: Act 5, Scene 1 Translation

    A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

      Original Text

     Translated Text

      Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

    Enter Eglamour.

    EGLAMOUR
    The sun begins to gild the western sky,
    And now it is about the very hour
    That Sylvia at Friar Patrick’s cell should meet me.
    She will not fail, for lovers break not hours,
    Unless it be to come before their time, 5
    So much they spur their expedition.

    Enter Sylvia.

    See where she comes.—Lady, a happy evening.

    SYLVIA
    Amen, amen. Go on, good Eglamour,
    Out at the postern by the abbey wall.
    I fear I am attended by some spies. 10

    EGLAMOUR
    Fear not. The forest is not three leagues off;
    If we recover that, we are sure enough.

    They exit.

    At Friar Patrick's cell, Eglamour patiently waits for Sylvia, who has planned to meet him there.

    Sylvia rushes in and says they need to hurry because she's afraid spies have been following her.

    They run off to the forest between Milan and Mantua. (Yep, that's the same forest where Valentine is hanging out with his new outlaw pals.)