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  • Title: Love's Labor's Lost (Quarto 1, 1598)
  • Editor: Timothy Billings

  • Copyright Timothy Billings. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Timothy Billings
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Love's Labor's Lost (Quarto 1, 1598)

    called Loues Labor's lost.

    Bero. My hat to a halfe-pennie, Pompey prooues the best
    2510Worthie.

    Enter Curate for Alexander.
    Curat.
    When in the world I liud, I was the worldes commander:
    By East, West, North, and South, I spred my conquering might:
    2515My Scutchion plaine declares that I am Alisander.
    Boyet. Your Nose saies no, you are not: for it stands too (right.
    Be. Your nose smels no in his most tender smelling knight.
    2520Qu. The conqueror is dismaid: proceed good Alexander.
    Cura.
    When in the worlde I liued, I was the worldes commander.
    Boy. Most true, tis right: you were so Alisander.
    2525Bero. Pompey the great.
    Clow. Your seruant and Costard.
    Bero. Take away the Conqueronr, take away Alisander.
    Clow. O sir, you haue ouerthrowne Alisander the Conque-
    rour: you will be scrapt out of the painted cloth for this.
    2530Your Lion that holdes his Polax sitting on a close stoole,
    will be geuen to Aiax. He wilbe the ninth Worthie: a Con-
    querour, and afeard to speake? Run away for shame Ali-
    sander. There ant shall please you a foolish mylde man, an
    honest man; looke you, and soone dasht. He is a marueylous
    2535good neighbour fayth, and a very good Bowler: but for
    Alisander, alas you see how tis a little oreparted, but there
    are Worthies a comming will speake their minde in some
    other sort. Exit Curat.
    Quee. Stand aside good Pompey.

    2540Enter Pedant for Iudas, and the Boy for Hercules.

    Peda.
    Great Hercules is presented by this Impe,
    Whose Clubb kilde Cerberus that three headed Canus,
    And when he was a babe, a childe, a shrimpe,
    Thus did he strangle Serpents in his Manus,
    2545Quoniam, he seemeth in minoritie,
    Ergo, I come with this Appologie
    .
    Keepe some state in thy exit, and vanish. Exit Boy.
    Peda.
    Iudas I am.
    Dum.