The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (689 page)

and passionate mind show he had a brave father.

PIRITHOUS

Mark how his virtue, like a hidden sun,

Breaks through his baser garments.

See how his virtue, like the sun behind clouds,

shows through his poor clothes.

HIPPOLYTA

He’s well got sure.

He's certainly well bred.

THESEUS

What made you seek this place, sir?

What made you come to this place, sir?

ARCITE

Noble Theseus,

To purchase name, and do my ablest service

To such a well-found wonder as thy worth,

For only in thy court, of all the world,

Dwells fair-ey’d honor.

Noble Theseus,

to win fame, and to offer my best service

to such a great man as you,

for it's only in your court, out of all the world,

where glorious honour can be found.

PIRITHOUS

All his words are worthy.

Everything he says is good.

THESEUS

Sir, we are much indebted to your travel,

Nor shall you lose your wish. Pirithous,

Dispose of this fair gentleman.

Sir, we appreciate your coming here,

and you shall get what you wish. Pirithous,

make arrangements for this fine gentleman.

PIRITHOUS

Thanks, Theseus.—

What e’er you are, y’ are mine, and I shall give you

To a most noble service—to this lady,

This bright young virgin. Pray observe her goodness.

You have honor’d her fair birthday with your virtues,

And as your due y’ are hers. Kiss her fair hand, sir.

Thanks, Theseus–

whatever you are, you are mine, and I will put you

to a very noble task–I'll give you to this lady,

this bright young virgin. Please look at her goodness.

Your performance has honoured her birthday,

and so you deserve to be hers. Kiss her lovely hand, sir.

ARCITE

Sir, y’ are a noble giver. Dearest beauty,

Thus let me seal my vow’d faith.

Kisses Emilia’s hand.

When your servant

(Your most unworthy creature) but offends you,

Command him die, he shall.

Sir, you give generously. Dearest beauty,

please let me put the seal on my oath to you.

When your servant,

your most unworthy creature, upsets you,

if you tell him to die, he will.

EMILIA

That were too cruel.

If you deserve well, sir, I shall soon see’t.

Y’ are mine, and somewhat better than your rank I’ll use you.

That would be too cruel.

If you deserve good treatment, sir, I will soon know.

You are mine, and I'll treat you rather better than your rank deserves.

PIRITHOUS

I’ll see you furnish’d, and because you say

You are a horseman, I must needs entreat you

This afternoon to ride, but ’tis a rough one.

I'll see that you are kitted out, and because you say

you are a horseman, I'd like to invite you

to come riding this afternoon, but it is a rough ride.

ARCITE

I like him better, prince, I shall not then

Freeze in my saddle.

I prefer that, prince, I don't like

just sitting in my saddle.

THESEUS

Sweet, you must be ready,

And you, Emilia, and you, friend, and all,

Tomorrow, by the sun, to do observance

To flow’ry May, in Dian’s wood. Wait well, sir,

Upon your mistress. Emily, I hope

He shall not go afoot.

Darling, you must be ready,

and you, Emilia, and you, friend, and everyone,

tomorrow, at sunrise, to worship

the flowery May, in Diana's woods. Serve your mistress

well, sir. Emilia, I hope

he won't be walking.

EMILIA

That were a shame, sir,

While I have horses.—Take your choice, and what

You want at any time, let me but know it.

If you serve faithfully, I dare assure you

You’ll find a loving mistress.

That would be wrong, sir,

while I have horses.–Choose what you want,

and any time you need anything just let me know.

If you serve me faithfully, I can promise you

you will find I am a loving mistress.

ARCITE

If I do not,

Let me find that my father ever hated,

Disgrace and blows.

If I don't

I hope I will get what my father always hated,

disgrace and beatings.

THESEUS

Go lead the way; you have won it.

It shall be so; you shall receive all dues

Fit for the honor you have won; ’twere wrong else.

Sister, beshrew my heart, you have a servant

That if I were a woman, would be master,

But you are wise.

You lead the way; you've won the right.

This is how it will be; you will get everything

you deserve for your performance; that's only right.

Sister, I swear, you have a servant

who, if I were a woman, would be my master;

but you are wise.

EMILIA

I hope too wise for that, sir.

Too wise for that, I hope, sir.

Flourish. Exeunt omnes.

Athens. Before the prison.

(Jailer’s Daughter)

Enter Jailer’s Daughter alone.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Let all the dukes and all the devils roar,

He is at liberty! I have ventur’d for him,

And out I have brought him to a little wood

A mile hence. I have sent him where a cedar,

Higher than all the rest, spreads like a plane

Fast by a brook, and there he shall keep close

Till I provide him files and food, for yet

His iron bracelets are not off. O Love,

What a stout-hearted child thou art! My father

Durst better have endur’d cold iron than done it.

I love him beyond love and beyond reason,

Or wit, or safety. I have made him know it.

I care not, I am desperate. If the law

Find me, and then condemn me for’t, some wenches,

Some honest-hearted maids, will sing my dirge,

And tell to memory my death was noble,

Dying almost a martyr. That way he takes

I purpose is my way too. Sure he cannot

Be so unmanly as to leave me here.

If he do, maids will not so easily

Trust men again. And yet he has not thank’d me

For what I have done; no, not so much as kiss’d me;

And that, methinks, is not so well; nor scarcely

Could I persuade him to become a freeman,

He made such scruples of the wrong he did

To me and to my father. Yet I hope,

When he considers more, this love of mine

Will take more root within him. Let him do

What he will with me, so he use me kindly,

For use me so he shall, or I’ll proclaim him,

And to his face, no man. I’ll presently

Provide him necessaries, and pack my clothes up,

And where there is a path of ground I’ll venture,

So he be with me. By him, like a shadow,

I’ll ever dwell. Within this hour the whoobub

Will be all o’er the prison. I am then

Kissing the man they look for. Farewell, father;

Get many more such prisoners and such daughters,

And shortly you may keep yourself. Now to him!

Let all the  Dukes and all the devils roar,

he is free! I have risked it for him,

and I have brought him out to a little wood

a mile away. I have put him where a cedar,

the highest tree around, spreads like a plane

right next to a stream, and he will stay there

until I can bring him food and a file, for he still

has his iron chains on. Oh love,

what a strong child you are! My father

would rather have been stabbed than do it.

I love him more than love, reason,

sense or safety. I have told him so.

I don't care, I'm desperate. If the law

finds me, and sentences me for it, some girls,

some honest hearted maids, will sing my funeral song,

and tell history that my death was noble,

that I almost died as a martyr. Wherever he goes

I shall follow. He surely can't be so

ungentlemanly as to leave me here.

If he does, girls will not trust men

so easily again. But he hasn't thanked me

for what I've done; no, he hasn't even kissed me;

and that, I think, is not a good sign; I could hardly

persuade him to take his freedom,

he made such a fuss about the harm he was doing

me and my father. But I hope,

when he thinks about it more, he will start

to appreciate my love for him. He can do

what he wants with me, as long as he has me,

and have me he will, or I will declare him,

to his face, no man. I'll soon

bring him what he needs, and pack up my clothes,

and wherever the path goes I will follow,

as long as he is with me. I will stick to him

like a shadow. Within the hour the alarm

will be raised all over the prison. By then I will be

kissing the man they search for. Farewell, father;

if you have many more prisoners and daughters like this,

you'll soon have to lock yourself up. Now I must go to him!

Exit.