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Act 2, Scene 3
Richard II Translation Act 2, Scene 4
Enter EARL OF SALISBURY and a Welsh Captain
CAPTAIN
My lord of Salisbury, we have stay'd ten days, And hardly kept our countrymen together, And yet we hear no tidings from the king; Therefore we will disperse ourselves: farewell.
CAPTAIN
My lord of Salisbury, we have waited ten days, and hardly kept our countrymen together, and yet we hear nothing from the king. Therefore we will disperse the army: farewell.
EARL OF SALISBURY
Stay yet another day, thou trusty Welshman:The king reposeth all his confidence in thee.
EARL OF SALISBURY
Stay yet another day, trusty Welshman: you're the king's last hope.
CAPTAIN
'Tis thought the king is dead; we will not stay. The bay-trees in our country are all wither'd And meteors fright the fixed stars of heaven; The pale-faced moon looks bloody on the earth And lean-look'd prophets whisper fearful change; Rich men look sad and ruffians dance and leap, The one in fear to lose what they enjoy, The other to enjoy by rage and war: These signs forerun the death or fall of kings. Farewell: our countrymen are gone and fled, As well assured Richard their king is dead.
CAPTAIN
It's thought the king is dead; we will not wait. The bay-trees in our country are all withered, and meteors disturb the fixed stars in the sky; the pale-faced moon looks bloody on the earth; and frightened prophets whisper of fearful change. Rich men look sad and poor men dance and leap, the one fearing to lose what they enjoy, the other looking forward to enjoying the spoils of war: these signs predict the death or fall of kings. Farewell, our countrymen are as surely gone as Richard is dead.
Exit
EARL OF SALISBURY
Ah, Richard, with the eyes of heavy mind I see thy glory like a shooting star Fall to the base earth from the firmament. Thy sun sets weeping in the lowly west, Witnessing storms to come, woe and unrest: Thy friends are fled to wait upon thy foes, And crossly to thy good all fortune goes.
EARL OF SALISBURY
Ah, Richard, with the eyes of a heavy heart I see your glory fall like a shooting star from the sky back down to earth. The sun cries as it sets in the west, seeing storms to come, sadness, and unrest. Your friends have abandoned you to help your enemies, and all your luck is running out.
Exit
