Read The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Online
Authors: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
With tomboys hir'd with that self exhibition
Which your own coffers yield! with diseas'd ventures
That play with all infirmities for gold
Which rottenness can lend nature! such boil'd stuff
As well might poison poison! Be reveng'd;
Or she that bore you was no queen, and you
Recoil from your great stock.
Oh dearest soul, your situation is breakingmy heart,
I am sick with pity!That such a wonderful lady,
who, if she was queen of an empire,
would make the greatest king twice as great, is compared
with harlots paid for from the allowance
which your wealth provides!Diseased gamblers,
that take a chance on all the rotting sexual diseases
nature provides in exchange for gold!This sweaty
scum which could poison poison!Take revenge,
or your mother was no queen, and you
won't live up to your great ancestry.
IMOGEN.
Reveng'd?
How should I be reveng'd? If this be true-
As I have such a heart that both mine ears
Must not in haste abuse- if it be true,
How should I be reveng'd?
Take revenge?
What revenge should I have?If this is true-
I mustn't rush to break my heart with what
my ears have heard - if it is true,
how should I get revenge?
IACHIMO.
Should he make me
Live like Diana's priest betwixt cold sheets,
Whiles he is vaulting variable ramps,
In your despite, upon your purse -Revenge it.
I dedicate myself to your sweet pleasure,
More noble than that runagate to your bed,
And will continue fast to your affection,
Still close as sure.
Should I have to live
like a celibate priest between cold sheets,
while he goes leaping on loose women,
in spite of you, at your expense - take revenge.
I offer myself for your sweet pleasure,
I'm more noble than that runaway from your bed,
and I'll be loyal to your love,
steadfast and true.
IMOGEN.
What ho, Pisanio!
Hello, Pisanio!
IACHIMO.
Let me my service tender on your lips.
Let me kiss you.
IMOGEN. Away! I do condemn mine ears that have
So long attended thee. If thou wert honourable,
Thou wouldst have told this tale for virtue, not
For such an end thou seek'st, as base, as strange.
Thou wrong'st a gentleman who is as far
From thy report as thou from honour; and
Solicits here a lady that disdains
Thee and the devil alike.- What ho, Pisanio!-
The King my father shall be made acquainted
Of thy assault. If he shall think it fit
A saucy stranger in his court to mart
As in a Romish stew, and to expound
His beastly mind to us, he hath a court
He little cares for, and a daughter who
He not respects at all.- What ho, Pisanio!
Get out!I hate my ears for having
listened to you for so long.If you were honourable,
you would have told this tale out of virtue,
not to try and get what you're after, so low, so horrid.
You are slandering a gentleman who is as far away
from your description as you are from honour; and
you're trying to seduce a lady who hates
you and the devil equally.Hello there, Pisanio!
My father the King shall be informed
of your assault.If he thinks it's acceptable
to welcome a randy stranger to his court
who behaves as if he was in a Roman slum,
showing his filthy mind to us, then he doesn't
care about his court or respect his daughter.
Hello there, Pisanio!
IACHIMO.
O happy Leonatus! I may say
The credit that thy lady hath of thee
Deserves thy trust, and thy most perfect goodness
Her assur'd credit. Blessed live you long,
A lady to the worthiest sir that ever
Country call'd his! and you his mistress, only
For the most worthiest fit! Give me your pardon.
I have spoke this to know if your affiance
Were deeply rooted, and shall make your lord
That which he is new o'er; and he is one
The truest manner'd, such a holy witch
That he enchants societies into him,
Half all men's hearts are his.
Oh lucky Leonatus!I may say
that the lady deserves the faith
you have in her, and your great integrity
makes you deserve her.May you have a long and blessed life,
as wife of the worthiest man your country
ever produced!With you as his mistress, only
suitable for the very best!Forgive me.
I spoke like this to discover if your love
was deeply rooted and was worthy
of your lord; and he is one of the
most noble, such a holy enchanter
that he draws all sorts towards him,
and all men give half their hearts to him.
IMOGEN.
You make amends.
You are making up for what you said.
IACHIMO.
He sits 'mongst men like a descended god:
He hath a kind of honour sets him of
More than a mortal seeming. Be not angry,
Most mighty Princess, that I have adventur'd
To try your taking of a false report, which hath
Honour'd with confirmation your great judgment
In the election of a sir so rare,
Which you know cannot err. The love I bear him
Made me to fan you thus; but the gods made you,
Unlike all others, chaffless. Pray your pardon.
He sits amongst men like a god come down from heaven;
he has a kind of honour which makes him seem
more than mortal.Don't be angry,
great Princess, that I tried
to test you by giving you a false report, which has
shown how good you are and how right
you were to choose such a unique gentleman,
whom you know cannot stray.The love I have for him
made me test you like this; but the gods made you
unique and faultless.Please forgive me.
IMOGEN.
All's well, sir; take my pow'r i' th' court for yours.
All's well, sir;you are welcome to the court.
IACHIMO.
My humble thanks. I had almost forgot
T' entreat your Grace but in a small request,
And yet of moment too, for it concerns
Your lord; myself and other noble friends
Are partners in the business.
My humble thanks.I'd almost forgotten
to ask your Grace about a small request,
but an important one too, for it concerns
your lord; other noble friends and I
are also involved.
IMOGEN.
Pray what is't?
Tell me what it is.
IACHIMO.
Some dozen Romans of us, and your lord-
The best feather of our wing- have mingled sums
To buy a present for the Emperor;
Which I, the factor for the rest, have done
In France. 'Tis plate of rare device, and jewels
Of rich and exquisite form, their values great;
And I am something curious, being strange,
To have them in safe stowage. May it please you
To take them in protection?
Some dozen of us Romans, and your lord,
the best one amongst us - have clubbed together
to buy a present for the Emperor;
As a representative for the rest I've had it made
in France.It's plate of unique design, with
expensive and exquisite jewels;
I'm rather concerned, being a foreigner,
to have them safely stored.Would you mind
taking care of them?
IMOGEN.
Willingly;
And pawn mine honour for their safety. Since
My lord hath interest in them, I will keep them
In my bedchamber.
Gladly;
and I'll pledge my honour that they'll be safe.
Since my lord is involved with them, I'll keep them
in my bedroom.
IACHIMO.
They are in a trunk,
Attended by my men. I will make bold
To send them to you only for this night;
I must aboard to-morrow.
They are in a trunk,
guarded by my men.I will be so bold
as to ask you to keep them just for tonight;
I must take my ship tomorrow.
IMOGEN.
O, no, no.
Oh no, no.
IACHIMO.
Yes, I beseech; or I shall short my word
By length'ning my return. From Gallia
I cross'd the seas on purpose and on promise
To see your Grace.
Yes, I beg you; otherwise I'll break my word
by coming back late.I crossed the seas
from France solely to keep the promise
that I would see your Grace.
IMOGEN.
I thank you for your pains.
But not away to-morrow!
I thank you for your trouble.
But don't go tomorrow!
IACHIMO.
O, I must, madam.
Therefore I shall beseech you, if you please
To greet your lord with writing, do't to-night.
I have outstood my time, which is material
'To th' tender of our present.
Oh, madam, I must.
So I must ask you, if you want
to write to your lord, do it tonight.
I have outstayed my time, and that has an effect
on the delivery of our present.
IMOGEN.
I will write.
Send your trunk to me; it shall safe be kept
And truly yielded you. You're very welcome.
Exeunt
I will write.
Send me your trunk; it will be kept safe
and returned intact.You're very welcome.