# Result number

Work The work is either a play, poem, or sonnet. The sonnets are treated as single work with 154 parts.

Character Indicates who said the line. If it's a play or sonnet, the character name is "Poet."

Line Shows where the line falls within the work.

The numbering is not keyed to any copyrighted numbering system found in a volume of collected works (Arden, Oxford, etc.) The numbering starts at the beginning of the work, and does not restart for each scene.

Text The line's full text, with keywords highlighted within it, unless highlighting has been disabled by the user.

1

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

(stage directions)

1

[Enter LEONATO, HERO, and BEATRICE, with a Messenger]

2

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Leonato

8

A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings
home full numbers. I find here that Don Peter hath
bestowed much honour on a young Florentine called Claudio.

3

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Messenger

11

Much deserved on his part and equally remembered by
Don Pedro: he hath borne himself beyond the
promise of his age, doing, in the figure of a lamb,
the feats of a lion: he hath indeed better
bettered expectation than you must expect of me to
tell you how.

4

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Messenger

19

I have already delivered him letters, and there
appears much joy in him; even so much that joy could
not show itself modest enough without a badge of
bitterness.

5

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Leonato

25

A kind overflow of kindness: there are no faces
truer than those that are so washed. How much
better is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping!

6

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Beatrice

44

You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it:
he is a very valiant trencherman; he hath an
excellent stomach.

7

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Messenger

47

And a good soldier too, lady.

8

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Beatrice

48

And a good soldier to a lady: but what is he to a lord?

9

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Messenger

49

A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all
honourable virtues.

10

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Beatrice

51

It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man:
but for the stuffing,—well, we are all mortal.

11

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Leonato

53

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.

12

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Beatrice

57

Alas! he gets nothing by that. In our last
conflict four of his five wits went halting off, and
now is the whole man governed with one: so that if
he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him
bear it for a difference between himself and his
horse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left,
to be known a reasonable creature. Who is his
companion now? He hath every month a new sworn brother.

13

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Beatrice

70

No; an he were, I would burn my study. But, I pray
you, who is his companion? Is there no young
squarer now that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

14

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Beatrice

74

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 a' be cured.

15

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Beatrice

82

No, not till a hot January.

16

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Leonato

96

Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child.

17

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Don Pedro

97

You have it full, Benedick: we may guess by this
what you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathers
herself. Be happy, lady; for you are like an
honourable father.

18

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Benedick

111

Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I
am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I
would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard
heart; for, truly, I love none.

19

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Beatrice

115

A dear happiness to women: they would else have
been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God
and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I
had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man
swear he loves me.

20

Much Ado about Nothing
[I, 1]

Benedick

120

God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some
gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate
scratched face.