The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (843 page)

has been quite forgotten.He was the son of a queen, boys;

and though he came here as our enemy, remember

he has paid the price for that.Though low and mighty

both rot to the same dust, but reverence -

the guiding light of the world - distinguishes

between the great and the low.Our enemy was a prince;

and though you took his life as an enemy,

still bury him as a prince.

GUIDERIUS.

Pray you fetch him hither.

Thersites' body is as good as Ajax',

When neither are alive.

Please bring him here.

Thersite's body is as good as that of Ajax,

when they are both dead.

ARVIRAGUS.

If you'll go fetch him,

We'll say our song the whilst. Brother, begin.

 Exit BELARIUS

If you'll go and fetch him,

we'll say our song in the meantime.Brother, begin.

GUIDERIUS.

Nay, Cadwal, we must lay his head to th' East;

My father hath a reason for't.

No, Cadwal, we must lay him with his head pointing east.

That's what my father says.

ARVIRAGUS.

'Tis true.

It's true.

GUIDERIUS.

Come on, then, and remove him.

Come on then, and move him.

ARVIRAGUS.

So. Begin.

That's it.Begin.

SONG

GUIDERIUS.

Fear no more the heat o' th' sun

 Nor the furious winter's rages;

 Thou thy worldly task hast done,

 Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages.

 Golden lads and girls all must,

 As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Don't fear any longer the heat of the sun

nor the furious raging of the winter;

you have finished your task on earth,

you have gone home, and taken your wages.

Golden lads and girls must all,

like chimney sweeps, become dust.

ARVIRAGUS.

Fear no more the frown o' th' great;

 Thou art past the tyrant's stroke.

 Care no more to clothe and eat;

 To thee the reed is as the oak.

 The sceptre, learning, physic, must

 All follow this and come to dust.

Don't fear the frown of the great any longer;

you are beyond the reach of the tyrant.

Don't worry any longer about clothes and food;

the reed and the oak are the same to you.

Royalty, learning, medicine, must

all follow you and turn to dust.

GUIDERIUS.

Fear no more the lightning flash,

Don't fear the lightning flash,

ARVIRAGUS.

Nor th' all-dreaded thunder-stone;

Nor the dreaded thunderbolt;

GUIDERIUS.

Fear not slander, censure rash;

Don't fear slander, or unfair criticism;

ARVIRAGUS.

Thou hast finish'd joy and moan.

Joy and grief are over for you now.

BOTH.

All lovers young, all lovers must

 Consign to thee and come to dust.

All young lovers, all lovers must

do the same as you and end as dust.

GUIDERIUS.

No exorciser harm thee!

May no magicianraise you!

ARVIRAGUS.

Nor no witchcraft charm thee!

Nor any witchcraft charm you!

GUIDERIUS.

Ghost unlaid forbear thee!

May restless ghosts leave you alone!

ARVIRAGUS.

Nothing ill come near thee!

May nothing evil come near you!

BOTH.

Quiet consummation have,

 And renowned be thy grave!

Re-enter BELARIUS with the body of CLOTEN

Have a quiet rest,

and may your grave be worshipped!

GUIDERIUS.

We have done our obsequies. Come, lay him down.

We have done the funeral rites.Come, lay him down.

BELARIUS.

Here's a few flowers; but 'bout midnight, more.

The herbs that have on them cold dew o' th' night

Are strewings fit'st for graves. Upon their faces.

You were as flow'rs, now wither'd. Even so

These herblets shall which we upon you strew.

Come on, away, apart upon our knees.

The ground that gave them first has them again.

Their pleasures here are past, so is their pain.

 Exeunt all but IMOGEN

Here are a few flowers; we'll bring more at midnight.

The herbs that have the cold dew of the night on them

are the best coverings for graves.Put them on their faces.

You were like flowers, now you're withered.It's the same

with these little herbs we shall now cover you with.

Come on, we must go, we shall kneel and pray.

The ground they came from has reclaimed them.

Their earthly pleasures are gone, and so is their pain.

IMOGEN.

[Awaking] Yes, sir, to Milford Haven. Which is the way?

I thank you. By yond bush? Pray, how far thither?

'Ods pittikins! can it be six mile yet?

I have gone all night. Faith, I'll lie down and sleep.

But, soft! no bedfellow. O gods and goddesses!

 [Seeing the body]

These flow'rs are like the pleasures of the world;

This bloody man, the care on't. I hope I dream;

For so I thought I was a cave-keeper,

And cook to honest creatures. But 'tis not so;

'Twas but a bolt of nothing, shot at nothing,

Which the brain makes of fumes. Our very eyes

Are sometimes, like our judgments, blind. Good faith,

I tremble still with fear; but if there be

Yet left in heaven as small a drop of pity

As a wren's eye, fear'd gods, a part of it!

The dream's here still. Even when I wake it is

Without me, as within me; not imagin'd, felt.

A headless man? The garments of Posthumus?

I know the shape of's leg; this is his hand,

His foot Mercurial, his Martial thigh,

The brawns of Hercules; but his Jovial face-

Murder in heaven! How! 'Tis gone. Pisanio,

All curses madded Hecuba gave the Greeks,

And mine to boot, be darted on thee! Thou,

Conspir'd with that irregulous devil, Cloten,

Hath here cut off my lord. To write and read

Be henceforth treacherous! Damn'd Pisanio

Hath with his forged letters- damn'd Pisanio-

From this most bravest vessel of the world

Struck the main-top. O Posthumus! alas,

Where is thy head? Where's that? Ay me! where's that?

Pisanio might have kill'd thee at the heart,

And left this head on. How should this be? Pisanio?

'Tis he and Cloten; malice and lucre in them

Have laid this woe here. O, 'tis pregnant, pregnant!

The drug he gave me, which he said was precious

And cordial to me, have I not found it

Murd'rous to th' senses? That confirms it home.

This is Pisanio's deed, and Cloten. O!

Give colour to my pale cheek with thy blood,

That we the horrider may seem to those

Which chance to find us. O, my lord, my lord!

[Falls fainting on the body]

Enter LUCIUS, CAPTAINS, and a SOOTHSAYER

Yes, sir, to Milford Haven. Which way is it?

Thank you. Past that bush? How far is it, please?

Good heavens! Can it still be six miles?

I have travelled all night. Right, I'll lie down and sleep.

But what's this! I don't want a companion. Oh gods and goddesses!

[Seeing the body]

These flowers are like the happiness of the world;

this bloody man is like the sorrow of it. I hope I'm dreaming;

for I thought that I was a cave dweller,

and a cook to honest men. But it's not so;

it was just a figment of my imagination,

something the brain makes out of the air. Our eyes

can sometimes be blind like our judgement. Good heavens,

I'm still trembling with fear: but if there is

the smallest imaginable drop of pity

left in heaven, feared gods, give me a part of it!

What I dreamt is still here: even now I'm awake it is

around me, as it was inside me: it wasn't imagination, it's real.

A headless man? In the clothes of Posthumus?

I know the shape of his leg: this is his hand:

his speedy foot: his soldier's thigh:

the muscles of Hercules: but his godlike face–

how can such a God be murdered!–Is gone. Pisanio,

all the curses that mad Hecuba laid on the Greeks,

and mine as well, may they all land on you! You

conspired with that lawless devil, Cloten,

and he's decapitated my lord. Everyone should look out

for reading and writing! Dammed Pisanio

has, with his forged letters (damned Pisanio),

chopped off the main mast of the

best ship in the world! Oh Posthumus, alas,

where is your head? Where's that? Oh no! Where's that?

Pisanio could have run you through the heart,

and left your head on. Why have you done this, Pisanio?

It's him, and Cloten: evil and greed between them

have caused this sorrow here. Oh, it's obvious, obvious!

The drug he gave me, which he said was valuable

and would do me good, haven't I found it

knocks you unconscious? That proves it all:

this was done by Pisanio and Cloten–oh!

Give my pale cheeks some colour with your blood,

so that we can seem more terrible to those

who happened to find us. Oh, my lord! My lord!

CAPTAIN.

To them the legions garrison'd in Gallia,

After your will, have cross'd the sea, attending

You here at Milford Haven; with your ships,

They are in readiness.

Added to them are the French legions,

which have crossed the sea according to your orders, waiting

for you here at Milford Haven; they are all ready,

so are your ships.

LUCIUS.

But what from Rome?

But what's been heard from Rome?

CAPTAIN.

The Senate hath stirr'd up the confiners

And gentlemen of Italy, most willing spirits,

That promise noble service; and they come

Under the conduct of bold Iachimo,

Sienna's brother.

The Senate has aroused the people

and gentlemen of Italy, very willing souls,

who promised to do well; and they are coming

under the leadership of brave Iachimo,

the brother of Sienna.

LUCIUS.

When expect you them?

When do you expect them?

CAPTAIN.

With the next benefit o' th' wind.