Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
|
Sound a flourish. Enter Charles the Dauphin,
Alanson, and Reignier, marching with Drum
and Soldiers. CHARLES
Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens
So in the Earth, to this day is not known.
Late did he shine upon the English side;
Now we are victors; upon us he smiles.
What towns of any moment but we have? 5
At pleasure here we lie, near Orleance.
Otherwhiles, the famished English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. | Here we bounce over to France, as we can tell by the entrance of the
crown prince (called the Dauphin here). He announces that the war is
going well for the French and that they have all the most significant
towns in the war again. Naturally he's pretty pleased about this. |
ALANSON
They want their porridge and their fat bull beeves.
Either they must be dieted like mules 10
And have their provender tied to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drownèd mice. REIGNIER
Let’s raise the siege. Why live we idly here?
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear.
Remaineth none but mad-brained Salisbury, 15
And he may well in fretting spend his gall;
Nor men nor money hath he to make war. CHARLES
Sound, sound alarum! We will rush on them.
Now for the honor of the forlorn French!
Him I forgive my death that killeth me 20
When he sees me go back one foot, or fly. They exit. Here alarum. They are beaten
back by the English, with great loss. Enter Charles, Alanson, and Reignier. CHARLES
Whoever saw the like? What men have I!
Dogs, cowards, dastards! I would ne’er have fled
But that they left me ’midst my enemies. REIGNIER
Salisbury is a desperate homicide. 25
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey. ALANSON
Froissart, a countryman of ours, records
England all Olivers and Rolands bred 30
During the time Edward the Third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified,
For none but Samsons and Goliases
It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean rawboned rascals! Who would e’er suppose 35
They had such courage and audacity? CHARLES
Let’s leave this town, for they are hare-brained slaves,
And hunger will enforce them to be more eager.
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they’ll tear down than forsake the siege. 40 REIGNIER
I think by some odd gimmers or device
Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on;
Else ne’er could they hold out so as they do.
By my consent, we’ll even let them alone. ALANSON Be it so. 45 | The French attack the English at Orleans and lose badly; they marvel
that the English can fight so hard when they seem to be at a
disadvantage. The French even threaten to stop fighting because the English are so fierce. |
Enter the Bastard of Orleance. BASTARD
Where’s the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him. CHARLES
Bastard of Orleance, thrice welcome to us. BASTARD
Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appalled.
Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not dismayed, for succor is at hand. 50
A holy maid hither with me I bring,
Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven,
Ordainèd is to raise this tedious siege
And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The spirit of deep prophecy she hath, 55
Exceeding the nine Sibyls of old Rome.
What’s past and what’s to come she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and unfallible. CHARLES
Go call her in. Bastard exits. 60
But first, to try her skill,
Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place;
Question her proudly; let thy looks be stern.
By this means shall we sound what skill she hath. | Then the Bastard of Orleans (yes, that's really what he's called in this
play) announces he has found Joan Puzel (whom we know as Joan of Arc),
and she can help the French because she is holy and has seen visions
saying she's ordained to drive the English out. |
Enter Bastard, with Joan la Pucelle. REIGNIER, as Charles
Fair maid, is ’t thou wilt do these wondrous feats? 65 PUCELLE
Reignier, is ’t thou that thinkest to beguile me?
Where is the Dauphin?—Come, come from behind.
I know thee well, though never seen before.
Be not amazed; there’s nothing hid from me.
In private will I talk with thee apart.— 70
Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a while. REIGNIER
She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Alanson, Reignier, and Bastard exit. PUCELLE
Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd’s daughter,
My wit untrained in any kind of art.
Heaven and Our Lady gracious hath it pleased 75
To shine on my contemptible estate.
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to sun’s parching heat displayed my cheeks,
God’s Mother deignèd to appear to me,
And in a vision full of majesty 80
Willed me to leave my base vocation
And free my country from calamity.
Her aid she promised and assured success.
In complete glory she revealed herself;
And whereas I was black and swart before, 85
With those clear rays which she infused on me
That beauty am I blest with, which you may see.
Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated.
My courage try by combat, if thou dar’st, 90
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this: thou shalt be fortunate
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate. | The Bastard claims Joan can see the past and future, so the Dauphin
tests Joan's skill in prophecy by having someone else pretend to be him.
She passes the test. Then she explains that she saw a vision of the Virgin Mary, who told her to help the French armies. |
CHARLES
Thou hast astonished me with thy high terms.
Only this proof I’ll of thy valor make: 95
In single combat thou shalt buckle with me,
And if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
Otherwise I renounce all confidence. PUCELLE
I am prepared. Here is my keen-edged sword,
Decked with fine flower-de-luces on each side— 100
Aside. The which at Touraine, in Saint Katherine’s
churchyard,
Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. CHARLES
Then come, a’ God’s name! I fear no woman. PUCELLE
And while I live, I’ll ne’er fly from a man. 105 Here they fight, and
Joan la Pucelle overcomes. CHARLES
Stay, stay thy hands! Thou art an Amazon,
And fightest with the sword of Deborah. PUCELLE
Christ’s mother helps me; else I were too weak. | Just in case, Charles (the Dauphin or French heir to the throne) also
tests Joan by fighting hand to hand. He is amazed at her skill. It's
like fighting Qui-Gon Jin or something. And guess what? She attributes her skills to the Virgin Mary. |
CHARLES
Whoe’er helps thee, ’tis thou that must help me.
Impatiently I burn with thy desire. 110
My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,
Let me thy servant and not sovereign be.
’Tis the French Dauphin sueth to thee thus. PUCELLE
I must not yield to any rights of love, 115
For my profession’s sacred from above.
When I have chasèd all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompense. CHARLES
Meantime look gracious on thy prostrate thrall. | Dauphin asks Joan for a romantic relationship in exaggerated terms of
courtly love, and she declines based on her calling to be a prophet and
leader, though there's some hint she might be open to the idea later, or
at least to some form of reward. |
Enter Reignier and Alanson. REIGNIER, aside to Alanson
My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. 120 ALANSON, aside to Reignier
Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock,
Else ne’er could he so long protract his speech. REIGNIER, aside to Alanson
Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean? ALANSON, aside to Reignier
He may mean more than we poor men do know.
These women are shrewd tempters with their 125
tongues. REIGNIER, to Charles
My lord, where are you? What devise you on?
Shall we give o’er Orleance, or no? PUCELLE
Why, no, I say. Distrustful recreants,
Fight till the last gasp. I’ll be your guard. 130 CHARLES
What she says I’ll confirm: we’ll fight it out. PUCELLE
Assigned am I to be the English scourge.
This night the siege assuredly I’ll raise.
Expect Saint Martin’s summer, halcyons’ days,
Since I have enterèd into these wars. 135
Glory is like a circle in the water,
Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself
Till by broad spreading it disperse to naught.
With Henry’s death, the English circle ends;
Dispersèd are the glories it included. 140
Now am I like that proud insulting ship
Which Caesar and his fortune bare at once. CHARLES
Was Mahomet inspirèd with a dove?
Thou with an eagle art inspirèd then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantine, 145
Nor yet Saint Philip’s daughters were like thee.
Bright star of Venus, fall’n down on the Earth,
How may I reverently worship thee enough? ALANSON
Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege. REIGNIER
Woman, do what thou canst to save our honors. 150
Drive them from Orleance and be immortalized. CHARLES
Presently we’ll try. Come, let’s away about it.
No prophet will I trust if she prove false. They exit. | As they wait for the French king and Joan, the other nobles hint that
there may be a flirtation or some sort of sexual encounter going on.
Joan comes out and incites them to war. The Dauphin pours on more
exaggerated courtly praise invoking religious and classical precedents,
and everyone enthusiastically agrees to fight the English again. |