The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (76 page)

I moralize two meanings in one word.

I was saying, that fame survives without written records.

[Aside] So, like the regular vice of iniquity,

I give one word two meanings.

PRINCE.

That Julius Caesar was a famous man;

With what his valour did enrich his wit,

His wit set down to make his valour live.

Death makes no conquest of this conqueror;

For now he lives in fame, though not in life.

I'll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham-

That Julius Caesar was a famous man;

he had intelligence as well as bravery,

and his intelligence wrote things down so his bravery lived.

Death did not triumph over this conqueror;

for now he is living through fame, though not alive.

I'll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham–

BUCKINGHAM.

What, my gracious lord?

What, my gracious lord?

PRINCE.

An if I live until I be a man,

I'll win our ancient right in France again,

Or die a soldier as I liv'd a king.

If I should live until I am a man,

I will win back our ancient lands in France,

or die as a soldier as I lived as a king.

RICHARD.

[Aside]Short summers lightly have a forward

spring.

Short summers usually have early springs.

Enter HASTINGS, young YORK, and the CARDINAL

BUCKINGHAM.

Now, in good time, here comes the Duke of

York.

Now, right on cue, here comes the Duke of York.

PRINCE.

Richard of York, how fares our loving brother?

Richard of York, how is my loving brother?

YORK.

Well, my dread lord; so must I call you now.

I am well, your Majesty; that's what I must call you now.

PRINCE.

Ay brother, to our grief, as it is yours.

Too late he died that might have kept that title,

Which by his death hath lost much majesty.

Yes brother, to my sorrow, as it is to yours.

He who could have kept that title died too recently,

and the title has lost much of its majesty by his death.

RICHARD.

How fares our cousin, noble Lord of York?

How is my cousin, noble Lord of York?

YORK.

I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord,

You said that idle weeds are fast in growth.

The Prince my brother hath outgrown me far.

I thank you, kind uncle. Oh, my lord,

you said that useless weeds grow fast.

The Prince my brother has far outgrown me.

RICHARD.

He hath, my lord.

He has, my lord.

YORK.

And therefore is he idle?

And so is he useless?

RICHARD.

O, my fair cousin, I must not say so.

Oh, my fair cousin, I mustn't say that.

YORK.

Then he is more beholding to you than I.

Then he has more power over you than I do.

RICHARD.

He may command me as my sovereign;

But you have power in me as in a kinsman.

He may command me as my monarch;

but you have power over me as a relative.

YORK.

I pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.

Please, uncle, give me this dagger.

RICHARD.

My dagger, little cousin? With all my heart!

Give you my dagger, little cousin? I'd love to!

PRINCE.

A beggar, brother?

Are you a beggar, brother?

YORK.

Of my kind uncle, that I know will give,

And being but a toy, which is no grief to give.

Begging from my kind uncle, whom I know will give,

and as it's just a trifle, it won't hurt him to give it.

RICHARD.

A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin.

I shall give my cousin a greater gift than that.

YORK.

A greater gift! O, that's the sword to it!

A great gift! Oh, that's the sword which goes with it!

RICHARD.

Ay, gentle cousin, were it light enough.

Yes, gentle cousin, if it was light enough.

YORK.

O, then, I see you will part but with light gifts:

In weightier things you'll say a beggar nay.

Oh, I see that you only give away small gifts:

in heavier matters you say no to the beggar.

RICHARD.

It is too heavy for your Grace to wear.

It is too heavy for your Grace to wear.

YORK.

I weigh it lightly, were it heavier.

It means nothing to me, even if it were heavier.

RICHARD.

What, would you have my weapon, little

Lord?

What, do you want my weapon, Little Lord?

YORK.

I would, that I might thank you as you call me.

I would, so I could thank you for what you call me.

RICHARD.

How?

What?

YORK.

Little.

Little.

PRINCE.

My Lord of York will still be cross in talk.

Uncle, your Grace knows how to bear with him.

My Lord of York is querulous.

Uncle, your Grace knows how to bear with him.

YORK.

You mean, to bear me, not to bear with me.

Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me;

Because that I am little, like an ape,

He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders.

You mean, to bear me, not to bear with me.

Uncle, my brother is mocking both you and me;

because I am little, like an ape,

he thinks that you should carry me on your shoulders.

BUCKINGHAM.

With what a sharp-provided wit he reasons!

To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle

He prettily and aptly taunts himself.

So cunning and so young is wonderful.

Will a quick wit he has!

To soften the insult he's giving his uncle

he cleverly and wittily mocks himself.

It's wonderful to be so cunning so young.

RICHARD.

My lord, will't please you pass along?

Myself and my good cousin Buckingham

Will to your mother, to entreat of her

To meet you at the Tower and welcome you.

My lord, can we please move along?

Myself and my good cousin Buckingham

we'll go to your mother, to ask her

to meet you at the Tower and welcome you.

YORK.

What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord?

What, are you going to the Tower, my lord?

PRINCE.

My Lord Protector needs will have it so.

My Lord Protector insists on it.

YORK.

I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.

I shall not sleep peacefully in the Tower.

RICHARD.

Why, what should you fear?

Why, what are you afraid of?

YORK.

Marry, my uncle Clarence' angry ghost.

My grandam told me he was murder'd there.

Well, the angry ghost of my uncle Clarence.

My grandmother told me he was murdered there.

PRINCE.

I fear no uncles dead.

I'm not afraid of any dead uncles.

RICHARD.

Nor none that live, I hope.

Nor any live ones, I hope.

PRINCE.

An if they live, I hope I need not fear.

But come, my lord; and with a heavy heart,

Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.

If there are live, I hope I don't need to fear them.

But come, my lord; and with a heavy heart,

thinking about them, I will go to the Tower.

A sennet.

Exeunt all but RICHARD, BUCKINGHAM, and CATESBY

BUCKINGHAM.

Think you, my lord, this little prating York

Was not incensed by his subtle mother

To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?

Do you think, my lord, that this little chattering York

was spurred on by his cunning mother

to taunt and mock you so rudely?

RICHARD.

No doubt, no doubt. O, 'tis a perilous boy;

Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable.

He is all the mother's, from the top to toe.

No doubt, no doubt. Oh, that's a dangerous boy;

bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable.

He's just like his mother in every way.

BUCKINGHAM.

Well, let them rest. Come hither, Catesby.

Thou art sworn as deeply to effect what we intend

As closely to conceal what we impart.

Thou know'st our reasons urg'd upon the way.

What think'st thou? Is it not an easy matter

To make William Lord Hastings of our mind,

For the instalment of this noble Duke

In the seat royal of this famous isle?

Well, leave them to it. Come here, Catesby.

You have sworn have solemnly to do our bidding

as you have to keep what we tell you secret.

You know are reasons, we explained on the way.

What do you think? Won't it be simple

to convince William, Lord Hastings, to support

installing this noble duke

on to the royal throne of this famous island?

CATESBY.

He for his father's sake so loves the Prince

That he will not be won to aught against him.

He loves the Prince so much for his father's sake

that he will not be persuaded to do anything against him.

BUCKINGHAM.

What think'st thou then of Stanley? Will

not he?

Then what do you think of Stanley? Will he?

CATESBY.

He will do all in all as Hastings doth.

He will follow Hastings in everything.

BUCKINGHAM.

Well then, no more but this: go, gentle

Catesby,

And, as it were far off, sound thou Lord Hastings

How he doth stand affected to our purpose;

And summon him to-morrow to the Tower,

To sit about the coronation.

If thou dost find him tractable to us,

Encourage him, and tell him all our reasons;