A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 2 of Much Ado About Nothing from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
---|---|
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter the Constables Dogberry and Verges, and the DOGBERRY Is our whole dissembly appeared? VERGES O, a stool and a cushion for the Sexton. A stool is brought in; the Sexton sits. SEXTON Which be the malefactors? DOGBERRY Marry, that am I, and my partner. VERGES Nay, that’s certain, we have the exhibition to 5 SEXTON But which are the offenders that are to be DOGBERRY Yea, marry, let them come before me. 10 Conrade and Borachio are brought forward. What is your name, friend? BORACHIO Borachio. DOGBERRY Pray, write down “Borachio.”—Yours, CONRADE I am a gentleman, sir, and my name is 15 DOGBERRY Write down “Master Gentleman Conrade.”— BORACHIO/CONRADE Yea, sir, we hope. DOGBERRY Write down that they hope they serve 20 CONRADE Marry, sir, we say we are none. DOGBERRY A marvelous witty fellow, I assure you, BORACHIO Sir, I say to you we are none. | At the prison, Dogberry and Verges, along with a sexton (who will take notes on the interrogation) prepare to examine Borachio and Conrade. Dogberry does his usual mangling of the English language, and finally gets out that Borachio and Conrade stand accused of being "false knaves," though they deny it. |
DOGBERRY Well, stand aside.—’Fore God, they are SEXTON Master constable, you go not the way to 35 DOGBERRY Yea, marry, that’s the eftest way.—Let FIRST WATCHMAN This man said, sir, that Don John, the DOGBERRY Write down Prince John a villain. Why, BORACHIO Master constable— 45 DOGBERRY Pray thee, fellow, peace. I do not like thy SEXTON, to Watch What heard you him say else? SEACOAL Marry, that he had received a thousand DOGBERRY Flat burglary as ever was committed. VERGES Yea, by Mass, that it is. SEXTON What else, fellow? FIRST WATCHMAN And that Count Claudio did mean, 55 DOGBERRY, to Borachio O, villain! Thou wilt be condemned SEXTON What else? 60 SEACOAL This is all. | The watchmen are called in to make their accusations, and they present it in three parts, which Dogberry doesn’t quite understand, and mistakes the importance of. The First Watchman says Borachio and Conrade have called the Prince's brother, Don John, a villain. Dogberry assumes the crime in this is perjury, since it must be a lie. Seacoal says that Borachio has received a thousand ducats from Don John for wrongfully slandering Hero. Dogberry misses the "wrongfully accusing Hero" part, and decides the crime here is burglary. Finally, the First Watchman declares that because of the wrongful accusation against Hero, Claudio intended to disgrace the girl before the wedding party, and refuse to marry her. Dogberry gets this, but he condemns the knaves to "everlasting redemption" when what he means is "everlasting damnation." |
SEXTON And this is more, masters, than you can deny. He exits. DOGBERRY Come, let them be opinioned. VERGES Let them be in the hands— 70 CONRADE Off, coxcomb! DOGBERRY God’s my life, where’s the Sexton? Let CONRADE Away! You are an ass, you are an ass! 75 DOGBERRY Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost They exit. |