Phebe

Think not I love him, though I ask for him;

'Tis but a peevish boy; yet he talks well.

But what care I for words? Yet words do well

When he that speaks them pleases those that hear.

It is a pretty youth- not very pretty;

But, sure, he's proud; and yet his pride becomes him.

He'll make a proper man. The best thing in him

Is his complexion; and faster than his tongue

Did make offense, his eye did heal it up.

He is not very tall; yet for his years he's tall;

His leg is but so-so; and yet 'tis well.

There was a pretty redness in his lip,

A little riper and more lusty red

Than that mix'd in his cheek; 'twas just the difference

Betwixt the constant red and mingled damask.

There be some women, Silvius, had they mark'd him

In parcels as I did, would have gone near

To fall in love with him; but, for my part,

I love him not, nor hate him not; and yet

I have more cause to hate him than to love him;

For what had he to do to chide at me?

He said mine eyes were black, and my hair black,

And, now I am rememb'red, scorn'd at me.

I marvel why I answer'd not again;

But that's all one: omittance is no quittance.

I'll write to him a very taunting letter,

And thou shalt bear it; wilt thou, Silvius?

Each row of the following table represents one line of the monologue. The first column indicates the number of syllables in that line of text. The second column is scored text, meaning that boldfaced text indicates where emphasis should be placed when performing the monologue. The third column represents a beat, or section, of the monologue. The third column is only used to indicate the beginning of a beat and its meaning, or the end of a beat. 

 

Number of Syllables	Scored Text	Beat objective
10	Think not I love him, though I ask for him;	[Beginning of beat 1] to assure
10	'Tis but a peevish boy; yet he talks well.
10	But what care I for words? Yet words do well
10	When he that speaks them pleases those that hear.	[End of beat 1]
11	It is a pretty youth- not very pretty;	[Beginning of beat 2] to describe
10	But, sure, he's proud; and yet his pride becomes him.
11	He'll make a proper man. The best thing in him
11	Is his complexion; and faster than his tongue
10	Did make offense, his eye did heal it up.
12	He is not very tall; yet for his years he's tall;
10	His leg is but so-so; and yet 'tis well.
10	There was a pretty redness in his lip,
10	A little riper and more lusty red
11	Than that mix'd in his cheek; 'twas just the difference
11	Betwixt the constant red and mingled damask.	[End of beat 2]
10	There be some women, Silvius, had they mark'd him	[Beginning of beat 3] to convince
10	In parcels as I did, would have gone near
10	To fall in love with him; but, for my part,
10	I love him not, nor hate him not; and yet
11	I have more cause to hate him than to love him;
10	For what had he to do to chide at me?
10	He said mine eyes were black, and my hair black,
10	And, now I am rememb'red, scorn'd at me.
10	I marvel why I answer'd not again;
11	But that's all one: omittance is no quittance.
11	I'll write to him a very taunting letter,
10	And thou shalt bear it; wilt thou, Silvius?	[End of beat 3 and monologue]