The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1025 page)

As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie; Poor sacrifices of our enmity!

Prince

This is a terrible way to finally have peace.  Even the sun is too sad to show her face.  Let’s go talk more of these sad things.  Some things will be pardoned and some will be punished, but there will never be a story as sad as that of Romeo and Juliet.

A glooming peace this morning with it brings; The sun for sorrow will not show his head. Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished; For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

(Exit all.)

The End

In Plain and Simple English

TIMON, a noble Athenian

LUCIUS LUCULLUS flattering Lords

SEMPRONIUS

VENTIDIUS, one of Timon's false Friends

APEMANTUS, a churlish Philosopher

ALCIBIADES, an Athenian Captain

FLAVIUS, Steward to Timon

FLAMINIUS LUCILIUS Servants to Timon

SERVILIUS

CAPHIS PHILOTUS Servants to Timon's Creditors

TITUS HORTENSIUS

Servants of Ventidius, and of Varro and Isidore (two of Timon's Creditor's)

THREE STRANGERS

AN OLD ATHENIAN

A PAGE

A FOOL

Poet, Painter, Jeweller, and Merchant.

PHRYNIA Mistresses to Alcibiades

TIMANDRA

Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Servants, Thieves, and Attendants

CUPID and Amazons in the Masque

Scene.--Athens, and the neighbouring Woods.

Enter Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Merchant, and others, at several doors

Poet

Good day, sir.

Good day, sir.

Painter

I am glad you're well.

I’m glad you’re well.

Poet

I have not seen you long: how goes the world?

I haven’t seen you for a long time: how’s life?

Painter

It wears, sir, as it grows.

It wears out sir, as it goes on.

Poet

Ay, that's well known:

But what particular rarity? what strange,

Which manifold record not matches? See,

Magic of bounty! all these spirits thy power

Hath conjured to attend. I know the merchant.

Yes, that’s well known:

But what particular unusual things are going on?

What unique things, never recorded before?

Look, generosity is as powerful as any magician!

Your power has brought all these people here.  I know that merchant.

Painter

I know them both; th' other's a jeweller.

I know both of them, the other’s a jeweller.

Merchant

O, 'tis a worthy lord.

Oh, that’s a good lord.

Jeweller

Nay, that's most fix'd.

That’s for sure.

Merchant

A most incomparable man, breathed, as it were,

To an untirable and continuate goodness:

He passes.

An incomparable man, trained, as it were,

To have an unflagging and habitual goodness;

He beats everyone.

Jeweller

I have a jewel here—

I have a jewel here-

Merchant

O, pray, let's see't: for the Lord Timon, sir?

Oh, please let me see it.  Is this for Lord Timon, sir?

Jeweller

 If he will touch the estimate: but, for that—

If he’ll pay the price I want: but, as to that-

Poet

[Reciting to himself] 'When we for recompense have

praised the vile,

It stains the glory in that happy verse

Which aptly sings the good.'

‘When we praise the vile in return for payment,

it cheapens the value of the fine verse

which rightly praises the good.’

Merchant

'Tis a good form.

It’s nicely cut.

Looking at the jewel

Jeweller

And rich: here is a water, look ye.

And rich: it’s got a great shine to it, you can see.

Painter

You are rapt, sir, in some work, some dedication

To the great lord.

You are involved, sir, in some work, something

In praise of the great lord.

Poet

A thing slipp'd idly from me.

Our poesy is as a gum, which oozes

From whence 'tis nourish'd: the fire i' the flint

Shows not till it be struck; our gentle flame

Provokes itself and like the current flies

Each bound it chafes. What have you there?

Something that just slipped out.

Poetry is like gum, which oozes

Out from its mother plant: the fire held

Within flint doesn’t show until it’s struck;

Our inspiration doesn’t need any stimulus;

It starts itself and spreads everywhere like

A tide.  What have you there?

Painter

A picture, sir. When comes your book forth?

A picture, sir.  When’s your book out?

Poet

Upon the heels of my presentment, sir.

Let's see your piece.

As soon as I give it to my lord, sir.

Let’s see your piece.

Painter

'Tis a good piece.

It’s a good piece.

Poet

So 'tis: this comes off well and excellent.

Yes it is: this is very well executed.

Painter

Indifferent.

Not bad.

Poet

Admirable: how this grace

Speaks his own standing! what a mental power

This eye shoots forth! how big imagination

Moves in this lip! to the dumbness of the gesture

One might interpret.

It’s wonderful:  how well you’ve captured

His position!  How well you can see his thoughts

In his eyes!  How well his imagination can be seen

In his lips!  One could almost interpret what

His gestures mean.

Painter

It is a pretty mocking of the life.

Here is a touch; is't good?

It’s a nice copy of life.

Here’s the question; is it good?

Poet

I will say of it,

It tutors nature: artificial strife

Lives in these touches, livelier than life.

I would say

It teaches nature: artificial action

Comes alive in the brushstrokes, it’s more lively than life itself.

Enter certain Senators, and pass over

Painter

How this lord is follow'd!

How many followers this lord has!

Poet

The senators of Athens: happy men!

The senators of Athens: lucky men!

Painter

Look, more!

Look, more!

Poet

You see this confluence, this great flood

of visitors.

I have, in this rough work, shaped out a man,

Whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug

With amplest entertainment: my free drift

Halts not particularly, but moves itself

In a wide sea of wax: no levell'd malice

Infects one comma in the course I hold;

But flies an eagle flight, bold and forth on,

Leaving no tract behind.

You see this merging of these great floods

of visitors.

I have, in this rough work, described a man,

Whom this mortal world embraces and hugs