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

Home > Fiction > The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) > Page 418
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 418

by William Shakespeare


  If thou once think upon her.

  Me, who saw her first; me, who first

  took possession with my eyes of all that beauty

  that mankind can see. If you love her,

  or hope to defeat my ambitions,

  you are a traitor, Arcite, and a man

  as illegitimate as your claim on her. If you

  so much as think about her just once, I disown

  our friendship, our kinship and all the ties between us.

  ARCITE

  Yes, I love her,

  And if the lives of all my name lay on it,

  I must do so; I love her with my soul;

  If that will lose ye, farewell, Palamon.

  I say again, I love, and in loving her maintain

  I am as worthy and as free a lover,

  And have as just a title to her beauty,

  As any Palamon or any living

  That is a man’s son.

  Yes, I love her,

  and I would have to do so if the lives

  of my entire family depended on it;

  I love her with my soul;

  if that means we part then farewell, Palamon.

  I tell you again, I love her, and in loving her I insist

  that I am just as worthy and just as free to love her,

  and have an equal claim to her beauty,

  as any Palamon or any living

  human being.

  PALAMON

  Have I call’d thee friend?

  Did I call you my friend?

  ARCITE

  Yes, and have found me so. Why are you mov’d thus?

  Let me deal coldly with you: am not I

  Part of your blood, part of your soul? You have told me

  That I was Palamon, and you were Arcite.

  Yes, and I have been. Why are you so upset?

  Let me speak plainly to you: I'm not

  part of your blood, part of your soul? You have told me

  that I was Palamon, and you were Arcite.

  PALAMON

  Yes.

  Yes.

  ARCITE

  Am not I liable to those affections,

  Those joys, griefs, angers, fears, my friend shall suffer?

  Do I not suffer the same feelings my friend does,

  sharing his joys, griefs, angers and fears?

  PALAMON

  Ye may be.

  You might.

  ARCITE

  Why then would you deal so cunningly,

  So strangely, so unlike a noble kinsman,

  To love alone? Speak truly: do you think me

  Unworthy of her sight?

  Then why would you be so devious,

  so crooked, so unlike a noble kinsman,

  to love without me? Tell the truth: do you think

  I shouldn't be allowed to look at her?

  PALAMON

  No; but unjust

  If thou pursue that sight.

  No; but you would be wrong

  to do more than that.

  ARCITE

  Because another

  First sees the enemy, shall I stand still,

  And let mine honor down, and never charge?

  Because someone else

  saw the enemy first, should I stand still,

  never charging, disgracing myself?

  PALAMON

  Yes, if he be but one.

  Yes, if there is only one enemy.

  ARCITE

  But say that one

  Had rather combat me?

  But what if that one

  would sooner fight me?

  PALAMON

  Let that one say so,

  And use thy freedom; else, if thou pursuest her,

  Be as that cursed man that hates his country,

  A branded villain.

  Let that one say so,

  then you can act freely; otherwise, if you chase her,

  you will be as bad as a traitor to his country,

  branded as a villain.

  ARCITE

  You are mad.

  You are mad.

  PALAMON

  I must be—

  Till thou art worthy, Arcite, it concerns me,

  And in this madness if I hazard thee

  And take thy life, I deal but truly.

  I need to be–

  until you are deserving of her, Arcite, it concerns me,

  and if in this madness I risk you

  and it cost you your life, I would only be doing the right thing.

  ARCITE

  Fie, sir!

  You play the child extremely. I will love her,

  I must, I ought to do so, and I dare—

  And all this justly.

  Damn you, sir!

  You are like a child. I will love her,

  I must, I ought to, and I dare to–

  and this is all permissible.

  PALAMON

  O that now, that now

  Thy false-self and thy friend had but this fortune

  To be one hour at liberty, and grasp

  Our good swords in our hands, I would quickly teach thee

  What ’twere to filch affection from another!

  Thou art baser in it than a cutpurse.

  Put but thy head out of this window more,

  And as I have a soul, I’ll nail thy life to’t!

  Oh, I wish that now

  your deceiving self and your friend had the luck

  to have an hour of freedom, holding

  our good swords in our hands, I will quickly show you

  what it means to steal someone else's love!

  You are worse than a pickpocket.

  If you put your head out of this window just once more

  I swear to heaven that I'll kill you for it!

  ARCITE

  Thou dar’st not, fool, thou canst not, thou art feeble.

  Put my head out? I’ll throw my body out,

  And leap the garden, when I see her next,

  And pitch between her arms to anger thee.

  You wouldn't dare, fool, you can't, you are weak.

  Put my head out? I'll throw my body out,

  and leap into the garden, next time I see her,

  and jump into her arms to anger you.

  Enter Jailer above.

  PALAMON

  No more; the keeper’s coming. I shall live

  To knock thy brains out with my shackles.

  Enough of that; the jailer's coming. I shall live

  long enough to bash your brains out with my chains.

  ARCITE

  Do.

  Do.

  JAILER

  By your leave, gentlemen.

  Excuse me, gentlemen.

  PALAMON

  Now, honest keeper?

  What is it, good jailer?

  JAILER

  Lord Arcite, you must presently to th’ Duke;

  The cause I know not yet.

  Lord Arcite, you must go to the Duke at once;

  I don't know the reason for it.

  ARCITE

  I am ready, keeper.

  I am ready, jailer.

  JAILER

  Prince Palamon, I must awhile bereave you

  Of your fair cousin’s company.

  Prince Palamon, I must deprive you of your

  fair cousin's company for a while.

  Exeunt Arcite and Jailer.

  PALAMON

  And me too,

  Even when you please, of life. Why is he sent for?

  It may be he shall marry her; he’s goodly,

  And like enough the Duke hath taken notice

  Both of his blood and body. But his falsehood!

  Why should a friend be treacherous? If that

  Get him a wife so noble and so fair,

  Let honest men ne’er love again. Once more

  I would but see this fair one. Blessed garden,

  And fruit and flowers more blessed, that still blossom

  As her brigh
t eyes shine on ye, would I were,

  For all the fortune of my life hereafter,

  Yon little tree, yon blooming apricock!

  How I would spread, and fling my wanton arms

  In at her window! I would bring her fruit

  Fit for the gods to feed on; youth and pleasure,

  Still as she tasted, should be doubled on her,

  And if she be not heavenly, I would make her

  So near the gods in nature, they should fear her;

  And then I am sure she would love me.

  And you can deprive me

  of my life if you like. Why has he been sent for?

  It may be that he will marry her; he is handsome,

  and I expect the Duke has taken notice

  of his breeding and his body. But his treachery!

  Why would a friend be treacherous? If that

  gets him such a noble and beautiful wife,

  then honest men should never love. I want to

  see this beautiful one once more. Blessed garden,

  and the fruit and flowers are more blessed, blossoming

  as her bright eyes shine on you, I would exchange everything

  I will get in my life from now on just to be

  that little tree, that flowering apricot!

  How I would spread, and throw my lustful arms

  in through her windows! I would bring her fruit

  fit for the gods; as she tasted them

  youth and pleasure would be doubled for her,

  and if she is not divine, I would make her

  so close to the gods in nature that they would fear her;

  and then I am sure she would love me.

  Enter Jailer above.

  How now, keeper,

  Where’s Arcite?

  Hello there, jailer,

  where is Arcite?

  JAILER

  Banish’d. Prince Pirithous

  Obtained his liberty; but never more,

  Upon his oath and life, must he set foot

  Upon this kingdom.

  Exiled. Prince Pirithous

  won his freedom; but he has had to swear

  on his life that he will not set foot

  in this kingdom.

  PALAMON

  Aside.

  He’s a blessed man!

  He shall see Thebes again, and call to arms

  The bold young men that when he bids ’em charge,

  Fall on like fire. Arcite shall have a fortune,

  If he dare make himself a worthy lover,

  Yet in the field to strike a battle for her;

  And if he lose her then, he’s a cold coward.

  How bravely may he bear himself to win her,

  If he be noble Arcite—thousand ways!

  Were I at liberty, I would do things

  Of such a virtuous greatness that this lady,

  This blushing virgin, should take manhood to her

  And seek to ravish me.

  He's a lucky man!

  He shall see Thebes again, and challenge

  the bold young men who will fall on him like fire

  when he tells them to charge. Arcite will be lucky,

  if he dares to make himself a worthy lover,

  to take to the field to fight for her;

  and if he loses her then, he's a cold-blooded coward.

  How bravely he could act to win her,

  if he is noble Arcite–there are a thousand ways!

  If I was free, I would do things

  so virtuous and so great that this lady,

  this blushing virgin, would become like a man

  and try to rape me.

  JAILER

  My lord, for you

  I have this charge too—

  My lord, I have a duty

  to do for you as well–

  PALAMON

  To discharge my life?

  To take my life?

  JAILER

  No, but from this place to remove your lordship;

  The windows are too open.

  No, but to take your lordship from this place;

  the windows are not secure.

  PALAMON

  Devils take ’em

  That are so envious to me! Prithee kill me.

  Damn those

  who are so spiteful to me! Please kill me.

  JAILER

  And hang for’t afterward!

  And hang for it afterwards!

  PALAMON

  By this good light,

  Had I a sword, I would kill thee.

  I swear by the sun,

  if I had a sword, I would kill you.

  JAILER

  Why, my lord?

  Why, my lord?

  PALAMON

  Thou bring’st such pelting scurvy news continually,

  Thou art not worthy life. I will not go.

  You're always bringing such petty wretched news,

  you don't deserve life. I will not go.

  JAILER

  Indeed you must, my lord.

  You have to, my lord.

  PALAMON

  May I see the garden?

  May I see the garden?

  JAILER

  No.

  No.

  PALAMON

  Then I am resolv’d, I will not go.

  Then I have decided, I won't go.

  JAILER

  I must

  Constrain you then; and for you are dangerous

  I’ll clap more irons on you.

  I shall

  how to force you then; and as you are dangerous,

  I will put more chains on you.

  PALAMON

  Do, good keeper.

  I’ll shake ’em so, ye shall not sleep,

  I’ll make ye a new morris. Must I go?

  Do so, good jailer.

  I'll rattle them so much, you won't get any sleep,

  I'll be like a Morris dancer. Must I go?

  JAILER

  There is no remedy.

  There's nothing for it.

  PALAMON

  Aside.

  Farewell, kind window.

  May rude wind never hurt thee! O my lady,

  If ever thou hast felt what sorrow was,

  Dream how I suffer!—Come; now bury me.

  Goodbye, kind window.

  May the rough winds never hurt you! Oh my lady,

  if you ever felt what sorrow was,

  dream of how I suffer!–Come; bury me.

  Exeunt Palamon and Jailer.

  The country near Athens.

  (Arcite, Four Country People)

  Enter Arcite.

  ARCITE

  Banish’d the kingdom? ’Tis a benefit,

  A mercy I must thank ’em for; but banish’d

  The free enjoying of that face I die for—

  O, ’twas a studied punishment, a death

  Beyond imagination! Such a vengeance

  That were I old and wicked, all my sins

  Could never pluck upon me. Palamon!

  Thou hast the start now; thou shalt stay and see

  Her bright eyes break each morning ’gainst thy window,

  And let in life into thee; thou shalt feed

  Upon the sweetness of a noble beauty,

  That nature nev’r exceeded, nor nev’r shall.

  Good gods! What happiness has Palamon!

  Twenty to one, he’ll come to speak to her,

  And if she be as gentle as she’s fair,

  I know she’s his; he has a tongue will tame tempests,

  And make the wild rocks wanton. Come what can come,

  The worst is death: I will not leave the kingdom.

  I know mine own is but a heap of ruins,

  And no redress there. If I go, he has her.

  I am resolv’d another shape shall make me,

  Or end my fortunes. Either way, I am happy:

  I’ll see her, and be near her, or no more.

  Banished from the kingdom? It's a go
od thing,

  a mercy I must thank them for; but I have been banished

  from freely enjoying the face that I would die for–

  oh, it was a clever punishment, a fate worse

  than death! If I were old and wicked,

  all my sins could never bring down

  such a punishment upon me. Palamon!

  You have got a head start; you can stay and see

  her bright eyes every morning through your window,

  giving life to you; you will feed

  on the sweetness of her noble beauty,

  the greatest work of nature there will ever be.

  Good gods! What happiness Palamon has!

  twenty to one that he will get to speak to her,

  and if she is as kind as she is beautiful,

  I know he'll win her; he has a tongue which can calm storms,

  and make the wild rocks lustful. Bring on whatever will happen,

  death is the worst thing I have to fear: I will not leave the kingdom.

  I know my kingdom is just a heap of ruins,

  there's nothing for me there. If I leave, he will have her.

  I have decided that things will have to go differently

  or I will end my life. Either way, I will be happy:

  I will see her, and be near her, or I won't be alive.

  Retires.

  Enter four Country People, and one with a garland before them.

  FIRST COUNTRY FOLK

  My masters, I’ll be there, that’s certain.

  My masters, I'll be there, I promise.

  SECOND COUNTRY FOLK

  And I’ll be there.

  I'll be there too.

 

‹ Prev