The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (686 page)

ARCITE

Yes, and have found me so. Why are you mov’d thus?

Let me deal coldly with you: am not I

Part of your blood, part of your soul? You have told me

That I was Palamon, and you were Arcite.

Yes, and I have been. Why are you so upset?

Let me speak plainly to you: I'm not

part of your blood, part of your soul? You have told me

that I was Palamon, and you were Arcite.

PALAMON

Yes.

Yes.

ARCITE

Am not I liable to those affections,

Those joys, griefs, angers, fears, my friend shall suffer?

Do I not suffer the same feelings my friend does,

sharing his joys, griefs, angers and fears?

PALAMON

Ye may be.

You might.

ARCITE

Why then would you deal so cunningly,

So strangely, so unlike a noble kinsman,

To love alone? Speak truly: do you think me

Unworthy of her sight?

Then why would you be so devious,

so crooked, so unlike a noble kinsman,

to love without me? Tell the truth: do you think

I shouldn't be allowed to look at her?

PALAMON

No; but unjust

If thou pursue that sight.

No; but you would be wrong

to do more than that.

ARCITE

Because another

First sees the enemy, shall I stand still,

And let mine honor down, and never charge?

Because someone else

saw the enemy first, should I stand still,

never charging, disgracing myself?

PALAMON

Yes, if he be but one.

Yes, if there is only one enemy.

ARCITE

But say that one

Had rather combat me?

But what if that one

would sooner fight me?

PALAMON

Let that one say so,

And use thy freedom; else, if thou pursuest her,

Be as that cursed man that hates his country,

A branded villain.

Let that one say so,

then you can act freely; otherwise, if you chase her,

you will be as bad as a traitor to his country,

branded as a villain.

ARCITE

You are mad.

You are mad.

PALAMON

I must be—

Till thou art worthy, Arcite, it concerns me,

And in this madness if I hazard thee

And take thy life, I deal but truly.

I need to be–

until you are deserving of her, Arcite, it concerns me,

and if in this madness I risk you

and it cost you your life, I would only be doing the right thing.

ARCITE

Fie, sir!

You play the child extremely. I will love her,

I must, I ought to do so, and I dare—

And all this justly.

Damn you, sir!

You are like a child. I will love her,

I must, I ought to, and I dare to–

and this is all permissible.

PALAMON

O that now, that now

Thy false-self and thy friend had but this fortune

To be one hour at liberty, and grasp

Our good swords in our hands, I would quickly teach thee

What ’twere to filch affection from another!

Thou art baser in it than a cutpurse.

Put but thy head out of this window more,

And as I have a soul, I’ll nail thy life to’t!

Oh, I wish that now

your deceiving self and your friend had the luck

to have an hour of freedom, holding

our good swords in our hands, I will quickly show you

what it means to steal someone else's love!

You are worse than a pickpocket.

If you put your head out of this window just once more

I swear to heaven that I'll kill you for it!

ARCITE

Thou dar’st not, fool, thou canst not, thou art feeble.

Put my head out? I’ll throw my body out,

And leap the garden, when I see her next,

And pitch between her arms to anger thee.

You wouldn't dare, fool, you can't, you are weak.

Put my head out? I'll throw my body out,

and leap into the garden, next time I see her,

and jump into her arms to anger you.

Enter Jailer above.

PALAMON

No more; the keeper’s coming. I shall live

To knock thy brains out with my shackles.

Enough of that; the jailer's coming. I shall live

long enough to bash your brains out with my chains.

ARCITE

Do.

Do.

JAILER

By your leave, gentlemen.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

PALAMON

Now, honest keeper?

What is it, good jailer?

JAILER

Lord Arcite, you must presently to th’ Duke;

The cause I know not yet.

Lord Arcite, you must go to the Duke at once;

I don't know the reason for it.

ARCITE

I am ready, keeper.

I am ready, jailer.

JAILER

Prince Palamon, I must awhile bereave you

Of your fair cousin’s company.

Prince Palamon, I must deprive you of your

fair cousin's company for a while.

Exeunt Arcite and Jailer.

PALAMON

And me too,

Even when you please, of life. Why is he sent for?

It may be he shall marry her; he’s goodly,

And like enough the Duke hath taken notice

Both of his blood and body. But his falsehood!

Why should a friend be treacherous? If that

Get him a wife so noble and so fair,

Let honest men ne’er love again. Once more

I would but see this fair one. Blessed garden,

And fruit and flowers more blessed, that still blossom

As her bright eyes shine on ye, would I were,

For all the fortune of my life hereafter,

Yon little tree, yon blooming apricock!

How I would spread, and fling my wanton arms

In at her window! I would bring her fruit

Fit for the gods to feed on; youth and pleasure,

Still as she tasted, should be doubled on her,

And if she be not heavenly, I would make her

So near the gods in nature, they should fear her;

And then I am sure she would love me.

And you can deprive me

of my life if you like. Why has he been sent for?

It may be that he will marry her; he is handsome,

and I expect the Duke has taken notice

of his breeding and his body. But his treachery!

Why would a friend be treacherous? If that

gets him such a noble and beautiful wife,

then honest men should never love. I want to

see this beautiful one once more. Blessed garden,

and the fruit and flowers are more blessed, blossoming

as her bright eyes shine on you, I would exchange everything

I will get in my life from now on just to be

that little tree, that flowering apricot!

How I would spread, and throw my lustful arms

in through her windows! I would bring her fruit

fit for the gods; as she tasted them

youth and pleasure would be doubled for her,

and if she is not divine, I would make her

so close to the gods in nature that they would fear her;

and then I am sure she would love me.

Enter Jailer above.

How now, keeper,

Where’s Arcite?

Hello there, jailer,

where is Arcite?

JAILER

Banish’d. Prince Pirithous

Obtained his liberty; but never more,

Upon his oath and life, must he set foot

Upon this kingdom.

Exiled. Prince Pirithous

won his freedom; but he has had to swear

on his life that he will not set foot

in this kingdom.

PALAMON

Aside.

He’s a blessed man!

He shall see Thebes again, and call to arms

The bold young men that when he bids ’em charge,

Fall on like fire. Arcite shall have a fortune,

If he dare make himself a worthy lover,

Yet in the field to strike a battle for her;

And if he lose her then, he’s a cold coward.

How bravely may he bear himself to win her,

If he be noble Arcite—thousand ways!

Were I at liberty, I would do things

Of such a virtuous greatness that this lady,

This blushing virgin, should take manhood to her

And seek to ravish me.

He's a lucky man!

He shall see Thebes again, and challenge

the bold young men who will fall on him like fire

when he tells them to charge. Arcite will be lucky,

if he dares to make himself a worthy lover,

to take to the field to fight for her;

and if he loses her then, he's a cold-blooded coward.

How bravely he could act to win her,

if he is noble Arcite–there are a thousand ways!

If I was free, I would do things

so virtuous and so great that this lady,

this blushing virgin, would become like a man

and try to rape me.

JAILER

My lord, for you

I have this charge too—

My lord, I have a duty

to do for you as well–

PALAMON

To discharge my life?

To take my life?

JAILER

No, but from this place to remove your lordship;

The windows are too open.

No, but to take your lordship from this place;

the windows are not secure.

PALAMON

Devils take ’em

That are so envious to me! Prithee kill me.

Damn those

who are so spiteful to me! Please kill me.

JAILER

And hang for’t afterward!

And hang for it afterwards!

PALAMON

By this good light,

Had I a sword, I would kill thee.

I swear by the sun,

if I had a sword, I would kill you.

JAILER

Why, my lord?

Why, my lord?

PALAMON

Thou bring’st such pelting scurvy news continually,

Thou art not worthy life. I will not go.

You're always bringing such petty wretched news,

you don't deserve life. I will not go.

JAILER