Much Ado About Nothing: Act 3, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 2 of Much Ado About Nothing from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Prince, Claudio, Benedick, and Leonato. PRINCE I do but stay till your marriage be consummate, and then go I toward Aragon. CLAUDIO I’ll bring you thither, my lord, if you’ll vouchsafe me. PRINCE Nay, that would be as great a soil in the new 5 gloss of your marriage as to show a child his new coat and forbid him to wear it. I will only be bold with Benedick for his company, for from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot he is all mirth. He hath twice or thrice cut Cupid’s bowstring, and the 10 little hangman dare not shoot at him. He hath a heart as sound as a bell, and his tongue is the clapper, for what his heart thinks, his tongue speaks.	Prince Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, and Leonato are all hanging out, shooting the breeze. Don Pedro says he’s only sticking around until Claudio is married, and then he’s off back to Arragon. Claudio volunteers to come with him, but Don Pedro says Claudio will have more interesting things to do on his wedding night. The Prince thinks Benedick will be a way better wing man. He's a true bachelor, through and through, and could never be sidetracked by romance. Of course, we know he's just egging Benedick on. Spoiler alert: it works.
BENEDICK Gallants, I am not as I have been. 15 LEONATO So say I. Methinks you are sadder. CLAUDIO I hope he be in love. PRINCE Hang him, truant! There’s no true drop of blood in him to be truly touched with love. If he be sad, he wants money. 20 BENEDICK I have the toothache. PRINCE Draw it. BENEDICK Hang it! CLAUDIO You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards. PRINCE What, sigh for the toothache? 25 LEONATO Where is but a humor or a worm. BENEDICK Well, everyone can master a grief but he that has it. CLAUDIO Yet say I, he is in love. PRINCE There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless 30 it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises, as to be a Dutchman today, a Frenchman tomorrow, or in the shape of two countries at once, as a German from the waist downward, all slops, and a Spaniard from the hip upward, no doublet. Unless he have a 35 fancy to this foolery, as it appears he hath, he is no fool for fancy, as you would have it appear he is. CLAUDIO If he be not in love with some woman, there is no believing old signs. He brushes his hat o’ mornings. What should that bode? 40 PRINCE Hath any man seen him at the barber’s? CLAUDIO No, but the barber’s man hath been seen with him, and the old ornament of his cheek hath already stuffed tennis balls.	Benedick says, "Actually, guys, I’m going through some changes," which, of course, invites his friends to mock him endlessly. Leonato notes that Benedick looks sadder, but Claudio thinks he's lovesick. The other guys snort at that. Benedick? Lovesick? Ridiculous. But Benedick says he is. (Toothaches were associated with lovers in Elizabethan times.) The guys still don't take him seriously. Prince Don Pedro says there's no sign he's in love unless you count his goofy outfit. Apparently Benedick is kind of spiffed up. Exactly, Claudio says. It's love. He has all the classic signs. He's been taking greater care in his appearance, cleaning the lint off his fedora. The guys also notice that he has been to the barber for a haircut—(hair was used to stuff tennis balls back then—that's what that line is about).
LEONATO Indeed he looks younger than he did, by the 45 loss of a beard. PRINCE Nay, he rubs himself with civet. Can you smell him out by that? CLAUDIO That’s as much as to say, the sweet youth’s in love. 50 PRINCE The greatest note of it is his melancholy. CLAUDIO And when was he wont to wash his face? PRINCE Yea, or to paint himself? For the which I hear what they say of him. CLAUDIO Nay, but his jesting spirit, which is now crept 55 into a lute string and now governed by stops— PRINCE Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him. Conclude, conclude, he is in love. CLAUDIO Nay, but I know who loves him. PRINCE That would I know, too. I warrant, one that 60 knows him not. CLAUDIO Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in despite of all, dies for him. PRINCE She shall be buried with her face upwards. BENEDICK Yet is this no charm for the toothache.— 65 Old signior, walk aside with me. I have studied eight or nine wise words to speak to you, which these hobby-horses must not hear. Benedick and Leonato exit.	Another sign Benedick is in love? He's started wearing cologne. Plus he's sad, he's washing his face more, and he's wearing some kind of make-up. The guys tease him about being in love and say that if any woman loves him, it’s only because she doesn’t know him very well. Then Claudio says, "I know someone who loves him." (Nyah nyah nyah nyaaaaaaah nyah!) He adds that the girl who loves Benedick will die for him. ("Die" is Elizabethan slang for orgasm—yet another cheap sex joke, courtesy of William Shakespeare). Benedick shrugs off all this teasing and asks Leonato to go off with him to talk about serious stuff.
PRINCE For my life, to break with him about Beatrice! CLAUDIO ’Tis even so. Hero and Margaret have by this 70 played their parts with Beatrice, and then the two bears will not bite one another when they meet. Enter John the Bastard. DON JOHN My lord and brother, God save you. PRINCE Good e’en, brother. DON JOHN If your leisure served, I would speak with 75 you. PRINCE In private? DON JOHN If it please you. Yet Count Claudio may hear, for what I would speak of concerns him. PRINCE What’s the matter? 80 DON JOHN, to Claudio Means your Lordship to be married tomorrow? PRINCE You know he does. DON JOHN I know not that, when he knows what I know. 85 CLAUDIO If there be any impediment, I pray you discover it. DON JOHN You may think I love you not. Let that appear hereafter, and aim better at me by that I now will manifest. For my brother, I think he holds 90 you well, and in dearness of heart hath holp to effect your ensuing marriage—surely suit ill spent and labor ill bestowed. PRINCE Why, what’s the matter? DON JOHN I came hither to tell you; and, circumstances 95 shortened, for she has been too long a-talking of, the lady is disloyal.	When Benedick and Leonato step aside, Don Pedro and Claudio are left alone for Don John to prey upon. Don John confirms that Claudio means to get married the next day, and suggest he may want to rethink that choice. Prince Don Pedro wants to know what he's talking about. Don John builds the melodrama by saying they might hate him for what he has to say, but they should wait until after hearing his news to pass judgment on him. Don Pedro says, "Yeah, yeah. Spit it out already." That's when Don John claims that Don Pedro’s efforts for Claudio’s wedding were sadly misguided because (dun-dun-DUN!): Hero is disloyal.
CLAUDIO Who, Hero? DON JOHN Even she: Leonato’s Hero, your Hero, every man’s Hero. 100 CLAUDIO Disloyal? DON JOHN The word is too good to paint out her wickedness. I could say she were worse. Think you of a worse title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder not till further warrant. Go but with me tonight, you 105 shall see her chamber window entered, even the night before her wedding day. If you love her then, tomorrow wed her. But it would better fit your honor to change your mind. CLAUDIO, to Prince May this be so? 110 PRINCE I will not think it. DON JOHN If you dare not trust that you see, confess not that you know. If you will follow me, I will show you enough, and when you have seen more and heard more, proceed accordingly. 115	Hero? Disloyal? Claudio and Don Pedro are skeptical. But Don John says it's true. He could call Hero all sorts of other nasty names, but he won't. Instead, he just tells Don Pedro and Claudio to come with him to Hero’s window at midnight and see what's what. He promises them they’ll see a man in Hero’s bedroom. After that, if Claudio still wants to marry, he can, but at least he’ll know what he’s signing up for.
CLAUDIO If I see anything tonight why I should not marry her, tomorrow in the congregation, where I should wed, there will I shame her. PRINCE And as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will join with thee to disgrace her. 120 DON JOHN I will disparage her no farther till you are my witnesses. Bear it coldly but till midnight, and let the issue show itself. PRINCE O day untowardly turned! CLAUDIO O mischief strangely thwarting! 125 DON JOHN O plague right well prevented! So will you say when you have seen the sequel. They exit.	Claudio says that if he sees anything unpleasant tonight, he won't just not marry Hero, he'll show up to the wedding and shame her by dumping her in front of everyone. Don Pedro agrees. If Hero is cheating on Claudio, he'll help Claudio disgrace her. After all, he’s responsible for getting the two of them together in the first place.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Prince, Claudio, Benedick, and Leonato.

PRINCE I do but stay till your marriage be consummate,
and then go I toward Aragon.

CLAUDIO I’ll bring you thither, my lord, if you’ll vouchsafe
me.

PRINCE Nay, that would be as great a soil in the new 5
gloss of your marriage as to show a child his new
coat and forbid him to wear it. I will only be bold
with Benedick for his company, for from the crown
of his head to the sole of his foot he is all mirth. He
hath twice or thrice cut Cupid’s bowstring, and the 10
little hangman dare not shoot at him. He hath a
heart as sound as a bell, and his tongue is the
clapper, for what his heart thinks, his tongue
speaks.

Prince Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, and Leonato are all hanging out, shooting the breeze.

Don Pedro says he’s only sticking around until Claudio is married, and then he’s off back to Arragon. Claudio volunteers to come with him, but Don Pedro says Claudio will have more interesting things to do on his wedding night.

The Prince thinks Benedick will be a way better wing man. He's a true bachelor, through and through, and could never be sidetracked by romance. Of course, we know he's just egging Benedick on. Spoiler alert: it works.

BENEDICK Gallants, I am not as I have been. 15

LEONATO So say I. Methinks you are sadder.

CLAUDIO I hope he be in love.

PRINCE Hang him, truant! There’s no true drop of
blood in him to be truly touched with love. If he be
sad, he wants money. 20

BENEDICK I have the toothache.

PRINCE Draw it.

BENEDICK Hang it!

CLAUDIO You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards.

PRINCE What, sigh for the toothache? 25

LEONATO Where is but a humor or a worm.

BENEDICK Well, everyone can master a grief but he
that has it.

CLAUDIO Yet say I, he is in love.

PRINCE There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless 30
it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises, as to
be a Dutchman today, a Frenchman tomorrow, or
in the shape of two countries at once, as a German
from the waist downward, all slops, and a Spaniard
from the hip upward, no doublet. Unless he have a 35
fancy to this foolery, as it appears he hath, he is no
fool for fancy, as you would have it appear he is.

CLAUDIO If he be not in love with some woman, there
is no believing old signs. He brushes his hat o’
mornings. What should that bode? 40

PRINCE Hath any man seen him at the barber’s?

CLAUDIO No, but the barber’s man hath been seen
with him, and the old ornament of his cheek hath
already stuffed tennis balls.

Benedick says, "Actually, guys, I’m going through some changes," which, of course, invites his friends to mock him endlessly.

Leonato notes that Benedick looks sadder, but Claudio thinks he's lovesick. The other guys snort at that. Benedick? Lovesick? Ridiculous.

But Benedick says he is. (Toothaches were associated with lovers in Elizabethan times.)

The guys still don't take him seriously. Prince Don Pedro says there's no sign he's in love unless you count his goofy outfit. Apparently Benedick is kind of spiffed up.

Exactly, Claudio says. It's love. He has all the classic signs. He's been taking greater care in his appearance, cleaning the lint off his fedora.

The guys also notice that he has been to the barber for a haircut—(hair was used to stuff tennis balls back then—that's what that line is about).

LEONATO Indeed he looks younger than he did, by the 45
loss of a beard.

PRINCE Nay, he rubs himself with civet. Can you smell
him out by that?

CLAUDIO That’s as much as to say, the sweet youth’s in
love. 50

PRINCE The greatest note of it is his melancholy.

CLAUDIO And when was he wont to wash his face?

PRINCE Yea, or to paint himself? For the which I hear
what they say of him.

CLAUDIO Nay, but his jesting spirit, which is now crept 55
into a lute string and now governed by stops—

PRINCE Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him. Conclude,
conclude, he is in love.

CLAUDIO Nay, but I know who loves him.

PRINCE That would I know, too. I warrant, one that 60
knows him not.

CLAUDIO Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in despite of
all, dies for him.

PRINCE She shall be buried with her face upwards.

BENEDICK Yet is this no charm for the toothache.— 65
Old signior, walk aside with me. I have studied eight
or nine wise words to speak to you, which these
hobby-horses must not hear.

Benedick and Leonato exit.

Another sign Benedick is in love? He's started wearing cologne. Plus he's sad, he's washing his face more, and he's wearing some kind of make-up.

The guys tease him about being in love and say that if any woman loves him, it’s only because she doesn’t know him very well.

Then Claudio says, "I know someone who loves him." (Nyah nyah nyah nyaaaaaaah nyah!)

He adds that the girl who loves Benedick will die for him. ("Die" is Elizabethan slang for orgasm—yet another cheap sex joke, courtesy of William Shakespeare).

Benedick shrugs off all this teasing and asks Leonato to go off with him to talk about serious stuff.

PRINCE For my life, to break with him about Beatrice!

CLAUDIO ’Tis even so. Hero and Margaret have by this 70
played their parts with Beatrice, and then the two
bears will not bite one another when they meet.

Enter John the Bastard.

DON JOHN My lord and brother, God save you.

PRINCE Good e’en, brother.

DON JOHN If your leisure served, I would speak with 75
you.

PRINCE In private?

DON JOHN If it please you. Yet Count Claudio may
hear, for what I would speak of concerns him.

PRINCE What’s the matter? 80

DON JOHN, to Claudio Means your Lordship to be
married tomorrow?

PRINCE You know he does.

DON JOHN I know not that, when he knows what I
know. 85

CLAUDIO If there be any impediment, I pray you discover
it.

DON JOHN You may think I love you not. Let that
appear hereafter, and aim better at me by that I
now will manifest. For my brother, I think he holds 90
you well, and in dearness of heart hath holp to effect
your ensuing marriage—surely suit ill spent and
labor ill bestowed.

PRINCE Why, what’s the matter?

DON JOHN I came hither to tell you; and, circumstances 95
shortened, for she has been too long
a-talking of, the lady is disloyal.

When Benedick and Leonato step aside, Don Pedro and Claudio are left alone for Don John to prey upon.

Don John confirms that Claudio means to get married the next day, and suggest he may want to rethink that choice.

Prince Don Pedro wants to know what he's talking about.

Don John builds the melodrama by saying they might hate him for what he has to say, but they should wait until after hearing his news to pass judgment on him.

Don Pedro says, "Yeah, yeah. Spit it out already."

That's when Don John claims that Don Pedro’s efforts for Claudio’s wedding were sadly misguided because (dun-dun-DUN!): Hero is disloyal.

CLAUDIO Who, Hero?

DON JOHN Even she: Leonato’s Hero, your Hero, every
man’s Hero. 100

CLAUDIO Disloyal?

DON JOHN The word is too good to paint out her
wickedness. I could say she were worse. Think you
of a worse title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder not
till further warrant. Go but with me tonight, you 105
shall see her chamber window entered, even the
night before her wedding day. If you love her then,
tomorrow wed her. But it would better fit your
honor to change your mind.

CLAUDIO, to Prince May this be so? 110

PRINCE I will not think it.

DON JOHN If you dare not trust that you see, confess
not that you know. If you will follow me, I will
show you enough, and when you have seen more
and heard more, proceed accordingly. 115

Hero? Disloyal? Claudio and Don Pedro are skeptical.

But Don John says it's true. He could call Hero all sorts of other nasty names, but he won't.

Instead, he just tells Don Pedro and Claudio to come with him to Hero’s window at midnight and see what's what.

He promises them they’ll see a man in Hero’s bedroom. After that, if Claudio still wants to marry, he can, but at least he’ll know what he’s signing up for.

CLAUDIO If I see anything tonight why I should not
marry her, tomorrow in the congregation, where I
should wed, there will I shame her.

PRINCE And as I wooed for thee to obtain her, I will
join with thee to disgrace her. 120

DON JOHN I will disparage her no farther till you are
my witnesses. Bear it coldly but till midnight, and
let the issue show itself.

PRINCE O day untowardly turned!

CLAUDIO O mischief strangely thwarting! 125

DON JOHN O plague right well prevented! So will you
say when you have seen the sequel.

They exit.

Claudio says that if he sees anything unpleasant tonight, he won't just not marry Hero, he'll show up to the wedding and shame her by dumping her in front of everyone.

Don Pedro agrees. If Hero is cheating on Claudio, he'll help Claudio disgrace her. After all, he’s responsible for getting the two of them together in the first place.

Much Ado About Nothing: Act 3, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 2 of Much Ado About Nothing from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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