The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (392 page)

Officer Masters, let him goHe is my prisoner, and you shall not have him.
Masters, let him goHe is my prisoner, and you shall not have him.

PINCH Go bind this man, for he is frantic too.
Go bind this man, for he is frantic too.

They offer to bind Dromio of EphesusADRIANA What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer?Hast thou delight to see a wretched manDo outrage and displeasure to himself?
What will you do, you stupid officer?Do you take pleasure in seeing a tortured manUpset and harm himself?

Officer He is my prisoner: if I let him go,The debt he owes will be required of me.
He is my prisoner: if I let him go,I will have to pay the debt he owes.

ADRIANA I will discharge thee ere I go from thee:Bear me forthwith unto his creditor,And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it.Good master doctor, see him safe convey'dHome to my house. O most unhappy day!

I’ll pay you before I leave:Take me to the person he is owing to,And, once I know how much it is, I will pay it.Good master doctor, see him taken safelyHome to my house. O what an awful day!

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUSO most unhappy strumpet!
O what an awful slut!

DROMIO OF EPHESUS Master, I am here entered in bond for you.

Master, I am here tied up for you.

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUSOut on thee, villain! wherefore dost thou mad me?
Shut up already, stupid! why are you trying to provoke me?

DROMIO OF EPHESUS Will you be bound for nothing? be mad, good master: cry 'The devil!'
Will you just be tied up for no reason? At least act insane, good master: shout 'The devil!'

LUCIANA God help, poor souls, how idly do they talk!
God help them, poor souls, talking so strangely!

ADRIANA Go bear him hence. Sister, go you with me.
Go take him home. Sister, go you with me.
Exeunt all but Adriana, Luciana, Officer and CourtezanSay now, whose suit is he arrested at?
Tell me, who had him arrested?

Officer One Angelo, a goldsmith: do you know him?
One Angelo, a goldsmith: do you know him?

ADRIANA I know the man. What is the sum he owes?
I know the man. What is the sum he owes?

Officer Two hundred ducats.
Two hundred ducats.

ADRIANA Say, how grows it due?
Tell me, what is it for?

Officer Due for a chain your husband had of him.
For a chain your husband had of him.

ADRIANA He did bespeak a chain for me, but had it not.
He spoke of a chain for me, but I never got it.

Courtezan When as your husband all in rage to-dayCame to my house and took away my ring--The ring I saw upon his finger now--Straight after did I meet him with a chain.
Then your husband came in a fit of rageTo my house and took away my ring--The ring I saw on his finger just now--Right after that I saw him with a chain.

ADRIANA It may be so, but I did never see it.Come, gaoler, bring me where the goldsmith is:I long to know the truth hereof at large.
It may be so, but I never saw it.Come, jailer, take me to where the goldsmith is:I long to know the truth of all this.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse with his rapier drawn, and DROMIO of SyracuseLUCIANA God, for thy mercy! they are loose again.
God, be merciful! they are loose again.

ADRIANA And come with naked swords.Let's call more help to have them bound again.

And come with swords drawn.Let's call more help to have them bound again.

Officer Away! they'll kill us.
We need to get away! they'll kill us.

Exeunt all but Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of SyracuseANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE I see these witches are afraid of swords.
I see these witches are afraid of swords.

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE She that would be your wife now ran from you.

The one who thinks she’s your wife ran from you just now.

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE Come to the Centaur; fetch our stuff from thence:I long that we were safe and sound aboard.
Come to the Centaur; let’s get our things:I can’t wait until we’re safe and sound aboard.

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE Faith, stay here this night; they will surely do usno harm: you saw they speak us fair, give us gold: methinks they are such a gentle nation that, but for the mountain of mad flesh that claims marriage of me, I could find in my heart to stay here still and turn witch.

I say we stay here tonight; they surely won’t dous any harm: you saw how nice they are, they give us gold: I think this would be such a gentle place, and if it wasn’t for the insane mountain of flesh that wants to marry me, I could find in my heart to stay here and become a witch too.

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE I will not stay to-night for all the town;Therefore away, to get our stuff aboard.
I won’t stay another night for the whole town;So let’s go get our stuff aboard.
Exeunt

Enter Second Merchant and ANGELO

 ANGELO I am sorry, sir, that I have hinder'd you;But, I protest, he had the chain of me,Though most dishonestly he doth deny it.

I am sorry, sir, that I have kept you;But, I’m telling you, he got the chain from me,Though he is denying it so dishonestly.

Second Merchant How is the man esteemed here in the city?

How well is the man respected here in the city?

ANGELO Of very reverend reputation, sir,Of credit infinite, highly beloved,Second to none that lives here in the city:His word might bear my wealth at any time.

He has a spotless reputation, sir,He has unlimited credit, highly beloved,Second to no one that lives here in the city:I would trust him with all my money any time.

Second Merchant Speak softly; yonder, as I think, he walks.

Speak quietly; I think he’s walking over here.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse and DROMIO of Syracuse

ANGELO 'Tis so; and that self chain about his neckWhich he forswore most monstrously to have.Good sir, draw near to me, I'll speak to him.Signior Antipholus, I wonder muchThat you would put me to this shame and trouble;And, not without some scandal to yourself,With circumstance and oaths so to denyThis chain which now you wear so openly:Beside the charge, the shame, imprisonment,You have done wrong to this my honest friend,Who, but for staying on our controversy,Had hoisted sail and put to sea to-day:This chain you had of me; can you deny it?

It’s him; and he’s wearing the chain on his neckThat he swore up and down that he didn’t have.Good sir, step closer, I'll speak to him.Mister Antipholus, I’m astonishedThat you would put me through so much shame and trouble;And, not without some scandal to yourself,Lie and swear that you denied havingThis chain which you’re now wearing in public:But money, shame, and imprisonment aside,You have greatly wronged my honest friend,Who, if he hadn’t had to stay for this mess,Had hoisted sail, And set out to sea today:You did get this chain from me; can you deny it?

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE I think I had; I never did deny it.

Yes, I did; I never denied it.

Second Merchant Yes, that you did, sir, and forswore it too.

Yes, you did deny it, sir, and swore it too.

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE Who heard me to deny it or forswear it?

Who heard me to deny it or swear it?

Second Merchant These ears of mine, thou know'st did hear thee.Fie on thee, wretch! 'tis pity that thou livestTo walk where any honest man resort.

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE Thou art a villain to impeach me thus:I'll prove mine honour and mine honestyAgainst thee presently, if thou darest stand.

You’re a scoundrel to accuse me like this:I'll defend my honor and my honestyAgainst you right now, if you dare.

Second Merchant I dare, and do defy thee for a villain.

I do dare, and I call you a scoundrel.

They draw

They draw

Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, the Courtezan, and others

ADRIANA Hold, hurt him not, for God's sake! he is mad.Some get within him, take his sword away:Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house.

Wait, don’t hurt him, for God's sake! He’s crazy.Someone get him, take his sword away:Bind Dromio too, and take them to my house.

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE Run, master, run; for God's sake, take a house!This is some priory. In, or we are spoil'd!

Run, master, run; for God's sake, hide in a house!This is a monastery. Duck in or we’re done for!

Exeunt Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse to the Priory

Enter the Lady Abbess, AEMILIA

AEMELIA Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng you hither?

Be quiet, people. What are you all doing here?

ADRIANA To fetch my poor distracted husband hence.Let us come in, that we may bind him fastAnd bear him home for his recovery.

I’m here to get my poor insane husband back.Let us in, so we can tie him up tightAnd take him home and make him well.

ANGELO I knew he was not in his perfect wits.

I knew something was wrong with his wits.

Second Merchant I am sorry now that I did draw on him.

I am sorry now that I drew my sword on him.

AEMELIA How long hath this possession held the man?

How long has he been possessed?

ADRIANA This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad,And much different from the man he was;Second Merchant These ears of mine, you know I heard you.To hell with you, scoundrel! it’s a pity you liveTo walk among honest men.

This week he he’s been angry, mean, sad,And much different from the man he was;But till this afternoon his passionNe'er brake into extremity of rage.

AEMELIA
Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck of sea?Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eyeStray'd his affection in unlawful love?A sin prevailing much in youthful men,Who give their eyes the liberty of gazing.Which of these sorrows is he subject to?

Did he lose a lot of money in a ship wreck?Buried a dear friend? Or maybe he’s beenStraying into an affair?A sin that occurs often in young men,Who give their eyes the freedom to gaze.Which of these things are affecting him?

ADRIANA To none of these, except it be the last;Namely, some love that drew him oft from home.

None of them, except maybe the last one;Meaning, I think there was another women that often took him from his home.

AEMELIA You should for that have reprehended him.

You should have scolded him for that.

ADRIANA Why, so I did.

Why, so I did.

AEMELIA Ay, but not rough enough.

Maybe, but not rough enough.

ADRIANA As roughly as my modesty would let me.

As roughly as my modesty would let me.

AEMELIA Haply, in private.

Probably in private.

ADRIANA And in assemblies too.

And in public too.

AEMELIA Ay, but not enough.

Yes, but not enough.

ADRIANA It was the copy of our conference:In bed he slept not for my urging it;At board he fed not for my urging it;Alone, it was the subject of my theme;In company I often glanced it;Still did I tell him it was vile and bad.