Page:Twelfth Night (1922) Yale.djvu/119

profession a soldier, by instinct a man of letters, published in 1581 a volume entitled 'Riche, his Farewell to Militarie Profession: conteining verie pleasaunt discourses fit for a peaceable tyme. Gathered together for the onely delight of the courteous Gentlewomen bothe of England and Irelande, For whose onely pleasure thei were collected together, And unto whom they are directed and dedicated, by Barnabe Riche, Gentleman.' The second of these 'discourses' is the story of Apolonius and Silla. Though the names of the characters are changed, and the scene shifted from Italy to Constantinople, the plot of Riche's story is essentially that of earlier versions. On account of its coarseness. Dr. Furness rejected the usual conclusion that Shakespeare was directly indebted to Apolonius and Silla. But Shakespeare needs no defence if his subtle alchemy transmuted base metal into gold. The process is unquestionably reversed in Wycherley's Plain Dealer (1674) which debases material of the Olivia-Viola plot taken from Twelfth Night.

The 'Argument' of Apolonius and Silla is as follows: 'Apolonius Duke, havyng spent a yeres service in the warres against the Turke, returning homeward with his companie by sea, was driven by force of weather to the Ile of Cypres, where he was well received by Pontus, gouvernour of the same ile, with whom Silla, daughter to Pontus, fell so straungely in love, that after Apolonius was departed to Constantinople, Silla, with one man, followed, and commyng to Constantinople, she served Apolonius in the habite of a manne, and after many prety accidentes falling out, she was knowne to Apolonius, who, in requitall of her love, maried her.' Comparison of Riche's narrative with Shakespeare's drama reveals essential similarities and naturally many minor differences of plot. Apolonius, like Orsino, is a 'noble duke' with whom