The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 431
I won't, sweetheart.
JAILER’S DAUGHTER
If you do, love, I’ll cry.
If you do, love, I'll cry
Exeunt.
A place near the Lists.
(Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous, Attendants, Servants, Arcite)
Flourish. Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous, and some Attendants.
EMILIA
I’ll no step further.
I'll go no further.
PIRITHOUS
Will you lose this sight?
Do you want to miss the fight?
EMILIA
I had rather see a wren hawk at a fly
Than this decision. Ev’ry blow that falls
Threats a brave life, each stroke laments
The place whereon it falls, and sounds more like
A bell than blade. I will stay here,
It is enough my hearing shall be punish’d
With what shall happen—’gainst the which there is
No deafing—but to hear, not taint mine eye
With dread sights it may shun.
I'd sooner see a wren attacking a fly
than this battle. Every blow that falls
threatens a brave life, every stroke causes
sorrow as it falls, and sounds more like
a funeral bell than a blade. I will stay here,
it's bad enough that I will suffer hearing
what will happen-nothing can make me deaf
to that-I'll just hear, not stain my vision
which such terrible sights, when they can be avoided.
PIRITHOUS
Sir, my good lord,
Your sister will no further.
Sir, my good lord,
your sister wants to stop here.
THESEUS
O, she must.
She shall see deeds of honor in their kind
Which sometime show well, pencill’d. Nature now
Shall make and act the story, the belief
Both seal’d with eye and ear. You must be present,
You are the victor’s meed, the price and garland
To crown the question’s title.
Oh, she must come on.
She shall see such deeds of honour that will
later make a fine painting. You shall see the story
created by Nature, and you need to use
your eyes and ears for that. You must be there,
you are the winner's prize, the reward and trophy
when the question is resolved.
EMILIA
Pardon me,
If I were there, I’ld wink.
Excuse me,
If I was there, I would faint.
THESEUS
You must be there;
This trial is as ’twere i’ th’ night, and you
The only star to shine.
You must be there,
it's as if this trail were at night time, and you
are the only star shining.
EMILIA
I am extinct,
There is but envy in that light which shows
The one the other. Darkness, which ever was
The dam of Horror, who does stand accurs’d
Of many mortal millions, may even now,
By casting her black mantle over both,
That neither could find other, get herself
Some part of a good name, and many a murder
Set off whereto she’s guilty.
I am dark to them,
it's only hatred which lets them see
each other. Darkness, which has always
created horror, which is hated
by so many millions of men, could now,
by throwing her black cloak over both,
so that neither could find the other, get herself
something of a good name, and be forgiven
many of the murders she's been responsible for.
HIPPOLYTA
You must go.
You must go.
EMILIA
In faith, I will not.
I swear I won't.
THESEUS
Why, the knights must kindle
Their valor at your eye. Know, of this war
You are the treasure, and must needs be by
To give the service pay.
Why, the knights need to get
their bravery from your looks. You are the
treasure they're fighting for, and you must
be on hand to pay the bill.
EMILIA
Sir, pardon me,
The title of a kingdom may be tried
Out of itself.
Sir, excuse me,
people can fight for a kingdom
outside its borders.
THESEUS
Well, well then, at your pleasure.
Those that remain with you could wish their office
To any of their enemies.
Well, well then, as you wish.
Those who stay with you will wish
their enemies were in their place.
HIPPOLYTA
Farewell, sister,
I am like to know your husband ’fore yourself
By some small start of time. He whom the gods
Do of the two know best, I pray them he
Be made your lot.
Farewell, sister.
It seems I will know who your husband is
a little while before you do. I pray that
you get the one who is most favoured
by the gods.
Exeunt Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, etc.
EMILIA
Arcite is gently visag’d; yet his eye
Is like an engine bent, or a sharp weapon
In a soft sheath; mercy and manly courage
Are bedfellows in his visage. Palamon
Has a most menacing aspect, his brow
Is grav’d, and seems to bury what it frowns on,
Yet sometime ’tis not so, but alters to
The quality of his thoughts; long time his eye
Will dwell upon his object; melancholy
Becomes him nobly. So does Arcite’s mirth,
But Palamon’s sadness is a kind of mirth,
So mingled as if mirth did make him sad,
And sadness merry; those darker humors that
Stick misbecomingly on others, on him
Live in fair dwelling.
Cornets. Trumpets sound as to a charge.
Hark how yon spurs to spirit do incite
The princes to their proof! Arcite may win me,
And yet may Palamon wound Arcite to
The spoiling of his figure. O, what pity
Enough for such a chance? If I were by,
I might do hurt, for they would glance their eyes
Toward my seat, and in that motion might
Omit a ward, or forfeit an offense,
Which crav’d that very time. It is much better
I am not there. O, better never born
Than minister to such harm!
Cornets. A great cry and noise within, crying “A Palamon!”
Enter Servant.
What is the chance?
Arcite has a sweet face, but his eye
is like a coiled spring, or a sharp weapon
in a soft sheath; mercy and manly courage
share his face. Palamon
looks very fierce, his brow
is furrowed, and it seems to want to kill what it frowns at,
but sometimes it isn't, but changes
depending on his thoughts; he will
gaze on his subject for a long time,
sorrow suits him well. So does Arcite's laughter,
but Palamon's sadness is a kind of laughter,
he's so mixed it's as if laughter makes him sad,
and sadness happy; those dark moods that
look so unpleasant in others
look sweet on him.
; Hear how those spirit lifting sounds call
the princes to their test! Arcite might win me,
but Palamon might wound Arcite in such a way
as to spoil his looks. That would be an impossibly
pitiful outcome. If I were near,
I might do harm, because they would glance
towards me, and as they did they might
miss a chance to defend or attack
that was theirs for the taking. It is much better that
I am not there. Oh, it would have been better
for me never to be born rather than be the the cause of such harm!
What's happened?
SERV.
The cry’s “A Palamon!”
They're shouting, "For Palamon!"
EMILIA
Then he has won. ’Twas ever likely:
He look’d all grace and success, and he is
Doubtless the prim’st of men. I prithee run
And tell me how it goes.
Then he has won. It was always likely:
he looked the most graceful and victorious,
and he is surely the greatest of men. Please run
and tell me what's happened.
Shout and cornets. Crying “A Palamon!” within.
SERV.
Still “Palamon!”
Still "Palamon!"
EMILIA
Run and inquire.
Exit Servant.
Poor servant, thou hast lost.
Upon my right side still I wore thy picture,
Palamon’s on the left. Why so, I know not;
I had no end in’t else; chance would have it so.
On the sinister side the heart lies; Palamon
Had the best-boding chance.
Another cry, and shout within, and cornets.
This burst of clamor
Is sure th’ end o’ th’ combat.
Run and ask.
Poor servant, you have lost.
I carried your picture on my right side,
with Palamon's on the left. Why I did, I don't know;
I had no other hand in it; that's how fate decreed.
The heart is on the left side; Palamon
had the best chance.
This outburst
surely marks the end of the fight.
Enter Servant.
SERV.
They said that Palamon had Arcite’s body
Within an inch o’ th’ pyramid, that the cry
Was general “A Palamon!”; but anon
Th’ assistants made a brave redemption, and
The two bold titlers at this instant are
Hand to hand at it.
They said that Palamon had Arcite's body
within an inch of the pyramid, and the cry went up,
"Palamon's won!"; but quickly
his seconds saved him, and
the two bold combatants are still
at it, hand to hand.
EMILIA
Were they metamorphis’d
Both into one—O why? There were no woman
Worth so compos’d a man! Their single share,
Their nobleness peculiar to them, gives
The prejudice of disparity, value’s shortness,
To any lady breathing.
Cornets. Cry within, “Arcite, Arcite!”
More exulting?
“Palamon” still?
I wish they could both be made into one man-
Why wish that? There's no woman
who deserves a man like that! Their individual qualities,
the nobility that's all their own, already
make them far above the value
of any lady alive.
More cheering?
Still "Palamon"?
SERV.
Nay, now the sound is “Arcite.”
No, now they're calling "Arcite".
EMILIA
I prithee lay attention to the cry;
Set both thine ears to th’ business.
Please pay attention to what they're calling;
listen as carefully as you can.
Cornets. A great shout and cry, “Arcite! Victory!”
SERV.
The cry is
“Arcite!” and “victory!” Hark, “Arcite! Victory!”
The combat’s consummation is proclaim’d
By the wind instruments.
They're calling
"Arcite!" and "victory!" Listen, "Arcite! Victory!"
The end of the fight is marked
by the trumpets.
EMILIA
Half-sights saw
That Arcite was no babe. God’s lid, his richness
And costliness of spirit look’d through him, it could
No more be hid in him than fire in flax,
Than humble banks can go to law with waters
That drift-winds force to raging. I did think
Good Palamon would miscarry, yet I knew not
Why I did think so. Our reasons are not prophets
When oft our fancies are. They are coming off.
Alas, poor Palamon!
Half blind people could see
that Arcite was no child. I swear, his strength
and wonderful spirit were obvious, it couldn't
be hidden any more than fire in flax,
any more than low banks can keep back the sea
when the storm winds whip it into fury. I thought
good Palamon would lose, but I don't know why
I thought so. We often can't logically predict
things our imaginations know. They are coming away.
Alas, poor Palamon!
Cornets.
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, Arcite as victor, and Attendants, etc.
THESEUS
Lo, where our sister is in expectation,
Yet quaking and unsettled. Fairest Emily,
The gods by their divine arbitrement
Have given you this knight: he is a good one
As ever strook at head. Give me your hands.
Receive you her, you him, be plighted with
A love that grows as you decay.
See where my sister waits expectantly,
but shaking and worried. Fairest Emily,
the gods have by divine judgment
given you this knight: he is as good a man
as ever struck a blow. Give me your hands.
You take her, you take him, be joined with
a love that grows as you get older.
ARCITE
Emily,
To buy you I have lost what’s dearest to me
Save what is bought, and yet I purchase cheaply,
As I do rate your value.
Emily,
to buy you I have lost what was dearest to me
apart from what I bought, but the price I put on you
makes you a bargain at the price.
THESEUS
O loved sister,
He speaks now of as brave a knight as e’er
Did spur a noble steed. Surely the gods
Would have him die a bachelor, lest his race
Should show i’ th’ world too godlike. His behavior
So charm’d me that methought Alcides was
To him a sow of lead. If I could praise
Each part of him to th’ all I have spoke, your Arcite
Did not lose by’t; for he that was thus good
Encount’red yet his better. I have heard
Two emulous Philomels beat the ear o’ th’ night
With their contentious throats, now one the higher,
Anon the other, then again the first,
And by and by out-breasted, that the sense
Could not be judge between ’em. So it far’d
Good space between these kinsmen; till heavens did
Make hardly one the winner.—Wear the girlond
With joy that you have won.—For the subdu’d,
; Give them our present justice, since I know
Their lives but pinch ’em. Let it here be done.
The scene’s not for our seeing, go we hence,
Right joyful, with some sorrow.—Arm your prize,
I know you will not loose her.—Hippolyta,
I see one eye of yours conceives a tear,
The which it will deliver.
Oh beloved sister,
he's talking about as brave a knight who ever
rode a good horse. Surely the gods
wanted him to die a bachelor, in case he should bring
children into the world who were too like gods. I found
his behaviour so charming that I thought Alcides
was a block of lead in comparison. If I could praise
every part of him in this way, your Arcite
wouldn't lose by the comparison; he that was so good
came across his better. I have heard
two battling nightingales singing their
competing songs in the night, one louder
then the other, then the first again,
then the second, until one
couldn't judge between them. It was like this
for a long time between these kinsmen; until the heavens
just allowed one to edge it. Wear the garland
you have won with joy. For the losers,
execute my sentence on them at once, for I know
their lives are now painful to them. Let it be done here.
We don't want to see it, let's leave,
very happy but with some sorrow. - Take your prize,
I know you won't let her go.- Hippolyta,
I can see there is a tear in your eye,
about to fall.
EMILIA
Is this winning?
O all you heavenly powers, where is your mercy?
But that your wills have said it must be so,
And charge me live to comfort this unfriended,
This miserable prince, that cuts away
A life more worthy from him than all women,
I should and would die too.