The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1068 page)

and not relent or feel sorry for him?

Marcus, go with him in his madness,

he has more scars of sorrow in his heart

than he has enemies' marks on his battered shield,

and yet he is so just that he won't take revenge.

Heavens, take revenge for old Andronicus!

Enter AARON, DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, at one door; and at the other

door, YOUNG LUCIUS and another with a bundle of weapons, and verses

writ upon them

CHIRON.

Demetrius, here's the son of Lucius;

He hath some message to deliver us.

Demetrius, here's the son of Lucius;

he has some message to give us.

AARON.

Ay, some mad message from his mad grandfather.

Yes, some mad message from his mad grandfather.

BOY.

My lords, with all the humbleness I may,

I greet your honours from Andronicus-

[Aside] And pray the Roman gods confound you both!

My lords, with all the humility I have,

I bring your honours greetings from Andronicus-

[Aside] and I pray that the Roman gods damn you both.

DEMETRIUS.

Gramercy, lovely Lucius. What's the news?

We thank you, lovely Lucius.What's your news?

BOY.

[Aside] That you are both decipher'd, that's the news,

For villains mark'd with rape.- May it please you,

My grandsire, well advis'd, hath sent by me

The goodliest weapons of his armoury

To gratify your honourable youth,

The hope of Rome; for so he bid me say;

And so I do, and with his gifts present

Your lordships, that, whenever you have need,

You may be armed and appointed well.

And so I leave you both- [Aside] like bloody villains.

 Exeunt YOUNG LUCIUS and attendant

[Aside] That you have both been found out, that's the news,

as villainous rapists. - May it please you,

my grandfather, in his right mind, has sent me with

the best weapons in his armoury

to please you noble youths,

the hope of Rome; that's what he told me to say;

and so I do, and I present your lordships

with his gifts, so that whenever you need to be

you may be well armed and dressed.

And so I leave you both - [Aside] like bloody villains.

DEMETRIUS.

What's here? A scroll, and written round about.

Let's see:

[Reads] 'Integer vitae, scelerisque purus,

Non eget Mauri iaculis, nec arcu.'

What's this?A scroll, with writing round it.Let's see:

"The man of upright life and free from crime

has no need of the slings and bows of the Moor."

CHIRON.

O, 'tis a verse in Horace, I know it well;

I read it in the grammar long ago.

Oh, it's a verse from Horace, I know it well;

I read it in a grammar long ago.

AARON.

Ay, just- a verse in Horace. Right, you have it.

[Aside] Now, what a thing it is to be an ass!

Here's no sound jest! The old man hath found their guilt,

And sends them weapons wrapp'd about with lines

That wound, beyond their feeling, to the quick.

But were our witty Empress well afoot,

She would applaud Andronicus' conceit.

But let her rest in her unrest awhile-

And now, young lords, was't not a happy star

Led us to Rome, strangers, and more than so,

Captives, to be advanced to this height?

It did me good before the palace gate

To brave the Tribune in his brother's hearing.

Yes, that's right - a verse in Horace.That's right, you've got it.

[Aside] What a thing it is to be so stupid!

Here's a good joke!The old man has discovered their guilt,

and sends them weapons wrapped round with lines

that wound them, though they can't see it, to the core.

If our clever Empress was up and about

she would applaud Andronicus' joke.

But let her rest in her discomfort for a while -

And now, young lords, wasn't it a lucky star

that brought us to Rome as foreigners, and more than that,

prisoners, and now raises us so high?

it did me good at the gates of the palace

to face down the Tribune in his brother's presence.

DEMETRIUS.

But me more good to see so great a lord

Basely insinuate and send us gifts.

But it did me more good to see such a great lord

grovel so low and send us gifts.

AARON.

Had he not reason, Lord Demetrius?

Did you not use his daughter very friendly?

Didn't he have reason to, Lord Demetrius?

Weren't you very friendly to his daughter?

DEMETRIUS.

I would we had a thousand Roman dames

At such a bay, by turn to serve our lust.

I wish we had a thousand Roman ladies

cornered like that, to serve our lusts in turn.

CHIRON.

A charitable wish and full of love.

A kind wish and full of love.

AARON.

Here lacks but your mother for to say amen.

All that's missing is for your mother to agree.

CHIRON.

And that would she for twenty thousand more.

And she would agree to our having twenty thousand more.

DEMETRIUS.

Come, let us go and pray to all the gods

For our beloved mother in her pains.

Come, let us go and pray to all the gods,

for our beloved mother in her labour.

AARON.

[Aside] Pray to the devils; the gods have given us

over.

[Trumpets sound]

Pray to the devils; the gods have given up on us.

DEMETRIUS.

Why do the Emperor's trumpets flourish thus?

Why do the Emperor's trumpets give such a blast?

CHIRON.

Belike, for joy the Emperor hath a son.

I expect it's from joy because the Emperor has had a son.

DEMETRIUS.

Soft! who comes here?

Enter NURSE, with a blackamoor CHILD

Wait!Who's this?

NURSE.

Good morrow, lords.

O, tell me, did you see Aaron the Moor?

Good day, lords.

Tell me, have you seen Aaron the Moor?

AARON.

Well, more or less, or ne'er a whit at all,

Here Aaron is; and what with Aaron now?

Well, I should think we have,

here's Aaron; and what do you what with him?

NURSE.

O gentle Aaron, we are all undone!

Now help, or woe betide thee evermore!

Oh sweet Aaron, we are all overthrown!

Now help, or you're lost forever!

AARON.

Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep!

What dost thou wrap and fumble in thy arms?

What a racket you're making!

What's that you've got wrapped up in your arms?

NURSE.

O, that which I would hide from heaven's eye:

Our Empress' shame and stately Rome's disgrace!

She is delivered, lord; she is delivered.

Something which I would like to hide from the sight of heaven:

the shame of our Empress and the disgrace of great Rome!

She has had it, my lord.

AARON.

To whom?

Had who?

NURSE.

I mean she is brought a-bed.

I mean she's been confined to her bed..

AARON.

Well, God give her good rest! What hath he sent her?

Well, may God give her a good rest!What has he sent her?

NURSE.

A devil.

A devil.

AARON.

Why, then she is the devil's dam;

A joyful issue.

Why then, she's the devil's mother;

a happy result.

NURSE.

A joyless, dismal, black, and sorrowful issue!

Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad

Amongst the fair-fac'd breeders of our clime;

The Empress sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal,

And bids thee christen it with thy dagger's point.

A joyless, dismal, black and sorrowful result!

Here is the baby, as horrid as a toad

amongst the fair-faced parents of our region;

the Empress sends it to you, with your image stamped on it,

and tells you to christen it with the point of your dagger.

AARON.

Zounds, ye whore! Is black so base a hue?

Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous blossom sure.

Good heavens, you whore!Is black such a bad colour?

Sweet ruddiness, you are a lovely lad.

DEMETRIUS.

Villain, what hast thou done?

Villain, what have you done?

AARON.

That which thou canst not undo.

Something you can't undo.

CHIRON.

Thou hast undone our mother.

You have undone our mother.

AARON.

Villain, I have done thy mother.

Villain, I have done your mother.

DEMETRIUS.

And therein, hellish dog, thou hast undone her.

Woe to her chance, and damn'd her loathed choice!

Accurs'd the offspring of so foul a fiend!

And by doing so, you hellish dog, you have undone her.

What terrible luck, and what a horrible choice she made!

Curses on the child of such a devil!

CHIRON.

It shall not live.

It shall not live.

AARON.

It shall not die.

It shall not die.

NURSE.

Aaron, it must; the mother wills it so.