The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (818 page)

No more obey the heavens than our courtiers

Still seem as does the King's.

Every man you meet is frowning;

our moods aren't as susceptible to being influenced by the heavens

as the courtiers are to copying the moods of the King.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

But what's the matter?

But what's the problem?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom, whom

He purpos'd to his wife's sole son- a widow

That late he married- hath referr'd herself

Unto a poor but worthy gentleman. She's wedded;

Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd. All

Is outward sorrow, though I think the King

Be touch'd at very heart.

His daughter, and the heir of his kingdom,

whom he intended to marry to his wife's only son–she's a widow

he only married recently–has hitched herself

to a good but poor gentleman. She is married;

her husband is exiled; she is in prison.

Everybody looks sorrowful, although I think the King

has been stabbed to the heart.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

None but the King?

Just the King?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

He that hath lost her too. So is the Queen,

That most desir'd the match. But not a courtier,

Although they wear their faces to the bent

Of the King's looks, hath a heart that is not

Glad at the thing they scowl at.

The one who has lost her as well. And the Queen,

who was very keen on the marriage. But there isn't a courtier,

although they have scowls on their faces to match

the King, who isn't secretly glad about the thing

they pretend to scowl at.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

And why so?

And why is that?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

He that hath miss'd the Princess is a thing

Too bad for bad report; and he that hath her-

I mean that married her, alack, good man!

And therefore banish'd- is a creature such

As, to seek through the regions of the earth

For one his like, there would be something failing

In him that should compare. I do not think

So fair an outward and such stuff within

Endows a man but he.

The one who missed out on the Princess is a piece of work

whom you couldn't be too critical about; and the man who has her–

I mean the one who married her, alas, good man!

And so is exiled–is a person whom

you could search everywhere on earth

to find a match for, there would always be something lacking

in the one you found. I don't think

there is anyone on earth who has

such a good appearance coupled to such good qualities.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

You speak him far.

You speak very highly of him.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

I do extend him, sir, within himself;

Crush him together rather than unfold

His measure duly.

I'm actually being quite reserved;

I'm pushing him down rather than

showing his true height.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

What's his name and birth?

What's his name and what are his origins?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

I cannot delve him to the root; his father

Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour

Against the Romans with Cassibelan,

But had his titles by Tenantius, whom

He serv'd with glory and admir'd success,

So gain'd the sur-addition Leonatus;

And had, besides this gentleman in question,

Two other sons, who, in the wars o' th' time,

Died with their swords in hand; for which their father,

Then old and fond of issue, took such sorrow

That he quit being; and his gentle lady,

Big of this gentleman, our theme, deceas'd

As he was born. The King he takes the babe

To his protection, calls him Posthumus Leonatus,

Breeds him and makes him of his bed-chamber,

Puts to him all the learnings that his time

Could make him the receiver of; which he took,

As we do air, fast as 'twas minist'red,

And in's spring became a harvest, liv'd in court-

Which rare it is to do- most prais'd, most lov'd,

A sample to the youngest; to th' more mature

A glass that feated them; and to the graver

A child that guided dotards. To his mistress,

For whom he now is banish'd- her own price

Proclaims how she esteem'd him and his virtue;

By her election may be truly read

What kind of man he is.

I can't quite get to the bottom of him; his father

was called Sicilius, who fought

against the Romans with Cassibelan,

but he got his titles from Tenantius, whom

he served gloriously and with great success,

and he was given the additional name Leonatus:

besides the gentleman we're talking about, he had

two other sons, who, in the walls of that time,

died on the battlefield; their father,

who was then old and, doting on his children,

was so grieved by this that he died; and his sweet wife,

pregnant with the gentleman we are talking about, died

in childbirth. The King took the baby

under his protection, called him Posthumus Leonatus,

raised him and made him one of his inner circle,

and gave him as much education as was

appropriate for his age; he took it in

as we take in air, as fast as he could get it,

and he flourished: he lived in court

(which is most unusual) greatly praised, greatly loved;

an example to the youngest, to the older ones

a model they couldn't live up to: and to the wise

a child who could outthink old men. As for his mistress,

(from whom he is now separated) the price she was prepared to pay

shows what she felt about him; through her choice

of him you can truly see his goodness,

the kind of man he is.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

I honour him

Even out of your report. But pray you tell me,

Is she sole child to th' King?

I respect him

even just hearing of him. But please tell me,

is she the King's only child?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

His only child.

He had two sons- if this be worth your hearing,

Mark it- the eldest of them at three years old,

I' th' swathing clothes the other, from their nursery

Were stol'n; and to this hour no guess in knowledge

Which way they went.

His only child.

He had two sons–if this is worth listening to,

make a note of it–who was stolen from their nursery,

the older one was three years old and the other

was just a baby; and to this day nobody has any idea

what happened to them.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

How long is this ago?

How long ago was this?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

Some twenty years.

Some twenty years.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

That a king's children should be so convey'd,

So slackly guarded, and the search so slow

That could not trace them!

It's amazing that this could happen to the children of a king,

so poorly guarded, and the search so inefficient

that it couldn't find them!

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

Howsoe'er 'tis strange,

Or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at,

Yet is it true, sir.

However strange it seems,

or however ridiculous the negligence seems,

it's still true, sir.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

I do well believe you.

I certainly believe you.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

We must forbear; here comes the gentleman,

The Queen, and Princess.

Exeunt

We must withdraw; here comes the gentleman,

the Queen and the Princess.

Enter the QUEEN, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN

QUEEN.

No, be assur'd you shall not find me, daughter,

After the slander of most stepmothers,

Evil-ey'd unto you. You're my prisoner, but

Your gaoler shall deliver you the keys

That lock up your restraint. For you, Posthumus,

So soon as I can win th' offended King,

I will be known your advocate. Marry, yet

The fire of rage is in him, and 'twere good

You lean'd unto his sentence with what patience

Your wisdom may inform you.

No, I can promise, daughter, you won't find me–

as they say about most stepmothers–

unkind to you. You're my prisoner, but

your jailer will give you the keys

to your prison. As for you, Posthumus,

as soon as I can win over the upset King,

I will show that I'm on your side. Still,

at the moment he is furious, and it would be best

for you to accept his sentence with as much

patience as you can muster.

POSTHUMUS.

Please your Highness,

I will from hence to-day.

If it please your Highness,

I will leave here today.

QUEEN.

You know the peril.

I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying

The pangs of barr'd affections, though the King

Hath charg'd you should not speak together.

Exit

You recognise the danger.

I'll take a turn round the garden, as I pity

the anguish of forbidden love, though the King

has ordered that you should not speak to each other.

IMOGEN.

O dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant

Can tickle where she wounds! My dearest husband,

I something fear my father's wrath, but nothing-

Always reserv'd my holy duty- what

His rage can do on me. You must be gone;

And I shall here abide the hourly shot

Of angry eyes, not comforted to live

But that there is this jewel in the world

That I may see again.

What false kindness! How good this evil woman is

at smiling when she stabs you! My dearest husband,

I am a little afraid of my father's anger, but not–

excepting the biblical duty I owe him–of

what he can do to me. You must go;

I shall stay here and suffer the constant

glare of his angry eyes, with no reason to live

except that I know that there is this beautiful thing in the world

that I may see again.

POSTHUMUS.

My queen! my mistress!

O lady, weep no more, lest I give cause