No Fear Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing
Act 5, Scene 3
Original Text | Modern Text | |
Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, three or
four LORDS with tapers, and musicians |
DON PEDROand CLAUDIO
enter with three or four LORDS carrying candles, and
musicians. | |
|
CLAUDIO
Is this the monument of Leonato?
|
CLAUDIO
Is this the family tomb of Leonato?
| |
|
FIRST LORD
It is, my lord.
|
FIRST LORD
It is, my lord.
| |
5 |
CLAUDIO
(reading an epitaph)
Done to death by slanderous tongues
Was the Hero that here lies.
Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,
Gives her fame which never dies.
So the life that died with shame
Lives in death with glorious fame.
|
CLAUDIO
(reading an epitaph)
Here lies Hero,
The heroic maiden killed by slanderous words.
To repay her for her troubles, Death
Gives her undying fame.
So the life that died with shame
Lives on with fame.
|
Hangs the scroll | (he hangs the scroll) | |
| 10 |
Hang thou there upon the tomb,
Praising her when I am dumb.
Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn hymn.
(Song)
Pardon, goddess of the
night,
Those that slew thy virgin
knight,
For the which with songs of
woe
Round about her tomb they
go.
Midnight, assist our
moan.
Help us to sigh and
groan
Heavily, heavily.
Graves, yawn and yield your
dead,
Till death be
utterèd,
Heavily,
heavily.
|
This epitaph will hang here forever,
Continuing to praise Hero after I die.
Now start the music, and sing the solemn hymn.
(singing)
Please pardon, goddess of the
night,
The men who killed your
virgin knight.
These men now walk around her
tomb,
Singing songs of woe.
Oh, midnight, join our
moaning
Help us with our sighs and
groaning
Heavily, heavily.
Graves, open up and release
your corpses
Heavily,
heavily.
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