The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (673 page)

And full of newly created promises; which he will break
As easily as I do tear his paper.

As easily as I tore that paper.

JULIA

Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring.

Madam, he sends you this wring, your lady.

SILVIA

The more shame for him that he sends it me;

And more shame on him who send it to me;
For I have heard him say a thousand times

Because I have heard him say a thousand times
His Julia gave it him at his departure.

That Julia gave it to him at his departure.
Though his false finger have profaned the ring,

Though his unfaithful finger has already abused the ring,
Mine shall not do his Julia so much wrong.

My finger will not do his Julia any harm.

JULIA

She thanks you.

She thanks you.

SILVIA

What say'st thou?

What did you say?

JULIA

I thank you, madam, that you tender her.

I thank you, madam, that you are concerned for her.
Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much.

Poor lady! My master mistreats her so much.

SILVIA

Dost thou know her?

Do you know her?

JULIA

Almost as well as I do know myself:

Almost as well as I know myself:
To think upon her woes I do protest

I’ll tell you that thinking about her troubles,
That I have wept a hundred several times.

I have cried several hundred times.

SILVIA

Belike she thinks that Proteus hath forsook her.

It seems to me that she think that Proteus has rejected her.

JULIA

I think she doth; and that's her cause of sorrow.

I think she does; and that’s the cause of her sorrow.

SILVIA

Is she not passing fair?

Is she not extremely pretty?

JULIA

She hath been fairer, madam, than she is:

She has been prettier, madam, than she is now:
When she did think my master loved her well,

When she thought my master still loved her,
She, in my judgment, was as fair as you:

She was a pretty as you, by my judgment:
But since she did neglect her looking-glass

But since then she stopped looking in the mirror
And threw her sun-expelling mask away,

And threw away the mask that protects her skin from the sun,
The air hath starved the roses in her cheeks

The air has wither the rosiness of her cheeks
And pinch'd the lily-tincture of her face,

And worn away the pale complexion of her face,
That now she is become as black as I.

That now she is as ugly as I am.

SILVIA

How tall was she?

How tall was she?

JULIA

About my stature; for at Pentecost,

About my height; because on Pentecost,
When all our pageants of delight were play'd,

When we put on all your pageant plays,
Our youth got me to play the woman's part,

Our young man got me to play a woman’s part,
And I was trimm'd in Madam Julia's gown,

And I was dressed in Madam Julia’s gown,
Which served me as fit, by all men's judgments,

Which fit me just as well, by everyone’s judgements,
As if the garment had been made for me:

As if the dress had been made for me:
Therefore I know she is about my height.

That’s how I know she is about my height.
And at that time I made her weep agood,

And at the time I made her weep in earnest,
For I did play a lamentable part:

Because I played a mournful part:
Madam, 'twas Ariadne passioning

Madam, it was Ariadne in a passion and grieving
For Theseus' perjury and unjust flight;

For Theseus’ dishonesty and deceitful escape;
Which I so lively acted with my tears

Which I aced out so energetically with my tears
That my poor mistress, moved therewithal,

That my poor mistress, moved by the performance,
Wept bitterly; and would I might be dead

Wept bitterly; and I’d wish I were dead
If I in thought felt not her very sorrow!

If I had not felt her same exact sorrow in my own mind!

SILVIA

She is beholding to thee, gentle youth.

She is indebted to you, kind young man.
Alas, poor lady, desolate and left!

It’s a same, poor lady, deserted and alone!
I weep myself to think upon thy words.

I myself am weeping to think about your words.
Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee this

Here, young man, this is my purse; I’m giving it to you
For thy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lovest her.

For you sweet mistress’ sake, because you love her.
Farewell.

Goodbye.

Exit SILVIA, with attendants

JULIA

And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her.

And she will thank you for it, if you ever meet her.
A virtuous gentlewoman, mild and beautiful!

A virtuous lady, kind and beautiful!
I hope my master's suit will be but cold,

I hope my master’s pursuit of her won’t work,
Since she respects my mistress' love so much.

Since she respects my mistress Julia’s love so much.
Alas, how love can trifle with itself!

It’s a shame, how love can mess with itself!
Here is her picture: let me see; I think,

Here is her picture: let me see, I think,
If I had such a tire, this face of mine

If I had such a tiara, my face
Were full as lovely as is this of hers:

Would be just as pretty as hers is:
And yet the painter flatter'd her a little,

And still the painter painted her a bit prettier than she is,
Unless I flatter with myself too much.

Unless I’m just flattering myself too much.
Her hair is auburn, mine is perfect yellow:

Her hair is auburn, and mine is golden blonde:
If that be all the difference in his love,

If that is the only difference in his love,
I'll get me such a colour'd periwig.

I can get myself a wig of that color.
Her eyes are grey as glass, and so are mine:

Her eyes are bluish grey, and so are mine;
Ay, but her forehead's low, and mine's as high.

Yes, but her forehead is a bit low, and mine is high.
What should it be that he respects in her

What is it that he values in her
But I can make respective in myself,

That I can’t inspire the same in myself.
If this fond Love were not a blinded god?

What if passionate love were not a blind god?
Come, shadow, come and take this shadow up,

Come on, ghost of Julia, pick this portrait up,
For 'tis thy rival. O thou senseless form,

For it is your rival. Oh, you picture without human feeling,
Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, loved and adored!

You will be worhshipped, kissed, loved and adored!
And, were there sense in his idolatry,

And, if his worship made any sense,
My substance should be statue in thy stead.

My actual self would be worship in its place.
I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,

I’ll treat you well for your mistress’ sake,
That used me so; or else, by Jove I vow,

Who treated me kindly; or otherwise, I swear by Jove,
I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes

I would have scratched out your unseeing eyes
To make my master out of love with thee!

To make my master fall out of love with you!

Exit

An abbey.

Enter EGLAMOUR

EGLAMOUR

The sun begins to gild the western sky;

The sunset it turning the sky gold,
And now it is about the very hour

And this is the time
That Silvia, at Friar Patrick's cell, should meet me.

That Silvia is meeting me in Friar Patrick’s room.
She will not fail, for lovers break not hours,

She’s won’t fail, because lovers don’t miss their appointments,
Unless it be to come before their time;

Unless it is to because they arrive early;
So much they spur their expedition.

So that they hurry up their speed.
See where she comes.

See here she comes.

Enter SILVIA

Lady, a happy evening!

Lady, good evening!

SILVIA

Amen, amen! Go on, good Eglamour,

So it is, so it is! Come on, good Eglamour,
Out at the postern by the abbey-wall:

Let’s go out by the side gate by the abbey wall:
I fear I am attended by some spies.

I’m afraid that I’m followed by spies.

EGLAMOUR

Fear not: the forest is not three leagues off;

Don’t be afraid: the forest is less than nine miles away;
If we recover that, we are sure enough.

If we reach there, we are safe enough.

Exeunt