Original: O, ho! do you come near me now? no worse man than Sir Toby to look to me!
Modern: Aha! Are you finally paying attention to me? And no less than Sir Toby himself is assigned to take care of me!

Original: This concurs directly with the letter: she sends him on purpose, that I may appear stubborn to him; for she incites me to that in the letter.
Modern: This matches exactly what the letter said: she sent him on purpose so I would act stubborn toward him, because that’s what she told me to do in the letter.

Original: ‘Cast thy humble slough,’ says she; ‘be opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants; let thy tongue tang with arguments of state; put thyself into the trick of singularity;’
Modern: ‘Throw off your humble manner,’ she said; ‘be argumentative with relatives, rude with servants; speak sharply about politics; make yourself stand out as unique.’

Original: and consequently sets down the manner how; as, a sad face, a reverend carriage, a slow tongue, in the habit of some sir of note, and so forth.
Modern: And then she explained exactly how to do it: with a serious face, dignified posture, measured speech, dressed like an important gentleman, and so on.

Original: I have limed her; but it is Jove’s doing, and Jove make me thankful!
Modern: I have trapped her in love; but it’s God’s work, and may God make me grateful!

Original: And when she went away now, ‘Let this fellow be looked to:’ fellow! not Malvolio, nor after my degree, but fellow.
Modern: And when she left just now, she said ‘Take care of this fellow’—fellow! Not Malvolio, not according to my rank, but fellow.

Original: Why, every thing adheres together, that no dram of a scruple, no scruple of a scruple, no obstacle, no incredulous or unsafe circumstance.
Modern: Everything fits together perfectly—not the tiniest doubt, not even a fraction of uncertainty, no obstacle, no unbelievable or risky situation.

Original: What can be said? Nothing that can be can come between me and the full prospect of my hopes.
Modern: What more can be said? Nothing that exists can stand between me and the complete fulfillment of my dreams.

Original: Well, Jove, not I, is the doer of this, and he is to be thanked.
Modern: Well, it’s God, not me, who has made this happen, and he deserves the thanks.

In Act III, Scene 4 of “Twelfth Night,” Olivia anxiously awaits Cesario’s arrival while confiding in Maria about her lovesickness. When Cesario (Viola in disguise) appears, Olivia desperately attempts to woo him, offering gifts including a miniature portrait of herself. Cesario gently but firmly rejects her advances, insisting that he cannot love any woman the way she desires. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Sir Toby and Fabian, who inform Cesario that a young gentleman (Sir Andrew Aguecheek) is waiting to challenge him to a duel over his attention to Olivia.

Meanwhile, Sir Andrew has been convinced by Sir Toby that Cesario has wronged him and must be challenged to combat. Both Cesario and Sir Andrew are terrified of actually fighting, as neither has any skill with a sword. Sir Toby manipulates both parties, telling each that the other is a fierce and experienced duelist. Just as the reluctant combatants are about to engage, Antonio arrives and mistakes Cesario for Sebastian, drawing his sword to defend whom he believes to be his beloved friend. Officers immediately arrest Antonio for his past crimes against Duke Orsino’s fleet. Before being taken away, Antonio asks Cesario (whom he still believes to be Sebastian) to return his purse, leaving Viola confused but hopeful that her brother Sebastian might indeed be alive.

Twelfth Night, Or What You Will opens with Viola and her twin brother Sebastian being separated in a shipwreck off the coast of Illyria. Believing Sebastian to be dead, Viola disguises herself as a young man named Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino, who is desperately in love with the Countess Olivia. Olivia, however, is in mourning for her dead brother and refuses to receive Orsino’s advances. When Orsino sends Cesario (Viola) to woo Olivia on his behalf, Olivia instead falls in love with the disguised messenger.

Meanwhile, in Olivia’s household, her uncle Sir Toby Belch lives as a disruptive houseguest alongside his drinking companion Sir Andrew Aguecheek, who foolishly hopes to win Olivia’s hand. Olivia’s clever waiting-woman Maria, the witty Fool Feste, and these two knights conspire against Malvolio, Olivia’s pompous steward. They forge a letter supposedly from Olivia declaring her love for Malvolio and instructing him to wear yellow stockings, cross-gartered, and to smile constantly. Malvolio follows these instructions, leading Olivia to believe he has gone mad.

The confusion deepens when Sebastian, who has survived the shipwreck and arrived in Illyria with the sea captain Antonio, is mistaken for Cesario by various characters. Sir Andrew challenges Cesario to a duel, but when Antonio intervenes believing Sebastian to be Viola, he is arrested by officers who recognize him as a wanted man. The climax occurs when Sebastian encounters Olivia, who mistakes him for Cesario and persuades him to marry her immediately.

All confusions are resolved when Viola and Sebastian are finally reunited, revealing their true identities. Orsino, realizing that Viola loves him, proposes marriage to her. Sebastian and Olivia remain married despite the mistaken identity that led to their union. Malvolio is released from imprisonment but storms off angrily when the trick played on him is revealed, while the other characters celebrate the multiple unions and the restoration of order.