Merchant of Syracusa , plead no more ; I am not partial to infringe our laws : The enmity and discord which of late 5 Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke To merchants , our well-dealing countrymen , Who , wanting guilders to redeem their lives , Have seal ’ d his rigorous statutes with their bloods , Excludes all pity from our threatening looks . 10 For , since the mortal and intestine jars ’ Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us , It hath in solemn synods been decreed , Both by the Syracusians and ourselves , To admit no traffic to our adverse towns : 15 Nay , more , If any born at Ephesus be seen At any Syracusian marts and fairs ; Again : if any Syracusian born Come to the bay of Ephesus , he dies , 20 His goods confiscate to the duke ’ s dispose ; Unless a thousand marks be levied , To quit the penalty and to ransom him . Thy substance , valued at the highest rate , Cannot amount unto a hundred marks ; 25 Therefore by law thou art condemn ’ d to die . Æge . Yet this my comfort : when your words are done , My woes end likewise with the evening sun . Well , Syracusian , say , in brief , the cause Why thou departed ’ st from thy native home , 30 And for what cause thou camest to Ephesus . Æge . A heavier task could not have been imposed Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable : Yet , that the world may witness that my end Was wrought by nature , not by vile offence , 35 I ’ ll utter what my sorrow gives me leave . In Syracusa was I born ; and wed Unto a woman , happy but for me , And by me , had not our hap been bad . With her I lived in joy ; our wealth increased 40 By prosperous voyages I often made To Epidamnum ; till my factor ’ s death , And the great care of goods at random left , Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse : From whom my absence was not six months old , 45 Before herself , almost at fainting under The pleasing punishment that women bear , Had made provision for her following me , And soon and safe arrived where I was . There had she not been long but she became 50 A joyful mother of two goodly sons ; And , which was strange , the one so like the other As could not be distinguish ’ d but by names . That very hour , and in the self-same inn , A meaner woman was delivered 55 Of such a burden , male twins , both alike : Those , for their parents were exceeding poor , I bought , and brought up to attend my sons . My wife , not meanly proud of two such boys , Made daily motions for our home return : 60 Unwilling I agreed ; alas ! too soon We came aboard . A league from Epidamnum had we sail ’ d , Before the always-wind-obeying deep Gave any tragic instance of our harm : 65 But longer did we not retain much hope ; For what obscured light the heavens did grant Did but convey unto our fearful minds A doubtful warrant of immediate death ; Which though myself would gladly have embraced , 70 Yet the incessant weepings of my wife , Weeping before for what she saw must come , And piteous plainings of the pretty babes , That mourn ’ d for fashion , ignorant what to fear , Forced me to seek delays for them and me . 75 And this it was , for other means was none : The sailors sought for safety by our boat , And left the ship , then sinking-ripe , to us : My wife , more careful for the latter-born , Had fasten ’ d him unto a small spare mast , 80 Such as seafaring men provide for storms ; To him one of the other twins was bound , Whilst I had been like heedful of the other : The children thus disposed , my wife and I , Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fix ’ d , 85 Fasten ’ d ourselves at either end the mast ; And floating straight , obedient to the stream , Was carried towards Corinth , as we thought . At length the sun , gazing upon the earth , Dispersed those vapours that offended us ; 90 And , by the benefit of his wished light , The seas wax ’ d calm , and we discovered Two ships from far making amain to us , Of Corinth that , of Epidaurus this : But ere they came ,— O , let me say no more ! 95 Gather the sequel by that went before . Nay , forward , old man ; do not break off so ; For we may pity , though not pardon thee . Æge . O , had the gods done so , I had not now Worthily term ’ d them merciless to us ! 100 For , ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues , We were encounter ’ d by a mighty rock ; Which being violently borne upon , Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst ; So that , in this unjust divorce of us , 105 Fortune had left to both of us alike What to delight in , what to sorrow for . Her part , poor soul ! seeming as burdened With lesser weight , but not with lesser woe , Was carried with more speed before the wind ; 110 And in our sight they three were taken up By fishermen of Corinth , as we thought . At length , another ship had seized on us ; And , knowing whom it was their hap to save , Gave healthful welcome to their shipwreck ’ d guests ; 115 And would have reft the fishers of their prey , Had not their bark been very slow of sail ; And therefore homeward did they bend their course . Thus have you heard me sever ’ d from my bliss ; That by misfortunes was my life prolong ’ d , 120 To tell sad stories of my own mishaps . And , for the sake of them thou sorrowest for , Do me the favour to dilate at full What hath befall ’ n of them and thee till now . Æge . My youngest boy , and yet my eldest care , 125 At eighteen years became inquisitive After his brother : and importuned me That his attendant — so his case was like , Reft of his brother , but retain ’ d his name — Might bear him company in the quest of him : 130 Whom whilst I labour ’ d of a love to see , I hazarded the loss of whom I loved . Five summers have I spent in furthest Greece , Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia , And , coasting homeward , came to Ephesus ; 135 Hopeless to find , yet loath to leave unsought Or that , or any place that harbours men . But here must end the story of my life ; And happy were I in my timely death , Could all my travels warrant me they live . 140 Hapless Ægeon , whom the fates have mark ’ d To bear the extremity of dire mishap ! Now , trust me , were it not against our laws , Against my crown , my oath , my dignity , Which princes , would they , may not disannul , 145 My soul should sue as advocate for thee . But , though thou art adjudged to the death , And passed sentence may not be recall ’ d But to our honour ’ s great disparagement , Yet will I favour thee in what I can . 150 Therefore , merchant , I ’ ll limit thee this day To seek thy help by beneficial help : Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus ; Beg thou , or borrow , to make up the sum , And live ; if no , then thou art doom ’ d to die . 155 Gaoler , take him to thy custody . Yet once again proclaim it publicly , 130 If any friend will pay the sum for him , He shall not die ; so much we tender him . She is a virtuous and a reverend lady : It cannot be that she hath done thee wrong . 135 Long since thy husband served me in my wars ; And I to thee engaged a prince ’ s word , When thou didst make him master of thy bed , To do him all the grace and good I could . Go , some of you , knock at the abbey-gate , 165 And bid the lady abbess come to me . I will determine this before I stir . Come , stand by me ; fear nothing . Guard with halberds ! 185 Discover how , and thou shalt find me just . A grievous fault ! Say , woman , didst thou so ? But had he such a chain of thee or no ? Why , what an intricate impeach is this ! I think you all have drunk of Circe ’ s cup . 270 If here you housed him , here he would have been ; If he were mad , he would not plead so coldly : You say he dined at home ; the goldsmith here Denies that saying . Sirrah , what say you ? Saw ’ st thou him enter at the abbey here ? Why , this is strange . Go call the abbess hither . 280 I think you are all mated , or stark mad . Æge . Most mighty Duke , vouchsafe me speak a word : Haply I see a friend will save my life , And pay the sum that may deliver me . Speak freely , Syracusian , what thou wilt . 285 Æge . Is not your name , sir , call ’ d Antipholus ? And is not that your bondman , Dromio ? I tell thee , Syracusian , twenty years 325 Have I been patron to Antipholus , During which time he ne ’ er saw Syracusa : I see thy age and dangers make thee dote . Re-enter Abbess , with ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse and DROMIO of Syracuse . One of these men is Genius to the other ; And so of these . Which is the natural man , And which the spirit ? who deciphers them ? Why , here begins his morning story right : 355 These two Antipholuses , these two so like , And these two Dromios , one in semblance ,— Besides her urging of her wreck at sea ,— These are the parents to these children , Which accidentally are met together . 360 Antipholus , thou camest from Corinth first ? Stay , stand apart ; I know not which is which . It shall not need ; thy father hath his life . With all my heart , I ’ ll gossip at this feast .