The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (557 page)

but since I landed here I have learnt

that your lord has taken himself off on an unknown journey,

so I must take my message back from where it came.

HELICANUS

We have no reason to desire it,

Commended to our master, not to us:

Yet, ere you shall depart, this we desire,

As friends to Antioch, we may feast in Tyre.

Exeunt

There's no reason for us to want it,

as it is addressed to our master, not to us:

but, before you leave, we would like

our friend from Antioch to feast in Tyre.

Enter CLEON, the governor of Tarsus, with DIONYZA, and others

CLEON

My Dionyza, shall we rest us here,

And by relating tales of others' griefs,

See if 'twill teach us to forget our own?

My Dionyza, shall we rest here,

and by telling stories of others' sorrows,

see if that will help us to forget our own?

DIONYZA

That were to blow at fire in hope to quench it;

For who digs hills because they do aspire

Throws down one mountain to cast up a higher.

O my distressed lord, even such our griefs are;

Here they're but felt, and seen with mischief's eyes,

But like to groves, being topp'd, they higher rise.

That would be blowing up the fire to try and put it out;

if you try to dig up one mountain

the rubble will make another, higher.

Oh my sad lord, this is what our sorrows are like;

at the moment they just are what they are,

but like trees, once they are pruned, they'll get bigger.

CLEON

O Dionyza,

Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it,

Or can conceal his hunger till he famish?

Our tongues and sorrows do sound deep

Our woes into the air; our eyes do weep,

Till tongues fetch breath that may proclaim them louder;

That, if heaven slumber while their creatures want,

They may awake their helps to comfort them.

I'll then discourse our woes, felt several years,

And wanting breath to speak help me with tears.

Oh Dionyza,

who wants food and will not say he wants it,

or can hide his hunger until he starves?

Our tongues and sorrows broadcast

our sadness into the air; our eyes weep,

until our tongues get fresh breath to make them louder;

so that if the gods sleep while their creatures are in need

they can be woken to give them comfort.

So I'll talk about our sorrows, which we have had for several years,

and if you can't speak then back me up with your tears.

DIONYZA

I'll do my best, sir.

I'll do my best, sir.

CLEON

This Tarsus, o'er which I have the government,

A city on whom plenty held full hand,

For riches strew'd herself even in the streets;

Whose towers bore heads so high they kiss'd the clouds,

And strangers ne'er beheld but wondered at;

Whose men and dames so jetted and adorn'd,

Like one another's glass to trim them by:

Their tables were stored full, to glad the sight,

And not so much to feed on as delight;

All poverty was scorn'd, and pride so great,

The name of help grew odious to repeat.

This Tarsus, over which I rule,

the city that was blessed by plenty,

with streets almost paved with gold;

towers which reached so high they kissed the clouds,

which strangers never saw without being amazed by;

whose men and women were so haughty and decorated,

and they saw their image in all the others:

their tables were well stocked, pleasing to the eye,

and they loved the luxury more than the food;

all poverty was hated, and they were so proud,

that they would disdain to ask for help.

DIONYZA

O, 'tis too true.

Alas, that's too true.

CLEON

But see what heaven can do! By this our change,

These mouths, who but of late, earth, sea, and air,

Were all too little to content and please,

Although they gave their creatures in abundance,

As houses are defiled for want of use,

They are now starved for want of exercise:

Those palates who, not yet two summers younger,

Must have inventions to delight the taste,

Would now be glad of bread, and beg for it:

Those mothers who, to nousle up their babes,

Thought nought too curious, are ready now

To eat those little darlings whom they loved.

So sharp are hunger's teeth, that man and wife

Draw lots who first shall die to lengthen life:

Here stands a lord, and there a lady weeping;

Here many sink, yet those which see them fall

Have scarce strength left to give them burial.

Is not this true?

Just see what heaven can do! Since the change in fortunes,

these mouths, which only recently didn't bother to praise

the earth, sea and air, even though they gave

such a great quantity of riches,

as houses become rundown through lack of use,

they are now starved through lack of use;

those mouths which less than two summers ago

needed fancy foods to get them excited

would now be happy with bread and they beg for it;

those mothers who thought that nothing was too good

to feed their babies with, are now ready

to eat the little darlings that they loved.

Hunger is hitting so hard, that man and wife

draw lots to see who will die first to help the other live.

Here you can see a lord, and there a lady weeping;

many are dying, but those who see them fall

have hardly enough strength left to bury them.

Isn't this true?

DIONYZA

Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it.

Our cheeks and sunken eyes show it.

CLEON

O, let those cities that of plenty's cup

And her prosperities so largely taste,

With their superfluous riots, hear these tears!

The misery of Tarsus may be theirs.

Enter a Lord

Oh let those cities that are prospering

and who enjoy all the fruits of plenty,

with wasteful indulgence, hear these tears!

One day the fate of Tarsus might be theirs.

Lord

Where's the lord governor?

Where's the lord governor?

CLEON

Here.

Speak out thy sorrows which thou bring'st in haste,

For comfort is too far for us to expect.

Here.

Tell us the bad news which has brought you rushing here,

because we know you cannot have any good.

Lord

We have descried, upon our neighbouring shore,

A portly sail of ships make hitherward.

We have spotted, from the shore,

a great fleet of ships coming this way.

CLEON

I thought as much.

One sorrow never comes but brings an heir,

That may succeed as his inheritor;

And so in ours: some neighbouring nation,

Taking advantage of our misery,

Hath stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power,

To beat us down, the which are down already;

And make a conquest of unhappy me,

Whereas no glory's got to overcome.

I was expecting this.

Sorrows never come singly,

there is always another one following;

this is the case here: some neighbouring country,

taking advantage of our misfortune,

has loaded those ships with their forces

to beat us down, when we are on our knees already;

they want to triumph over me,

which would not bring anyone any glory.

Lord

That's the least fear; for, by the semblance

Of their white flags display'd, they bring us peace,

And come to us as favourers, not as foes.

We don't have to fear that, by the look

of the white flags they are flying, they have come in peace,

as helpers, not as enemies.

CLEON

Thou speak'st like him's untutor'd to repeat:

Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.

But bring they what they will and what they can,

What need we fear?

The ground's the lowest, and we are half way there.

Go tell their general we attend him here,

To know for what he comes, and whence he comes,

And what he craves.

You speak like an innocent:

the fairest face hides the filthiest plans.

But whatever they're bringing here,

why should we be afraid?

One can't get lower than the ground, and we are halfway there.

Go and tell their general that we are waiting for him here,

to learn why he comes, and from where he comes,

and what he wants.

Lord

I go, my lord.

Exit

I will go, my lord.

CLEON

Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist;

If wars, we are unable to resist.

Enter PERICLES with Attendants

Peace is welcome, if peace is what he intends;

if he wants war, we cannot fight him.

PERICLES

Lord governor, for so we hear you are,

Let not our ships and number of our men

Be like a beacon fired to amaze your eyes.

We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre,

And seen the desolation of your streets:

Nor come we to add sorrow to your tears,

But to relieve them of their heavy load;

And these our ships, you happily may think

Are like the Trojan horse was stuff'd within

With bloody veins, expecting overthrow,

Are stored with corn to make your needy bread,

And give them life whom hunger starved half dead.

Lord governor, for that's what we hear you are,