The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) by William Shakespeare Page B
Authors: William Shakespeare
Ads: Link
it cunning. Do, an if you will.
If heaven be pleas'd that you must use me ill,
Why, then you must. Will you put out mine eyes,
These eyes that never did nor never shall
So much as frown on you?
Have you the heart to do it? When you had a headache,
I tied my handkerchief around your forehead–
the best I had, a Princess made it for me–
and I never asked for it back;
at midnight I held your head in my hands;
and I tried to cheer up the dark time and make it
past like the minutes in the hour,
saying, “what do you need?" And “where does it hurt?"
Or “is there anything that I can do for you?"
Many sons of poor men would have just slept
and never spoken a loving word to you;
but to serve you in your sickness you had a prince.
Well, you may think that my love was a trick,
and call it cunning. Do, if you want to.
If heaven is determined that you must treat me badly,
well, then you must. Are you going to put out my eyes,
the eyes that never did and never will
so much as frown at you?
HUBERT.
I have sworn to do it;
And with hot irons must I burn them out.
I have sworn to do it;
and I must burn them out with hot irons.
ARTHUR.
Ah, none but in this iron age would do it!
The iron of itself, though heat red-hot,
Approaching near these eyes would drink my tears,
And quench his fiery indignation
Even in the matter of mine innocence;
Nay, after that, consume away in rust
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.
Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron?
An if an angel should have come to me
And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
I would not have believ'd him-no tongue but Hubert's.
Ah, only people in this iron age could do it!
The iron on its own, although heated redhot,
coming near these eyes would drink my tears,
and extinguish its fiery anger
with the stuff of my innocence;
and after that it would rust away
as punishment for having fire to harm my eyes.
Are you more stubborn and hard than forged iron?
If an angel had come to me
and told me that Hubert would put out my eyes,
I wouldn't have believed him–I only believe it when I hear it from Hubert.
HUBERT.
[Stamps]Come forth.
Re-enter EXECUTIONERS, With cord, irons, etc.
Do as I bid you do.
Come out.
Do as I tell you.
ARTHUR.
O, save me, Hubert, save me! My eyes are out
Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.
Oh save me, Hubert, save me! I am blinded
just by the fierce looks of these bloodthirsty men.
HUBERT.
Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.
Give me the iron and tie him up here.
ARTHUR.
Alas, what need you be so boist'rous rough?
I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.
For heaven sake, Hubert, let me not be bound!
Nay, hear me, Hubert! Drive these men away,
And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;
I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angrily;
Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to.
Alas, why'd you need to be so terribly rough?
I won't struggle, I'm standing as still as a stone.
For heavens sake, Hubert, don't let them tie me!
No, listen to me, Hubert! Send these men away,
and I will sit as quiet as a lamb;
I will not move, or wince, or say a word,
or look angrily at the iron;
only send these men away and I will forgive you,
whatever torture you put on me.
HUBERT.
Go, stand within; let me alone with him.
Go and stand in the next room; leave me alone with him.
EXECUTIONER.
I am best pleas'd to be from such a deed.
I'm well pleased to be excused doing this.
Exeunt EXECUTIONERS
ARTHUR.
Alas, I then have chid away my friend!
He hath a stern look but a gentle heart.
Let him come back, that his compassion may
Give life to yours.
Alas, it seems I have sent away my friend!
He looked stern but had gentle heart.
Bring him back, so his compassion can
inspire yours.
HUBERT.
Come, boy, prepare
If heaven be pleas'd that you must use me ill,
Why, then you must. Will you put out mine eyes,
These eyes that never did nor never shall
So much as frown on you?
Have you the heart to do it? When you had a headache,
I tied my handkerchief around your forehead–
the best I had, a Princess made it for me–
and I never asked for it back;
at midnight I held your head in my hands;
and I tried to cheer up the dark time and make it
past like the minutes in the hour,
saying, “what do you need?" And “where does it hurt?"
Or “is there anything that I can do for you?"
Many sons of poor men would have just slept
and never spoken a loving word to you;
but to serve you in your sickness you had a prince.
Well, you may think that my love was a trick,
and call it cunning. Do, if you want to.
If heaven is determined that you must treat me badly,
well, then you must. Are you going to put out my eyes,
the eyes that never did and never will
so much as frown at you?
HUBERT.
I have sworn to do it;
And with hot irons must I burn them out.
I have sworn to do it;
and I must burn them out with hot irons.
ARTHUR.
Ah, none but in this iron age would do it!
The iron of itself, though heat red-hot,
Approaching near these eyes would drink my tears,
And quench his fiery indignation
Even in the matter of mine innocence;
Nay, after that, consume away in rust
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.
Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron?
An if an angel should have come to me
And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
I would not have believ'd him-no tongue but Hubert's.
Ah, only people in this iron age could do it!
The iron on its own, although heated redhot,
coming near these eyes would drink my tears,
and extinguish its fiery anger
with the stuff of my innocence;
and after that it would rust away
as punishment for having fire to harm my eyes.
Are you more stubborn and hard than forged iron?
If an angel had come to me
and told me that Hubert would put out my eyes,
I wouldn't have believed him–I only believe it when I hear it from Hubert.
HUBERT.
[Stamps]Come forth.
Re-enter EXECUTIONERS, With cord, irons, etc.
Do as I bid you do.
Come out.
Do as I tell you.
ARTHUR.
O, save me, Hubert, save me! My eyes are out
Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.
Oh save me, Hubert, save me! I am blinded
just by the fierce looks of these bloodthirsty men.
HUBERT.
Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.
Give me the iron and tie him up here.
ARTHUR.
Alas, what need you be so boist'rous rough?
I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.
For heaven sake, Hubert, let me not be bound!
Nay, hear me, Hubert! Drive these men away,
And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;
I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angrily;
Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to.
Alas, why'd you need to be so terribly rough?
I won't struggle, I'm standing as still as a stone.
For heavens sake, Hubert, don't let them tie me!
No, listen to me, Hubert! Send these men away,
and I will sit as quiet as a lamb;
I will not move, or wince, or say a word,
or look angrily at the iron;
only send these men away and I will forgive you,
whatever torture you put on me.
HUBERT.
Go, stand within; let me alone with him.
Go and stand in the next room; leave me alone with him.
EXECUTIONER.
I am best pleas'd to be from such a deed.
I'm well pleased to be excused doing this.
Exeunt EXECUTIONERS
ARTHUR.
Alas, I then have chid away my friend!
He hath a stern look but a gentle heart.
Let him come back, that his compassion may
Give life to yours.
Alas, it seems I have sent away my friend!
He looked stern but had gentle heart.
Bring him back, so his compassion can
inspire yours.
HUBERT.
Come, boy, prepare
Similar Books
