The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

  with her long slender white fingers;

  or when she put her sharp needle through

  the fabric, which she made more beautiful

  by harming it; or when she sang to the accompaniment

  of a lute, and silenced the nightingale

  that is always singing sadly; or when

  she would with her skilful pen write

  homages to the goddess Diana; still

  this Philoten tried to compete

  with perfect Marina: like

  a crow trying to compete with a holy dove

  as to whose feathers were whitest. Marina gets

  all the praise, which she fully deserved

  as the wages of her virtue. This so damaged

  Philoten's character and grace

  that Cleon's wife with extreme jealousy

  employed a murderer to attack

  good Marina, so that her daughter

  would have no rival after her slaughter.

  To help her vile thoughts further,

  Lychordia, the nurse, is dead;

  and cursed Dionyza has

  the prepared weapon of her anger

  ready to give this blow. I leave you with

  this coming event; I have only tried to move

  time forward with my poor speeches;

  I could never manage to do this

  without the help of your imagination.

  Here is Dionyza,

  with Leonine, a murderer.

  Enter DIONYZA and LEONINE

  DIONYZA

  Thy oath remember; thou hast sworn to do't:

  'Tis but a blow, which never shall be known.

  Thou canst not do a thing in the world so soon,

  To yield thee so much profit. Let not conscience,

  Which is but cold, inflaming love i' thy bosom,

  Inflame too nicely; nor let pity, which

  Even women have cast off, melt thee, but be

  A soldier to thy purpose.

  Remember your oath; you have sworn you will do it:

  it's just a blow, and it will never be discovered.

  There's not another thing in the world you could do

  that would do you so much good. Don't let conscience,

  which for me is cold, start any love in your heart,

  which could stop you; and don't let pity, which

  even women can ignore, soften you, but stay

  steadfast to your task.

  LEONINE

  I will do't; but yet she is a goodly creature.

  I will do it, although she is a lovely creature.

  DIONYZA

  The fitter, then, the gods should have her. Here

  she comes weeping for her only mistress' death.

  Thou art resolved?

  All the better for the gods to have her then. Here

  she comes, weeping over the death of her nurse.

  You are determined?

  LEONINE

  I am resolved.

  Enter MARINA, with a basket of flowers

  I am.

  MARINA

  No, I will rob Tellus of her weed,

  To strew thy green with flowers: the yellows, blues,

  The purple violets, and marigolds,

  Shall as a carpet hang upon thy grave,

  While summer-days do last. Ay me! poor maid,

  Born in a tempest, when my mother died,

  This world to me is like a lasting storm,

  Whirring me from my friends.

  No, I will take the clothes of the earth,

  to cover your grave with flowers: the yellows, blues,

  the purple violets, and marigolds,

  shall cover your grave like a carpet,

  while the summer lasts. Alas! Poor girl,

  born in a storm in which my mother died,

  this world to me is like a never-ending storm,

  whirling me away from my friends.

  DIONYZA

  How now, Marina! why do you keep alone?

  How chance my daughter is not with you? Do not

  Consume your blood with sorrowing: you have

  A nurse of me. Lord, how your favour's changed

  With this unprofitable woe!

  Come, give me your flowers, ere the sea mar it.

  Walk with Leonine; the air is quick here,

  And it pierces and sharpens the stomach. Come,

  Leonine, take her by the arm, walk with her.

  Hello there, Marina! Why are you alone?

  Why is my daughter not with you? Do not

  give up your life to sorrow: you have

  a nurse in me. Lord, how your face is changed

  through this useless sorrow!

  Come, give me your flowers, before the sea spoils them.

  Walk with Leonine; the air is fresh here,

  and it sharpens the appetite. Come on,

  Leonine, take her by the arm, walk with her.

  MARINA

  No, I pray you;

  I'll not bereave you of your servant.

  No, please;

  I don't want to take your servant away.

  DIONYZA

  Come, come;

  I love the king your father, and yourself,

  With more than foreign heart. We every day

  Expect him here: when he shall come and find

  Our paragon to all reports thus blasted,

  He will repent the breadth of his great voyage;

  Blame both my lord and me, that we have taken

  No care to your best courses. Go, I pray you,

  Walk, and be cheerful once again; reserve

  That excellent complexion, which did steal

  The eyes of young and old. Care not for me

  I can go home alone.

  Come, come;

  I love your father the king, and you,

  as if we were related. We expect him here

  very soon: when he comes and finds the one

  our letters told him was so perfect so damaged,

  he will regret having travelled so far;

  he will be angry with my lord and me, thinking

  that we have not been taking care of you. Go, please,

  walk, and be cheerful again; restore

  that wonderful complexion, which attracted

  the eyes of young and old. Don't worry about me;

  I can make my own way home.

  MARINA

  Well, I will go;

  But yet I have no desire to it.

  Well, I will go;

  however, I don't feel like it.

  DIONYZA

  Come, come, I know 'tis good for you.

  Walk half an hour, Leonine, at the least:

  Remember what I have said.

  Come, come, I know it will do you good.

  Leonine, walk for at least half an hour:

  remember what I said.

  LEONINE

  I warrant you, madam.

  I promise I will, madam.

  DIONYZA

  I'll leave you, my sweet lady, for a while:

  Pray, walk softly, do not heat your blood:

  What! I must have a care of you.

  I'll leave you for a while, my sweet lady:

  please, just stroll, don't get agitated:

  I really must take care of you.

  MARINA

  My thanks, sweet madam.

  Exit DIONYZA

  Is this wind westerly that blows?

  Thank you, sweet madam.

  Is this a west wind which is blowing?

  LEONINE

  South-west.

  South-westerly.

  MARINA

  When I was born, the wind was north.

  When I was born, the wind came from the North.

  LEONINE

  Was't so?

  Did it?

  MARINA

  My father, as nurse said, did never fear,

  But cried 'Good seaman!' to the sailors, galling

  His kingly han
ds, haling ropes;

  And, clasping to the mast, endured a sea

  That almost burst the deck.

  My nurse told me that my father never showed fear,

  but encouraged the sailors, blistering

  his royal hands, pulling on ropes;

  and, hanging on to the mast, survived a sea

  that almost swamped the deck.

  LEONINE

  When was this?

  When was this?

  MARINA

  When I was born:

  Never was waves nor wind more violent;

  And from the ladder-tackle washes off

  A canvas-climber. 'Ha!' says one, 'wilt out?'

  And with a dropping industry they skip

  From stem to stern: the boatswain whistles, and

  The master calls, and trebles their confusion.

  When I was born.

  There was never such violent wind and waves;

  and a sail rigger was washed off from

  his rope ladder. “Ha!" one said, “you're off?"

  And dripping wet they stuck to their work

  from stem to stern: the bosun whistled, and

  the captain shouted, and trebled their confusion.

  LEONINE

  Come, say your prayers.

  Come on, say your prayers.

  MARINA

  What mean you?

  What do you mean?

  LEONINE

  If you require a little space for prayer,

  I grant it: pray; but be not tedious,

  For the gods are quick of ear, and I am sworn

  To do my work with haste.

  If you need a little time to pray,

  I'll allow it: pray; but don't be slow,

  for the gods understand quickly, and I have sworn

  to get my work over with.

  MARINA

  Why will you kill me?

  Why do you want to kill me?

  LEONINE

  To satisfy my lady.

  To please my lady.

  MARINA

  Why would she have me kill'd?

  Now, as I can remember, by my troth,

  I never did her hurt in all my life:

  I never spake bad word, nor did ill turn

  To any living creature: believe me, la,

  I never kill'd a mouse, nor hurt a fly:

  I trod upon a worm against my will,

  But I wept for it. How have I offended,

  Wherein my death might yield her any profit,

  Or my life imply her any danger?

  Why does she want to kill me?

  I swear, as far as I can remember,

  I never did her any harm in my life:

  I never spoke a bad word, or did a bad turn,

  to any living creature: believe me, sir,

  I never killed a mouse, or hurt a fly:

  I trod on a worm by accident,

  and it upset me. What have I done

  that makes her think my death would be good for her,

  or that my living is any threat to her?

  LEONINE

  My commission

  Is not to reason of the deed, but do it.

  My orders

  are not to justify the deed, but to do it.

  MARINA

  You will not do't for all the world, I hope.

  You are well favour'd, and your looks foreshow

  You have a gentle heart. I saw you lately,

  When you caught hurt in parting two that fought:

  Good sooth, it show'd well in you: do so now:

  Your lady seeks my life; come you between,

  And save poor me, the weaker.

  I hope you will not do it for all the world.

  You are handsome, and your looks show

  that you have a gentle heart. I saw you recently,

  when you got hurt in stopping two others fighting:

  it really was to your credit: do the same now:

  your lady wants my life; come between us,

  and save poor me, the weaker one.

  LEONINE

  I am sworn,

  And will dispatch.

  He seizes her

  Enter Pirates

  I have sworn I'll do it,

  and I'll follow through.

  First Pirate

  Hold, villain!

  LEONINE runs away

  Stop, villain!

  Second Pirate

  A prize! a prize!

  A prize! A prize!

  Third Pirate

  Half-part, mates, half-part.

  Come, let's have her aboard suddenly.

  Exeunt Pirates with MARINA

  Re-enter LEONINE

  Half shares, mates, half shares.

  come on, let's get her on board quickly.

  LEONINE

  These roguing thieves serve the great pirate Valdes;

  And they have seized Marina. Let her go:

  There's no hope she will return. I'll swear

  she's dead,

  And thrown into the sea. But I'll see further:

  Perhaps they will but please themselves upon her,

  Not carry her aboard. If she remain,

  Whom they have ravish'd must by me be slain.

  Exit

  These roving thieves serve the great pirate Valdes;

  and they have seized Marina. Let her go:

  she has no hope of returning. I will swear

  that she is dead,

  and thrown into the sea. But I'll watch them:

  perhaps they will just rape her,

  and not take her on board. If she stays here,

  the one they have raped must be killed by me.

  Enter Pandar, Bawd, and BOULT

  Pandar

  Boult!

  Boult!

  BOULT

  Sir?

  Sir?

  Pandar

  Search the market narrowly; Mytilene is full of

  gallants. We lost too much money this mart by being

  too wenchless.

  Search the slave market carefully; Mytilene is full of

  randy young men. We lost too much money this market day

  through not having enough girls.

  Bawd

  We were never so much out of creatures. We have but

  poor three, and they can do no more than they can

  do; and they with continual action are even as good as rotten.

  We never had such a shortage of them. We've only got

  three poor ones, and they can't do more than they are;

  and with continuous work they're pretty much worn out.

  Pandar

  Therefore let's have fresh ones, whate'er we pay for

  them. If there be not a conscience to be used in

  every trade, we shall never prosper.

  So let's get some fresh ones, whatever we have to pay

  for them. If we don't follow good business principles,

  we'll never turn a profit.

  Bawd

  Thou sayest true: 'tis not our bringing up of poor

  bastards,--as, I think, I have brought up some eleven--

  You speak the truth: it's not the way we raise the poor

  bastards–I think I've brought up about eleven–

  BOULT

  Ay, to eleven; and brought them down again. But

  shall I search the market?

  Yes, to the age of eleven, and then ruined them again.

  But shall I search the market?

  Bawd

  What else, man? The stuff we have, a strong wind

  will blow it to pieces, they are so pitifully sodden.

  What else can we do, man? This stuff we have, a strong wind

  would blow to pieces, they are soaked through.

  Pandar

  Thou sayest true; they're too unwholesome, o'

  conscience. The poor Transylvanian is dead, that

  lay with the little baggage.

  You're telli
ng the truth; they are riddled with disease,

  to be honest. The poor Transylvanian is dead

  the one who slept with the little baggage.

  BOULT

  Ay, she quickly pooped him; she made him roast-meat

  for worms. But I'll go search the market.

  Exit

  Yes, she quickly ruined him; she made him a dinner

  for the worms. But I'll go and search the market.

  Pandar

  Three or four thousand chequins were as pretty a

  proportion to live quietly, and so give over.

  Three or four thousand gold coins would be a nice

  nest egg for a quiet life, so one could retire.

  Bawd

  Why to give over, I pray you? is it a shame to get

  when we are old?

  Why retire, may I ask? Is it shameful to still make

  money when we are old?

  Pandar

  O, our credit comes not in like the commodity, nor

  the commodity wages not with the danger: therefore,

  if in our youths we could pick up some pretty

  estate, 'twere not amiss to keep our door hatched.

  Besides, the sore terms we stand upon with the gods

  will be strong with us for giving over.

  Oh, we don't get credit in the same way as we get profits,

  the two do not match each other: therefore,

  if when we are young we can pick up some nice

  property, it wouldn't be a bad thing to close down the business.

  Besides, the bad standing we have with the gods