Original: Say that upon the altar of her beauty
Modern: Tell her that on the altar of her beauty

Original: You sacrifice your tears, your sighs, your heart:
Modern: You offer up your tears, your sighs, your heart as sacrifices:

Original: Write till your ink be dry, and with your tears
Modern: Write until your ink runs out, and then with your tears

Original: Moist it again, and frame some feeling line
Modern: Make it wet again, and create some emotional poetry

Original: That may discover such integrity:
Modern: That might reveal such true devotion:

Original: For Orpheus’ lute was strung with poets’ sinews,
Modern: Because Orpheus’ lute was made with poets’ heartstrings,

Original: Whose golden touch could soften steel and stones,
Modern: Whose magical playing could soften steel and stones,

Original: Make tigers tame and huge leviathans
Modern: Make tigers gentle and enormous sea monsters

Original: Forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands.
Modern: Leave the deepest ocean depths to dance on beaches.

Original: After your dire-lamenting elegies,
Modern: After your heartbreaking, sorrowful poems,

Original: Visit by night your lady’s chamber-window
Modern: Go at night to your lady’s bedroom window

Original: With some sweet concert; to their instruments
Modern: With some sweet music; have the musicians

Original: Tune a deploring dump: the night’s dead silence
Modern: Play a sad, mournful song: the night’s complete silence

Original: Will well become such sweet-complaining grievance.
Modern: Will perfectly suit such sweet, sorrowful complaints.

Original: This, or else nothing, will inherit her.
Modern: This approach, or nothing else, will win her over.

In Act III, Scene 2 of “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” the Duke of Milan converses with Thurio and Proteus about Thurio’s courtship of the Duke’s daughter, Silvia. The Duke expresses frustration that Silvia continues to favor Valentine over Thurio, despite Valentine’s recent banishment from Milan. Proteus, playing the role of helpful advisor while secretly pursuing Silvia for himself, counsels Thurio on how to win her affections. He suggests that Thurio employ music and poetry, recommending nightly serenades beneath her window as a means of courtship. Proteus offers to write sonnets for Thurio to present to Silvia and volunteers to accompany him in these romantic endeavors.

The Duke approves of this plan and instructs both young men to proceed with the musical courtship that very night. Thurio eagerly accepts Proteus’s assistance, unaware of his friend’s treachery. Proteus reveals his true intentions in a brief soliloquy, acknowledging that while he outwardly helps Thurio court Silvia, he actually works to slander Valentine in Silvia’s eyes and advance his own suit. He admits to betraying both his friend Valentine and his beloved Julia, yet he remains determined to pursue Silvia despite the dishonor of his actions. The scene concludes with the group making arrangements to meet that evening for the planned serenade.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona follows the friendship and romantic entanglements of Valentine and Proteus, two young gentlemen from Verona. The play opens with Valentine departing for Milan to experience court life, leaving behind his friend Proteus, who is deeply in love with Julia. Soon after, Proteus is also sent to Milan by his father, forcing him to leave Julia, though they secretly exchange rings as tokens of their love. Meanwhile, Julia decides to disguise herself as a young man named Sebastian and follow Proteus to Milan.

In Milan, Valentine has fallen in love with Silvia, the Duke’s daughter, and she returns his affection. However, when Proteus arrives and meets Silvia, he immediately forgets his love for Julia and becomes infatuated with his friend’s beloved. In an act of betrayal, Proteus reveals Valentine’s secret plan to elope with Silvia to her father, the Duke. As punishment, Valentine is banished from Milan and becomes the leader of a group of outlaws in the forest.

The climax unfolds in the forest where all the characters converge. Proteus pursues the disguised Julia (still dressed as Sebastian, who has become his page) and attempts to force his attentions on Silvia, who has fled to find Valentine. Valentine arrives just in time to stop the assault, and when Proteus expresses remorse, Valentine magnanimously offers to give up Silvia to restore their friendship. At this moment, Julia faints and reveals her true identity. The play concludes with the Duke’s arrival, his pardon of Valentine and the outlaws, and the restoration of proper romantic pairings: Valentine with Silvia and Proteus reunited with the forgiving Julia.