Silvia
That all our swains commend her?
Holy, fair, and wise is she;
The heaven such grace did lend her,
That she might admired be.
Is she kind as she is fair?
For beauty lives with kindness:
Love doth to her eyes repair,
To help him of his blindness;
And, being help'd, inhabits there.
Then to Silvia let us sing,
That Silvia is excelling;
She excels each mortal thing
Upon the dull earth dwelling:
To her let us garlands bring.
Praises Silva's beauty,virtue, and wisdom!
Act I Scene I: Valentine says goodbye and teases Proteus about being in love. Scene II: Lucetta advises Julia to accept Proteus' letter. Julia tears it up. Scene III: Panthino wants Antonio to send Proteus with Valentine.
Act II Scene I: Valentine and Silvia are in love. Scene II: Proteus and Julia exchange rings. Scene III: Launce will go with Proteus. Scene IV: Thurio is also in love with Silvia Valentine tells the Duke and Silvia about Proteus. Valentine plans to elope with Silvia. Proteus has also fallen in love with Silvia. Scene V: Speed greets Launce. Scene VI: Proteus plots to win Silvia. Scene VII: Julia plans to disguise herself as a boy and journey to meet Proteus.
Act III Scene I: The Duke tricks Valentine into revealing his plan and banishes him. Valentine flees and Speed goes to meet him. Scene II: Proteus agrees to speak badly of Valentine to Silvia and tells Thurio to write poetry to her.
Act IV Scene I: The outlaws make Valentine their leader. Scene II: Thurio comes to woo Silvia. Julia hears Proteus singing to Silvia. Silvia accuses Proteus of disloyalty but agrees to give him her picture. Scene III: Eglamour agrees to go to find Valentine. Scene IV: Silvia refuses to accept Crab as a gift. Proteus sends Launce to find the dog he was supposed to give her. Proteus sends Julia to deliver a ring to Silvia and obtain her picture. Silvia refuses the ring.
Act V Scene I: Silvia meets Eglamour. Scene II: Proteus tells Thurio that Silvia doesn't like him. The Duke takes Thurio and Proteus to pursue Silvia. Scene III: The outlaws bring Silvia to Valentine. Scene IV: Silvia refuses Proteus again and declares her love for Valentine, who saves her. Proteus repents and is forgiven. Proteus recognizes Julia and she forgives him. Thurio agrees to leave Silvia alone. The Duke pardons Valentine and the outlaws.
Layman's summary:
In “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” two friends, Valentine and Proteus, both fall in love with Silvia, daughter of the Duke of Milan (even though Proteus is already secretly betrothed to a girl named Julia.). Silvia’s father wants her to marry a foolish knight called Thurio, and asks Proteus to help him persuade her. The song, which praises Silvia’s beauty, virtue and wisdom, is arranged to be heard by her, to persuade her to come onto her balcony and talk to Thurio. However, by the time she appears, Proteus has got rid of Thurio and woos Silvia himself. As he begs for her love, he doesn’t know that his deserted first love, Julia, is listening nearby, disguised as a boy. Silvia, who knows about Julia, won’t listen to Proteus’ declarations but upbraids him for abandoning Julia.
Later, Julia, still in disguise, comes to work for Proteus. He is still pursuing Silvia and eventually tries to rape her. She is rescued by Valentine and, eventually, Silvia and Valentine are betrothed, Proteus is forgiven and he and Julia are reunited.
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