Enter Antonio and Pantino. ANTONIO
Tell me, Pantino, what sad talk was that
Wherewith my brother held you in the cloister? PANTINO
’Twas of his nephew Proteus, your son. ANTONIO
Why, what of him? PANTINO He wondered that your Lordship 5
Would suffer him to spend his youth at home
While other men, of slender reputation,
Put forth their sons to seek preferment out:
Some to the wars to try their fortune there,
Some to discover islands far away, 10
Some to the studious universities.
For any or for all these exercises
He said that Proteus your son was meet,
And did request me to importune you
To let him spend his time no more at home, 15
Which would be great impeachment to his age
In having known no travel in his youth. ANTONIO
Nor need’st thou much importune me to that
Whereon this month I have been hammering.
I have considered well his loss of time 20
And how he cannot be a perfect man,
Not being tried and tutored in the world.
Experience is by industry achieved
And perfected by the swift course of time.
Then tell me whither were I best to send him. 25 PANTINO
I think your Lordship is not ignorant
How his companion, youthful Valentine,
Attends the Emperor in his royal court. ANTONIO I know it well. PANTINO
’Twere good, I think, your Lordship sent him thither. 30
There shall he practice tilts and tournaments,
Hear sweet discourse, converse with noblemen,
And be in eye of every exercise
Worthy his youth and nobleness of birth. ANTONIO
I like thy counsel. Well hast thou advised, 35
And that thou mayst perceive how well I like it,
The execution of it shall make known.
Even with the speediest expedition
I will dispatch him to the Emperor’s court. PANTINO
Tomorrow, may it please you, Don Alphonso, 40
With other gentlemen of good esteem,
Are journeying to salute the Emperor
And to commend their service to his will. ANTONIO
Good company. With them shall Proteus go. Enter Proteus reading. And in good time! Now will we break with him. 45 | Antonio (Proteus's dad) learns that his brother has been talking smack about him for not sending Proteus to travel abroad like all the other noblemen's sons. He chats with his attendant, Pantino, about it and decides that his brother is right. If Proteus doesn't explore the world now while he's young, he'll regret it when he's an old man. Plus, a young man's education isn't complete without a little travel. Valentine, Proteus's BFF, is hanging out at the Emperor's court, and Antonio decides that's where Proteus should be,too. Conveniently, there's a group travelling to the "Emperor's" court tomorrow so Proteus can tag along. Antonio sees Proteus approaching (reading a letter as he walks) and says, "Great timing. Let's tell him the good news." |
PROTEUS, to himself
Sweet love, sweet lines, sweet life!
Here is her hand, the agent of her heart;
Here is her oath for love, her honor’s pawn.
O, that our fathers would applaud our loves
To seal our happiness with their consents. 50
O heavenly Julia! ANTONIO
How now? What letter are you reading there? PROTEUS
May ’t please your Lordship, ’tis a word or two
Of commendations sent from Valentine,
Delivered by a friend that came from him. 55 ANTONIO
Lend me the letter. Let me see what news. PROTEUS
There is no news, my lord, but that he writes
How happily he lives, how well beloved
And daily gracèd by the Emperor,
Wishing me with him, partner of his fortune. 60 ANTONIO
And how stand you affected to his wish? PROTEUS
As one relying on your Lordship’s will,
And not depending on his friendly wish. ANTONIO
My will is something sorted with his wish.
Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed, 65
For what I will, I will, and there an end.
I am resolved that thou shalt spend some time
With Valentinus in the Emperor’s court.
What maintenance he from his friends receives,
Like exhibition thou shalt have from me. 70
Tomorrow be in readiness to go.
Excuse it not, for I am peremptory. PROTEUS
My lord, I cannot be so soon provided.
Please you deliberate a day or two. ANTONIO
Look what thou want’st shall be sent after thee. 75
No more of stay. Tomorrow thou must go.—
Come on, Pantino; you shall be employed
To hasten on his expedition. Antonio and Pantino exit. | Proteus enters, but he doesn't see his dad and Pantino. He's too caught up in his letter from Julia—so caught up in it that he's commenting aloud. Antonio interrupts Proteus slobbering all over the note and says, "Whatcha reading?" Proteus lies and says it's a letter from Valentine. "Oh goodie," says his dad, "let me read it then." Proteus stammers that there's really nothing to read. No news. Nothing to see here. He's just asking me to join him, as usual. Antonio seizes on that and says that he thinks Valentine is right. Proteus should join his buddy. Like immediately. As in, "You're leaving tomorrow, son." Proteus tries to find an excuse to stay in Verona but his dad doesn't bite. |
PROTEUS
Thus have I shunned the fire for fear of burning
And drenched me in the sea, where I am drowned. 80
I feared to show my father Julia’s letter
Lest he should take exceptions to my love,
And with the vantage of mine own excuse
Hath he excepted most against my love.
O, how this spring of love resembleth 85
The uncertain glory of an April day,
Which now shows all the beauty of the sun,
And by and by a cloud takes all away. Enter Pantino. PANTINO
Sir Proteus, your father calls for you.
He is in haste. Therefore, I pray you, go. 90 PROTEUS
Why, this it is: my heart accords thereto.
Aside. And yet a thousand times it answers “no.” They exit. | Darn. Proteus realizes he played that one exactly wrong. In lying about the letter and hiding his love for Julia, he set himself up for those marching orders from his dad. He feels like a big cloud has just blocked the spring sunshine he was enjoying. Meh. |