The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (685 page)

Better than we do, Arcite?

I shall.

Have you ever heard of any two who loved each other

better than us, Arcite?

ARCITE

Sure there cannot.

I'm sure there can't have been.

PALAMON

I do not think it possible our friendship

Should ever leave us.

 I don't think it's possible for our friendship

to ever end.

ARCITE

Till our deaths it cannot,

Enter Emilia and her Woman below.

And after death our spirits shall be led

To those that love eternally. Speak on, sir.

It cannot until we die,

and after death our spirits will

remain together to love eternally. Go on, sir.

EMILIA

This garden has a world of pleasures in’t.

What flow’r is this?

This garden is full of pleasures.

What's this flower?

WAITING-WOMAN

’Tis call’d narcissus, madam.

That's called Narcissus, madam.

EMILIA

That was a fair boy certain, but a fool

To love himself. Were there not maids enough?

He was certainly good-looking boy, but a fool

to love himself. Weren't there enough girls for him?

ARCITE

Pray forward.

Please go on.

PALAMON

Yes.

Yes.

EMILIA

Or were they all hard-hearted?

Or were they all hardhearted?

WAITING-WOMAN

They could not be to one so fair.

They couldn't have hardened their hearts against one so beautiful.

EMILIA

Thou wouldst not.

You wouldn't have.

WAITING-WOMAN

I think I should not, madam.

Definitely not, madam.

EMILIA

That’s a good wench!

But take heed to your kindness though.

Good lass!

But watch yourself with your kindness.

WAITING-WOMAN

Why, madam?

Why, madam?

EMILIA

Men are mad things.

Because men are mad.

ARCITE

Will ye go forward, cousin?

Will you carry on, cousin?

EMILIA

Canst not thou work such flowers in silk, wench?

Can you embroider these flowers on silk, girl?

WAITING-WOMAN

Yes.

Yes.

EMILIA

I’ll have a gown full of ’em, and of these:

This is a pretty color, will’t not do

Rarely upon a skirt, wench?

I'll have a dress covered in them, and these:

this is a pretty colour; don't you think it would

look very good on a skirt, girl?

WAITING-WOMAN

Dainty, madam.

Very sweet, madam.

ARCITE

Cousin, cousin, how do you, sir? Why, Palamon!

Cousin, cousin, how are you, sir? Why, Palamon!

PALAMON

Never till now I was in prison, Arcite.

I never felt I was in prison until now, Arcite.

ARCITE

Why, what’s the matter, man?

Why, what's the matter, man?

PALAMON

Behold, and wonder!

By heaven, she is a goddess.

Look, and be amazed!

By heaven, she is a goddess.

ARCITE

Ha!

Ha!

PALAMON

Do reverence;

She is a goddess, Arcite.

Worship her;

she is a goddess, Arcite.

EMILIA

Of all flow’rs

Methinks a rose is best.

I think that roses

are the best of all the flowers.

WAITING-WOMAN

Why, gentle madam?

Why, sweet madam?

EMILIA

It is the very emblem of a maid;

For when the west wind courts her gently,

How modestly she blows, and paints the sun

With her chaste blushes! When the north comes near her,

Rude and impatient, then, like chastity,

She locks her beauties in her bud again,

And leaves him to base briers.

She perfectly symbolises a maid;

for when the West wind gently approaches her,

how modestly she opens up, adorning the sun

with her chaste blushes! When the north wind comes near her,

rude and bullying, then, like chastity,

she locks her beauties up in her bud again,

and leaves him with the low thorns.

WAITING-WOMAN

Yet, good madam,

Sometimes her modesty will blow so far she falls for’t.

A maid, if she have any honor, would be loath

To take example by her.

Yet, good madam,

sometimes in her modesty she will blow over so far she actually falls.

Any girl who has any honour would not wish

to follow her example.

EMILIA

Thou art wanton.

You are lusty.

ARCITE

She is wondrous fair.

She's incredibly beautiful.

PALAMON

She is all the beauty extant.

She is everything beautiful in the world.

EMILIA

The sun grows high, let’s walk in. Keep these flowers,

We’ll see how near art can come near their colors.

I am wondrous merry-hearted, I could laugh now.

The sun’s getting high, let's go indoors. Keep these flowers,

we’ll see how closely art can match their colours.

I feel very happy, I could laugh now.

WAITING-WOMAN

I could lie down, I am sure.

I think I could lie down.

EMILIA

And take one with you?

Taking someone with you?

WAITING-WOMAN

That’s as we bargain, madam.

That can be negotiated, madam.

EMILIA

Well, agree then.

Well, agree to it then.

Exeunt Emilia and Woman.

PALAMON

What think you of this beauty?

What do you think of this beauty?

ARCITE

’Tis a rare one.

She is exceptional.

PALAMON

Is’t but a rare one?

Just exceptional?

ARCITE

Yes, a matchless beauty.

Yes, an incomparable beauty.

PALAMON

Might not a man well lose himself and love her?

Couldn't a man easily lose himself and fall in love with her?

ARCITE

I cannot tell what you have done; I have,

Beshrew mine eyes for’t! Now I feel my shackles.

I can't tell what you have done; I have,

damn my eyes for doing it! Now I can feel my chains.

PALAMON

You love her then?

You love her then?

ARCITE

Who would not?

Who wouldn't?

PALAMON

And desire her?

And you desire her?

ARCITE

Before my liberty.

More than my freedom.

PALAMON

I saw her first.

I saw her first.

ARCITE

That’s nothing.

That doesn't count for anything.

PALAMON

But it shall be.

It will do.

ARCITE

I saw her too.

I saw her as well.

PALAMON

Yes, but you must not love her.

Yes, but you must not love her.

ARCITE

I will not, as you do—to worship her

As she is heavenly and a blessed goddess;

I love her as a woman, to enjoy her.

So both may love.

I won't, not in the same way you do, worshipping her

as a heavenly and blessed goddess;

I love her as a woman, I want to enjoy her.

So we can both love.

PALAMON

You shall not love at all.

You shan't love at all.

ARCITE

Not love at all! Who shall deny me?

Not love at all! Who's going to stop me?

PALAMON

I, that first saw her; I, that took possession

First with mine eye of all those beauties in her

Reveal’d to mankind. If thou lov’st her,

Or entertain’st a hope to blast my wishes,

Thou art a traitor, Arcite, and a fellow

False as thy title to her. Friendship, blood,

And all the ties between us, I disclaim

If thou once think upon her.

Me, who saw her first; me, who first

took possession with my eyes of all that beauty

that mankind can see. If you love her,

or hope to defeat my ambitions,

you are a traitor, Arcite, and a man

as illegitimate as your claim on her. If you

so much as think about her just once, I disown

our friendship, our kinship and all the ties between us.

ARCITE

Yes, I love her,

And if the lives of all my name lay on it,

I must do so; I love her with my soul;

If that will lose ye, farewell, Palamon.

I say again, I love, and in loving her maintain

I am as worthy and as free a lover,

And have as just a title to her beauty,

As any Palamon or any living

That is a man’s son.

Yes, I love her,

and I would have to do so if the lives

of my entire family depended on it;

 I love her with my soul;

if that means we part then farewell, Palamon.

I tell you again, I love her, and in loving her I insist

that I am just as worthy and just as free to love her,

and have an equal claim to her beauty,

as any Palamon or any living

human being.

PALAMON

Have I call’d thee friend?

Did I call you my friend?