The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (696 page)

PALAMON

But still before that flew

The lightning of your valor. Stay a little;

Is not this piece too strait?

But the lightning of your bravery

preceded that. Wait a moment;

isn't this piece too tight?

ARCITE

No, no, ’tis well.

No, no, it's fine.

PALAMON

I would have nothing hurt thee but my sword,

A bruise would be dishonor.

I don't want anything to hurt you except my sword,

a bruise would be dishonourable.

ARCITE

Now I am perfect.

Now that's perfect.

PALAMON

Stand off then.

Stand away then.

ARCITE

Take my sword, I hold it better.

Take my sword, I think it's the better one.

PALAMON

I thank ye. No, keep it, your life lies on it.

Here’s one, if it but hold, I ask no more

For all my hopes. My cause and honor guard me!

Thank you. No, keep it, your life depends on it.

If this one doesn't break, that's all I ask

for my purposes. May my cause and my honour protect me!

ARCITE

And me my love!

They bow several ways; then advance and stand.

Is there aught else to say?

And may my love protect me!

Is there anything else to say?

PALAMON

This only, and no more: thou art mine aunt’s son,

And that blood we desire to shed is mutual,

In me, thine, and in thee, mine. My sword

Is in my hand, and if thou kill’st me,

The gods and I forgive thee. If there be

A place prepar’d for those that sleep in honor,

I wish his weary soul that falls may win it.

Fight bravely, cousin. Give me thy noble hand.

Only this: you are my aunt's son,

and the blood we want to spill is shared,

I have yours in me and mine is in you. My sword

is in my hand, and if you kill me,

the gods and I will forgive you. If there is

a place set aside for the honoured dead,

I hope the weary soul of the one who falls goes there.

Fight bravely, cousin. Give me your noble hand.

ARCITE

Here, Palamon: this hand shall never more

Come near thee with such friendship.

Here, Palamon: this is the last time this hand

will be near you in friendship.

PALAMON

I commend thee.

I praise you.

ARCITE

If I fall, curse me, and say I was a coward,

For none but such dare die in these just trials.

Once more farewell, my cousin.

If I fall, curse me, and say I was a coward,

for they are the only sort who will die in these tests.

Goodbye again, my cousin.

PALAMON

Farewell, Arcite.

Farewell, Arcite.

Fight. Horns within; they stand.

ARCITE

Lo, cousin, lo, our folly has undone us.

Look, cousin, look, our stupidity is our downfall.

PALAMON

Why?

Why?

ARCITE

This is the Duke, a-hunting as I told you.

If we be found, we are wretched. O, retire

For honor’s sake, and safely presently

Into your bush again, sir. We shall find

Too many hours to die in, gentle cousin.

If you be seen, you perish instantly

For breaking prison, and I, if you reveal me,

For my contempt. Then all the world will scorn us,

And say we had a noble difference,

But base disposers of it.

This is the Duke, hunting like I told you.

If we are found, we are ruined. Oh, retreat

for the sake of honour, and go back into

the safety of your bush at once, sir.

There is plenty of time for us to die, gentle cousin.

If you are seen, you will be killed at once

for escaping prison, and I, if you expose me,

will get the same for my disobedience. Then all the world will mock us,

and say we had a noble disagreement,

but dealt with it like peasants.

PALAMON

No, no, cousin,

I will no more be hidden, nor put off

This great adventure to a second trial.

I know your cunning, and I know your cause.

He that faints now, shame take him! Put thyself

Upon thy present guard—

No, no, cousin,

I won't hide any longer, nor postpone

our great test until another time.

I know what you are up to.

Anyone who pulls out now, may he die of shame!

Get on guard–

ARCITE

You are not mad?

Are you mad?

PALAMON

Or I will make th’ advantage of this hour

Mine own; and what to come shall threaten me

I fear less than my fortune. Know, weak cousin,

I love Emilia, and in that I’ll bury

Thee and all crosses else.

Or I will turn these events to my

advantage; and whatever is coming my way

frightens me less than my fate. You should know, weak cousin,

that I love Emilia, and for that I shall bury

you and anyone else who tries to stop me.

ARCITE

Then come what can come,

Thou shalt know, Palamon, I dare as well

Die as discourse or sleep. Only this fears me,

The law will have the honor of our ends.

Have at thy life!

Then whatever happens

you shall discover, Palamon, it is as easy for me

to die as to talk or sleep. The only thing that worries me

is that the law will have the honour of taking our lives.

I attack your life!

PALAMON

Look to thine own well, Arcite.

Guard your own well, Arcite.

Fight again. Horns.

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous, and Train.

THESEUS

What ignorant and mad malicious traitors

Are you, that ’gainst the tenor of my laws

Are making battle, thus like knights appointed,

Without my leave and officers of arms?

By Castor, both shall die.

What ignorant, mad and evil traitors

are you, fighting with each other against

the laws I have laid down, dressed like knights,

without my permission and without my officials?

By Castor, you shall both die.

PALAMON

Hold thy word, Theseus.

We are certainly both traitors, both despisers

Of thee and of thy goodness. I am Palamon,

That cannot love thee, he that broke thy prison—

Think well what that deserves; and this is Arcite,

A bolder traitor never trod thy ground,

A falser nev’r seem’d friend. This is the man

Was begg’d and banish’d, this is he contemns thee

And what thou dar’st do; and in this disguise,

Against thy own edict, follows thy sister,

That fortunate bright star, the fair Emilia,

Whose servant (if there be a right in seeing,

And first bequeathing of the soul to) justly

I am, and which is more, dares think her his.

This treachery, like a most trusty lover,

I call’d him now to answer. If thou be’st,

As thou art spoken, great and virtuous,

The true decider of all injuries,

Say, “Fight again!” and thou shalt see me, Theseus,

Do such a justice thou thyself wilt envy.

Then take my life, I’ll woo thee to’t.

Save your speeches, Theseus.

We are certainly both traitors, we both hate

you and your goodness. I am Palamon,

and I can't love you, I broke out of your prison–

think what punishment that deserves; and this is Arcite,

a bolder traitor never walked in your country,

 there was never such a false friend. This is the man

who was disgraced and banished, showing contempt

for you and everything you do; and in this disguise,

against your own ruling, he's following your sister,

that wonderful bright star, the fair Emilia,

whose servant (if the one who saw her first and

first fell in love with her) I am by rights,

and what's more he thinks that she is his.

Like a loyal lover I have now challenged him to answer

for this treachery. If you are as great

and virtuous as they say,

the proper judge of all wrongs,

say, “Fight again!" And you shall see me, Theseus,

give out justice that you yourself would envy.

Then take my life, I'll beg you to do it.

PIRITHOUS

O heaven,

What more than man is this!

Oh heaven,

who is this, greater than a man!

THESEUS

I have sworn.

I have sworn you will die.

ARCITE

We seek not

Thy breath of mercy, Theseus. ’Tis to me

A thing as soon to die as thee to say it,

And no more mov’d. Where this man calls me traitor,

Let me say thus much: if in love be treason

In service of so excellent a beauty,

As I love most, and in that faith will perish,

As I have brought my life here to confirm it,

As I have serv’d her truest, worthiest,

As I dare kill this cousin that denies it,

So let me be most traitor, and ye please me.

For scorning thy edict, Duke, ask that lady

Why she is fair, and why her eyes command me

Stay here to love her; and if she say “traitor,”

I am a villain fit to lie unburied.

We're not looking for

your mercy, Theseus. It means as little

to me to die as it does to you to say it,

it doesn't bother me. This man calls me a traitor, let me

say this about it: if it's treason

to be in love with such a wonderful beauty

as the one I love most, and to die for it,

as I have risked my life coming here to prove it,

as I have served her most loyally and worthily,

as I am going to kill this cousin who denies it,

so let me be a traitor and do as you please with me.

If you want a reason for my disobedience, Duke,

ask that lady why she is beautiful, why her eyes

order me to stay here and love her; and if she says I'm a traitor,

I am a villain who doesn't deserve a decent burial.

PALAMON

Thou shalt have pity of us both, O Theseus,

If unto neither thou show mercy. Stop,

As thou art just, thy noble ear against us;

As thou art valiant, for thy cousin’s soul,