Much Ado About Nothing
Act V, Scene 3
Messina. Inside a church.
Done to death by slanderous tongues was the Hero that here lies.
Alexandre Bida, 19th century
- Enter Claudio, Prince Don Pedro, and three or four with
- tapers, including Balthasar.
Claudio
1- Is this the monument of Leonato?
Lord
2- It is, my lord.
Claudio
3 - 11- Reading out of a scroll.
- Epitaph
- “Done to death by slanderous tongues
- Was the Hero that here lies.
- Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,
- Gives her fame which never dies.
- So the life that died with shame
- Lives in death with glorious fame.”
- Hang thou there upon the tomb,
- Hangs up the scroll.
- Praising her when I am dumb.
- Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn hymn.
Balthasar
12 - 21- Song.
- Pardon, goddess of the night,
- Those that slew thy virgin knight,
- For the which, with songs of woe,
- Round about her tomb they go.
- Midnight, assist our moan,
- Help us to sigh and groan,
- Heavily, heavily.
- Graves, yawn and yield your dead,
- Till death be uttered,
- Heavily, heavily.
Claudio
22 - 23- Now, unto thy bones good night!
- Yearly will I do this rite.
Don Pedro
24 - 28- Good morrow, masters, put your torches out.
- The wolves have preyed, and look, the gentle day,
- Before the wheels of Phoebus, round about
- Dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey.
- Thanks to you all, and leave us. Fare you well.
Claudio
29- Good morrow, masters—each his several way.
Don Pedro
30 - 31- Come let us hence, and put on other weeds,
- And then to Leonato’s we will go.
Claudio
32 - 33- And Hymen now with luckier issue speed’s
- Than this for whom we rend’red up this woe.
- Exeunt.
Byam Shaw, 1901