me.

Abb. Haply, in private.

Adr. And in assemblies too. 60

Abb. Ay, but not enough.

Adr. It was the copy of our conference: In bed, he slept not for my urging it; At board, he fed not for my urging it; Alone, it was the subject of my theme; 65 In company I often glanced it; Still did I tell him it was vile and bad.

Abb. And thereof came it that the man was mad:— The venom clamours of a jealous woman, Poisons more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. 70 It seems his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing: And thereof comes it that his head is light. Thou say'st his meat was sauced with thy upbraidings: Unquiet meals make ill digestions; Thereof the raging fire of fever bred; 75 And what's a fever but a fit of madness? Thou say'st his sports were hinder'd by thy brawls: Sweet recreation barr'd, what doth ensue But moody and dull melancholy, Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair; 80 And at her heels a huge infectious troop Of pale distemperatures and foes to life? In food, in sport, and life-preserving rest To be disturb'd, would mad or man or beast: The consequence is, then, thy jealous fits 85 Have scared thy husband from the use of wits.

Luc. She never reprehended him but mildly, When he demean'd himself rough, rude, and wildly. Why bear you these rebukes, and answer not?

Adr. She did betray me to my own reproof. 90 Good people, enter, and lay hold on him.

Abb. No, not a creature enters in my house.

Adr. Then let your servants bring my husband forth.

Abb. Neither: he took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands 95 Till I have brought him to his wits again, Or lose my labour in assaying it.

Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, Diet his sickness, for it is my office, And will have no attorney but myself; 100 And therefore let me have him home with me.

Abb. Be patient; for I will not let him stir Till I have used the approved means I have, With wholesome syrups, drugs and holy prayers, To make of him a formal man again: 105 It is a branch and parcel of mine oath, A charitable duty of my order. Therefore depart, and leave him here with me.

Adr. I will not hence, and leave my husband here: And ill it doth beseem your holiness 110 To separate the husband and the wife.

Abb. Be quiet, and depart: thou shalt not have him. [Exit.

Luc. Complain unto the Duke of this indignity.

Adr. Come, go: I will fall prostrate at his feet, And never rise until my tears and prayers 115 Have won his Grace to come in person hither, And take perforce my husband from the abbess.

Sec. Mer. By this, I think, the dial points at five: Anon, I'm sure, the Duke himself in person Comes this way to the melancholy vale, 120 The place of death and sorry execution, Behind the ditches of the abbey here.

Ang. Upon what cause?

Sec. Mer. To see a reverend Syracusian merchant, Who put unluckily into this bay 125 Against the laws and statutes of this town, Beheaded publicly for his offence.

Ang. See where they come: we will behold his death.

Luc. Kneel to the Duke before he pass the abbey.

Enter DUKE, attended; AEGEON bareheaded; with the Headsman and other Officers.

Duke. Yet once again proclaim it publicly, 130 If any friend will pay the sum for him, He shall not die; so much we tender him.

Adr. Justice, most sacred Duke, against the abbess!

Duke. She is a virtuous and a reverend lady: It cannot be that she hath done thee wrong. 135

Adr. May it please your Grace, Antipholus my husband,— Whom I made lord of me and all I had, At your important letters,—this ill day A most outrageous fit of madness took him; That desperately he hurried through the street,— 140 With him his bondman, all as mad as he,— Doing displeasure to the citizens By rushing in their houses, bearing thence Rings, jewels, any thing his rage did like. Once did I get him bound, and sent him home, 145 Whilst to take order for the wrongs I went, That here and there his fury had committed. Anon, I wot not by what strong escape, He broke from those that had the guard of him; And with his mad attendant and himself, 150 Each one with ireful passion, with drawn swords, Met us again, and, madly bent on us, Chased us away; till, raising of more aid, We came again to bind them. Then they fled Into this abbey, whither we pursued them; 155 And here the abbess shuts the gates on us, And will not suffer us to fetch him out, Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence. Therefore, most gracious Duke, with thy command Let him be brought forth, and borne hence for help. 160

Duke. Long since thy husband served me in my wars; And I to thee engaged a prince's word, When thou didst make him master of thy bed, To do him all the grace and good I could. Go, some of you, knock at the abbey-gate, 165 And bid the lady abbess come to me. I will determine this before I stir.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself! My master and his man are both broke loose, Beaten the maids a-row, and bound the doctor, 170 Whose beard they have singed off with brands of fire; And ever, as it blazed, they threw on him Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair: My master preaches patience to him, and the while His man with scissors nicks him like a fool; 175 And sure, unless you send some present help, Between them they will kill the conjurer.

Adr. Peace, fool! thy master and his man are here; And that is false thou dost report to us.

Serv. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; 180 I have not breathed almost since I did see it. He cries for you, and vows, if he can take you, To scorch your face and to disfigure you. [Cry within. Hark, hark! I hear him, mistress: fly, be gone!

Duke. Come, stand by me; fear nothing. Guard with halberds! 185

Adr. Ay me, it is my husband! Witness you, That he is borne about invisible: Even now we housed him in the abbey here; And now he's there, past thought of human reason.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus and DROMIO of Ephesus.

Ant. E. Justice, most gracious Duke, O, grant me justice! 190 Even for the service that long since I did thee, When I bestrid thee in the wars, and took Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood That then I lost for thee, now grant me justice.

Aege. Unless the fear of death doth make me dote, 195 I see my son Antipholus, and Dromio.

Ant. E. Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there! She whom thou gavest to me to be my wife, That hath abused and dishonour'd me Even in the strength and height of injury: 200 Beyond imagination is the wrong That she this day hath shameless thrown on me.

Duke. Discover how, and thou shalt find me just.

Ant. E. This day, great Duke, she shut the doors upon me, While she with harlots feasted in my house. 205

Duke. A grievous fault! Say, woman, didst thou so?

Adr. No, my good lord: myself, he and my sister To-day did dine together. So befal my soul As this is false he burdens me withal!

Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night, 210 But she tells to your Highness simple truth!

Ang. O perjured woman! They are both forsworn: In this the madman justly chargeth them.

Ant. E. My liege, I am advised what I say; Neither disturbed with the effect of wine, 215 Nor heady-rash, provoked with raging ire, Albeit my wrongs might make one wiser mad. This woman lock'd me out this day from dinner: That goldsmith there, were he not pack'd with her, Could witness it, for he was with me then; 220 Who parted with me to go fetch a chain, Promising to bring it to the Porpentine, Where Balthazar and I did dine together. Our dinner done, and he not coming thither, I went to seek him: in the street I met him, 225 And in his company that gentleman. There did this perjured goldsmith swear me down That I this day of him received the chain, Which, God he knows, I saw not: for the which He did arrest me with an officer. 230 I did obey; and sent my peasant home For certain ducats: he with none return'd. Then fairly I bespoke the officer To go in person with me to my house. By the way we met my wife, her sister, and a rabble more 235 Of vile confederates. Along with them They brought one Pinch, a hungry lean-faced villain, A mere anatomy, a mountebank, A threadbare juggler, and a fortune-teller, A needy, hollow-eyed, sharp-looking wretch, 240 A living-dead man: this pernicious slave, Forsooth, took on him as a conjurer; And, gazing in mine eyes, feeling my pulse, And with no face, as 'twere, outfacing me, Cries out, I was possess'd. Then all together 245 They fell upon me, bound me, bore me thence, And in a dark and dankish vault at home There left me and my man, both bound together; Till, gnawing with my teeth my bonds in sunder, I gain'd my freedom, and immediately 250 Ran hither to your Grace; whom I beseech To give me ample satisfaction For these deep shames and great indignities.

Ang. My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him, That he dined not at home, but was lock'd out. 255

Duke. But had he such a chain of thee or no?

Ang. He had, my lord: and when he ran in here, These people saw the chain about his neck.

Sec. Mer. Besides, I will be sworn these ears of mine Heard you confess you had the chain of him, 260 After you first forswore it on the mart: And thereupon I drew my sword on you; And then you fled into this abbey here, From whence, I think, you are come by miracle.

Ant. E. I never came within these abbey-walls; 265 Nor ever didst thou draw thy sword on me: I never saw the chain, so help me Heaven: And this is false you burden me withal!

Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this! I think you all have drunk of Circe's cup. 270 If here you housed him, here he would have been; If he were mad, he would not plead so coldly: You say he dined at home; the goldsmith here Denies that saying. Sirrah, what say you?

Dro. E. Sir, he dined with her there, at the Porpentine. 275

Cour. He did; and from my finger snatch'd that ring.

Ant. E. 'Tis true, my liege; this ring I had of her.

Duke. Saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here?

Cour. As sure, my liege, as I do see your Grace.

Duke. Why, this is strange. Go call the abbess hither. 280 I think you are all mated, or stark mad.

[Exit one to the Abbess.

Aege. Most mighty Duke, vouchsafe me speak a word: Haply I see a friend will save my life, And pay the sum that may deliver me.

Duke. Speak freely, Syracusian, what thou wilt. 285

Aege. Is not your name, sir, call'd Antipholus? And is not that your bondman, Dromio?

Dro. E. Within this hour I was his bondman, sir, But he, I thank him, gnaw'd in two my cords: Now am I Dromio, and his man unbound. 290

Aege. I am sure you both of you remember me.

Dro. E. Ourselves we do remember, sir, by you; For lately we were bound, as you are now. You are not Pinch's patient, are you, sir?

Aege. Why look you strange on me? you know me well. 295

Ant. E. I never saw you in my life till now.

Aege. O, grief hath changed me since you saw me last, And careful hours with time's deformed hand Have written strange defeatures in my face: But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice? 300

Ant. E. Neither.

Aege. Dromio, nor thou?

Dro. E. No, trust me, sir, nor I.

Aege. I am sure thou dost.

Dro. E. Ay, sir, but I am sure I do not; and whatsoever a man denies, you are now bound to believe him. 305

Aege. Not know my voice! O time's extremity, Hast thou so crack'd and splitted my poor tongue In seven short years, that here my only son Knows not my feeble key of untuned cares? Though now this grained face of mine be hid 310 In sap-consuming winter's drizzled snow, And all the conduits of my blood froze up, Yet hath my night of life some memory, My wasting lamps some fading glimmer left, My dull deaf ears a little use to hear: 315 All these old witnesses—I cannot err— Tell me thou art my son Antipholus.

Ant. E. I never saw my father in my life.

Aege. But seven years since, in Syracusa, boy, Thou know'st we parted: but perhaps, my son, 320 Thou shamest to acknowledge me in misery.

Ant. E. The Duke and all that know me in the city Can witness with me that it is not so: I ne'er saw Syracusa in my life.

Duke. I tell thee, Syracusian, twenty years 325 Have I been patron to Antipholus, During which time he ne'er saw Syracusa: I see thy age and dangers make thee dote.

Re-enter Abbess, with ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse and DROMIO of Syracuse.

Abb. Most mighty Duke, behold a man much wrong'd.

[All gather to see them.

Adr. I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me. 330

Duke. One of these men is Genius to the other; And so of these. Which is the natural man, And which the spirit? who deciphers them?

Dro. S. I, sir, am Dromio: command him away.

Dro. E. I, sir, am Dromio: pray, let me stay. 335

Ant. S. Aegeon art thou not? or else his ghost?

Dro. S. O, my old master! who hath bound him here?

Abb. Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds, And gain a husband by his liberty. Speak, old Aegeon, if thou be'st the man 340 That hadst a wife once call'd Aemilia, That bore thee at a burden two fair sons: O, if thou be'st the same Aegeon, speak, And speak unto the same Aemilia!

Aege. If I dream not, thou art Aemilia: 345 If thou art she, tell me where is that son That floated with thee on the fatal raft?

Abb. By men of Epidamnum he and I And the twin Dromio, all were taken up; But by and by rude fishermen of Corinth 350 By force took Dromio and my son from them, And me they left with those of Epidamnum. What then became of them I cannot tell; I to this fortune that you see me in.

Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right: 355 These two Antipholuses, these two so like, And these two Dromios, one in semblance,— Besides her urging of her wreck at sea,— These are the parents to these children, Which accidentally are met together. 360 Antipholus, thou camest from Corinth first?

Ant. S. No, sir, not I; I came from Syracuse.

Duke. Stay, stand apart; I know not which is which.

Ant. E. I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord,—

Dro. E. And I with him. 365

Ant. E. Brought to this town by that most famous warrior. Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle.

Adr. Which of you two did dine with me to-day?

Ant. S. I, gentle mistress.

Adr. And are not you my husband?

Ant. E. No; I say nay to that. 370

Ant. S. And so do I; yet did she call me so: And this fair gentlewoman, her sister here, Did call me brother. [To Lucia.] What I told you then, I hope I shall have leisure to make good; If this be not a dream I see and hear. 375

Ang. That is the chain, sir, which you had of me.

Ant. S. I think it be, sir; I deny it not.

Ant. E. And you, sir, for this chain arrested me.

Ang. I think I did, sir; I deny it not.

Adr. I sent you money, sir, to be your bail, 380 By Dromio; but I think he brought it not.

Dro. E. No, none by me.

Ant. S. This purse of ducats I received from you, And Dromio my man did bring them me. I see we still did meet each other's man; 385 And I was ta'en for him, and he for me; And thereupon these ERRORS are arose.

Ant. E. These ducats pawn I for my father here.

Duke. It shall not need; thy father hath his life.

Cour. Sir, I must have that diamond from you. 390

Ant. E. There, take it; and much thanks for my good cheer.

Abb. Renowned Duke, vouchsafe to take the pains To go with us into the abbey here, And hear at large discoursed all our fortunes;— And all that are assembled in this place, 395 That by this sympathized one day's error Have suffer'd wrong, go keep us company, And we shall make full satisfaction.— Thirty-three years have I but gone in travail Of you, my sons; and till this present hour 400 My heavy burthen ne'er delivered. The Duke, my husband, and my children both, And you the calendars of their nativity, Go to a gossips' feast, and go with me; After so long grief, such nativity! 405

Duke. With all my heart, I'll gossip at this feast.

[Exeunt all but Ant. S., Ant. E., Dro. S., and Dro. E.

Dro. S. Master, shall I fetch your stuff from ship-board?

Ant. E. Dromio, what stuff of mine hast thou embark'd?

Dro. S. Your goods that lay at host, sir, in the Centaur.

Ant. S. He speaks to me. —I am your master, Dromio: 410 Come, go with us; we'll look to that anon: Embrace thy brother there; rejoice with him.

[Exeunt Ant. S. and Ant. E.

Dro. S. There is a fat friend at your master's house, That kitchen'd me for you to-day at dinner: She now shall be my sister, not my wife. 415

Dro. E. Methinks you are my glass, and not my brother: I see by you I am a sweet-faced youth. Will you walk in to see their gossiping?

Dro. S. Not I, sir; you are my elder.

Dro. E. That's a question: how shall we try it? 420

Dro. S. We'll draw cuts for the senior: till then lead thou first.

Dro. E. Nay, then, thus:— We came into the world like brother and brother; And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another.

[Exeunt.

NOTES: V, 1.

SCENE I. A street ... Priory] Pope. See note (VIII). 3: doth] F1. did F2 F3 F4. 9: Enter ...] Enter Antipholis and Dromio againe. Ff. 12: to me] with me Collier MS. 18: Beside] Ff. Besides Pope. 26: know'st ... thee.] Ff. knowest ... thee. Pope. knowest well ... thee. Hanmer. know'st ... thee, sir. Capell. know'st ... thee swear Grant White conj. 30: mine honesty] F1 F2 F3. my honesty F4. 33: SCENE II. Pope. 33, 36: God's ... God's] F3 F4. God ... God's F1 F2. 38: quiet, people.] Theobald. quiet people. Ff. 45: sour] Rowe. sower Ff. 46: much] F1 F4. much, much F2 F3. 49: of sea] F1. at sea F2 F3 F4. 50: Hath not else his eye] Hath nought else his eye? Anon. conj. 51: his ... in] in ... and Anon. conj. 61: Ay] Ay, ay Hanmer. 66: it] at it Pope. 69: venom] venome F1 F2. venomous F3 F4. venom'd Pope. woman,] woman Pope. 69, 70: clamours ... Poisons] clamours ... Poison Pope. clamour ... Poisons Capell. 72, 75: thereof] therefore Johnson. 74: make] F1. makes F2 F3 F4. 77: by] with Pope. 79: moody] F1. muddy F2 F3 F4.] moody, moping Hanmer. moody sadness Singer conj. melancholy] melancholia Anon. conj. 80: Kinsman] kins-woman Capell. ending line 79 at kins-. A'kin Hanmer. Warburton marks this line as spurious. 81: her] their Malone (Heath conj.). 86: Have] F2 F3 F4. Hath F1. 88: wildly] wild Capell. 89: these] F1 F2. those F3 F4. 112: [Exit.] Theobald. 117: [Exeunt. Enter Merchant and Goldsmith. F2. 121: death] F3 F4. depth F1 F2. sorry] solemn Collier MS. 124: reverend F3 F4. reverent F1 F2. 128: Enter Adriana and Lucia. F2. 130: SCENE III. Pope. attended] Theobald. 132: Enter Adriana. F2. 134: reverend] Ff. 137: Whom] F2 F3 F4. Who F1. 138: important] F1. impoteant F2. impotent F3 F4. all-potent Rowe. letters] F1 F2 F3. letter F4. 148: strong] strange Malone conj. 150: with] here Capell. then Ritson conj. and himself] mad himself Warburton. 158: hence] F1 F2. thence F3 F4. 168: SCENE IV. Pope. Enter a servant.] Capell. Enter a Messenger. Ff. 174: to him] om. Capell. and] om. Hanmer. and the om. Steevens. 176: some] F1 some other F2 F3 F4. 179: to] F1 F3 F4. of F2. 183: scorch] scotch Warburton. 205: While] F1 Whilst F2 F3 F4. 208: To-day] om. Hanmer. So befal] So fall Capell. 212, 213: [To Mer. Capell. 228: of] F1. from F2 F3 F4. 235: By the way] To which he yielded: by the way Capell, making two verses of 235. See note (IX). 235, 236: Pope ends these lines and ... confederates. 236: Along with them] om. Pope. 247: And in] Into Lettsom conj. 248: There] They Collier MS. 249: in sunder] F1. asunder F2 F3 F4. 267, 268: chain, so ... Heaven: And] chain. So ... heaven As Dyce. 281: mad] made F2. [Exit ...] F1 F2. [Enter ... F3 F4. 291: you both] F1. both F2 F3 F4. 298: deformed] deforming Capell. 304: Ay, sir,] Capell. I sir, Ff. I, sir? Pope. Ay, sir? Malone. 304, 305: Printed as verse by Capell: But ... whatsoever A ... him. 307: crack'd and splitted] crack'd my voice, split Collier MS. 309: of untuned cares] untuned of cares Anon. conj. cares] ears Anon. conj. 314: lamps] lamp Pope. 316: All] And all Rowe. old] hold Warburton. witnesses—I cannot err—] witnesses, I cannot erre. Ff. 319: Syracusa, boy] Capell. Syracusa boy Ff. Syracusa bay Rowe. Syracusa's bay Hanmer. 329: SCENE VII. Pope. [All ... them.] [All ... him. Warburton. 332: these. Which] these, which Ff. 355-360: Why ... together] Ff insert this speech after 344. The alteration is due to Capell. 355: his] F1 F2. this F3 F4. the Pope. story right] story's light Capell. 356: Antipholuses, these] Antipholus, these F1. Antipholis, these F2 F3 F4. Antipholis's Hanmer. See note (I). 357: these] F1 F4. those F2 F3. semblance] semblance prove Capell. 358: Besides her urging of her] Both sides emerging from their Hanmer. Besides his urging of his Collier MS. Besides his urging of her Dyce conj. Malone supposes a line, beginning with These, lost after 358. wreck at sea,—] wreck,—all say, Jackson conj. 359: These are] These plainly are Pope. 361: Ff prefix 'Duke.' 372: her sister] F1. om. F2 F3 F4. 373: [To Lucia.] [Aside to Lucia. Staunton conj. 387: are arose] Ff. all arose Rowe. rare arose Staunton. here arose Anon. conj. 394: hear] here Johnson. 398: we shall make] ye shalt have Pope. 399: Thirty-three] Ff. Twenty-five Theobald. Twenty-three Capell. See note (X). but] F1. been F2 F3 F4. om. Hanmer. 400: and till] nor till Theobald. until Malone (Boaden conj.). and at Collier MS. 401: burthen ne'er] Dyce. burthen are F1. burthens are F2 F3 F4. burden not Capell. burden undelivered Collier. burden here Grant White. burden has Anon. conj. (ap. Halliwell). 404: Go ... and go] Hence ... along Lettsom conj. So ... all go Edd. conj. and go] F1 F3 F4. and goe F2. and gaud Warburton. and joy Heath conj. and gout Jackson conj. and see Anon. conj. 405: nativity] Ff. felicity Hanmer. festivity Dyce (Johnson conj.). such nativity!] suits festivity. Anon. conj. 406: [Exeunt ...] [Exeunt omnes. Manet the two Dromio's and two brothers. Ff. 407: SCENE VIII. Pope. fetch] go fetch S. Walker conj. ship-board] shipboard for you Capell conj. 412: [Exeunt ...] [Exit. Ff. 420: we try it?] we trie it. F1 I try it. F2 F3 F4. we try it, brother? Capell. 421: We'll] We will Capell, ending lines 419-421 at question ... draw ... first. senior] Pope. signior F1 F2. signiority F3 F4. 422: [embracing. Rowe.



NOTES.

NOTE I.

In the spelling of the name of 'Solinus' we have followed the first Folio. In the subsequent Folios it was altered, most probably by an accident in F2 to 'Salinus.' The name occurs only once in the copies, and that in the first line of the text. The name which we have given as 'Antipholus' is spelt indifferently thus, and 'Antipholis' in the Folios. It will hardly be doubted that the lines in the rhyming passage, III. 2. 2, 4, where the Folios read 'Antipholus,' are correctly amended by Capell, and prove that 'Antipholus' is the spelling of Shakespeare. Either word is evidently corrupted from 'Antiphilus.' These names are merely arbitrary, but the surnames, 'Erotes' and 'Sereptus,' are most probably errors for 'Errans,' or 'Erraticus' and 'Surreptus,' of which the latter is plainly derived from Plautus' Menaechmus Surreptus, a well-known character in Shakespeare's day: see Brian Melbancke's Philotimus (1582), p. 160: 'Thou art like Menechmus Subreptus his wife ... whose "husband shall not neede to be justice of peace" for she "will have a charter to make her justice of coram."' See Merry Wives, I. 1. 4, 5. In spelling 'Syracusian' instead of 'Syracusan' we follow the practice of the Folios in an indifferent matter. 'Epidamnum' not 'Epidamium' is found in the English translation of the Menaechmi, 1595, so the latter form in F1 is probably a printer's error.

NOTE II.

I. 2. 1. That this scene is laid at the Mart appears from Antipholus's allusion to this place in II. 2. 5, 6:

'I could not speak with Dromio since at first I sent him from the mart.'

As this play is derived from a classical prototype, Capell has supposed no change of scene, but lays the whole action in 'a Publick Place;' evidently with much inconvenience to the Persons.

NOTE III.

II. 1. 30. Johnson's ingenious conjecture may have been suggested to him by a passage in As you like it, IV. 3. 17:

'Her love is not the hare that I do hunt.'

But the received reading of the Folios is perhaps confirmed by a line in the present play, III. 2. 7:

'Or if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth.'

NOTE IV.

II. 1. 108 sqq. The only correction of this passage which we believe to be quite free from doubt is that in line 112, 'Wear' for 'Where.' Accordingly, with this exception, we have retained the precise words of the first Folio.

NOTE V.

IV. 2. 38. Grey's conjecture of 'lanes' for 'lands' is made somewhat more probable by the existence of copies of F1 in which the word appears 'lans.' A corrector would naturally change this rather to 'lands' than to 'lanes,' because of the rhyme.

NOTE VI.

IV. 2. 46. The Folios have 'send him Mistris redemption,' and Rowe, by his punctuation and capital R, made Dromio call Luciana 'Redemption.' Pope and Theobald seem to have followed him, though they give the small r. The Folios cannot be made chargeable with this error, for the comma does not regularly follow vocatives in these editions where we expect it. There is no comma, for instance, following the word 'Mistress' in IV. 3. 75 or in IV. 4. 39.

NOTE VII.

IV. 4. 29. The word 'ears' might probably be better printed ''ears' for 'years;' for a pun—hitherto, however, unnoticed—seems to be indicated by the following words. A very farfetched explanation has been offered by Steevens, and accepted by Delius and, we believe, by all the modern editors, namely, that Antipholus has wrung Dromio's ears so often that they have attained a length like an ass's.

NOTE VIII.

V. 1. 1. Shakespeare uses the words 'Priory' and 'Abbey' as synonymous. Compare V. 1. 37 and V. 1. 122.

NOTE IX.

V. 1. 235. It might possibly be better to print this line as two lines, the first being broken:

'By the way we met My wife....'

But the place is probably corrupt.

NOTE X.

V. 1. 399. The number Thirty-three has been altered by editors to bring the figures into harmony with other periods named in the play. From I. 1. 126, 133 the age of Antipholus has been computed at twenty-three; from I. 1. 126 and V. 1. 308 we derive twenty-five. The Duke says he has been patron to Antipholus for twenty years, V. 1. 325; but three or five seems too small an age to assign for the commencement of this patronage. Antipholus saved the Duke's life in the wars 'long since,' V. 1. 161, 191. His 'long experience' of his wife's 'wisdom' and her 'years' are mentioned, III. 1. 89, 90. But Shakespeare probably did not compute the result of his own figures with any great care or accuracy.

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Sources:

The editors' Preface (e-text 23041) discusses the 17th- and 18th-century editions in detail; the newer (19th-century) editions are simply listed by name. The following editions may appear in the Notes. All inset text is quoted from the Preface.

Folios: F1 1623; F2 (no date given); F3 1663; F4 1685. "The five plays contained in this volume occur in the first Folio in the same order, and ... were there printed for the first time."

Early editions: Rowe 1709 Pope 1715 "Pope was the first to indicate the place of each new scene; as, for instance, Tempest, I. 1. 'On a ship at sea.' He also subdivided the scenes as given by the Folios and Rowe, making a fresh scene whenever a new character entered—an arrangement followed by Hanmer, Warburton, and Johnson. For convenience of reference to these editions, we have always recorded the commencement of Pope's scenes." Theobald 1733 Hanmer ("Oxford edition") 1744 Warburton 1747 Johnson 1765 Capell 1768; also Capell's annotated copy of F2 Steevens 1773 Malone 1790 Reed 1803

Later editions: Singer, Knight, Cornwall, Collier, Phelps, Halliwell, Dyce, Staunton

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Errata

IV. 2. 17 note: ... Anon. [Aonn.] Note IV. ... line 112, 'Wear' for 'Where.' [line 111] Note VI. ... the word 'Mistress' in / IV. 3. 75 ... [IV. 3. 74]

THE END