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

by William Shakespeare

  Like a foolish Indian, threw away a pearl

  Richer than all his tribe; of one whose subdued eyes,

  Worth more than his whole tribe. Write that my calm eyes,

  Albeit unused to the melting mood,

  Not used to being sad,

  Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees

  Give off tears faster than trees from Arabia

  Their medicinal gum. Set you down this;

  That are known to let drip their sap. Write this,

  And say besides, that in Aleppo once,

  And say also that once in Aleppo,

  Where a malignant and a turban'd Turk

  Where a dangerous Turk wearing a turban

  Beat a Venetian and traduced the state,

  Beat a Venetian man and slandered the country,

  I took by the throat the circumcised dog,

  I took the Turk by the throat

  And smote him, thus.

  And killed him like this.

  Stabs himself

  LODOVICO

  O bloody period!

  What a bloody ending!

  GRATIANO

  All that's spoke is marr'd.

  Everything that has been said is bad.

  OTHELLO

  I kiss'd thee ere I kill'd thee: no way but this;

  I kissed you before I killed you. Now it is fitting

  Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.

  That killing myself, I die kissing you.

  Falls on the bed, and dies

  CASSIO

  This did I fear, but thought he had no weapon;

  I was afraid of this, but I thought he did not have a weapon.

  For he was great of heart.

  He was a passionate man.

  LODOVICO

  [To IAGO] O Spartan dog,

  You dog,

  More fell than anguish, hunger, or the sea!

  Crueler than sadness, hunger, and the sea!

  Look on the tragic loading of this bed;

  Look at the dead bodies piled onto this bed:

  This is thy work: the object poisons sight;

  This is your work. This is a poisonous sight,

  Let it be hid. Gratiano, keep the house,

  Someone cover it. Gratiano, take care of the house

  And seize upon the fortunes of the Moor,

  And take the Moor’s estate,

  For they succeed on you. To you, lord governor,

  For it all goes to you. And you, Cassio,

  Remains the censure of this hellish villain;

  Must punish this criminal.

  The time, the place, the torture: O, enforce it!

  Enforce the time, the place, and the kind of torture.

  Myself will straight aboard: and to the state

  I am returning to Venice immediately to tell them

  This heavy act with heavy heart relate.

  In sadness the awful events that happened here

  Exeunt

  Chorus

  Escalus-Prince of Verona

  Paris-Young nobleman, related to Prince

  Montague-Head of the family in conflict with the Capulets

  Capulet-Head of the family in conflict with the Montagues

  An Old Man-Relative of the Capulets

  Romeo-Son of Montague

  Tybalt-Nephew of Lady Capulet

  Mercutio-Friend of Romeo and relative of the Prince

  Benvolio-Friend of Romeo and nephew of Montague

  Friar Lawrence-Member of the Catholic church

  Friar John-Member of the Catholic church

  Balthasar-Servant of Romeo

  Abram-Servant of Montague

  Sampson-Servant of Capulet

  Gregory-Servant of Capulet

  Peter-Servant of Juliet’s nurse

  Abraham-Servant to Montague

  An Apothecary-Pharmacist

  Three Musicians

  An Officer

  Lady Montague-Wife of Montague

  Lady Capulet-Wife to Capulet

  Juliet-Daughter to Capulet

  Nurse of Juliet

  Citizens of Verona-Men and women related to both families

  Incidental Characters-Maskers, Guards, Watchmen, Pages, and Attendants

  (Old Version is Underneath the Modern Version in Italics)

  Chorus

  Two families with similar social standing,

  Located in Verona, Italy,

  Hold an old grudge which develops into a new controversy,

  Where seemingly civilized people commit murder.

  Two households, both alike in dignity

  In fair Verona, where we lay our scene

  From ancient grudge break to new mutiny

  Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

  Two children of the warring families,

  Fall in love and take their lives,

  And in the process destroy,

  Their parents’ will to fight.

  From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

  A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;

  Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows

  Doth with their death bury their parents' strife.

  The events leading up to the young deaths,

  And the mutual hatred held by their parents,

  Which could only be softened by their children’s suicide,

  Is the subject of the play.

  The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,

  And the continuance of their parents' rage,

  Which but their children's end naught could remove,

  Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;

  If you watch and listen patiently,

  What is missing from this prologue will be shown on stage.

  The which, if you with patient ears attend,

  What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

  Scene I: A Public Place

  (Enter Sampson and Gregory, armed with swords and bucklers, or shields.)

  Sampson

  I swear, Gregory, we will not stand by and be treated like servants.

  Gregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals.

  Gregory

  We are servants, fool.

  No, for then we should be colliers.

  Sampson

  I mean, if they want to fight, I’m ready.

  I mean, an we be in choler we'll draw.

  Gregory

  The only thing you will fight is the death penalty.

  Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.

  Sampson

  I will fight in a minute, if someone messes with me.

  I strike quickly, being moved.

  Gregory

  Well then, no one has messed with you in a long time, huh?

  But thou art not quickly moved to strike.

  Sampson

  A Montague can make me angry enough to fight!

  A dog of the house of Montague moves me.

  Gregory

  To be angry is to react and to be brave is to stand and fight; therefore, your reaction has always been to run.

  To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand: therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away.

  Sampson

  I will never run away from a Montague: I will take him down, and if he is not careful, his wife, too.

  A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's.

  Gregory

  That shows what an idiot you are, to prey on the weakest of the Montagues.

  That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.

  Sampson

  I will push the Montagues into a fight and make their women watch.

  True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall and thrust his maids to the wall.

  Gregory

  This is not our fight! This war is between our masters.

 
; The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.

  Sampson

  It’s all for one and one for all. I will kill all of the Montagues, both women and men.

  'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men I will be cruel with the maids, I will cut off their heads.

  Gregory

  Why the women?

  The heads of the maids?

  Sampson

  Well, maybe not kill them; only make them wish they were dead. If you know what I mean?

  Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt.

  Gregory

  Yes, I know what you mean. But I doubt the women will.

  They must take it in sense that feel it.

  Sampson

  Oh, they’ll know what I mean, when I stand over them with my “weapon” exposed.

  Me they shall feel while I am able to stand: and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.

  Gregory

  (Referring to Sampson’s genitals.) More like, you standing over them with a limp noodle. Draw your weapon, two from the house of Montague approach.

  'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor-John.--Draw thy tool; Here comes two of the house of Montagues.

  Sampson

  I have my sword. Start an argument and I’ll back you up.

  My naked weapon is out: quarrel! I will back thee.

  Gregory

  How will you back me up? Turn your back on me and run?

  How! turn thy back and run?

  Sampson

  Quit worrying.

  Fear me not.

  Gregory

  No, you wimp. I will fear fighting with you as my partner.

  No, marry; I fear thee!

  Sampson

  Fine then. Let’s be law-abiding citizens. Let them pass and see if they will start with us.

  Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.

  Gregory

  I will stare them down as they pass by, and let them take it as they wish.

  I will frown as I pass by; and let them take it as they list.

  Sampson

  You mean, as they dare. I will flip them off and see what they do. If they ignore me, we know they are cowards.

  Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is disgrace to them if they bear it.

  (Enter Abraham and Balthasar.)

  Abraham

  Did you just flip me off?

  Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

  Sampson

  Uhhh…I did point my middle finger skyward.

  I do bite my thumb, sir.

  Abraham

  I said, “Did YOU just flip me off?”

  Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

  Sampson

  (To Gregory) Am I still abiding the law, if I say yes?

  Is the law of our side if I say ay?

  Gregory

  I don’t think so.

  No.

  Sampson

  No sir, I was just pointing my middle finger towards the sky.

  No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.

  Gregory

  Are you trying to start a fight, sir?

  Do you quarrel, sir?

  Abraham

  A fight, sir? No sir!

  Quarrel, sir! no, sir.

  Sampson

  Well, if you want a fight. I am your man. My master is just as good as yours.

  But if you do, sir, am for you: I serve as good a man as you.

  Abraham

  But, not better than mine.

  No better.

  Sampson

  Well…

  Well, sir.

  Gregory

  Say yes. Here comes one of our master’s relatives.

  Say better; here comes one of my master's kinsmen.

  Sampson

  Yes, Mr. Montague is better than your master.

  Yes, better, sir.

  Abraham

  Liar!

  You lie.

  Sampson

  Then we will fight! Remember Gregory, you are a better fighter than me.

  Draw, if you be men.--Gregory, remember thy swashing blow.

  (They fight.)

  (Enter Benvolio.)

  Benvolio

  What is going on here? Put away your weapons, fools. You don’t know what you are doing.

  Part, fools! put up your swords; you know not what you do.

  (Beats down their weapons with his sword.)

  (Enter Tybalt.)

  Tybalt

  Are you using your sword against these weak men? Turn around, Benvolio, and use it against someone as strong as you, if you dare.

  What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee Benvolio, look upon thy death.

  Benvolio

  I am only trying to break up their fight. So, put up your sword or use it to help me.

  I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me.

  Tybalt

  Right, you expect me to believe you, a peacekeeper? I hate the word, peace, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and YOU. Fight, you coward!

  What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: Have at thee, coward!

  (They fight.)

  (Enter several members of both families, who join in. Then, enter Citizens with clubs.)

  Citizens

  Everyone, draw your clubs, swords, spears.

  Beat them down.

  Down with the Capulets.

  Down with the Montagues.

  Clubs, bills, and partisans!

  Strike! beat them down!

  Down with the Capulets!

  Down with the Montagues!

  (Enter Capulet in his gown, with Lady Capulet.)

  Capulet

  What is going on here? Someone hand me my sword.

  What noise is this?--Give me my long sword, ho!

  Lady Capulet

  A weapon, a weapon? Why do you need your sword?

  A crutch, a crutch!--Why call you for a sword?

  Capulet

  Give me my sword. Here comes Old Montague with a weapon drawn.

  My sword, I say!--Old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me.

  (Enter Montague with Lady Montague.)

  Montague

  My enemy, Capulet! Let me at him. Don’t hold me back.

  Thou villain Capulet!-- Hold me not, let me go.

  Lady Montague

  You are not going anywhere. (Holding onto Montague.)

  Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.

  (Enter the Prince and his Attendants.)

  Prince

  Stop you criminals, enemies of peace, cowards who use weapons to settle your disputes and beasts who seek the blood of your enemies to solve your problems. I’ll have you arrested and punished, if you don’t listen to me. Put down you weapons and listen. Three times, you have fought over senseless words. You, Capulet, and you, Montague, have disturbed the peace three times. And, the Citizens of Verona have had to stop you. If you ever fight again, you will pay with your lives. Everyone go back to your businesses or go home. Capulet, you come with me. And, Montague, you come this afternoon. I am going to get to the bottom of this feud. This is your last chance. Now go!

  Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,-- Will they not hear?--What, ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage With purple fountains issuing from your veins,-- On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground And hear the sentence of your moved prince.-- Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets; And made Verona's ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partisans, in hands as old, Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate: If ever you disturb our streets aga
in, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. For this time, all the rest depart away:-- You, Capulet, shall go along with me;-- And, Montague, come you this afternoon, To know our farther pleasure in this case, To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.-- Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.

  (Exit Prince, Attendants, Capulet, Lady Capulet, Tybalt, Citizens, and Servants.)

  Montague

  Who started this fight? Did you see what happened, Benvolio?

  Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?-- Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?

  Benvolio

  All I saw was your servants fighting two of the Capulet servants. I tried to break them apart and that arrogant Tybalt showed up. He was getting ready to kill me. He took a swing at me with his sword, but missed. I wasn’t about to stand there and be killed, so I defended myself. Then, the prince showed up and broke us apart.

  Here were the servants of your adversary And yours, close fighting ere I did approach: I drew to part them: in the instant came The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepar'd; Which, as he breath'd defiance to my ears, He swung about his head, and cut the winds, Who, nothing hurt withal, hiss'd him in scorn: While we were interchanging thrusts and blows, Came more and more, and fought on part and part, Till the prince came, who parted either part.

  Lady Montague

  Oh, where is Romeo? Have you seen him today? I am so glad he was not there.

  O, where is Romeo?--saw you him to-day?-- Right glad I am he was not at this fray.

  Benvolio

  I saw him early this morning while on a walk to clear my head. He was underneath the grove of sycamore trees, growing on the west side of the city. When he saw me, he took off into the woods. I didn’t go after him, because I thought he must have wanted to be alone.

  Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun Peer'd forth the golden window of the east, A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad; Where,--underneath the grove of sycamore That westward rooteth from the city's side,-- So early walking did I see your son: Towards him I made; but he was ware of me, And stole into the covert of the wood: I, measuring his affections by my own,-- That most are busied when they're most alone,-- Pursu'd my humour, not pursuing his, And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me.

  Montague

  He has been seen many times in that place, crying and depressed. As soon as he gets home, he locks himself up in his bedroom, where he draws the curtains and stays in the dark. He must be in a bad mood and need counseling.