“Much Ado About Nothing” Act III Quotes

3.1) Line 15 “Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come,As we do trace this alley up and down,Our talk must only be of Benedick.When I do name him, let it be thy partTo praise him more than ever man did merit:My talk to thee must be how BenedickIs sick in love with Beatrice. Of this matterIs little Cupid’s crafty arrow made,That only wounds by hearsay.” -Hero-Hero is talking to Ursula about their plan to make Beatrice believe that Benedick loves her.
3.1) Line 26 “The pleasant’st angling is to see the fishCut with her golden oars the silver stream,And greedily devour the treacherous bait:So angle we for Beatrice; who even nowIs couched in the woodbine coverture.Fear you not my part of the dialogue.” -Ursula-Ursula is talking to Hero about their plan to trick Beatrice and Beatrice is the bait.
3.1) Line 87 “Oh, do not do your cousin such a wrong.She cannot be so much without true judgment–Having so swift and excellent a witAs she is prized to have–as to refuseSo rare a gentleman as Signor Benedick.” -Ursula-Ursula is talking with Hero about how Benedick is a handsome man, but Beatrice continues to refuse him.
3.1) Line 107 “What fire is in mine ears? Can this be true?Stand I condemn’d for pride and scorn so much?Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu!No glory lives behind the back of such.And, Benedick, love on; I will requite thee,Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand:If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite theeTo bind our loves up in a holy band;For others say thou dost deserve, and IBelieve it better than reportingly.” -Beatrice-Beatrice overheard Hero and Ursula talking, she realizes that she loves Benedick.
3.2) Line 27 “Well, everyone can master a grief but he that has it.” -Benedick-Benedick is falling in love similar to Claudio and he is feeling grief because he has always been making fun of those in love, but he is the one in love now.
3.2) Line 96 “I came hither to tell you; and, circumstancesshortened, for she has been too long a talking of,the lady is disloyal.” -Don John-Don John lied to Claudio and said that Hero is being unfaithful to him.
3.2) Line 100 “Even she; Leonato’s Hero, your Hero, every man’s Hero.” – Don John-Dohn John is saying that Hero is unfaithful.
3.3) Line 1 “Are you good men and true?” -DogberryDogberry is asking Verges and the Watch if they are honest man.
3.3) Line 55 “Truly, by your office, you may; but I think theythat touch pitch will be defiled: the most peaceableway for you, if you do take a thief, is to let himshow himself what he is and steal out of your company.” -Dogberry-Dogberry is saying that if you encounter a thief, you may capture him, but you will only dirty your hands. The best solution is to let it be.
3.3) Line 130 “See’st thou not, I say, what a deformed thief thisfashion is? how giddily a’ turns about all the hotbloods between fourteen and five-and-thirty?sometimes fashioning them like Pharaoh’s soldiersin the reeky painting, sometime like god Bel’spriests in the old church-window, sometime like theshaven Hercules in the smirched worm-eaten tapestry,where his codpiece seems as massy as his club?” -Borachio -Borachio is making fun of fashion because young men are always changing their appearances.
3.3) Line 142 “Not so, neither. But know that I have tonight wooedMargaret, the Lady Hero’s gentlewoman, by the name ofHero. She leans me out at her mistress’ chamber window,bids me a thousand times good night. I tell this tale vilely.I should first tell thee how the Prince, Claudio and mymaster, planted and placed and possessed by my masterDon John, saw afar off in the orchard this amiableencounter.” -Borachio-Borachio is talking about his plan to seduce Margaret, Hero’s waiting women, and call her “Hero” the whole time. Don John would arrange for Don Pedro and Claudio to witness Borachio and “Hero” together.