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