The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (836 page)

Command into obedience; fear and niceness-

The handmaids of all women, or, more truly,

Woman it pretty self- into a waggish courage;

Ready in gibes, quick-answer'd, saucy, and

As quarrelous as the weasel. Nay, you must

Forget that rarest treasure of your cheek,

Exposing it- but, O, the harder heart!

Alack, no remedy!- to the greedy touch

Of common-kissing Titan, and forget

Your laboursome and dainty trims wherein

You made great Juno angry.

Well then, here's the thing:

you must forget you are a woman; change

from giving orders to obeying them; change fear and delicacy-

that attend all women, or, more truly,

make women - into a cheeky courage;

be ready with jokes, quick answers, saucy and

as quarrelsome as a weasel.You must forget about

protecting your delicate skin,

but expose it - and also harden your delicate heart,

for which, alas, there is no remedy! - to the burning kisses

of the sun, which touches everyone, and forget your

attention to your appearance which made

great Juno angry.

IMOGEN.

Nay, be brief;

I see into thy end, and am almost

A man already.

Alright, get to the point;

I can see your plan, and I'm almost

a man already.

PISANIO.

First, make yourself but like one.

Fore-thinking this, I have already fit-

'Tis in my cloak-bag- doublet, hat, hose, all

That answer to them. Would you, in their serving,

And with what imitation you can borrow

From youth of such a season, fore noble Lucius

Present yourself, desire his service, tell him

Wherein you're happy- which will make him know

If that his head have ear in music; doubtless

With joy he will embrace you; for he's honourable,

And, doubling that, most holy. Your means abroad-

You have me, rich; and I will never fail

Beginning nor supplyment.

First, make yourself just like one.

Planning this, I have already provided -

it's in my saddlebag - a shirt, hat, stockings, all

that go with them.You should, with their help,

and by imitating a youth of a certain age,

present yourself to noble Lucius, say you want to serve him,

tell him what you're good at - which he'll see

if he has any ear for music; no doubt he'll

welcome you joyfully; for he's honourable

and tomake him twice as good very religious.As for your living,

you have me, rich, and I'll never fail

to make sure you have what you need.

IMOGEN.

Thou art all the comfort

The gods will diet me with. Prithee away!

There's more to be consider'd; but we'll even

All that good time will give us. This attempt

I am soldier to, and will abide it with

A prince's courage. Away, I prithee.

You are all the help

the gods will give me.Please go!

There's more to think about, but we'll sort that

out in good time.I am ready to do this bravely,

and will show the courage of a prince.Off you go, please.

PISANIO.

Well, madam, we must take a short farewell,

Lest, being miss'd, I be suspected of

Your carriage from the court. My noble mistress,

Here is a box; I had it from the Queen.

What's in't is precious. If you are sick at sea

Or stomach-qualm'd at land, a dram of this

Will drive away distemper. To some shade,

And fit you to your manhood. May the gods

Direct you to the best!

Well, madam, we must part quickly,

so that I won't be missed and suspected

of helping you leave the court.My noble mistress,

here's a box; the Queen gave it to me.

It has precious contents.If you are seasick

or have a bad stomach on land, a drop of this

will cure you.Find some shelter

and get your man's clothes on.May the gods

show you the best path!

IMOGEN.

Amen. I thank thee.

Exeunt severally

Amen to that.Thank you.

Enter CYMBELINE, QUEEN, CLOTEN, LUCIUS, and LORDS

CYMBELINE.

Thus far; and so farewell.

This is as far as we go; and so goodbye.

LUCIUS.

Thanks, royal sir.

My emperor hath wrote; I must from hence,

And am right sorry that I must report ye

My master's enemy.

Thank you, Royal Sir.

My emperor has written; I must go away,

and I'm very sorry that I must tell you

that now you are my master's enemy.

CYMBELINE.

Our subjects, sir,

Will not endure his yoke; and for ourself

To show less sovereignty than they, must needs

Appear unkinglike.

My subjects, sir,

will not tolerate his slavery; for me

to show less independence than them

would not be fitting for a king.

LUCIUS.

So, sir. I desire of you

A conduct overland to Milford Haven.

Madam, all joy befall your Grace, and you!

Very well, sir. I would like

an escort overland to Milford Haven.

Madam, may all joy come to your Grace, and you!

CYMBELINE.

My lords, you are appointed for that office;

The due of honour in no point omit.

So farewell, noble Lucius.

My lords, you have been chosen for the job;

give him all the respect he is due.

So farewell, noble Lucius.

LUCIUS.

Your hand, my lord.

Give me your hand, my lord.

CLOTEN.

Receive it friendly; but from this time forth

I wear it as your enemy.

Take it as a friend; but from now on

it will be used against you by an enemy.

LUCIUS.

Sir, the event

Is yet to name the winner. Fare you well.

Sir, the outcome

has yet to be decided. Farewell.

CYMBELINE.

Leave not the worthy Lucius, good my lords,

Till he have cross'd the Severn. Happiness!

 Exeunt LUCIUS and LORDS

Don't leave good Lucius, my good lords,

until he has crossed the Severn. I wish you all happiness!

QUEEN.

He goes hence frowning; but it honours us

That we have given him cause.

He leaves here frowning; but we were right

to give him cause to.

CLOTEN.

'Tis all the better;

Your valiant Britons have their wishes in it.

It's all the better;

your brave Britons have got what they wish.

CYMBELINE.

Lucius hath wrote already to the Emperor

How it goes here. It fits us therefore ripely

Our chariots and our horsemen be in readiness.

The pow'rs that he already hath in Gallia

Will soon be drawn to head, from whence he moves

His war for Britain.

Lucius has already written to the Emperor

telling him what happened. So now we must make sure

that our chariots and horsemen are prepared.

The forces that he already has in France

will soon be brought to the coast, and from there

he will begin his war for Britain.

QUEEN.

'Tis not sleepy business,

But must be look'd to speedily and strongly.

It's not a quiet business,

we must set about it quickly and with determination.

CYMBELINE.

Our expectation that it would be thus

Hath made us forward. But, my gentle queen,

Where is our daughter? She hath not appear'd

Before the Roman, nor to us hath tender'd

The duty of the day. She looks us like

A thing more made of malice than of duty;

We have noted it. Call her before us, for

We have been too slight in sufferance.

Exit a MESSENGER

Thinking it would turn out like this

has made us well-prepared. But, my gentle Queen,

where is my daughter? She did not greet

this Roman, nor has she paid me her

daily respects. She seems to me

to have more malice than obedience in her;

I have noticed it. Call her to me,

I have been too tolerant.

QUEEN.

Royal sir,

Since the exile of Posthumus, most retir'd

Hath her life been; the cure whereof, my lord,

'Tis time must do. Beseech your Majesty,

Forbear sharp speeches to her; she's a lady

So tender of rebukes that words are strokes,

And strokes death to her.

Re-enter MESSENGER

Royal sir,

since the exile of Posthumus she has kept

herself to herself; the cure for that, my lord,

can only be time. I beg your Majesty,

don't speak harshly to her; she's a lady

who is so sensitive to rebuke that words are like whips to her,

whipping her to death.

CYMBELINE.

Where is she, sir? How

Can her contempt be answer'd?

Where is she, sir? What,

is this more disobedience?

MESSENGER.

Please you, sir,

Her chambers are all lock'd, and there's no answer

That will be given to th' loud of noise we make.

If you please, sir,

her rooms are all locked, and there is no answer

to our loud knocking and calling.

QUEEN.

My lord, when last I went to visit her,

She pray'd me to excuse her keeping close;

Whereto constrain'd by her infirmity

She should that duty leave unpaid to you

Which daily she was bound to proffer. This