The Widow speaks with the blunt practicality of someone who has been managing alone long enough to have no illusions. She knows exactly what Bertram is doing to Diana. Watch for how quickly she assesses strangers — she sizes Helena up and offers lodging before she knows who she is.
Nay, come; for if they do approach the city, we shall lose all the
sight.
No, come; for if they draw near the city, we will lose the whole view.
Come on, if they get to the city we will not see anything.
come on we gotta see this before they reach the city
Diana speaks in short, clear statements — she knows what she thinks and says it plainly. Her wry aside 'I would poison that vile rascal' (about Parolles) tells you she's sharper than she lets on. Watch for the gap between her public deference and her private ferocity.
They say the French count has done most honourable service.
They say the French count has performed the most honorable service.
People say the French count has done really honorable things.
french count did honorable things
It is reported that he has taken their great’st commander, and that
with his own hand he slew the duke’s brother.
It is reported that he has captured their greatest commander, and that with his own hand he killed the duke's brother.
I heard he captured their top commander and killed the duke's brother with his own hand.
he captured their commander & killed the duke's brother
We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way. Hark! you may
know by their trumpets.
We've wasted our effort; they've gone a different way. Listen! You can tell by their trumpets.
We wasted our time—they went the other way. But listen, you can hear them by their trumpets.
wasted our time they went different way listen 4 the trumpets
Mariana is the explainer — she catalogues Bertram's tactics with forensic precision ('their promises, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of lust'). She has seen this before and is furious about it. Her anger is the warm anger of protective friendship.
Come, let’s return again, and suffice ourselves with the report of it.
Well, Diana, take heed of this French earl; the honour of a maid is her
name; and no legacy is so rich as honesty.
Come, let us return, and be satisfied with hearing about it. Well, Diana, be careful of this French earl; a girl's honor is her reputation; and no inheritance is as valuable as honesty.
Come on, let us go back and just hear about it instead. Diana, be careful with this French earl. Your reputation is everything, and honesty is more valuable than any inheritance.
be careful of the french earl diana your reputation is everything be honest that's all u got
I have told my neighbour how you have been solicited by a gentleman his
companion.
I have told my neighbor how you have been propositioned by a gentleman, his companion.
I told my neighbor that this gentleman tried to approach you.
i told my neighbor he was hitting on u
I know that knave; hang him! one Parolles; a filthy officer he is in
those suggestions for the young earl. Beware of them, Diana; their
promises, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of lust,
are not the things they go under; many a maid hath been seduced by
them; and the misery is, example, that so terrible shows in the wreck
of maidenhood, cannot for all that dissuade succession, but that they
are limed with the twigs that threaten them. I hope I need not to
advise you further; but I hope your own grace will keep you where you
are, though there were no further danger known but the modesty which is
so lost.
I know that villain; curse him! One Parolles; a dirty officer he is in those suggestions for the young earl. Be careful of them, Diana; their promises, their sweet talk, their oaths, their gifts, and all these tools of seduction, are not what they seem; many a girl has been seduced by them; and the misery is, the example of that terrible destruction of virginity cannot even stop those who follow, but they are trapped by the same branches that threaten them. I hope I do not need to advise you further; but I hope your own grace will keep you where you are, even if there were no other danger known except the shame that is so lost.
I know that rascal! Curse him! That is Parolles - a filthy officer who does this to get the young earl ahead. Watch out for him and his kind, Diana. Their promises, their sweet talk, their oaths, their gifts - all these tricks of seduction - they are not what they appear to be. Many girls have been seduced by them, and the sad thing is, you would think seeing how badly it ends would stop others, but no, they get caught in the same traps anyway. I hope you do not need more advice from me, but I trust you will stay virtuous, especially since losing your honor is such a disaster.
avoid parolles he's a dirty guy don't fall for his promises & gifts many girls got seduced & trapped i trust u'll stay honest it's all u got
You shall not need to fear me.
You will not need to fear for me.
You do not need to worry about me.
don't worry bout me
I hope so. Look, here comes a pilgrim. I know she will lie at my house;
thither they send one another; I’ll question her. God save you,
pilgrim! Whither are bound?
I hope so. Look, here comes a pilgrim. I know she will stay at my house; people send each other there; I will question her. God bless you, pilgrim! Where are you headed?
Good. Look, here comes a pilgrim. I know she will stay at my place - people always send each other there. Let me ask her some questions. God bless you, pilgrim! Where are you headed?
here comes a pilgrim where u headed?
To Saint Jaques le Grand.
Where do the palmers lodge, I do beseech you?
To Saint James the Great. Where do the pilgrims stay, I ask you?
I am going to Saint James the Great. Where do pilgrims stay, if you please?
going to saint james where do pilgrims stay?
At the Saint Francis here, beside the port.
At the Saint Francis here, beside the harbor.
They stay at the Saint Francis here, by the port.
saint francis by the harbor
Is this the way?
Does this lead to the lodging?
Is this the correct direction?
this right?
Ay, marry, is’t. Hark you, they come this way.
If you will tarry, holy pilgrim,
But till the troops come by,
I will conduct you where you shall be lodg’d;
The rather for I think I know your hostess
As ample as myself.
Yes, it is. Listen, they come this way. If you will stay, holy pilgrim, but until the troops pass by, I will guide you to where you will be lodged; the more so because I think I know your hostess as well as I know myself.
Yes, it is. Listen, they are coming this way. If you can wait here just until the troops pass, I will take you to your lodging. I think I know who will be hosting you as well as I know myself.
ya it's the way wait till the troops pass i'll take u to ur lodging
Is it yourself?
Is it yourself?
's it yourself?
Is it yourself?
The scene sets up a striking contrast: while Bertram and the Duke are inside the official world of military honor, a group of women stand outside the city walls watching the parade go past and talking about what it actually means. They're not fooled by the pomp. Diana notes that Bertram would be 'much goodlier' if he were 'honester.' Mariana has mapped the mechanics of his seduction campaign with forensic precision. The Widow has sheltered girls who fell to similar tactics. These women have a completely different information set from the official one — they know the human cost of the count's pursuit of honor, because they're watching it play out on Diana. Helena arrives into this community and immediately understands that it's exactly the resource she needs. Shakespeare gives the women outside the walls more moral clarity than the men inside it.
If you shall please so, pilgrim.
If you wish, pilgrim.
If you would like, pilgrim.
if u want
I thank you, and will stay upon your leisure.
I thank you, and will wait for your convenience.
Thank you, I will wait for you.
thanks i'll wait
You came, I think, from France?
You came, I believe, from France?
You are from France, I assume?
ur from france right?
I did so.
I did so.
i did so.
I did so.
Here you shall see a countryman of yours
That has done worthy service.
Here you will see a countryman of yours who has done honorable service.
You will see a fellow countryman who has done great things.
u'll see a countryman who did honorable things
His name, I pray you.
His name, I ask you.
What is his name?
what's his name?
The Count Rossillon. Know you such a one?
The Count Rossillon. Do you know such a person?
Count Rossillon. Do you know him?
count rossillon. u know him?
But by the ear, that hears most nobly of him;
His face I know not.
Only by reputation, which speaks most nobly of him; I do not know his face.
Only by hearing people talk about him - they speak very well of him. I have never seen what he looks like.
only heard great things bout him never seen him
Whatsome’er he is,
He’s bravely taken here. He stole from France,
As ’tis reported, for the king had married him
Against his liking. Think you it is so?
Whatever he is, he is well received here. He fled France, as it is reported, because the king had married him against his wishes. Do you believe this is true?
He is doing well here, whatever his situation. From what I hear, he ran away from France because the king forced him to marry against his will. Do you think that is true?
he got married against his will & ran away u believe that?
Ay, surely, mere the truth; I know his lady.
Yes, certainly, it is the pure truth; I know his wife.
Yes, absolutely, that is the truth. I know his wife.
yeah it's true. i know his wife
There is a gentleman that serves the count
Reports but coarsely of her.
There is a gentleman who serves the count who speaks disrespectfully of her.
There is a gentleman in his service who speaks badly of her.
a guy who serves him speaks bad bout her
What’s his name?
What’s his name?
what’s h's name?
What’s his name?
Monsieur Parolles.
Monsieur Parolles.
monsieur parolles.
Monsieur Parolles.
O, I believe with him,
In argument of praise, or to the worth
Of the great count himself, she is too mean
To have her name repeated; all her deserving
Is a reserved honesty, and that
I have not heard examin’d.
Oh, I agree with him, in terms of praise or compared to the worth of the great count himself, she is too insignificant to have her name spoken; all she deserves is quiet honesty, and that I have not heard questioned.
I actually agree with him. Compared to the count's importance, her reputation is not worth mentioning. All she deserves is simple honesty, and I have never heard anyone criticize that about her.
i agree. she's not worth mentioning next to him all she deserves is honesty
Alas, poor lady!
’Tis a hard bondage to become the wife
Of a detesting lord.
Alas, poor lady! It is a harsh slavery to become the wife of a lord who detests her.
Poor woman! It is hard to be married to a man who hates you.
poor lady hard to be married to a man who hates u
Ay, right; good creature, wheresoe’er she is,
Her heart weighs sadly. This young maid might do her
A shrewd turn, if she pleas’d.
Yes, that is right; good woman, wherever she is, her heart is weighed down with sadness. This young girl might do her a clever service, if she wished.
Yes, exactly. Wherever she is, her heart is heavy with sadness. This girl could help her out if she wanted to.
that girl could help her if she wanted to
How do you mean?
Maybe the amorous count solicits her
In the unlawful purpose.
What do you mean? Perhaps the lustful count is proposing to her for an improper purpose.
What do you mean by that? Does the count try to seduce her?
what u mean? he trying to seduce her?
He does indeed,
And brokes with all that can in such a suit
Corrupt the tender honour of a maid;
But she is arm’d for him, and keeps her guard
In honestest defence.
He does indeed, and he uses everyone who can in such a matter to corrupt the tender honor of a girl; But she has her defenses up against him, and keeps herself in honest defense.
He does, and he uses every trick to seduce her. But she has her defenses up and keeps herself virtuous.
he does. but she's protected herself and stays honest
By the end of 3-5, all the pieces of Helena's plan are in place even if they haven't been assembled yet. She knows: Bertram is here, he's pursuing Diana, Diana is resisting him, the Widow wants to protect her daughter, and they've just offered each other dinner. The 'precepts' Helena promises Diana will become the full disclosure of her identity and the proposal of the bed trick. What's remarkable about how Shakespeare constructs this scene is that the plan emerges almost naturally from the conversation — Helena doesn't arrive with a plan; she arrives with information needs, and the community of women she encounters supplies her with everything she requires to form one. The play consistently gives Helena's intelligence this quality: she doesn't plot coldly from the start; she responds to what she finds with remarkable speed and ingenuity.
Bertram and Parolles.
Bertram and Parolles.
There's Bertram and Parolles.
bertram & parolles
The gods forbid else!
The gods forbid otherwise!
God forbid it should be otherwise!
gods forbid
So, now they come.
That is Antonio, the Duke’s eldest son;
That Escalus.
So, now they are coming. That is Antonio, the Duke's oldest son; that is Escalus.
Here they come. That is Antonio, the Duke's oldest son. And that is Escalus.
here they come that's antonio the duke's son and escalus
Which is the Frenchman?
Which of them is the French count?
Point out the Frenchman for me.
which one's french?
He;
That with the plume; ’tis a most gallant fellow.
I would he lov’d his wife; if he were honester
He were much goodlier. Is’t not a handsome gentleman?
He is the one with the feather; he is a most gallant fellow. I wish he loved his wife; if he were more honest he would be much better-looking. Is he not a handsome gentleman?
He is the one with the feather in his hat - a really gallant fellow. I wish he loved his wife. If he were more honest he would look much better. Is he not handsome?
that one w/ the feather. gallant guy i wish he loved his wife he'd look better if he was honest
I like him well.
He is well-favored in my eye.
I like him.
he seems nice
’Tis pity he is not honest. Yond’s that same knave
That leads him to these places. Were I his lady
I would poison that vile rascal.
It is a shame he is not honest. That is that same villain who leads him to these places. If I were his wife I would poison that vile rascal.
Too bad he is not honest. That is the knave who leads him astray. If I were his wife I would poison that dirty rascal.
shame he's not honest that guy's leading him astray i'd poison him if i could
Which is he?
Which is he?
which 's he?
Which is he?
That jack-an-apes with scarfs. Why is he melancholy?
That ridiculous fool with scarves. Why is he melancholy?
That foolish guy with all the scarves. Why does he look so sad?
that fool w/ scarves. why so sad?
Perchance he’s hurt i’ the battle.
Perhaps he is hurt in the battle.
Maybe he was injured in battle.
maybe he got hurt in battle
Lose our drum! Well.
We lost our drum! Well.
We lost our drum! So be it.
our drum's gone
He’s shrewdly vex’d at something. Look, he has spied us.
He is quite upset about something. Look, he has seen us.
He is very angry about something. Look, he has spotted us.
he's mad at something. he saw us
Marry, hang you!
Go hang yourself!
Get out of here!
go away
And your courtesy, for a ring-carrier!
And your courtesy, for an errand boy!
So much for your courtesy, you errand boy!
and ur courtesy errand boy
The troop is past. Come, pilgrim, I will bring you
Where you shall host; of enjoin’d penitents
There’s four or five, to great Saint Jaques bound,
Already at my house.
The troop has passed. Come, pilgrim, I will bring you to where you will stay; there are four or five pilgrims doing penance, bound for great Saint James, already at my house.
The soldiers have passed. Come, pilgrim, I will bring you to your lodging. I already have four or five other pilgrims staying there who are headed to Saint James.
the troops passed. come i got 4-5 pilgrims going to saint james at my house already
I humbly thank you.
Please it this matron and this gentle maid
To eat with us tonight; the charge and thanking
Shall be for me; and, to requite you further,
I will bestow some precepts of this virgin,
Worthy the note.
I humbly thank you. May it please this matron and this gentle girl to dine with us tonight; the cost and gratitude will be mine; and, to repay you further, I will share some lessons of this maiden, worthy of noting.
Thank you very much. Would you and Diana join us for dinner tonight? I will pay for everything. And to repay you further, I have some advice about staying pure and virtuous that is worth listening to.
thank u. dinner tonight? i'll pay. i got advice on staying virtuous
We’ll take your offer kindly.
We will accept your offer kindly.
We will happily accept your offer.
we'll take it
The Reckoning
The scene where everything converges. Helena has traveled from France to Florence in secret — supposedly on pilgrimage — and she arrives just in time to watch her husband march past in triumph, not knowing she's there. The Widow and Diana are already in Bertram's orbit: he's been trying to seduce Diana. And then there's the extraordinary moment when Helena, describing 'the count's wife' to people who don't know she is the count's wife, says she's 'too mean' to have her name mentioned in the count's company. She is simultaneously erasing herself and planting the seeds of her own rescue. The plan that will save her marriage is beginning to form here, without anyone quite knowing it.
If this happened today…
A woman flies from Paris to Florence, checks into a hostel as a pilgrim, and strikes up a conversation with the landlady and her daughter at the window. She asks about the French count who's been in the news — the one who ran away from his wife. The daughter says Parolles has been hitting on her on his behalf. The woman says, 'I know his wife — she's not worth mentioning, honestly.' The landlady says, 'That girl could do her quite a favor if she wanted.' The woman says, 'How do you mean?' She is listening very carefully now. The marching band goes by and she catches a glimpse of her husband through the crowd.