Cymbeline, King of Britain: Act 1, Scene 3 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 1, Scene 3 of Cymbeline, King of Britain from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

  Original Text

 Translated Text

  Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

Enter Cloten and two Lords.

FIRST LORD Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt. The
violence of action hath made you reek as a sacrifice.
Where air comes out, air comes in. There’s
none abroad so wholesome as that you vent.

CLOTEN If my shirt were bloody, then to shift it. Have I 5
hurt him?

SECOND LORD, aside No, faith, not so much as his
patience.

FIRST LORD Hurt him? His body’s a passable carcass if
he be not hurt. It is a thoroughfare for steel if it be 10
not hurt.

SECOND LORD, aside His steel was in debt; it went o’
th’ backside the town.

CLOTEN The villain would not stand me.

SECOND LORD, aside No, but he fled forward still, 15
toward your face.

FIRST LORD Stand you? You have land enough of your
own, but he added to your having, gave you some
ground.

SECOND LORD, aside As many inches as you have 20
oceans. Puppies!

Cloten is certain he would have defeated Posthumus in a fight. At least that's what he tells a couple of lords hangin' in the public square.

Of course, of course, the lords tell him. You'd destroy him and turn him into a carcass.

CLOTEN I would they had not come between us.

SECOND LORD, aside So would I, till you had measured
how long a fool you were upon the ground.

CLOTEN And that she should love this fellow and 25
refuse me!

SECOND LORD, aside If it be a sin to make a true election,
she is damned.

FIRST LORD Sir, as I told you always, her beauty and
her brain go not together. She’s a good sign, but I 30
have seen small reflection of her wit.

SECOND LORD, aside She shines not upon fools, lest
the reflection should hurt her.

CLOTEN Come, I’ll to my chamber. Would there had
been some hurt done! 35

SECOND LORD, aside I wish not so, unless it had been
the fall of an ass, which is no great hurt.

CLOTEN You’ll go with us?

FIRST LORD I’ll attend your Lordship.

CLOTEN Nay, come, let’s go together. 40

SECOND LORD Well, my lord.
They exit.

But then the lords tell us what they really think. One lord says Cloten's so much a fool you couldn't even measure his foolishness on the ground. Oh, snap.

Luckily, Cloten is none the wiser about all of these snarls and jokes behind his back. That only makes us think he's all the more foolish.