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Modern English
Friend, you! pray you, a word: do not you follow the young Lord Paris?
Hey, you there! Please, I need a word: don’t you follow the young Lord Paris?
Ay, sir, when he goes before me.
Yes, sir, when he walks ahead of me.
You depend upon him, I mean?
You rely on him, I mean?
Sir, I do depend upon the lord.
Yes, sir, I do rely on the lord.
You depend upon a noble gentleman; I must needs praise him.
You rely on a noble man; I must say he’s to be praised.
The lord be praised!
Praise the lord!
You know me, do you not?
You know me, don’t you?
Faith, sir, superficially.
Honestly, sir, just a little.
Friend, know me better; I am the Lord Pandarus.
Well, get to know me better; I am Lord Pandarus.
I hope I shall know your honour better.
I hope I’ll get to know your honor better.
I do desire it.
I certainly hope so.
You are in the state of grace.
You’re in a position of grace.
Grace! not so, friend: honour and lordship are my titles.
Grace? Not exactly, my friend: honor and nobility are my titles.
What music is this?
What is this music?
I do but partly know, sir: it is music in parts.
I only partly know, sir: it’s music with different parts.
Know you the musicians?
Do you know who the musicians are?
Wholly, sir.
Yes, sir, completely.
Who play they to?
Who are they playing for?
To the hearers, sir.
They’re playing for the listeners, sir.
At whose pleasure, friend
Who is deciding, my friend?
At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.
It’s for me, sir, and for those who love music.
Command, I mean, friend.
I mean who is in charge, friend.
Who shall I command, sir?
Who should I say is in charge, sir?
Friend, we understand not one another: I am too courtly and thou art too cunning. At whose request do these men play?
Friend, we don’t understand each other: I’m being too formal, and you’re being too tricky. Who asked these men to play?
That’s to ’t indeed, sir: marry, sir, at the request of Paris my lord, who’s there in person; with him, the mortal Venus, the heart-blood of beauty, love’s invisible soul,--
That’s the point, sir: actually, it was Paris, my lord, who is here in person; and with him, the beautiful Helen, the heart of love’s beauty, love’s invisible soul—
Who, my cousin Cressida?
Who, my cousin Cressida?
No, sir, Helen: could you not find out that by her attributes?
No, sir, Helen: didn’t you figure that out from her qualities?
It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the Lady Cressida. I come to speak with Paris from the Prince Troilus: I will make a complimental assault upon him, for my business seethes.
It seems, my friend, you haven’t seen Lady Cressida. I’ve come to speak with Paris on behalf of Prince Troilus: I’ll make a polite attempt to engage him, since my business is urgent.
Sodden business! there’s a stewed phrase indeed!
This is a ridiculous situation! that’s a ridiculous way to put it!
Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company! fair desires, in all fair measure, fairly guide them! especially to you, fair queen! fair thoughts be your fair pillow!
Good day to you, my lord, and to all this lovely company! May all good things, in perfect measure, guide them! especially to you, beautiful queen! May good thoughts be your soft pillow!
Dear lord, you are full of fair words.
My lord, you’re full of sweet talk.
You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen. Fair prince, here is good broken music.
You speak what pleases you, dear queen. Handsome prince, here’s some good, broken music.
You have broke it, cousin: and, by my life, you shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance. Nell, he is full of harmony.
You’ve broken it, cousin: and, I swear, you will fix it again; you’ll finish it with some of your own action. Nell, he’s full of rhythm.
Truly, lady, no.
Honestly, lady, no.
O, sir,--
Oh, sir,--
Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.
You’re being rude, really; really, you’re being rude.
Well said, my lord! well, you say so in fits.
Well said, my lord! you’re making good points, but you say them in short bursts.
I have business to my lord, dear queen. My lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?
I have something to discuss with you, my lord, dear queen. My lord, will you kindly give me a moment?
Nay, this shall not hedge us out: we’ll hear you sing, certainly.
No, we won’t let you interrupt us: we’ll listen to you sing, certainly.
Well, sweet queen. you are pleasant with me. But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most esteemed friend, your brother Troilus,--
Well, sweet queen. You’re in a playful mood with me. But, honestly, my lord: my dear lord and most respected friend, your brother Troilus,--
My Lord Pandarus; honey-sweet lord,--
My Lord Pandarus; honey-sweet lord,--
Go to, sweet queen, to go:--commends himself most affectionately to you,--
Go ahead, sweet queen, go on:--he sends his warm regards to you,--
You shall not bob us out of our melody: if you do, our melancholy upon your head!
You won’t get us to stop our song: if you do, all your sadness will be your fault!
Sweet queen, sweet queen! that’s a sweet queen, i’ faith.
Sweet queen, sweet queen! that’s a sweet queen, truly.
And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence.
And making a sweet lady sad is a serious wrong.
Nay, that shall not serve your turn; that shall not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words; no, no. And, my lord, he desires you, that if the king call for him at supper, you will make his excuse.
No, that won’t work for you; that won’t do, honestly, no. I don’t care about words like that; no, no. And, my lord, he asks you, that if the king calls for him at dinner, you’ll make an excuse for him.
My Lord Pandarus,--
My Lord Pandarus,--
What says my sweet queen, my very very sweet queen?
What’s my sweet queen saying, my very very sweet queen?
What exploit’s in hand? where sups he to-night?
What’s happening? Where is he having dinner tonight?
Nay, but, my lord,--
No, but, my lord,--
What says my sweet queen? My cousin will fall out with you. You must not know where he sups.
What’s my sweet queen saying? My cousin will be upset with you. You shouldn’t know where he’s having dinner.
I’ll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida.
I bet he’s with my go-between Cressida.
No, no, no such matter; you are wide: come, your disposer is sick.
No, no, that’s not it; you’re way off: come on, your go-between is sick.
Well, I’ll make excuse.
Alright, I’ll make an excuse then.
Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? no, your poor disposer’s sick.
Yes, good my lord. But why mention Cressida? No, your poor go-between is sick.
I spy.
I see.
You spy! what do you spy? Come, give me an instrument. Now, sweet queen.
You see! What do you see? Come on, give me a tool. Now, sweet queen.
Why, this is kindly done.
Well, this is kind of you.
My niece is horribly in love with a thing you have, sweet queen.
My niece is terribly in love with something you have, sweet queen.
She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my lord Paris.
She’ll take it, my lord, unless it’s my lord Paris.
He! no, she’ll none of him; they two are twain.
Ha! No, she doesn’t want him; they are two separate people.
Falling in, after falling out, may make them three.
Falling in love again, after falling out, might make them a couple again.
Come, come, I’ll hear no more of this; I’ll sing you a song now.
Come on, come on, I don’t want to hear any more about this; let me sing you a song now.
Ay, ay, prithee now. By my troth, sweet lord, thou hast a fine forehead.
Yes, yes, please do. Honestly, sweet lord, you’ve got such a nice forehead.
Ay, you may, you may.
Yes, you can say that, you can.
Let thy song be love: this love will undo us all. O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!
Let your song be about love: this love will ruin us all. Oh Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!
Love! ay, that it shall, i’ faith.
Love! Yes, that’s what it’ll do, I swear.
Ay, good now, love, love, nothing but love.
Yes, alright now, love, love, nothing but love.
In good troth, it begins so.
Honestly, that’s how it starts.
Love, love, nothing but love, still more! For, O, love’s bow Shoots buck and doe: The shaft confounds, Not that it wounds, But tickles still the sore. These lovers cry Oh! oh! they die! Yet that which seems the wound to kill, Doth turn oh! oh! to ha! ha! he! So dying love lives still: Oh! oh! a while, but ha! ha! ha! Oh! oh! groans out for ha! ha! ha! Heigh-ho!
Love, love, nothing but love, always more! For, oh, love’s bow Shoots both buck and doe: The arrow confuses, Not because it hurts, But because it keeps teasing the wound. These lovers cry Oh! oh! they die! Yet what seems to be the wound that kills, Turns into Oh! oh! a laugh! Ha! ha! he! So dying love keeps living: Oh! oh! for a while, but ha! ha! ha! Oh! oh! groans turn into ha! ha! ha! Heigh-ho!
In love, i’ faith, to the very tip of the nose.
In love, truly, all the way to the tip of the nose.
He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds hot blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.
He eats nothing but doves, love, and that creates hot blood, and hot blood leads to hot thoughts, and hot thoughts lead to hot actions, and hot actions are love.
Is this the generation of love? hot blood, hot thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers: is love a generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who’s a-field to-day?
Is this the way love works? Hot blood, hot thoughts, and hot actions? Why, they’re like vipers: is love a nest of vipers? Sweet lord, who’s out on the field today?
Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the gallantry of Troy: I would fain have armed to-day, but my Nell would not have it so. How chance my brother Troilus went not?
Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the heroes of Troy: I would’ve gotten ready today, but my Nell wouldn’t let me. Why didn’t my brother Troilus go?
He hangs the lip at something: you know all, Lord Pandarus.
He’s pouting about something: you know everything, Lord Pandarus.
Not I, honey-sweet queen. I long to hear how they sped to-day. You’ll remember your brother’s excuse?
Not me, sweet queen. I’m dying to hear how they did today. You remember your brother’s excuse?
To a hair.
Exactly.
Farewell, sweet queen.
Goodbye, sweet queen.
Commend me to your niece.
Say hi to your niece for me.
I will, sweet queen.
I will, sweet queen.
They’re come from field: let us to Priam’s hall, To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you To help unarm our Hector: his stubborn buckles, With these your white enchanting fingers touch’d, Shall more obey than to the edge of steel Or force of Greekish sinews; you shall do more Than all the island kings,--disarm great Hector.
They’ve come back from the field: let’s go to Priam’s hall, To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I need you To help unarm our Hector: your delicate fingers, Touching those stubborn buckles, will work better than The sharpness of steel or the strength of Greek muscles; you’ll do more Than all the island kings—disarm great Hector.
’Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris; Yea, what he shall receive of us in duty Gives us more palm in beauty than we have, Yea, overshines ourself.
It’ll make us proud to serve him, Paris; Yes, what he gets from us in service Will make us more beautiful than we already are, Yes, it will outshine even us.
Sweet, above thought I love thee.
Sweet, I love you more than words can say.