Read The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Online
Authors: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
And, having sworn truth, ever will be true.
And having promised to be loyal, will always be loyal.
OLIVIA
Then lead the way, good father; and heavens so shine,
Then lead the way, good Father, and may the heavens so shine,
That they may fairly note this act of mine!
That they may beautifully observe this thing I am doing!
Exeunt
Enter Clown and FABIAN
FABIAN
Now, as thou lovest me, let me see his letter.
Now, as you love me, let me see his letter
Clown
Good Master Fabian, grant me another request.
Good Mister Fabian, do another thing for me.
FABIAN
Any thing.
Anything.
Clown
Do not desire to see this letter.
Do not ask to see this letter.
FABIAN
This is, to give a dog, and in recompense desire my
dog again.
This is, to give a dog, and in return ask for my dog again.
Enter DUKE ORSINO, VIOLA, CURIO, and Lords
DUKE ORSINO
Belong you to the Lady Olivia, friends?
Do you belong to the Lady Olivia, friends?
Clown
Ay, sir; we are some of her trappings.
Yes, sir, we are some of her belongings.
DUKE ORSINO
I know thee well; how dost thou, my good fellow?
I know you well; how are you, my good fellow?
Clown
Truly, sir, the better for my foes and the worse
Truly, sir, improved by my enemies and worsened
for my friends.
by my friends.
DUKE ORSINO
Just the contrary; the better for thy friends.
Oh no, it's the other way around; improved by your friends.
Clown
No, sir, the worse.
No, sir, made worse.
DUKE ORSINO
How can that be?
How is that possible?
Clown
Marry, sir, they praise me and make an ass of me;
By Mary, sir, they praise me and make an ass of me;
now my foes tell me plainly I am an ass: so that by
now my enemies tell me plainly that I am an ass; so that by
my foes, sir I profit in the knowledge of myself,
my enemies, sir, I gain knowledge about myself,
and by my friends, I am abused: so that,
and by my friends, sir, I am lied to: so that,
conclusions to be as kisses, if your four negatives
conclusions being kisses, if your four noes
make your two affirmatives why then, the worse for
make two yeses, why then, the worse for
my friends and the better for my foes.
my friends and the better for me foes.
DUKE ORSINO
Why, this is excellent.
Very clever.
Clown
By my troth, sir, no; though it please you to be
By the truth, sir, no; though it pleases you to be
one of my friends.
one of my friends.
DUKE ORSINO
Thou shalt not be the worse for me: there's gold.
You shall not be the worse for me: here's some money.
Clown
But that it would be double-dealing, sir, I would
Except for it being double-dealing, sir, i wish
you could make it another.
you could give me more.
DUKE ORSINO
O, you give me ill counsel.
Oh, you give me bad advice.
Clown
Put your grace in your pocket, sir, for this once,
Put your wisdom in your pocket, sir, this once,
and let your flesh and blood obey it.
and let your body obey it.
DUKE ORSINO
Well, I will be so much a sinner, to be a
Well, I will sin this much: to be a
double-dealer: there's another.
double-dealer: there's another coin.
Clown
Primo, secundo, tertio, is a good play; and the old
One, two, three, is a good sequence; and the old
saying is, the third pays for all: the triplex,
saying is, the third pays for all: the triple,
sir, is a good tripping measure; or the bells of
sir, is a good unit; or the bells of
Saint Bennet, sir, may put you in mind; one, two, three.
Saint Bennet's cathedral, sir, will make you think; one, two, three.
DUKE ORSINO
You can fool no more money out of me at this throw:
You can trick no more money out of me at this time:
if you will let your lady know I am here to speak
If you will let your lady know I am hear to speak
with her, and bring her along with you, it may awake
with her, and bring her with you, it may cause me to share
my bounty further.
my wealth further.
Clown
Marry, sir, lullaby to your bounty till I come
By Mary, sir, may your money sleep until I come
again. I go, sir; but I would not have you to think
that my desire of having is the sin of covetousness:
but, as you say, sir, let your bounty take a nap, I
will awake it anon.
I will awaken it shortly.
Exit
VIOLA
Here comes the man, sir, that did rescue me.
Here comes the man, sir, that rescued me.
Enter ANTONIO and Officers
DUKE ORSINO
That face of his I do remember well;
Yet, when I saw it last, it was besmear'd
As black as Vulcan in the smoke of war:
A bawbling vessel was he captain of,
For shallow draught and bulk unprizable;
With which such scathful grapple did he make
With the most noble bottom of our fleet,
That very envy and the tongue of loss
Cried fame and honour on him. What's the matter?
I remember his face, but much dirtier and bloodier, in wartime.
First Officer
Orsino, this is that Antonio
Orsino, this is that Antonio
That took the Phoenix and her fraught from Candy;
That took the Phoenix and her freight from Candy;
And this is he that did the Tiger board,
And it is him that boarded the Tiger,
When your young nephew Titus lost his leg:
Where your young nephew Titus lost his leg:
In private brabble did we apprehend him.
We arrested him in a private fight.
VIOLA
He did me kindness, sir, drew on my side;
He was kind to me, sir, tried to fight on my side,
But in conclusion put strange speech upon me:
But in concluding it said strange things to me:
I know not what 'twas but distraction.
That I did not understand, except as a distraction.
DUKE ORSINO
Notable pirate! thou salt-water thief!
What foolish boldness brought thee to their mercies,
Whom thou, in terms so bloody and so dear,
Hast made thine enemies?
What made you do something so risky as that?
ANTONIO
Orsino, noble sir,
Be pleased that I shake off these names you give me:
Antonio never yet was thief or pirate,
Though I confess, on base and ground enough,
Orsino's enemy. A witchcraft drew me hither:
That most ingrateful boy there by your side,
From the rude sea's enraged and foamy mouth
Did I redeem; a wreck past hope he was:
His life I gave him and did thereto add
My love, without retention or restraint,
All his in dedication; for his sake
Did I expose myself, pure for his love,
Into the danger of this adverse town;
Drew to defend him when he was beset:
Where being apprehended, his false cunning,
Not meaning to partake with me in danger,
Taught him to face me out of his acquaintance,
And grew a twenty years removed thing
While one would wink; denied me mine own purse,
Which I had recommended to his use
Not half an hour before.
I saved his life, and then he repaid my by denying me, and
not giving back the money I had given him less than half an hour before.
VIOLA
How can this be?
How can this be possible?
DUKE ORSINO
When came he to this town?
When did he come to this town?
ANTONIO
To-day, my lord; and for three months before,
Today, my lord, and for three months before then,
No interim, not a minute's vacancy,
Without a pause, without even a minute apart
Both day and night did we keep company.
For every day and night we stayed together.
Enter OLIVIA and Attendants
DUKE ORSINO