just an hour ago I was as sorry to have lost
as I was glad to have Arcite; and now I am as glad
to have him as I am sorry for Arcite. Oh you gods,
what things you make of us! We love things
we don't have, don't like what we have, we're still
like children in some ways. Let us be thankful
for the way things are, and leave you to decide
things that are beyond us. Let us go,
and make the most of our time.
Flourish. Exeunt.
(Epilogue)
EPILOGUE
I would now ask ye how ye like the play,
But as it is with schoolboys, cannot say;
I am cruel fearful. Pray yet stay a while,
And let me look upon ye. No man smile?
Then it goes hard, I see. He that has
Lov’d a young handsome wench then, show his face—
’Tis strange if none be here—and if he will
Against his conscience, let him hiss, and kill
Our market. ’Tis in vain, I see, to stay ye;
Have at the worst can come, then! Now what say ye?
And yet mistake me not: I am not bold,
We have no such cause. If the tale we have told
(For ’tis no other) any way content ye
(For to that honest purpose it was meant ye),
We have our end; and ye shall have ere long
I dare say many a better, to prolong
Your old loves to us. We, and all our might,
Rest at your service. Gentlemen, good night.
I would ask you now how you like the play,
but I'm like a schoolboy, I can't ask;
I am very afraid. Please stay awhile,
and let me look at you. Is nobody smiling?
Then you don't like it, I see. If anyone here
has loved a handsome young girl, show his face–
it would be strange if there were none–and if he
wants to be a hypocrite, let him hiss, and ruin
our ticket sales. I can see there's no point in trying to stop you;
give it your worst then! Now what do you say?
And yet don't misunderstand me: I am not angry,
we have no reason to be. If the story we have told
(for it's just a story) has pleased you in any way
(for that was what we were trying to do),
we have our reward; and I daresay before long
you will see many better plays, and that will make you
remain as our patrons. We, and all our strength,
are at your service. Gentlemen, good night.
Flourish.
LEONTES, King of Sicilia
MAMILLIUS, his son
CAMILLO, Sicilian Lord
ANTIGONUS, Sicilian Lord
CLEOMENES, Sicilian Lord
DION, Sicilian Lord
Other Sicilian Lords.
Sicilian Gentlemen.
Officers of a Court of Judicature
POLIXENES, King of Bohemia
FLORIZEL, his son
ARCHIDAMUS, a Bohemian Lord
A Mariner
Gaoler
An Old Shepherd, reputed father of Perdita
CLOWN, his son
Servant to the Old Shepherd
AUTOLYCUS, a rogue
TIME, as Chorus
HERMIONE, Queen to Leontes
PERDITA, daughter to Leontes and Hermione
PAULINA, wife to Antigonus
EMILIA, a lady attending on the Queen
Other Ladies, attending on the Queen
MOPSA, shepherdess
DORCAS, shepherdess
Lords, Ladies, and Attendants
Satyrs for a Dance
Shepherds, Shepherdesses, Guards, &c.
SCENE: Sometimes in Sicilia; sometimes in Bohemia.
SCENE I. Antechamber in LEONTES' palace.
Enter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS
ARCHIDAMUS
If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on
the like occasion whereon my services are now on
foot, you shall see, as I have said, great
difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.
If you happen, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on
the same sort of mission as I am undertaking,
you will see, as I said, a great
difference between our Bohemia and your Sicily.
CAMILLO
I think, this coming summer, the King of Sicilia
means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him.
I think, this coming summer, the King of Sicily
intends to make the return visit to Bohemia which he is due.
ARCHIDAMUS
Wherein our entertainment shall shame us; we will be
justified in our loves; for indeed--
When he does our entertainment will embarrass us; we will
make up for it with our love; for in fact–
CAMILLO
Beseech you,--
Please, now–
ARCHIDAMUS
Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge:
we cannot with such magnificence, in so rare--I know
not what to say. We will give you sleepy drinks,
that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience,
may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse
us.
Honestly, I know what I'm talking about:
we cannot compete with such magnificence, such rarities–I don't
know what to say. We shall have to drug your drinks,
so that your senses, being unable to see our inadequacies,
might, although they couldn't praise us, not criticise us.
CAMILLO
You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely.
You're trying too hard for something we'd be delighted to give.
ARCHIDAMUS
Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me
and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.
Believe me, I'm saying what I know,
in the manner which honesty compels me.
CAMILLO
Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to Bohemia.
They were trained together in their childhoods; and
there rooted betwixt them then such an affection,
which cannot choose but branch now. Since their
more mature dignities and royal necessities made
separation of their society, their encounters,
though not personal, have been royally attorneyed
with interchange of gifts, letters, loving
embassies; that they have seemed to be together,
though absent, shook hands, as over a vast, and
embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed
winds. The heavens continue their loves!
Sicily cannot treat Bohemia with enough kindness.
They were educated together as children; and
such affection grew up between them
that they are now inseparable. Since the
responsibilities of adulthood and their royal duties
forced them to live apart, their meetings,
though not personal, have been carried out by
substitutes, with a royal exchange of gifts, letters,
loving messages; so it seemed as though they were together,
though apart; as if they shook hands over a great distance;
and embraced, as it were, from far corners
of the earth. May the gods keep them so affectionate!
ARCHIDAMUS
I think there is not in the world either malice or
matter to alter it. You have an unspeakable
comfort of your young prince Mamillius: it is a
gentleman of the greatest promise that ever came
into my note.
I don't think t
hat there is any evil or
subject in the world that could alter it. You are
incredibly lucky to have your young Prince Mamillius:
he's got more promise than any gentleman who ever
came to my attention.
CAMILLO
I very well agree with you in the hopes of him: it
is a gallant child; one that indeed physics the
subject, makes old hearts fresh: they that went on
crutches ere he was born desire yet their life to
see him a man.
I certainly agree with you about his potential: he
is a gallant child; he's one who cheers the soul,
livens up old hearts: people who were
already walking with sticks before he was born
want to live long enough to
see him grow up to be a man.
ARCHIDAMUS
Would they else be content to die?
Would they have been happy to die otherwise?
CAMILLO
Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should
desire to live.
Yes; if there was no other reason for living.
ARCHIDAMUS
If the king had no son, they would desire to live
on crutches till he had one.
Exeunt
If the king didn't have a son, they would want to live,
sticks and all, until he had one.
SCENE II. A room of state in the same.
Enter LEONTES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, POLIXENES, CAMILLO, and Attendants
POLIXENES
Nine changes of the watery star hath been
The shepherd's note since we have left our throne
Without a burthen: time as long again
Would be find up, my brother, with our thanks;
And yet we should, for perpetuity,
Go hence in debt: and therefore, like a cipher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply
With one 'We thank you' many thousands moe
That go before it.
Nine months have passed since
I left my throne
empty: it would take as much time again,
my brother, to thank you properly,
and I would still be in your debt
forever: so one ‘thank you’ must act
like a zero added to the end of a number,
worthless in itself but multiplying all the
thousands which went before it.
LEONTES
Stay your thanks a while;
And pay them when you part.
Don't thank me yet;
do that when you leave.
POLIXENES
Sir, that's to-morrow.
I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance
Or breed upon our absence; that may blow
No sneaping winds at home, to make us say
'This is put forth too truly:' besides, I have stay'd
To tire your royalty.
Sir, I'm leaving tomorrow.
I am worried by thoughts of what might happen,
or be brewing, while I'm away; I hope
there are no ill winds blowing at home, that would make me say,
"My fears were justified." Anyway, I've outstayed
your royal welcome.
LEONTES
We are tougher, brother,
Than you can put us to't.
I can put up with you
for far longer, brother.
POLIXENES
No longer stay.
I can't stay any longer.
LEONTES
One seven-night longer.
Just another week.
POLIXENES
Very sooth, to-morrow.
No, I must go tomorrow.
LEONTES
We'll part the time between's then; and in that
I'll no gainsaying.
We'll split the difference, and that's
my last word on the matter.
POLIXENES
Press me not, beseech you, so.
There is no tongue that moves, none, none i' the world,
So soon as yours could win me: so it should now,
Were there necessity in your request, although
'Twere needful I denied it. My affairs
Do even drag me homeward: which to hinder
Were in your love a whip to me; my stay
To you a charge and trouble: to save both,
Farewell, our brother.
Please don't tempt me.
There is nobody in the world who could
convince me as easily as you; you would do now,
if there was any reason for your request, even
if I really ought to refuse it. My affairs
are calling me home; to stop me would be
doing me wrong, even though done out of love;
it would not do you credit for me to stay; to
prevent this I say goodbye, my brother.
LEONTES
Tongue-tied, our queen?
speak you.
Silent, my queen?
Speak.
HERMIONE
I had thought, sir, to have held my peace until
You have drawn oaths from him not to stay. You, sir,
Charge him too coldly. Tell him, you are sure
All in Bohemia's well; this satisfaction
The by-gone day proclaim'd: say this to him,
He's beat from his best ward.
I was going to keep my peace until
you had made him promise to stay. You, sir,
have not done your best. Tell him, you are certain
that everything is fine in Bohemia; I had the news
from there just yesterday; tell him we've beaten
his best defence.
LEONTES
Well said, Hermione.
Well said, Hermione.
HERMIONE
To tell, he longs to see his son, were strong:
But let him say so then, and let him go;
But let him swear so, and he shall not stay,
We'll thwack him hence with distaffs.
Yet of your royal presence I'll adventure
The borrow of a week. When at Bohemia
You take my lord, I'll give him my commission
To let him there a month behind the gest
Prefix'd for's parting: yet, good deed, Leontes,
I love thee not a jar o' the clock behind
What lady-she her lord. You'll stay?
If he said he was longing to see his son, that would be a good reason:
but if that's the case let him say so, and let him go;
but if he says he can't stay for the reason he's given
we'll drive him out of here with canes.
But I'll ask for you to stay here
an extra week. If you do then when you host
my husband in Bohemia I'll let him stay
a month longer than his allotted time, even though,
good Leontes, I don't love you a whisker less
than any other lady loves her lord. Will you stay?
POLIXENES
No, madam.
No, madam
HERMIONE
Nay, but you will?
No meaning yes?
POLIXENES
I may not, verily.
I really can't.
HERMIONE
Verily!
You put me off with limber vows; but I,
Though you would seek to unsphere the
stars with oaths,
Should yet say 'Sir, no going.' Verily,
You shall not go: a lady's 'Verily' 's
As potent as a lord's. Will you go yet?
Force me to keep you as a prisoner,
Not like a guest; so you shall pay your fees
When you depart, and save your thanks. How say you?
My prisoner? or my guest? by your dread 'Verily,'
One of them you shall be.
Really!
You put me off with shoddy excuses; but I,
even though you're trying to swear so forcefully
that you must go,
will still say, 'Sir, don't go.' Really,
you shan't go: a lady's 'really' is just
as powerful as a lord's. Do you still say you'll go?
You'll force me to keep you as a prisoner,
Not as a guest; you'll have to pay for your keep
when you leave, never mind your thanks. What do you say?
Will you be my prisoner, or my guest? With your "really",
you'll be one of them.
POLIXENES
Your guest, then, madam:
To be your prisoner should import offending;
Which is for me less easy to commit
Than you to punish.
I'll be your guest then madam:
to be your prisoner would mean I would have to commit an offence,
and that would be easier for you to punish
than for me to commit.
HERMIONE
Not your gaoler, then,
But your kind hostess. Come, I'll question you
Of my lord's tricks and yours when you were boys:
You were pretty lordings then?
So I won't be your jailer, then,
but your kind hostess. come, I want to question you
about the tricks you and my lord got up to when you were boys:
you were pretty little lords then?
POLIXENES
We were, fair queen,
Two lads that thought there was no more behind
But such a day to-morrow as to-day,
And to be boy eternal.
We were, fair queen,
two lads who thought there was no more to come
except a tomorrow which would be the same as today,
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 433