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No Fear Translations

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No Fear Audio

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter BENEDICK and MARGARET
Enter BENEDICK and MARGARET

BENEDICK

Pray thee, sweet Mistress Margaret, deserve well at my
hands by helping me to the speech of Beatrice.

BENEDICK

Pray thee, sweet Mistress Margaret, deserve well at my
hands by helping me to the speech of Beatrice.

MARGARET

Will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty?

MARGARET

Will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty?

BENEDICK

In so high a style, Margaret, that no man living shall come
5 over it, for in most comely truth thou deservest it.

BENEDICK

In so high a style, Margaret, that no man living shall come
over it, for in most comely truth thou deservest it.

MARGARET

To have no man come over me! Why, shall I always keep
below stairs?

MARGARET

To have no man come over me! Why, shall I always keep
below stairs?

BENEDICK

Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound’s mouth; it catches.

BENEDICK

Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound’s mouth; it catches.

MARGARET

And yours as blunt as the fencer’s foils, which hit but hurt
10 not.

MARGARET

And yours as blunt as the fencer’s foils, which hit but hurt
not.

BENEDICK

A most manly wit, Margaret, it will not hurt a woman. And
so, I pray thee, call Beatrice. I give thee the bucklers.

BENEDICK

A most manly wit, Margaret, it will not hurt a woman. And
so, I pray thee, call Beatrice. I give thee the bucklers.

MARGARET

Give us the swords; we have bucklers of our own.

MARGARET

Give us the swords; we have bucklers of our own.

BENEDICK

If you use them, Margaret, you must put in the pikes with
15 a vice, and they are dangerous weapons for maids.

BENEDICK

If you use them, Margaret, you must put in the pikes with
a vice, and they are dangerous weapons for maids.

MARGARET

Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who I think hath legs.

MARGARET

Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who I think hath legs.

BENEDICK

And therefore will come.

BENEDICK

And therefore will come.
Exit MARGARET
Exit MARGARET
(sings)
The god of love,
That sits above,
And knows me, and knows me,
How pitiful I deserve
I mean in singing. But in loving, Leander the good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of panders, and a whole bookful of these quondam carpetmongers, whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of a blank verse, why, they were never so truly turned over and over as my poor self in love. Marry, I cannot show it in rhyme. I have tried. I can find out no rhyme to “lady” but “baby”—an innocent rhyme; for “scorn,” “horn”—a hard rhyme; for, “school,” “fool”—a babbling rhyme; very ominous endings. No, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms.
(sings)
The god of love,
That sits above,
And knows me, and knows me,
How pitiful I deserve
I mean in singing. But in loving, Leander the good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of panders, and a whole bookful of these quondam carpetmongers, whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of a blank verse, why, they were never so truly turned over and over as my poor self in love. Marry, I cannot show it in rhyme. I have tried. I can find out no rhyme to “lady” but “baby”—an innocent rhyme; for “scorn,” “horn”—a hard rhyme; for, “school,” “fool”—a babbling rhyme; very ominous endings. No, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms.
Enter BEATRICE
Enter BEATRICE
30 Sweet Beatrice, wouldst thou come when I called thee?
Sweet Beatrice, wouldst thou come when I called thee?

BEATRICE

Yea, Signior, and depart when you bid me.

BEATRICE

Yea, Signior, and depart when you bid me.

BENEDICK

Oh , stay but till then!

BENEDICK

Oh , stay but till then!

BEATRICE

“Then” is spoken. Fare you well now. And yet, ere I go, let
me go with that I came, which is, with knowing what hath
35 passed between you and Claudio.

BEATRICE

“Then” is spoken. Fare you well now. And yet, ere I go, let
me go with that I came, which is, with knowing what hath
passed between you and Claudio.

BENEDICK

Only foul words, and thereupon I will kiss thee.

BENEDICK

Only foul words, and thereupon I will kiss thee.

BEATRICE

Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul
breath, and foul breath is noisome. Therefore I will depart
unkissed.

BEATRICE

Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul
breath, and foul breath is noisome. Therefore I will depart
unkissed.

BENEDICK

40 Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so
forcible is thy wit. But I must tell thee plainly, Claudio
undergoes my challenge, and either I must shortly hear
from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And I pray thee
now tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall
45 in love with me?

BENEDICK

Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so
forcible is thy wit. But I must tell thee plainly, Claudio
undergoes my challenge, and either I must shortly hear
from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And I pray thee
now tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall
in love with me?

BEATRICE

For them all together, which maintained so politic a state of
evil that they will not admit any good part to intermingle
with them. But for which of my good parts did you first
suffer love for me?

BEATRICE

For them all together, which maintained so politic a state of
evil that they will not admit any good part to intermingle
with them. But for which of my good parts did you first
suffer love for me?

BENEDICK

50 Suffer love! A good epithet! I do suffer love indeed, for I
love thee against my will.

BENEDICK

Suffer love! A good epithet! I do suffer love indeed, for I
love thee against my will.

BEATRICE

In spite of your heart, I think. Alas, poor heart, if you spite
it for my sake, I will spite it for yours, for I will never love
that which my riend hates.

BEATRICE

In spite of your heart, I think. Alas, poor heart, if you spite
it for my sake, I will spite it for yours, for I will never love
that which my riend hates.

BENEDICK

55 Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

BENEDICK

Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

BEATRICE

It appears not in this confession. There’s not one wise man
among twenty that will praise himself.

BEATRICE

It appears not in this confession. There’s not one wise man
among twenty that will praise himself.

BENEDICK

An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the lime of
good neighbors. If a man do not erect in this age his own
60 tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument than
the bell rings and the widow weeps.

BENEDICK

An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the lime of
good neighbors. If a man do not erect in this age his own
tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument than
the bell rings and the widow weeps.

BEATRICE

And how long is that, think you?

BEATRICE

And how long is that, think you?

BENEDICK

Question: why, an hour in clamor and a quarter in rheum.
Therefore is it most expedient for the wise, if Don Worm,
65 his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary, to be
the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself. So much
for praising myself, who, I myself will bear witness, is
praiseworthy. An now tell me, how doth your cousin?

BENEDICK

Question: why, an hour in clamor and a quarter in rheum.
Therefore is it most expedient for the wise, if Don Worm,
his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary, to be
the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself. So much
for praising myself, who, I myself will bear witness, is
praiseworthy. An now tell me, how doth your cousin?

BEATRICE

Very ill.

BEATRICE

Very ill.

BENEDICK

70 And how do you?

BENEDICK

And how do you?

BEATRICE

Very ill, too.

BEATRICE

Very ill, too.

BENEDICK

Serve God, love me, and mend. There will I leave you too,
for here comes one in haste.

BENEDICK

Serve God, love me, and mend. There will I leave you too,
for here comes one in haste.
Enter URSULA
Enter URSULA

URSULA

Madam, you must come to your uncle. Yonder’s old coil at
75 home. It is proved my Lady Hero hath been falsely
accused, the Prince and Claudio mightily abused, and Don
John is the author of all, who is fled and gone. Will you
come presently?

URSULA

Madam, you must come to your uncle. Yonder’s old coil at
home. It is proved my Lady Hero hath been falsely
accused, the Prince and Claudio mightily abused, and Don
John is the author of all, who is fled and gone. Will you
come presently?
Exit
Exit

BEATRICE

Will you go hear this news, Signior?

BEATRICE

Will you go hear this news, Signior?

BENEDICK

80 I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy
eyes—and moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle’s.

BENEDICK

I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy
eyes—and moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle’s.
Exeunt
Exeunt

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter BENEDICK and MARGARET
Enter BENEDICK and MARGARET

BENEDICK

Pray thee, sweet Mistress Margaret, deserve well at my
hands by helping me to the speech of Beatrice.

BENEDICK

Pray thee, sweet Mistress Margaret, deserve well at my
hands by helping me to the speech of Beatrice.

MARGARET

Will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty?

MARGARET

Will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty?

BENEDICK

In so high a style, Margaret, that no man living shall come
5 over it, for in most comely truth thou deservest it.

BENEDICK

In so high a style, Margaret, that no man living shall come
over it, for in most comely truth thou deservest it.

MARGARET

To have no man come over me! Why, shall I always keep
below stairs?

MARGARET

To have no man come over me! Why, shall I always keep
below stairs?

BENEDICK

Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound’s mouth; it catches.

BENEDICK

Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound’s mouth; it catches.

MARGARET

And yours as blunt as the fencer’s foils, which hit but hurt
10 not.

MARGARET

And yours as blunt as the fencer’s foils, which hit but hurt
not.

BENEDICK

A most manly wit, Margaret, it will not hurt a woman. And
so, I pray thee, call Beatrice. I give thee the bucklers.

BENEDICK

A most manly wit, Margaret, it will not hurt a woman. And
so, I pray thee, call Beatrice. I give thee the bucklers.

MARGARET

Give us the swords; we have bucklers of our own.

MARGARET

Give us the swords; we have bucklers of our own.

BENEDICK

If you use them, Margaret, you must put in the pikes with
15 a vice, and they are dangerous weapons for maids.

BENEDICK

If you use them, Margaret, you must put in the pikes with
a vice, and they are dangerous weapons for maids.

MARGARET

Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who I think hath legs.

MARGARET

Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who I think hath legs.

BENEDICK

And therefore will come.

BENEDICK

And therefore will come.
Exit MARGARET
Exit MARGARET
(sings)
The god of love,
That sits above,
And knows me, and knows me,
How pitiful I deserve
I mean in singing. But in loving, Leander the good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of panders, and a whole bookful of these quondam carpetmongers, whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of a blank verse, why, they were never so truly turned over and over as my poor self in love. Marry, I cannot show it in rhyme. I have tried. I can find out no rhyme to “lady” but “baby”—an innocent rhyme; for “scorn,” “horn”—a hard rhyme; for, “school,” “fool”—a babbling rhyme; very ominous endings. No, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms.
(sings)
The god of love,
That sits above,
And knows me, and knows me,
How pitiful I deserve
I mean in singing. But in loving, Leander the good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of panders, and a whole bookful of these quondam carpetmongers, whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of a blank verse, why, they were never so truly turned over and over as my poor self in love. Marry, I cannot show it in rhyme. I have tried. I can find out no rhyme to “lady” but “baby”—an innocent rhyme; for “scorn,” “horn”—a hard rhyme; for, “school,” “fool”—a babbling rhyme; very ominous endings. No, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms.
Enter BEATRICE
Enter BEATRICE
30 Sweet Beatrice, wouldst thou come when I called thee?
Sweet Beatrice, wouldst thou come when I called thee?

BEATRICE

Yea, Signior, and depart when you bid me.

BEATRICE

Yea, Signior, and depart when you bid me.

BENEDICK

Oh , stay but till then!

BENEDICK

Oh , stay but till then!

BEATRICE

“Then” is spoken. Fare you well now. And yet, ere I go, let
me go with that I came, which is, with knowing what hath
35 passed between you and Claudio.

BEATRICE

“Then” is spoken. Fare you well now. And yet, ere I go, let
me go with that I came, which is, with knowing what hath
passed between you and Claudio.

BENEDICK

Only foul words, and thereupon I will kiss thee.

BENEDICK

Only foul words, and thereupon I will kiss thee.

BEATRICE

Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul
breath, and foul breath is noisome. Therefore I will depart
unkissed.

BEATRICE

Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul
breath, and foul breath is noisome. Therefore I will depart
unkissed.

BENEDICK

40 Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so
forcible is thy wit. But I must tell thee plainly, Claudio
undergoes my challenge, and either I must shortly hear
from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And I pray thee
now tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall
45 in love with me?

BENEDICK

Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so
forcible is thy wit. But I must tell thee plainly, Claudio
undergoes my challenge, and either I must shortly hear
from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And I pray thee
now tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall
in love with me?

BEATRICE

For them all together, which maintained so politic a state of
evil that they will not admit any good part to intermingle
with them. But for which of my good parts did you first
suffer love for me?

BEATRICE

For them all together, which maintained so politic a state of
evil that they will not admit any good part to intermingle
with them. But for which of my good parts did you first
suffer love for me?

BENEDICK

50 Suffer love! A good epithet! I do suffer love indeed, for I
love thee against my will.

BENEDICK

Suffer love! A good epithet! I do suffer love indeed, for I
love thee against my will.

BEATRICE

In spite of your heart, I think. Alas, poor heart, if you spite
it for my sake, I will spite it for yours, for I will never love
that which my riend hates.

BEATRICE

In spite of your heart, I think. Alas, poor heart, if you spite
it for my sake, I will spite it for yours, for I will never love
that which my riend hates.

BENEDICK

55 Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

BENEDICK

Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

BEATRICE

It appears not in this confession. There’s not one wise man
among twenty that will praise himself.

BEATRICE

It appears not in this confession. There’s not one wise man
among twenty that will praise himself.

BENEDICK

An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the lime of
good neighbors. If a man do not erect in this age his own
60 tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument than
the bell rings and the widow weeps.

BENEDICK

An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the lime of
good neighbors. If a man do not erect in this age his own
tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument than
the bell rings and the widow weeps.

BEATRICE

And how long is that, think you?

BEATRICE

And how long is that, think you?

BENEDICK

Question: why, an hour in clamor and a quarter in rheum.
Therefore is it most expedient for the wise, if Don Worm,
65 his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary, to be
the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself. So much
for praising myself, who, I myself will bear witness, is
praiseworthy. An now tell me, how doth your cousin?

BENEDICK

Question: why, an hour in clamor and a quarter in rheum.
Therefore is it most expedient for the wise, if Don Worm,
his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary, to be
the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself. So much
for praising myself, who, I myself will bear witness, is
praiseworthy. An now tell me, how doth your cousin?

BEATRICE

Very ill.

BEATRICE

Very ill.

BENEDICK

70 And how do you?

BENEDICK

And how do you?

BEATRICE

Very ill, too.

BEATRICE

Very ill, too.

BENEDICK

Serve God, love me, and mend. There will I leave you too,
for here comes one in haste.

BENEDICK

Serve God, love me, and mend. There will I leave you too,
for here comes one in haste.
Enter URSULA
Enter URSULA

URSULA

Madam, you must come to your uncle. Yonder’s old coil at
75 home. It is proved my Lady Hero hath been falsely
accused, the Prince and Claudio mightily abused, and Don
John is the author of all, who is fled and gone. Will you
come presently?

URSULA

Madam, you must come to your uncle. Yonder’s old coil at
home. It is proved my Lady Hero hath been falsely
accused, the Prince and Claudio mightily abused, and Don
John is the author of all, who is fled and gone. Will you
come presently?
Exit
Exit

BEATRICE

Will you go hear this news, Signior?

BEATRICE

Will you go hear this news, Signior?

BENEDICK

80 I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy
eyes—and moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle’s.

BENEDICK

I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy
eyes—and moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle’s.
Exeunt
Exeunt