PERSONS REPRESENTED. Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon. Don John, his bastard brother. Claudio, a young lord of Florence, favourite to Don Pedro. Benedick, a young lord of Padua, favourite likewise of Don Pedro. Leonato, governor of Messina. Antonio, his brother. Balthazar, servant to Don Pedro. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. ACT I. SCENE I. Before Leonato's house. Enter Leonato, Hero, Beatrice, and others, with a Messenger. Leonato. I LEARN in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon, comes this night to Messina. Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him. Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action? Mess. But few of any sort*, and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio. Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro: he hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better * Kind. * |