The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (692 page)

you will not die in such horrible state. Here, sir, drink–

I know you're faint–and then I'll talk more with you.

PALAMON

Arcite, thou mightst now poison me.

Arcite, you could poison me now.

ARCITE

I might;

But I must fear you first. Sit down, and good now

No more of these vain parleys; let us not,

Having our ancient reputation with us,

Make talk for fools and cowards. To your health, etc.

I could;

but I'd have to be frightened of you to do it. Sit down,

and let's have no more silly talk; let's not,

bearing in mind our nobility,

talk as if we were fools and cowards. Your good health.

Drinks.

PALAMON

Do.

Go on.

ARCITE

Pray sit down then, and let me entreat you

By all the honesty and honor in you,

No mention of this woman. ’Twill disturb us,

We shall have time enough.

Please sit down then, and I beg you

by all the honesty and honour you have

not to mention this woman. It will set us arguing,

we have time enough for that.

PALAMON

Well, sir, I’ll pledge you.

Well, sir, I'll drink your health.

Drinks.

ARCITE

Drink a good hearty draught, it breeds good blood, man.

Do not you feel it thaw you?

Have a good drink, it will strengthen you, man.

Can't you feel it heating you up?

PALAMON

Stay, I’ll tell you

After a draught or two more.

Wait, I'll tell you

after a couple more swigs.

ARCITE

Spare it not,

The Duke has more, coz. Eat now.

Don't stint yourself cousin,  

the Duke has more. Now eat.

PALAMON

Yes.

Yes.

Eats.

ARCITE

I am glad

You have so good a stomach.

I'm glad

you have such a good appetite.

PALAMON

I am gladder

I have so good meat to’t.

I'm more glad

that I have such good food to satisfy it.

ARCITE

Is’t not mad lodging

Here in the wild woods, cousin?

Isn't it strange living

here in the wild woods, cousin?

PALAMON

Yes, for them

That have wild consciences.

Yes, for those

who have guilty consciences.

ARCITE

How tastes your victuals?

Your hunger needs no sauce, I see.

How is your food?

You are hungry enough to need no sauce, I see.

PALAMON

Not much.

But if it did, yours is too tart, sweet cousin.

What is this?

Not too much.

But if I did, yours is too bitter, sweet cousin.

What is this?

ARCITE

Venison.

Venison.

PALAMON

’Tis a lusty meat.

Give me more wine. Here, Arcite, to the wenches

We have known in our days! The Lord Steward’s daughter—

Do you remember her?

That's a strengthening meat.

Give me more wine. Here, Arcite, drink to the girls

we have known! The daughter of the Lord Steward–

do you remember her?

ARCITE

After you, coz.

The same as you, cousin.

PALAMON

She lov’d a black-hair’d man.

She loved a black haired man.

ARCITE

She did so; well, sir?

She did that; well, sir?

PALAMON

And I have heard some call him Arcite, and—

And I've heard a rumour he was called Arcite, and–

ARCITE

Out with’t, faith!

Spit it out, by God!

PALAMON

She met him in an arbor:

What did she there, coz? Play o’ th’ virginals?

She met him in a leafy glade:

what did she do there, cousin? Play her piano?

ARCITE

Something she did, sir.

She did something, sir.

PALAMON

Made her groan a month for’t;

Or two, or three, or ten.

She groaned for a month over it;

or two, or three, or ten.

ARCITE

The Marshal’s sister

Had her share too, as I remember, cousin,

Else there be tales abroad. You’ll pledge her?

The Marshal's sister

had her share to, as I recall, cousin,

or someone's spreading untrue rumours. You will drink to her?

PALAMON

Yes.

Yes.

ARCITE

A pretty brown wench ’tis. There was a time

When young men went a-hunting, and a wood,

And a broad beech; and thereby hangs a tale.

Heigh-ho!

She's a pretty brown lass. There was a time

when young men went hunting, and there was a wood,

and a broad beech tree; and there's a story attached to that.

Hey Ho!

PALAMON

For Emily, upon my life! Fool,

Away with this strain’d mirth! I say again,

That sigh was breath’d for Emily. Base cousin,

Dar’st thou break first?

For Emilia, by my life! Fool,

enough of this false jollity! I tell you again,

I am sighing for Emilia. Low cousin,

are you going to be the first one to break your promise?

ARCITE

You are wide.

You're wide of the mark.

PALAMON

By heaven and earth,

There’s nothing in thee honest.

By heaven and earth,

there's nothing honest about you.

ARCITE

Then I’ll leave you;

You are a beast now.

Then I'll leave you;

you are an animal to me.

PALAMON

As thou mak’st me, traitor!

That's what you've made me, traitor!

ARCITE

There’s all things needful, files and shirts and perfumes.

I’ll come again some two hours hence and bring

That that shall quiet all.

There are all things you need, files and shirts and perfumes.

I'll come again two hours from now and bring

something that will end everything.

PALAMON

A sword and armor.

A sword and armour.

ARCITE

Fear me not. You are now too foul; farewell.

Get off your trinkets, you shall want nought.

Trust me. You are too foul now; farewell.

Take off your chains, you will lack nothing.

PALAMON

Sirrah—

Sir–

ARCITE

I’ll hear no more.

I'll listen to no more.

Exit.

PALAMON

If he keep touch, he dies for’t.

If he comes back, he'll die for it.

Exit.

Another part of the forest near Athens.

(Jailer’s Daughter)

Enter Jailer’s Daughter.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

I am very cold, and all the stars are out too,

The little stars and all, that look like aglets.

The sun has seen my folly. Palamon!

Alas, no; he’s in heaven. Where am I now?

Yonder’s the sea, and there’s a ship. How’t tumbles!

And there’s a rock lies watching under water;

Now, now, it beats upon it—now, now, now!

There’s a leak sprung, a sound one. How they cry!

Open her before the wind! You’ll lose all else.

Up with a course or two, and tack about, boys!

Good night, good night, y’ are gone. I am very hungry:

Would I could find a fine frog! He would tell me

News from all parts o’ th’ world. Then would I make

A carreck of a cockleshell, and sail

By east and north-east to the King of Pigmies,

For he tells fortunes rarely. Now my father,

Twenty to one, is truss’d up in a trice

Tomorrow morning; I’ll say never a word.

Sing.

“For I’ll cut my green coat a foot above my knee,

And I’ll clip my yellow locks an inch below mine e’e.

Hey, nonny, nonny, nonny.

He s’ buy me a white cut, forth for to ride,

And I’ll go seek him through the world that is so wide.

Hey, nonny, nonny, nonny.”

O for a prick now, like a nightingale,

To put my breast against! I shall sleep like a top else.

Exit.

I am very cold, and all the stars are out too,

the little stars as well, but look like spangles.

The sun has set on my stupidity. Palamon!

Alas, no; he's in heaven. Where am I now?

There's the sea, and there's a ship. How it's rocking!

And there's a rock lying in wait under the water;

now, now, it's crashed against it–now, now, now!

It's sprung a leak, a big one. How they cry!

Let her run with the wind! You'll lose everything otherwise.

Put a sail or two up, and turn with the wind, boys!

Good night, good night, you are lost. I am very hungry:

I wish I could find a good frog! He would tell me

news from all over the world. Then I would make

a boat out of a cockleshell, and sail

East North East to the king of pygmies,

for he is a fine fortune teller. Now my father,