finished_summaries/shmoop/The Comedy of Errors/section_8_part_0.txt
The Comedy of Errors.act iv.scene iii
act iv, scene iii
{"name": "Act IV, Scene iii", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20201219160210/https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/comedy-of-errors/summary/act-iv-scene-iii", "summary": "S. Antipholus is still at the marketplace, waiting for S. Dromio to come tell him about whether any ships are leaving. S. Antipholus wonders at his good luck; it seems everyone in the whole city knows him and is kind to him, though he has no idea who they are. He's convinced the place is overrun with sorcery, and his mind is being played with. S. Dromio then arrives with the gold to pay E. Antipholus's debt, and tries to give it to S. Antipholus. S. Dromio then has to explain to the confused S. Antipholus that he was recently arrested, which one would think a person would remember. S. Antipholus, however, just wants to know about the ships he asked S. Dromio to look for. He is certain he already told S. Antipholus about a departing ship a long time ago, only to be told to bring money for bail instead. S. Antipholus, rather than investigate the matter further, simply declares the two of them seem insane as they wander in an illusion. A Courtesan enters, seeming another vision of the devil. Of course she's familiar with E. Antipholus, but S. Antipholus only recognizes in her the usual courtesanly stuff--gaudy but sweet temptation. S. Antipholus and S. Dromio joke happily about light, which they pun on. They call the Courtesan light, as the devil himself was an angel of light, and they also twist the notion that the woman is \"light,\" meaning \"easy.\" Finally, they decide that she is light like fire, which will burn. Anyway, the Courtesan talks about the dinner she just had with E. Antipholus, where he took a ring from her worth forty ducats, and promised her a gold chain in exchange. She notes S. Antipholus wears the chain, but when she asks for it, or her ring back, he runs away. The Courtesan, out a ring and a customer, decides she'll go to his wife, which is a dangerous but useful tactic. The Courtesan is sure Antipholus is mad, and she intends to tell Adriana that Antipholus ran into her house and stole her valuable ring.", "analysis": ""}
SCENE III.

A public place.

  _Enter _ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse_._

_Ant. S._ There's not a man I meet but doth salute me
As if I were their well-acquainted friend;
And every one doth call me by my name.
Some tender money to me; some invite me;
Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;                            5
Some offer me commodities to buy;--
Even now a tailor call'd me in his shop,
And show'd me silks that he had bought for me,
And therewithal took measure of my body.
Sure, these are but imaginary wiles,                                10
And Lapland sorcerers inhabit here.

  _Enter _DROMIO of Syracuse_._

_Dro. S._ Master, here's the gold you sent me for.--
What, have you got the picture of old Adam new-apparelled?

_Ant. S._ What gold is this? what Adam dost thou mean?

_Dro. S._ Not that Adam that kept the Paradise, but that            15
Adam that keeps the prison: he that goes in the calf's skin
that was killed for the Prodigal; he that came behind you,
sir, like an evil angel, and bid you forsake your liberty.

_Ant. S._ I understand thee not.

_Dro. S._ No? why, 'tis a plain case: he that went, like a          20
base-viol, in a case of leather; the man, sir, that, when
gentlemen are tired, gives them a sob, and 'rests them; he, sir,
that takes pity on decayed men, and gives them suits of
durance; he that sets up his rest to do more exploits with
his mace than a morris-pike.                                        25

_Ant. S._ What, thou meanest an officer?

_Dro. S._ Ay, sir, the sergeant of the band; he that
brings any man to answer it that breaks his band; one that
thinks a man always going to bed, and says, 'God give you
good rest!'                                                         30

_Ant. S._ Well, sir, there rest in your foolery. Is there
any ship puts forth to-night? may we be gone?

_Dro. S._ Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since,
that the bark Expedition put forth to-night; and then were
you hindered by the sergeant, to tarry for the hoy Delay.           35
Here are the angels that you sent for to deliver you.

_Ant. S._ The fellow is distract, and so am I;
And here we wander in illusions:
Some blessed power deliver us from hence!

  _Enter a _Courtezan_._

_Cour._ Well met, well met, Master Antipholus.                      40
I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now:
Is that the chain you promised me to-day?

_Ant. S._ Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me not.

_Dro. S._ Master, is this Mistress Satan?

_Ant. S._ It is the devil.                                          45

_Dro. S._ Nay, she is worse, she is the devil's dam; and
here she comes in the habit of a light wench: and thereof
comes that the wenches say, 'God damn me;' that's as
much to say, 'God make me a light wench.' It is written,
they appear to men like angels of light: light is an effect of      50
fire, and fire will burn; ergo, light wenches will burn. Come
not near her.

_Cour._ Your man and you are marvellous merry, sir.
Will you go with me? We'll mend our dinner here?

_Dro. S._ Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat; or bespeak          55
a long spoon.

_Ant. S._ Why, Dromio?

_Dro. S._ Marry, he must have a long spoon that must
eat with the devil.

_Ant. S._ Avoid then, fiend! what tell'st thou me of supping?       60
Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress:
I conjure thee to leave me and be gone.

_Cour._ Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner,
Or, for my diamond, the chain you promised,
And I'll be gone, sir, and not trouble you.                         65

_Dro. S._ Some devils ask but the parings of one's nail,
A rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin,
A nut, a cherry-stone;
But she, more covetous, would have a chain.
Master, be wise: an if you give it her,                             70
The devil will shake her chain, and fright us with it.

_Cour._ I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the chain:
I hope you do not mean to cheat me so.

_Ant. S._ Avaunt, thou witch! --Come, Dromio, let us go.

_Dro. S._ 'Fly pride,' says the peacock: mistress, that you know.

    [_Exeunt Ant. S. and Dro. S._                                   75

_Cour._ Now, out of doubt Antipholus is mad,
Else would he never so demean himself.
A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,
And for the same he promised me a chain:
Both one and other he denies me now.                                80
The reason that I gather he is mad,--
Besides this present instance of his rage,--
Is a mad tale he told to-day at dinner,
Of his own doors being shut against his entrance.
Belike his wife, acquainted with his fits,                          85
On purpose shut the doors against his way.
My way is now to his home to his house,
And tell his wife that, being lunatic,
He rush'd into my house, and took perforce
My ring away. This course I fittest choose;                         90
For forty ducats is too much to lose.    [_Exit._



  NOTES: IV, 3.

  SCENE III.] SCENE V. Pope.
  13: _What, have_] Pope. _What have_ Ff.
  _got_] _got rid of_ Theobald. _not_ Anon. conj.
  16: _calf's skin_] _calves-skin_ Ff.
  22: _sob_] _fob_ Rowe. _bob_ Hanmer. _sop_ Dyce conj.
    _stop_ Grant White.
  _'rests_] Warburton. _rests_ Ff.
  25: _morris_] _Moris_ Ff. _Maurice_ Hanmer (Warburton).
  28: _band_] _bond_ Rowe.
  29: _says_] Capell. _saies_ F1. _saieth_ F2. _saith_ F3 F4.
  32: _ship_] F2 F3 F4. _ships_ F1.
  34: _put_] _puts_ Pope.
  40: SCENE VI. Pope.
  44-62: Put in the margin as spurious by Pope.
  47-49: _and ... wench.'_] Marked as spurious by Capell, MS.
  48, 49: _as much_] _as much as_ Pope.
  54: _me? ... here?_] _me, ... here?_ Ff. _me? ... here._ Steevens.
  55: _if you do, expect_] F2 F3 F4. _if do expect_ F1.
  _or_] om. Rowe. _so_ Capell. _either stay away, or_ Malone conj.
    _and_ Ritson conj. _Oh!_ Anon. conj.
  60: _then_] F1 F2 F3. _thou_ F4. _thee_ Dyce.
  61: _are all_] _all are_ Boswell.
  66-71: Printed as prose by Ff, as verse by Capell, ending the
    third line at _covetous_.
  75: Put in the margin as spurious by Pope.
  76: SCENE VII. Pope.
  84: _doors_] _door_ Johnson.



Act IV, Scene iii
S. Antipholus is still at the marketplace, waiting for S. Dromio to come tell him about whether any ships are leaving. S. Antipholus wonders at his good luck; it seems everyone in the whole city knows him and is kind to him, though he has no idea who they are. He's convinced the place is overrun with sorcery, and his mind is being played with. S. Dromio then arrives with the gold to pay E. Antipholus's debt, and tries to give it to S. Antipholus. S. Dromio then has to explain to the confused S. Antipholus that he was recently arrested, which one would think a person would remember. S. Antipholus, however, just wants to know about the ships he asked S. Dromio to look for. He is certain he already told S. Antipholus about a departing ship a long time ago, only to be told to bring money for bail instead. S. Antipholus, rather than investigate the matter further, simply declares the two of them seem insane as they wander in an illusion. A Courtesan enters, seeming another vision of the devil. Of course she's familiar with E. Antipholus, but S. Antipholus only recognizes in her the usual courtesanly stuff--gaudy but sweet temptation. S. Antipholus and S. Dromio joke happily about light, which they pun on. They call the Courtesan light, as the devil himself was an angel of light, and they also twist the notion that the woman is "light," meaning "easy." Finally, they decide that she is light like fire, which will burn. Anyway, the Courtesan talks about the dinner she just had with E. Antipholus, where he took a ring from her worth forty ducats, and promised her a gold chain in exchange. She notes S. Antipholus wears the chain, but when she asks for it, or her ring back, he runs away. The Courtesan, out a ring and a customer, decides she'll go to his wife, which is a dangerous but useful tactic. The Courtesan is sure Antipholus is mad, and she intends to tell Adriana that Antipholus ran into her house and stole her valuable ring.