quotes, notes, timelines & more

Home » Quotes » Comedy of Errors » Neither my husband nor the slave returned

Neither my husband nor the slave returned

Adriana
Neither my husband nor the slave returned
That in such haste I sent to seek his master?
Sure, Luciana, it is two o’clock.
Luciana
Perhaps some merchant hath invited him,
And from the mart he’s somewhere gone to dinner.
Good sister, let us dine, and never fret.

So thou, that hast no unkind mate to grieve thee,
With urging helpless patience would relieve me;

A man is master of his liberty;
Time is their master, and when they see time
They’ll go or come. If so, be patient, sister.
Adriana
Why should their liberty than ours be more?
Luciana
Because their business still lies out o’ door.
Adriana
Look when I serve him so, he takes it ill.
Luciana
O, know he is the bridle of your will.
Adriana
There’s none but asses will be bridled so.
Luciana
Why, headstrong liberty is lashed with woe.
There’s nothing situate under heaven’s eye
But hath his bound in earth, in sea, in sky.
The beasts, the fishes, and the wingèd fowls
Are their males’ subjects and at their controls.
Man, more divine, the master of all these,
Lord of the wide world and wild wat’ry seas,
Endued with intellectual sense and souls,
Of more preeminence than fish and fowls,
Are masters to their females, and their lords.
Then let your will attend on their accords.
Adriana
This servitude makes you to keep unwed.
Luciana
Not this, but troubles of the marriage bed.
Adriana
But, were you wedded, you would bear some sway.
Luciana
Ere I learn love, I’ll practice to obey.
Adriana
How if your husband start some otherwhere?
Luciana
Till he come home again, I would forbear.
Adriana
Patience unmoved! No marvel though she pause;
They can be meek that have no other cause.
A wretched soul bruised with adversity
We bid be quiet when we hear it cry,
But were we burdened with like weight of pain,
As much or more we should ourselves complain.
So thou, that hast no unkind mate to grieve thee,
With urging helpless patience would relieve me;
But if thou live to see like right bereft,
This fool-begged patience in thee will be left.
Luciana
Well, I will marry one day, but to try.
Here comes your man. Now is your husband nigh.

Source:
Act 2
Scene 1
Line 1

Source Type:

Spoken by:
,

Themes:
,