The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (563 page)

go and search like noblemen, like noble subjects,

using all your courage in the search;

if you find him, and persuade him to return,

you will be like diamonds in his crown.

First Lord

To wisdom he's a fool that will not yield;

And since Lord Helicane enjoineth us,

We with our travels will endeavour us.

Only a fool will not follow wise advice;

and since Lord Helicanus asks us,

we will undertake this journey.

HELICANUS

Then you love us, we you, and we'll clasp hands:

When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands.

Exeunt

Then you love me, I you, and we'll shake hands on it:

when lords stand together like this, the kingdom cannot fall.

Enter SIMONIDES, reading a letter, at one door: the Knights meet him

First Knight

Good morrow to the good Simonides.

Good day to good Simonides.

SIMONIDES

Knights, from my daughter this I let you know,

That for this twelvemonth she'll not undertake

A married life.

Her reason to herself is only known,

Which yet from her by no means can I get.

Knights, I must tell you this from my daughter,

that she refuses to get married for the next

year.

Only she knows the reason for this,

and she will not tell me it.

Second Knight

May we not get access to her, my lord?

Can we not speak to her, my lord?

SIMONIDES

'Faith, by no means; she has so strictly tied

Her to her chamber, that 'tis impossible.

One twelve moons more she'll wear Diana's livery;

This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow'd

And on her virgin honour will not break it.

Definitely not; she has locked herself so securely

in her rooms that it is impossible.

She will remain a virgin for another year;

she has sworn this by the goddess Diana

and she will not break her maidenly vow.

Third Knight

Loath to bid farewell, we take our leaves.

Exeunt Knights

Though we hate to say farewell, we shall leave.

SIMONIDES

So,

They are well dispatch'd; now to my daughter's letter:

She tells me here, she'd wed the stranger knight,

Or never more to view nor day nor light.

'Tis well, mistress; your choice agrees with mine;

I like that well: nay, how absolute she's in't,

Not minding whether I dislike or no!

Well, I do commend her choice;

And will no longer have it be delay'd.

Soft! here he comes: I must dissemble it.

Enter PERICLES

So,

they are on their way; now for my daughter's letter:

she tells me here that she will marry the foreign knight,

or never see daylight again.

That's fine, mistress; that's my choice too;

that pleases me: still, how determined she is,

not caring whether I approve or not!

Well, I approve the choice;

and want the matter progressed without delay.

Hush! Here he comes: I must keep it secret.

PERICLES

All fortune to the good Simonides!

All blessings to the good Simonides!

SIMONIDES

To you as much, sir! I am beholding to you

For your sweet music this last night: I do

Protest my ears were never better fed

With such delightful pleasing harmony.

And the same to you, sir! I am grateful to you

for the sweet music you gave us last night: I must

say that my ears never heard

such delightful pleasant harmonies.

PERICLES

It is your grace's pleasure to commend;

Not my desert.

It is kind of your grace to say so,

but I don't deserve it.

SIMONIDES

Sir, you are music's master.

Sir, you are a master of music.

PERICLES

The worst of all her scholars, my good lord.

I'm the worst of all her students, my good lord.

SIMONIDES

Let me ask you one thing:

What do you think of my daughter, sir?

Let me ask you one thing:

what do you think my daughter, sir?

PERICLES

A most virtuous princess.

A very virtuous princess.

SIMONIDES

And she is fair too, is she not?

And she is beautiful too, isn't she?

PERICLES

As a fair day in summer, wondrous fair.

As a lovely summer's day, amazingly beautiful.

SIMONIDES

Sir, my daughter thinks very well of you;

Ay, so well, that you must be her master,

And she will be your scholar: therefore look to it.

Sir, my daughter thinks a lot of you;

so much so she wants you as a master,

and she will be your student: so proceed.

PERICLES

I am unworthy for her schoolmaster.

I am not worthy to be her schoolmaster.

SIMONIDES

She thinks not so; peruse this writing else.

She doesn't think so; have a look at this letter.

PERICLES

[Aside] What's here?

A letter, that she loves the knight of Tyre!

'Tis the king's subtlety to have my life.

O, seek not to entrap me, gracious lord,

A stranger and distressed gentleman,

That never aim'd so high to love your daughter,

But bent all offices to honour her.

What's this?

A letter, saying she loves the Knight of Tyre!

This is a trap to keep me here for life.

Oh, do not try to trap me, gracious lord,

a foreigner and distressed gentleman,

who never aimed so high as to love your daughter,

but tried to honour her in every way.

SIMONIDES

Thou hast bewitch'd my daughter, and thou art

A villain.

You have bewitched my daughter, and you are

a villain.

PERICLES

By the gods, I have not:

Never did thought of mine levy offence;

Nor never did my actions yet commence

A deed might gain her love or your displeasure.

I swear by the gods, I have not:

I have done nothing wrong in my thoughts

nor in my actions, I've done no deed

which might gain her love or your displeasure.

SIMONIDES

Traitor, thou liest.

Traitor, you lie.

PERICLES

Traitor!

Traitor!

SIMONIDES

Ay, traitor.

Yes, traitor.

PERICLES

Even in his throat--unless it be the king--

That calls me traitor, I return the lie.

If anyone except for the king calls me

a traitor, I'll throw it back in his face.

SIMONIDES

[Aside] Now, by the gods, I do applaud his courage.

Now, by the gods, I admire his courage.

PERICLES

My actions are as noble as my thoughts,

That never relish'd of a base descent.

I came unto your court for honour's cause,

And not to be a rebel to her state;

And he that otherwise accounts of me,

This sword shall prove he's honour's enemy.

My actions are as pure as my thoughts,

that never had a trace of anything vulgar.

I came to your court for the sake of honour,

not to undermine its majesty;

if anyone says differently about me,

this sword will prove him a liar.

SIMONIDES

No?

Here comes my daughter, she can witness it.

Enter THAISA

Really?

Here comes my daughter, she can vouch for it.

PERICLES

Then, as you are as virtuous as fair,

Resolve your angry father, if my tongue

Did ere solicit, or my hand subscribe

To any syllable that made love to you.

Then, as you are as good as you're beautiful,

tell your angry father if my tongue

ever uttered, or my hand ever wrote,

any syllable saying I loved you.

THAISA

Why, sir, say if you had,

Who takes offence at that would make me glad?

Why, sir, in the event that you had,

who would take offence at something that would make me glad?

SIMONIDES

Yea, mistress, are you so peremptory?

Aside

I am glad on't with all my heart.--

I'll tame you; I'll bring you in subjection.

Will you, not having my consent,

Bestow your love and your affections

Upon a stranger?

Aside

who, for aught I know,

May be, nor can I think the contrary,

As great in blood as I myself.--

Therefore hear you, mistress; either frame

Your will to mine,--and you, sir, hear you,

Either be ruled by me, or I will make you--

Man and wife:

Nay, come, your hands and lips must seal it too:

And being join'd, I'll thus your hopes destroy;

And for a further grief,--God give you joy!--

What, are you both pleased?

So, mistress, you've decided on this?

[Aside] I'm glad of this with all my heart–

I'll tame you, I'll make you obey.

Will you give your love and affection

to a stranger, without my consent? [Aside] Who,

for all I know, might be (and I think is)

as highborn as I am myself–

now listen to me, mistress: either do