The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (683 page)

(Three Queens, Knights)

Music. Enter the Queens with the hearses of their Knights in a funeral solemnity, etc.

Song.

Urns and odors bring away,

Vapors, sighs, darken the day;

Our dole more deadly looks than dying;

Balms, and gums, and heavy cheers,

Sacred vials fill’d with tears,

And clamors through the wild air flying!

Come all sad and solemn shows,

That are quick-ey’d pleasure’s foes!

We convent nought else but woes:

We convent, etc.

Carry away the urns and incense,

Tears and sighs darken the day;

our grief looks more deadly than death itself;

with medicines, and potions and great cries,

holy vials filled with tears,

with cries ringing through the stormy air!

Come all demonstrations of sadness,

the opposites to bright eyed pleasure!

Nothing but sorrow is gathering here.

THIRD QUEEN

This funeral path brings to your household’s grave:

Joy seize on you again! Peace sleep with him!

This funeral route brings you to your family grave:

May you be happy again! Rest in peace!

SECOND QUEEN

And this to yours.

And the same to yours.

FIRST QUEEN

Yours this way. Heavens lend

A thousand differing ways to one sure end.

And to yours. The heavens give us

a thousand different ways to come to one certain end.

THIRD QUEEN

This world’s a city full of straying streets,

And death’s the market-place, where each one meets.

This world is a city full of wandering streets,

and death is the marketplace, where they all meet.

Exeunt severally.

Athens. A garden, with a prison in the background.

(Jailer, Wooer, Daughter, Palamon, Arcite)

Enter Jailer and Wooer.

JAILER

I may depart with little, while I live; something I may cast to you, not much. Alas, the prison I keep, though it be for great ones, yet they seldom come: before one salmon, you shall take a number of minnows. I am given out to be better lin’d than it can appear to me report is a true speaker. I would I were really that I am deliver’d to be. Marry, what I have (be it what it will) I will assure upon my daughter at the day of my death.

I can't give much away, while I'm alive; I might be able to give you something, not much. Alas, although the prison I run is for noblemen, I don't often get them: you catch many more minnows than salmon. The rumours say I am much wealthier than I actually am. I wish I had what they say I have. Still, whatever I have, whatever it is, I promise to my daughter on the day I die.

WOOER

Sir, I demand no more than your own offer, and I will estate your daughter in what I have promis’d.

Sir, I want nothing more than what you have offered, and I will settle what I have promised on your daughter.

JAILER

Well, we will talk more of this when the solemnity is past. But have you a full promise of her? When that shall be seen, I tender my consent.

Well, we will talk more of this when the serious business is over. But have you got her full agreement? When I see that, I'll give my consent.

Enter Daughter with strewings.

WOOER

I have, sir. Here she comes.

I have, sir. Here she comes.

JAILER

Your friend and I have chanc’d to name you here, upon the old business. But no more of that now; so soon as the court hurry is over, we will have an end of it. I’ th’ mean time, look tenderly to the two prisoners. I can tell you they are princes.

Your friend and I happened to be talking about you, on the usual matter. But enough of that for now; as soon as all this commotion at court is over we will settle the matter. In the meantime, look after the two prisoners carefully. I can tell you they are princes.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

These strewings are for their chamber. ’Tis pity they are in prison, and ’twere pity they should be out. I do think they have patience to make any adversity asham’d. The prison itself is proud of ’em; and they have all the world in their chamber.

These flowers are for their room. It's a shame they are in prison, and it would be a shame if they weren't. I think may have the patience to suffer any adversity. The prison is proud to have them as guests, and everybody visits their room.

JAILER

They are fam’d to be a pair of absolute men.

They are said to be a pair of wonderful men.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

By my troth, I think fame but stammers ’em, they stand a grise above the reach of report.

I swear their reputation isn't good enough, they are head and shoulders above what they are said to be.

JAILER

I heard them reported in the battle to be the only doers.

I heard it said that they were the only ones fighting in the battle.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Nay, most likely, for they are noble suff’rers. I marvel how they would have look’d had they been victors, that with such a constant nobility enforce a freedom out of bondage, making misery their mirth, and affliction a toy to jest at.

That's very likely, for they are very noble in their suffering. I'm amazed to think what they would have been like if they had won, when they so nobly seem to be free in their imprisonment, laughing in their misery, and joking at their wounds.

JAILER

Do they so?

Is that what they do?

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

It seems to me they have no more sense of their captivity than I of ruling Athens. They eat well, look merrily, discourse of many things, but nothing of their own restraint and disasters. Yet sometime a divided sigh, martyr’d as ’twere i’ th’ deliverance, will break from one of them; when the other presently gives it so sweet a rebuke that I could wish myself a sigh to be so chid, or at least a sigher to be comforted.

They seem to have no more idea that they are captives than I would have of ruling Athens. They eat well, look happy, talk of many things, but they don't say anything about their own imprisonment and misfortunes. But sometimes one of them will give a stifled sigh, choked off even as it breaks out; then the other will rebuke it so sweetly that it makes me wish I was a sigh to be criticised like that, or at least a sigher to receive such comfort.

WOOER

I never saw ’em.

I never saw them.

JAILER

The Duke himself came privately in the night, and so did they. What the reason of it is, I know not.

Enter Palamon and Arcite above.

Look yonder they are! That’s Arcite looks out.

The Duke himself came privately at night, and so did they. What the reason is for that, I don't know.

Look, they are up there! That's Arcite looking out.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

No, sir, no, that’s Palamon. Arcite is the lower of the twain; you may perceive a part of him.

No, sir, no, that's Palamon.  Arcite is the shorter of the two; you can see part of him.

JAILER

Go to, leave your pointing. They would not make us their object. Out of their sight.

Come on, stop pointing at them. They don't want us staring at them. Lets get out of their sight.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

It is a holiday to look on them. Lord, the diff’rence of men!

It's like a holiday to look at them. Lord, how different men can be!

Exeunt Jailer, Wooer, and Daughter.

The prison.

(Palamon, Arcite, Emilia, Woman, Jailer)

Enter Palamon, and Arcite in prison.

PALAMON

How do you, noble cousin?

How are you, noble cousin?

ARCITE

How do you, sir?

How are you, sir?

PALAMON

Why, strong enough to laugh at misery

And bear the chance of war yet. We are prisoners

I fear forever, cousin.

Well, strong enough to laugh at misery

and endure the fortunes of war. I fear that we are

to stay in prison forever, cousin.

ARCITE

I believe it,

And to that destiny have patiently

Laid up my hour to come.

I believe it,

and I have set myself to

patiently endure that fate.

PALAMON

O cousin Arcite,

Where is Thebes now? Where is our noble country?

Where are our friends and kindreds? Never more

Must we behold those comforts, never see

The hardy youths strive for the games of honor,

Hung with the painted favors of their ladies,

Like tall ships under sail; then start amongst ’em

And as an east wind leave ’em all behind us,

Like lazy clouds, whilst Palamon and Arcite,

Even in the wagging of a wanton leg,