The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (740 page)

evidence: you will believe it when you

see it, the evidence all hangs together. The robe

of Queen Hermione, with her jewel around its neck,

the letters of Antigonus found with it in

his handwriting, the majesty of the

creature who looks exactly like the mother, the air

of nobility which nature shows above her breeding,

and many other proofs declare her absolutely

definitely the King's daughter. Did you see

the meeting of the two kings?

Second Gentleman

No.

No.

Third Gentleman

Then have you lost a sight, which was to be seen,

cannot be spoken of. There might you have beheld one

joy crown another, so and in such manner that it

seemed sorrow wept to take leave of them, for their

joy waded in tears. There was casting up of eyes,

holding up of hands, with countenances of such

distraction that they were to be known by garment,

not by favour. Our king, being ready to leap out of

himself for joy of his found daughter, as if that

joy were now become a loss, cries 'O, thy mother,

thy mother!' then asks Bohemia forgiveness; then

embraces his son-in-law; then again worries he his

daughter with clipping her; now he thanks the old

shepherd, which stands by like a weather-bitten

conduit of many kings' reigns. I never heard of such

another encounter, which lames report to follow it

and undoes description to do it.

Then you missed an indescribable sight.

You would have seen one happiness

on top of another, in such a way that it

seemed that sorrow wept to leave them, for their

joy was drowned in tears. There was a rolling of eyes,

holding up of hands, with faces so

contorted that they could only be known by their clothes,

not their appearance. Our king, being beside

himself with joy at finding his daughter, as if that joy

had now become a loss, cried, ‘oh, your mother, your

mother!’ Then he asked Bohemia for forgiveness; then embraced

his son-in-law; then again he ruffled his

daughter by hugging her; now he thanked the old

shepherd, who was standing by, like a weatherbeaten

gargoyle which had seen many kings' reigns. I never heard of such

a meeting, which cannot be imagined from hearing about it,

it was indescribable.

Second Gentleman

What, pray you, became of Antigonus, that carried

hence the child?

Tell me, what became of Antigonus, who carried

the child there?

Third Gentleman

Like an old tale still, which will have matter to

rehearse, though credit be asleep and not an ear

open. He was torn to pieces with a bear: this

avouches the shepherd's son; who has not only his

innocence, which seems much, to justify him, but a

handkerchief and rings of his that Paulina knows.

It's still like a legend, which still has things to say

even when nobody believes it or is even listening.

He was torn to pieces by a bear: this

is sworn to by the shepherd's son; he is backed up

not only by his innocence, which seems great, but a

handkerchief and rings of his that Paulina recognised.

First Gentleman

What became of his bark and his followers?

What happened to his ship and his followers?

Third Gentleman

Wrecked the same instant of their master's death and

in the view of the shepherd: so that all the

instruments which aided to expose the child were

even then lost when it was found. But O, the noble

combat that 'twixt joy and sorrow was fought in

Paulina! She had one eye declined for the loss of

her husband, another elevated that the oracle was

fulfilled: she lifted the princess from the earth,

and so locks her in embracing, as if she would pin

her to her heart that she might no more be in danger

of losing.

It was wrecked at the same time as their master died,

the shepherd saw it: so all the

things which conspired to expose the child were

lost at the moment it was found. But oh, what a

noble battle Paulina fought between joy and

sorrow. She had one eye cast down at the loss of

her husband, another raised up because the Oracle was

fulfilled: she lifted the princess off the ground

and hugged her so tight, it was as if she wanted

to pin her to her heart so that she could never

lose her again.

First Gentleman

The dignity of this act was worth the audience of

kings and princes; for by such was it acted.

The beauty of this act was worthy of its audience of

kings and princes; because it was played out by them.

Third Gentleman

One of the prettiest touches of all and that which

angled for mine eyes, caught the water though not

the fish, was when, at the relation of the queen's

death, with the manner how she came to't bravely

confessed and lamented by the king, how

attentiveness wounded his daughter; till, from one

sign of dolour to another, she did, with an 'Alas,'

I would fain say, bleed tears, for I am sure my

heart wept blood. Who was most marble there changed

colour; some swooned, all sorrowed: if all the world

could have seen 't, the woe had been universal.

One of the prettiest touches of all, and the one which

caught my eye, pulling the water out if not

the fish, was when, at the story of the queen's

death, with the manner of how it happened being

honestly confessed and lamented by the king, how

hearing it wounded his daughter; until, between

one sad sigh and another she said, ‘Alas,’

and did, I would say, bleed tears, for I am sure my

heart wept blood. The hardest people changed

colour; some fainted, all lamented: if everybody

could have seen it, the whole world would be sorrowing.

First Gentleman

Are they returned to the court?

Have they gone back to the court?

Third Gentleman

No: the princess hearing of her mother's statue,

which is in the keeping of Paulina,--a piece many

years in doing and now newly performed by that rare

Italian master, Julio Romano, who, had he himself

eternity and could put breath into his work, would

beguile Nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her

ape: he so near to Hermione hath done Hermione that

they say one would speak to her and stand in hope of

answer: thither with all greediness of affection

are they gone, and there they intend to sup.

No: when the princess heard about her mother's statue,

which Paulina has–a piece which took many

years to complete, only just finished by that amazing

Italian master, Julio Romano, who, if he had

eternity and could make his works breathe, would

put Nature out of business, he copies her so perfectly:

he has made such a perfect image of Hermione that

they say that one would speak to her and wait expecting

an answer: so they have gone there with the eagerness of love

intending to drink their fill.

Second Gentleman

I thought she had some great matter there in hand;

for she hath privately twice or thrice a day, ever

since the death of Hermione, visited that removed

house. Shall we thither and with our company piece

the rejoicing?

I thought she had some great business going on there;

for she has, alone, two or three times a day, ever

since the death of Hermione, visited that isolated

building. Shall we go there and add our company

to the rejoicing?

First Gentleman

Who would be thence that has the benefit of access?

every wink of an eye some new grace will be born:

our absence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge.

Let's along.

Exeunt Gentlemen

Who wouldn't be there if they were allowed in?

Some new beauty seems to happen every second:

not being there means we're missing out.

Let's go.

AUTOLYCUS

Now, had I not the dash of my former life in me,

would preferment drop on my head. I brought the old

man and his son aboard the prince: told him I heard

them talk of a fardel and I know not what: but he

at that time, overfond of the shepherd's daughter,

so he then took her to be, who began to be much

sea-sick, and himself little better, extremity of

weather continuing, this mystery remained

undiscovered. But 'tis all one to me; for had I

been the finder out of this secret, it would not

have relished among my other discredits.

Enter Shepherd and Clown

Here come those I have done good to against my will,

and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune.

Now, if I didn't have the taint of my former life on me,

promotion would come my way. I brought the old

man and his son to the prince's ship: I told him I heard

them talk of a bundle and goodness knows what else: but he

at that time, too concerned with the shepherd's daughter,

as he then thought she was, who began to be very

seasick, and he wasn't much better, with the bad

weather carrying on, this mystery was not

investigated. But it's all the same to me; if I

had discovered the secret, it wouldn't

have outweighed all my other black marks.

Here come the ones I have helped without meaning to,

their appearance shows they've already gone up in the world.

Shepherd

Come, boy; I am past moe children, but thy sons and

daughters will be all gentlemen born.

Come, boy; I'm past child-rearing age, but your sons and

daughters will all be born gentlemen.

Clown

You are well met, sir. You denied to fight with me

this other day, because I was no gentleman born.

See you these clothes? say you see them not and

think me still no gentleman born: you were best say

these robes are not gentlemen born: give me the

lie, do, and try whether I am not now a gentleman born.

I'm glad to meet you, sir. You refused to fight with me

the other day, because I was not born a gentleman.

Do you see these clothes? You can't look at them

and still say I am not a born gentleman: you might just as well

say these robes are not born gentlemen: lie to me

now, go on, and see if I am not a born gentleman.

AUTOLYCUS

I know you are now, sir, a gentleman born.