The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (706 page)

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Yes, but you care not for me. I have nothing

But this poor petticoat and two coarse smocks.

 

Yes, but you don't care about me.  I own nothing

except this poor petticoat and two rough dresses.

 

WOOER

That’s all one, I will have you.

 

That doesn't matter, I'll take you.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Will you surely?

 

Will you definitely?

 

WOOER

Yes, by this fair hand, will I.

 

Yes, by this lovely hand, I swear I will.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

We’ll to bed then.

 

We'll go to bed then.

 

WOOER

Ev’n when you will.

 

Whenever you like.

 

Kisses her.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

O, sir, you would fain be nibbling.

 

Oh sir, you would like a nibble.

 

WOOER

Why do you rub my kiss off?

 

Why are you rubbing my kiss off?

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

’Tis a sweet one,

And will perfume me finely against the wedding.

Is not this your cousin Arcite?

 

It's a sweet one,

and it will do as perfume for the wedding.

Isn't this your cousin Arcite?

 

DOCTOR

Yes, sweet heart,

And I am glad my cousin Palamon

Has made so fair a choice.

 

Yes, sweetheart,

and I am glad my cousin Palamon

has made such a good choice.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Do you think he’ll have me?

 

Do you think he'll have me?

 

DOCTOR

Yes, without doubt.

 

Yes, no doubt.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Do you think so too?

 

Do you think so too?

 

JAILER

Yes.

 

Yes.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

We shall have many children.—Lord, how y’ are grown!

My Palamon I hope will grow too, finely,

Now he’s at liberty. Alas, poor chicken,

He was kept down with hard meat and ill lodging,

But I’ll kiss him up again.

 

We shall have many children.-Lord, how you've grown!

My Palamon and I will grow too, well,

now he's free.  Alas, poor chick,

he was roughly treated with bad food and poor rooms,

but I'll raise him up again with kisses.

 

Enter First Messenger.

 

1. MESSENGER

What do you here? You’ll lose the noblest sight

That ev’r was seen.

 

What are you doing here?  You'll miss the noblest

sight anyone's ever seen.

 

JAILER

Are they i’ th’ field?

 

Are they on the battlefield?

 

1. MESSENGER

They are.

You bear a charge there too.

 

They are.

You have a job there too.

 

JAILER

I’ll away straight.

I must ev’n leave you here.

 

I'll come at once.

I must leave you here.

 

DOCTOR

Nay, we’ll go with you,

I will not lose the fight.

 

No, we'll go with you,

I don't want to miss the fight.

 

JAILER

How did you like her?

 

What did you think of her?

 

DOCTOR

I’ll warrant you within these three or four days

I’ll make her right again.

To the Wooer.

You must not from her,

But still preserve her in this way.

 

I promise you that within the next three or four days

I'll get her right again.

 

You mustn't leave her,

but keep this pretence up.

 

WOOER

I will.

 

I will.

 

DOCTOR

Let’s get her in.

 

Let's get her inside.

 

WOOER

Come, sweet, we’ll go to dinner,

And then we’ll play at cards.

 

Come, sweet, we'll go into dinner,

and then we'll play cards.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

And shall we kiss too?

 

And shall we kiss too?

 

WOOER

A hundred times.

 

A hundred times.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

And twenty?

 

And twenty?

 

WOOER

Ay, and twenty.

 

Yes, and twenty.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

And then we’ll sleep together?

 

And then we'll sleep together?

 

DOCTOR

Take her offer.

 

Accept her offer.

 

WOOER

Yes, marry, will we.

 

Yes, we certainly will.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

But you shall not hurt me.

 

But you won't hurt me.

 

WOOER

I will not, sweet.

 

I won't, sweetheart.

 

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

If you do, love, I’ll cry.

 

If you do, love, I'll cry

Exeunt.

 

 

 

A place near the Lists.

 

(Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous, Attendants, Servants, Arcite)

Flourish. Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous, and some Attendants.

 

EMILIA

I’ll no step further.

 

I'll go no further.

 

PIRITHOUS

Will you lose this sight?

 

Do you want to miss the fight?

 

EMILIA

I had rather see a wren hawk at a fly

Than this decision. Ev’ry blow that falls

Threats a brave life, each stroke laments

The place whereon it falls, and sounds more like

A bell than blade. I will stay here,

It is enough my hearing shall be punish’d

With what shall happen—’gainst the which there is

No deafing—but to hear, not taint mine eye

With dread sights it may shun.

 

I'd sooner see a wren attacking a fly

than this battle.  Every blow that falls

threatens a brave life, every stroke causes

sorrow as it falls, and sounds more like

a funeral bell than a blade.  I will stay here,

it's bad enough that I will suffer hearing

what will happen-nothing can make me deaf

to that-I'll just hear, not stain my vision

which such terrible sights, when they can be avoided.

 

PIRITHOUS

Sir, my good lord,

Your sister will no further.

 

Sir, my good lord,

your sister wants to stop here.

 

THESEUS

O, she must.

She shall see deeds of honor in their kind

Which sometime show well, pencill’d. Nature now

Shall make and act the story, the belief

Both seal’d with eye and ear. You must be present,

You are the victor’s meed, the price and garland

To crown the question’s title.

 

Oh, she must come on.

She shall see such deeds of honour that will

later make a fine painting.  You shall see the story

created by Nature, and you need to use

your eyes and ears for that.  You must be there,

you are the winner's prize, the reward and trophy

when the question is resolved.

 

EMILIA

Pardon me,

If I were there, I’ld wink.

 

Excuse me,

If I was there, I would faint.

 

THESEUS

You must be there;

This trial is as ’twere i’ th’ night, and you

The only star to shine.

 

You must be there,

it's as if this trail were at night time, and you

are the only star shining.

 

EMILIA

I am extinct,

There is but envy in that light which shows

The one the other. Darkness, which ever was

The dam of Horror, who does stand accurs’d

Of many mortal millions, may even now,

By casting her black mantle over both,

That neither could find other, get herself

Some part of a good name, and many a murder

Set off whereto she’s guilty.

 

I am dark to them,

it's only hatred which lets them see

each other.  Darkness, which has always

created horror, which is hated

by so many millions of men, could now,

by throwing her black cloak over both,

so that neither could find the other, get herself

something of a good name, and be forgiven

many of the murders she's been responsible for.

 

HIPPOLYTA

You must go.

 

You must go.

 

EMILIA

In faith, I will not.

 

I swear I won't.

 

THESEUS

Why, the knights must kindle

Their valor at your eye. Know, of this war

You are the treasure, and must needs be by

To give the service pay.

 

Why, the knights need to get

their bravery from your looks.  You are the

treasure they're fighting for, and you must

be on hand to pay the bill.

 

EMILIA

Sir, pardon me,

The title of a kingdom may be tried

Out of itself.

 

Sir, excuse me,

people can fight for a kingdom

outside its borders.

 

THESEUS

Well, well then, at your pleasure.

Those that remain with you could wish their office

To any of their enemies.

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