The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 415
Deadly defiance to him, and pronounces
Ruin to Thebes; who is at hand to seal
The promise of his wrath.
Theseus (who is whom he is cursing) has sent
him a deadly challenge, and announced that he
is going to destroy Thebes; he is close by,
intending to keep this promise.
ARCITE
Let him approach.
But that we fear the gods in him, he brings not
A jot of terror to us. Yet what man
Thirds his own worth (the case is each of ours),
When that his action’s dregg’d with mind assur’d
’Tis bad he goes about.
Let him come on.
Apart from the gods he represents, we are not
at all afraid of him. But how a man
reduces his own worth (this is the case with us)
when he does something with his mind clouded by the
thought that what he's doing is bad.
PALAMON
Leave that unreason’d.
Our services stand now for Thebes, not Creon.
Yet to be neutral to him were dishonor;
Rebellious to oppose; therefore we must
With him stand to the mercy of our fate,
Who hath bounded our last minute.
Don't think of it that way.
We are going to fight for Thebes, not Creon.
It would be dishonourable to claim neutrality;
it would be rebellious to oppose him; and so we must
put our luck to the test with him,
who has command of us.
ARCITE
So we must.
Is’t said this war’s afoot? Or it shall be,
On fail of some condition?
Yes we must.
Has the war actually begun? Or will it be
when some condition isn't met?
VALERIUS
’Tis in motion,
The intelligence of state came in the instant
With the defier.
It's begun,
the information from the spies came in at the same moment
as the declaration from Theseus.
PALAMON
Let’s to the King, who were he
A quarter carrier of that honor which
His enemy come in, the blood we venture
Should be as for our health, which were not spent,
Rather laid out for purchase. But alas,
Our hands advanc’d before our hearts, what will
The fall o’ th’ stroke do damage?
Let's go to the King, if he was
a quarter as honourable as
his enemy, the blood we are risking
would actually be good for us, it would not be lost,
we would actually gain from it. But alas,
with our hands acting against our instincts,
how will we suffer for our wounds?
ARCITE
Let th’ event,
That never-erring arbitrator, tell us
When we know all ourselves, and let us follow
The becking of our chance.
Let's allow time,
that never failing umpire, to show us
when we have seen how everything turns out, and let's
just take our chances.
Before the gates of Athens.
(Pirithous, Hippolyta, Emilia)
Enter Pirithous, Hippolyta, Emilia.
PIRITHOUS
No further.
This is as far as I go.
HIPPOLYTA
Sir, farewell. Repeat my wishes
To our great lord, of whose success I dare not
Make any timorous question; yet I wish him
Excess and overflow of power, and’t might be,
To dure ill-dealing fortune. Speed to him,
Store never hurts good governors.
Sir, farewell. Carry my good wishes
to our great lord, whose success I dare not
call into question; but I wish him
all the power he needs and more, so if necessary
he can overcome any bad luck. Take this to him
quickly, abundance never harmed careful men.
PIRITHOUS
Though I know
His ocean needs not my poor drops, yet they
Must yield their tribute there. My precious maid,
Those best affections that the heavens infuse
In their best-temper’d pieces, keep enthron’d
In your dear heart!
Although I know
his ocean of goodness does not need my tiny drops,
I must still give them to him. My dear girl,
keep all that love, which is touched with
all the best things of heaven, worshipped
in your dear heart!
EMILIA
Thanks, sir. Remember me
To our all-royal brother, for whose speed
The great Bellona I’ll solicit; and
Since in our terrene state petitions are not
Without gifts understood, I’ll offer to her
What I shall be advis’d she likes. Our hearts
Are in his army, in his tent.
Thank you, sir. Give my greetings
to our most royal brother, for whose success I will pray
to the goddess of war; and as
our earthly petitions are not heard without
gifts, I'll sacrifice to her
whatever I'm told she likes. Our hearts
are with his army, in his tent.
HIPPOLYTA
In ’s bosom.
We have been soldiers, and we cannot weep
When our friends don their helms, or put to sea,
Or tell of babes broach’d on the lance, or women
That have sod their infants in (and after eat them)
The brine they wept at killing ’em. Then if
You stay to see of us such spinsters, we
Should hold you here forever.
Within his heart.
We have been soldiers, and we cannot weep
when our friends put on their helmets, or set sail,
or tell us of babies spitted on lances, all women
who have preserved their children in the salt tears
they wept when they killed them (and then ate them).
If you waited here to see us being such timid women,
you would wait here forever.
PIRITHOUS
Peace be to you
As I pursue this war, which shall be then
Beyond further requiring.
May peace be with you
while I go to war, I shall not
be needing it there.
Exit Pirithous.
EMILIA
How his longing
Follows his friend: since his depart, his sports,
Though craving seriousness and skill, pass’d slightly
His careless execution, where nor gain
Made him regard, or loss consider, but
Playing o’er business in his hand, another
Directing in his head, his mind nurse equal
To these so diff’ring twins. Have you observ’d him
Since our great lord departed?
How his desires
follow his friend; since he left, his amusements,
though they were frivolous and without skill,
seemed to mean nothing to him, he didn't
care about winning or losing, he had
one matter in front of him in his hand and another
turning over in his mind, he had two things
there at once. Have you noticed him
since our great lord left?
HIPPOLYTA
With much labor;
And I did love him for’t. They two have cabin’d
In many as dangerous as poor a corner,
Peril and want contending, they have skiff’d
> Torrents whose roaring tyranny and power
I’ th’ least of these was dreadful, and they have
Fought out together where death’s self was lodg’d;
Yet fate hath brought them off. Their knot of love
Tied, weav’d, entangled, with so true, so long,
And with a finger of so deep a cunning,
May be outworn, never undone. I think
Theseus cannot be umpire to himself,
Cleaving his conscience into twain and doing
Each side like justice, which he loves best.
He was much upset;
and I loved him for it. Those two have been together
in many a tight spot,
dangerous and deprived, they have rowed over
rapids where tyranny and power
roared dreadfully, and they have
fought together in the shadow of death;
but fate let them live. The knot of their love
is so deeply intertwined, tied with such
skill and cunning that it will outlive them,
it can never be undone. I think
Theseus could not decide between them,
it would be like splitting himself in half and
trying to decide which side he loved best.
EMILIA
Doubtless
There is a best, and reason has no manners
To say it is not you. I was acquainted
Once with a time when I enjoy’d a playfellow;
You were at wars when she the grave enrich’d,
Who made too proud the bed, took leave o’ th’ moon
(Which then look’d pale at parting) when our count
Was each aleven.
No doubt
there is a side he loves best, and one would certainly
say that side is you. There was a time once
when I had a playmate;
you were at the wars when she went to her grave,
which was all too ready to receive her, said goodbye to the moon
(which looked pale at her going) when we were
each eleven years old.
HIPPOLYTA
’Twas Flavina.
You're talking of Flavina.
EMILIA
Yes.
You talk of Pirithous’ and Theseus’ love:
Theirs has more ground, is more maturely season’d,
More buckled with strong judgment, and their needs
The one of th’ other may be said to water
Their intertangled roots of love, but I
And she (I sigh and spoke of) were things innocent,
Lov’d for we did, and like the elements
That know not what nor why, yet do effect
Rare issues by their operance, our souls
Did so to one another. What she lik’d
Was then of me approv’d, what not, condemn’d,
No more arraignment. The flow’r that I would pluck
And put between my breasts (O then but beginning
To swell about the blossom), she would long
Till she had such another, and commit it
To the like innocent cradle, where phoenix-like
They died in perfume. On my head no toy
But was her pattern, her affections (pretty,
Though happily her careless wear) I followed
For my most serious decking. Had mine ear
Stol’n some new air, or at adventure humm’d one
From musical coinage, why, it was a note
Whereon her spirits would sojourn (rather dwell on)
And sing it in her slumbers. This rehearsal
(Which, ev’ry innocent wots well, comes in
Like old importment’s bastard) has this end,
That the true love ’tween maid and maid may be
More than in sex dividual.
Yes.
You talk of the love of Pirithous and Theseus:
theirs has a more solid basis, has grown through time,
has been strengthened through adult judgement, and the
needs they have of each other could be said to water
the entwined roots of their love, but she
and I (I sigh to speak of her) were innocents,
simply loved without reason, like the stars
that have no knowledge of how or why but still
affect great issues in their motions, that was what
our souls were like to one another. What she liked
I immediately liked, what she didn't, I hated
without question. If I plucked a flower
and put it between my breasts (which were then just
beginning to grow) she would pine
until she had one just the same, and put it
into the same innocent holder, where they would die
releasing their perfume. I wouldn't wear a hat
that wasn't like hers, her fashions (pretty,
even when she had just thrown something on) I followed
for my most formal wear. If I heard
some new tune, or perhaps hummed one
of my own invention, why, she would
take it into her heart
and sing it in her sleep. This story
(which every simpleton can see produces
great emotion in me) has this moral,
that true love between two girls may be
greater than between men and women.
HIPPOLYTA
Y’ are out of breath,
And this high-speeded pace is but to say
That you shall never (like the maid Flavina)
Love any that’s call’d man.
You are out of breath,
and your rushing words tell me
that you will never love a man
as you loved the girl Flavina.
EMILIA
I am sure I shall not.
I am sure I shall not.
HIPPOLYTA
Now alack, weak sister,
I must no more believe thee in this point
(Though in’t I know thou dost believe thyself)
Than I will trust a sickly appetite,
That loathes even as it longs. But sure, my sister,
If I were ripe for your persuasion, you
Have said enough to shake me from the arm
Of the all-noble Theseus, for whose fortunes
I will now in and kneel, with great assurance
That we, more than his Pirithous, possess
The high throne in his heart.
Now alas, weak sister,
I don't give any more credence to you on this
(although I know that you believe it is true)
then I would give to the appetite of an invalid,
that craves things even though they would sicken it.
I can assure you, my sister, if I could be persuaded,
you have said enough to pull me away from
the great noble Theseus, for whom I will now
go in and pray, safe in the knowledge
that I, not his Pirithous, hold the
highest place in his heart.
EMILIA
I am not
Against your faith, yet I continue mine.
I won't
argue with you, though I still believe what I said.
Exeunt.
A field before Thebes.
(Theseus, Lords, Three Queens, Herald, Attendants, Palamon, Arcite)
Cornets. A battle strook within; then a retrait; flourish.
Then enter Theseus, victor, with his Lords. The three Queens meet him and fall on their faces before him.
FIRST QUEEN
To thee no star be dark.
May the stars always shine on you.
SECOND QUEEN
Both heaven and earth
Friend thee forever.
May Heaven and Earth
always be your friends.
THIRD QUEEN
All the g
ood that may
Be wish’d upon thy head, I cry amen to’t.
I pray for all good things
to fall upon your head.
THESEUS
Th’ impartial gods, who from the mounted heavens
View us their mortal herd, behold who err,
And in their time chastise. Go and find out
The bones of your dead lords, and honor them
With treble ceremony; rather than a gap
Should be in their dear rites, we would supply’t.
But those we will depute which shall invest
You in your dignities, and even each thing
Our haste does leave imperfect. So adieu,
And heaven’s good eyes look on you!
The impartial gods, who look down from heaven
to see us, their mortal flock, see who does wrong,
and in the fullness of time punish them. Go find
the bodies of your dead lords, and perform
the funeral rites three times over; rather than
anything being missing in the ceremony, I would
gladly perform them myself.
But those I shall order to do it will
make sure it's done with dignity, and they will make sure
that anything I have left undone in my hurry is corrected. So goodbye,
and may the gods look upon you favourably!
Exeunt Queens.
Enter Herald with Attendants bearing Palamon and Arcite on two hearses.
What are those?
Who are those people?
HERALD
Men of great quality, as may be judg’d
By their appointment. Some of Thebes have told’s
They are sisters’ children, nephews to the King.
They are men of great quality, you can tell
by their clothes. Some of the Thebans told me
that they are children of his sister, nephews to the King.
THESEUS
By th’ helm of Mars, I saw them in the war,
Like to a pair of lions smear’d with prey,
Make lanes in troops aghast. I fix’d my note