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FLORIZEL No, good sir;
He has his health and ampler strength indeed
445Than most have of his age.
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FLORIZEL No, good sir, he is healthy, and indeed he is even stronger than most people of his age.
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POLIXENES By my white beard,
You offer him, if this be so, a wrong
Something unfilial: reason my son
Should choose himself a wife, but as good reason
450The father, all whose joy is nothing else
But fair posterity, should hold some counsel
In such a business.
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POLIXENES By my white beard, if this is so then you are wronging him in a way unsuitable for a son. It’s reasonable that a son should choose a wife, but it’s just as reasonable that his father should be able to have some say in the matter, since all his joy is in his family.
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FLORIZEL I yield all this;
But for some other reasons, my grave sir,
455Which ’tis not fit you know, I not acquaint
My father of this business.
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FLORIZEL I agree with all you’re saying. But there are other reasons, my serious sir, which it’s best you don’t know regarding why I don’t tell my father of this.
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POLIXENES Let him know’t.
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POLIXENES Let him know about it.
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FLORIZEL He shall not.
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FLORIZEL He won’t know about it.
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POLIXENES Prithee, let him.
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POLIXENES Please, let him.
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FLORIZEL
460No, he must not.
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FLORIZEL No, he must not.
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SHEPHERD Let him, my son: he shall not need to grieve
At knowing of thy choice.
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SHEPHERD Let him know, my son. He won’t grieve when he hears your choice.
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FLORIZEL Come, come, he must not.
Mark our contract.
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FLORIZEL Come, come, he must not know. Sign our contract.
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POLIXENES
465Mark your divorce, young sir,
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POLIXENES Sign your divorce, young sir!
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