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The Comedy of Errors: Act IV, Scene 3

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The Comedy of Errors
Act IV, Scene 3

A public place.

The twin Dromios

The twin Dromios

From "A Comedy of Errors", produced by Pacific Repertory Theatre

Smatprt, 2008

  1. Enter Antipholus of Syracuse.

Antipholus of Syracuse

1 - 11
  1. There’s not a man I meet but doth salute me
  2. As if I were their well-acquainted friend,
  3. And every one doth call me by my name:
  4. Some tender money to me, some invite me;
  5. Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;
  6. Some offer me commodities to buy.
  7. Even now a tailor call’d me in his shop,
  8. And show’d me silks that he had bought for me,
  9. And therewithal took measure of my body.
  10. Sure these are but imaginary wiles,
  11. And Lapland sorcerers inhabit here.
  1. Enter Dromio of Syracuse.

Dromio of Syracuse

12 - 13
  1. Master, here’s the gold you sent me for. What, have you got
  2. the picture of old Adam new apparell’d?

Antipholus of Syracuse

14
  1. What gold is this? What Adam dost thou mean?

Dromio of Syracuse

15 - 18
  1. Not that Adam that kept the Paradise, but that Adam that
  2. keeps the prison; he that goes in the calve’s-skin that was
  3. kill’d for the Prodigal; he that came behind you, sir, like
  4. an evil angel, and bid you forsake your liberty.

Antipholus of Syracuse

19
  1. I understand thee not.

Dromio of Syracuse

20 - 25
  1. No? Why, ’tis a plain case: he that went like a base-viol in
  2. a case of leather; the man, sir, that when gentlemen are
  3. tir’d, gives them a sob and ’rests them; he, sir, that takes
  4. pity on decay’d men and gives them suits of durance; he that
  5. sets up his rest to do more exploits with his mace than a
  6. morris-pike.

Antipholus of Syracuse

26
  1. What, thou mean’st an officer?

Dromio of Syracuse

27 - 29
  1. Ay, sir, the sergeant of the band: he that brings any man to
  2. answer it that breaks his band; one that thinks a man always
  3. going to bed and says, “God give you good rest!”

Antipholus of Syracuse

30 - 31
  1. Well, sir, there rest in your foolery. Is there any ships
  2. puts forth tonight? May we be gone?

Dromio of Syracuse

32 - 35
  1. Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since that the bark
  2. Expedition put forth tonight, and then were you hind’red by
  3. the sergeant to tarry for the hoy Delay. Here are the angels
  4. that you sent for to deliver you.

Antipholus of Syracuse

36 - 38
  1. The fellow is distract, and so am I,
  2. And here we wander in illusions:
  3. Some blessed power deliver us from hence!
  1. Enter a Courtezan.

Courtezan

39 - 41
  1. Well met, well met, Master Antipholus.
  2. I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now.
  3. Is that the chain you promis’d me today?

Antipholus of Syracuse

42
  1. Satan, avoid, I charge thee tempt me not.

Dromio of Syracuse

43
  1. Master, is this Mistress Satan?

Antipholus of Syracuse

44
  1. It is the devil.

Dromio of Syracuse

45 - 50
  1. Nay, she is worse, she is the devil’s dam, and here she
  2. comes in the habit of a light wench; and thereof comes that
  3. the wenches say, “God damn me,” that’s as much to say, “God
  4. make me a light wench.” It is written, they appear to men
  5. like angels of light, light is an effect of fire, and fire
  6. will burn: ergo, light wenches will burn. Come not near her.
Angel coins

Here are the angels that you sent for to deliver you.

Angel coins

Front and reverse of an English "angel" coin

1901

Courtezan

51 - 52
  1. Your man and you are marvelous merry, sir.
  2. Will you go with me? We’ll mend our dinner here.

Dromio of Syracuse

53 - 54
  1. Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat, or bespeak a long
  2. spoon.

Antipholus of Syracuse

55
  1. Why, Dromio?

Dromio of Syracuse

56 - 57
  1. Marry, he must have a long spoon that must eat with the
  2. devil.

Antipholus of Syracuse

58 - 60
  1. Avoid then, fiend, what tell’st thou me of supping?
  2. Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress:
  3. I conjure thee to leave me and be gone.

Courtezan

61 - 63
  1. Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner,
  2. Or, for my diamond, the chain you promis’d,
  3. And I’ll be gone, sir, and not trouble you.

Dromio of Syracuse

64 - 69
  1. Some devils ask but the parings of one’s nail,
  2. A rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin,
  3. A nut, a cherry-stone;
  4. But she, more covetous, would have a chain.
  5. Master, be wise, and if you give it her,
  6. The devil will shake her chain, and fright us with it.

Courtezan

70 - 71
  1. I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the chain;
  2. I hope you do not mean to cheat me so?

Antipholus of Syracuse

72
  1. Avaunt, thou witch! Come, Dromio, let us go.

Dromio of Syracuse

73
  1. “Fly pride,” says the peacock: mistress, that you know.
  1. Exit with Antipholus of Syracuse.

Courtezan

74 - 89
  1. Now out of doubt Antipholus is mad,
  2. Else would he never so demean himself.
  3. A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,
  4. And for the same he promis’d me a chain:
  5. Both one and other he denies me now.
  6. The reason that I gather he is mad,
  7. Besides this present instance of his rage,
  8. Is a mad tale he told today at dinner,
  9. Of his own doors being shut against his entrance.
  10. Belike his wife, acquainted with his fits,
  11. On purpose shut the doors against his way.
  12. My way is now to hie home to his house,
  13. And tell his wife that, being lunatic,
  14. He rush’d into my house, and took perforce
  15. My ring away. This course I fittest choose,
  16. For forty ducats is too much to lose.
  1. Exit.
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