The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (422 page)

A power I have, but of what strength and nature

A power that I possess, but how strong and for what purpose
I am not yet instructed.

I am not yet instructed.

ANGELO

'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,

Same with me. Let us withdraw together,
And we may soon our satisfaction have

And we may soon have the satisfaction
Touching that point.

Of talking about it.

ESCALUS

I'll wait upon your honour.

I’ll go with you.

Exeunt

Enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen

LUCIO

If the duke with the other dukes come not to

If the duke does not come with the other dukes don’t come to
composition with the King of Hungary, why then all

An agreement with the King of Hungary, well then all
the dukes fall upon the king.

The dukes will attack the king.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of

May heaven grant us peace, but not the King of
Hungary's!

Hungary’s!

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Amen.

Amen.

LUCIO

Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that

You talk like the self-righteous pirate, that
went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped

Went out to sea with ther Ten Commandments, but scraped
one out of the table.

One of them out of the tablet.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

'Thou shalt not steal'?

Was it “Thou shalt not steal”?

LUCIO

Ay, that he razed.

Yes, that’s the one he did away with.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and

Well, it was a commandment that was commanding the captain and
all the rest from their functions: they put forth

All of his crew from performing their functions: they set out
to steal. There's not a soldier of us all, that, in

To steal. There’s not a soldier out of all of us soldiers, that, while
the thanksgiving before meat, do relish the petition

Blessing the food before we eat, love for people
well that prays for peace.

To pray for peace.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

I never heard any soldier dislike it.

I’ve never actually heard a soldier say they didn’t like that.

LUCIO

I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where

I believe you; since I don’t think you’ve ever been present
grace was said.

When people say grace before they eat.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

No? a dozen times at least.

You don’t think so? I have, at least a dozen times.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

What, in metre?

What, in meter?

LUCIO

In any proportion or in any language.

In any form or in any language.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

I think, or in any religion.

I think, or in any religion.

LUCIO

Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all

Yes, and why not? Grace is grace, despite all
controversy: as, for example, thou thyself art a

Controversies: like, for example, you yourself are an
wicked villain, despite of all grace.

Evil swine, despite all of grace.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.

Well, we’re cut from the same cloth.

LUCIO

I grant; as there may between the lists and the

I grant you; as there may be between the edges of the fabric
velvet. Thou art the list.

and the velvet. You are the edge.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou'rt

And you’re the velvet: you are good velvet; you’re
a three-piled piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief

A piece that is piled three high, I bet: I would rather
be a list of an English kersey as be piled, as thou

Be an edge of a coarse and wooly fabric, than be like you with your venereal
art piled, for a French velvet. Do I speak

disease, for being a French velvet. Are my words
feelingly now?

Hurting your feelings now?

LUCIO

I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful

I think you did; indeed your words were
feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own

Very painful: And since you’ve confessed
confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I

That you have a venereal disease, I will begin drinking to your health; but
live, forget to drink after thee.

So long as I live, never drink after you for fear of catching it.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

I think I have done myself wrong, have I not?

I think I have wronged myself, haven’t I?

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.

Yes you have, whether you are contaminated or not.

LUCIO

Behold, behold. where Madam Mitigation comes! I

Look, look. Here comes Madam Mitigation! I
have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to—

Have bought myself so many diseases under her roof that the total come to
—

SECOND GENTLEMAN

To what, I pray?

To how much?

LUCIO

Judge.

Guess.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

To three thousand dolours a year.

To three thousand dollars a year.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Ay, and more.

Yes, and more than that probably.

LUCIO

A French crown more.

A French crown more.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou

You always joke that I have French diseases; but you

art full of error; I am sound.

Are totally wrong; I’m perfectly sound and healthy.

LUCIO

Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as

No, I wouldn’t say healthy; I would say you are sound as
things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow;

Things that are hollow: your bones are hollow from syphilis;
impiety has made a feast of thee.

Being so sinful has made a feast out of you.

Enter MISTRESS OVERDONE

FIRST GENTLEMAN

How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Hello there! Which of your hips has the worst sciatica?

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried

Well, well; there’s a man that has been arrested and carried
to prison was worth five thousand of you all.

To prison that is worth five thousand of you all.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Who's that, I pray thee?

And who is that, may I ask?

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.

Well, sir, that would be Claudio, Mister Claudio.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Claudio to prison? 'tis not so.

Claudio was sent to prison? It can’t be.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested, saw

No, but I know it’s true: I saw him get arrested, saw
him carried away; and, which is more, within these

Him carried away; and what’s more, within the next
three days his head to be chopped off.

Three days his head is going to be chopped off.

LUCIO

But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so.

But, after all of this joking, I don’t want that to happen..
Art thou sure of this?

Are you sure of this?

MISTRESS OVERDONE

I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam

I am too sure of it: and it is all because he got Madam
Julietta with child.

Julietta pregnant.

LUCIO

Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two

Believe me, it could be true: he promised to meet me two
hours since, and he was ever precise in

Hours ago, and he never breaks
promise-keeping.

A promise.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Besides, you know, it draws something near to the

Besides, you know, it sounds a bit like
speech we had to such a purpose.

What we were talking about earlier.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.

But most of all, it’s consistent with the proclamation.

LUCIO

Away! let's go learn the truth of it.

Come on! Let’s go learn the truth.

Exeunt LUCIO and Gentlemen

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what

So, with the war, with the plague,
with the gallows and what with poverty, I am

With the executions, and with poverty, I am
custom-shrunk.

Out of customers.

Enter POMPEY

How now! what's the news with you?

Hey there! What’s the news?

POMPEY

Yonder man is carried to prison.

That man has been carried to prison.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Well; what has he done?

Well; what has he done?

POMPEY

A woman.

A woman.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

But what's his offence?

But what has he done wrong?

POMPEY

Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

Groping for trouts in a private river.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

What, is there a maid with child by him?

So what, is there a maid is with child by his doing?

POMPEY

No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You have

No but there is a woman who has a maid that are standing by him. You have
not heard of the proclamation, have you?