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

by William Shakespeare

  May this be borne- as if his traitorous sons

  That died by law for murder of our brother

  Have by my means been butchered wrongfully?

  Go drag the villain hither by the hair;

  Nor age nor honour shall shape privilege.

  For this proud mock I'll be thy slaughterman,

  Sly frantic wretch, that holp'st to make me great,

  In hope thyself should govern Rome and me.

  Enter NUNTIUS AEMILIUS

  What news with thee, Aemilius?

  Spiteful and intolerable wrongs!

  Do I have to put up with this shocking villainy?

  I know where this message comes from.

  Do I have to put up with this - as if his traitorous sons

  who were lawfully executed for the murder of my brother,

  have been unjustly slaughtered by me?

  Go and drag the villain in here by the hair;

  neither his age nor position will protect him.

  For this arrogant mockery I'll be your executioner,

  cunning mad wretch, who wanted to promote me

  in the hope that you could rule over both Rome and me.

  What news do you have, Aemilius?

  AEMILIUS.

  Arm, my lords! Rome never had more cause.

  The Goths have gathered head; and with a power

  Of high resolved men, bent to the spoil,

  They hither march amain, under conduct

  Of Lucius, son to old Andronicus;

  Who threats in course of this revenge to do

  As much as ever Coriolanus did.

  Arm yourselves, my lords!Rome never needed to more.

  The Goths have raised their army, and they are marching

  here under full steam, with a force of resolute men,

  determined to taste victory, under the leadership

  of Lucius, the son of old Andronicus;

  he threatens in taking his revenge to do

  as much as Coriolanus ever did.

  SATURNINUS.

  Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths?

  These tidings nip me, and I hang the head

  As flowers with frost, or grass beat down with storms.

  Ay, now begins our sorrows to approach.

  'Tis he the common people love so much;

  Myself hath often heard them say-

  When I have walked like a private man-

  That Lucius' banishment was wrongfully,

  And they have wish'd that Lucius were their emperor.

  Is the warlike Lucius leading the Goths?

  This news depresses me, and I hang down my head

  like flowers in the frost, or grass flattened by the storms.

  Yes, now the bad times are coming.

  He's the one the common people adore;

  I've often heard them say myself -

  when I've gone around in disguise -

  that Lucius was wrongfully banished,

  and they wished he was their Emperor.

  TAMORA.

  Why should you fear? Is not your city strong?

  Why be afraid?Isn't your city strong?

  SATURNINUS.

  Ay, but the citizens favour Lucius,

  And will revolt from me to succour him.

  Yes, but the citizens favour Lucius,

  and will rebel against me to support him.

  TAMORA.

  King, be thy thoughts imperious like thy name!

  Is the sun dimm'd, that gnats do fly in it?

  The eagle suffers little birds to sing,

  And is not careful what they mean thereby,

  Knowing that with the shadow of his wings

  He can at pleasure stint their melody;

  Even so mayest thou the giddy men of Rome.

  Then cheer thy spirit; for know thou, Emperor,

  I will enchant the old Andronicus

  With words more sweet, and yet more dangerous,

  Than baits to fish or honey-stalks to sheep,

  When as the one is wounded with the bait,

  The other rotted with delicious feed.

  King, in your thoughts live up to your name!

  Is the sun dimmed if gnats fly across it?

  The eagle allows the little birds to sing

  and doesn't care what they're saying,

  knowing that he can stop their song whenever he likes

  just by showing the shadow of his wings;

  that's how you can deal with the changeable men of Rome.

  So cheer up; for you should know, Emperor,

  I will enchant old Andronicus

  with words that are sweeter, but more dangerous,

  than bait to fish or clover to sheep,

  when one is wounded with the bait,

  and the other is sickened with the delicious food.

  SATURNINUS.

  But he will not entreat his son for us.

  But he will not try to stop his son for us.

  TAMORA.

  If Tamora entreat him, then he will;

  For I can smooth and fill his aged ears

  With golden promises, that, were his heart

  Almost impregnable, his old ears deaf,

  Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue.

  [To AEMILIUS] Go thou before to be our ambassador;

  Say that the Emperor requests a parley

  Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting

  Even at his father's house, the old Andronicus.

  He will if I ask him to;

  for I can calm him and fill his old ears

  with such golden promises that if his heart

  was almost impermeable, his old ears deaf,

  his ears would still hear me and his heart still obey me.

  You go ahead as my ambassador;

  say that the Emperor wants a meeting

  with warlike Lucius, and arrange the meeting

  at the house of his father, old Andronicus.

  SATURNINUS.

  Aemilius, do this message honourably;

  And if he stand on hostage for his safety,

  Bid him demand what pledge will please him best.

  Aemilius, carry this message faithfully;

  if he asks for guarantees of his safety,

  tell him to ask for whatever promise best suits him.

  AEMILIUS.

  Your bidding shall I do effectually.

  Exit

  I shall carry out your orders to the letter.

  TAMORA.

  Now will I to that old Andronicus,

  And temper him with all the art I have,

  To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths.

  And now, sweet Emperor, be blithe again,

  And bury all thy fear in my devices.

  Now I will go to that old Andronicus,

  and persuade him with all the tricks I know,

  to separate proud Lucius from the warlike Goths.

  And now, sweet Emperor, be happy again,

  and forget your fear, have faith in my plans.

  SATURNINUS.

  Then go successantly, and plead to him.

  Exeunt

  Then follow our ambassador, and go and persuade him.

  Enter LUCIUS with an army of GOTHS with drums and colours

  LUCIUS.

  Approved warriors and my faithful friends,

  I have received letters from great Rome

  Which signifies what hate they bear their Emperor

  And how desirous of our sight they are.

  Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness,

  Imperious and impatient of your wrongs;

  And wherein Rome hath done you any scath,

  Let him make treble satisfaction.

  Proven warriors and my faithful friends,

  I have received letters from great Rome

  which show what hate they have for their Emperor

  and how much they what to see us arrive.

  So, great
lords, live up to your great titles,

  be imperial and don't suffer any wrongs;

  wherever Rome has done you any harm,

  pay him back in triplicate.

  FIRST GOTH.

  Brave slip, sprung from the great Andronicus,

  Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort,

  Whose high exploits and honourable deeds

  Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt,

  Be bold in us: we'll follow where thou lead'st,

  Like stinging bees in hottest summer's day,

  Led by their master to the flow'red fields,

  And be aveng'd on cursed Tamora.

  Brave offshoot, sprung from the great Andronicus,

  whose name was once a terror to us, is now our help,

  whose great adventures and honourable deeds

  ungrateful Rome repays with foul contempt,

  have confidence in us: we'll follow where you lead,

  like stinging bees on the hottest summer's day,

  led by their ruler to the rich fields,

  and we will have revenge on cursed Tamora.

  ALL THE GOTHS.

  And as he saith, so say we all with him.

  We all second what he says.

  LUCIUS.

  I humbly thank him, and I thank you all.

  But who comes here, led by a lusty Goth?

  Enter a GOTH, leading AARON with his CHILD in his arms

  I give him my humble thanks, and the same to you all.

  But who's this coming, led by a strong Goth?

  SECOND GOTH.

  Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray'd

  To gaze upon a ruinous monastery;

  And as I earnestly did fix mine eye

  Upon the wasted building, suddenly

  I heard a child cry underneath a wall.

  I made unto the noise, when soon I heard

  The crying babe controll'd with this discourse:

  'Peace, tawny slave, half me and half thy dam!

  Did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art,

  Had nature lent thee but thy mother's look,

  Villain, thou mightst have been an emperor;

  But where the bull and cow are both milk-white,

  They never do beget a coal-black calf.

  Peace, villain, peace!'- even thus he rates the babe-

  'For I must bear thee to a trusty Goth,

  Who, when he knows thou art the Empress' babe,

  Will hold thee dearly for thy mother's sake.'

  With this, my weapon drawn, I rush'd upon him,

  Surpris'd him suddenly, and brought him hither

  To use as you think needful of the man.

  Honoured Lucius, I strayed away from our troops

  to look at a tumbledown monastery;

  and as I looked closely at

  the ruined building, suddenly

  I heard a child crying behind a wall.

  I headed for the noise, and I soon heard

  the crying baby calmed with these words;

  "Quiet, brown slave, half me and half your mother!

  If your colour didn't show whose brat you are,

  if nature had just given you your mother's looks,

  villain, you could have been an Emperor;

  but when the bull and the cow are both snow white,

  they never have a coal-black calf.

  Quiet, villain, quiet!" - that's how he spoke to the baby -

  "For I must take you to a trusty Goth,

  who, when he knows you are the child of the Empress,

  will look after you well for your mother's sake."

  At that I rushed at him with my sword out,

  took him by surprise and brought him here

  to do with as you see fit.

  LUCIUS.

  O worthy Goth, this is the incarnate devil

  That robb'd Andronicus of his good hand;

  This is the pearl that pleas'd your Empress' eye;

  And here's the base fruit of her burning lust.

  Say, wall-ey'd slave, whither wouldst thou convey

  This growing image of thy fiend-like face?

  Why dost not speak? What, deaf? Not a word?

  A halter, soldiers! Hang him on this tree,

  And by his side his fruit of bastardy.

  Good Goth, this is the bloody devil

  who robbed Andronicus of his worthy hand;

  this is the pearl that took your Empress' fancy;

  and here's the low offspring of her burning lust.

  Tell us, glaring slave, where were you taking

  this living copy of your devilish face?

  Why don't you speak?What, are you deaf? Not a word?

  Bring a rope, soldiers!Hang him on this tree,

  and hang his bastard child next to him.

  AARON.

  Touch not the boy, he is of royal blood.

  Don't touch the boy, he has royal blood in him.

  LUCIUS.

  Too like the sire for ever being good.

  First hang the child, that he may see it sprawl-

  A sight to vex the father's soul withal.

  Get me a ladder.

  [A ladder brought, which AARON is made to climb]

  He's too like his father to ever be any good.

  Hang the child first, so he can see it die-

  a sight to torment a father's soul.

  Get me a ladder.

  AARON.

  Lucius, save the child,

  And bear it from me to the Emperess.

  If thou do this, I'll show thee wondrous things

  That highly may advantage thee to hear;

  If thou wilt not, befall what may befall,

  I'll speak no more but 'Vengeance rot you all!'

  Lucius, spare the child,

  and carry it from me to the Empress.

  If you do this, I'll tell you amazing things,

  that will be greatly to your advantage;

  if you won't, whatever happens

  all I'll say will be, "May you all rot in hell!"

  LUCIUS.

  Say on; an if it please me which thou speak'st,

  Thy child shall live, and I will see it nourish'd.

  Carry on; if I'm pleased with what you say,

  your child shall live, and I will treat it well.

  AARON.

  An if it please thee! Why, assure thee, Lucius,

  'Twill vex thy soul to hear what I shall speak;

  For I must talk of murders, rapes, and massacres,

  Acts of black night, abominable deeds,

  Complots of mischief, treason, villainies,

  Ruthful to hear, yet piteously perform'd;

  And this shall all be buried in my death,

  Unless thou swear to me my child shall live.

  If you're pleased!I can assure you, Lucius,

  that it will torture your soul to hear what I have to say;

  I have to tell you about murders, rapes and massacres,

  devilish acts, horrible deeds,

  mischievous plots, treason, villainy,

  sad to hear of, but inspiring pity;

  and all this will go with me to the grave,

  unless you swear to me my child shall live.

  LUCIUS.

  Tell on thy mind; I say thy child shall live.

  Say what you know; I say your child shall live.

  AARON.

  Swear that he shall, and then I will begin.

  Swear that he will, and I'll begin.

  LUCIUS.

  Who should I swear by? Thou believest no god;

  That granted, how canst thou believe an oath?

  Who should I swear by?You don't believe in any god;

  given that, how can you believe in any oath?

  AARON.

  What if I do not? as indeed I do not;

  Yet, for I know thou art religious

  And hast a thing within thee called conscience,

  With twent
y popish tricks and ceremonies

  Which I have seen thee careful to observe,

  Therefore I urge thy oath. For that I know

  An idiot holds his bauble for a god,

  And keeps the oath which by that god he swears,

  To that I'll urge him. Therefore thou shalt vow

  By that same god- what god soe'er it be

  That thou adorest and hast in reverence-

  To save my boy, to nourish and bring him up;

  Or else I will discover nought to thee.

  So what if I don't?I certainly don't;

  but I know that you are religious,

  and have that thing called conscience inside you.

  I've seen you carefully carry out

  lots of different forms of worship,

  and so I ask you to swear.If I know that

  an idiot worships a stick,

  and keeps his promise when he swears by that god,

  I'll ask him to do it.So you will promise

  by that god - whatever god it may be -

  that you worship and adore -

  to save my boy, to feed him and raise him;

  otherwise I'll tell you nothing.

  LUCIUS.

  Even by my god I swear to thee I will.

  I swear by my god that I will.

  AARON.

  First know thou, I begot him on the Empress.

  Firstly you should know, I fathered him with the Empress.

  LUCIUS.

  O most insatiate and luxurious woman!

  Oh, what an insatiable and lecherous woman!

  AARON.

  Tut, Lucius, this was but a deed of charity

  To that which thou shalt hear of me anon.

  'Twas her two sons that murdered Bassianus;

  They cut thy sister's tongue, and ravish'd her,

  And cut her hands, and trimm'd her as thou sawest.

  Tut, Lucius, that would seem like a charitable deed

  compared to what you'll hear from me soon.

  It was her two sons who murdered Bassanius;