The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (698 page)

THESEUS

Will you, Arcite,

Take these conditions?

Will you agree to these

conditions, Arcite?

PALAMON

He’s a villain then.

He's a villain if he does.

PIRITHOUS

These are men!

These are truly men!

ARCITE

No, never. Duke. ’Tis worse to me than begging

To take my life so basely. Though I think

I never shall enjoy her, yet I’ll preserve

The honor of affection, and die for her,

Make death a devil.

No, never, Duke. I would rather be a beggar

the man lives my life so dishonourably. Though I think

I shall never have her, I'll still uphold

the honour of my love, and die for her,

if death were the devil himself.

THESEUS

What may be done? For now I feel compassion.

What can be done? For now I feel pity.

PIRITHOUS

Let it not fall again, sir.

Hold on to that feeling, sir.

THESEUS

Say, Emilia,

If one of them were dead, as one must, are you

Content to take th’ other to your husband?

They cannot both enjoy you. They are princes

As goodly as your own eyes, and as noble

As ever fame yet spoke of. Look upon ’em

And if you can love, end this difference.

I give consent.—Are you content too, princes?

Tell me, Emilia,

if one of them was dead, as one of them must be, are you

happy to take the other one as your husband?

They cannot both enjoy you. They are princes

as handsome as your own eyes, and as noble

as any in legend. Look at them and if

you can love one of them, stop this argument.

I give consent.–Do you agree, princes?

BOTH. ARCITE AND PALAMON

With all our souls.

With all our souls.

THESEUS

He that she refuses

Must die then.

Whoever she turns down

must die then.

BOTH. ARCITE AND PALAMON

Any death thou canst invent, Duke.

Any death you name, Duke.

PALAMON

If I fall from that mouth, I fall with favor,

And lovers yet unborn shall bless my ashes.

If I am condemned by that mouth, I will die lucky,

and future generations of lovers will bless my ashes.

ARCITE

If she refuse me, yet my grave will wed me,

And soldiers sing my epitaph.

If she turns me down, my grave will be like a wedding bed,

and soldiers will sing my epitaph.

THESEUS

Make choice then.

Make your choice then.

EMILIA

I cannot, sir, they are both too excellent:

For me, a hair shall never fall of these men.

I cannot, sir, they are both too wonderful:

I don't want to see any harm come to either of them for my sake.

HIPPOLYTA

What will become of ’em?

What will become of them?

THESEUS

Thus I ordain it,

And by mine honor, once again it stands,

Or both shall die: you shall both to your country,

And each within this month, accompanied

With three fair knights, appear again in this place,

In which I’ll plant a pyramid; and whether,

Before us that are here, can force his cousin

By fair and knightly strength to touch the pillar,

He shall enjoy her; the other lose his head,

And all his friends; nor shall he grudge to fall,

Nor think he dies with interest in this lady.

Will this content ye?

This is what I order,

and by my honour, this must be obeyed

or you both shall die: you shall both go to your country,

and within a month each of you, accompanied

by three good knights, will come back to this place,

where I will place a pyramid; and whoever,

in our presence, can force his cousin

in a fair and chivalrous duel to touch the pillar,

he will have first; the other will lose his head,

and so will his companions; and he will not complain

or think that he dies with any rights to this lady.

Will this satisfy you?

PALAMON

Yes. Here, cousin Arcite,

I am friends again till that hour.

Yes. Come here, cousin Arcite,

I am your friend again until that time.

ARCITE

I embrace ye.

I embrace you.

THESEUS

Are you content, sister?

Are you satisfied, sister?

EMILIA

Yes, I must, sir,

Else both miscarry.

Yes, I must be, sir,

otherwise they both will die.

THESEUS

Come shake hands again then,

And take heed, as you are gentlemen, this quarrel

Sleep till the hour prefix’d, and hold your course.

Come and shake hands again then,

and make sure, on your honour as gentlemen, that this quarrel

is over until the time I said, keep your promise.

PALAMON

We dare not fail thee, Theseus.

We do not fail you, Theseus.

THESEUS

Come, I’ll give ye

Now usage like to princes and to friends.

When ye return, who wins I’ll settle here;

Who loses, yet I’ll weep upon his bier.

Exeunt.

Come, now I'll treat you

as princes and friends should be treated.

When you come back, I will give whoever wins a position here;

whoever loses, I will weep at his funeral.

Athens. A room in the prison.

(Jailer, Two Friends, Wooer, Jailer’s Brother, Daughter)

Enter Jailer and his Friend.

JAILER

Hear you no more? Was nothing said of me

Concerning the escape of Palamon?

Good sir, remember.

Did you hear anything else? Wasn't anything said about me

regarding Palamon's escape?

Good sir, try to remember.

FIRST FRIEND OF THE JAILER

Nothing that I heard,

For I came home before the business

Was fully ended. Yet I might perceive,

Ere I departed, a great likelihood

Of both their pardons; for Hippolyta,

And fair-ey’d Emily, upon their knees

Begg’d with such handsome pity, that the Duke

Methought stood staggering whether he should follow

His rash oath, or the sweet compassion

Of those two ladies; and to second them,

That truly noble prince Pirithous,

Half his own heart, set in too, that I hope

All shall be well. Neither heard I one question

Of your name, or his scape.

I heard nothing,

though I came home before the business

was wrapped up. But I noticed,

before I left, it seemed very likely

that they would both be pardoned; for Hippolyta

and beautiful Emily were begging for pity

so beautifully upon their knees, that the Duke

seemed to me to be wavering between keeping

his hasty oath, or showing pity

to those two ladies; and to back them up,

that truly noble Prince Pirithous

threw in his heartfelt opinions, so I hope

all will be well. I didn't hear anyone mention

you, or his escape.

JAILER

Pray heaven it hold so!

May heaven keep it that way!

Enter Second Friend.

SECOND FRIEND OF THE JAILER

Be of good comfort, man; I bring you news,

Good news.

Cheer up, man; I bring you news,

good news.

JAILER

They are welcome.

That would be welcome.

SECOND FRIEND OF THE JAILER

Palamon has clear’d you,

And got your pardon, and discover’d how

And by whose means he escap’d, which was your daughter’s,

Whose pardon is procur’d too; and the prisoner—

Not to be held ungrateful to her goodness—

Has given a sum of money to her marriage,

A large one, I’ll assure you.

Palamon has exonerated you,

and you have been pardoned, he has revealed how

and with whose help he escaped; it was your daughter who helped him,

she has been pardoned too; and the prisoner–

not wanting to seem ungrateful for her help–

has given her a sum of money for a dowry,

a large one, I can promise you.

JAILER

Ye are a good man

And ever bring good news.

You are a good man,

always bringing good news.

FIRST FRIEND OF THE JAILER

How was it ended?

How did it finish?

SECOND FRIEND OF THE JAILER

Why, as it should be: they that nev’r begg’d

But they prevail’d, had their suits fairly granted:

The prisoners have their lives.

Why, as it should: those who've never begged

without success had their pleas granted:

the prisoners keep their lives.

FIRST FRIEND OF THE JAILER

I knew ’twould be so.

I knew that would happen.

SECOND FRIEND OF THE JAILER

But there be new conditions, which you’ll hear of

At better time.

But there are new conditions, which you'll hear of

nearer the time.

JAILER

I hope they are good.

I hope they are good.

SECOND FRIEND OF THE JAILER

They are honorable,

How good they’ll prove, I know not.

They are honourable,

how good they'll prove to be, I don't know.

FIRST FRIEND OF THE JAILER

’Twill be known.

We shall see.

Enter Wooer.

WOOER

Alas, sir, where’s your daughter?

Alas, sir, where is your daughter?

JAILER

Why do you ask?

Why do you ask?

WOOER

O sir, when did you see her?

Oh sir, when did you last see her?

SECOND FRIEND OF THE JAILER

How he looks!

What does he look like!