Twelfth Night Act 2 Scene 1 Lyrics

SCENE I. The sea-coast.

Enter ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN

ANTONIO
Will you stay no longer? Nor will you not that I go with you?

SEBASTIAN
By your patience, no. My stars shine darkly over
me: the malignancy of my fate might perhaps
distemper yours;
therefore I shall crave of you your
leave that I may bear my evils alone: it were a bad
recompense for your love, to lay any of them on you.

ANTONIO
Let me yet know of you whither you are bound.

SEBASTIAN
No, sooth, sir: my determinate voyage is mere
extravagancy. But I perceive in you so excellent a
touch of modesty, that you will not extort from me
what I am willing to keep in; therefore it charges
me in manners the rather to express myself. You
must know of me then, Antonio, my name is Sebastian,
which I called Roderigo. My father was that
Sebastian of Messaline, whom I know you have heard
of. He left behind him myself and a sister, both
born in an hour: if the heavens had been pleased,
would we had so ended!
but you, sir, altered that;
for some hour before you took me from the breach of
the sea was my sister drowned.
ANTONIO
Alas the day!

SEBASTIAN
A lady, sir, though it was said she much resembled
me, was yet of many accounted beautiful: but,
though I could not with such estimable wonder
overfar believe that,
yet thus far I will boldly
publish her;
she bore a mind that envy could not but
call fair. She is drowned already, sir, with salt
water, though I seem to drown her remembrance again
with more.


ANTONIO
Pardon me, sir, your bad entertainment.

SEBASTIAN
O good Antonio, forgive me your trouble.

ANTONIO
If you will not murder me for my love, let me be
Your servant.

SEBASTIAN
If you will not undo what you have done, that is,
kill him whom you have recovered, desire it not.
Fare ye well at once: my bosom is full of kindness,
and I am yet so near the manners of my mother, that
upon the least occasion more mine eyes will tell
tales of me. I am bound to the Count Orsino's court: farewell.

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Genius Annotation

We learn that Sebastian, Viola’s twin brother, has survived the shipwreck but believes his sister is dead. He tells his rescuer, Antonio, that he plans to seek out the court of Duke Orsino. Antonio offers to go with him as his servant, but Sebastian says he doesn’t want to put Antonio to any further trouble.

After Sebastian leaves, Antonio confesses that he “adore[s]” Sebastian and will follow him, even though “I have many enemies in Orsino’s court.”

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Comments