Much Ado about Nothing

Name: Much Ado about Nothing
Author: William Shakespeare

by William Shakespeare

Pages: about 81
Category: Literature & Fiction
Language: English
Reading time: 89 min at 250 wpm

Start readingThe whole book, as cards or one word at a time. 49 min at 450 wpm in Read mode.

From the opening

Leon. I learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina.
Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him.
Leon. A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio.
Mess. 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.
Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.
Mess. 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.
Leon. 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!
Beat. I pray you, is Signior Montanto returned from the wars or no?
Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort.
Mess. O, he is returned, and as pleasant as ever he was.
Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid and challenged him at the bird-bolt. 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.
Leon. Faith, niece, you tax Signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not.

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Much Ado about Nothing

From the opening

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