The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 245
Outswear Cupid. Comfort me, boy: tell me what great menhave been in love?
Have been in love?
MOTH Hercules, master.
Hercules, master.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear boy, name
Yes, good Hercules! More powerful, dear boy, namemore; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good
More; and please, my child, make sure they are men with good repute and carriage.
Reputations and behavior.MOTH Samson, master: he was a man of good carriage, great
Samson, master: he was a man of good deeds, greatcarriage, for he carried the town-gates on his back
Deeds, he carried the town gates on his backlike a porter: and he was in love.
Like a doorman: and he was in love
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO O well-knit Samson! strong-jointed Samson! I do
Oh, well-made Samson! Strong and mighty Samson! I wouldexcel thee in my rapier as much as thou didst me in
Beat you by sword as much as you would beat me incarrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Samson's
Carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Samson’slove, my dear Moth?
Love, my dear Moth?MOTH A woman, master.
A woman, master.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Of what complexion?
What kind of character was she?MOTH Of all the four, or the three, or the two, or one of the four.
She was all four, or three, or two, or one of the four.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Tell me precisely of what complexion.
Tell me precisely what her character was like.MOTH Of the sea-water green, sir.
Of sea-water green, sir.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Is that one of the four complexions?
Is that one of the four characteristics of people?MOTH As I have read, sir; and the best of them too.
That’s what I have read, sir; and the best of them too.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO
Green indeed is the colour of lovers; but to have a
Green is indeed the color of lovers; but to have alove of that colour, methinks Samson had small reason
Love of with that kind of color, I don’t think Samson had much reasonfor it. He surely affected her for her wit.
To love her for it. He surely was affectionate to her for her cleverness.MOTH It was so, sir; for she had a green wit.
That’s right, sir; she had a green wit.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO My love is most immaculate white and red.
My love is the most flawless white and red.MOTH Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under
Most unclean thoughts, master are masked and hiddensuch colours.
By those colors.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Define, define, well-educated infant.
Tell me what you mean by that, you well-educated infant.MOTH My father's wit and my mother's tongue, assist me!
My father’s wit and my mother’s words help me!
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty and
The sweet supplication of a child; very pretty and
pathetical!
Pathetic!MOTH If she be made of white and red,
If she is made of white and red,Her faults will ne'er be known,
Her faults will never be known,For blushing cheeks by faults are bred
For blushing cheeks are made by guilt,And fears by pale white shown:
And fear shows by turning pale white:Then if she fear, or be to blame,
So if she is afraid or guilty,By this you shall not know,
You wouldn’t be able to tell,For still her cheeks possess the same
Since her cheeks will appear the sameWhich native she doth owe.
As her normal look.A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of
A dangerous rhyme, master, that argues againstwhite and red.
White and red.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar?
Isn’t there a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar?MOTH The world was very guilty of such a ballad some
The world was very guilty for making a ballad like thatthree ages since: but I think now 'tis not to be
About three ages ago: but I think now it can’t befound; or, if it were, it would neither serve for
Found; or, if it were, it wouldn’t do forthe writing nor the tune.
The writing or the tune.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO I will have that subject newly writ o'er, that I may
I will have that ballad written anew, so that I canexample my digression by some mighty precedent.
See my deviation in a forceful example from the past.
Boy, I do love that country girl that I took in the
Boy, I have fallen in love with that country girl that I arrested in thepark with the rational hind Costard: she deserves well.
Park with the lowly Costard: she deserves better.MOTH [Aside] To be whipped; and yet a better love than
[Aside] Deserves to be whipped; and yet deserves a better love thanmy master.
My master.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO
Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love.
Sing, boy; my mood grows heavy with love.MOTH And that's great marvel, loving a light wench.
And that’s a great wonder, since you love a light wench.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO I say, sing.
I’m telling you to sing.MOTH Forbear till this company be past.
Wait until after these people leave.Enter DULL, COSTARD, and JAQUENETTA
DULL Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep Costard
Sir, what the duke wants is for you to keep Costardsafe: and you must suffer him to take no delight
Safe: and you must make sure he has no enjoymentnor no penance; but a' must fast three days a week.
Or any punishment; but he must fast for three days a week.For this damsel, I must keep her at the park: she
For this damsel, I must keep her at the park: she is allowed for the day-woman. Fare you well.
Has been accepted to be the day-woman. Goodbye.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO I do betray myself with blushing. Maid!
I’m betraying myself by blushing. Maid!JAQUENETTA Man?
Man?
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO I will visit thee at the lodge.
I will visit you at the lodge.JAQUENETTA That's hereby.
That’s around here.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO I know where it is situate.
I know where it is.JAQUENETTA Lord, how wise you are!
Lord, you are so wise!
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO I will tell thee wonders.
I will tell you wonders.JAQUENETTA With that face?
With that face?
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO I love thee.
I love you.JAQUENETTA So I heard you say.
So I heard you say.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO And so, farewell.
And so, farewell.JAQUENETTA Fair weather after you!
May you have fair weather!
DULL Come, Jaquenetta, away!
Come, Jaquenetta, let’s go!Exeunt DULL and JAQUENETTADON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou
Scoundrel, you will fast for your offences before yoube pardoned.
Will be pardoned.COSTARD Well, sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a
Well, sir, I hope that when I do it, I will do it on a full stomach.
Full stomach.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Thou shalt be heavily punished.
You will be punished heavily.COSTARD I am more bound to you than your fellows, for they
I am more bound to you than your men, since theyare but lightly rewarded.
Are only lightly rewarded.
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO Take away this villain; shut him up.
Take this miscreant away; shut him up.MOTH Come, you transgressing slave; away!
Come on, you misbehaving slave, let’s go!COS
TARD Let me not be pent up, sir: I will fast, being loose.
Please don’t lock me up, sir: I will fast even if I’m let loose.MOTH No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison.
No, sir; that would be too easy: you’re going to prison.
COSTARD Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation
Well, if I ever see the happy days of misery and lonlinessthat I have seen, some shall see.
That I have seen, they’ll see.MOTH What shall some see?
What do you mean they’ll see? What will they see?COSTARD Nay, nothing, Master Moth, but what they look upon.
Oh, nothing, Master Moth, except what they look at.It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their
Prisoners can never be too silent in their words; and therefore I will say nothing: I thank
Words; and so I will say nothing: I thankGod I have as little patience as another man; and
God that I have as little patience as another man; andtherefore I can be quiet.
So I can be quiet.Exeunt MOTH and COSTARD
DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO I do affect the very ground, which is base, where
I do love the very ground, which is lowly, whereher shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which
Her shoe, which is even lower, guided by her foot, whichis basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn, which
Is the lowest, has tread. I shall be breaking my oaths, whichis a great argument of falsehood, if I love. And
Is a great proof of being untrue, if I love her. Andhow can that be true love which is falsely
How can a love be true that is falselyattempted? Love is a familiar; Love is a devil:
Attempted? Love is a demon animal; Love is a devil:there is no evil angel but Love. Yet was Samson so
There is no evil angel except Love. Yet even Samsontempted, and he had an excellent strength; yet was
Was tempted, and he had enormous strength; and evenSolomon so seduced, and he had a very good wit.
Solomon was seduced, and he was very smart.
Cupid's butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules' club;
Cupid’s arrow is too hard even for Hercules’ club;and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier.
And therefore much too strong for a Spaniard’s sword.The first and second cause will not serve my turn;
The first and the second reason will do me no good;the passado he respects not, the duello he regards
He doesn’t respect the cutting lunge, he doesn’t respect the one-on-one duel:not: his disgrace is to be called boy; but his
He is disgraced to be called a boy; but hisglory is to subdue men. Adieu, valour! rust rapier!
victory is to conquer men. Goodbye, valour! Collect rust, sword!be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea,
be still, war drum! Because your owner is in love; trulyhe loveth. Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme,
he loves. If there’s some god of impromptu poetry, help me,for I am sure I shall turn sonnet. Devise, wit;
I’m sure I will be writing a sonnet. Think, wits;write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio.
Write, pen; I’m ready to write whole volumes of pages.Exit
Enter the PRINCESS of France, ROSALINE, MARIA, KATHARINE, BOYET, Lords, and other Attendants
BOYET Now, madam, summon up your dearest spirits:
Now, madam, summon up your most affectionate mood:Consider who the king your father sends,
Think about who the king, your father is sending,To whom he sends, and what's his embassy:
Who he sends, and what’s his mission:Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem,
You yourself, held precious and well-regarded by the world,To parley with the sole inheritor
To negotiate with the sole inheritorOf all perfections that a man may owe,
Of all perfections that a man can own,
Matchless Navarre; the plea of no less weight
Navarre, there is nothing like it; and the plea has no less weightThan Aquitaine, a dowry for a queen.
Thank Aquitaine, a dowry for a queen. Be now as prodigal of all dear grace
Be as lavish with affection and graceAs Nature was in making graces dear
As Nature was in making graces dearWhen she did starve the general world beside
When she starved the whole world of themAnd prodigally gave them all to you.
And lavishly gave them all to you.PRINCESS Good Lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean,
My good Lord Boyet, though I have very little beauty,Needs not the painted flourish of your praise:
You don’t need to paint it with the flourish of your praise:Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye,
Beauty is bought by the judgement of others’ eyes,Not utter'd by base sale of chapmen's tongues:
Not by the cheap selling of a peddler’s tongue: I am less proud to hear you tell my worth
I am less proud to hear you talk about my worthThan you much willing to be counted wise
Than you are proud to be called wiseIn spending your wit in the praise of mine.
For spending your wit in the praise of mine.But now to task the tasker: good Boyet,
But now to give the dutiful a duty: good Boyet,You are not ignorant, all-telling fame
You are not ignorant, fame which tells allDoth noise abroad, Navarre hath made a vow,
Has been making noise abroad, I have heard that Navarre has made a vow,Till painful study shall outwear three years,
To painfully study for three years,No woman may approach his silent court:
And until then no woman can approach his silent court:Therefore to's seemeth it a needful course,
So it seems that what we need to do,Before we enter his forbidden gates,Before we enter his forbidden gates,
To know his pleasure; and in that behalf,
To know what he wants us to do: and for that purpose,
Bold of your worthiness, we single you
Assured of your worthiness, we have singled you outAs our best-moving fair solicitor.
To be the most moving solicitor to our cause.Tell him, the daughter of the King of France,
Tell him, the daughter of the King of France,On serious business, craving quick dispatch,
On serious business, craves a quick word,Importunes personal conference with his grace:
Begs a personal conference with his grace:Haste, signify so much; while we attend,
Go quickly, tell him this; while we await,Like humble-visaged suitors, his high will.
Like humble-faced suitors, his high will.BOYET Proud of employment, willingly I go.
Proud to have been chosen, I go willingly.PRINCESS All pride is willing pride, and yours is so.
All pride is willing and eager, and yours is too.Exit BOYETWho are the votaries, my loving lords,
Who are the avowed, my loving lords,That are vow-fellows with this virtuous duke?
Who are the men who also took oaths with this virtuous duke?First Lord Lord Longaville is one.
One of them is Lord Longaville.PRINCESS Know you the man?
Do you know him?MARIA I know him, madam: at a marriage-feast,
I know him, madam: at a weddingBetween Lord Perigort and the beauteous heir
Between Lord Perigort and the beautiful heirOf Jaques Falconbridge, solemnized
Of Jaques Falconbridge, officiated
In Normandy, saw I this Longaville:
In Normandy, I saw this Longaville:A man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd;
A man of royal parts he is well-respected:Well fitted in arts, glorious in arms:
Skilled at the arts, glorious in combat:Nothing becomes him ill that he would well.
Nothing makes him look bad if he doesn’t want it to.The only soil of his fair virtue's gloss,
The only stain on his honest virtue’s glossIf virtue's gloss will stain with any soil,
If virtue’s gloss can be stained,Is a sharp wit matched with too blunt a will;
Is that his sharp wit is match
ed with self-control that is too blunt;Whose edge hath power to cut, whose will still wills
The edge of which can still cut, if he wills,It should none spare that come within his power.
It will spare no one that comes within his power.PRINCESS Some merry mocking lord, belike; is't so?
He sounds like a cheerful, mocking sort of lord; is that right?
MARIA They say so most that most his humours know.
The people that know him most say so.PRINCESS Such short-lived wits do wither as they grow.
Short-lived wits like that wither as they grow.Who are the rest?
Who are the rest?KATHARINE The young Dumain, a well-accomplished youth,
The young Dumain, a well-accomplished young man.Of all that virtue love for virtue loved:
He is everything that the virtuous love:Most power to do most harm, least knowing ill;
He has the most power to do the most harm, least knowing wrong;For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,
For he has wit to make something bad seem good,And shape to win grace though he had no wit.
And has the form to win grace if he has no wit.
I saw him at the Duke Alencon's once;
I saw him at the Duke Alencon’s once;And much too little of that good I saw
And I saw much too little of that good Is my report to his great worthiness.
That is my report on his great worthiness.
ROSALINE Another of these students at that time
Another of these students at the same timeWas there with him, if I have heard a truth.
Was there with him, if I have heard true.Biron they call him; but a merrier man,
Biron, they call him; but a more cheerful man,Within the limit of becoming mirth,
Withing the limit of becoming laughter,I never spent an hour's talk withal:
I never spent an hour’s talk with in my whole life:His eye begets occasion for his wit;
His eye brings about the cause for his wit;For every object that the one doth catch
For every object that the eye catchesThe other turns to a mirth-moving jest,
His wit turns into a laughter-inducing joke,Which his fair tongue, conceit's expositor,
Which his fine tongue, which is like a commentator of fanciful expressions,Delivers in such apt and gracious words
Delivers with such apt and gracious wordsThat aged ears play truant at his tales