The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (445 page)

As Angelo does; just as Angelo could,
In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms,

With all this official robes and badges and titles and actions,
Be an arch-villain; believe it, royal prince:

Be an arch-villain; believe me, royal duke:
If he be less, he's nothing; but he's more,

If he is better than what I am claim, than he’s nothing at all; but I would call him worse
Had I more name for badness.

If I had more words for evilness.

DUKE VINCENTIO

By mine honesty,

Honestly,
If she be mad,--as I believe no other,--

If she is crazy,--and I believe that to be the case,--
Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense,

Her insanity has strange coherent logic.
Such a dependency of thing on thing,

I’ve never heard such a logical progression of ideas
As e'er I heard in madness.

From an insane person.

ISABELLA

O gracious duke,

Oh kind duke,
Harp not on that, nor do not banish reason

Don’t think very long about that, and don’t assume I am not logical
For inequality; but let your reason serve

Because I am beneath you in rank; but instead use your logic to
To make the truth appear where it seems hid,

Discover that the truth only seems like an impossible lie,
And hide the false seems true.

And the actual lie seems to be the truth.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Many that are not mad

Many who are not crazy
Have, sure, more lack of reason. What would you say?

Make less reasonable sense, for sure. What do you have to say?

ISABELLA

I am the sister of one Claudio,

I am the sister of Claudio,
Condemn'd upon the act of fornication

Who committed the sin of having sexual relations
To lose his head; condemn'd by Angelo:

And was sentenced to lose his head; sentenced to this by Angelo:
I, in probation of a sisterhood,

I was a novice at the convent,
Was sent to by my brother; one Lucio

When my brother sent for me; Lucio
As then the messenger,--

Was the messenger,--

LUCIO

That's I, an't like your grace:

That would be me, if you want to know, your grace:
I came to her from Claudio, and desired her

I came to speak to her for Claudio, and wanted her
To try her gracious fortune with Lord Angelo

To try her good luck with Lord Angelo
For her poor brother's pardon.

To get her poor brother pardoned.

ISABELLA

That's he indeed.

That’s him in fact.

DUKE VINCENTIO

You were not bid to speak.

You were not asked to speak.

LUCIO

No, my good lord;

No, my good lord;
Nor wish'd to hold my peace.

Nor was I asked to be silent.

DUKE VINCENTIO

I wish you now, then;

Well, I am asking you now, then;
Pray you, take note of it: and when you have

Please, obey my wishes: and when you have
A business for yourself, pray heaven you then

A problem of your own, hope that you behave
Be perfect.

Perfectly.

LUCIO

I warrant your honour.

I will your honor.

DUKE VINCENTIO

The warrants for yourself; take heed to't.

The warning is for you; listen to it.

ISABELLA

This gentleman told somewhat of my tale,--

This gentleman told me part of what I have to say now,--

LUCIO

Right.

That’s right.

DUKE VINCENTIO

It may be right; but you are i' the wrong

It may be right; but you are in the wrong
To speak before your time. Proceed.

To speak before you are asked to. Continue.

ISABELLA

I wen.

I went
To this pernicious caitiff deputy,--

To this evil scoundrel of a governor,--

DUKE VINCENTIO

That's somewhat madly spoken.

That was said with an insane tone.

ISABELLA

Pardon it;

I’m sorry;
The phrase is to the matter.

The phrase is appropriate

DUKE VINCENTIO

Mended again. The matter; proceed.

I forgive you again. Continue your story.

ISABELLA

In brief, to set the needless process by,

In short, to leave out the unnecessary details,
How I persuaded, how I pray'd, and kneel'd

Of how I begged him, and prayed, and kneeled in front of him,
How he refell'd me, and how I replied,--

And how he refused me, and how I responded,--
For this was of much length,--the vile conclusion

For that took a long time,--I will now tell you the terrible result
I now begin with grief and shame to utter:

Which I am sorry and ashamed to speak of:
He would not, but by gift of my chaste body

He would not, unless I gave my virginity
To his concupiscible intemperate lust,

Over to his heated and uncontrollable lustful passion,
Release my brother; and, after much debatement,

Free my brother; and, after much arguing,
My sisterly remorse confutes mine honour,

My holy remorse overcame my virtue,
And I did yield to him: but the next morn betimes,

And I gave in to him: but early the next morning,
His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant

His desire having been accomplished, he sent out a warrant
For my poor brother's head.

For my poor brother’s death.

DUKE VINCENTIO

This is most likely!

Well, that sounds likely!

ISABELLA

O, that it were as like as it is true!

Oh, I wish it sounded as likely is it is true!

DUKE VINCENTIO

By heaven, fond wretch, thou knowist not what thou speak'st,

Dear God, foolish wench, you don’t know what you’re saying,
Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour

Or else have been bribed to ruin his honor
In hateful practise. First, his integrity

In a terrible conspiracy.  First, his righteousness
Stands without blemish. Next, it imports no reason

Has never had a word said against it.  Next, makes no sense
That with such vehemency he should pursue

That he would so adamantely pursue
Faults proper to himself: if he had so offended,

Punishing a crime he committed: if he has committed such a crime,
He would have weigh'd thy brother by himself

He would have judged your brother from his own example
And not have cut him off. Some one hath set you on:

And not have executed him. Some one has paid you to do this:
Confess the truth, and say by whose advice

Confess the truth, and say by whose guidance
Thou camest here to complain.

You came here to complain.

ISABELLA

And is this all?

That’s all?
Then, O you blessed ministers above,

Then, oh you blessed angels above,
Keep me in patience, and with ripen'd time

Give me patience, and in good time
Unfold the evil which is here wrapt up

Reveal the evil that is now disguised
In countenance! Heaven shield your grace from woe,

By social rank! Heaven protect your grace from misfortune,
As I, thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go!

As I, having been wronged, go on not being believed.

DUKE VINCENTIO

I know you'ld fain be gone. An officer!

I know you would gladly be gone. Officer!
To prison with her! Shall we thus permit

Take her to prison! How could be allow
A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall

Such hurtful and scandalous talk to be directed
On him so near us? This needs must be a practise.

Towards a man so close to us? This must be a conspiracy.
Who knew of Your intent and coming hither?

Who know of your purpose in coming here?

ISABELLA

One that I would were here, Friar Lodowick.

Someone I wish were here, Friar Lodowick.

DUKE VINCENTIO

A ghostly father, belike. Who knows that Lodowick?

A holy father, presumably. Who knows this Lodowick?

LUCIO

My lord, I know him; 'tis a meddling friar;

My lord, I know him; he’s a meddling friar;
I do not like the man: had he been lay, my lord

I don’t like the man: if he hadn’t been a clergyman, my lord
For certain words he spake against your grace

For certain words he spoke against your grace
In your retirement, I had swinged him soundly.

In your absence, I would have punched him soundly.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Words against me? this is a good friar, belike!

Words against me? This is a good friar, presumably!
And to set on this wretched woman here

And to set this terrible woman here up
Against our substitute! Let this friar be found.

Against my replacement! Find this friar.

LUCIO

But yesternight, my lord, she and that friar,

But last night, my lord, she and that friair,
I saw them at the prison: a saucy friar,

I saw them at the prison: a disrespectful friar,
A very scurvy fellow.

A very despicable fellow.

FRIAR PETER

Blessed be your royal grace!

Bless you, your royal grace!
I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard

I have stood aside, my lord, and I have heard
Your royal ear abused. First, hath this woman

Your royal ear mislead. First, this woman has
Most wrongfully accused your substitute,

Most wrongfully accused your substitute,
Who is as free from touch or soil with her

Who is as innocent these from moral accusation from her
As she from one ungot.

As she is from an unborn baby.

DUKE VINCENTIO

We did believe no less.

That is exactly what we thought.
Know you that Friar Lodowick that she speaks of?

Do you know that Friar Lodowick that she speaks of?

FRIAR PETER

I know him for a man divine and holy;

I know him as a man who is divine and holy;
Not scurvy, nor a temporary meddler,

Not despicable, nor a meddler in mundane affairs,
As he's reported by this gentleman;

As he’s claimed to be by this gentleman;
And, on my trust, a man that never yet

And, I promise, a man that has never,
Did, as he vouches, misreport your grace.

As he claims, insult your grace.

LUCIO

My lord, most villanously; believe it.

My lord, he did most maliciously; believe me.

FRIAR PETER

Well, he in time may come to clear himself;

Well, in a little while he make come to clear his name;
But at this instant he is sick my lord,