The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (710 page)

LEONTES, King of Sicilia

MAMILLIUS, his son

CAMILLO, Sicilian Lord

ANTIGONUS, Sicilian Lord

CLEOMENES, Sicilian Lord

DION, Sicilian Lord

Other Sicilian Lords.

Sicilian Gentlemen.

Officers of a Court of Judicature

POLIXENES, King of Bohemia

FLORIZEL, his son

ARCHIDAMUS, a Bohemian Lord

A Mariner

Gaoler

An Old Shepherd, reputed father of Perdita

CLOWN, his son

Servant to the Old Shepherd

AUTOLYCUS, a rogue

TIME, as Chorus

HERMIONE, Queen to Leontes

PERDITA, daughter to Leontes and Hermione

PAULINA, wife to Antigonus

EMILIA, a lady attending on the Queen

Other Ladies, attending on the Queen

MOPSA, shepherdess

DORCAS, shepherdess

Lords, Ladies, and Attendants

Satyrs for a Dance

Shepherds, Shepherdesses, Guards, &c.

SCENE: Sometimes in Sicilia; sometimes in Bohemia.

SCENE I. Antechamber in LEONTES' palace.

Enter CAMILLO and ARCHIDAMUS

ARCHIDAMUS

If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on

the like occasion whereon my services are now on

foot, you shall see, as I have said, great

difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia.

If you happen, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on

the same sort of mission as I am undertaking,

you will see, as I said, a great

difference between our Bohemia and your Sicily.

CAMILLO

I think, this coming summer, the King of Sicilia

means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him.

I think, this coming summer, the King of Sicily

intends to make the return visit to Bohemia which he is due.

ARCHIDAMUS

Wherein our entertainment shall shame us; we will be

justified in our loves; for indeed--

When he does our entertainment will embarrass us; we will

make up for it with our love; for in fact–

CAMILLO

Beseech you,--

Please, now–

ARCHIDAMUS

Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge:

we cannot with such magnificence, in so rare--I know

not what to say. We will give you sleepy drinks,

that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience,

may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse

us.

Honestly, I know what I'm talking about:

we cannot compete with such magnificence, such rarities–I don't

know what to say. We shall have to drug your drinks,

so that your senses, being unable to see our inadequacies,

might, although they couldn't praise us, not criticise us.

CAMILLO

You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely.

You're trying too hard for something we'd be delighted to give.

ARCHIDAMUS

Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me

and as mine honesty puts it to utterance.

Believe me, I'm saying what I know,

in the manner which honesty compels me.

CAMILLO

Sicilia cannot show himself over-kind to Bohemia.

They were trained together in their childhoods; and

there rooted betwixt them then such an affection,

which cannot choose but branch now. Since their

more mature dignities and royal necessities made

separation of their society, their encounters,

though not personal, have been royally attorneyed

with interchange of gifts, letters, loving

embassies; that they have seemed to be together,

though absent, shook hands, as over a vast, and

embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed

winds. The heavens continue their loves!

Sicily cannot treat Bohemia with enough kindness.

They were educated together as children; and

such affection grew up between them

that they are now inseparable. Since the

responsibilities of adulthood and their royal duties

forced them to live apart, their meetings,

though not personal, have been carried out by

substitutes, with a royal exchange of gifts, letters,

loving messages; so it seemed as though they were together,

though apart; as if they shook hands over a great distance;

and embraced, as it were, from far corners

of the earth. May the gods keep them so affectionate!

ARCHIDAMUS

I think there is not in the world either malice or

matter to alter it. You have an unspeakable

comfort of your young prince Mamillius: it is a

gentleman of the greatest promise that ever came

into my note.

I don't think that there is any evil or

subject in the world that could alter it. You are

incredibly lucky to have your young Prince Mamillius:

he's got more promise than any gentleman who ever

came to my attention.

CAMILLO

I very well agree with you in the hopes of him: it

is a gallant child; one that indeed physics the

subject, makes old hearts fresh: they that went on

crutches ere he was born desire yet their life to

see him a man.

I certainly agree with you about his potential: he

is a gallant child; he's one who cheers the soul,

livens up old hearts: people who were

already walking with sticks before he was born

want to live long enough to

see him grow up to be a man.

ARCHIDAMUS

Would they else be content to die?

Would they have been happy to die otherwise?

CAMILLO

Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should

desire to live.

Yes; if there was no other reason for living.

ARCHIDAMUS

If the king had no son, they would desire to live

on crutches till he had one.

Exeunt

If the king didn't have a son, they would want to live,

sticks and all, until he had one.

SCENE II. A room of state in the same.

Enter LEONTES, HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, POLIXENES, CAMILLO, and Attendants

POLIXENES

Nine changes of the watery star hath been

The shepherd's note since we have left our throne

Without a burthen: time as long again

Would be find up, my brother, with our thanks;

And yet we should, for perpetuity,

Go hence in debt: and therefore, like a cipher,

Yet standing in rich place, I multiply

With one 'We thank you' many thousands moe

That go before it.

Nine months have passed since

I left my throne

empty: it would take as much time again,

my brother, to thank you properly,

and I would still be in your debt

forever: so one ‘thank you’ must act

like a zero added to the end of a number,

worthless in itself but multiplying all the

thousands which went before it.

LEONTES

Stay your thanks a while;

And pay them when you part.

Don't thank me yet;

do that when you leave.

POLIXENES

Sir, that's to-morrow.

I am question'd by my fears, of what may chance

Or breed upon our absence; that may blow

No sneaping winds at home, to make us say

'This is put forth too truly:' besides, I have stay'd

To tire your royalty.

Sir, I'm leaving tomorrow.

I am worried by thoughts of what might happen,

or be brewing, while I'm away; I hope

there are no ill winds blowing at home, that would make me say,

"My fears were justified."  Anyway, I've outstayed

your royal welcome.

LEONTES

We are tougher, brother,

Than you can put us to't.

I can put up with you

for far longer, brother.

POLIXENES

No longer stay.

I can't stay any longer.

LEONTES

One seven-night longer.

Just another week.

POLIXENES

Very sooth, to-morrow.

No, I must go tomorrow.

LEONTES

We'll part the time between's then; and in that