The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (701 page)

this is the only colour for me.  Stay there, Arcite,

you are a substitute for him, just a gypsy boy,

and this is the true nobleman.  I am besotted,

utterly lost.  My maidenly confidence has deserted me;

if my brother had asked me just now

if I was in love, I would have been dizzy for Arcite;

if my sister asked, I would have been for Palamon.

Put them both together; now, ask me brother -

alas, I don't know!  Ask me now, sweet sister-

I'll have to look!  Attraction is like a child,

that won't choose between two toys of equal

value, but cries to have them both!

What is it, sir?

GENTLEMAN

From the noble Duke your brother,

Madam, I bring you news. The knights are come.

I bring you news, madam, from

your brother, the noble Duke.  The knights have come.

EMILIA

To end the quarrel?

To end their argument?

GENTLEMAN

Yes.

Yes.

EMILIA

Would I might end first!

What sins have I committed, chaste Diana,

That my unspotted youth must now be soil’d

With blood of princes? And my chastity

Be made the altar where the lives of lovers—

Two greater and two better never yet

Made mothers joy—must be the sacrifice

To my unhappy beauty?

I wish I could die first!

What sins have I committed, pure Diana,

that my blameless youth must be stained

with the blood of princes?  And my chastity

turned into an altar where the lives of two lovers-

the greatest and best ones that ever gave

their mothers joy- must be sacrificed

to my unhappy beauty?

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, and Attendants.

THESEUS

Bring ’em in

Quickly, by any means, I long to see ’em.—

Your two contending lovers are return’d,

And with them their fair knights. Now, my fair sister,

You must love one of them.

Bring them in

as quickly as you like, I'm longing to see them.

Your two competing lovers have returned,

bringing their fair knights with them. Now, my fair sister,

you must choose one of them.

EMILIA

I had rather both,

So neither for my sake should fall untimely.

I would rather have both,

so that neither would die an early death for me.

THESEUS

Who saw ’em?

Who saw them?

PIRITHOUS

I a while.

I did, a while ago.

GENTLEMAN

And I.

And I.

Enter First Messenger.

THESEUS

From whence come you, sir?

Where have you come from, sir?

1. MESSENGER

From the knights.

From the knights.

THESEUS

Pray speak,

You that have seen them, what they are.

You've seen them,

please tell us who they are.

1. MESSENGER

I will, sir,

And truly what I think. Six braver spirits

Than these they have brought (if we judge by the outside)

I never saw nor read of. He that stands

In the first place with Arcite, by his seeming

Should be a stout man, by his face a prince

(His very looks so say him), his complexion

Nearer a brown than black; stern, and yet noble,

Which shows him hardy, fearless, proud of dangers.

The circles of his eyes show fire within him,

And as a heated lion, so he looks;

His hair hangs long behind him, black and shining

Like ravens’ wings; his shoulders broad and strong,

Arm’d long and round, and on his thigh a sword

Hung by a curious baldrick, when he frowns

To seal his will with. Better, o’ my conscience,

Was never soldier’s friend.

I will, sir,

and give you my honest opinion.  I have never heard of

or read about six better men than the ones they have

brought, if we judge by appearances. He that stands

next to Arcite looks like a very sound man, his looks

show him to be a prince, his complexion is nearer

to brown than black; stern, and yet noble,

he looks strong, fearless, indifferent to danger.

his eyes show he has a fire within him,

he resembles a rampant lion;

his hair hangs down his back, black and shining

like ravens' wings; his shoulders are broad and strong,

his arms long and muscular, and at his waist he has

a sword hung on a strange sash, to reinforce his

will when he is angry.  I swear you could never

see a better friend for a soldier.

THESEUS

Thou hast well describ’d him.

You have described him well.

PIRITHOUS

Yet a great deal short,

Methinks, of him that’s first with Palamon.

But he doesn't match up, I think,

to the one by Palamon's side.

THESEUS

Pray speak him, friend.

Please tell us about him, friend.

PIRITHOUS

I guess he is a prince too,

And if it may be, greater; for his show

Has all the ornament of honor in’t.

He’s somewhat bigger than the knight he spoke of,

But of a face far sweeter; his complexion

Is, as a ripe grape, ruddy. He has felt

Without doubt what he fights for, and so apter

To make this cause his own. In ’s face appears

All the fair hopes of what he undertakes,

And when he’s angry, then a settled valor

(Not tainted with extremes) runs through his body,

And guides his arm to brave things. Fear he cannot,

He shows no such soft temper. His head’s yellow,

Hard-hair’d, and curl’d, thick twin’d like ivy-tods,

Not to undo with thunder. In his face

The livery of the warlike maid appears,

Pure red and white, for yet no beard has blest him;

And in his rolling eyes sits victory,

As if she ever meant to crown his valor.

His nose stands high, a character of honor;

His red lips, after fights, are fit for ladies.

I guess he is a prince as well,

and if possible a greater one; his appearance

has all the signs of greatness.

He's rather bigger than the knight he spoke of,

but with a much sweeter face; his complexion

is as red as a ripe grape.  He has obviously been in love,

and this makes him more likely

to join in this fight.  In his face one can see

all the sweet hopes of what he's doing,

and when he's angry, then a calm bravery

(not spoilt with temper) runs through his body

which guides his hand to great deeds.  He knows no fear,

he's a stranger to such weak emotions.  His hair

is blond, with thick curly hair like ivy,

that couldn't be parted by thunder.  Facially

he looks like a soldierly girl,

pure red and white, for he has no beard;

Victory shows in his roving eye, as if

she meant to reward his bravery.

he has a noble high arched nose;

his red lips would suit the ladies, after battle.

EMILIA

Must these men die too?

Are these men going to have to die too?

PIRITHOUS

When he speaks, his tongue

Sounds like a trumpet. All his lineaments

Are as a man would wish ’em, strong and clean.

He wears a well-steel’d axe, the staff of gold.

His age some five and twenty.

When he speaks, his tongue

Rings out like a trumpet. All the lines of his body

are just as a man would wish, strong and clean.

He carries sharp axe with a golden shaft.

He is around twenty five years old.

1. MESSENGER

There’s another,

A little man, but of a tough soul, seeming

As great as any. Fairer promises

In such a body yet I never look’d on.

There's another,

a little man, but hardy, who seems

as great as any of them. I never saw

anyone who showed such promise.

PIRITHOUS

O, he that’s freckle-fac’d?

Oh, the one with freckles?

1. MESSENGER

The same, my lord.

Are they not sweet ones?

The same one, my lord.

They look good, don't they?

PIRITHOUS

Yes, they are well.

They certainly do.

1. MESSENGER

Methinks,

Being so few and well dispos’d, they show

Great and fine art in nature. He’s white-hair’d,

Not wanton white, but such a manly color

Next to an auburn; tough and nimble set,

Which shows an active soul; his arms are brawny,

Lin’d with strong sinews; to the shoulder-piece

Gently they swell, like women new conceiv’d,

Which speaks him prone to labor, never fainting

Under the weight of arms; stout-hearted, still,

But when he stirs, a tiger. He’s grey-ey’d,

Which yields compassion where he conquers; sharp

To spy advantages, and where he finds ’em,

He’s swift to make ’em his. He does no wrongs,

Nor takes none. He’s round-fac’d, and when he smiles

He shows a lover, when he frowns, a soldier.

About his head he wears the winner’s oak,

And in it stuck the favor of his lady.

His age some six and thirty. In his hand

He bears a charging-staff emboss’d with silver.

I think,

with so few of them so well placed, they show

themselves as great works of nature. He's white-haired,

not the white of excess, but such a manly colour

it's as good as auburn; he's tough and agile,

which shows an active soul; his arms are strong,

lined with big muscles; they gently swell up

to his shoulder, like a just pregnant woman,

which show he is made for work, he never faints

under the weight of his weapons; he's stouthearted, calm,

but when he gets going he's a tiger. He has grey eyes

which show pity on those over whom he triumphs;

they are quick to spot advantages, and when he sees them,

he quickly takes hold of them. He does no wrong

and allows nobody to do him wrong. He has a round face,

and when he smiles he looks like a lover, when he frowns, a soldier.

He wears the victor's laurel wreath round his head,

with a sign of his lady stuck in it.