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

by William Shakespeare

of prey which live here.

  ANTIGONUS

  Go thou away:

  I'll follow instantly.

  You go away:

  I'll be right behind you.

  Mariner

  I am glad at heart

  To be so rid o' the business.

  Exit

  Nothing makes me happier

  than to leave this business.

  ANTIGONUS

  Come, poor babe:

  I have heard, but not believed,

  the spirits o' the dead

  May walk again: if such thing be, thy mother

  Appear'd to me last night, for ne'er was dream

  So like a waking. To me comes a creature,

  Sometimes her head on one side, some another;

  I never saw a vessel of like sorrow,

  So fill'd and so becoming: in pure white robes,

  Like very sanctity, she did approach

  My cabin where I lay; thrice bow'd before me,

  And gasping to begin some speech, her eyes

  Became two spouts: the fury spent, anon

  Did this break-from her: 'Good Antigonus,

  Since fate, against thy better disposition,

  Hath made thy person for the thrower-out

  Of my poor babe, according to thine oath,

  Places remote enough are in Bohemia,

  There weep and leave it crying; and, for the babe

  Is counted lost for ever, Perdita,

  I prithee, call't. For this ungentle business

  Put on thee by my lord, thou ne'er shalt see

  Thy wife Paulina more.' And so, with shrieks

  She melted into air. Affrighted much,

  I did in time collect myself and thought

  This was so and no slumber. Dreams are toys:

  Yet for this once, yea, superstitiously,

  I will be squared by this. I do believe

  Hermione hath suffer'd death, and that

  Apollo would, this being indeed the issue

  Of King Polixenes, it should here be laid,

  Either for life or death, upon the earth

  Of its right father. Blossom, speed thee well!

  There lie, and there thy character: there these;

  Which may, if fortune please, both breed thee, pretty,

  And still rest thine. The storm begins; poor wretch,

  That for thy mother's fault art thus exposed

  To loss and what may follow! Weep I cannot,

  But my heart bleeds; and most accursed am I

  To be by oath enjoin'd to this. Farewell!

  The day frowns more and more: thou'rt like to have

  A lullaby too rough: I never saw

  The heavens so dim by day. A savage clamour!

  Well may I get aboard! This is the chase:

  I am gone for ever.

  Exit, pursued by a bear

  Enter a Shepherd

  Come on, poor baby:

  I have heard, though not believed, that the spirits of the dead

  can walk again: if this is true, your mother

  appeared to me last night; I never had a dream

  that seemed so real. A creature came to me,

  sometimes with her head on one side, sometimes on another;

  I never saw such a sad sight,

  so pure and so beautiful: in pure white robes,

  like something sacred, she approached

  my cabin where I lay: bowed before me three times,

  and, trying to get breath for a speech, her eyes

  became two fountains; when that had passed, eventually

  she said this: ‘Good Antigonus,

  since fate, against your better judgement,

  has made you the person who will exile

  my poor baby, according your oath,

  there are enough remote places in Bohemia;

  cry there, and leave it crying: and as

  the baby is lost forever, I beg you to name it

  Perdita. Because of this horrible business,

  which my husband forced on you, you shall never see

  your wife Paulina again.’ And so, screaming,

  she vanished into thin air. Very frightened,

  I eventually pulled myself together, and thought

  that this was reality, not sleep. Dreams can deceive

  but this once, superstitiously,

  I will follow their direction. I do believe

  that Hermione has died; and that

  Apollo orders, as this is indeed the child

  of King Polixenes, that it should be placed here,

  either to live or die, in the land

  of its real father. Little one, good luck!

  There you lie, and there is a written account of you: here are things,

  which may, with luck, pay for your upbringing, pretty one,

  and still have some left over for you. The storm is beginning: poor wretch,

  you are exposed like this due to your mother's sin,

  risking destruction and whatever else may come! I cannot weep,

  but my heart bleeds; it is terrible

  that my oath forces me to do this. Farewell!

  The day is getting blacker: it seems you will have

  a rough lullaby: I never saw

  such dark skies in the day. A wild racket!

  I must get back on board! Here comes the hunt:

  I'm leaving for good!

  Shepherd

  I would there were no age between sixteen and

  three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the

  rest; for there is nothing in the between but

  getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry,

  stealing, fighting--Hark you now! Would any but

  these boiled brains of nineteen and two-and-twenty

  hunt this weather? They have scared away two of my

  best sheep, which I fear the wolf will sooner find

  than the master: if any where I have them, 'tis by

  the seaside, browsing of ivy. Good luck, an't be thy

  will what have we here! Mercy on 's, a barne a very

  pretty barne! A boy or a child, I wonder? A

  pretty one; a very pretty one: sure, some 'scape:

  though I am not bookish, yet I can read

  waiting-gentlewoman in the 'scape. This has been

  some stair-work, some trunk-work, some

  behind-door-work: they were warmer that got this

  than the poor thing is here. I'll take it up for

  pity: yet I'll tarry till my son come; he hallooed

  but even now. Whoa, ho, hoa!

  Enter Clown

  I wish that there was nothing between the age of ten and twenty-

  three, or that young people would sleep through that period;

  for they do nothing in that time but get

  girls pregnant, insult their elders, steal, fight–

  listen to this! Would anyone but these

  lunatics of nineteen and twenty-two hunt

  in this weather? They have scared away two of my best

  sheep, which I fear the wolf will find before the master does:

  if I'll find them anywhere it will be by the seashore,

  grazing on ivy. [Seeing the baby] Good heavens, what

  are you doing, what have we here? Mercy me, a baby!

  A very pretty baby! A boy or girl, I wonder?

  A pretty one; a very pretty one. Somebody's been in trouble:

  although I am not educated, I can see when a lady

  in waiting has got into trouble. Somebody's been going up the back stairs,

  hiding in trunks, hiding behind doors:

  when they conceived this they were a good deal warmer than the

  poor thing is here. I'll take it in out of pity: but I'll wait until

  my son comes; he called just now. Hello, hello, hello!

  Clown

  Hilloa, loa!

  Helloalo!

  Shepherd<
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  What, art so near? If thou'lt see a thing to talk

  on when thou art dead and rotten, come hither. What

  ailest thou, man?

  What, you're so close? If you'd like to see a thing

  you'll talk about the rest of your life, come here. What

  is wrong with you, man?

  Clown

  I have seen two such sights, by sea and by land!

  but I am not to say it is a sea, for it is now the

  sky: betwixt the firmament and it you cannot thrust

  a bodkin's point.

  I have seen two incredible sights, on the sea and land!

  But I can't really say it's the sea, because it's now the sky:

  you can't see a jot of difference between the two.

  Shepherd

  Why, boy, how is it?

  Well, boy, what is it?

  Clown

  I would you did but see how it chafes, how it rages,

  how it takes up the shore! but that's not the

  point. O, the most piteous cry of the poor souls!

  sometimes to see 'em, and not to see 'em; now the

  ship boring the moon with her main-mast, and anon

  swallowed with yest and froth, as you'ld thrust a

  cork into a hogshead. And then for the

  land-service, to see how the bear tore out his

  shoulder-bone; how he cried to me for help and said

  his name was Antigonus, a nobleman. But to make an

  end of the ship, to see how the sea flap-dragoned

  it: but, first, how the poor souls roared, and the

  sea mocked them; and how the poor gentleman roared

  and the bear mocked him, both roaring louder than

  the sea or weather.

  I wish you could see how it boils, how it rages,

  how it smashes on the shore! But that's not the

  point. Oh, the awful cry of the poor souls!

  Sometimes I saw them, sometimes I didn't; one minute

  the ship seemed to be jabbing at the moon with her mast, and then

  the next swallowed in froth and bubbles, like a

  cork in a beer barrel. And as for what happened

  on land, I saw

  the bear tear out his shoulder bone, and he cried

  to me for help and said his name was Antigonus, a

  nobleman. But I must finish telling you about the ship, about how

  the sea swallowed it: but first, how the poor souls

  roared, and the sea mockingly copied them, and the poor

  gentleman roared, and the bear mockingly copied him,

  both of them roaring louder than the sea or the weather.

  Shepherd

  Name of mercy, when was this, boy?

  Good heavens, when was this, boy?

  Clown

  Now, now: I have not winked since I saw these

  sights: the men are not yet cold under water, nor

  the bear half dined on the gentleman: he's at it

  now.

  Just now: just a blink of an eye ago:

  the men are not yet cold under the water, nor

  has the bear finished half the gentleman: he's eating

  now.

  Shepherd

  Would I had been by, to have helped the old man!

  I wish I had been there, to help the old man!

  Clown

  I would you had been by the ship side, to have

  helped her: there your charity would have lacked footing.

  I wish you'd been by the ship, to have

  saved her: but your bravery would have been sunk.

  Shepherd

  Heavy matters! heavy matters! but look thee here,

  boy. Now bless thyself: thou mettest with things

  dying, I with things newborn. Here's a sight for

  thee; look thee, a bearing-cloth for a squire's

  child! look thee here; take up, take up, boy;

  open't. So, let's see: it was told me I should be

  rich by the fairies. This is some changeling:

  open't. What's within, boy?

  Great matters! Great matters! But you look here,

  boy. Now bless yourself: you have seen things

  dying, I have found something newborn. Here's a site for

  you; look at that, a quality baptismal robe!

  Look here; pick it up, pick it up, boy;

  open it. So, let's see: the fairies once told me

  that I would be rich. This is a changeling:

  open it up. What's inside, boy?

  Clown

  You're a made old man: if the sins of your youth

  are forgiven you, you're well to live. Gold! all gold!

  You're made for life old man: if the sins of your youth

  don't catch up with you, you will have a great life. Gold! All gold!

  Shepherd

  This is fairy gold, boy, and 'twill prove so: up

  with't, keep it close: home, home, the next way.

  We are lucky, boy; and to be so still requires

  nothing but secrecy. Let my sheep go: come, good

  boy, the next way home.

  This is fairy gold, boy, you shall see: pick it up,

  hold it tight: home, home, the quickest way.

  We are lucky, boy; to keep our luck we need do nothing

  but keep this secret. Forget about the sheep: come,

  good boy, let's take the quickest way home.

  Clown

  Go you the next way with your findings. I'll go see

  if the bear be gone from the gentleman and how much

  he hath eaten: they are never curst but when they

  are hungry: if there be any of him left, I'll bury

  it.

  You go the quickest way with your discoveries. I'll go and see

  if the bear has left the gentleman yet and how much

  he has eaten: they are only ever vicious when they

  are hungry: if there is any of him left, I'll bury

  it.

  Shepherd

  That's a good deed. If thou mayest discern by that

  which is left of him what he is, fetch me to the

  sight of him.

  That will be a good deed. If there's enough of him left

  to tell who he is, call me to see him.

  Clown

  Marry, will I; and you shall help to put him i' the ground.

  Yes, I will; you can help me to bury him.

  Shepherd

  'Tis a lucky day, boy, and we'll do good deeds on't.

  Exeunt

  This is our lucky day, boy, and we should do good deeds.

  SCENE I. Enter Time, the Chorus

  Time

  I, that please some, try all, both joy and terror

  Of good and bad, that makes and unfolds error,

  Now take upon me, in the name of Time,

  To use my wings. Impute it not a crime

  To me or my swift passage, that I slide

  O'er sixteen years and leave the growth untried

  Of that wide gap, since it is in my power

  To o'erthrow law and in one self-born hour

  To plant and o'erwhelm custom. Let me pass

  The same I am, ere ancient'st order was

  Or what is now received: I witness to

  The times that brought them in; so shall I do

  To the freshest things now reigning and make stale

  The glistering of this present, as my tale

  Now seems to it. Your patience this allowing,

  I turn my glass and give my scene such growing

  As you had slept between: Leontes leaving,

  The effects of his fond jealousies so grieving

  That he shuts up himself, imagine me,

  Gentle spectators, that I now may be

  In fair Bohemia, and remember well,

  I mentioned a son o' the king's, which Florizel

  I now name to you; and
with speed so pace

  To speak of Perdita, now grown in grace

  Equal with wondering: what of her ensues

  I list not prophecy; but let Time's news

  Be known when 'tis brought forth.

  A shepherd's daughter,

  And what to her adheres, which follows after,

  Is the argument of Time. Of this allow,

  If ever you have spent time worse ere now;

  If never, yet that Time himself doth say

  He wishes earnestly you never may.

  Exit

  I please some, and test all: both joy and terror,

  good and bad, errors committed and undone,

  I will now take on, in the name of time,

  and spread my wings. Do not be cross

  with me, or my swift journey, if I slide

  over sixteen years, and do not try to show

  what happened in that time, because it is within my power

  to overthrow the law, and in one hour I've made

  I can create and demolish customs. Let me go,

  I am the same as I was before the world began

  as in these modern times. I have seen

  the times when they began; and I shall see

  the things of this very moment

  grow old, as my tale now does.

  If you will allow this,

  I turn the glass over, and let the scene change

  as if you had slept through the interim: abandoning Leontes,

  who is so upset at the results of his foolish jealousy

  that he has shut himself away, imagine,

  sweet audience, that I'm now

  in fair Bohemia, and remember

  that a son of the king's was mentioned earlier, whom

  I can now tell you is called Florizel; now let's rush on

  to talk of Perdita, who has now developed a loveliness

  which equals the admiration it causes. What happens to her

  I shan't tell you; let the news of time

  be seen when it happens. A shepherd's daughter,

  and what happens to her, which is what is following,

  is what Time wants to show you. Allow this, whether

  or not you have ever spent time less agreeably,

  Time only wishes with all his heart that you never will.