Two Gentlemen of Verona The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [9 vols.] · William Shakespeare
NOTE I.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. We have followed Steevens and the later editors in reading 'Proteus' for 'Protheus'; for though the latter form is invariably used in the Folios, and was, in all probability, what Shakespeare wrote, yet in choosing the name he doubtless meant to compare the fickle mind of the lover with the changeable form of the god. We have written 'Panthino,' not 'Panthion,' because the authority of the first Folio preponderates in favour of the former, in itself the more probable form of an Italian proper name. 'Panthion' occurs in F1, among 'the names of all the actors,' and in a stage direction at the beginning of Act II Sc. 2, but never in the text. 'Panthino' is found twice in the text, and once in a stage direction at the beginning of Act I. Sc. 3. The blunder 'Panthmo,' I. 3. 76, which is the reading of F1, shows that the original MS. had 'Panthino,' not 'Panthion.' I. 1. 28 sqq. Mr Sidney Walker (_Criticisms on Shakespeare_, III. p. 9) says we ought 'perhaps' to read 'No, I will not, for it boots not.' Doubtless he meant also to re-arrange the following lines, and so get rid of the Alexandrine at 30; thus: '_Val._ No, I will not, for it boots not. _Pro._ What? _Val._ To be In love, where scorn is bought with groans; coy looks With heart-sore sighs; one fading moment's mirth,' &c.
I. 2. 53. _What a fool is she._ The first Folio reads 'What 'foole is she,' doubtless to indicate an ellipsis of the indefinite article, which, for the sake of the metre, was to be slurred over in pronunciation. As we have not followed the Folio in reading _th'_ or _th_ for _the_ before a consonant, so we have thought it best to insert here the omitted letter _a_, especially as the use of the apostrophe is by modern custom much more restricted than it was in the Folio. For example, we find _'Save for God save_ (_Tempest_, II. 1. 162), and _at 'nostrils for at's nostrils_ or _at the nostrils_ (_Id._ II. 2. 60).
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