Love's Labour's Lost: Act 1, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 1, Scene 2 of Love's Labour's Lost from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Armado and Mote, his page. ARMADO Boy, what sign is it when a man of great spirit grows melancholy? BOY A great sign, sir, that he will look sad. ARMADO Why, sadness is one and the selfsame thing, dear imp. 5 BOY No, no. O Lord, sir, no! ARMADO How canst thou part sadness and melancholy, my tender juvenal? BOY By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough signior. 10 ARMADO Why “tough signior”? Why “tough signior”? BOY Why “tender juvenal”? Why “tender juvenal”? ARMADO I spoke it “tender juvenal” as a congruent epitheton appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate “tender.” 15 BOY And I “tough signior” as an appurtenant title to your old time, which we may name “tough.” ARMADO Pretty and apt. BOY How mean you, sir? I pretty and my saying apt, or I apt and my saying pretty? 20 ARMADO Thou pretty because little. BOY Little pretty, because little. Wherefore apt? ARMADO And therefore apt, because quick. BOY Speak you this in my praise, master? ARMADO In thy condign praise. 25 BOY I will praise an eel with the same praise. ARMADO What, that an eel is ingenious? BOY That an eel is quick. ARMADO I do say thou art quick in answers. Thou heat’st my blood. 30 BOY I am answered, sir. ARMADO I love not to be crossed. BOY, aside He speaks the mere contrary; crosses love not him. ARMADO I have promised to study three years with the 35 Duke. BOY You may do it in an hour, sir. ARMADO Impossible. BOY How many is one thrice told? ARMADO I am ill at reckoning. It fitteth the spirit of a 40 tapster. BOY You are a gentleman and a gamester, sir. ARMADO I confess both. They are both the varnish of a complete man. BOY Then I am sure you know how much the gross 45 sum of deuce-ace amounts to. ARMADO It doth amount to one more than two. BOY Which the base vulgar do call “three.” ARMADO True. BOY Why, sir, is this such a piece of study? Now here is 50 “three” studied ere you’ll thrice wink. And how easy it is to put “years” to the word “three” and study “three years” in two words, the dancing horse will tell you. ARMADO A most fine figure. 55 BOY, aside To prove you a cipher. ARMADO I will hereupon confess I am in love; and as it is base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a base wench. If drawing my sword against the humor of affection would deliver me from the 60 reprobate thought of it, I would take desire prisoner and ransom him to any French courtier for a new-devised curtsy. I think scorn to sigh; methinks I should outswear Cupid. Comfort me, boy. What great men have been in love? 65 BOY Hercules, master. ARMADO Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage. BOY Samson, master; he was a man of good carriage, 70 great carriage, for he carried the town gates on his back like a porter, and he was in love. ARMADO O, well-knit Samson, strong-jointed Samson; I do excel thee in my rapier as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was 75 Samson’s love, my dear Mote? BOY A woman, master. ARMADO Of what complexion? BOY Of all the four, or the three, or the two, or one of the four. 80 ARMADO Tell me precisely of what complexion. BOY Of the sea-water green, sir. ARMADO Is that one of the four complexions? BOY As I have read, sir, and the best of them too. ARMADO Green indeed is the color of lovers. But to 85 have a love of that color, methinks Samson had small reason for it. He surely affected her for her wit. BOY It was so, sir, for she had a green wit.	Armado is walking in the park with his servant. (NOTE: In the Fogler edition of the play, Armado's servant is called "Mote." In other editions, he's called "Moth." We don't think either name is particularly flattering, poor kid.) Mote/Moth likes to give his master a lot of lip. Now he's making fun of Armado for moping about love. In a round of banter, we find out that Mote is young, small and witty. He needles Armado till he gets angry and changes the subject. Like the other young lords, Armado has promised to study three years with the King—and hence swear off women. Now's he's in love, and in trouble. Armado asks Mote to comfort him with examples of other great men who have been in love. Mote comes up with Hercules and Sampson, and a lot of nonsense about Delilah looking like an ogre.
ARMADO My love is most immaculate white and red. 90 BOY Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under such colors. ARMADO Define, define, well-educated infant. BOY My father’s wit and my mother’s tongue, assist me. 95 ARMADO Sweet invocation of a child, most pretty and pathetical. BOY If she be made of white and red, Her faults will ne’er be known, For blushing cheeks by faults are bred, 100 And fears by pale white shown. Then if she fear, or be to blame, By this you shall not know, For still her cheeks possess the same Which native she doth owe. 105 A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of white and red. ARMADO Is there not a ballad, boy, of “The King and the Beggar”? BOY The world was very guilty of such a ballad some 110 three ages since, but I think now ’tis not to be found; or if it were, it would neither serve for the writing nor the tune. ARMADO I will have that subject newly writ o’er, that I may example my digression by some mighty precedent. 115 Boy, I do love that country girl that I took in the park with the rational hind Costard. She deserves well. BOY, aside To be whipped—and yet a better love than my master. 120 ARMADO Sing, boy. My spirit grows heavy in love. BOY, aside And that’s great marvel, loving a light wench. ARMADO I say sing. BOY Forbear till this company be past. 125	When Armado describes his love as white and red, Mote quips that lust usually comes in those colors. And they can't be trusted in a woman—they might be makeup. Armado confesses that his crush is Jaquenetta. Mote is amused and makes fun of them both (in asides to the audience—not to Armado). Armado requests that Mote sing, but Mote says wait a minute as he points out that someone is arriving on scene.
Enter Clown (Costard,) Constable (Dull,) and Wench (Jaquenetta.) DULL, to Armado Sir, the Duke’s pleasure is that you keep Costard safe, and you must suffer him to take no delight, nor no penance, but he must fast three days a week. For this damsel, I must keep her at the park. She is allowed for the dey-woman. Fare you 130 well. ARMADO, aside I do betray myself with blushing.— Maid. JAQUENETTA Man. ARMADO I will visit thee at the lodge. 135 JAQUENETTA That’s hereby. ARMADO I know where it is situate. JAQUENETTA Lord, how wise you are. ARMADO I will tell thee wonders. JAQUENETTA With that face? 140 ARMADO I love thee. JAQUENETTA So I heard you say. ARMADO And so, farewell. JAQUENETTA Fair weather after you. DULL Come, Jaquenetta, away. 145 Dull and Jaquenetta exit. ARMADO, to Costard Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offenses ere thou be pardoned. COSTARD Well, sir, I hope when I do it I shall do it on a full stomach. ARMADO Thou shalt be heavily punished. 150 COSTARD I am more bound to you than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded. ARMADO, to Boy Take away this villain. Shut him up. BOY Come, you transgressing slave, away. COSTARD, to Armado Let me not be pent up, sir. I will 155 fast being loose. BOY No, sir, that were fast and loose. Thou shalt to prison. COSTARD Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall see. 160 BOY What shall some see? COSTARD Nay, nothing, Master Mote, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words, and therefore I will say nothing. I thank God I have as little patience as another man, and 165 therefore I can be quiet. Costard and Boy exit.	It's Dull, Costard, and Jaquenetta. Dull is delivering Costard to Armado's custody. He'll take Jaquenetta to the park to be a dairymaid—but not before Armado tells her he loves her. She's not that into it. Dull and Jaquenetta exit. Armado turns his attention to Costard, directing Moth to lock him up. They exit.
ARMADO I do affect the very ground (which is base) where her shoe (which is baser) guided by her foot (which is basest) doth tread. I shall be forsworn (which is a great argument of falsehood) if I love. 170 And how can that be true love which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar; love is a devil. There is no evil angel but love, yet was Samson so tempted, and he had an excellent strength; yet was Solomon so seduced, and he had a very good wit. Cupid’s 175 butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules’ club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard’s rapier. The first and second cause will not serve my turn; the passado he respects not, the duello he regards not. His disgrace is to be called “boy,” but his glory is to 180 subdue men. Adieu, valor; rust, rapier; be still, drum, for your manager is in love. Yea, he loveth. Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme, for I am sure I shall turn sonnet. Devise wit, write pen, for I am for whole volumes in folio. 185 He exits.	Left alone, Armado speechifies about his love. He's going to give up his weapons and write.

Original Text

Translated Text

Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

Enter Armado and Mote, his page.

ARMADO
Boy, what sign is it when a man of great spirit
grows melancholy?

BOY
A great sign, sir, that he will look sad.

ARMADO
Why, sadness is one and the selfsame thing,
dear imp. 5

BOY
No, no. O Lord, sir, no!

ARMADO
How canst thou part sadness and melancholy,
my tender juvenal?

BOY
By a familiar demonstration of the working, my
tough signior. 10

ARMADO Why “tough signior”? Why “tough signior”?

BOY Why “tender juvenal”? Why “tender juvenal”?

ARMADO
I spoke it “tender juvenal” as a congruent
epitheton appertaining to thy young days, which
we may nominate “tender.” 15

BOY
And I “tough signior” as an appurtenant title to
your old time, which we may name “tough.”

ARMADO Pretty and apt.

BOY
How mean you, sir? I pretty and my saying apt, or
I apt and my saying pretty? 20

ARMADO
Thou pretty because little.

BOY
Little pretty, because little. Wherefore apt?

ARMADO
And therefore apt, because quick.

BOY
Speak you this in my praise, master?

ARMADO
In thy condign praise. 25

BOY
I will praise an eel with the same praise.

ARMADO What, that an eel is ingenious?

BOY
That an eel is quick.

ARMADO
I do say thou art quick in answers. Thou
heat’st my blood. 30

BOY I am answered, sir.

ARMADO
I love not to be crossed.

BOY, aside
He speaks the mere contrary; crosses love
not him.

ARMADO
I have promised to study three years with the 35
Duke.

BOY
You may do it in an hour, sir.

ARMADO
Impossible.

BOY How many is one thrice told?

ARMADO
I am ill at reckoning. It fitteth the spirit of a 40
tapster.

BOY
You are a gentleman and a gamester, sir.

ARMADO
I confess both. They are both the varnish of a
complete man.

BOY
Then I am sure you know how much the gross 45
sum of deuce-ace amounts to.

ARMADO
It doth amount to one more than two.

BOY Which the base vulgar do call “three.”

ARMADO
True.

BOY
Why, sir, is this such a piece of study? Now here is 50
“three” studied ere you’ll thrice wink. And how
easy it is to put “years” to the word “three” and
study “three years” in two words, the dancing horse
will tell you.

ARMADO A most fine figure. 55

BOY, aside
To prove you a cipher.

ARMADO
I will hereupon confess I am in love; and as it
is base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a
base wench. If drawing my sword against the
humor of affection would deliver me from the 60
reprobate thought of it, I would take desire prisoner
and ransom him to any French courtier for a
new-devised curtsy. I think scorn to sigh; methinks
I should outswear Cupid. Comfort me, boy. What
great men have been in love? 65

BOY
Hercules, master.

ARMADO
Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear
boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let them be
men of good repute and carriage.

BOY
Samson, master; he was a man of good carriage, 70
great carriage, for he carried the town gates on his
back like a porter, and he was in love.

ARMADO
O, well-knit Samson, strong-jointed Samson;
I do excel thee in my rapier as much as thou didst
me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was 75
Samson’s love, my dear Mote?

BOY
A woman, master.

ARMADO
Of what complexion?

BOY
Of all the four, or the three, or the two, or one of
the four. 80

ARMADO
Tell me precisely of what complexion.

BOY Of the sea-water green, sir.

ARMADO
Is that one of the four complexions?

BOY
As I have read, sir, and the best of them too.

ARMADO
Green indeed is the color of lovers. But to 85
have a love of that color, methinks Samson had
small reason for it. He surely affected her for her
wit.

BOY
It was so, sir, for she had a green wit.

Armado is walking in the park with his servant. (NOTE: In the Fogler edition of the play, Armado's servant is called "Mote." In other editions, he's called "Moth." We don't think either name is particularly flattering, poor kid.)

Mote/Moth likes to give his master a lot of lip. Now he's making fun of Armado for moping about love.

In a round of banter, we find out that Mote is young, small and witty. He needles Armado till he gets angry and changes the subject.

Like the other young lords, Armado has promised to study three years with the King—and hence swear off women. Now's he's in love, and in trouble.

Armado asks Mote to comfort him with examples of other great men who have been in love. Mote comes up with Hercules and Sampson, and a lot of nonsense about Delilah looking like an ogre.

ARMADO
My love is most immaculate white and red. 90

BOY
Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked
under such colors.

ARMADO Define, define, well-educated infant.

BOY
My father’s wit and my mother’s tongue, assist
me. 95

ARMADO
Sweet invocation of a child, most pretty and
pathetical.

BOY
If she be made of white and red,
Her faults will ne’er be known,
For blushing cheeks by faults are bred, 100
And fears by pale white shown.
Then if she fear, or be to blame,
By this you shall not know,
For still her cheeks possess the same
Which native she doth owe. 105
A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of
white and red.

ARMADO
Is there not a ballad, boy, of “The King and
the Beggar”?

BOY
The world was very guilty of such a ballad some 110
three ages since, but I think now ’tis not to be found;
or if it were, it would neither serve for the writing
nor the tune.

ARMADO
I will have that subject newly writ o’er, that I
may example my digression by some mighty precedent. 115
Boy, I do love that country girl that I took in
the park with the rational hind Costard. She deserves
well.

BOY, aside
To be whipped—and yet a better love than
my master. 120

ARMADO
Sing, boy. My spirit grows heavy in love.

BOY, aside And that’s great marvel, loving a light
wench.

ARMADO I say sing.

BOY
Forbear till this company be past. 125

When Armado describes his love as white and red, Mote quips that lust usually comes in those colors. And they can't be trusted in a woman—they might be makeup.

Armado confesses that his crush is Jaquenetta. Mote is amused and makes fun of them both (in asides to the audience—not to Armado).

Armado requests that Mote sing, but Mote says wait a minute as he points out that someone is arriving on scene.

Enter Clown (Costard,) Constable (Dull,) and Wench
(Jaquenetta.)

DULL, to Armado
Sir, the Duke’s pleasure is that you
keep Costard safe, and you must suffer him to take
no delight, nor no penance, but he must fast three
days a week. For this damsel, I must keep her at the
park. She is allowed for the dey-woman. Fare you 130
well.

ARMADO, aside
I do betray myself with blushing.—
Maid.

JAQUENETTA
Man.

ARMADO
I will visit thee at the lodge. 135

JAQUENETTA That’s hereby.

ARMADO I know where it is situate.

JAQUENETTA
Lord, how wise you are.

ARMADO
I will tell thee wonders.

JAQUENETTA
With that face? 140

ARMADO
I love thee.

JAQUENETTA So I heard you say.

ARMADO
And so, farewell.

JAQUENETTA Fair weather after you.

DULL Come, Jaquenetta, away. 145

Dull and Jaquenetta exit.

ARMADO, to Costard
Villain, thou shalt fast for thy
offenses ere thou be pardoned.

COSTARD Well, sir, I hope when I do it I shall do it on
a full stomach.

ARMADO Thou shalt be heavily punished. 150

COSTARD
I am more bound to you than your fellows,
for they are but lightly rewarded.

ARMADO, to Boy
Take away this villain. Shut him up.

BOY Come, you transgressing slave, away.

COSTARD, to Armado
Let me not be pent up, sir. I will 155
fast being loose.

BOY
No, sir, that were fast and loose. Thou shalt to
prison.

COSTARD Well, if ever I do see the merry days of
desolation that I have seen, some shall see. 160

BOY
What shall some see?

COSTARD
Nay, nothing, Master Mote, but what they
look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in
their words, and therefore I will say nothing. I thank
God I have as little patience as another man, and 165
therefore I can be quiet.

Costard and Boy exit.

It's Dull, Costard, and Jaquenetta. Dull is delivering Costard to Armado's custody. He'll take Jaquenetta to the park to be a dairymaid—but not before Armado tells her he loves her. She's not that into it.

Dull and Jaquenetta exit.

Armado turns his attention to Costard, directing Moth to lock him up. They exit.

ARMADO
I do affect the very ground (which is base)
where her shoe (which is baser) guided by her foot
(which is basest) doth tread. I shall be forsworn
(which is a great argument of falsehood) if I love. 170
And how can that be true love which is falsely
attempted? Love is a familiar; love is a devil. There is
no evil angel but love, yet was Samson so tempted,
and he had an excellent strength; yet was Solomon
so seduced, and he had a very good wit. Cupid’s 175
butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules’ club, and therefore
too much odds for a Spaniard’s rapier. The first
and second cause will not serve my turn; the
passado he respects not, the duello he regards not.
His disgrace is to be called “boy,” but his glory is to 180
subdue men. Adieu, valor; rust, rapier; be still,
drum, for your manager is in love. Yea, he loveth.
Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme, for I am
sure I shall turn sonnet. Devise wit, write pen, for I
am for whole volumes in folio. 185

He exits.

Left alone, Armado speechifies about his love. He's going to give up his weapons and write.

Love's Labour's Lost: Act 1, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 1, Scene 2 of Love's Labour's Lost from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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