The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
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and Britain shall be lucky and flourish with peace and prosperity.'
You, Leonatus, are the lion's child;
the construction of your name, being
Leo-natus, tells us that.
[to Cymbeline] The piece of tender air is your virtuous daughter,
which we can call "tender air"; it means
this most loyal wife, who even now,
matching the writing exactly,
unknown to you, unsought, is being embraced
by this most tender air.
CYMBELINE.
This hath some seeming.
This seems to make sense.
SOOTHSAYER.
The lofty cedar, royal Cymbeline,
Personates thee; and thy lopp'd branches point
Thy two sons forth, who, by Belarius stol'n,
For many years thought dead, are now reviv'd,
To the majestic cedar join'd, whose issue
Promises Britain peace and plenty.
The lofty cedar, royal Cymbeline,
represents you; and your lopped branches
represent your two sons, who, stolen by Belarius,
thought dead for many years, have now been revived,
joined to the majestic cedar, and the result
promises Britain peace and plenty.
CYMBELINE.
Well,
My peace we will begin. And, Caius Lucius,
Although the victor, we submit to Caesar
And to the Roman empire, promising
To pay our wonted tribute, from the which
We were dissuaded by our wicked queen,
Whom heavens in justice, both on her and hers,
Have laid most heavy hand.
Good,
we will begin my peace.And, Caius Lucius,
although we won, we submit to Caesar
and to the Roman empire, promising
to pay our usual tribute, which we were
dissuaded from by our wicked queen,
whom the heavens have justifiably
harshly punished, both her and her son.
SOOTHSAYER.
The fingers of the pow'rs above do tune
The harmony of this peace. The vision
Which I made known to Lucius ere the stroke
Of yet this scarce-cold battle, at this instant
Is full accomplish'd; for the Roman eagle,
From south to west on wing soaring aloft,
Lessen'd herself and in the beams o' th' sun
So vanish'd; which foreshow'd our princely eagle,
Th'imperial Caesar, Caesar, should again unite
His favour with the radiant Cymbeline,
Which shines here in the west.
The fingers of the powers above are tuning
the sweet music of this peace.The vision
which I shared with Lucius on the eve
of this just finished battle has now come
completely true; for the Roman eagle,
soaring on high from south to west,
became smaller and so vanished
in the sunbeams; this predicted our princely eagle,
the emperor Caesar, would again join
himself with the radiant Cymbeline,
who shines here in the west.
CYMBELINE.
Laud we the gods;
And let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils
From our bless'd altars. Publish we this peace
To all our subjects. Set we forward; let
A Roman and a British ensign wave
Friendly together. So through Lud's Town march;
And in the temple of great Jupiter
Our peace we'll ratify; seal it with feasts.
Set on there! Never was a war did cease,
Ere bloody hands were wash'd, with such a peace.
Exeunt
We praise the gods;
let the twisting smoke of our sacrifices rise to their noses
from our sacred altars.Announce this peace
to all my subjects.Let's set out; let
a Roman and a British flag fly
friendly together.So march through London,
and we'll sign our peace in the temple
of great Jupiter; we'll seal it with feasting.
Let's go!A war never ended before with such peace
before the blood was even washed off the soldiers' hands.
Claudius, King of Denmark.
Hamlet, Son to the former, and Nephew to the present King.
Polonius, Lord Chamberlain.
Horatio, Friend to Hamlet.
Laertes, Son to Polonius.
Voltimand, Courtier.
Cornelius, Courtier.
Rosencrantz, Courtier.
Guildenstern, Courtier.
Osric, Courtier.
A Gentleman, Courtier.
A Priest.
Marcellus, Officer.
Bernardo, Officer.
Francisco, a Soldier
Reynaldo, Servant to Polonius.
Players.
Two Clowns, Grave-diggers.
Fortinbras, Prince of Norway.
A Captain.
English Ambassadors.
Ghost of Hamlet's Father.
Gertrude, Queen of Denmark, and Mother of Hamlet.
Ophelia, Daughter to Polonius.
Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Sailors, Messengers, and other
Attendants.
Elsinore. A platform before the castle
FRANCISCO at his post. Enter to him BERNARDO
BERNARDO
Who’s there?
Who's there?
FRANCISCO
No, you answer me. Identify yourself.
Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.
BERNARDO
I am an officer in the king’s court.
Long live the king!
FRANCISCO
Bernardo, is that you?
Bernardo?
BERNARDO
Yes.
He.
FRANCISCO
You are late.
You come most carefully upon your hour.
BERNARDO
It’s only twelve o’ clock. Go to bed already, Francisco.
'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.
FRANCISCO
Thanks. It’s cold and I am sick of it.
For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold,And I am sick at heart.
BERNARDO
Have things been quiet on your guard?
Have you had quiet guard?
FRANCISCO
Quiet as a mouse.
Not a mouse stirring.
BERNARDO
Well, good night. If you see Horatio and Marcellus, tell them to hurry up.
Well, good night.If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.
FRANCISCO
I think I hear them now. Stop! Who’s there?
I think I hear them. Stand, ho! Who's there?
Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS
HORATIO
We are friends.
Friends to this ground.
MARCELLUS
And we work for the Dane.
And liegemen to the Dane.
FRANCISCO
Be on your way then.
Give you good night.
MARCELLUS
Goodbye, soldier. Who has relieved you?
O, farewell, honest soldier:Who hath relieved you?
FRANCISCO
Bernardo took my place. Good night.
Bernardo has my place.Give you good night.
Exit
MARCELLUS
Hey! Bernardo!
Holla! Bernardo!
BERNARDO
What? Is that you, Horatio?
Say,What, is Horatio there?
HORATIO
A part of me is here.
A piece of him.
BERNARDO
<
br /> Welcome, Horatio and Marcellus.
Welcome, Horatio: welcome, good Marcellus.
MARCELLUS
Has that thing appeared again tonight?
What, has this thing appear'd again to-night?
BERNARDO
I haven’t seen anything.
I have seen nothing.
MARCELLUS
Horatio doesn’t believe me; says it is all in my head. We have seen the ghost twice, so I invited him to stand guard with us tonight. If the apparition comes, he will see for himself.
Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy,And will not let belief take hold of himTouching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us:Therefore I have entreated him alongWith us to watch the minutes of this night;That if again this apparition come,He may approve our eyes and speak to it.
HORATIO
Nonsense. It will not appear again.
Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.
BERNARDO
Let’s sit down and we will tell you, although you are skeptical, what we have seen the last two nights.
Sit down awhile;And let us once again assail your ears,That are so fortified against our storyWhat we have two nights seen.
HORATIO
Ok, let’s sit. I will listen to Bernardo’s story.
Well, sit we down,And let us hear Bernardo speak of this.
BERNARDO
Last night, about one o’clock, with the light from that star in the west, Marcellus and I—
Last night of all,When yond same star that's westward from the poleHad made his course to illume that part of heavenWhere now it burns, Marcellus and myself,The bell then beating one,--
Enter Ghost
MARCELLUS
Be quiet. Look, here it comes again!
Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again!
BERNARDO
It looks just like the dead king.
In the same figure, like the king that's dead.
MARCELLUS
You are smart, Horatio, speak to it.
Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio.
BERNARDO
It does look like the king; doesn’t it, Horatio?
Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio.
HORATIO
It does, and I’m both scared and curious.
Most like: it harrows me with fear and wonder.
BERNARDO
It acts like it wants to say something.
It would be spoke to.
MARCELLUS
Ask it something, Horatio.
Question it, Horatio.
HORATIO
What are you out at the time of night ready for war and resembling the dead king of Denmark? In the name of God, say something!
What art thou that usurp'st this time of night,Together with that fair and warlike formIn which the majesty of buried DenmarkDid sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak!
MARCELLUS
It is offended.
It is offended.
BERNARDO
See, it’s going away!
See, it stalks away!
HORATIO
Wait, stay. Speak! I command you to speak!
Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak!
Exit Ghost
MARCELLUS
It’s gone and would not say anything.
'Tis gone, and will not answer.
BERNARDO
What do you think now, Horatio? You look a little pale and scared. You think it’s more than some fantasy?
How now, Horatio! you tremble and look pale:Is not this something more than fantasy?What think you on't?
HORATIO
I swear, I never would have believed if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.
Before my God, I might not this believeWithout the sensible and true avouchOf mine own eyes.
MARCELLUS
Doesn’t it look like the king?
Is it not like the king?
HORATIO
I know that armor as well as I know myself. He wore it during the battle with Norway when he killed the Polacks on their sleds. So strange.
As thou art to thyself:Such was the very armour he had onWhen he the ambitious Norway combated;So frown'd he once, when, in an angry parle,He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.'Tis strange.
MARCELLUS
This is the second time at this very hour that it has walked around like a soldier.
Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour,With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.
HORATIO
I don’t know what this means, but I have a funny feeling something is going to happen in our country.
In what particular thought to work I know not;But in the gross and scope of my opinion,This bodes some strange eruption to our state.
MARCELLUS
Okay, let’s sit down and talk about what is going on. Why do we stand guard every night, and why are cannons being made? Why are we buying foreign weapons and ships are being built every day of the week. Do you think something is about to happen?
Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows,Why this same strict and most observant watchSo nightly toils the subject of the land,And why such daily cast of brazen cannon,And foreign mart for implements of war;Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore taskDoes not divide the Sunday from the week;What might be toward, that this sweaty hasteDoth make the night joint-labourer with the day:Who is't that can inform me?
HORATIO
I think I know. As you know, the king, we just saw in his ghostly form, was the enemy of Fortinbras, the king of Norway. Fortinbras dared the king to fight and was killed by the seemingly valiant Hamlet. According to a signed contract, Fortinbras forfeited his land, as well as his life, to his conqueror. Our king had signed a similar contract. Now, his son, the young Fortinbras, seeks revenge and the return of his father’s land. He has commissioned the help of some lawless men. I think that is the reason for the frenzy of activity, including our watch and the procurement of weapons.
That can I;At least, the whisper goes so. Our last king,Whose image even but now appear'd to us,Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway,Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride,Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet--For so this side of our known world esteem'd him--Did slay this Fortinbras; who by a seal'd compact,Well ratified by law and heraldry,Did forfeit, with his life, all those his landsWhich he stood seized of, to the conqueror:Against the which, a moiety competentWas gaged by our king; which had return'dTo the inheritance of Fortinbras,Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same covenant,And carriage of the article design'd,His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras,Of unimproved mettle hot and full,Hath in the skirts of Norway here and thereShark'd up a list of lawless resolutes,For food and diet, to some enterpriseThat hath a stomach in't; which is no other--As it doth well appear unto our state--But to recover of us, by strong handAnd terms compulsatory, those foresaid landsSo by his father lost: and this, I take it,Is the main motive of our preparations,The source of this our watch and the chief headOf this post-haste and romage in the land.
BERNARDO
I think you’re right. That explains why the king, responsible for these wars, comes walking around in his armor on our watch.
I think it be no other but e'en so:Well may it sort that this portentous figureComes armed through our watch; so like the kingThat was and is the question of these wars.
HORATIO
There is definitely trouble brewing. Even in the great city of Rome, before the murder of Julius Caesar, the dead arose from their graves and walked the streets, speaking gibberish. There were other signs and omens, too, like shooting stars and solar eclipses. The fates are warning us. But wait! Here comes the ghost again! (Enter Ghost.) I’ll go to it, even though I don’t want to. Stay, ghost. If you can, speak to me. If there is anything I can do to ease your pain, tell me. Or, if you know something that would help our country, please speak. If you have some hidden treasure here on earth, which makes you uneasy, let
us help you. (The cock crows.) Stay and speak! Stop the ghost, Marcellus.
A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye.In the most high and palmy state of Rome,A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted deadDid squeak and gibber in the Roman streets:As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood,Disasters in the sun; and the moist starUpon whose influence Neptune's empire standsWas sick almost to doomsday with eclipse:And even the like precurse of fierce events,As harbingers preceding still the fatesAnd prologue to the omen coming on,Have heaven and earth together demonstratedUnto our climatures and countrymen.--But soft, behold! lo, where it comes again!
Re-enter Ghost
I'll cross it, though it blast me. Stay, illusion!If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,Speak to me:If there be any good thing to be done,That may to thee do ease and grace to me,Speak to me:
Cock crows
If thou art privy to thy country's fate,Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, O, speak!Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy lifeExtorted treasure in the womb of earth,For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,Speak of it: stay, and speak! Stop it, Marcellus.
MARCELLUS
Should I hit it with my sword?
Shall I strike at it with my partisan?
HORATIO
Yes, if it doesn’t stop.
Do, if it will not stand.
BERNARDO
It’s here!
'Tis here!
HORATIO
It’s here!
'Tis here!
MARCELLUS
It’s gone! (Exit Ghost.) We shouldn’t have used force on the ghost of the king. Anyway, it is an apparition and can’t be touched. We were stupid to think otherwise.