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Modern English
Why, are you foolish? Can it be undone?
Why are you acting foolish? Can it be undone?
O Dionyza, such a piece of slaughter The sun and moon ne’er look’d upon!
Oh, Dionyza, this crime is so terrible that the sun and moon have never seen anything like it!
I think You’ll turn a child again.
I think you’ll go back to being a child again.
Were I chief lord of all this spacious world, I’ld give it to undo the deed. O lady, Much less in blood than virtue, yet a princess To equal any single crown o’ the earth I’ the justice of compare! O villain Leonine! Whom thou hast poison’d too: If thou hadst drunk to him, ’t had been a kindness Becoming well thy fact: what canst thou say When noble Pericles shall demand his child?
If I were the ruler of the entire world, I’d give it all up to undo this act. Oh, lady, she was much more virtuous than bloodthirsty, and a princess who could match any royal crown in the world if justice were truly fair! Oh, villain Leonine! Who you’ve also poisoned: If you had drunk it yourself, it would’ve been a kind act fitting for your crime: what will you say when noble Pericles comes to claim his child?
That she is dead. Nurses are not the fates, To foster it, nor ever to preserve. She died at night; I’ll say so. Who can cross it? Unless you play the pious innocent, And for an honest attribute cry out ’She died by foul play.’
I’ll say she’s dead. Nurses aren’t the fates, who can keep her alive, or save her. She died at night; I’ll say that. Who can argue with it? Unless you pretend to be a righteous saint, and cry out, ’She died by foul play.’
O, go to. Well, well, Of all the faults beneath the heavens, the gods Do like this worst.
Oh, stop it. Well, well, Of all the faults in the world, the gods must like this one the least.
Be one of those that think The petty wrens of Tarsus will fly hence, And open this to Pericles. I do shame To think of what a noble strain you are, And of how coward a spirit.
Be one of those who think The small birds of Tarsus will fly away, And tell Pericles about this. I’m ashamed To think about how noble you are, And yet how cowardly your spirit is.
To such proceeding Who ever but his approbation added, Though not his prime consent, he did not flow From honourable sources.
Whoever adds their approval To such actions, though not their full agreement, Doesn’t come from honorable sources.
Be it so, then: Yet none does know, but you, how she came dead, Nor none can know, Leonine being gone. She did disdain my child, and stood between Her and her fortunes: none would look on her, But cast their gazes on Marina’s face; Whilst ours was blurted at and held a malkin Not worth the time of day. It pierced me through; And though you call my course unnatural, You not your child well loving, yet I find It greets me as an enterprise of kindness Perform’d to your sole daughter.
Fine, then: But no one knows, except you, how she died, And no one can know now that Leonine is gone. She rejected my child, and stood between Her and her future: no one would look at her, But only at Marina’s face; While ours was ignored and treated like a servant, Not worth a second glance. It hurt me deeply; And even though you call my actions unnatural, You don’t truly love your child, yet I see That I’m doing this as an act of kindness Done for your only daughter.
Heavens forgive it!
May the heavens forgive it!
And as for Pericles, What should he say? We wept after her hearse, And yet we mourn: her monument Is almost finish’d, and her epitaphs In glittering golden characters express A general praise to her, and care in us At whose expense ’tis done.
And as for Pericles, What should he say? We cried at her funeral, And still we mourn: her monument Is nearly finished, and her epitaphs In shining golden letters tell A general praise for her, and show how much we care At our own expense.
Thou art like the harpy, Which, to betray, dost, with thine angel’s face, Seize with thine eagle’s talons.
You’re like the harpy, Which, to betray, with your angelic face, Strikes with your eagle’s claws.
You are like one that superstitiously Doth swear to the gods that winter kills the flies: But yet I know you’ll do as I advise.
You’re like someone who superstitiously Swears that winter kills the flies: But I know you’ll do as I suggest.