DUKE OF MILAN,
           father to Silvia

    VALENTINE,
           one of the two gentlemen

    PROTEUS,
            one of the two gentlemen

    ANTONIO,
           father to Proteus

    THURIO,
           a foolish rival to Valentine

    EGLAMOUR,
           agent for Silvia
               in her escape

    SPEED,
           a clownish servant to Valentine

    LAUNCE,
           the like to Proteus

    PANTHINO,
           servant to Antonio

    HOST,
           where Julia lodges in Milan

    OUTLAWS,
           with Valentine

    JULIA,
           a lady of Verona,
         beloved of Proteus

    SILVIA,
           the Duke's daughter,
         beloved of Valentine

    LUCETTA,
           waiting-woman to Julia

   SERVANTS

   MUSICIANS

   SCENE:

    Verona;
        Milan;
           the frontiers of Mantua
 
  ACT I. SCENE I. Verona. An
       open place

    Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS

    VALENTINE.

    Cease to persuade,
           my loving Proteus:
        Home-keeping youth
              have ever homely wits.

    Were't not affection
          chains thy tender days
               To the sweet glances
                   of thy honour'd love,
           I rather
            would entreat thy company
                  To see the wonders
                       of the world abroad,
         Than,
           living dully sluggardiz'd at home,
         Wear out thy youth
               with shapeless idleness.

    But since thou lov'st,
           love still,
         and thrive therein,
           Even as I would,
         when I to love begin.

    PROTEUS.

    Wilt thou be gone?

    Sweet Valentine,
           adieu!

    Think on thy Proteus,
           when thou haply
            seest Some rare noteworthy
                  object in thy travel.

    Wish me partaker
           in thy happiness
         When thou
            dost meet good hap;
        and in thy danger,
           If ever danger
              do environ thee,
         Commend thy grievance
               to my holy prayers,
           For I
            will be thy headsman,
         Valentine.

    VALENTINE.

    And on a love-book
          pray for my success?

    PROTEUS.

  Upon some book
     I love I'll
          pray for thee.

    VALENTINE.

    That's on
           some shallow story
               of deep love:
     How young Leander cross'd
              the Hellespont.

    PROTEUS.

    That's a deep story
           of a deeper love;
        For he
            was more
                   than over shoes in love.

    VALENTINE.

    'Tis true;
        for you
            are over boots in love,
           And yet you never
              swum the Hellespont.

    PROTEUS.

    Over the boots!

    Nay,
           give me not the boots.

    VALENTINE.

    No,
           I will not,
         for it boots thee not.

    PROTEUS.

    What?

    VALENTINE.

    To be in love-
         where scorn
            is bought with groans,
           Coy looks with heart-sore sighs,
         one fading moment's mirth
               With twenty watchful,
           weary,
         tedious nights;
        If haply won,
           perhaps a hapless gain;
        If lost,
           why then
               a grievous labour won;
        However,
           but a folly
              bought with wit,
         Or else a wit
               by folly vanquished.

    PROTEUS.

    So,
           by your circumstance,
         you call me fool.

    VALENTINE.