How do I translate Shakespeare into modern language?

A Midsummer Night's Dream Act 2, Scene 1;


Oberon desribes the magical flower %26amp; its powers:





That very time I saw (but thou couldst not),


Flying between the cold moon and the earth,


Cupid all armed. A cetain aim he took


At a fair vestal throned by [the] west,


And loosed his lofe-shaft smartly from his bow


As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts.


But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft


Quenched in the chaste beams of the wat'ry moon,


And the imperial vot-ress passed on


In maiden meditation, fancy-free.


Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell.


It fell upon a little western flower,


Before, milk-white, now purple with love's wound,


And maidens call it "love-in-idleness."


Fetch me that flower; the herb I showed thee once


The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid


Will make or man or woman madly dote


Upon the next live creature that it sees


Fretch me this herb, and be thou here again


Ere the leviathan can swim league.

How do I translate Shakespeare into modern language?
That same night, I saw Cupid flying from the moon to the earth, with all of his arrows ready. (You couldn't see him, but I could.) He took aim at a beautiful young virgin who was sitting on a throne in the western part of the world, and he shot his arrow of love well enough to have pierced a hundred thousand hearts. But I could see that Cupid's fiery arrow was put out by watery, virginal moonbeams, so the royal virgin continued her virginal thoughts without being interrupted by thoughts of love. But I paid attention to where Cupid's arrow fell. It fell on a little western flower, which used to be white as milk but now has turned purple from being wounded by the arrow of love. Young girls call it “love-in-idleness.” Bring me that flower. I showed it to you once. If its juice is put on someone's eyelids while they're asleep, that person will fall in love with the next living creature he or she sees. Bring me this plant, and get back here before the sea monster has time to swim three miles.





If you have anymore trouble go to sparknotes.com they have books called " No fear Shakespeare" this gives you the original text and the modern English text.

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