Leonato Quotes in Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Beatrice: Is Signior Mountanto returned from the wars or no?

Messenger: I know none of that name, lady.

Hero: My cousin means Signior Benedick of Padua.

Messenger: Oh, he's returned and as pleasant as ever he was.

Beatrice: I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? For indeed I promised to eat all of his killing.

Messenger: He hath done good service and a good soldier too, lady.

Beatrice: And a good soldier to a lady. But what is he to a lord?

Messenger: A lord to a lord. A man to a man, stuffed with all honorable virtues.

Beatrice: It is so, indeed. He is no less than a stuffed man.

Leonato: You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her. They never meet, but there's a skirmish of wit between them.

Beatrice: Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new sworn brother.

Messenger: He is most in the company of the right and noble Claudio.

Beatrice: O lord! He will hang upon him like a disease. He is sooner caught than the pestilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio! If he have caught the Benedick, it will cost him a thousand pound ere he be cured.

Messenger: I will keep friends with you, lady.

Beatrice: [Chuckles] Do, good friend.

Leonato: You will never run mad, niece.

Beatrice: No, not till a hot January.

Benedick: Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice?

Beatrice: [Pushed out of crowd by Antonio. Removes veil, clears throat] I answer to that name.

[Appraoches Benedick]

Beatrice: What is your will?

Benedick: Do not you love me?

Beatrice: Why, no. No more than reason.

Benedick: Well, then your Uncle, the prince and Claudio have been deceived. They swore you did.

Beatrice: Do not you love me?

Benedick: Why, no. No more than reason.

Beatrice: Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula are much deceived for they swear you did.

Benedick: They swore you were almost sick for me.

Beatrice: They swore you well nigh dead for me.

Benedick: 'Tis no such matter. Then... you... do not love me?

Beatrice: No, truly, but in friendly recompense.

[Shakes Benedick's hand]

Leonato: Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.

Claudio: I'll be sworn upon he loves her, for here's a paper written in his hand a halting sonnet of his own pure brain, fashioned to Beatrice.

Hero: And here's another...

Beatrice: No!

[Slaps Hero's hand]

Hero: ...writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket containing her affection unto Benedick.

Benedick: A miracle! Here's our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will have thee. But, by this light, I take thee for pity.

Beatrice: I would not deny you. But, by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption.

Benedick: Peace! I will stop your mouth.

[Kisses Beatrice]

Don Pedro: Good Signior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.

Leonato: Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your grace.

Leonato: By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.

Antonio: In faith, she's too curst.

Dogberry: A good old man, sir; he will be talking: as they say, when the age is in, the wit is out: God help us! it is a world to see. Well said, i' faith, neighbour Verges: well, God's a good man; an two men ride of a horse, one must ride behind. An honest soul, i' faith, sir; by my troth he is, as ever broke bread; but God is to be worshipped; all men are not alike; alas, good neighbour!

Leonato: Indeed, neighbour, he comes too short of you.

Leonato: You will never run mad, niece.

Beatrice: No, not till a hot January.

Leonato: Hath no man's dagger here a point for me?

Leonato: Being that I flow in grief, the smallest twine may lead me.

Leonato: For there was never yet philosopher that could endure the tooth-ache patiently.

Dogberry: Were I as tedious as a king, I could find it in my heart to bestow it all on Your Worship.

Leonato: All thy tediousness on me?

Benedick: [Has been standing in front of the mirror, improving his looks, but stop when he notices the others' amusement] Gallants! I am not as I have been!

Leonato: So say I. Me thinks you are sadder!

[He and the other three start laughing again]

Claudio: I hope he be in love!

Leonato, Antonio, and Pedro: Ooohhh!

Benedick: [Turns indignantly to Leonato] Good signor, walk aside with me. I have studied eight or nine wise words to speak to you which these hoppy horses must not hear!

[Leaves with Leonato and Antonio, provoking more laughter from Claudio and Pedro]

Don Pedro: Oh my life! To break with him about Beatrice!

Leonato: Canst thou so daff me? Thou hast killed my child! If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man.

Antonio: He shall kill two of us, and men indeed. But that's no matter, let him kill one first. I'll whip you from your foining fence. Nay, as I am a gentleman, I will.

Leonato: Brother...

Antonio: Content yourself. God knows I loved my niece. And she is dead, slandered to death by villains scrambling, outfacing, fashion-monging boys that lie, and cog and flout, deprave and slander...

Leonato: Brother Antony.

Antonio: 'Tis no matter. Do not you meddle. Let me deal in this.

Don Pedro: Gentlemen both, we will not wake your patience. My heart is sorry for your daughter's death, but, on my honor, she was charged with nothing but what was true and very full of proof.

Leonato: My lord...

Don Pedro: I will not hear you.

Leonato: No? Come, brother, away. I will be heard.

Antonio: And shall, or some of us will smart for it.

[Both depart]

Don Pedro: [Benedick approaches] See, here comes the man we went to seek.

Claudio: Now, signior, what news?

Benedick: Good day, my lord.

Don Pedro: Welcome, signior. You are almost come to part almost a fray.

Claudio: We had like to have our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth.

Benedick: Shall I speak a word in your ear?

[Grabs Claudio and holds against wall]

Benedick: You are a villain. I jest not. I will make it good how dare you and when you dare. Do me right, or I will protest your cowardice. You have killed a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you. Fare you well, boy. You know my mind.

[Releases Claudio and approaches Don Pedro]

Benedick: My lord, for your many courtesies I thank you. I must discontinue your company. Your brother is fled from Messina. You have among you killed a sweet and innocent lady. For my Lord Lackbeard there, he and I shall meet. Till then peace be with him.

[Departs]

Don Pedro: He is in earnest.

Claudio: In most profound earnest.

Don Pedro: And hath challenged thee.

Claudio: Most sincerely.

Leonato: Are you yet determined to marry with my brother's daughter?

[Claudio nods]

Leonato: Call her forth, brother. Here's the friar ready.

[Four veiled ladies are presented]

Claudio: Which is the lady I must seize upon?

Antonio: [Brings forth one lady] This same is she and I do give you her.

Claudio: Sweet, let me see your face.

Leonato: No, that you shall not till you take her hand before this friar and swear to marry her.

Claudio: [Kneels] Give me your hand, before this holy friar. I am your husband if you like of me.

Hero: [Removes veil]

Don Pedro: Hero that is dead.

Leonato: She died, my lord, but whiles her slander lived.

Hero: And when I lived, I was your other wife. And when you loved you were my other husband. One Hero died defiled, but I do live and surely as I live, I am a maid.