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Home » Quotes » Much Ado About Nothing » I do love nothing in the world so well as you

I do love nothing in the world so well as you

Benedick
I do love nothing in the world so well as you.
Is not that strange?
Beatrice
As strange as the thing I know not. It were as
possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you,
but believe me not, and yet I lie not; I confess
nothing, nor I deny nothing. I am sorry for my cousin.

But manhood is melted into curtsies, valor into
compliment, and men are only turned into tongue,
and trim ones, too

Benedick
By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me!
Beatrice
Do not swear and eat it.
Benedick
I will swear by it that you love me, and I will
make him eat it that says I love not you.
Beatrice
Will you not eat your word?
Benedick
With no sauce that can be devised to it. I
protest I love thee.
Beatrice
Why then, God forgive me.
Benedick
What offense, sweet Beatrice?
Beatrice
You have stayed me in a happy hour. I was
about to protest I loved you.
Benedick
And do it with all thy heart.
Beatrice
I love you with so much of my heart that
none is left to protest.
Benedick
Come, bid me do anything for thee.
Beatrice
Kill Claudio!
Benedick
Ha! Not for the wide world.
Beatrice
You kill me to deny it. Farewell.
 She begins to exit.
Benedick
Tarry, sweet Beatrice.
Beatrice
I am gone, though I am here. There is no
love in you. Nay, I pray you let me go.
Benedick
Beatrice—
Beatrice
In faith, I will go.
Benedick
We'll be friends first.
Beatrice
You dare easier be friends with me than
fight with mine enemy
Benedick
Claudio thine enemy?
Beatrice
Is ‘a not approv'd in the height a villain
that hath slander'd, scorn'd, dishonor'd my kinswomanAlliteration?
O that I were a man! What, bear her in
hand until they come to take hands, and then,
with public accusation, uncover'd slander, unmitigated
rancor—O God, that I were a man! I would eat his
heart in the market-place.
Benedick
Hear me, Beatrice—
Beatrice
Talk with a man out at a window! A proper saying!
Benedick
Nay, but, Beatrice—
Beatrice
Sweet Hero, she is wrong'd, she is sland'red,
she is undoneAnaphora
.
Benedick
Beat—
Beatrice
Princes and counties! Surely a princely testimony,
a goodly count, Count Comfect, a sweet
gallant surely! O that I were a man for his sake! Or
that I had any friend would be a man for my sake!Alliosis and Epistrophe

But manhood is melted into cur'sies, valor into
compliment, and men are only turn'd into tongueIsocolon and Ellipsis
,
and trim ones too. He is now as valiant as Hercules
that only tells a lie, and swears it. I cannot be a man
with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.
Benedick
Tarry, good Beatrice. By this hand, I love thee.
Beatrice
Use it for my love some other way than
swearing by it.
Benedick
Think you in your soul the Count Claudio
hath wrong'd Hero?
Beatrice
Yea, as sure as I have a thought or a soul.
Benedick
Enough, I am engaged. I will challenge him.
I will kiss your hand, and so I leave you. By
this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account.
As you hear of me, so think of me. Go comfort your
cousin. I must say she is dead, and so farewell.
  They exit.

Source:
Act 4
Scene 1
Line 281

Source Type:

Spoken by:
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Themes:
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Figures of Speech:
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Connected Notes:
Appearance and Deception