The Comedy of Errors Read online

  Let him be brought forth, and borne hence for help.162

  DUKE Long since thy husband served me in my wars,

  And I to thee engaged164 a prince's word,

  When thou didst make him master of thy bed,

  To do him all the grace166 and good I could.

  Go some of you, knock at the abbey-gate,

  And bid the lady abbess come to me.

  I will determine this before I stir.169

  Enter a Messenger

  MESSENGER O, mistress, mistress, shift170 and save yourself,

  To Adriana

  My master and his man are both broke loose,

  Beaten the maids a-row172, and bound the doctor,

  Whose beard they have singed off with brands173 of fire,

  And ever as it blazed, they threw on him

  Great pails of puddled mire175 to quench the hair.

  My master preaches patience to him, and the while

  His man with scissors nicks him like a fool177,

  And sure178, unless you send some present help,

  Between them they will kill the conjurer.

  ADRIANA Peace, fool, thy master and his man are here,

  And that is false thou dost report to us.

  MESSENGER Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true,

  I have not breathed almost since I did see it.

  He cries for you, and vows if he can take184 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.187

  ADRIANA Ay me, it is my husband: witness you,

  That he is borne about189 invisible.

  Even now we housed him in the abbey here,

  And now he's there, past thought of human reason.191

  Enter Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS Justice, most gracious duke, O, grant me justice,

  Even for the service that long since I did thee,

  When I bestrid thee194 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.

  EGEON Unless the fear of death doth make me dote197,

  I see my son Antipholus and Dromio.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there:

  She whom thou gav'st to me to be my wife,

  That hath abused and dishonoured me,

  Even in the strength and height of injury.202

  Beyond imagination is the wrong

  That she this day hath shameless thrown on me.

  DUKE Discover205 how, and thou shalt find me just.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS This day, great duke, she shut the doors upon me,

  While she with harlots207 feasted in my house.

  DUKE A grievous fault: say, woman, didst thou so?

  ADRIANA No, my good lord. Myself, he and my sister

  Today did dine together. So befall my soul210,

  As this is false he burdens me withal.

  LUCIANA Ne'er may I look on212 day, nor sleep on night,

  But she tells to your highness simple truth.

  ANGELO O perjured woman! They are both forsworn214,

  In this the madman justly chargeth215 them.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS My liege, I am advised216 what I say,

  Neither disturbed with the effect of wine,

  Nor heady-rash218, provoked with raging ire,

  Albeit my wrongs might make one wiser mad.219

  This woman locked me out this day from dinner;

  That goldsmith there, were he not packed221 with her,

  Could witness222 it, for he was with me then,

  Who parted with me to go fetch a chain,

  Promising to bring it to the Porpentine,

  Where Balthasar and I did dine together.

  Our dinner done, and he not coming thither,

  I went to seek him. In the street I met him,

  And in his company that gentleman

  Indicates Second Merchant

  There did this perjured goldsmith swear me down229

  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.

  I did obey, and sent my peasant233 home

  For certain234 ducats: he with none returned.

  Then fairly I bespoke235 the officer

  To go in person with me to my house.

  By th'way we met my wife, her sister, and a rabble more237

  Of vile confederates. Along with them

  They brought one Pinch, a hungry239 lean-faced villain,

  A mere anatomy, a mountebank240,

  A threadbare juggler241 and a fortune-teller,

  A needy, hollow-eyed, sharp-looking242 wretch,

  A living dead man. This pernicious243 slave,

  Forsooth, took on him as a conjurer244,

  And gazing in mine eyes, feeling my pulse,

  And with no face, as 'twere, outfacing me246,

  Cries out, I was possessed. Then all together

  They fell upon me, bound me, bore me thence,

  And in a dark and dankish vault249 at home

  There left me and my man, both bound together,

  Till gnawing with my teeth my bonds in sunder251,

  I gained my freedom, and immediately

  Ran hither to your grace, whom I beseech

  To give me ample satisfaction

  For these deep shames and great indignities.

  ANGELO My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him,

  That he dined not at home, but was locked out.

  DUKE But had he such a chain of thee, or no?

  ANGELO He had, my lord: and when he ran in here,

  These people saw the chain about his neck.

  SECOND MERCHANT Besides, I will be sworn these ears of mine

  To Antipholus

  Heard you confess you had the chain of him,

  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.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS I never came within these abbey walls,

  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 impeach271 is this?

  I think you all have drunk of Circe's cup.272

  If here you housed him, here he would have been.

  If he were mad, he would not plead so coldly.274

  You say he dined at home, the goldsmith here

  To Adriana

  Denies that saying.-- Sirrah, what say you?

  To Dromio

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS Sir, he dined with her there, at the Porpentine.

  COURTESAN He did, and from my finger snatched that ring.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS 'Tis true, my liege, this ring I had of her.

  DUKE Saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here?

  COURTESAN As sure, my liege, as I do see your grace.

  DUKE Why, this is strange. Go call the abbess hither.

  I think you are all mated283, or stark mad.

  Exit one to the Abbess

  EGEON Most mighty duke, vouchsafe284 me speak a word:

  Haply285 I see a friend will save my life,

  And pay the sum that may deliver me.

  DUKE Speak freely, Syracusan, what thou wilt.

  EGEON Is not your name, sir, called Antipholus?

  And is not that your bondman289, Dromio?

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS Within this hour I was his bondman sir,

  But he, I thank him, gnawed in two my cords,

  Now am I Dromio, and his man unbound.

  EGEON I am sure you both of
you remember me.

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS Ourselves we do remember, sir, by you294,

  For lately we were bound as you are now.

  You are not Pinch's patient, are you, sir?

  EGEON Why look you strange297 on me? You know me well.

  ANTIPHOLUS I never saw you in my life till now.

  EGEON O, grief hath changed me since you saw me last,

  And careful hours with time's deformed300 hand

  Have written strange defeatures301 in my face.

  But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice?

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS Neither.303

  EGEON Dromio, nor thou?

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS No, trust me, sir, nor I.

  EGEON I am sure thou dost.

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS Ay, sir, but I am sure I do not, and whatsoever

  a man denies, you are now bound308 to believe him.

  EGEON Not know my voice? O time's extremity,

  Hast thou so cracked and splitted my poor tongue310

  In seven short years311 that here my only son

  Knows not my feeble key of untuned cares?312

  Though now this grained313 face of mine be hid

  In sap-consuming winter's drizzled snow314,

  And all the conduits315 of my blood froze up,

  Yet hath my night of life316 some memory,

  My wasting lamps317 some fading glimmer left,

  My dull deaf ears a little use to hear:

  All these old witnesses -- I cannot err --

  Tell me thou art my son Antipholus.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS I never saw my father in my life.

  EGEON But322 seven years since, in Syracusa, boy,

  Thou know'st we parted, but perhaps, my son,

  Thou sham'st to acknowledge me in misery.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS 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, Syracusan, twenty years

  Have I been patron to Antipholus,

  During which time he ne'er saw Syracusa:

  I see thy age and dangers make thee dote.

  Enter the Abbess [Emilia], with Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse

  EMILIA Most mighty duke, behold a man much wronged.

  All gather to see them

  ADRIANA I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me.

  DUKE One of these men is genius334 to the other:

  And so of these, which is the natural man,

  And which the spirit? Who deciphers336 them?

  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE I, sir, am Dromio, command him away.

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS I, sir, am Dromio, pray let me stay.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE Egeon art thou not? Or else his ghost.

  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE O, my old master, who hath bound him here?

  EMILIA Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds,

  And gain a husband by his liberty.

  Speak, old Egeon, if thou be'st the man

  That hadst a wife once called Emilia,

  That bore thee at a burden345 two fair sons?

  O, if thou be'st the same Egeon, speak,

  And speak unto the same Emilia.

  DUKE Why, here begins his morning story right348:

  These two Antipholuses, these two so like,

  And these two Dromios, one in semblance350 --

  Besides her urging of351 her wreck at sea --

  These are the parents to these children,

  Which accidentally are met together.

  EGEON If I dream not, thou art Emilia.

  If thou art she, tell me where is that son

  That floated with thee on the fatal raft?

  EMILIA By men of Epidamium, he and I

  And the twin Dromio, all were taken up;

  But by and by, rude359 fishermen of Corinth

  By force took Dromio and my son from them,

  And me they left with those of Epidamium.

  What then became of them, I cannot tell,

  I to this fortune that you see me in.

  DUKE Antipholus, thou cam'st from Corinth first.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE No, sir, not I, I came from Syracuse.

  DUKE Stay366, stand apart, I know not which is which.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord.

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS And I with him.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS Brought to this town by that most famous warrior,

  Duke Menaphon370, your most renowned uncle.

  ADRIANA Which of you two did dine with me today?

  ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE I, gentle mistress.

  ADRIANA And are not you my husband?

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS No, I say nay to that.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE And so do I, yet did she call me so.

  And this fair gentlewoman, her sister here,

  Did call me brother.-- What I told you then,

  To Luciana

  I hope I shall have leisure378 to make good,

  If this be not a dream I see and hear.

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

  Points to chain

  ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE I think it be, sir, I deny it not.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS And you, sir, for this chain arrested me.

  To Angelo

  ANGELO I think I did, sir, I deny it not.

  ADRIANA I sent you money, sir, to be your bail

  To Antipholus of Ephesus

  By Dromio, but I think he brought it not.

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS No, none by me.

  Shows purse

  ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE This purse of ducats I received from you,

  To Adriana

  And Dromio, my man, did bring them me.

  I see we still389 did meet each other's man,

  And I was ta'en for him, and he for me,

  And thereupon these errors are arose.391

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS These ducats pawn I for my father here.

  Offers money

  DUKE It shall not need, thy father hath his life.

  COURTESAN Sir, I must have that diamond from you.

  To Antipholus of Ephesus

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS There, take it, and much thanks for my good cheer.395

  Gives ring

  EMILIA 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,

  That by this sympathized400 one day's error

  Have suffered wrong, go, keep us company,

  And we shall make full satisfaction.402

  Thirty-three years have I but gone in travail403

  Of you, my sons, and till this present hour

  My heavy burden ne'er delivered.

  The duke, my husband, and my children both,

  And you the calendars of their nativity407,

  Go to a gossips' feast, and joy408 with me,

  After so long grief, such festivity.

  DUKE With all my heart, I'll gossip at410 this feast.

  Exeunt all. The two Dromios and two brothers [Antipholus] remain

  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE Master, shall I fetch your stuff from shipboard?

  To Antipholus of Ephesus

  ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS Dromio, what stuff of mine hast thou embarked?412

  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE Your goods that lay at host413, sir, in the Centaur.

  ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE He speaks to me, I am your master, Dromio.

  Come, go with us, we'll look to that anon.

  Embrace thy brother there, rejoice with him.

  Exeunt [Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus]

  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE There is a fat friend417 at your master's house,

  That kitchened me418 for you today at dinner.

  She now shall be my sister419, not my wife.

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS Methinks you
are my glass420, and not my brother:

  I see by you, I am a sweet-faced youth.

  Will you walk in to see their gossiping?

  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE Not I, sir, you are my elder.

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS That's a question, how shall we try it?

  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE We'll draw cuts425 for the senior, till then, lead thou first.

  DROMIO OF EPHESUS 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

  TEXTUAL NOTES

  F = First Folio text of 1623, the only authority for the play

  F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632

  Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor

  SD = stage direction

  SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker's name)

  List of Parts = Ed

  1.1.1 SH EGEON = Ed. F = Marchant, Mer. or Father throughout speech headings 42 the = Ed. F = he 54 poor mean = F2. F = meane

  101 up upon = F2. F = vp 115 bark= F2. F = backe 122 thee = F2. F = they 126 for = F2. F = so 150 health = Ed. F = helpe

  1.2.4 arrival = F2. F = a riuall 15 travel spelled travaile in F (used for both travel and travail) 37 falling = F. Ed. = failing 66 clock = Ed. F = cooke 93 God's = Ed. F = God 96 o'er-raught = Ed. F = ore-wrought

  2.1.12 ill = F2. F = thus 62 thousand = F2. F = hundred 65 come home = Ed. F = come 113 Wear = Ed. F = Where

  2.2.12 didst = F2. F = did didst 85 men = Ed. F = them 97 tiring = Ed. F = trying 174 stronger = Ed. F = stranger 185 offered = Ed. F = free'd

  3.1.81 you = F2. F = your 95, 97 her = Ed. F = your

  3.2.0 SD Luciana = Ed. F Iuliana SH LUCIANA = Ed. F = Iulia 4 building = Ed. F = buildings ruinous = Ed. F = ruinate 16 attaint = Ed. F = attaine 21 but = Ed. F = not 26 wife = F2. F = wise 46 sister's = F2. F = sister 49 bed = F2. F = bud them = Ed. F = thee 57 where = Ed. F = when 112 and = Ed. F = is 127 hair = F2. F = heire

  4.1.7 SH ANGELO = Ed. F = Gold. (throughout) 17 her = Ed. F = their 28 carat spelled charect in F

  4.2.6 Of = F2. F = Oh 37 One spelled On in F 51 That = F2. F = Thus 66 a = Ed. F = I

  4.3.33 ship = F2. F = ships 55 you do = F2. F = do

  4.4.142 SD their rapiers = Ed. F = his Rapier

  5.1.36 God's = Ed. F = God 123 death = Ed. F = depth 405 ne'er = Ed. F = are 408 joy = Ed. F = go 409 festivity = Ed. F = Natiuity

  SCENE-BY-SCENE ANALYSIS

  ACT 1 SCENE 1

  Lines 1-30: The play opens as Egeon is sentenced to death, the penalty for any Syracusan found in Ephesus. The tension between the two places introduces the presence of opposites and doubles in the play, of both theme and character. The Duke of Ephesus explains that payment of "a thousand marks" would ensure Egeon's freedom, drawing attention to the play's mercantile background and the theme of value/worth, often linked to human life. Egeon's confiscated goods are worth only a hundred, however, and so he must die. He says that at least his "woes" will end with his death and the duke questions why he came to Ephesus.

  Lines 31-138: Egeon explains that he was born, brought up, and married in Syracuse but often traveled on business to Epidamium, leaving his wife behind. He had been away for almost six months when his pregnant wife arrived and shortly afterward gave birth to twin sons, "the one so like the other, / As could not be distinguished but by names." He describes their mother's joy at their birth, and then tells of another woman who gave birth "That very hour, and in the self-same inn" to another set of identical twins. Being poor, however, their mother found them "a burden," so Egeon "bought" the poor woman's sons to be brought up as servants to his own twins, and the family prepared to return to Syracuse.