Translations we offer:

  • All's Well That Ends Well
  • Antony and Cleopatra
  • As You Like It
  • The Comedy of Errors
  • Coriolanus
  • Cymbeline
  • Hamlet
  • Henry IV, Part 1
  • Henry IV, Part 2
  • Henry V
  • Henry VI, Part 1
  • Henry VI, Part 2
  • Henry VI, Part 3
  • Henry VIII
  • Julius Caesar
  • King John
  • King Lear
  • Love's Labor's Lost
  • A Lover's Complaint
  • Macbeth
  • Measure for Measure
  • The Merchant of Venice
  • The Merry Wives of Windsor
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream
  • Much Ado About Nothing
  • Othello
  • Pericles
  • The Rape of Lucrece
  • Richard II
  • Richard III
  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Shakespeare's Sonnets
  • The Taming of the Shrew
  • The Tempest
  • Timon of Athens
  • Titus Andronicus
  • Troilus and Cressida
  • Twelfth Night
  • The Two Gentlemen of Verona
  • Venus and Adonis
  • The Winter's Tale
The LitCharts.com logo.
Already a member? Sign in!
Sign in
Get LitCharts A+
Join LitCharts A+ and get instant access to our Cymbeline translation, plus so much more...

Enter two Gentlemen

Two gentlemen enter.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

You do not meet a man but frowns: our bloods No more obey the heavens than our courtiers Still seem as does the king.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

Every man you meet these days is frowning. Our bodies are in agreement with the planetary influences just as the courtiers's moods seem to reflect the king's.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

But what's the matter?

SECOND GENTLEMAN

What's wrong?

FIRST GENTLEMAN

His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom, whom He purposed to his wife's sole son—a widow That late he married—hath referr'd herself Unto a poor but worthy gentleman: she's wedded; Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all Is outward sorrow; though I think the king Be touch'd at very heart.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

The king wanted his daughter, the only heir to his kingdom, to marry his wife's only son. By his wife, I mean a widow he recently married. But the daughter decided to marry a poor but honest man instead. She's married, her husband is banished, she's imprisoned: everything seems terrible. I think the king is overwhelmed with sadness.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

None but the king?

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Only the king?

FIRST GENTLEMAN

He that hath lost her too; so is the queen, That most desired the match; but not a courtier, Although they wear their faces to the bent Of the king's look's, hath a heart that is not Glad at the thing they scowl at.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

So is the man who was supposed to marry her. So is the queen, who really wanted the marriage to happen. But all the courtiers, although they frown like the king, are secretly happy about the thing they frown at.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

And why so?

SECOND GENTLEMAN

Why?

FIRST GENTLEMAN

He that hath miss'd the princess is a thing Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her— I mean, that married her, alack, good man! And therefore banish'd—is a creature such As, to seek through the regions of the earth For one his like, there would be something failing In him that should compare. I do not think So fair an outward and such stuff within Endows a man but he.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

The man who lost the princess is so bad it's impossible to describe him accurately. And the man who has her—I mean the man who married her, oh, poor good man!—and is banished because of this, is a man so good that even if you searched through the whole world for his equal, anyone you found to compare with him would still be a little less good. I don't think any man is as attractive inside and out as he is.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

You speak him far.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

You speak highly of him.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

I do extend him, sir, within himself,Crush him together rather than unfoldHis measure duly.

FIRST GENTLEMAN

I cannot speak highly of him enough. What I say is too low and his virtue cannot be accurately measured.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

What's his name and birth?

SECOND GENTLEMAN

What's his name and family?

Understand every line of Cymbeline!
PDF downloads of all 1391 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish.
Learn more
Explanations of important quotes for every book you'll read this year. Page numbers, too.
Learn more
Teacher Editions for every literature guide we cover.
Learn more
Translations of every Shakespeare play and poem, including PDF downloads.
Learn more
Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Instant PDF downloads.
Learn more
PDF downloads of all 1922 of our lit guides, poetry guides, Shakescleare translations, and literary terms.
PDF downloads of all 1391 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish.
Learn more
Explanations for every quote we cover.
Detailed quotes explanations (and citation info) for every important quote on the site.
Learn more
Instant PDF downloads of 136 literary devices and terms.
Definitions and examples for 136 literary devices and terms. Instant PDF downloads.
Learn more
Compare and contrast related themes.
Compare and contrast Related Themes across different books.
Learn more
Teacher Editions for all 1391 titles we cover.
LitCharts Teacher Editions for every title we cover.
Learn more
Line-by-line modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem.
Line-by-line modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem.
Learn more
Advanced search across our collection.
Advanced Search. Find themes, quotes, symbols, and characters across our collection.
Learn more
Line-by-line explanations, plus analysis of poetic devices for lyric poems we cover.
Line-by-line explanations, plus analysis of poetic devices for every lyric poem we cover.
Learn more
Sign up for LitCharts A+

1. Enter your info

2. Choose your subscription plan

  • Please select a plan.

Yes, you save over $60.00/year if you choose the annual subscription!

3. Enter payment info

Subscriptions renew automatically. You will be charged $4.97 for your first month and $9.95 per month thereafter unless you cancel. You can cancel anytime before your next renewal date. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Service. Subscriptions renew automatically. You will be charged $29.70 for your first year and $59.40 per yer thereafter unless you cancel. You can cancel anytime before your next renewal date. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Service.

Clicking on the button below will take you to PayPal to complete your transaction.

Interested in a school, library, or other group license? Learn about group subscriptions.
PDFs

Literature Guide PDFs

LitCharts PDFs for every book you'll read this year.

Instant PDF downloads of all 1391 LitCharts literature guides and of every new one we publish. Try a free sample literature guide.
"Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!"
Quotes

Quotes Explanations

Find the perfect quote. Understand it perfectly. Then rock the citation, too.
For all 30,583 quotes we cover.
Find. Search every LitChart by chapter, theme, or character to find just the quote you need.
Understand. Grasp the quote's significance with our detailed Explanation and Analysis.
Cite. Get the quote's page or line number, or a perfect citation with our Cite this Quote button.
Teacher editions

Teacher Editions

Close reading made easy for students.
Time saved for teachers.
For every book we cover.

Teacher Edition Contents

Close Reading Organizers
Character Analysis Organizers
Symbol Analysis Organizers
Theme Analysis Organizers
Quote Analysis Organizers
Theme Visualization Project

Common Core-aligned

""
Try a free and complete sample Teacher Edition.

Line-by-line translations of every one of Shakespeare's 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 3 longer poems.

Every translation available online and as a PDF download. Try a free sample Shakespeare translation.
"Every teacher of literature should use these translations. They completely demystify Shakespeare. Students love them!"
Original
Romeo
(aside) She speaks.
O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art
As glorious to this night, being o’er my head,
As is a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white, upturnèd, wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy-puffing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air.
Juliet
O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art though Romeo?
Deny they father and refuse they name.
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
Modern
Romeo
(to himself) She speaks. Speak again, bright angel! For tonight you are as glorious, there up above me, as a winged messenger of heaven who makes mortals fall onto their backs to gaze up with awestruck eyes as he strides across the lazy clouds and sails through the air.
Juliet
O Romeo, Romeo! Why must you be Romeo? Deny your father and give up your name. Or, if you won’t change your name, just swear your love to me and I’ll give up being a Capulet.
Lit terms
Literary Terms and Devices
Definitions and examples for every literary term and device you need to know.
Plus a quick-reference PDF with concise definitions of all 136 terms in one place.
Try a free sample literary term PDF.
Advanced search
Advanced Search
Refine any search. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more.
Advanced search
Related themes
Related Themes
Comparing and contrasting texts? Find where any theme occurs across all of LitCharts in seconds.
Related themes
Poetry guides
Poetry Guides
Line-by-line explanations and analysis of figurative language and poetic devices.
For every lyric poem we cover.
Poetry guides
Sign up for LitCharts A+
Company
About Us Our Story Jobs
Connect
Help Contact Blog Facebook Twitter
Mobile Apps
iOS Android
Legal
Terms of Service Privacy Policy GDPR
Home About Story Contact Help
Copyright © 2021 All Rights Reserved
Terms Privacy GDPR