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

by William Shakespeare

  fall because of

  the individual faults of those people.

  Second Senator

  Nor are they living

  Who were the motives that you first went out;

  Shame that they wanted cunning, in excess

  Hath broke their hearts. March, noble lord,

  Into our city with thy banners spread:

  By decimation, and a tithed death--

  If thy revenges hunger for that food

  Which nature loathes--take thou the destined tenth,

  And by the hazard of the spotted die

  Let die the spotted.

  Nor are the ones who first drove you away

  still living;

  ashamed that they couldn't carry through their plans,

  their hearts have been broken. March, noble lord,

  into our city with your banners unfurled:

  kill one person in every ten,

  if your revenge is hungry for that unnatural

  reward, take the allocated tenth

  and let the spotted dice decide which of those

  who are spotted with guilt should die.

  First Senator

  All have not offended;

  For those that were, it is not square to take

  On those that are, revenges: crimes, like lands,

  Are not inherited. Then, dear countryman,

  Bring in thy ranks, but leave without thy rage:

  Spare thy Athenian cradle and those kin

  Which in the bluster of thy wrath must fall

  With those that have offended: like a shepherd,

  Approach the fold and cull the infected forth,

  But kill not all together.

  Not everyone has injured you;

  it is not fair to take revenge on those who didn't

  to punish those who did: crimes are not inherited

  like property. So, dear countryman,

  bring in your forces, but leave your anger outside:

  Spare the city of your birth and your brothers

  who must fall in the storm of your anger

  alongside those who have injured you: like a shepherd,

  come to the flock and kill the infected ones,

  but don't slaughter them all.

  Second Senator

  What thou wilt,

  Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile

  Than hew to't with thy sword.

  Whatever you want,

  you can get it with your smile,

  you don't have to cut it out with your sword.

  First Senator

  Set but thy foot

  Against our rampired gates, and they shall ope;

  So thou wilt send thy gentle heart before,

  To say thou'lt enter friendly.

  Just nudge our reinforced gates

  with your foot, and they shall open;

  provided that you send a kind message

  in advance, to say you will come in peace.

  Second Senator

  Throw thy glove,

  Or any token of thine honour else,

  That thou wilt use the wars as thy redress

  And not as our confusion, all thy powers

  Shall make their harbour in our town, till we

  Have seal'd thy full desire.

  Throw down your glove,

  or any other pledge of your honour,

  to show you will use the wars to get your compensation,

  not to destroy us, all your forces

  shall have safe lodgings in our town, until we

  have given you everything you want.

  ALCIBIADES

  Then there's my glove;

  Descend, and open your uncharged ports:

  Those enemies of Timon's and mine own

  Whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof

  Fall and no more: and, to atone your fears

  With my more noble meaning, not a man

  Shall pass his quarter, or offend the stream

  Of regular justice in your city's bounds,

  But shall be render'd to your public laws

  At heaviest answer.

  Then here's my glove;

  come down, and open your undamaged doors:

  the enemies of Timon and of me,

  whom you yourselves admitted deserve punishment,

  shall die and no others: and, to calm your fears

  and show my noble purpose, no man

  will stray from barracks, or offend against the

  laws of the city, without being

  handed over to your civil courts

  for the greatest punishment you can give.

  Both

  'Tis most nobly spoken.

  That is very nobly said.

  ALCIBIADES

  Descend, and keep your words.

  Come down, and keep your word.

  The Senators descend, and open the gates

  Enter Soldier

  Soldier

  My noble general, Timon is dead;

  Entomb'd upon the very hem o' the sea;

  And on his grave-stone this insculpture, which

  With wax I brought away, whose soft impression

  Interprets for my poor ignorance.

  My noble general, Timon is dead;

  his tomb is on the edge of the sea;

  this inscription was on his gravestone, which

  I made an impression of in wax,

  which makes up for my inability to read it.

  ALCIBIADES

  [Reads the epitaph] 'Here lies a

  wretched corse, of wretched soul bereft:

  Seek not my name: a plague consume you wicked

  caitiffs left!

  Here lie I, Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate:

  Pass by and curse thy fill, but pass and stay

  not here thy gait.'

  These well express in thee thy latter spirits:

  Though thou abhorr'dst in us our human griefs,

  Scorn'dst our brain's flow and those our

  droplets which

  From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit

  Taught thee to make vast Neptune weep for aye

  On thy low grave, on faults forgiven. Dead

  Is noble Timon: of whose memory

  Hereafter more. Bring me into your city,

  And I will use the olive with my sword,

  Make war breed peace, make peace stint war, make each

  Prescribe to other as each other's leech.

  Let our drums strike.

  Exeunt

  “Here lies a

  wretched corpse, whose wretched soul has left it:

  don't look for my name: may a plague overwhelm you

  wicked rascals left!

  Here lies Timon, who all living men hated when he was alive:

  pass by and curse all you want, but keep going,

  don't stop here."

  These words show your last mood well:

  although you despised our human griefs,

  hated the tiny droplets of tears which fell

  from parsimonious nature, your rich imagination

  showed you how to make the great ocean weep for you

  at your low grave, asking for forgiveness.

  Noble Timon is dead: we shall speak about him more

  later. Bring me into your city,

  and I will show mercy while still being strong,

  let war bring peace, let peace stop war, make each one

  work for the good of each, like doctors treating each other.

  Strike up the drums.

  SATURNINUS, son to the late Emperor of Rome, afterwards Emperor

  BASSIANUS, brother to Saturninus

  TITUS ANDRONICUS, a noble Roman

  MARCUS ANDRONICUS, Tribune of the People, and brother to Titus

  Sons to Titus Andronicus:

  LUCIUS

  QUINTUS

  MARTIUS

  MUTIUS

  YOUNG LUCIUS, a boy, son to L
ucius

  PUBLIUS, son to Marcus Andronicus

  Kinsmen to Titus:

  SEMPRONIUS

  CAIUS

  VALENTINE

  AEMILIUS, a noble Roman

  Sons to Tamora:

  ALARBUS

  DEMETRIUS

  CHIRON

  AARON, a Moor, beloved by Tamora

  A CAPTAIN

  A MESSENGER

  A CLOWN

  TAMORA, Queen of the Goths

  LAVINIA, daughter to Titus Andronicus

  A NURSE, and a black CHILD

  Romans and Goths, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants

  SCENE: Rome and the neighborhood

  Flourish. Enter the TRIBUNES and SENATORS aloft; and then enter

  below

  SATURNINUS and his followers at one door, and BASSIANUS and his

  followers at the other, with drums and trumpets

  SATURNINUS.

  Noble patricians, patrons of my right,

  Defend the justice of my cause with arms;

  And, countrymen, my loving followers,

  Plead my successive title with your swords.

  I am his first born son that was the last

  That ware the imperial diadem of Rome;

  Then let my father's honours live in me,

  Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

  Noble patricians, supporters of my right to inherit,

  defend the justice of my cause with weapons;

  and, countrymen, my loving followers,

  enforce my claim to inherit the title with your swords.

  I am the first born son of the man who last

  wore the imperial crown of Rome;

  so let my father's honours continue with me

  and don't disrespect my status with such an insult.

  BASSIANUS.

  Romans, friends, followers, favourers of my right,

  If ever Bassianus, Caesar's son,

  Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,

  Keep then this passage to the Capitol;

  And suffer not dishonour to approach

  The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate,

  To justice, continence, and nobility;

  But let desert in pure election shine;

  And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.

  Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS aloft, with the crown

  Romans, friends, followers, supporters of my rights,

  if Bassanius, son of Caesar,

  was acceptable to the eyes of royal Rome,

  then guard this passage to the Capitol;

  don't allow a dishonourable man to approach

  the emperor's throne, dedicated to virtue,

  to justice, moderation and nobility;

  choose the man who deserves the throne;

  and, Romans, fight for your right to choose whom you please.

  MARCUS.

  Princes, that strive by factions and by friends

  Ambitiously for rule and empery,

  Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand

  A special party, have by common voice

  In election for the Roman empery

  Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius

  For many good and great deserts to Rome.

  A nobler man, a braver warrior,

  Lives not this day within the city walls.

  He by the Senate is accited home,

  From weary wars against the barbarous Goths,

  That with his sons, a terror to our foes,

  Hath yok'd a nation strong, train'd up in arms.

  Ten years are spent since first he undertook

  This cause of Rome, and chastised with arms

  Our enemies' pride; five times he hath return'd

  Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons

  In coffins from the field; and at this day

  To the monument of that Andronici

  Done sacrifice of expiation,

  And slain the noblest prisoner of the Goths.

  And now at last, laden with honour's spoils,

  Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,

  Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.

  Let us entreat, by honour of his name

  Whom worthily you would have now succeed,

  And in the Capitol and Senate's right,

  Whom you pretend to honour and adore,

  That you withdraw you and abate your strength,

  Dismiss your followers, and, as suitors should,

  Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.

  Princes, who fight with their parties and their friends,

  showing their ambition for power and the Emperor's crown,

  I tell you that the people of Rome, of whom I am

  special representative, have by unanimous choice

  in the election for the Roman Emperor

  chosen Andronicus, who has the surname Pius

  due to his many good and great praiseworthy deeds for Rome.

  There is not a nobler man nor a braver warrior

  alive at this time inside the city walls.

  He has been summoned home by the Senate

  from exhausting wars against the barbarous Goths.

  With his sons, a terror to our enemies,

  he has conquered a strong nation who were well trained in warfare.

  It is ten years since he first took up

  the cause of Rome and punished our enemies' pride

  with force; five times he has returned

  wounded to Rome, carrying his brave sons

  in coffins from the field and today

  he has made a sacrifice of atonement

  at the Andronicus tomb,

  and killed the noblest prisoner of the Goths.

  And now at last, weighed down with the rewards of honour,

  the good Andronicus has come back to Rome,

  the great Titus, at the peak of his powers.

  We urge you, in honour of the name

  of the one whom you now wish to havea worthy inheritor,

  and out of respect for the rights of the Senate and the Capitol,

  which you claim to honour and worship,

  that you withdraw and disarm,

  dismiss your followers and, as petitioners should,

  put your case peacefully and humbly.

  SATURNINUS.

  How fair the Tribune speaks to calm my thoughts.

  The Tribune's fair speech calms my thoughts.

  BASSIANUS.

  Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy

  In thy uprightness and integrity,

  And so I love and honour thee and thine,

  Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,

  And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,

  Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich ornament,

  That I will here dismiss my loving friends,

  And to my fortunes and the people's favour

  Commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd.

  Exeunt the soldiers of BASSIANUS

  Marcus Andronicus, I have so much faith

  in your honesty and integrity,

  and so much love and honour for you and yours,

  your noble brother Titus and his sons,

  and she whom I always worship,

  gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich decoration,

  that I will now dismiss my devoted followers

  and let my case be judged on its merits

  by my fortune and by the people.

  SATURNINUS.

  Friends, that have been thus forward in my right,

  I thank you all and here dismiss you all,

  And to the love and favour of my country

  Commit myself, my person, and the cause.

  Exeunt the soldiers of SATURNINUS

  Rome, be as just and gracious unto me

  As I am confident and kind to thee.

  Open the gates and let me in.

  My friends who have been advocating my claim,

  I
thank you all, and dismiss you,

  and I submit both myself and my cause

  to the love and kindness of my country.

  Rome, be as just and generous to me

  as I am trusting and well disposed to you.

  Open the gates and let me in.

  BASSIANUS.

  Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.

  [Flourish. They go up into the Senate House]

  Enter a CAPTAIN

  And me, tribunes, a poor fellow candidate.

  CAPTAIN.

  Romans, make way. The good Andronicus,

  Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion,

  Successful in the battles that he fights,

  With honour and with fortune is return'd

  From where he circumscribed with his sword

  And brought to yoke the enemies of Rome.

  Sound drums and trumpets, and then enter MARTIUS and MUTIUS, two of TITUS' sons; and then two men bearing a coffin covered with black; then LUCIUS and QUINTUS, two other sons; then TITUS ANDRONICUS; and then TAMORA the Queen of Goths, with her three sons, ALARBUS, DEMETRIUS, and CHIRON, with AARON the Moor, and others, as many as can be. Then set down the coffin and TITUS speaks

  Romans, make way: the good Andronicus,

  paragon of virtue, the greatest champion of Rome,

  successful in the battles he fights,

  has returned with honour and with fortune

  from where he conquered the enemies of Rome

  and confined them with his sword.

  TITUS.

  Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds!

  Lo, as the bark that hath discharg'd her fraught

  Returns with precious lading to the bay

  From whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage,

  Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs,

  To re-salute his country with his tears,

  Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.

  Thou great defender of this Capitol,

  Stand gracious to the rites that we intend!

  Romans, of five and twenty valiant sons,