The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (715 page)

and also a man of learning, which is just as fitting

in a gentleman as the noble ancestry

which makes us noble through inheritance–I beg you,

if you know anything which you think

you ought to tell me, don't keep me in the dark.

CAMILLO

I may not answer.

I can't answer you.

POLIXENES

A sickness caught of me, and yet I well!

I must be answer'd. Dost thou hear, Camillo,

I conjure thee, by all the parts of man

Which honour does acknowledge, whereof the least

Is not this suit of mine, that thou declare

What incidency thou dost guess of harm

Is creeping toward me; how far off, how near;

Which way to be prevented, if to be;

If not, how best to bear it.

A sickness caught from me, and yet I'm healthy!

This must be explained. Are you listening, Camillo,

I order you, with all the parts of your soul

which listens to honour, and my request

it is not the least honourable thing, that you tell me

what threat it is that you think

is approaching me; how near or far it is;

how I can stop it, if I can;

if I can't, how I can cope with it.

CAMILLO

Sir, I will tell you;

Since I am charged in honour and by him

That I think honourable: therefore mark my counsel,

Which must be even as swiftly follow'd as

I mean to utter it, or both yourself and me

Cry lost, and so good night!

Sir, I will tell you,

since an appeal has been made to my honour

by one whom I think honourable: so, listen to my advice,

which must be followed as soon as I have

said it, otherwise both you and I

will be lost, and that will be the end!

POLIXENES

On, good Camillo.

Go on, good Camillo.

CAMILLO

I am appointed him to murder you.

I have been ordered to murder you.

POLIXENES

By whom, Camillo?

By whom, Camillo?

CAMILLO

By the king.

By the king.

POLIXENES

For what?

Why?

CAMILLO

He thinks, nay, with all confidence he swears,

As he had seen't or been an instrument

To vice you to't, that you have touch'd his queen

Forbiddenly.

He thinks, in fact he is so confident he swears,

as if he had seen it or been the person

he forced you to do it, that you have touched his queen

adulterously.

POLIXENES

O, then my best blood turn

To an infected jelly and my name

Be yoked with his that did betray the Best!

Turn then my freshest reputation to

A savour that may strike the dullest nostril

Where I arrive, and my approach be shunn'd,

Nay, hated too, worse than the great'st infection

That e'er was heard or read!

If that's true by my healthy blood turn

into diseased jelly and may my name

be linked with that of Judas!

May my fragrant reputation be turned

to a stench that disgusts the least sensitive nose

when I appear, and may I be rejected,

no, hated as well, worse than the worst disease

that was ever heard of or read about!

CAMILLO

Swear his thought over

By each particular star in heaven and

By all their influences, you may as well

Forbid the sea for to obey the moon

As or by oath remove or counsel shake

The fabric of his folly, whose foundation

Is piled upon his faith and will continue

The standing of his body.

You can swear that he is wrong

by each individual star in heaven and

by all their properties, you might as well

try and stop the sea obeying the moon

as try through swearing or advice to

destroy the building of his foolishness, whose foundation

rests on his faith, and will last

as long as he lives.

POLIXENES

How should this grow?

How did this come about?

CAMILLO

I know not: but I am sure 'tis safer to

Avoid what's grown than question how 'tis born.

If therefore you dare trust my honesty,

That lies enclosed in this trunk which you

Shall bear along impawn'd, away to-night!

Your followers I will whisper to the business,

And will by twos and threes at several posterns

Clear them o' the city. For myself, I'll put

My fortunes to your service, which are here

By this discovery lost. Be not uncertain;

For, by the honour of my parents, I

Have utter'd truth: which if you seek to prove,

I dare not stand by; nor shall you be safer

Than one condemn'd by the king's own mouth, thereon

His execution sworn.

I do not know: but I do know that it's better

to avoid it now it's happened than to ask what started it.

So, if you dare to trust my honesty,

that is contained within this body which you

shall take along with you as a sign of my  good faith, flee tonight!

I will secretly tell your followers what's going on,

and they can sneak out of the city in little groups

at different  gates. As for me, I'll

enter into your service, as by telling you this

I have lost my position here. Don't stop to wonder;

I swear on my parents' honour, I

have told you the truth: if you try to test it,

I do not stay to see it; and you will be in as much danger

as one condemned on the king's orders, when

he has sworn to have you executed.

POLIXENES

I do believe thee:

I saw his heart in 's face. Give me thy hand:

Be pilot to me and thy places shall

Still neighbour mine. My ships are ready and

My people did expect my hence departure

Two days ago. This jealousy

Is for a precious creature: as she's rare,

Must it be great, and as his person's mighty,

Must it be violent, and as he does conceive

He is dishonour'd by a man which ever

Profess'd to him, why, his revenges must

In that be made more bitter. Fear o'ershades me:

Good expedition be my friend, and comfort

The gracious queen, part of his theme, but nothing

Of his ill-ta'en suspicion! Come, Camillo;

I will respect thee as a father if

Thou bear'st my life off hence: let us avoid.

I do believe you:

I saw his feelings in his face. Give me your hand:

be my guide and you shall have a position

to match mine. My ships are ready and

my people were expecting me to leave here

two days ago. This jealousy

is for a lovely creature: as she is rare,

it must be great, and as he is great,

it must be violent, and as he believes

he has been dishonoured by a man who always

said he was his friend, why then his revenge

will be made more bitter because of it. Fear hangs over me:

may I make a speedy escape, and may

his ill founded suspicions be just as quickly lifted from his queen

who is such an undeserving victim of them! Come, Camillo,

I will respect you like a father if

you can save my life.  Let's escape!

CAMILLO

It is in mine authority to command

The keys of all the posterns: please your highness

To take the urgent hour. Come, sir, away.

Exeunt

I have the authority to command

that the gates be unlocked: your Highness

should move quickly. Come, sir, let's go.

SCENE I. A room in LEONTES' palace.

Enter HERMIONE, MAMILLIUS, and Ladies

HERMIONE

Take the boy to you: he so troubles me,

'Tis past enduring.

Take the boy with you: he pesters me so much,

it's intolerable.

First Lady

Come, my gracious lord,

Shall I be your playfellow?

Come on, my gracious lord,

shall I be your playmate?

MAMILLIUS

No, I'll none of you.

No, I want nothing to do with you.

First Lady

Why, my sweet lord?

Why not, my sweet lord?

MAMILLIUS

You'll kiss me hard and speak to me as if

I were a baby still. I love you better.

Because you kiss me roughly and speak to me as if

I was still a baby. I like you better.

Second Lady

And why so, my lord?

And why is that my lord?

MAMILLIUS

Not for because

Your brows are blacker; yet black brows, they say,

Become some women best, so that there be not

Too much hair there, but in a semicircle

Or a half-moon made with a pen.

Not because

you have blacker eyebrows; although they say