The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (423 page)

Not heard of the proclamation, have you?

MISTRESS OVERDONE

What proclamation, man?

What proclamation?

POMPEY

All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.

All brothels in the suburbs of Vienna must be taken down.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

And what shall become of those in the city?

And what will happen to the ones that are in the city?

POMPEY

They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too,

They will remain: they were about to be torn down too,
but that a wise burgher put in for them.

But a wise man interceded on their behalf.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be

But will all of our houses of pleasure in the suburbs be
pulled down?

Torn down?

POMPEY

To the ground, mistress.

Yes, to the ground, mistress.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth!

Well that’s a huge change in the commonwealth!
What shall become of me?

What will I do?

POMPEY

Come; fear you not: good counsellors lack no

Come now; don’t be afraid: good counselors lack no
clients: though you change your place, you need not

Clients: though you change your place, you don’t need to
change your trade; I'll be your tapster still.

Change your trade; I’ll still be your tapster.
Courage! there will be pity taken on you: you that

Have courage! People will take pity on you: you who
have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you

Have worked so very hard for this, you

will be considered.

Will be considered.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

What's to do here, Thomas tapster? let's withdraw.

What are we doing here, Mister tapster? Let’s leave.

POMPEY

Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to

Here comes Mister Claudio, led by the provost to
prison; and there's Madam Juliet.

Prison: and there’s Madam Juliet.

Exeunt

Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers

CLAUDIO

Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world?

Please, why do you shame me like this in front of the world?
Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

Just take me to prison, where I am committed.

Provost

I do it not in evil disposition,
I’m not doing it to be evil,

But from Lord Angelo by special charge.

It’s a special order from Lord Angelo.

CLAUDIO

Thus can the demigod Authority

And so the demigod Authority
Make us pay down for our offence by weight

Makes us pay the exact amount of our offence
The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will;
The words of heaven; whoever it happens to, it happens,

On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.

The same for whoever it doesn’t happen to. Either way, it is justice.

Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen

LUCIO

Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint?

Why, what’s happened, Claudio! Where do these chains come from?

CLAUDIO

From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:

From too much livery, my Lucio, liberty:
As surfeit is the father of much fast,

Just like someone who fasts then overindulges,
So every scope by the immoderate use

So does every freedom from excessive use
Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,

Turn into restrain. Our natures do chase,
Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,

Like rats that greedily devour what is poisonous to them,
A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die.

A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.

LUCIO

If could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would

If I could speak with such wisdom while under arrest, I would
send for certain of my creditors: and yet, to say

Send for certain of the ones who would imprison me for debt: and yet, to say
the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom

The truth, I would rather have the foolishness of freedom
as the morality of imprisonment. What's thy

Instead of the morality of imprisonment. What is your
offence, Claudio?

Offence, Claudio?

CLAUDIO

What but to speak of would offend again.

If I speak it, it would be another offence.

LUCIO

What, is't murder?

What, is it murder?

CLAUDIO

No.

LUCIO

Lechery?

CLAUDIO

Call it so.

You could call it that.

Provost

Away, sir! you must go.

Leave, sir! You must go.

CLAUDIO

One word, good friend. Lucio, a word with you.

One word, good friend. Lucio, I want a word with you.

LUCIO

A hundred, if they'll do you any good.

You can have a hundred if they’ll do you any good.
Is lechery so look'd after?

Is lechery such a punishable crime?

CLAUDIO

Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract

As you see me now: in the presence of witnesses
I got possession of Julietta's bed:

I took to Julietta’s bed:
You know the lady; she is fast my wife,

You know her; she is wife bound by pre-contract,
Save that we do the denunciation lack

Missing only the formal declaration
Of outward order: this we came not to,

To the public: we didn’t make it to that,
Only for propagation of a dower

We were waiting for her dowry
Remaining in the coffer of her friends,

That remained in a strongbox with her relatives,
From whom we thought it meet to hide our love

From whom we thought it would be best to hide our love
Till time had made them for us. But it chances

Until time had disposed them in our favor. But as our luck would have it
The stealth of our most mutual entertainment

The stealth of our mutual love
With character too gross is writ on Juliet.

Was undeniably revealed on Juliet’s body.

LUCIO

With child, perhaps?

You mean she’s with child?

CLAUDIO

Unhappily, even so.

Unfortunately so.
And the new deputy now for the duke—

And the new deputy now that has taken place of the duke---
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness,

Whether it’s a fault from being so new at this
Or whether that the body public be

Or whether the public body is
A horse whereon the governor doth ride,

Merely a horse for him to ride,
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know

Who, since he is a new rider, in order to
He can command, lets it straight feel the spur;

Discipline it and let it know who is in command, at once digs in his spur,
Whether the tyranny be in his place,

Whether the tyranny be inherent in the office,
Or in his emmence that fills it up,

Or in the eminence of him that fills it up,
I stagger in:--but this new governor

I stagger in:-- but this new governor
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties

Awakes all the old penalties
Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall

Which have, like rusty armor, hung by the wall
So long that nineteen zodiacs have gone round

For so long that nineteen years have gone by
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,

And none of them have been worn; and, for the sake of his reputation,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act

Now puts all of the old punishments
Freshly on me: 'tis surely for a name.

Freshly on me: surely it is only for a reputation.

LUCIO

I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on

I bet it is: and your head stands so unstable on
thy shoulders that a milkmaid, if she be in love,

You shoulders that a milkmaid, if she is in love,
may sigh it off. Send after the duke and appeal to

could sigh it off. Send a message to the duke and appeal to
him.

him.

CLAUDIO

I have done so, but he's not to be found.

I’ve done that, but he can’t be found.
I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service:

I ask you, Lucio, do this for me:
This day my sister should the cloister enter

Today my sister should enter the monastery
And there receive her approbation:

To receive her approbation there:
Acquaint her with the danger of my state:

Tell her about the trouble I’m in:
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends

Ask her, for me, to make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him:

With the strict deputy; ask her to attempt to sway him:
I have great hope in that; for in her youth

I have great hope in that: since she is so young
There is a prone and speechless dialect,

There is an eager and speechless language,
Such as move men; beside, she hath prosperous art

That moves men; besides that, she has a skill for gaining favorable results
When she will play with reason and discourse,

When she will use reason and rationality,
And well she can persuade.

And she can be very persuasive.

LUCIO

I pray she may; as well for the encouragement of the

I hope she will; for your sake and for all others in the same
like, which else would stand under grievous

Situation, which otherwise would suffer serious
imposition, as for the enjoying of thy life, who I

Accusation penalties, and would miss out on the enjoyments of life
would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a

Which would be a shame to lose for something as silly
game of tick-tack. I'll to her.

As a bed-romp. I’ll go tell her.

CLAUDIO

I thank you, good friend Lucio.

LUCIO

Within two hours.

I’ll be back in two hours.

CLAUDIO

Come, officer, away!

Come on, officer, let’s go!

Exeunt