Speeches (Lines) for Antonio
in "Much Ado about Nothing"
Total: 23

1

I,2,305

Leonato. How now, brother! Where is my cousin, your son?
hath he provided this music?

Antonio. He is very busy about it. But, brother, I can tell
you strange news that you yet dreamt not of.

2

I,2,308

Leonato. Are they good?

Antonio. As the event stamps them: but they have a good
cover; they show well outward. The prince and Count
Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached alley in mine
orchard, were thus much overheard by a man of mine:
the prince discovered to Claudio that he loved my
niece your daughter and meant to acknowledge it
this night in a dance: and if he found her
accordant, he meant to take the present time by the
top and instantly break with you of it.

3

I,2,318

Leonato. Hath the fellow any wit that told you this?

Antonio. A good sharp fellow: I will send for him; and
question him yourself.

4

II,1,400

Leonato. Was not Count John here at supper?

Antonio. I saw him not.

5

II,1,416

Leonato. By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a
husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.

Antonio. In faith, she's too curst.

6

II,1,442

Beatrice. No, but to the gate; and there will the devil meet
me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head, and
say 'Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to
heaven; here's no place for you maids:' so deliver
I up my apes, and away to Saint Peter for the
heavens; he shows me where the bachelors sit, and
there live we as merry as the day is long.

Antonio. [To HERO] Well, niece, I trust you will be ruled
by your father.

7

II,1,499

Ursula. I know you well enough; you are Signior Antonio.

Antonio. At a word, I am not.

8

II,1,501

Ursula. I know you by the waggling of your head.

Antonio. To tell you true, I counterfeit him.

9

II,1,505

Ursula. You could never do him so ill-well, unless you were
the very man. Here's his dry hand up and down: you
are he, you are he.

Antonio. At a word, I am not.

10

V,1,2068

(stage directions). [Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO]

Antonio. If you go on thus, you will kill yourself:
And 'tis not wisdom thus to second grief
Against yourself.

11

V,1,2101

Leonato. I pray thee, cease thy counsel,
Which falls into mine ears as profitless
As water in a sieve: give not me counsel;
Nor let no comforter delight mine ear
But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine.
Bring me a father that so loved his child,
Whose joy of her is overwhelm'd like mine,
And bid him speak of patience;
Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine
And let it answer every strain for strain,
As thus for thus and such a grief for such,
In every lineament, branch, shape, and form:
If such a one will smile and stroke his beard,
Bid sorrow wag, cry 'hem!' when he should groan,
Patch grief with proverbs, make misfortune drunk
With candle-wasters; bring him yet to me,
And I of him will gather patience.
But there is no such man: for, brother, men
Can counsel and speak comfort to that grief
Which they themselves not feel; but, tasting it,
Their counsel turns to passion, which before
Would give preceptial medicine to rage,
Fetter strong madness in a silken thread,
Charm ache with air and agony with words:
No, no; 'tis all men's office to speak patience
To those that wring under the load of sorrow,
But no man's virtue nor sufficiency
To be so moral when he shall endure
The like himself. Therefore give me no counsel:
My griefs cry louder than advertisement.

Antonio. Therein do men from children nothing differ.

12

V,1,2107

Leonato. I pray thee, peace. I will be flesh and blood;
For there was never yet philosopher
That could endure the toothache patiently,
However they have writ the style of gods
And made a push at chance and sufferance.

Antonio. Yet bend not all the harm upon yourself;
Make those that do offend you suffer too.

13

V,1,2113

Leonato. There thou speak'st reason: nay, I will do so.
My soul doth tell me Hero is belied;
And that shall Claudio know; so shall the prince
And all of them that thus dishonour her.

Antonio. Here comes the prince and Claudio hastily.

14

V,1,2122

Don Pedro. Nay, do not quarrel with us, good old man.

Antonio. If he could right himself with quarreling,
Some of us would lie low.

15

V,1,2155

Leonato. Canst thou so daff me? Thou hast kill'd my child:
If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man.

Antonio. He shall kill two of us, and men indeed:
But that's no matter; let him kill one first;
Win me and wear me; let him answer me.
Come, follow me, boy; come, sir boy, come, follow me:
Sir boy, I'll whip you from your foining fence;
Nay, as I am a gentleman, I will.

16

V,1,2162

Leonato. Brother,—

Antonio. Content yourself. God knows I loved my niece;
And she is dead, slander'd to death by villains,
That dare as well answer a man indeed
As I dare take a serpent by the tongue:
Boys, apes, braggarts, Jacks, milksops!

17

V,1,2168

Leonato. Brother Antony,—

Antonio. Hold you content. What, man! I know them, yea,
And what they weigh, even to the utmost scruple,—
Scrambling, out-facing, fashion-monging boys,
That lie and cog and flout, deprave and slander,
Go anticly, show outward hideousness,
And speak off half a dozen dangerous words,
How they might hurt their enemies, if they durst;
And this is all.

18

V,1,2177

Leonato. But, brother Antony,—

Antonio. Come, 'tis no matter:
Do not you meddle; let me deal in this.

19

V,1,2186

Leonato. No? Come, brother; away! I will be heard.

Antonio. And shall, or some of us will smart for it.

20

V,1,2403

Leonato. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell.

Antonio. Farewell, my lords: we look for you to-morrow.

21

V,4,2551

Leonato. So are the prince and Claudio, who accused her
Upon the error that you heard debated:
But Margaret was in some fault for this,
Although against her will, as it appears
In the true course of all the question.

Antonio. Well, I am glad that all things sort so well.

22

V,4,2562

Leonato. Well, daughter, and you gentle-women all,
Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves,
And when I send for you, come hither mask'd.
[Exeunt Ladies]
The prince and Claudio promised by this hour
To visit me. You know your office, brother:
You must be father to your brother's daughter
And give her to young Claudio.

Antonio. Which I will do with confirm'd countenance.

23

V,4,2603

Claudio. For this I owe you: here comes other reckonings.
[Re-enter ANTONIO, with the Ladies masked]
Which is the lady I must seize upon?

Antonio. This same is she, and I do give you her.