1. PLEB. __ ¿Qué quieres, Lucrecia?? Qué quieres tan presurosa? ¿Qué pides con tanta importunidad y poco sosiego?? Qué es lo que mi hija ha  sentido? ¿Qué mal tan arrebatado puede ser, que no aya yo tiempo de me vestir ni me des avn espacio a me leuantar?  

PLEBERIO.  What would you, Lucrecia?  What means  this exceeding haste, and with so great importunity and troubledness of mind?  What ails my daughter?   What sudden sickness hath seized on her, that I cannot  have the leisure to put on my clothes?  Nay, scarce so  much time as to rise?  

   2. LUCR. __ Señor, apresúrate mucho, si la quieres ver viua, que ni su mal conozco de fuerte ni a ella ya de desfigurada.  

LUCRECIA.  Sir, if you will see her alive, come quickly.  What her grief is I know not; nay, scarce  know I her, so disfigured as her face.  

   3. PLEB. __ vamos presto, anda allá, entra adelante, alça esa antepuerta y abre bien essa ventana, porque le pueda ver el gesto con claridad. ¿Qué es esto, hija mia? ¿Qué dolor y sentimiento es el tuyo? ¿Qué nouedad es ésta? ¿Qué poco esfuerço es éste? Mírame, que soy tu padre. Fabla comigo, cuéntame la causa de tu arrebatada pena. ¿Qué has?? Qué sientes?? Qué quieres? Háblame, mírame, dime la razón de tu dolor, porque presto sea remediado. No quieras embiarme con triste postrimería al sepulcro. Ya sabes que no tengo otro bien sino a ti. Abre essos alegres ojos y mírame.  

PLEBERIO.  Come, let us go quickly; lead the way; in afore; lift up the hangings; open this same window;  set it wide open, that I may have light enough to take  a full view of her.  Why, how now, daughter?  What′s  the matter? What is your pain? Where lies it?  What a  strange thing is this?  What faintness do I see?   What weakness and feebleness?  Look upon me,  daughter!   I am thy father: speak unto me, for pity′s sake speak, and tell me the cause of your grief, that  we may the sooner provide a remedy. Send not my gray  hairs with sorrow to the grave; thou knowest I have no  other good but thee, no other worldly happiness.   Open thy gladsome eyes; look cheerfully upon me.  

  MELIB. __ ¡Ay dolor!  

MELIBEA.  Ay me!   What shall I do? 

  PLEB. __ ¿Qué dolor puede ser, que yguale con ver yo el tuyo? u madre está sin seso en oyr tu mal.  pudo venir a verte de turbada. fuerça tu fuerça, abiua tu coraçón, réziate de manera que puedas tú comigo yr a visitar a ella. dime, ánima mia, la  causa de tu sentimiento.  

PLEBERIO.  What woe can equal mine, to see thee in such woeful plight?  Your mother, as soon as ever  she but heard you were ill, fell presently into a  swoon, and lies in that extremity, and in a manner  senseless, that she is not able to come and see thee.   Be of good cheer, pluck up thy heart; and so raise up  thy spirits, that thou mayest rise and go along with  me to visit her.  Tell me, sweet soul, the cause of  thy sorrow.  

  MELIB. __ ¡Pereció mi remedio!  

MELIBEA.  My cure is remediless.  

  PLEB. __ Hija, mi bienamada y querida del viejo padre, por Dios, no te ponga desesperación el cruel tormento desta tu  enfermedad y passión, que a los flacos coraçones el dolor los arguye. Si tú me cuentas tu mal, luego seráremediado. Que ni faltarán medicinas ni médicos ni siruientes para buscar tu salud, agora consista en yeruas o en piedras o en palabras o esté secreta en cuerpos de animales. Pues no me fatigues más, no me atormentes, no me hagas salir de mi seso y dime ¿Qué sientes?  

PLEBERIO.  My dear daughter, the best beloved of thy aged father; for pity′s sake, let not this thy  cruel torment cause thee to despair of recovery, being  carried away with the violence and infirmity of they  passion:  for sorrow still assaulteth the weakest  hearts, and conquers them most, that are most cowardly.  If thou wilt but tell me thy grief, it  shall presently be remedied; for neither physic nor  physician nor servants shall be wanting for the recovery of thy health, whether it consist in herbs,  in stones, or in words or remain more secret in the  bodies and bowels of beasts.  Do not then vex me any  more; torment me no longer; force me not out of my  wits; make me not mad, but tell me, good daughter,  what and where is your pain.  

    8. MELIB. __ Vna mortal llaga en medio del coraçón,   que no me consiente hablar.   No es ygual a los otros males;   menester es sacarle para ser curada,   que está en lo más secreto dél.  

MELIBEA.  I feel a mortal wound even in the very midst of my heart, the anguish whereof is so grievous  unto me, that it will scarce suffer me to fetch my  breath, much less to speak:  there is no malady like  unto mine; it is of a different nature from all other  diseases.  And before you can come to cure it in my  heart, you must first take out my heart; for it lies  even in the hidden and most secret place thereof.  

   9. PLEB. __ Temprano cobraste los sentimientos de la vegez. La mocedad toda suele ser plazer y alegría, enemiga de enojo. Levántate de ay. vamos a uer los frescos ayres de la ribera: alegrarte has con tu madre, descansará tu pena. Cata, si huyes de plazer, no hay cosa más contraria a tu mal.  

PLEBERIO.  Too too soon hast thou received this feeling and sense of elder years; youth should be a  friend to pleasure and mirth, and an enemy unto care  and sorrow.  Rise then from hence, and let us go and  take some fresher air along by the riverside; come and  make merry with your mother; you shall see, that will  ease and rid away your pain.  Take heed what you do;  do not wilfully cast away yourself; for, if you fly  and shun mirth, there is not anything in the world  more contrary to your disease.

    10. MELIB. __ Vamos donde mandares. Subamos,   señor, al açotea alta,   porque desde allí goze de la deleytosa vista de los nauíos:   por ventura afloxará algo mi congoxa.  

MELIBEA.  Let us go whither you please:  and if it stand with your liking, sir, let us go up to the  top of the leads; for from thence I may enjoy the  pleasing sight of those ships that pass to and fro,  and perhaps it may give some ease to my grief.  

    11. PLEB. __ Subamos y Lucrecia con nosotros.  

PLEBERIO.  Come, let us go and take Lucrecia with  us.  

    12. MELIB. __ Mas, si a ti plazerá, padremio,   mandar traer algún instrumento de cuerdas   con que se sufra mi dolor o tañiendo o cantando,   de manera que, avnque aquexe por vna parte la fuerça de su acidente,   mitigarlo han por otra los dulces sones y alegre armonía.  

MELIBEA.  With a very good will.  I pray, father, will you cause some musical instrument to be  sent unto me, that by playing thereon or singing  thereunto, I may see if I can drive away this grief:   for though on the one side, the force and violence  thereof doth much torment me; yet on the other side, I  doubt not but those sweet sounding instruments and  delightful harmony will much lessen and mitigate my  sorrow.  

    13. PLEB. __ Esso, hija mia, luego es hecho. Yo lo voy a mandar aparejar.  

PLEBERIO.  This daughter, shall presently be done:  I will go myself, and will it to be provided. 

    14. MELIB. __ Lucrecia, amiga mia, muy alto es esto.   Ya me pesa por dexar la compañía de mi padre.   Baxa a él y dile que se pare al pie desta torre,   que le quiero dezir vna palabra   que se me oluidó que fablasse a mi madre.

MELIBEA.  Friend Lucrecia, this place, methinks, is too hight; I am very loth to leave my father′s  company.  I prithee make a step unto him, and entreat  him to come to the foot of this tower; for I have a  word or two, which I forgot to tell him, that he  should deliver from me my mother.  

    15. LUCR. __ Ya voy, señora.  

LUCRECIA.  I go, madame.  

    16. MELIB. __ De todos soy dexada.   Bien se ha adereçado la manera de mi morir.   algún aliuio siento en ver que tan presto seremos juntos   yo y aquel mi querido amado Calisto.   quiero cerrar la puerta,   porque ninguno suba a me estoruar mi muerte.   No me impidan la partida,   no me atajen el camino,   por el qual en breue tiempo podré visitar en este día   al que me visitó la passada noche.  

MELIBEA.  They have all of them me.  I am now alone by myself and nobody with me.  The manner oh my death falls fit and pat to my mind; it is some ease  unto me, that I and my beloved Calisto shall soon meet  again.  I will shut and make fast the door, that  nobody may come up to hinder my death, nor disturb my  departure, nor to stop me in my journey, wherein I  purpose to post unto him; not doubting but to visit  him as well this very day, as he did me this last  night.  

  todo se ha hecho a mi voluntad.   Buen tiempo terné para contar a Pleberio mi señor   la causa de mi ya acordado fin.   gran sinrazón hago a sus canas, gran ofensa a su vegez.   gran fatiga le acarreo con mi falta.   En gran soledad le dexo. Y caso que por mi morir a mis   queridos padres sus días se diminuyessen,   ¿quién dubda que no aya auido otros más crueles contra sus padres?   Bursia, rey de Bitinia, sin ninguna razón,   no aquexándole pena como a mí,   mató su propio padre.   Tolomeo, rey de Egypto, a su padre y madre y hermanos   y muger, por gozar de vna manceba.   Orestes a su madre Clistenestra.   El cruel emperador Nero a su madre Agripina   por sólo su plazer hizo matar.   estos son dignos de culpa,  

All things fadge aright, and have fallen out  as luckily as I could wish it; I shall now have time  and leisure enough to recount to my father Pleberio  the cause of this my short and sudden end.  I  confess, I shall much wrong his silver hairs, and  offer much injury to his elder years; I shall work great woe unto him by this my error; I shall leave him  in great heaviness and desolation all the days of  his life: but admit my death will be the death of my  dearest parents, and put case that the shortening of  my days will be the shortening of theirs; who doth  not know but that others have been more cruel to their  parents than I am?  Prusias, King of Bithynia, without  any cause, not enduring that pain which I do, slew his  own father.  Ptolemy, King of Egypt, slew both father  and mother and brother and wife, and all for the love  of his mistress.  Orestes killed his! mother, Clytemnestra, and that cruel Emperor Nero only for the fulfilling of his pleasure murdered his own mother.   These and such as they are worthy of blame.  

 estos son verdaderos parricidas,   que no yo; que con mi pena, con mi muerte purgo la culpa que de su dolor  se me puede   poner. otros muchos crueles ouo, que mataron hijos y hermanos,   debaxo de cuyos yerros el mío no parescerá grande.   Philipo, rey de Macedonia; Herodes, rey de Judea;   Constantino, emperador de Roma; Laodice, reyna de Capadocia,   y Medea, la nigromantesa.   Todos éstos mataron hijos queridos y amados,   sin ninguna razón, quedando sus personas a saluo.  

These are  true parricides, not I, who with mine own punishment,  and with mine own death purge away the guilt, which  otherwise they might more justly lay upon me for their  deaths.  There have been others fare more cruel, who have slain their own children and their own brothers,  in comparison of whose errors mine is as nothing; at  least nothing so great.  Phillip, King of Macedon,  Herod, King of Jewry, Constantine, Emperor of Rome,  Laodice, Queen of Cappadocia, and Medea the  sorceress; all these slew their own sons and dearest children, and that without any reason or just cause,  preserving their own persons still in safety.  

  Finalmente, me ocurre aquella gran crueldad de Phrates, rey de los  Parthos,   que, porque no quedasse sucessor después dél, mató a Orode, su viejo  padre,   y a su vnico hijo y treynta hermanos suyos.   estos fueron delictos dignos de culpable culpa,   que, guardando sus personas de peligro, matauan sus mayores y  descendientes y hermanos.   Verdad es que, avnque todo esto assí sea,   no auía de remedarlos en lo que malhicieron   pero no es más en mi mano.   Tú, Señor, que de mi habla eres testigo,   ves mi poco poder,   ves quán catiua tengo mi libertad,   quán presos mis sentidos de tan poderoso amor del muerto cauallero,   que priua al que tengo con los viuos padres.  

To  conclude, that great cruelty of Phraates, King of the Parthians, occurs to my remembrance, who, because he would have no successor behind him, murdered Orodes,  his aged father, as also his only son, besides some  thirty more of his brethren.  These were delicts  worthy blame indeed; because they, keeping their own  persons free from peril, butchered their ancestors,  their successors, and their brethren.  True it is that  though all this be so, yet are we not to imitate them  in those things wherein they did amiss; but it is not  in my power to do otherwise.  And thou great Governor of the heavens, who art witness to my words, thou  seest the small power that I have over my passion; thou seest how my liberty is captivated, and how my senses  are taken with that powstill in safety.  To conclude,  that great cruelty of Phraates, King of the Parthians,  occurs to my remembrance,! who, because he would have  no successor behind him, murdered Orodes, his aged  father, as love of that late deceased gentlemen, who  hath deprived me of the love, which I bear to my  living parents.  (Pleb. comes to the foot of the  tower.)  

    17. PLEB. __ Hija mia Melibea, ¿Qué hazes sola?   ¿Qué es tu voluntad dezirme?   ¿Quieres que suba allá?  

PLEBERIO.  Daughter Melibea, what make you there  alone?  What is it you would have with me? Shall I come up to you?  

    18. MELIB. __ Padre mío, no pugnes ni trabajes por venir adonde yo estó,   que estoruaras la presente habla que tequiero fazer.   Lastimado serás breuemente con la muerte de tu vnica fija.   Mi fin es llegado, llegado es mi descanso y tu passión,   llegado es mi aliuio y tu pena,   llegada es mi acompañada hora y tu tiempo de soledad.  

MELIBEA.  No, good father, content you where you  are, trouble not yourself, nor strive to come to me; you shall but disturb and interrupt that short speech which I am now to make unto you.  Now, by and  by shalt thou be suddenly wounded; thy heart shall  presently be pricked with grief, and shall bleed  abundantly, to see the death of thy only daughter.   My end draws near; at hand is my rest and thy passion,  my ease and thy pain, my hour of keeping company and  they time of solitariness.  

  No haurás, honrrado padre, menester instrumentos para aplacar mi dolor,   sino campanas para sepultar mi cuerpo.   Si me escuchas sin lágrimas,   oyrás la causa desesperada de mi forçada y alegre partida.   No la interrumpas con lloro ni palabras;   si no, quedarás más quexoso en no saber por qué me mato,   que doloroso por verme muerta.   ninguna cosa me preguntes ni respondas,   más de lo que de mi grado dezirte quisiere.   Porque, quando el coraçón está embargado de passión,   están cerrados los oydos al consejo   y en tal tiempo las frutuosas palabras, enlugar de amansar, acrecientan la saña.  

You shall not need, my  most honoured father to seek out any instruments of  music to assuage my sorrow; nor use any other good,  save the sound of bells, for to ring my knell, and  bring my body to the grave.  And, if you canst hearken unto me for tears, if thine eyes will give thine ears  leave to hear, thou shalt hear the desperate cause of  this my forced yet joyful departure:  see thou neither  speak nor weep; interrupt me not, either with tears or  words, unless thou mean′st more hereafter to be  tormented, in not knowing why I do kill myself, than  thou art now sorrowful to see my death.  Neither ask  nor answer me anything; nor question me any further  than what of mine own accord I shall willingly tell  thee; for, when the heart is surcharged with sorrow,  the ear is deaf to good counsel; and at such a time good and wholesome words rather incense than allay rage.  

  Oye, padre mio, mis vltimas palabras   y, si como yo espero, las recibes, no culparás mi yerro.   Bien vees y oyes este triste y doloroso sentimiento   que toda la ciudad haze.   Bien vees este clamor de campanas, este alarido de gentes,  este aullido de canes, este grande estrépito de armas.   De todo esto fuy yo la causa.   Yo cobrí de luto y xergas en este día quasi la mayor parte de la cibdadana cauallería,  

Hear, my aged father, the last words that ever  I shall speak unto you.  And if you entertain them, as  I hope you will, you will rather excuse than condemn  my error.  I am sure, you both well perceive and hear  that most sad and doleful lamentation, which is made  throughout all this city; I am sure you hear this  great noise and ringing of bells, the shreiking and  cryings out of all sorts of people, this howling  and barking of dogs, this noise and clattering of  armour.  Of all this have I been the cause; I, even  this very day, have clothed the greater part of the  knights and gentlemen of this city in mourning.  

  yo dexé oy muchos siruientes descubiertos de señor, yo quité muchas   raciones y limosnas a pobres y enuergonçantes,   yo fuy ocasión que los muertos touiessen compañía   del más acabado hombre que en gracia nasció,   yo quité a los viuos el dechado de gentileza,   de inuenciones galanas, de atauíos y brodaduras,   de habla, de andar, de cortesía, de virtud;   yo fuy causa que la tierra goze sin tiempo   el más noble cuerpo y más fresca juuentud,   que al mundo era en nuestra edad criada.   y porque estarás espantado con el son de mis no acostumbrados delitos,   te quiero más aclarar el hecho.  

I,  even this very day, have left many servants orphaned  and quite destitute of a master.  I have been the  cause that many a poor soul hath now lost its alms and  relief.  I have been the occasion that the dead should have the company of the most complete gentleman, for his good graces and qualities that were never born. I have been the occasion that the living have  lost the only pattern and paragon of courtesy, of  gallant inventions, of witty devices, of neatness and  decency in his clothes, of speech, of gait, of kindness, and of virtue.  I have been the occasion  that the earth doth now enjoy the most noble body and  the freshest flower of youth, that ever was created in  this age of ours. And because you may stand amazed  and astonished at the sound of these my unusual and  unaccustomed crimes, I will open the business, and  make this matter apear more clear unto you.  

  muchos días son passados, padre mio,   que penaua por amor vn cauallero,   que se llamaua Calisto,   el qual tú bien conosciste.   Conosciste assimismo sus padres y claro linaje:   sus virtudes y bondad a todos eran manifiestas.   era tanta su pena de amor   y tan poco el lugar para hablarme,   que descubrió su passión a vna astuta y sagaz muger, que llamauan Celestina.   La qual, de su parte venida a mí,   sacó mi secreto amor de mi pecho.   Descubría a ella lo que a mi querida madre encobría.  

It is now, dear father, many days since that a  gentlemen called Calisto, whom you well knew, as  likewise his ancestors and noble lineage, did languish  and pine away for my love.  As for his virtues and  goodness they were generally known to the whole world.   So great was his love - torment, and so little both  place and opportunity to speak with me, that he was  driven to discover his passion to a crafty and subtle  woman named Celestina, which Celestina coming as a  suitor unto me in his behalf drew my secret love from  forth my bosom, and made me to manifest that unto her,  which I concealed from mine own mother.  

  Touo manera como ganó mi querer,   ordenó cómo su desseo y el mio houiessen efeto.   Si él mucho me amaua, no viuía engañado. Concertó el triste concierto de la dulce y   desdichada execución de su voluntad.   Vencida de su amor, dile entrada en tu casa.   Quebrantó con escalas las paredes de tu huerto,   quebrantó mi propósito. Perdí mi virginidad.   Del qual deleytoso yerro de amor gozamos quasi vn mes.   y como esta passada noche viniesse, según era acostumbrado,   a la buelta de su venida,   como de la fortuna mudable estouiesse dispuesto y ordenado,   según su desordenada costumbre,  

 She found  that means to win me to her will; she made the match  between us; she plotted how his desire and mine should take effect.  And if he dearly loved me, I was not therein deceived: she made up that sad  conclusion of that sweet and unfortunate execution of  his will; and thus being overcome with the love of  Calisto, I gave him entrance into your house; he  scaled your walls with ladders, and brake into your  garden; brake my chaste purpose by taking from me the  flower of my virginity.  And thus almost this month  have we liv′d in this delightful error or love.  And  as he came this last night unto me, as he was wont to  do, e′en just about the time that he should have  returned home as ill fortune would have it, who in  the mutability of her nature ordereth and disposeth  all things according to her disordered custom,  

como las paredes eran altas,   la noche escura, la escala delgada,   los siruientes que traya no diestros en aquel género de seruicio   y él baxaua pressuroso a uer un ruydo   que con sus criados sonaua en la calle,   con el gran ímpetu que leuaua,   no vido bien los pasos,   puso el pie en vazío y cayó.   De la triste cayda sus más escondidos sesos quedaron repartidos por las piedras  y paredes.  

the  walls being high, the night dark, the ladder light  and weak, his servants that brought it unacquainted  with that kind of service, he going down somewhat  hastily to see a fray, which he heard in the street  between his servants and some others that then passed  by, being in choler, making more haste than good  speed, thinking he should never come soon enough, not  eyeing well his steps, he sets is foot quite besides  the rounds, and so fell down, and with that woeful and unfortunate fall, he pitched upon his head,  and had his brains beaten out, and dashed in pieces  against the stones and pavement of the street.  

  Cortaron las hadas sus hilos,   cortáronle sin confessión su vida,   cortaron mi esperança, cortaron mi gloria, cortaron mi compañía.   Pues ¿Qué crueldad sería, padre mío,   muriendo él despeñado, que viuiese yo penada?   Su muerte combida a la mía,   combídame y fuerça que sea presto, sin dilación,   muéstrame que ha de ser despeñada por seguille en todo.   No digan por mí: a muertos y a ydos. . .   y assí contentarle he en la muerte,   pues no tuue tiempo en la vida. ¡O mi amor y   señor Calisto¡  

Thus  did the destinies cut off his thread; thus cut off his  life without confession; cut off my hope; cut off my  glory; cut off my company.  Things therefore being  thus, tell me, father, what cruelty were it in me,  he dying disbrained, that I should live pained all the  days of my life?  His death inviteth mine; inviteth? Nay, enforceth me, that it be speedily effected and without delay; it teacheth  me that I should also fall headlong down, that I may  imitate him in all things.  It shall not be said of me  that those that are dead and gone are soon forgotten.   And therefore I will seek to content him in my death,  since I had not time to give him content in my life.  

  Espérame, ya voy; detente, si me esperas;   no me incuses la tardança que hago,   dando esta vltima cuenta a mi viejo padre,   pues le deuo mucho más.   ¡O padre mio muy amado!   Ruégote, si amor en esta passada y penosa vida me has tenido,   que sean juntas nuestras sepulturas:   juntas nos hagan nuestras obsequias.   algunas consolatorias palabras te diría antes de mi agradable fin,   coligidas y sacadas de aquellos antiguos libros   que tú, por más aclarar mi ingenio, memandauas leer;   sino que ya la dañada memoria con la grand turbación me las ha perdido   y avn porque veo tus lágrimas malsofridas decir por tu arrugada haz.  

O my love and dear lord, Calisto, expect me, for mow I come.  But stay a little, though thou dost expect me;  and be not angry, I prithee, that I delay thee, being  that I am now paying my last debt, and giving it my  final account to my aged father, to whom I owe much  more.  O my best-beloved father, I beseech you, if you  ever did love me in this painful forepast life, that  we may both be interred in one tomb and both our  obsequies be solemnized together.  I would fain speak  some words of comfort unto you before this my gladsome  and well-pleasing end, gathered and collected out of  those ancient books, which for the bettering of my wit  and understanding you willed me to read, were it not  that my memory fails me, being troubled and disquieted  with the loss and death of my love; as also because I  see your ill endured tears trickle so fast down your  wrinkled cheeks.

  Salúdame a mi cara y amada madre:   sepa de ti largamente la triste razón porque muero.   ¡Gran plazer lleuo de no la ver presente!   toma, padre viejo, los dones de tu vegez.   Que en largos días largas se sufren tristezas.   Rescibe las arras de tu senectud antigua,   rescibe allá tu amada hija. gran   dolor lleuo de mí, mayor de ti,   muy mayor de mi vieja madre. Dios quede contigo y con ella. A él   ofrezco mi ánima.   Pon tú en cobro este cuerpo, que allí baxa.  

Recommend me to my most dear and  best-beloved mother; and do you inform her at large of  the doleful occasion of my death.  I am glad with all  my heart that she is not here present with you; for  her sight would but increase my sorrow.  Take, aged  father, the gifts of old age; for in large days large  griefs are to be endured. Receive the pledge and  earnest of thy reverend age; receive it at the hands  of thy beloved daughter.  I sorrow much for myself,  more for you, but most for my aged mother:  and so I  recommend me to you both, and both or you unto your more happiness, to whom I offer up my soul;  leaving the care to you, to cover this body that is now coming down unto you.