The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 270
BARNARDINE
Friar, not I I have been drinking hard all night,
Friar, not me: I have been heavily drinking all night,and I will have more time to prepare me, or they
And I will have more time to prepare myself for death, or theyshall beat out my brains with billets: I will not
Will come beat out my brains with wooden bats: I will notconsent to die this day, that's certain.
Agree to die today, that’s for sure.
DUKE VINCENTIO
O, sir, you must: and therefore I beseech you
Oh, sir, but you must: and so I beg youLook forward on the journey you shall go.
To think about the journey you are about to go on.
BARNARDINE
I swear I will not die to-day for any man's
I swear to you I won’t die today no matter whopersuasion.
Tries to persuade me.
DUKE VINCENTIO
But hear you.
But listen.
BARNARDINE
Not a word: if you have any thing to say to me,
I won’t listen to a word: if you have anything to say to me,come to my ward; for thence will not I to-day.
Come to my cell; because I won’t be leaving there today.
Exit
DUKE VINCENTIO
Unfit to live or die: O gravel heart!
He’s unfit to live or die: Oh hardened heart!After him, fellows; bring him to the block.
Go after him, men; bring him to the executioners block.
Exeunt ABHORSON and POMPEY
Re-enter PROVOST
PROVOST
Now, sir, how do you find the prisoner?
Now, sir, what did you think of the prisoner?
DUKE VINCENTIO
A creature unprepared, unmeet for death;
A man unprepared, and unfit for death;And to transport him in the mind he is
And to take him away in the state of mind he is inWere damnable.
Is sinful.
PROVOST
Here in the prison, father,
Here in this prison, father,There died this morning of a cruel fever
Someone died this morning of a cruel feverOne Ragozine, a most notorious pirate,
he was named Ragozine, a famous pirateA man of Claudio's years; his beard and head
About Claudio’s age; his heard and hair areJust of his colour. What if we do omit
The same color as Claudio’s. What if we forget aboutThis reprobate till he were well inclined;
This drunk prisoner until he is better prepared;And satisfy the deputy with the visage
And satisfy Angelo with the head Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?
Of Ragozine, which looks more like Claudio?
DUKE VINCENTIO
O, 'tis an accident that heaven provides!
Oh, this is a accidental coincidence given by heaven!Dispatch it presently; the hour draws on
Sent it immediately; it is almost the timePrefix'd by Angelo: see this be done,
That Angelo specified: make sure this is done,And sent according to command; whiles I
And sent to him according to his command while IPersuade this rude wretch willingly to die.
Convince this rude villain to die willingly.
PROVOST
This shall be done, good father, presently.
I will get this done immediately, good father.But Barnardine must die this afternoon:
But Barnardine must die this afternoon:And how shall we continue Claudio,
And how will we keep Claudio,To save me from the danger that might come
To save me from the danger that might comeIf he were known alive?
If it were found out that he is alive?
DUKE VINCENTIO
Let this be done.
Do this:Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio:
Put them in secret cell, both Barnardine and Caludio:Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting
Before the sun shines for two days overTo the under generation, you shall find
The people outside the prison, your safetyYour safety manifested.
Will become obvious.
PROVOST
I am your free dependant.
I am your willing servant.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Quick, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo.
Quick, leave, and send the head to Angelo.
Exit PROVOST
Now will I write letters to Angelo,--
Now I will write letters to Angelo,--The provost, he shall bear them, whose contents
The provost will take them to him, the letters will Shall witness to him I am near at home,
Make him aware that I am close to homeAnd that, by great injunctions, I am bound
And that, due to strict commands, I am orderedTo enter publicly: him I'll desire
To enter publicly: I’ll want himTo meet me at the consecrated fount
To meet me at the holy springsA league below the city; and from thence,
Three miles away from the city; and from there,By cold gradation and well-balanced form,
With deliberate steps and careful procedures,We shall proceed with Angelo.
I will move along with Angelo.
Re-enter PROVOST
PROVOST
Here is the head; I'll carry it myself.
Here is the head; I’ll bring it to him myself.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Convenient is it. Make a swift return;
That’s convenient. Return quickly;For I would commune with you of such things
Because I would like to discuss with you about thingsThat want no ear but yours.
That I need to speak about only to you.
PROVOST
I'll make all speed.
I’ll hurry.
Exit
ISABELLA
[Within] Peace, ho, be here!
[Inside] Peace and hello to whoever is here!
DUKE VINCENTIO
The tongue of Isabel. She's come to know
That’s Isabel’s voice. She’s come to knowIf yet her brother's pardon be come hither:
If her brother’s pardon is here yet:But I will keep her ignorant of her good,
But I won’t tell her of the good news,To make her heavenly comforts of despair,
In order to bring her heavenly reassurance out of despair When it is least expected.
When she least expects it.
Enter ISABELLA
ISABELLA
Ho, by your leave!
Hello, if you’ll allow me in!
DUKE VINCENTIO
Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.
Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.
ISABELLA
The better, given me by so holy a man.
It’s better now that I have been greeted like so by a holy man. Hath yet the deputy sent my brother's pardon?
Has the governor sent my brother’s pardon yet?
DUKE VINCENTIO
He hath released him, Isabel, from the world:
He has sent him away from this world, Isabel:His head is off and sent to Angelo.
His head was cut off and sent to Angelo.
ISABELLA
Nay, but it is not so.
No, but this can’t be.
DUKE VINCENTIO
It is no other: show your wisdom, daughter,
That’s how it is: that you are wise, daughter,In your close patience.
By displaying your deep patience.
ISABELLA
O, I will to him and pluck out his eyes!
Oh, I will got to him and stab out his eyes!
DUKE VINCENTIO
You shall not be admitted to his sight.
He will not let you see him.
ISABELLA
Unhappy Claudio! wretched Isabel!
Unhappy Claudio! Miserable Isabel!Injurious world! most damned Angelo!
Unfair world! And most of all d
amn you Angelo!
DUKE VINCENTIO
This nor hurts him nor profits you a jot;
This neither hurts him nor benefits you at all;Forbear it therefore; give your cause to heaven.
So restrain yourself; give up your reaction.Mark what I say, which you shall find
Listen to what I say, as you will findBy every syllable a faithful verity:
Every syllable to be very true:The duke comes home to-morrow; nay, dry your eyes;
The duke comes home tomorrow; no, don’t cry;One of our convent, and his confessor,
Someone from out holy order, and his confessor,Gives me this instance: already he hath carried
Told me of this: he has already sentNotice to Escalus and Angelo,
Notes to Escalus and Angelo,Who do prepare to meet him at the gates,
Who are preparing to meet him at the gates,There to give up their power. If you can, pace your wisdom
And to give up their authority. If you can, control your thoughtsIn that good path that I would wish it go,
In the right way that I want,And you shall have your bosom on this wretch,
And you shall have your heart’s desire inflicted on this scoundrelGrace of the duke, revenges to your heart,
By the honor of the duke, revenge to your heart’s content,And general honour.
And general honor.
ISABELLA
I am directed by you.
I am listening to your instructions.
DUKE VINCENTIO
This letter, then, to Friar Peter give;
Then, give this letter to Friar Peter;'Tis that he sent me of the duke's return:
He’s the one that told me of the duke’s return:Say, by this token, I desire his company
Tell him, with this as proof, that I would like to see himAt Mariana's house to-night. Her cause and yours
At Mariana’s house tonight. I’ll tell him about yourI'll perfect him withal, and he shall bring you
And Mariana’s situations, and he will bring youBefore the duke, and to the head of Angelo
Before the duke, and to Angelo’s faceAccuse him home and home. For my poor self,
Accuse him thoroughly. For my poor self,I am combined by a sacred vow
I am tied up by sacred vowAnd shall be absent. Wend you with this letter:
And won’t be there. Go with this letter:Command these fretting waters from your eyes
Order those tears to leave your eyesWith a light heart; trust not my holy order,
With a little happiness; don’t trust my holy order,If I pervert your course. Who's here?
If I steer your wrong. Who’s there?
Enter LUCIO
LUCIO
Good even. Friar, where's the provost?
Good evening. Friar, where’s the provost?
DUKE VINCETNTIO
Not within, sir.
Not here, sir.
LUCIO
O pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart to see
Oh pretty Isabella, I am sick at heart to seethine eyes so red: thou must be patient. I am fain
Your eyes so red: you must be patient. I mustto dine and sup with water and bran; I dare not for
Eat dinner and supper with water and brown bread; I can’tmy head fill my belly; one fruitful meal would set
Fill my belly for fear of going crazy; one filling meal wouldme to 't. But they say the duke will be here
Send me over the edge. But they say the duke will be hereto-morrow. By my troth, Isabel, I loved thy brother:
Tomorrow. Honestly, Isabel, I loved your brother:if the old fantastical duke of dark corners had been
If the old quirky duke with hidden secrets had beenat home, he had lived.
Home, your brother would have lived.
Exit ISABELLA
DUKE VINCENTIO
Sir, the duke is marvellous little beholding to your
Sir, the duke owes you very little favor for reports; but the best is, he lives not in them.
Your information about him; but the good thing is, he is not like you say.
LUCIO
Friar, thou knowest not the duke so well as I do:
Friar, you don’t know the duke as well as I do:he's a better woodman than thou takest him for.
He’s a better woman hunter than you take him for.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Well, you'll answer this one day. Fare ye well.
Well, you’ll be held accountable for this one day. Good bye.
LUCIO
Nay, tarry; I'll go along with thee
No, wait; I’ll go with youI can tell thee pretty tales of the duke.
I can tell you witty stories about the duke.
DUKE VINCENTIO
You have told me too many of him already, sir, if
You have told me too many stories about him already, sir, ifthey be true; if not true, none were enough.
They’re true; if they’re not true, than no stories were enough.
LUCIO
I was once before him for getting a wench with child.
I was once judged by him for getting a woman pregnant.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Did you such a thing?
You did such a thing?
LUCIO
Yes, marry, did I but I was fain to forswear it;
Yes, by holy Virgin Mary, I did but I was ready to deny itthey would else have married me to the rotten medlar.
Otherwise it would have ruined my reputation with the whores.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Sir, your company is fairer than honest. Rest you well.
Sir, you company is more entertaining than it is truthful. Have a good day.
LUCIO
By my troth, I'll go with thee to the lane's end:
Honestly, I’ll go with you to the end of the road:if bawdy talk offend you, we'll have very little of
If crass talk offends you, we won’t speak thatit. Nay, friar, I am a kind of burr; I shall stick.
Way. No, friar, I am like a burr; I will stick to you.
Exeunt
Enter ANGELO and ESCALUS
ESCALUS
Every letter he hath writ hath disvouched other.
Every letter he has written has discredited another.
ANGELO
In most uneven and distracted manner. His actions
In a very odd and distracter manner. His actionsshow much like to madness: pray heaven his wisdom be
Are similar to madness: pray to heaven that his intellect isn’tnot tainted! And why meet him at the gates, and
Spoiled! And why do we have to meet him at the gates, andredeliver our authorities there
Surrender our authority there?
ESCALUS
I guess not.
I don’t know.
ANGELO
And why should we proclaim it in an hour before his
And why should be announce an hour before hisentering, that if any crave redress of injustice,
Arrival, that if there was any need to put injustice to rights,they should exhibit their petitions in the street?
That they should declare their complaints in the street?
ESCALUS
He shows his reason for that: to have a dispatch of
He says the reason for that: to quickly settle allcomplaints, and to deliver us from devices
Complaints, and to save us from fake complaintshereafter, which shall then have no power to stand
After this, which won’t have the ability to be heldagainst us.
Against us.
ANGELO
Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaimed betimes
Well, I ask you, why not announce it earlyi' the morn; I'll call you at your house: give
In the morning; I’ll stop by to visit you at your house: letnotice to such men of sort and suit as are to meet
The men of proper social status and outfit know they are going to meethim.
Him.
ESCALUS
I shall, sir
. Fare you well.
I will, sir. Good bye.
ANGELO
Good night.
Good night.
Exit ESCALUS
This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant
This act quite confuses me, and makes me unpreparedAnd dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid!
And slow to react to all these events. A lady’s virginity lost!And by an eminent body that enforced
And taken by an important man that enforcedThe law against it! But that her tender shame
The law against such things! Were it not that because of her unfortunate shameWill not proclaim against her maiden loss,
She cannot publically speak out against her loss of virginity,How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her no;
Think of how she would accuse me! But reason frightens her away from it;For my authority bears of a credent bulk,
Because my authority has such strong credibility,That no particular scandal once can touch
There is not a single scandal that can stain itBut it confounds the breather. He should have lived,
Unless it harms the one complaining of it as well. He could have lived,Save that riotous youth, with dangerous sense,
Except that rebellious youngster, with dangerous knowledge of this,Might in the times to come have ta'en revenge,
Might have later come to take his revenge,By so receiving a dishonour'd life
For being given a dishonorable lifeWith ransom of such shame. Would yet he had lived!
Bought with such shame. Still I wish he had lived!A lack, when once our grace we have forgot,
Oh well, once we have forgotten our virtue,Nothing goes right: we would, and we would not.
Nothing is right: we could do one thing as easily as another.
Exit