The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1038 page)

FLAVIUS

Here, my lord.

Here, my lord.

TIMON

So fitly? Go, bid all my friends again,

Lucius, Lucullus, and Sempronius:

All, sirrah, all:

I'll once more feast the rascals.

So handy? Go, summon all my friends again,

Lucius, Lucullus and Sempronius:

all of them, sir:

I'll give the rascals another feast.

FLAVIUS

O my lord,

You only speak from your distracted soul;

There is not so much left, to furnish out

A moderate table.

Oh my lord,

you're only speaking from anguish;

there isn't enough left to lay on

a modest meal.

TIMON

Be't not in thy care; go,

I charge thee, invite them all: let in the tide

Of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide.

Don't you worry about that; go,

I order you, invite them all: let the flood

of scoundrels in again; my cook and I will provide the food.

Exeunt

First Senator

My lord, you have my voice to it; the fault's

Bloody; 'tis necessary he should die:

Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

My lord, you have my vote; it's a terrible

offence; he has to die for it;

nothing strengthens sin as much as being merciful.

Second Senator

Most true; the law shall bruise him.

Very true; the law will crush him.

Enter ALCIBIADES, with Attendants

ALCIBIADES

Honour, health, and compassion to the senate!

Honour and health to the senate, and may they be merciful!

First Senator

Now, captain?

What is it, captain?

ALCIBIADES

I am an humble suitor to your virtues;

For pity is the virtue of the law,

And none but tyrants use it cruelly.

It pleases time and fortune to lie heavy

Upon a friend of mine, who, in hot blood,

Hath stepp'd into the law, which is past depth

To those that, without heed, do plunge into 't.

He is a man, setting his fate aside,

Of comely virtues:

Nor did he soil the fact with cowardice--

An honour in him which buys out his fault--

But with a noble fury and fair spirit,

Seeing his reputation touch'd to death,

He did oppose his foe:

And with such sober and unnoted passion

He did behave his anger, ere 'twas spent,

As if he had but proved an argument.

I am humbly petitioning your virtues;

for pity is the virtue of the law,

and only tyrants use it cruelly.

Time and fate are heavily oppressing

a friend of mine who, in anger,

has come within the reach of the law,

which is a bottomless pit for those

who slip into it.

Apart from this one act

he is a good man:

and he didn't behave badly out of cowardice-

something which forgives his fault-

but with noble anger and a good soul,

seeing his reputation fatally insulted,

he faced his enemy:

he controlled his anger so soberly

that it was as though he was simply making a point.

First Senator

You undergo too strict a paradox,

Striving to make an ugly deed look fair:

Your words have took such pains as if they labour'd

To bring manslaughter into form and set quarrelling

Upon the head of valour; which indeed

Is valour misbegot and came into the world

When sects and factions were newly born:

He's truly valiant that can wisely suffer

The worst that man can breathe, and make his wrongs

His outsides, to wear them like his raiment,

carelessly,

And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils and enforce us kill,

What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill!

Your argument doesn't stand up,

as you try to make an ugly deed acceptable:

you talk as if manslaughter was just another

element of discussion, and quarrelling

part of courage;  it is in fact

twisted courage, which came into the world

with sects and factions:

the truly brave man tolerates

the worst words men can throw at him,

and wears the insults outside, like his clothes,

and never takes the injuries to heart,

and risks it being injured.

If wrongs are evils that make us kill,

how stupid to risk our lives for them!

ALCIBIADES

My lord,--

My lord -

First Senator

You cannot make gross sins look clear:

To revenge is no valour, but to bear.

You can't make terrible sins seem innocent:

taking revenge isn't bravery, toleration is.

ALCIBIADES

My lords, then, under favour, pardon me,

If I speak like a captain.

Why do fond men expose themselves to battle,

And not endure all threats? sleep upon't,

And let the foes quietly cut their throats,

Without repugnancy? If there be

Such valour in the bearing, what make we

Abroad? why then, women are more valiant

That stay at home, if bearing carry it,

And the ass more captain than the lion, the felon

Loaden with irons wiser than the judge,

If wisdom be in suffering. O my lords,

As you are great, be pitifully good:

Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood?

To kill, I grant, is sin's extremest gust;

But, in defence, by mercy, 'tis most just.

To be in anger is impiety;

But who is man that is not angry?

Weigh but the crime with this.

Then my lords, by your leave, forgive me

if I speak like a soldier.

Why do foolish men go to war,

instead of putting up with threats? Why don't they sleep on it

and let the enemies quietly cut their throats

without fighting back? If there is

such bravery in toleration, what are we doing

abroad? Why then, women are braver

for staying at home, bearing it,

and the ass is a braver soldier than the lion,

the criminal in irons is wiser than the judge,

if it is wise to suffer. Oh my lords,

just as you are great, show your goodness through pity:

everyone can condemn a crime done in cold blood.

To kill, I agree, is the worst of all sins;

but in defence, the law mercifully allows it.

To be angry is not pious;

but what man is there who is not angry?

Just think about the crime like that.

Second Senator

You breathe in vain.

You're wasting your breath.

ALCIBIADES

In vain! his service done

At Lacedaemon and Byzantium

Were a sufficient briber for his life.

Wasting! The service he performed

at Lacedaemon and Byzantium

should be enough to save his life.

First Senator

What's that?

What's that?

ALCIBIADES

I say, my lords, he has done fair service,

And slain in fight many of your enemies:

How full of valour did he bear himself

In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds!

I'm saying, my lords, he has served you well,

and killed many of your enemies in battle:

how bravely he conducted himself

in the last conflict, and he caused plenty of wounds!

Second Senator

He has made too much plenty with 'em;

He's a sworn rioter: he has a sin that often

Drowns him, and takes his valour prisoner:

If there were no foes, that were enough

To overcome him: in that beastly fury

He has been known to commit outrages,

And cherish factions: 'tis inferr'd to us,

His days are foul and his drink dangerous.

He has done plenty too much;

he is an habitual drunkard: he has a sin that often

drowns him, and kidnaps his bravery:

if there were no enemies, that sin would be enough

to overcome him: in his drunken fury

he has been known to commit outrages,

and stir up dissent: we have heard it alleged

that he lives a filthy life and is dangerous when drunk.

First Senator

He dies.

He shall die.

ALCIBIADES

Hard fate! he might have died in war.

My lords, if not for any parts in him--

Though his right arm might purchase his own time

And be in debt to none--yet, more to move you,

Take my deserts to his, and join 'em both:

And, for I know your reverend ages love

Security, I'll pawn my victories, all

My honours to you, upon his good returns.

If by this crime he owes the law his life,

Why, let the war receive 't in valiant gore

For law is strict, and war is nothing more.

A harsh fate! He might have died in battle.

My lords, if you can't see any good qualities in him–

though his efforts with the sword ought to be enough

to save him on their own–but, to further persuade you,

add my credit to his, join them together:

and, as I know that in your revered age you love

security, I'll pledge all my victories, all

my honours, that he will make good for you.

If this crime means he owes the law his life,

then let the war take it in bloody bravery,

for the law is strict, and the war is the same.

First Senator

We are for law: he dies; urge it no more,

On height of our displeasure: friend or brother,

He forfeits his own blood that spills another.