Viola What country, friends, is this?
Captain
Captain. This is Illyria, lady.
Captain The sea captain who rescues Viola and keeps her secret. Comedy · Twelfth Night
Captain's lines in Twelfth Night
memorizeshakespeare.com/plays/twelfth-night/character/captain/lines
Viola And what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium. Perchance he is not drown'd: what think you, sailors?
Captain
Captain. It is perchance that you yourself were saved.
Viola O my poor brother! and so perchance may he be.
Captain
Captain. True, madam: and, to comfort you with chance, Assure yourself, after our ship did split, When you and those poor number saved with you Hung on our driving boat, I saw your brother, Most provident in peril, bind himself, Courage and hope both teaching him the practise, To a strong mast that lived upon the sea; Where, like Arion on the dolphin's back, I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves So long as I could see.
Viola For saying so, there's gold: Mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope, Whereto thy speech serves for authority, The like of him. Know'st thou this country?
Captain
Captain. Ay, madam, well; for I was bred and born Not three hours' travel from this very place.
Viola Who governs here?
Captain
Captain. A noble duke, in nature as in name.
Viola What is the name?
Captain
Captain. Orsino.
Viola Orsino! I have heard my father name him: He was a bachelor then.
Captain
Captain. And so is now, or was so very late; For but a month ago I went from hence, And then 'twas fresh in murmur,--as, you know, What great ones do the less will prattle of,-- That he did seek the love of fair Olivia.
Viola What's she?
Captain
Captain. A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count That died some twelvemonth since, then leaving her In the protection of his son, her brother, Who shortly also died: for whose dear love, They say, she hath abjured the company And sight of men.
Viola O that I served that lady And might not be delivered to the world, Till I had made mine own occasion mellow, What my estate is!
Captain
Captain. That were hard to compass; Because she will admit no kind of suit, No, not the duke's.
Viola I'll serve this duke: Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him: It may be worth thy pains; for I can sing And speak to him in many sorts of music That will allow me very worth his service. What else may hap to time I will commit; Only shape thou thy silence to my wit.
Captain
Captain. Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be: When my tongue blabs, let mine eyes not see.