The Seacoast.
 Enter VIOLA, a CAPTAIN, and SAILORS.

Viola	What country, friends, is this?

Captain	This is Illyria, lady.

Viola	And what should I do in Illyria?
	My brother he is in Elysium.
	Perchance he is not drowned - what think you, sailors?

Captain	It is perchance that you yourself were saved.

Viola	O my poor brother! - and so perchance may he be.

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 practice-
	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	Ay, madam, well, for I was bred and born
	Not three hours' travel from this very place.

Viola	Who governs here?

Captain	A noble duke, in nature as in name.

Viola	What is his name?

Captain	Orsino.

Viola	Orsino! I have heard my father name him.
	He was a bachelor then.

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	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						That were hard to compass,
	Because she will admit no kind of suit,
	No, not the duke's.

Viola	There is a fair behaviour in thee, captain,
	And, though that nature with a beauteous wall
	Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee
	I will believe thou hast a mind that suits
	With this thy fair and outward character.
	I prithee - and I'll pay thee bounteously-
	Conceal me what I am, and be my aid
	For such disguise as haply shall become
	The form of my intent. 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	Be you his eunuch, and your mute I'll be;
	When my tongue blabs, then let mine eyes not see.

Viola	I thank thee. Lead me on.
														[Exeunt.
