KEY FACTS

AUTHORSHIP: By Shakespeare and John Fletcher. Active collaboration is generally assumed, but the possibility of Fletcher taking over an incomplete Shakespearean work cannot be ruled out. Most scholars agree on the following division of labor, whereby Shakespeare wrote the beginning and end, Fletcher the middle (including the Jailer’s Daughter subplot):

Prologue	Fletcher
Act 1	Shakespeare
2.1	Shakespeare
2.2–2.6	Fletcher
3.1–3.2	Shakespeare (some doubt about 3.2)
rest of Act 3	Fletcher
Act 4	Fletcher (some doubt about 4.2)
5.1	Shakespeare (some doubt about opening 38 lines)
5.2	Fletcher
5.3–5.4	Shakespeare
Epilogue	Fletcher

PLOT: On the day planned for his wedding to Hippolyta, Duke Theseus of Athens is petitioned by three queens to go to war against King Creon of Thebes, who has deprived their dead husbands of proper burial rites. In Thebes, the “two noble kinsmen,” Palamon and Arcite, realize that their own hatred of Creon’s tyranny must be put aside while their native city is in danger, but in spite of their valor in battle it is Theseus who is victorious. Imprisoned in Athens, the cousins catch sight of Hippolyta’s sister, Emilia, and both fall instantly in love with her. Arcite is set free, but disguises himself rather than return to Thebes, while Palamon escapes with the help of the Jailer’s Daughter, who loves him. Meeting each other, the kinsmen agree that mortal combat between them must decide the issue, but they are discovered by Theseus who is persuaded to revoke his sentence of death and instead decrees that a tournament shall decide which cousin is to be married to the indecisive Emilia and which is to lose his head. The Jailer’s Daughter has been driven mad by unrequited love, but accepts her former suitor when he pretends to be Palamon. Before the tournament Arcite makes a lengthy invocation to Mars, while Palamon prays to Venus, and Emilia to Diana—for victory to go to the one who loves her best. Although Arcite triumphs, he is thrown from his horse before the death sentence on Palamon can be carried out, and with his last breath bequeaths Emilia to his friend.

MAJOR PARTS: (with percentage of lines/number of speeches/scenes on stage) Palamon (18%/139/8), Arcite (16%/132/10), Emilia (11%/64/10), Theseus (10%/70/9), Jailer’s Daughter (10%/54/9), Jailer (4%/64/5), Pirithous (4%/37/9), Wooer (3%/38/3), Hippolyta (3%/25/9), Schoolmaster (3%/19/1), Doctor (2%/30/2), First Queen (2%/12/3).

LINGUISTIC MEDIUM: 95% verse, 5% prose.

DATE: 1613–14. Morris dance borrows from Francis Beaumont’s Masque of the Inner Temple and Gray’s Inn, February 1613; alluded to in Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair (first performed October 1614); ‘‘our losses’’ in the Prologue probably refers to the Globe fire of June 1613; probably first performed at Blackfriars Theatre in the winter season of 1613–14.

SOURCES: Based on Chaucer’s ‘‘Knight’s Tale’’ (the debt is specifically acknowledged in the Prologue, as with the debt to Gower in Pericles). There is no direct source for the Jailer’s Daughter subplot, but the influence of Hamlet is strong. The striking opening sequence of a royal wedding interrupted by harbingers of royal death may be shaped by recent public events: the wedding of King James’ daughter, Princess Elizabeth, was planned for January 1613, but postponed because of the death in November 1612 of Prince Henry, heir to the throne.

TEXT: Not in the First Folio, presumably because it was thought to belong to the canon of the living Fletcher as much as the dead Shakespeare. Published in Quarto in 1634, as ‘‘Presented at the Blackfriers by the Kings Maiesties servants, with great applause: Written by the memorableWorthies of their time: Mr John Fletcher, and MrWilliam Shakspeare. Gent[lemen].’’ Thomas Cotes, the printer, also produced a new Quarto of Pericles the following year: the two plays may have been intended as an addendum to the Shakespeare Second Folio of 1632, which was also printed by Cotes. A well-printed text, perhaps based on a scribal transcript of the authors’ manuscript, but with theatrical annotation. Some of the stage directions are intended for the bookkeeper, who acted as stage manager, preparing props backstage; they are proof of the theatrical origin of the text and of great interest in revealing stage practice. The text was reprinted in the Second Folio (1679) of Beaumont and Fletcher’s Comedies and Tragedies.

THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN

The PROLOGUE

Thebans

THREE QUEENS, widows of besiegers of Thebes

VALERIUS

THREE KNIGHTS, Arcite’s supporters

THREE KNIGHTS, Palamon’s supporters

Athenians

THESEUS, Duke of Athens

PIRITHOUS, Theseus’ friend

HIPPOLYTA, Amazon queen, Theseus’ bride

EMILIA, Hippolyta’s sister

WAITING WOMAN, attendant on Emilia

Artesius, an OFFICER of Theseus

HERALD

JAILER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

WOOER of Jailer’s daughter

JAILER’S BROTHER

TWO FRIENDS of Jailer

DOCTOR

Gerald, a SCHOOLMASTER

FIVE COUNTRYMEN: Areas, Rycas, Sennois and two others

FIVE COUNTRYWOMEN: Barbary, Friz, Luce, Maudlin, Nell

TIMOTHY, a TABORER

Actor playing a BABOON

GENTLEMEN

EXECUTIONER

TWO MESSENGERS

The EPILOGUE

Other Servants, Guards and Attendants

Prologue

Flourish.* [Enter the Prologue]

New plays and maidenheads¹ are near akin:

Much followed² both, for both much money gi’en,

If they stand³ sound and well. And a good play —

Whose modest scenes blush on his marriage day,

5 And shake⁵ to lose his honour — is like her

That after holy tie and first night’s stir⁶

Yet still is Modesty, and still retains

More of the maid, to sight, than husband’s pains.⁸

We pray our play may be so, for I am sure

10 It has a noble breeder¹⁰ and a pure,

A learnèd, and a poet never went¹¹

More famous yet ’twixt Po¹² and silver Trent.

Chaucer — of all admired — the story gives,

There,¹⁴ constant to eternity, it lives.

15 If we let fall¹⁵ the nobleness of this

And the first sound this child hear be a hiss,

How will it shake the bones of that good man

And make him cry from under ground, ‘O, fan¹⁸

From me the witless chaff of such a writer

20 That blasts my bays²⁰ and my famed works makes lighter

Than Robin Hood!²¹’ This is the fear we bring,

For, to say truth, it were an endless²² thing

And too ambitious to aspire to him,

Weak as we are, and almost breathless swim

25 In this deep water. Do²⁵ but you hold out

Your helping hands and we shall tack about,²⁶

And something do to save us: you shall hear

Scenes, though below his art, may yet appear

Worth two hours’ travel. To his bones sweet sleep,

30 Content to you. If this play do not keep

A little dull time from us, we perceive

Our losses fall so thick, we must needs leave.³²

Flourish. [Exit]

Act 1 [Scene 1]^1.1

running scene 1

Music. Enter Hymen with a torch burning, a Boy, in a white robe, before, singing and strewing flowers; after Hymen, a Nymph, encompassed in her tresses, bearing a wheaten garland. Then Theseus between two other Nymphs with wheaten chaplets on their heads. Then Hippolyta the bride, led by [Pirithous], and another holding a garland over her head, her tresses likewise hanging. After her Emilia, holding up her train.

The song

BOY

BOY Roses their sharp spines being gone,

Not royal² in their smells alone,

But in their hue.

Maiden pinks, of odour faint,

5 Daisies smell-less, yet most quaint ⁵

And sweet thyme true.

Primrose, first-born child of Ver,⁷

Merry springtime’s harbinger,⁸

With harebells dim,

10 Oxlips in their cradles¹⁰ growing,

Marigolds on deathbeds blowing,¹¹

Lark’s-heels¹² trim.

All dear Nature’s children sweet,

Lie ’fore bride and bridegroom’s feet,

Strew flowers

15 Blessing their sense.¹⁵

Not an angel of the air,

Bird melodious, or bird fair,

Is absent hence.

The crow, the sland’rous¹⁹ cuckoo, nor

20 The boding²⁰ raven, nor chough hoar

Nor chatt’ring ’pie,²¹

May on our bride-house²² perch or sing,

Or with them any discord bring,

But from it fly.

Enter three Queens in black, with veils stained, with imperial crowns. The First Queen falls down at the foot of Theseus, the second falls down at the foot of Hippolyta, the third before Emilia

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN For pity’s sake and true gentility’s, To Theseus

Hear and respect²⁶ me.

SECOND QUEEN

SECOND QUEEN For your mother’s sake To Hippolyta

And as you wish your womb may thrive with fair ones,

Hear and respect me,

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN Now for the love of him whom Jove³⁰ hath marked To Emilia

The honour³¹ of your bed and for the sake

Of clear virginity, be advocate

For us and our distresses: this good deed

Shall raze³⁴ you out o’th’book of trespasses

35 All you are set down there.

THESEUS

THESEUS Sad lady, rise. To First Queen

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Stand up. To Second Queen

EMILIA

EMILIA No knees³⁸ to me. To Third Queen

What woman I may stead³⁹ that is distressed

40 Does bind me to her.

Second and Third Queens may rise here while First Queen continues to kneel, or all three may continue kneeling

THESEUS

THESEUS What’s your request? To First Queen Deliver you for all.

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN We are three queens, whose sovereigns fell before

The wrath of cruel Creon,⁴³ who endured

The beaks of ravens, talons of the kites

45 And pecks of crows in the foul fields of Thebes.

He will not suffer⁴⁶ us to burn their bones,

To urn their ashes, nor to take th’offence

Of mortal loathsomeness from the blest eye

Of holy Phoebus,⁴⁹ but infects the winds

50 With stench of our slain lords. O pity, duke,

Thou purger⁵¹ of the earth, draw thy feared sword

That does good turns to th’world: give us the bones

Of our dead kings that we may chapel⁵³ them:

And of⁵⁴ thy boundless goodness take some note

55 That for our crownèd heads we have no roof,

Save this which is the lion’s and the bear’s,

And vault⁵⁷ to everything.

THESEUS

THESEUS Pray you, kneel not:

I was transported⁵⁹ with your speech and suffered

60 Your knees to wrong themselves. I have heard the fortunes

Of your dead lords, which gives me such lamenting

As wakes my vengeance and revenge for ’em.—

King Capaneus was your lord. The day To First Queen

That he should⁶⁴ marry you, at such a season

65 As now it is with me, I met your groom.

By Mars’s⁶⁶ altar you were that time fair:

Not Juno’s⁶⁷ mantle fairer than your tresses,

Nor in more bounty spread her. Your⁶⁸ wheaten wreath

Was then nor threshed nor blasted: Fortune at you

70 Dimpled her cheek with smiles. Hercules⁷⁰ our kinsman —

Then weaker than your eyes — laid by his club:

He tumbled down upon his Nemean⁷² hide

And swore his sinews thawed.⁷³ O grief and time,

Fearful consumers, you will all devour!

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN O, I hope some god,

Some god hath put his mercy in your manhood,

Whereto⁷⁷ he’ll infuse power, and press you forth

Our undertaker.⁷⁸

THESEUS

THESEUS O, no knees, none, widow!

80 Unto the helmeted Bellona⁸⁰ use them,

And pray for me, your soldier. First Queen rises

Troubled I am.

Turns away

SECOND QUEEN

SECOND QUEEN Honoured Hippolyta, Kneeling

Most dreaded Amazonian, that hast slain

85 The scythe-tusked boar, that with thy arm, as strong

As it is white, wast⁸⁶ near to make the male

To thy sex captive, but that this thy lord

Born to uphold⁸⁸ creation in that honour

First nature styled it in, shrunk thee into

90 The bound⁹⁰ thou wast o’er-flowing, at once subduing

Thy force and thy affection, soldieress,

That equally canst poise⁹² sternness with pity,

Whom now I know hast much more power on him

Than ever he had on thee, who ow’st⁹⁴ his strength

95 And his love too, who is a servant for

The tenor⁹⁶ of the speech, dear glass of ladies:

Bid him that we, whom flaming war doth scorch,

Under the shadow of his sword may cool us:

Require him he advance it o’er our heads.

100

100 Speak’t in a woman’s key,¹⁰⁰ like such a woman

As any of us three: weep ere you fail,

Lend¹⁰² us a knee,

But touch the ground for us no longer time

Than a dove’s motion when the head’s plucked off.

105

105 Tell him if he i’th’blood-sized ¹⁰⁵ field lay swoll’n,

Showing the sun his teeth, grinning at the moon,

What you would do.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Poor lady say no more:

I had as lief¹⁰⁹ trace this good action with you

110

110 As that whereto I am going, and never yet

Went I so willing way. My lord is taken¹¹¹

Heart deep with your distress: let him consider:

I’ll speak anon. Second Queen rises

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN O, my petition was

Kneel to Emilia

115

115 Set¹¹⁵ down in ice, which by hot grief uncandied

Melts into drops: so sorrow wanting form¹¹⁶

Is pressed¹¹⁷ with deeper matter.

EMILIA

EMILIA Pray stand up:

Your grief is written in your cheek.

120

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN O, woe, Third Queen rises

You cannot read it there: there, through my tears,

Like wrinkled pebbles in a glass stream,

You may behold ’em — lady, lady, alack —

He that will all the treasure know o’th’earth

125

125 Must know¹²⁵ the centre too: he that will fish

For my least minnow, let him lead his line

To catch one at my heart. O, pardon me,

Extremity, that sharpens sundry wits,¹²⁸

Makes me a fool.

130

EMILIA

EMILIA Pray you say nothing, pray you.

Who cannot feel nor see the rain, being in’t,

Knows neither wet nor dry. If that you were

The ground-piece¹³³ of some painter, I would buy you

T’instruct me gainst¹³⁴ a capital grief indeed

135

135 Such heart-pierced demonstration: but alas,

Being a natural¹³⁶ sister of our sex,

Your sorrow beats so ardently¹³⁷ upon me

That it shall¹³⁸ make a counter-reflect gainst

My brother’s heart, and warm it to some pity,

140

140 Though it were made of stone. Pray have good comfort.

THESEUS

THESEUS Forward to th’temple! Leave not out a jot¹⁴¹

O’th’sacred ceremony.

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN O, this celebration

Will longer last and be more costly than

145

145 Your suppliants’¹⁴⁵ war! Remember that your fame

Knolls¹⁴⁶ in the ear o’th’world: what you do quickly

Is not done rashly: your first thought is more

Than others’ laboured meditance,¹⁴⁸ your pre-meditating

More than their actions. But, O Jove, your actions,

150

150 Soon as they move, as ospreys¹⁵⁰ do the fish,

Subdue before they touch. Think, dear duke, think

What beds our slain kings have.

SECOND QUEEN

SECOND QUEEN What griefs our beds,

That our dear lords have none.

155

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN None fit for th’dead:

Those that with cords, knives, drams’¹⁵⁶ precipitance,

Weary of this world’s light, have to themselves

Been death’s most horrid agents, humane grace

Affords them dust and shadow.

160

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN But our lords

Lie blist’ring ’fore the visitating¹⁶¹ sun,

And were good kings, when living.

THESEUS

THESEUS It is true, and I will give you comfort,

To give¹⁶⁴ your dead lords graves:

165

165 The which to do must make some work with Creon.

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN And that work presents¹⁶⁶ itself to th’doing:

Now ’twill take form, the heats are gone tomorrow:

Then, bootless¹⁶⁸ toil must recompense itself

With its own sweat: now he’s secure,

170

170 Not dreams, we stand before your puissance¹⁷⁰

Rinsing our holy begging in our eyes

To make petition clear.¹⁷²

SECOND QUEEN

SECOND QUEEN Now you may take him,

Drunk with his victory.

175

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN And his army full

Of bread and sloth.

THESEUS

THESEUS Artesius, that best knowest To Officer

How to draw out¹⁷⁸ fit to this enterprise

The prim’st¹⁷⁹ for this proceeding and the number

180

180 To carry such a business, forth and levy¹⁸⁰

Our worthiest instruments,¹⁸¹ whilst we dispatch

This grand act of our life, this daring deed

Of fate in wedlock.

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN Dowagers, take hands. To the other Queens

185

185 Let us be widows¹⁸⁵ to our woes: delay

Commends us to a famishing¹⁸⁶ hope.

ALL QUEENS

ALL QUEENS Farewell.

SECOND QUEEN

SECOND QUEEN We come unseasonably: but when could grief

Cull¹⁸⁹ forth, as unpanged judgement can, fitt’st time

190

190 For best solicitation?

THESEUS

THESEUS Why, good ladies,

This is a service,¹⁹² whereto I am going,

Greater than any war: it more imports¹⁹³ me

Than all the actions that I have foregone,¹⁹⁴

195

195 Or futurely can cope.¹⁹⁵

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN The more proclaiming¹⁹⁶

Our suit shall be neglected, when her arms,

Able to lock¹⁹⁸ Jove from a synod, shall

By warranting¹⁹⁹ moonlight corslet thee: O, when

200

200 Her twinning cherries²⁰⁰ shall their sweetness fall

Upon thy taste-full²⁰¹ lips, what wilt thou think

Of rotten kings or blubbered²⁰² queens? What care

For what thou feel’st not, what thou feel’st being able

To make Mars spurn his drum? O, if thou couch

205

205 But one night with her, every hour in’t will

Take hostage of thee for a hundred and

Thou shalt remember nothing more, than what

That banquet bids²⁰⁸ thee to.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Though much unlike²⁰⁹ To Theseus

210

210 You should be so transported, as much sorry

I should be such a suitor, yet I think

Did I not by th’abstaining of my joy

Which breeds a deeper longing, cure their surfeit ²¹³

That craves a present²¹⁴ med’cine, I should pluck

215

215 All ladies’ scandal²¹⁵ on me. Therefore, sir Kneels

As I shall here make trial of my prayers,

Either presuming them to have some force,

Or sentencing for aye²¹⁸ their vigour dumb,

Prorogue²¹⁹ this business we are going about and hang

220

220 Your shield afore your heart, about that neck

Which is my fee²²¹ and which I freely lend

To do these poor queens service.

ALL QUEENS

ALL QUEENS O, help now, To Emilia

Our cause cries for your knee.

225

EMILIA

EMILIA If you grant not Kneels to Theseus

My sister her petition in that force,

With that celerity and nature, which

She makes it in, from henceforth I’ll not dare

To ask you anything, nor be so hardy²²⁹

230

230 Ever to take a husband.

THESEUS

THESEUS Pray stand up. They rise

I am entreating of myself to do

That which you kneel to have me.— Pirithous,

Lead on the bride: get you²³⁴ and pray the gods

235

235 For success and return: omit not anything

In the pretended²³⁶ celebration.— Queens,

Follow your soldier.— As before, hence you, To Officer

And at the banks of Aulis²³⁸ meet us with

The forces you can raise, where we shall find

240

240 The moiety²⁴⁰ of a number for a business

More bigger look’t.— Since that our theme is haste,

[Exit Officer]

I stamp this kiss upon thy current²⁴² lip:

Sweet, keep it as my token. Set you forward,

For I will see you gone.—

[They begin to] exeunt towards the temple

245

245 Farewell, my beauteous sister.— Pirithous,

Keep the feast full,²⁴⁶ bate not an hour on’t.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Sir,

I’ll follow you at heels: the feast’s solemnity²⁴⁸

Shall want²⁴⁹ till your return.

250

THESEUS

THESEUS Cousin,²⁵⁰ I charge you

Budge not from Athens: we shall be returning

Ere you can end this feast, of which I pray you

Make no abatement.²⁵³— Once more, farewell all.

[Exeunt all except Theseus and Queens]

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN Thus dost thou still make good the tongue o’th’world²⁵⁴—

255

SECOND QUEEN

SECOND QUEEN And earn’st a deity equal with Mars—

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN If not above him, for

Thou, being but mortal, mak’st affections²⁵⁷ bend

To godlike honours: they themselves, some say,

Groan under such a mast’ry.

260

THESEUS

THESEUS As we are men,

Thus should we do, being sensually subdued²⁶¹

We lose our human title.²⁶² Good cheer, ladies:

Now turn we towards your comforts.

Flourish. Exeunt

Act 1 Scene 2^1.2

running scene 2

Enter Palamon and Arcite

ARCITE

ARCITE Dear Palamon, dearer in love than blood¹

And our prime² cousin, yet unhardened in

The crimes of nature,³ let us leave the city

Thebes, and the temptings in’t, before we further

5 Sully⁵ our gloss of youth

And here to keep in abstinence we shame⁶

As in incontinence,⁷ for not to swim

I’th’aid o’th’current, were almost to sink,

At least to frustrate striving,⁹ and to follow

10 The common stream, ’twould bring us to an eddy¹⁰

Where we should turn or drown: if labour through,

Our gain but life and weakness.

PALAMON

PALAMON Your advice

Is cried up¹⁴ with example. What strange ruins

15 Since first we went to school, may we perceive

Walking in Thebes! Scars and bare weeds¹⁶

The gain o’th’martialist,¹⁷ who did propound

To his bold ends honour and golden ingots,¹⁸

Which though he won, he had not, and now flurted¹⁹

20 By peace for whom he fought. Who then shall offer

To Mars’s so scorned altar? I do bleed

When such I meet and wish great Juno would

Resume her ancient fit of jealousy

To get the soldier work, that peace might purge²⁴

25 For her repletion and retain²⁵ anew

Her charitable heart, now hard and harsher

Than strife or war could be.

ARCITE

ARCITE Are you not out?²⁸

Meet you no ruin but the soldier in

30 The cranks³⁰ and turns of Thebes? You did begin

As if you met decays of many kinds:

Perceive you none that do arouse your pity

But th’unconsidered soldier?

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes, I pity

35 Decays where’er I find them, but such most

That sweating in an honourable toil

Are paid³⁷ with ice to cool ’em.

ARCITE

ARCITE ’Tis not this

I did begin to speak of: this is virtue

40 Of no respect⁴⁰ in Thebes. I spake of Thebes,

How dangerous, if we will keep our honours,

It is for our residing, where every evil

Hath a good colour:⁴³ where every seeming good’s

A certain evil: where not to be e’en jump⁴⁴

45 As they are here were to be strangers, and

Such things to be, mere⁴⁶ monsters.

PALAMON

PALAMON ’Tis in our power —

Unless we fear that apes⁴⁸ can tutor’s — to

Be masters of our manners. What need I

50 Affect⁵⁰ another’s gait, which is not catching

Where there is faith,⁵¹ or to be fond upon

Another’s way of speech when by mine own

I may be reasonably conceived,⁵³ saved too,

Speaking it truly?⁵⁴ Why am I bound

55 By any generous bond⁵⁵ to follow him

Follows his tailor, haply⁵⁶ so long until

The followed make pursuit?⁵⁷ Or let me know

Why mine own barber is unblessed, with him

My poor chin too, for⁵⁹ ’tis not scissored just

60 To such a favourite’s glass?⁶⁰ What canon is there

That does command my rapier⁶¹ from my hip

To dangle’t in my hand, or to go tiptoe

Before the street be foul? Either I am

The fore-horse in the team or I am none

65 That draw i’th’sequent trace.⁶⁵ These poor slight sores

Need not a plantain:⁶⁶ that which tips my bosom

Almost to th’heart’s—

ARCITE

ARCITE Our uncle Creon.

PALAMON

PALAMON He:

70 A most unbounded tyrant, whose successes

Makes heaven unfeared and villainy assured

Beyond its power there’s nothing, almost puts

Faith in a fever, and deifies⁷³ alone

Voluble⁷⁴ chance: who only attributes

75 The faculties of other instruments

To his own nerves and act: commands men service,

And what they win in’t, boot⁷⁷ and glory: one

That fears not to do harm, good, dares not.⁷⁸ Let

The blood of mine that’s sib⁷⁹ to him be sucked

80 From me with leeches, let them break⁸⁰ and fall

Off me with that corruption.

ARCITE

ARCITE Clear-spirited⁸² cousin,

Let’s leave his court, that we may nothing share

Of his loud⁸⁴ infamy, for our milk

85 Will relish of the pasture and we must

Be vile⁸⁶ or disobedient: not his kinsmen

In blood unless in quality.

PALAMON

PALAMON Nothing truer:

I think the echoes of his shames have deafed

90 The ears of heav’nly justice. Widows’ cries

Descend again into their throats and have not

Enter Valerius

Due audience of⁹² the gods.— Valerius!

VALERIUS

VALERIUS The king calls for you: yet be leaden-footed⁹³

Till his great rage be off him. Phoebus, when

95 He broke his whipstock⁹⁵ and exclaimed against

The horses of the sun, but⁹⁶ whispered to

The loudness of his fury.

PALAMON

PALAMON Small winds shake him.

But what’s the matter?

100

VALERIUS

VALERIUS Theseus — who, where he threats, appals¹⁰⁰ — hath sent

Deadly defiance to him and pronounces

Ruin to Thebes, who is at hand to seal¹⁰²

The promise of his wrath.

ARCITE

ARCITE Let him approach.

105

105 But¹⁰⁵ that we fear the gods in him, he brings not

A jot of terror to us. Yet what man

Thirds¹⁰⁷ his own worth — the case is each of ours —

When that his action’s dregged,¹⁰⁸ with mind assured

’Tis bad he goes about?

110

PALAMON

PALAMON Leave that unreasoned.¹¹⁰

Our services stand now for Thebes, not Creon.

Yet¹¹² to be neutral to him were dishonour,

Rebellious to oppose: therefore we must

With him stand to the mercy of our fate,

115

115 Who hath bounded¹¹⁵ our last minute.

ARCITE

ARCITE So we must.—

Is’t said this war’s afoot? Or it shall be, To Valerius

On fail of¹¹⁸ some condition?

VALERIUS

VALERIUS ’Tis in motion.

120

120 The intelligence of state¹²⁰ came in the instant

With the defier.¹²¹

PALAMON

PALAMON Let’s to the king, who, were he

A quarter-carrier of that honour which

His enemy come in, the blood we venture

125

125 Should be as¹²⁵ for our health, which were not spent,

Rather laid¹²⁶ out for purchase: but, alas,

Our hands¹²⁷ advanced before our hearts, what will

The fall o’th’stroke do damage?

ARCITE

ARCITE Let th’event,¹²⁹

130

130 That never-erring arbitrator, tell us

When we know all ourselves, and let us follow

The becking¹³² of our chance.

Exeunt

Act 1 Scene 3^1.3

running scene 3

Enter Pirithous, Hippolyta, Emilia

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS No further.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Sir, farewell: repeat my wishes

To our great lord, of whose success I dare not

Make any timorous⁴ question: yet I wish him

5 Excess and overflow of power, an’t⁵ might be

To dure⁶ ill-dealing fortune. Speed to him!

Store⁷ never hurts good governors.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Though I know

His ocean needs not my poor drops, yet they

10 Must yield their tribute there.— My precious maid, To Emilia

Those best affections¹¹ that the heavens infuse

In their best-tempered pieces,¹² keep enthroned

In your dear heart.

EMILIA

EMILIA Thanks, sir. Remember me

15 To our all-royal brother, for whose speed

The great Bellona I’ll solicit: and

Since in our terrene¹⁷ state petitions are not

Without gifts understood, I’ll offer to her

What I shall be advised she likes. Our hearts

20 Are in his army, in his tent.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA In’s bosom:

We have been soldiers and we cannot weep

When our friends don their helms,²³ or put to sea,

Or tell of babes broached²⁴ on the lance, or women

25 That have sod²⁵ their infants in — and after eat them —

The brine they wept at killing ’em. Then if

You stay ²⁷ to see of us such spinsters, we

Should hold you here for ever.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Peace be to you

30 As³⁰ I pursue this war, which shall be then

Beyond further requiring.³¹

Exit Pirithous

EMILIA

EMILIA How his longing

Follows his³³ friend! Since his depart, his sports,

Though craving seriousness and skill, passed slightly³⁴

35 His careless execution,³⁵ where nor gain

Made him regard or³⁶ loss consider, but

Playing one business in his hand, another

Directing in his head, his mind nurse equal

To these so-differing twins.³⁹ Have you observed him,

40 Since our great lord departed?

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA With much labour,⁴¹

And I did love him for’t. They two have cabined⁴²

In many as dangerous as poor a corner,

Peril and want contending: they have skiffed⁴⁴

45 Torrents whose roaring tyranny and power

I’th’least of these was dreadful: and they have

Fought out together where⁴⁷ death’s self was lodged.

Yet fate hath brought them off:⁴⁸ their knot of love

Tied, weaved, entangled, with so true, so long,

50 And with a finger of so deep a cunning,⁵⁰

May be outworn, never undone. I think

Theseus cannot be umpire⁵² to himself,

Cleaving his conscience into twain and doing

Each side like⁵⁴ justice, which he loves best.

EMILIA

EMILIA Doubtless

There is a best, and reason has no manners

To say it is not you. I was acquainted

Once with a time when I enjoyed⁵⁸ a play-fellow:

You were at wars when she the grave enriched,

60 Who made too proud⁶⁰ the bed, took leave o’th’moon —

Which then looked pale at parting — when our count⁶¹

Was each eleven.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA ’Twas Flavina.

EMILIA

EMILIA Yes.

65 You talk of Pirithous’ and Theseus’ love.

Theirs has more ground,⁶⁶ is more maturely seasoned,

More buckled⁶⁷ with strong judgement, and their needs

The one of th’other may be said to water

Two hearses ready with Palamon and Arcite: the three

Queens, Theseus and his Lords ready

Their intertangled roots of love, but I

70 And she I sigh and spoke of were things innocent,

Loved for⁷¹ we did, and like the elements

That know not what nor why, yet do effect

Rare issues by their operance,⁷³ our souls

Did so to one another. What she liked

75 Was then of me approved, what not, condemned,

No more arraignment.⁷⁶ The flower that I would pluck

And put between my breasts — O, then but beginning

To swell about the blossom — she would long

Till she had such another, and commit it

80 To the like innocent cradle, where phoenix-like⁸⁰

They died in perfume. On my head no toy⁸¹

But was her pattern,⁸² her affections — pretty,

Though happily⁸³ her careless wear — I followed

For my most serious decking.⁸⁴ Had mine ear

85 Stol’n some new air or at adventure hummed one

From musical coinage,⁸⁶ why, it was a note

Whereon her spirits would sojourn⁸⁷ — rather dwell on —

And sing it in her slumbers. This rehearsal⁸⁸ —

Which fury innocent wots⁸⁹ well — comes in

90 Like old importment’s bastard,⁹⁰ has this end:

That the true love ’tween maid and maid may be

More than in sex dividual.⁹²

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA You’re out of breath,

And this high-speeded pace is but to say

95 That you shall never — like the maid Flavina —

Love any that’s called man.

EMILIA

EMILIA I am sure I shall not.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Now, alack, weak sister,

I must no more believe thee in this point —

100

100 Though in’t I know thou dost believe thyself —

Than I will trust a sickly appetite

That loathes even as it longs. But sure, my sister,

If I were ripe¹⁰³ for your persuasion, you

Have said enough to shake me from the arm

105

105 Of the all-noble Theseus, for whose fortunes

I will now in¹⁰⁶ and kneel, with great assurance

That we, more than his Pirithous, possess

The high throne in his heart.

EMILIA

EMILIA I am not

110

Against your faith, yet I continue mine. Exeunt

Act 1 Scene 4^1.4

running scene 4

Cornets. A battle struck within, then a retreat. Flourish. Then enter [with a Herald, Lords and Soldiers,] Theseus, victor. The three Queens meet him, and fall on their faces before him

Palamon and Arcite are borne in on hearses

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN To thee no star be dark!²

SECOND QUEEN

SECOND QUEEN Both heaven and earth

Friend thee for ever!

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN All the good that may

5 Be wished upon thy head, I cry ‘Amen’ to’t!

THESEUS

THESEUS Th’impartial gods, who from the mounted⁶ heavens

View us, their mortal herd, behold who err

And in their time chastise. Go and find out

The bones of your dead lords and honour them

10 With treble ceremony, rather than a gap

Should be in their dear rights. We would supply’t,

But those we will depute, which shall invest ¹²

You in your dignities and even¹³ each thing

Our haste does leave imperfect. So adieu,

15 And heaven’s good eyes look on you.—

Exeunt Queens

What are those? Sees Palamon and Arcite

HERALD

HERALD Men of great quality,¹⁷ as may be judged

By their appointment.¹⁸ Some of Thebes have told’s

They are sisters’ children, nephews to the king.

THESEUS

THESEUS By th’helm of Mars, I saw them in the war,

Like to a pair of lions, smeared with prey,

Make lanes²² in troops aghast. I fixed my note

Constantly on them, for they were a mark²³

Worth a god’s view. What prisoner was’t that told me

25 When I inquired their names?

HERALD

HERALD Wi’leave,²⁶ they’re called

Arcite and Palamon.

THESEUS

THESEUS ’Tis right, those, those.

They are not dead?

HERALD

HERALD Nor in a state of life. Had they been taken

Three hearses ready

When their last hurts were given, ’twas possible

They might have been recovered, yet they breathe

And have³³ the name of men.

THESEUS

THESEUS Then like men use³⁴ ’em.

35 The very lees³⁵ of such — millions of rates —

Exceed the wine of others. All our surgeons

Convent³⁷ in their behoof, our richest balms,

Rather than niggard,³⁸ waste: their lives concern us

Much more than Thebes is worth. Rather than have ’em

40 Freed of this plight and in⁴⁰ their morning state —

Sound and at liberty — I would⁴¹ ’em dead,

But forty-thousandfold we had rather have ’em

Prisoners to us than death. Bear ’em speedily

From our kind air, to them unkind,⁴⁴ and minister

45 What man to man may do for our sake — more,

Since I have known frights, fury, friends’ behests,

Love’s provocations, zeal, a mistress’ task,

Desire of liberty, a fever, madness,

Hath set a mark⁴⁹ which nature could not reach to

50 Without some imposition,⁵⁰ sickness in will

O’er-wrestling strength in reason. For our love

And great Apollo’s⁵² mercy, all our best

Their best skill tender. Lead into the city,

Where having bound things scattered,⁵⁴ we will post

55 To Athens ’fore our army.

Flourish. Exeunt.

Act 1 Scene 5

running scene 5

Music. Enter the Queens with the hearses of their knights in a funeral solemnity, and others

ALL

ALL Urns and odours bring away, Sing

Vapours, sighs, darken the day:

Our dole³ more deadly looks than dying.

Balms and gums⁴ and heavy cheers,

5 Sacred vials filled with tears,

And clamours through the wild air flying.

Come all sad and solemn shows,

That are quick-eyed⁸ Pleasure’s foes:

We convent⁹ naught else but woes.

10 We convent naught else but woes.

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN This funeral path brings to your household’s grave:

Joy seize on you again, peace sleep with him.

SECOND QUEEN

SECOND QUEEN And this to yours.

FIRST QUEEN

FIRST QUEEN Yours this way: heavens lend

15 A thousand differing ways to one sure end.

THIRD QUEEN

THIRD QUEEN This world’s a city full of straying¹⁶ streets,

And death’s the market-place where each one meets.

Exeunt severally¹⁷

Act 2 Scene 1^2.1

running scene 6

Enter Jailer and Wooer

JAILER

JAILER I may depart¹ with little while I live: something I may cast² to you, not much. Alas, the prison I keep, though it be for great ones, yet they seldom come: before one salmon,⁴ you shall take a number of minnows.⁵ I am given out to be better lined⁶ than it can appear to me report is a true speaker: I would I were really that I am delivered⁸ to be. Marry, what I have, be it what it will, I will assure⁹ upon my daughter at the day of my death.

WOOER

WOOER Sir, I demand no more than your own offer and I will estate¹² your daughter in what I have promised.

JAILER

JAILER Well, we will talk more of this when the solemnity¹⁵ is past. But have you a full promise of her?

Enter [Jailer’s] Daughter With rushes

When that shall be seen, I tender¹⁶ my consent.

WOOER

WOOER I have, sir. Here she comes.

JAILER

JAILER Your friend and I have chanced to name¹⁸ you here, upon the old business.¹⁹ But no more of that now: so soon as the court hurry²⁰ is over, we will have an end of it. I’th’meantime, look tenderly²¹ to the two prisoners: I can tell you they are princes.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER These strewings²³ are for their chamber. ’Tis pity they are in prison and ’twere pity they should be out: I do think they have patience to make any adversity ashamed. The prison itself is proud of ’em and they have all²⁷ the world in their chamber.

JAILER

JAILER They are famed to be a pair of absolute²⁹ men.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER By my troth,³⁰ I think fame but stammers³¹ ’em: they stand a grise above the reach of report.

JAILER

JAILER I heard them reported in the battle to be the only doers.³⁴

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Nay, most likely, for they are noble suff’rers. I marvel how they would have looked had they been victors, that with such a constant nobility enforce³⁸ a freedom out of bondage, making misery their mirth, and affliction a toy ⁴⁰ to jest at.

JAILER

JAILER Do they so?

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER It seems to me they have no more sense of their captivity than I of ruling Athens: they eat well, look merrily, discourse of many things, but nothing of their own restraint⁴⁵ and disasters. Yet sometime a divided⁴⁶ sigh, martyred⁴⁷ as ’twere i’th’deliverance, will break from one of them, when the other presently⁴⁸ gives it so sweet a rebuke that I could wish myself a sigh to be so chid,⁵⁰ or at least a sigher to be comforted.

WOOER

WOOER I never saw ’em.

JAILER

JAILER The duke himself came privately in the night, and so did they.

Enter Palamon, and Arcite above In shackles

What the reason of it is, I know not. Look, yonder⁵⁴ they are: that’s Arcite looks out.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER No, sir, no, that’s Palamon. Arcite is the lower⁵⁷ of the twain: you may perceive a part of him.

JAILER

JAILER Go to,⁵⁹ leave your pointing: they would not make us their object. Out of their sight.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER It is a holiday to look on them. Lord, the difference of⁶² men!

Exeunt

Act 2 Scene 2^2.2

running scene 6 continues

Enter Palamon, and Arcite in prison Above

PALAMON

PALAMON How do you, noble cousin?

ARCITE

ARCITE How do you, sir?

PALAMON

PALAMON Why, strong enough to laugh at misery

And bear the chance⁴ of war: yet we are prisoners,

5 I fear, for ever, cousin.

ARCITE

ARCITE I believe it,

And to that destiny have patiently

Laid⁸ up my hour to come.

PALAMON

PALAMON O cousin Arcite,

10 Where is Thebes now? Where is our noble country?

Where are our friends and kindreds?¹¹ Never more

Must we behold those comforts, never see

The hardy¹³ youths strive for the games of honour,

Hung with the painted favours¹⁴ of their ladies,

15 Like tall ships under sail: then start¹⁵ amongst ’em

And as an east wind leave ’em all behind us,

Like lazy clouds, whilst Palamon and Arcite

Even in the wagging¹⁸ of a wanton leg

Outstripped¹⁹ the people’s praises, won the garlands,

20 Ere they have time to wish ’em ours. O, never

Shall we two exercise, like twins²¹ of honour,

Our arms again and feel our fiery horses

Like proud seas under us. Our good swords now —

Better the red-eyed²⁴ god of war ne’er wore—

25 Ravished²⁵ our sides, like age must run to rust

And deck the temples of those gods that hate us.

These hands shall never draw ’em out like lightning

To blast²⁸ whole armies more.

ARCITE

ARCITE No, Palamon,

30 Those hopes are prisoners with us. Here we are,

And here the graces of our youths must wither

Like a too-timely³² spring: here age must find us,

And, which is heaviest,³³ Palamon, unmarried.

The sweet embraces of a loving wife,

35 Loaden³⁵ with kisses, armed with thousand Cupids,

Shall never clasp our necks. No issue³⁶ know us,

No figures³⁷ of ourselves shall we ev’r see,

To glad³⁸ our age, and like young eagles teach ’em

Boldly to gaze against bright arms and say,

40 ‘Remember what your fathers were, and conquer!’

The fair-eyed maids shall weep our banishments

And in their songs curse ever-blinded Fortune⁴²

Till she for shame see what a wrong she has done

To youth and nature. This is all our world:

45 We shall know nothing here but one another,

Hear nothing but the clock that tells⁴⁶ our woes.

The vine shall grow but we shall never see it:

Summer shall come and with her all delights,

But dead-cold winter must inhabit here still.

PALAMON

PALAMON ’Tis too true, Arcite. To our Theban hounds

That shook the agèd forest with their echoes

No more now must we hallow,⁵² no more shake

Our pointed javelins whilst the angry swine⁵³

Flies like a Parthian⁵⁴ quiver from our rages,

55 Struck with our well-steeled⁵⁵ darts. All valiant uses,

The food and nourishment of noble minds,

In us two here shall perish: we shall die,

Which is the curse of honour, lastly,⁵⁸

Children of grief and ignorance.

ARCITE

ARCITE Yet, cousin,

Even from the bottom of these miseries,

From all that Fortune can inflict upon us,

I see two comforts rising, two mere⁶³ blessings,

If the gods please: to hold⁶⁴ here a brave patience

65 And the enjoying⁶⁵ of our griefs together.

Whilst Palamon is with me, let me perish

If I think this our prison.

PALAMON

PALAMON Certainly,

’Tis a main⁶⁹ goodness, cousin, that our fortunes

70 Were twined together: ’tis most true, two souls

Put in two noble bodies, let ’em suffer

The gall of hazard,⁷² so they grow together,

Will never sink:⁷³ they must not, say they could.

A willing⁷⁴ man dies sleeping and all’s done.

ARCITE

ARCITE Shall we make worthy uses of this place

That all men hate so much?

PALAMON

PALAMON How, gentle cousin?

ARCITE

ARCITE Let’s think this prison holy sanctuary,

To keep us from corruption of worse men.

80 We are young and yet⁸⁰ desire the ways of honour,

That liberty and common⁸¹ conversation,

The poison of pure spirits, might, like women,

Woo⁸³ us to wander from. What worthy blessing

Can be but our imaginations

85 May make it ours? And here being thus together,

We are an endless mine⁸⁶ to one another:

We are one another’s wife, ever begetting⁸⁷

New births of love: we are father, friends, acquaintance,

90 We are, in one another, families:

I am your heir and you are mine: this place

Is our inheritance. No hard oppressor

Dare take this from us: here with a little patience

We shall live long and loving. No surfeits ⁹⁴ seek us:

95 The hand of war hurts none here, nor the seas

Swallow their youth. Were we at liberty,

A wife might part us lawfully, or business,

Quarrels consume⁹⁸ us, envy of ill men

Crave our acquaintance. I might sicken, cousin,

100

100 Where you should never know it, and so perish

Without your noble hand to close mine eyes,

Or prayers to the gods. A thousand chances,

Were we from hence, would sever us.

PALAMON

PALAMON You have made me —

105

105 I thank you cousin Arcite — almost wanton¹⁰⁵

With my captivity: what a misery

It is to live abroad¹⁰⁷ and everywhere!

’Tis like a beast, methinks. I find the court here,

I am sure, a more¹⁰⁹ content, and all those pleasures

110

110 That woo the wills of men to vanity

I see through now, and am sufficient¹¹¹

To tell the world ’tis but a gaudy¹¹² shadow

That old Time as he passes by takes with him.

What¹¹⁴ had we been, old in the court of Creon,

115

115 Where sin is justice, lust and ignorance

The virtues of the great ones? Cousin Arcite,

Had not the loving gods found this place for us,

We had died as they do, ill¹¹⁸ old men, unwept,

And had their epitaphs, the people’s curses.

120

120 Shall I say more?

ARCITE

ARCITE I would hear you still.¹²¹

PALAMON

PALAMON Ye shall.

Is there record of any two that loved

Better than we do, Arcite?

125

ARCITE

ARCITE Sure there cannot.

PALAMON

PALAMON I do not think it possible our friendship

Should ever leave us.

ARCITE

ARCITE Till our deaths it cannot.

Enter Emilia and her Woman Below

And after death our spirits shall be led

130

130 To those that love eternally. Speak on, sir. Palamon sees Emilia

EMILIA

EMILIA This garden has a world of pleasures in’t. To her Woman

What flower is this?

WOMAN

WOMAN ’Tis called narcissus,¹³³ madam.

EMILIA

EMILIA That was a fair boy, certain, but a fool

135

135 To love himself. Were there not maids enough?

ARCITE

ARCITE Pray forward.¹³⁶ To Palamon

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes.

EMILIA

EMILIA Or were they all hard-hearted?

WOMAN

WOMAN They could not be to one so fair.

140

EMILIA

EMILIA Thou wouldst not.¹⁴⁰

WOMAN

WOMAN I think I should not, madam.

EMILIA

EMILIA That’s a good wench:¹⁴²

But take heed to¹⁴³ your kindness though.

WOMAN

WOMAN Why, madam?

145

EMILIA

EMILIA Men are mad¹⁴⁵ things.

ARCITE

ARCITE Will ye go forward,¹⁴⁶ cousin?

EMILIA

EMILIA Canst not thou work¹⁴⁷ such flowers in silk, wench?

WOMAN

WOMAN Yes.

EMILIA

EMILIA I’ll have a gown full of ’em, and of these.

150

150 This is a pretty colour, will’t not do

Rarely¹⁵¹ upon a skirt, wench?

WOMAN

WOMAN Dainty,¹⁵² madam.

ARCITE

ARCITE Cousin, cousin, how do you, sir? Why, Palamon?

PALAMON

PALAMON Never till now I was in prison, Arcite.

155

ARCITE

ARCITE Why, what’s the matter, man?

PALAMON

PALAMON Behold, and wonder. Indicates Emilia

By heaven, she is a goddess.

ARCITE

ARCITE Ha! Sees Emilia

PALAMON

PALAMON Do reverence:

160

160 She is a goddess, Arcite.

EMILIA

EMILIA Of all flowers

Methinks a rose is best.

WOMAN

WOMAN Why, gentle madam?

EMILIA

EMILIA It is the very emblem¹⁶⁴ of a maid.

165

165 For when the west wind courts her gently,

How modestly she blows¹⁶⁶ and paints the sun

With her chaste blushes. When the north¹⁶⁷ comes near her,

Rude¹⁶⁸ and impatient, then, like chastity,

She locks her beauties in her bud again,

170

170 And leaves him to base¹⁷⁰ briars.

WOMAN

WOMAN Yet, good madam,

Sometimes her modesty will blow so far

She falls¹⁷³ for’t: a maid,

If she have any honour, would be loath

175

175 To take example by her.

EMILIA

EMILIA Thou art wanton.¹⁷⁶

ARCITE

ARCITE She is wondrous fair.

PALAMON

PALAMON She is all the beauty extant.¹⁷⁸

EMILIA

EMILIA The sun grows high, let’s walk in. Keep these flowers:

180

180 We’ll see how near art¹⁸⁰ can come near their colours.

I am wondrous merry-hearted, I could laugh now.

WOMAN

WOMAN I could lie down,¹⁸² I am sure.

EMILIA

EMILIA And take one¹⁸³ with you?

WOMAN

WOMAN That’s as we bargain,¹⁸⁴ madam,

185

EMILIA

EMILIA Well, agree then.

Exeunt Emilia and Woman

PALAMON

PALAMON What think you of this beauty?

ARCITE

ARCITE ’Tis a rare one.

PALAMON

PALAMON Is’t but¹⁸⁸ a rare one?

ARCITE

ARCITE Yes, a matchless beauty,

190

PALAMON

PALAMON Might not a man well lose himself and love her?

ARCITE

ARCITE I cannot tell what you have done. I have,

Beshrew¹⁹² mine eyes for’t: now I feel my shackles.

PALAMON

PALAMON You love her then?

ARCITE

ARCITE Who would not?

195

PALAMON

PALAMON And desire her?

ARCITE

ARCITE Before my liberty.

PALAMON

PALAMON I saw her first.

ARCITE

ARCITE That’s nothing.

PALAMON

PALAMON But it shall be.

200

ARCITE

ARCITE I saw her too.

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes, but you must not love her.

ARCITE

ARCITE I will not as you do, to worship her

As she is heavenly and a blessèd goddess.

I love her as a woman, to enjoy ²⁰⁴ her:

205

205 So both may love.

PALAMON

PALAMON You shall not love at all.

ARCITE

ARCITE Not love at all?

Who shall deny²⁰⁸ me?

PALAMON

PALAMON I that first saw her, I that took possession

210

210 First with mine eye of all those beauties

In her revealed to mankind. If thou lov’st her,

Or entertain’st a hope to blast²¹² my wishes,

Thou art a traitor, Arcite, and a fellow²¹³

False as thy title²¹⁴ to her: friendship, blood

215

215 And all the ties between us I disclaim

If thou once think upon²¹⁶ her.

ARCITE

ARCITE Yes, I love her

And if the lives of all my name²¹⁸ lay on it,

I must do so. I love her with my soul:

220

220 If that will lose ye, farewell, Palamon.

I say again, I love, and in loving her maintain

I am as worthy and as free²²² a lover,

And have as just a title to her beauty,

As any Palamon or any living

225

225 That is a man’s son.

PALAMON

PALAMON Have I called thee friend?

ARCITE

ARCITE Yes, and have found me so: why are you moved²²⁷ thus?

Let me deal coldly²²⁸ with you: am not I

Part of your blood, part of your soul? You have told me

230

230 That I was Palamon and you were Arcite

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes.

ARCITE

ARCITE Am not I liable to those affections,²³²

Those joys, griefs, angers, fears, my friend shall suffer?

PALAMON

PALAMON Ye may be.

235

ARCITE

ARCITE Why then would you deal so cunningly,²³⁵

So strangely,²³⁶ so unlike a noble kinsman,

To love alone? Speak truly: do you think me

Unworthy of her sight?

PALAMON

PALAMON No, but unjust²³⁹

240

240 If thou pursue that sight.

ARCITE

ARCITE Because another

First sees the enemy, shall I stand still

And let²⁴³ mine honour down, and never charge?

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes, if he be but one.

245

ARCITE

ARCITE But say that one

Had rather combat me?

PALAMON

PALAMON Let that one say so,

And use thy freedom: else if thou pursuest her,

Be as that cursèd man that hates his country,

250

250 A branded²⁵⁰ villain.

ARCITE

ARCITE You are mad.

PALAMON

PALAMON I must be

Till thou art worthy,²⁵³ Arcite: it concerns me.

And in this madness, if I hazard²⁵⁴ thee

255

255 And take thy life, I deal but truly.

ARCITE

ARCITE Fie,²⁵⁶ sir.

You play the child²⁵⁷ extremely. I will love her:

I must, I ought to do so, and I dare,

And all this justly.²⁵⁹

260

PALAMON

PALAMON O that now, that now

Thy false self and thy friend had but this fortune:

To be one hour at liberty and grasp

Our good swords in our hands! I would quickly teach thee

What ’twere to filch²⁶⁴ affection from another.

265

265 Thou art baser²⁶⁵ in it than a cutpurse;

Put but thy head out of this window more,²⁶⁶

And as I have a soul, I’ll nail thy life to’t.²⁶⁷

ARCITE

ARCITE Thou dar’st not, fool, thou canst not, thou art feeble.

Put my head out? I’ll throw my body out

270

270 And leap the garden, when I see her next,

Enter Keeper [ Jailer]

And pitch²⁷¹ between her arms to anger thee.

PALAMON

PALAMON No more: the keeper’s coming. I shall live

To knock thy brains out with my shackles.

ARCITE

ARCITE Do!

275

JAILER

JAILER By your leave,²⁷⁵ gentlemen.

PALAMON

PALAMON Now, honest keeper?

JAILER

JAILER Lord Arcite, you must presently to th’duke:

The cause I know not yet.

ARCITE

ARCITE I am ready, keeper.

280

JAILER

JAILER Prince Palamon, I must awhile bereave²⁸⁰ you

Of your fair cousin’s company.

Exeunt Arcite and Keeper

PALAMON

PALAMON And me too,

Even, when you please, of life. Why is he sent for?

It may be he shall marry her: he’s goodly²⁸⁴

285

285 And like enough the duke hath taken notice

Both of his blood²⁸⁶ and body. But his falsehood!

Why should a friend be treacherous? If that

Get him a wife so noble and so fair,

Let honest men ne’er love again. Once more

290

290 I would but see this fair one. Blessèd garden

And fruit and flowers more blessèd that still blossom

As her bright eyes shine on ye: would I were

For all the fortune of my life hereafter

Yon²⁹⁴ little tree, yon blooming apricock!

295

295 How I would spread and fling my wanton arms

In at her window!²⁹⁶ I would bring her fruit

Fit for the gods to feed on: youth and pleasure

Still as²⁹⁸ she tasted should be doubled on her

And if she be not heavenly, I would make her

300

300 So near the gods in nature, they should fear her,

Enter Keeper [Jailer]

And then I am sure she would love me.— How now, keeper,

Where’s Arcite?

JAILER

JAILER Banished. Prince Pirithous

Obtained his liberty, but never more

305

305 Upon his oath and life must he set foot

Upon this kingdom.

PALAMON

PALAMON He’s a blessèd man.

He shall see Thebes again, and call to arms

The bold young men that, when he bids ’em charge,

310

310 Fall on³¹⁰ like fire. Arcite shall have a fortune,

If he dare make himself a worthy lover,

Yet in the field to strike a battle³¹² for her:

And if he lose her then, he’s a cold coward.

How bravely may he bear himself to win her

315

315 If he be noble Arcite. Thousand ways!

Were I at liberty, I would do things

Of such a virtuous greatness, that this lady,

This blushing virgin, should take manhood to her

And seek to ravish me.

320

JAILER

JAILER My lord, for you

I have this charge ³²¹ too.

PALAMON

PALAMON To discharge my life?

JAILER

JAILER No, but from this place to remove your lordship:

The windows are too open.³²⁴

325

PALAMON

PALAMON Devils take ’em

That are so envious to me! Prithee³²⁶ kill me.

JAILER

JAILER And hang for’t afterward.

PALAMON

PALAMON By³²⁸ this good light,

Had I a sword I would kill thee.

330

JAILER

JAILER Why, my lord?

PALAMON

PALAMON Thou bring’st such pelting³³¹ scurvy news continually,

Thou art not worthy life. I will not go.

JAILER

JAILER Indeed you must, my lord.

PALAMON

PALAMON May I see the garden?

335

JAILER

JAILER No.

PALAMON

PALAMON Then I am resolved: I will not go.

JAILER

JAILER I must constrain you then: and for³³⁷ you are dangerous

I’ll clap more irons on you.

PALAMON

PALAMON Do, good keeper.

340

340 I’ll shake ’em so, ye shall not sleep:

I’ll make ye a new morris.³⁴¹ Must I go?

JAILER

JAILER There is no remedy.

PALAMON

PALAMON Farewell, kind window.

May rude wind never hurt thee.— O my lady,

345

345 If ever thou hast felt what sorrow was,

Dream how I suffer.— Come, now bury me.

Exeunt Palamon and Keeper

Act 2 Scene 3^2.3

running scene 7

Enter Arcite

ARCITE

ARCITE Banished the kingdom? ’Tis a benefit,

A mercy I must thank ’em for: but banished

The free enjoying of that face I die for,

O, ’twas a studied⁴ punishment, a death

5 Beyond imagination: such a vengeance

That were I old and wicked, all my sins

Could never pluck⁷ upon me. Palamon,

Thou hast the start now: thou shalt stay and see

Her bright eyes break⁹ each morning gainst thy window

10 And let in life into thee: thou shalt feed

Upon the sweetness of a noble beauty

That nature ne’er exceeded nor ne’er shall.

Good gods! What happiness has Palamon!

Twenty to one, he’ll come to speak to her,

15 And if she be as gentle as she’s fair,

I know she’s his: he has a tongue will tame

Tempests¹⁷ and make the wild rocks wanton.

Come what can come,

The worst is death: I will not leave the kingdom.

20 I know mine own²⁰ is but a heap of ruins

And no redress²¹ there. If I go, he has her.

I am resolved another shape²² shall make me

Or end my fortunes. Either way, I am happy:

I’ll see her and be near her, or no more.

Arcite stands aside

Enter four Country People and one with a garland before them

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN My masters, I’ll be there, that’s certain.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN And I’ll be there.

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN And I.

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN Why then, have with ye,²⁸ boys. ’Tis but a chiding.

Let the plough play today, I’ll tickle’t²⁹ out

30 Of the jades’³⁰ tails tomorrow.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN I am sure

To have my wife as jealous³² as a turkey.

But that’s all one:³³ I’ll go through, let her mumble.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN Clap her aboard³⁴ tomorrow night and stow her,

35 And all’s made up³⁵ again.

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN Ay, do but put

A fescue³⁷ in her fist and you shall see her

Take³⁸ a new lesson out and be a good wench.

Do we all hold against³⁹ the maying?

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN Hold? What should ail⁴⁰ us?

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN Arcas will be there.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN And Sennois, and Rycas, and three better lads ne’er danced under green tree, and ye know what wenches, ha? But will the dainty⁴⁵ domine, the schoolmaster, keep touch do you think? For he does all,⁴⁶ ye know.

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN He’ll eat a hornbook⁴⁷ ere he fail. Go to: the matter’s too far driven⁴⁸ between him and the tanner’s daughter to let slip⁴⁹ now, and she must see the duke and she must dance too.

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN Shall we be lusty?⁵¹

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN All the boys in Athens blow⁵² wind i’th’breech⁵³ on’s, and here I’ll be, and there I’ll be for our town and here again, and there again — ha, boys, hey⁵⁵ for the weavers!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN This must be done i’th’woods.

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN O, pardon me.⁵⁷

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN By any means:⁵⁸ our thing of learning says so: where he himself will edify⁵⁹ the duke most parlously⁶⁰ in our behalfs. He’s excellent i’th’woods: bring him to th’plains, his learning makes no cry.⁶²

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN We’ll see the sports, then every man to’s tackle.⁶⁴ And, sweet companions, let’s rehearse by any means before the ladies see us and do ⁶⁶ sweetly and God knows what may come on’t.

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN Content:⁶⁷ the sports once ended, we’ll perform.

Away, boys and— hold.⁶⁸ Arcite comes forward

ARCITE

ARCITE By your leaves honest friends:

70 Pray you, whither go you?⁷⁰

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN Whither? Why, what a question’s that?

ARCITE

ARCITE Yes, ’tis a question,

To me that know not.

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN To the games, my friend.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN Where were you bred, you know it not?

ARCITE

ARCITE Not far, sir.

Are there such games today?

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN Yes, marry,⁷⁸ are there

And such as you never saw. The duke himself

80 Will be in person there.

ARCITE

ARCITE What pastimes are they?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN Wrestling, and running.—

’Tis a pretty⁸³ fellow.

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN Thou wilt not go along?

ARCITE

ARCITE Not yet, sir.

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN Well, sir,

Take your own time.— Come, boys.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN My mind misgives me⁸⁸ Aside to the others

This fellow has a vengeance⁸⁹ trick o’th’hip:

90 Mark how his body’s made for’t

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN I’ll be hanged though

If he dare venture. Hang him, plum-porridge!⁹²

He wrestle? He roast eggs!⁹³ Come let’s be gone lads.

Exeunt four [Countrymen]

ARCITE

ARCITE This is an offered opportunity

95 I durst⁹⁵ not wish for. Well, I could have wrestled —

The best men called it excellent — and run

Swifter than wind upon a field of corn,

Curling the wealthy⁹⁸ ears, never flew. I’ll venture

And in some poor disguise be there. Who knows

100

100 Whether my brows may not be girt¹⁰⁰ with garlands

And happiness prefer¹⁰¹ me to a place

Where I may ever dwell in sight of her?

Exit Arcite

Act 2 Scene 4^2.4

running scene 8

Enter Jailer’s Daughter alone

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Why should I love this gentleman? ’Tis odds¹

He never will affect² me: I am base,

My father the mean³ keeper of his prison,

And he a prince. To marry him is hopeless,

5 To be his whore is witless.⁵ Out upon’t!

What pushes⁶ are we wenches driven to

When⁷ fifteen once has found us! First, I saw him:

I, seeing, thought he was a goodly man:

He has as much to please a woman in him,

10 If he please to bestow¹⁰ it so, as ever

These eyes yet looked on. Next, I pitied him:

And so would any young wench o’my conscience

That ever dreamed, or vowed her maidenhead¹³

To a young handsome man. Then, I loved him,

15 Extremely loved him, infinitely loved him!

And yet he had a cousin, fair as he too.

But in my heart was Palamon, and there,

Lord, what a coil he keeps!¹⁸ To hear him

Sing in an evening, what a heaven it is!

20 And yet his songs are sad ones. Fairer spoken

Was never gentleman. When I come in

To bring him water in a morning, first

He bows his noble body, then salutes²³ me, thus:

‘Fair gentle maid, good morrow. May thy goodness

Get thee a happy husband.’ Once he kissed me.

I loved my lips the better ten days after:

Would he would do so every day! He grieves much,

And me as much to see his misery.

What should I do to make him know I love him?

30 For I would fain³⁰ enjoy him. Say I ventured

To set him free? What says the law then? Thus much

For law or kindred! I will do it,

And this night, or tomorrow, he shall love me.

Exit

Act 2 [Scene 5]^2.5

running scene 9

This short flourish of cornets and shouts within Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, Emilia, Arcite with a garland, and others

THESEUS

THESEUS You have done worthily. I have not seen, To Arcite

Since Hercules,² a man of tougher sinews.

Whate’er³ you are, you run the best and wrestle,

That these times can allow.⁴

ARCITE

ARCITE I am proud to please you.

THESEUS

THESEUS What country bred you?

ARCITE

ARCITE This: but far off, prince.

THESEUS

THESEUS Are you a gentleman?

ARCITE

ARCITE My father said so,

10 And to those gentle uses¹⁰ gave me life.

THESEUS

THESEUS Are you his heir?

ARCITE

ARCITE His youngest, sir.

THESEUS

THESEUS Your father

Sure is a happy sire, then. What proves you?¹⁴

ARCITE

ARCITE A little of all noble qualities:¹⁵

I could have¹⁶ kept a hawk and well have hollowed

To a deep cry of dogs: I dare not praise

My feat in horsemanship, yet they that knew me

Would say it was my best piece:¹⁹ last and greatest,

20 I would be thought a soldier.

THESEUS

THESEUS You are perfect.²¹

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Upon my soul, a proper²² man. To Emilia

EMILIA

EMILIA He is so.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS How do you like him, lady? To Hippolyta

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA I admire him.

I have not seen so young a man so noble,

If he say true, of his sort.²⁷

EMILIA

EMILIA Believe,²⁸

His mother was a wondrous handsome woman:

30 His face, methinks, goes that way.³⁰

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA But his body

And fiery mind illustrate³² a brave father.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Mark how his virtue, like a hidden sun,

Breaks through his baser garments.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA He’s well got,³⁵ sure.

THESEUS

THESEUS What made you seek this place, sir? To Arcite

ARCITE

ARCITE Noble Theseus,

To purchase name³⁸ and do my ablest service

To such a well-found³⁹ wonder as thy worth,

40 For only in thy court, of all the world,

Dwells fair-eyed honour.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS All his words are worthy.

THESEUS

THESEUS Sir, we are much indebted to your travel,⁴³ To Arcite

Nor shall you lose your wish.— Pirithous,

45 Dispose of⁴⁵ this fair gentleman.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Thanks, Theseus.—

Whate’er you are, you’re mine, and I shall give you To Arcite

To a most noble service, to this lady, Presents him to Emilia

This bright young virgin. Pray observe⁴⁹ her goodness.

50 You have honoured her fair birthday with your virtues,

And as your due, you’re hers: kiss her fair hand, sir.

ARCITE

ARCITE Sir, you’re a noble giver.— Dearest beauty,

Thus let me seal my vowed faith: when your servant, Kisses her hand

Your most unworthy creature, but offends you,

55 Command him die, he shall.

EMILIA

EMILIA That were too cruel.

If you deserve well, sir, I shall soon see’t.

You’re mine and somewhat better than your rank I’ll use⁵⁸ you.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS I’ll see you furnished,⁵⁹ and because you say To Arcite

60 You are a horseman, I must needs⁶⁰ entreat you

This afternoon to ride, but ’tis a rough one.⁶¹

ARCITE

ARCITE I like him better, prince. I shall not then

Freeze in my saddle.

THESEUS

THESEUS Sweet, you must be ready.— To Hippolyta

65 And you, Emilia— and you, friend—and all, To Pirithous

Tomorrow by the sun, to do observance⁶⁶

To flow’ry May, in Dian’s⁶⁷ wood.— Wait well, sir, To Arcite

Upon your mistress.— Emily, I hope

He shall not go afoot.⁶⁹

EMILIA

EMILIA That were a shame, sir,

While I have horses.— Take your choice and what To Arcite

You want⁷² at any time, let me but know it:

If you serve faithfully, I dare assure you

You’ll find a loving mistress.

ARCITE

ARCITE If I do not,

Let me find that⁷⁶ my father ever hated,

Disgrace and blows.

THESEUS

THESEUS Go lead the way: you have won it.

It shall be so: you shall receive all dues

80 Fit for the honour you have won; ’twere wrong else.—

Sister, beshrew my heart,⁸¹ you have a servant

That, if I were a woman, would be master.

But you are wise.

EMILIA

EMILIA I hope too wise for that, sir.

Flourish. Exeunt

Act 2 Scene 6^2.6

running scene 10

Enter Jailer’s Daughter alone

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Let all the dukes and all the devils roar,

He is at liberty: I have ventured² for him

And out I have brought him, to a little wood

A mile hence⁴ I have sent him, where a cedar,

5 Higher than all the rest spreads like a plane

Fast⁶ by a brook, and there he shall keep close

Till I provide him files and food, for yet

His iron bracelets are not off. O Love,

What a stout-hearted child thou art! My father

10 Durst¹⁰ better have endured cold iron than done it.

I love him beyond love and beyond reason,

Or wit,¹² or safety. I have made him know it:

I care not, I am desperate. If the law

Find me and then condemn me for’t, some wenches,

15 Some honest-hearted maids, will sing my dirge¹⁵

And tell to memory my death was noble,

Dying almost a martyr. That way he takes,

I purpose¹⁸ is my way too. Sure he cannot

Be so unmanly as to leave me here:

20 If he do, maids will not so easily

Trust men again. And yet he has not thanked me

For what I have done, no, not so much as kissed me,

And that methinks is not so well: nor scarcely

Could I persuade him to become a freeman,

25 He made such scruples of the wrong he did

To me and to my father. Yet I hope,

When he considers more, this love of mine

Will take more root within him. Let him do

What he will with me, so he use me kindly,²⁹

30 For use me so he shall, or I’ll proclaim him,

And to his face, no man.³¹ I’ll presently

Provide him necessaries and pack my clothes up

And where there is a path of ground I’ll venture,

So³⁴ he be with me. By him, like a shadow,

35 I’ll ever dwell. Within this hour the hubbub

Will be all o’er the prison: I am then

Kissing the man they look for.— Farewell, father,

Get many more such prisoners and such daughters

And shortly you may keep yourself.³⁹— Now to him.

[Exit]

Act 3 Scene 1^3.1

running scene 11

Cornets in sundry places. Noise and hallooing as people a-Maying

Enter Arcite alone

ARCITE

ARCITE The duke has lost Hippolyta: each took

A several² laund. This is a solemn rite

They owe bloomed³ May and the Athenians pay it

To⁴ th’heart of ceremony. O, Queen Emilia,

5 Fresher than May, sweeter

Than her gold buttons ⁶ on the boughs, or all

Th’enamelled knacks⁷ o’th’mead or garden, yea,

We challenge too the bank of any nymph

That makes⁹ the stream seem flowers: thou, O jewel

10 O’th’wood, o’th’world, hast likewise blest a pace¹⁰

With¹¹ thy sole presence: in thy rumination,

That I, poor man, might eftsoons¹² come between

And chop on some cold thought. Thrice-blessèd chance

To drop on¹⁴ such a mistress, expectation

15 Most guiltless on’t!¹⁵ Tell me, O Lady Fortune,

Next after Emily, my sovereign, how far

I may be proud.¹⁷ She takes strong note of me,

Hath made me near her, and this beauteous morn,

The prim’st¹⁹ of all the year, presents me with

20 A brace²⁰ of horses: two such steeds might well

Be by a pair of kings backed,²¹ in a field

That²² their crowns’ titles tried. Alas, alas,

Poor cousin Palamon, poor prisoner, thou

So little dream’st upon²⁴ my fortune, that

25 Thou thinkst thyself the happier thing to be

So near Emilia. Me thou deem’st²⁶ at Thebes,

And therein²⁷ wretched, although free: but if

Thou knew’st my mistress breathed on me, and that

I eared²⁹ her language, lived in her eye, O coz,

30 What passion³⁰ would enclose thee!

Enter Palamon as out of a bush, with his shackles: bends his fist at Arcite

PALAMON

PALAMON Traitor kinsman,

Thou shouldst perceive my passion, if these signs

Of prisonment were off me and this hand

But owner of a sword! By all oaths in one,

35 I and the justice of my love would make thee

A confessed traitor, O thou most perfidious³⁶

That ever gently looked, the void’st³⁷ of honour

That ever bore gentle token,³⁸ falsest cousin

That ev’r blood made kin: call’st thou her thine?

40 I’ll prove it in my shackles, with these hands,

Void of appointment,⁴¹ that thou liest, and art

A very thief in love, a chaffy⁴² lord

Not worth the name of villain. Had I a sword

And these house-clogs⁴⁴ away—

ARCITE

ARCITE Dear cousin Palamon—

PALAMON

PALAMON Cozener⁴⁶ Arcite, give me language such

As thou hast showed me feat.

ARCITE

ARCITE Not finding in

The circuit⁴⁹ of my breast any gross stuff

50 To form me like your blazon⁵⁰ holds me to

This gentleness of answer: ’tis your passion

That thus mistakes, the which to you being enemy,

Cannot to me be kind: honour and honesty

I cherish and depend on, howsoev’r

55 You skip⁵⁵ them in me, and with them, fair coz,

I’ll maintain⁵⁶ my proceedings. Pray be pleased

To show in generous⁵⁷ terms your griefs, since that

Your question’s⁵⁸ with your equal, who professes

To clear⁵⁹ his own way with the mind and sword

60 Of a true gentleman.

PALAMON

PALAMON That thou durst, Arcite!

ARCITE

ARCITE My coz, my coz, you have been well advertised⁶²

How much I dare: you’ve seen me use my sword

Against th’advice of⁶⁴ fear. Sure, of another

65 You would not hear me doubted, but your silence

Should break out, though i’th’sanctuary.⁶⁶

PALAMON

PALAMON Sir,

I have seen you move in such a place which well

Might justify your manhood. You were called

70 A good knight and a bold: but the whole week’s not fair

If any day it rain: their valiant temper⁷¹

Men lose when they incline to treachery

And then they fight like compelled bears,⁷³ would fly

Were they not tied.

ARCITE

ARCITE Kinsman, you might as well

Speak this and act it in your glass⁷⁶ as to

His ear which now disdains you.

PALAMON

PALAMON Come up⁷⁸ to me:

Quit⁷⁹ me of these cold gyves, give me a sword

80 Though it be rusty, and the charity

Of one meal lend me. Come before me then,

A good sword in thy hand, and do but say

That Emily is thine: I will forgive

The trespass thou hast done me, yea, my life

85 If then thou carry’t,⁸⁵ and brave souls in shades

That have died manly, which will seek of me

Some news from earth, they shall get none but this:

That thou art brave, and noble.

ARCITE

ARCITE Be content:

90 Again betake⁹⁰ you to your hawthorn house.

With⁹¹ counsel of the night, I will be here

With wholesome viands;⁹² these impediments

Will I file off: you shall have garments and

Perfumes to kill the smell o’th’prison: after,

95 When you shall stretch yourself and say but, ‘Arcite,

I am in plight⁹⁶’, there shall be at your choice

Both sword and armour.

PALAMON

PALAMON O you heavens, dares any

So nobly bear a guilty⁹⁹ business? None

100

100 But only Arcite: therefore none but Arcite

In this kind is so bold.¹⁰¹

ARCITE

ARCITE Sweet Palamon. Moves to embrace him

PALAMON

PALAMON I do embrace you and your offer. For

Your offer do’t I only, sir: your person

105

105 Without hypocrisy I may not wish

Wind¹⁰⁵ horns off, cornets

More than my sword’s edge on’t.

ARCITE

ARCITE You hear the horns;

Enter your musit,¹⁰⁸ lest this match between’s

Be crossed¹⁰⁹ ere met. Give me your hand, farewell.

110

110 I’ll bring you every needful thing: I pray you

Take comfort and be strong.

PALAMON

PALAMON Pray hold your promise

And do the deed with a bent brow.¹¹³ Most certain

You love me not: be rough with me and pour

115

115 This oil¹¹⁵ out of your language. By this air,

I could for each word give a cuff,¹¹⁶ my stomach

Not reconciled by reason.

ARCITE

ARCITE Plainly spoken,

Yet pardon me¹¹⁹ hard language. When I spur

Wind horns

120

120 My horse I chide him not: content and anger

In me have but one face.¹²¹ Hark, sir, they call

The scattered to the banquet: you must guess

I have an office¹²³ there.

PALAMON

PALAMON Sir, your attendance

125

125 Cannot please heaven and I know your office

Unjustly¹²⁶ is achieved.

ARCITE

ARCITE ’Tis¹²⁷ a good title.

I am persuaded this question,¹²⁸ sick between’s,

By bleeding¹²⁹ must be cured. I am a suitor

130

130 That to your sword you will bequeath this plea¹³⁰

And talk of it no more.

PALAMON

PALAMON But this one word:

You are going now to gaze upon my mistress,

For, note you, mine she is.

135

ARCITE

ARCITE Nay, then.

PALAMON

PALAMON Nay pray you!

You talk of feeding me to breed me strength.

You are going now to look upon a sun

That strengthens what it looks on: there

140

140 You have a vantage o’er me, but enjoy’t till

I may enforce my remedy.¹⁴¹ Farewell.

Exeunt

Act 3 Scene 2

running scene 11 continues

Enter Jailer’s Daughter alone With a file

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER He has mistook the brake¹ I meant, is gone

After his fancy. ’Tis now well-nigh² morning.

No matter: would it were perpetual night,

And darkness lord o’th’world! Hark ’tis a wolf!

5 In me hath grief slain fear and but for one thing

I care for nothing and that’s Palamon.

I wreak⁷ not if the wolves would jaw me, so

He had this file. What if I hallooed⁸ for him?

I cannot hallow. If I whooped, what then?

10 If he not answered, I should call a wolf,

And do him but that service.¹¹ I have heard

Strange howls this livelong¹² night: why may’t not be

They have made prey of him? He has no weapons,

He cannot run: the jangling of his gyves

15 Might call fell¹⁵ things to listen, who have in them

A sense to know a man unarmed and can

Smell where resistance is. I’ll set it down¹⁷

He’s torn to pieces: they howled many together

And then they fed on him. So much for that:

20 Be²⁰ bold to ring the bell. How stand I then?

All’s chared²¹ when he is gone. No, no, I lie:

My father’s to be hanged for his escape,

Myself to beg, if I prized life so much

As to deny my act, but that I would not,

25 Should I try death by dozens.²⁵ I am moped:

Food took I none these two days,

Sipped some water. I have not closed mine eyes

Save when my lids scoured²⁸ off their brine. Alas,

Dissolve,²⁹ my life! Let not my sense unsettle

30 Lest I should drown, or stab, or hang myself.

O, state of nature,³¹ fail together in me,

Since thy best props are warped! So which way now?

The best way is the next way to a grave:

Each errant³⁴ step beside is torment. Lo,

35 The moon is down, the crickets chirp, the screech-owl

Calls in the dawn. All offices³⁶ are done

Save³⁷ what I fail in. But the point is this:

An end, and that is all.

Exit

Act 3 Scene 3

running scene 11 continues

Enter Arcite, with meat, wine and files

ARCITE

ARCITE I should be near the place. Ho! Cousin Palamon!

Enter Palamon Hesitantly

PALAMON

PALAMON Arcite?

ARCITE

ARCITE The same: I have brought you food and files.

Come forth and fear not, here’s no Theseus.

PALAMON

PALAMON Nor none so honest, Arcite.

ARCITE

ARCITE That’s no matter,⁶

We’ll argue that hereafter.⁷ Come, take courage:

You shall not die thus beastly.⁸ Here, sir, drink —

I know you are faint—then I’ll talk further with you.

PALAMON

PALAMON Arcite, thou mightst now poison me.

ARCITE

ARCITE I might:

But I must fear you first. Sit down, and good now¹²

No more of these vain parleys:¹³ let us not,

Having our ancient¹⁴ reputation with us,

15 Make talk for fools and cowards. To your health, sir! Drinks

PALAMON

PALAMON Do.¹⁶

ARCITE

ARCITE Pray sit down then, and let me entreat you

By all the honesty and honour in you,

No mention of this woman: ’twill disturb us.

20 We shall have time enough.

PALAMON

PALAMON Well, sir, I’ll pledge²¹ you. Drinks

ARCITE

ARCITE Drink a good hearty draught: it²² breeds good blood, man.

Do not you feel it thaw you?

PALAMON

PALAMON Stay,²⁴ I’ll tell you after a draught or two more.

ARCITE

ARCITE Spare it not,

The duke has more, coz. Eat now.

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes. Eats

ARCITE

ARCITE I am glad you have so good a stomach.²⁸

PALAMON

PALAMON I am gladder I have so good meat to’t.

ARCITE

ARCITE Is’t not mad lodging,³⁰ here in the wild woods, cousin?

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes, for them that have wild³¹ consciences.

ARCITE

ARCITE How tastes your victuals? Your hunger ³² needs no sauce I see.

PALAMON

PALAMON Not much.

But if it did, yours is too tart, sweet cousin. What is this?

ARCITE

ARCITE Venison.

PALAMON

PALAMON ’Tis a lusty³⁶ meat:

Give me more wine. Here, Arcite, to the wenches

We have known in our days. The lord steward’s daughter —

Do you remember her?

ARCITE

ARCITE After you, coz.

PALAMON

PALAMON She loved a black-haired man—

ARCITE

ARCITE She did so: well, sir?

PALAMON

PALAMON And I have heard some call him Arcite, and—

ARCITE

ARCITE Out with’t, faith!

PALAMON

PALAMON She met him in an arbour.

What did she there, coz? Play o’th’virginals?⁴⁶

ARCITE

ARCITE Something⁴⁷ she did, sir—

PALAMON

PALAMON Made her groan⁴⁸ a month for’t, or two, or three, or ten.

ARCITE

ARCITE The marshall’s sister

50 Had her share too, as I remember, cousin,

Else there be tales⁵¹ abroad. You’ll pledge her?

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes.

ARCITE

ARCITE A pretty brown wench ’tis. There was a time

When young men went a-hunting, and a wood,

55 And a broad beech: and thereby hangs a tale — hey ho.⁵⁵

PALAMON

PALAMON For Emily, upon my life! Fool,

Away with this strained⁵⁷ mirth! I say again,

That sigh was breathed for Emily. Base cousin,

Dar’st thou break⁵⁹ first?

ARCITE

ARCITE You are wide.⁶⁰

PALAMON

PALAMON By heaven and earth, there’s nothing in thee honest.

ARCITE

ARCITE Then I’ll leave you: you are a beast now.

PALAMON

PALAMON As thou mak’st me, traitor.

ARCITE

ARCITE There’s all things needful: files and shirts, and perfumes.

65 I’ll come again some two hours hence, and bring

That that shall quiet all.

PALAMON

PALAMON A sword and armour.

ARCITE

ARCITE Fear⁶⁸ me not. You are now too foul, farewell.

Get off your trinkets,⁶⁹ you shall want nought.

PALAMON

PALAMON Sirrah—

ARCITE

ARCITE I’ll hear no more. Exit

PALAMON

PALAMON If he keep touch,⁷² he dies for’t. Exit

Act 3 Scene 4

running scene 11 continues

Enter Jailer’s Daughter

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER I am very cold and all the stars are out too,

The little stars and all, that look like aglets:²

The sun has seen my folly.— Palamon!—

Alas no, he’s in heaven. Where am I now?

5 Yonder’s the sea and there’s a ship: how’t tumbles!⁵

And there’s a rock lies watching under water:

Now, now, it beats upon it: now, now, now,

There’s a leak sprung,⁸ a sound one. How they cry!

Run her⁹ before the wind, you’ll lose all else.

10 Up with a course¹⁰ or two and tack about, boys!

Goodnight, goodnight, you’re gone.— I am very hungry.

Would I could find a fine frog: he would tell me

News from all parts o’th’world: then would I make

A carrack¹⁴ of a cockleshell and sail

15 By east and north-east to the king of pygmies,

For he tells fortunes rarely.¹⁶ Now my father

Twenty to one is trussed up¹⁷ in a trice

Tomorrow morning. I’ll say never a word.

For I’ll cut my green coat, a foot above my knee

Sings

20 And I’ll clip my yellow locks, an inch below mine eye.

Hey, nonny,²¹ nonny, nonny.

He’s²² buy me a white cut, forth for to ride,

And I’ll go seek him, through the world that is so wide.

Hey, nonny, nonny, nonny.

25 O, for a prick²⁵ now like a nightingale,

To put my breast against. I shall sleep like a top²⁶ else.

Exit

Act 3 [Scene 5]^3.5

running scene 11 continues

Enter a Schoolmaster, four Countrymen, and [one disguised as a] Baboon, two or three Wenches, with a Taborer

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Fie, fie, what tediosity¹ and disinsanity is here among ye? Have my rudiments² been laboured so long with ye? Milked unto ye, and by a figure,³ even the very⁴ plum-broth and marrow of my understanding laid upon ye? And do you still cry ‘Where?’ and ‘How?’ and ‘Wherefore?’ You most coarse-frieze⁷ capacities, ye jean judgements, have I said ‘Thus let be’ and ‘There let be’ and ‘Then let be’, and no man understand me? Proh deum!⁹ Medius Fidius! Ye are all dunces. For why? Here stand I. Here the duke comes: there are you, close¹¹ in the thicket: the duke appears: I meet him and unto him I utter learnèd things and many figures: he hears and nods and hums¹⁴ and then cries ‘Rare!’ and I go forward. At length I fling my cap up — mark there! Then do you, as once did Meleager¹⁶ and the boar, break comely¹⁷ out before him: like true lovers, cast yourselves in a body decently¹⁸ and sweetly, by a figure, trace¹⁹ and turn, boys.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN And sweetly we will do it, Master Gerald.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN Draw ²¹ up the company. Where’s the taborer?

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN Why, Timothy!

TABORER

TABORER Here, my mad boys, have at ye.²³

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER But I say, where’s their women?

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN Here’s Friz and Maudlin.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN And little Luce with the white legs and bouncing²⁷ Barbary.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN And freckled Nell that never failed her master.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Where be your ribbons maids? Swim²⁹ with your bodies

30 And carry it sweetly and deliverly³⁰

And now and then a favour³¹ and a frisk.

NELL

NELL Let us alone,³² sir.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Where’s the rest o’th’music?³³

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN Dispersed as you commanded.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Couple³⁵ then

And see what’s wanting.³⁶ Where’s the bavian?—

My friend, carry your tail³⁷ without offence

Or scandal to the ladies, and be sure

You tumble³⁹ with audacity and manhood,

40 And when you bark do it with judgement.

BABOON

BABOON Yes, sir.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Quo usque tandem?⁴² Here is a woman wanting.

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN We may go whistle:⁴³ all the fat’s i’th’fire.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER We have,

45 As learnèd authors utter, washed a tile,⁴⁵

We have been fatuus⁴⁶ and laboured vainly.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN This is that scornful piece,⁴⁷ that scurvy hilding

That gave her promise faithfully, she would be here:

Cicely, the sempster’s⁴⁹ daughter.

50 The next gloves that I give her shall be dogskin!⁵⁰

Nay, an⁵¹ she fail me once, you can tell, Arcas,

She swore by wine and bread she would not break.⁵²

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER An eel⁵³ and woman,

A learnèd poet says, unless by th’tail

55 And with thy teeth thou hold, will either⁵⁵ fail.

In manners this was false position.⁵⁶

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN A fire ill⁵⁷ take her: does she flinch now?

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN What

Shall we determine, sir?

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Nothing.

Our business is become a nullity,⁶¹

Yea, and a woeful and a piteous nullity.

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN Now when the credit of our town lay on it,

Now to be frampul,⁶⁴ now to piss o’th’nettle.

65 Go thy ways,⁶⁵ I’ll remember thee, I’ll fit thee.

Enter Jailer’s Daughter

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER The George Alow⁶⁶ came from the south Sings

From the coast of Barbary-a

And there he met with brave gallants of war,⁶⁸

By one, by two, by three-a.

70 ‘Well hailed, well hailed, you jolly gallants,

And whither now are you bound-a?

Chair and stools out

O, let me have your company

Till I come to the sound-a.’

There was three fools, fell out about an howlet:⁷⁴

75 The one said it was an owl,

The other he said nay,

The third he said it was a hawk,

And her bells were cut away.

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN There’s a dainty⁷⁹ madwoman, master,

80 Comes i’th’nick,⁸⁰ as mad as a March hare.

If we can get her dance, we are made⁸¹ again:

I warrant⁸² her, she’ll do the rarest gambols.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN

FIRST COUNTRYMAN A mad woman? We are made, boys.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER And are you mad, good woman? To Jailer’s Daughter

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER I would be sorry else. Give me your hand.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Why?

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER I can tell your fortune.

You are a fool. Tell⁸⁸ ten.— I have posed him. Buzz!—

Friend, you must eat⁸⁹ no white bread: if you do

90 Your⁹⁰ teeth will bleed extremely.— Shall we dance, ho?—

I know you, you’re a tinker:⁹¹ sirrah tinker,

Stop⁹² no more holes but what you should.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Dii boni.⁹³ A tinker, damsel?

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Or a conjurer:

95 Raise⁹⁵ me a devil now and let him play

Chi passa⁹⁶ o’th’bells and bones.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Go take her

And fluently persuade her to a peace:

Et⁹⁹ opus exegi quod nec Jovis ira, nec ignis.

100

100 Strike up and lead her in. Taborer plays

SECOND COUNTRYMAN

SECOND COUNTRYMAN Come, lass, let’s trip¹⁰¹ it.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER I’ll lead. Dances Wind horns

THIRD COUNTRYMAN

THIRD COUNTRYMAN Do, do!

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Persuasively and cunningly. Away, boys!

Exeunt all but Schoolmaster

105

105 I hear the horns: give me some meditation,¹⁰⁵

And mark your cue. Pallas¹⁰⁶ inspire me! Calls after them

Enter Theseus, Pirithous, Hippolyta, Emilia, Arcite and Train

THESEUS

THESEUS This way the stag took.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Stay, and edify!¹⁰⁸

THESEUS

THESEUS What have we here?

110

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Some country sport, upon my life, sir.

THESEUS

THESEUS Well, sir, go forward, we will ‘edify’.— To Schoolmaster

Ladies, sit down, we’ll stay¹¹² it.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Thou doughty¹¹³ duke, all hail.— All hail, sweet ladies.

THESEUS

THESEUS This is a cold¹¹⁴ beginning.

115

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER If you but favour, our country pastime made is.

We are a few of those collected here

That ruder tongues distinguish¹¹⁷ ‘villager’,

And to say verity, and not to fable,¹¹⁸

We are a merry rout,¹¹⁹ or else a rabble,

120

120 Or company, or, by a figure, chorus,¹²⁰

That ’fore thy dignity will dance a morris.

And I that am the rectifier¹²² of all,

By title pedagogus,¹²³ that let fall

The birch¹²⁴ upon the breeches of the small ones

125

125 And humble with a ferula¹²⁵ the tall ones,

Do here present this machine,¹²⁶ or this frame,

And, dainty duke, whose doughty dismal¹²⁷ fame

From Dis¹²⁸ to Daedalus, from post to pillar,

Is blown abroad, help me, thy poor well-willer,¹²⁹

130

130 And with thy twinkling eyes look right and straight

Upon this mighty ‘Moor’ — of mickle¹³¹ weight —

‘Is’¹³² now comes in, which, being glued together,

Makes ‘Morris’ and the cause that we came hither:

The body¹³⁴ of our sport, of no small study.

135

135 I first appear, though rude and raw and muddy,

To speak before thy noble grace this tenor:¹³⁶

At whose great feet I offer up my penner.¹³⁷

The next the lord of May, and lady bright,

The chambermaid and servingman, by night

140

140 That seek out silent hanging.¹⁴⁰ Then mine host

And his fat spouse that welcomes to their cost

The gallèd¹⁴² traveller and with a beck’ning

Informs the tapster¹⁴³ to inflame the reck’ning.

Then the beest-eating¹⁴⁴ clown and next the fool,

145

145 The Bavian with long tail and eke¹⁴⁵ long tool,

Cum multis aliis¹⁴⁶ that make a dance.

Say ‘Ay’, and all shall presently advance.

THESEUS

THESEUS Ay, ay, by any means, dear domine.¹⁴⁸

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Produce.¹⁴⁹

Music. Dance

150

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER Intrate filii!¹⁵⁰

Knocks for [the dance]

Come forth and foot it.

Enter the Dance

The Countrymen and Jailer’s Daughter dance a morris

Ladies, if we have been merry

And have pleased ye with a derry,¹⁵²

And a derry, and a down,

Say the schoolmaster’s no clown.—

155

155 Duke, if we have pleased thee too

And have done as good boys should do,

Give us but a tree or twain¹⁵⁷

For a maypole and again,

Ere another year run out,

160

160 We’ll make thee laugh and all this rout.

THESEUS

THESEUS Take twenty, domine.— How does my sweetheart?

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Never so pleased, sir.

EMILIA

EMILIA ’Twas an excellent dance

And for a preface, I never heard a better.

165

THESEUS

THESEUS Schoolmaster, I thank you.— One see ’em all rewarded.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS And here’s something to paint your pole¹⁶⁶ withal. Gives money

THESEUS

THESEUS Now to our sports again.

SCHOOLMASTER

SCHOOLMASTER May the stag thou hunt’st stand long,

And thy dogs be swift and strong:

170

170 May they kill him without lets¹⁷⁰

And the ladies eat his dowsets.¹⁷¹—

Wind horns

[Exeunt Theseus and his party]

Come we are all made, dii deæque omnes.¹⁷²

Ye have danced rarely,¹⁷³ wenches.

Exeunt

Act 3 [Scene 6]

running scene 11 continues

Enter Palamon from the bush

PALAMON

PALAMON About this hour my cousin gave his faith¹

To visit me again, and with him bring

Two swords and two good armours.³ If he fail

He’s neither man nor soldier. When he left me

5 I did not think a week could have restored

My lost strength to me, I was grown so low

And crest-fall’n with my wants. I thank thee, Arcite,

Thou art yet a fair foe: and I feel myself,

With this refreshing, able once again

10 To outdure¹⁰ danger. To delay it longer

Would make the world think, when¹¹ it comes to hearing,

That I lay fatting¹² like a swine to fight

And not a soldier. Therefore this blest morning

Shall be the last, and that sword he refuses,¹⁴

15 If¹⁵ it but hold, I kill him with: ’tis justice.

So love and fortune for me!— O, good morrow.

Enter Arcite with armours and swords

ARCITE

ARCITE Good morrow, noble kinsman.

PALAMON

PALAMON I have put you

To too much pains, sir.

ARCITE

ARCITE That too much, fair cousin,

Is but a debt to honour, and my duty.

PALAMON

PALAMON Would you were so in all, sir: I could wish ye

As kind a kinsman as you force me find

A beneficial foe, that my embraces

25 Might thank ye, not my blows.

ARCITE

ARCITE I shall think either

Well done, a noble recompense.²⁷

PALAMON

PALAMON Then I shall quit²⁸ you.

ARCITE

ARCITE Defy me in these fair terms, and you show²⁹

30 More than a mistress to me. No more anger,

As you love anything that’s honourable.

We were not bred to talk, man: when we are armed

And both upon our guards, then let our fury,

Like meeting of two tides, fly strongly from us,

35 And then to whom the birthright³⁵ of this beauty

Truly pertains³⁶ — without upbraidings, scorns,

Despisings of our persons, and such poutings

Fitter for girls and schoolboys — will be seen

And quickly, yours or mine. Wilt please you arm, sir?

40 Or, if you feel yourself not fitting⁴⁰ yet

And furnished with your old strength, I’ll stay,⁴¹ cousin,

And ev’ry day discourse you into health,

As I am spared.⁴³ Your person I am friends with

And I could wish I had not said I loved her,

45 Though⁴⁵ I had died: but, loving such a lady

And justifying my love, I must not fly from’t.

PALAMON

PALAMON Arcite, thou art so brave an enemy

That no man but thy cousin’s fit to kill thee.

I am well and lusty:⁴⁹ Choose your arms.

ARCITE

ARCITE Choose you, sir.

PALAMON

PALAMON Wilt thou exceed⁵¹ in all, or dost thou do it

To make me spare thee?

ARCITE

ARCITE If you think so, cousin,

You are deceived, for as I am a soldier,

55 I will not spare you.

PALAMON

PALAMON That’s well said.

ARCITE

ARCITE You’ll find it.⁵⁷

PALAMON

PALAMON Then as I am an honest man, and love

With all the justice of affection,

60 I’ll pay thee soundly.⁶⁰ This I’ll take. Chooses armor

ARCITE

ARCITE That’s mine then. Takes the other

I’ll arm you⁶² first.

PALAMON

PALAMON Do. Pray thee Arcite begins to arm him tell me, cousin,

Where got’st thou this good armour?

ARCITE

ARCITE ’Tis the duke’s,

And to say true, I stole it. Do I pinch you?

PALAMON

PALAMON No.

ARCITE

ARCITE Is’t not too heavy?

PALAMON

PALAMON I have worn a lighter,

70 But I shall make it serve.

ARCITE

ARCITE I’ll buckle’t close.

PALAMON

PALAMON By any means.

ARCITE

ARCITE You care not for a grand guard?⁷³

PALAMON

PALAMON No, no, we’ll use no horses. I perceive

75 You would fain⁷⁵ be at that fight.

ARCITE

ARCITE I am indifferent.

PALAMON

PALAMON Faith, so am I. Good cousin, thrust the buckle

Through far enough.

ARCITE

ARCITE I warrant⁷⁹ you.

PALAMON

My casque⁸⁰ now.

ARCITE

ARCITE Will you fight bare-armed?

PALAMON

PALAMON We shall be the nimbler.

ARCITE

ARCITE But use your gauntlets though. Those are o’th’least:⁸³

Prithee take mine, good cousin.

PALAMON

PALAMON Thank you, Arcite.

How do I look? Am I fall’n much away?⁸⁶

ARCITE

ARCITE Faith very little: love has used you kindly.

PALAMON

PALAMON I’ll warrant thee, I’ll strike home.⁸⁸

ARCITE

ARCITE Do, and spare not.

90 I’ll give you cause, sweet cousin.

PALAMON

PALAMON Now to you, sir. Begins to arm Arcite

Methinks this armour’s very like that, Arcite,

Thou wor’st that day the three kings fell, but lighter.

ARCITE

ARCITE That was a very good one, and that day

95 I well remember, you outdid me, cousin:

I never saw such valour: when you charged

Upon the left wing of the enemy,

I spurred hard to come up and under me

I had a right good horse.

100

PALAMON

PALAMON You had indeed:

A bright bay,¹⁰¹ I remember.

ARCITE

ARCITE Yes, but all

Was vainly laboured in me: you outwent me,

Nor¹⁰⁴ could my wishes reach you. Yet a little

105

105 I did by imitation.

PALAMON

PALAMON More by virtue.¹⁰⁶

You are modest, cousin.

ARCITE

ARCITE When I saw you charge first,

Methought I heard a dreadful clap of thunder

110

110 Break from the troop.

PALAMON

PALAMON But still before that flew

The lightning of your valour. Stay a little:

Is not this piece too strait?¹¹³

ARCITE

ARCITE No, no, ’tis well.

115

PALAMON

PALAMON I would have nothing hurt thee but my sword:

A bruise would be dishonour.

ARCITE

ARCITE Now I am perfect.¹¹⁷

PALAMON

PALAMON Stand off then.

ARCITE

ARCITE Take my sword, I hold¹¹⁹ it better.

120

PALAMON

PALAMON I thank ye, no: keep it, your life lies¹²⁰ on it.

Here’s one: if it but hold, I ask no more

For all my hopes. My cause and honour guard me.

ARCITE

ARCITE And me my love.

They bow several ways, then advance and stand

Is there aught¹²⁴ else to say?

125

PALAMON

PALAMON This only, and no more: thou art mine aunt’s son

And that blood we desire to shed is mutual,

In me thine and in thee mine. My sword

Is in my hand and if thou killest me

The gods and I forgive thee. If there be

130

130 A place prepared for those that sleep in honour,

I wish his weary soul that falls may win it.

Fight bravely, cousin. Give me thy noble hand.

ARCITE

ARCITE Here, Palamon: this hand shall never more

Come near thee with such friendship.

135

PALAMON

PALAMON I commend¹³⁵ thee.

ARCITE

ARCITE If I fall, curse me, and say I was a coward,

For none but such dare die in these just trials.

Once more farewell, my cousin.

PALAMON

PALAMON Farewell, Arcite.

Fight. Horns within. They stand

140

ARCITE

ARCITE Lo,¹⁴⁰ cousin, lo, our folly has undone us.

PALAMON

PALAMON Why?

ARCITE

ARCITE This is the duke, a-hunting as I told you:

If we be found, we are wretched. O, retire,¹⁴³

For honour’s sake, and safely presently¹⁴⁴

145

145 Into your bush again. Sir, we shall find

Too many hours to die in. Gentle cousin,

If you be seen you perish instantly

For breaking prison, and I, if you reveal me,

For my contempt.¹⁴⁹ Then all the world will scorn us

150

150 And say we had a noble difference,¹⁵⁰

But base disposers¹⁵¹ of it.

PALAMON

PALAMON No, no, cousin,

I will no more be hidden, nor put off

This great adventure¹⁵⁴ to a second trial:

155

155 I know your cunning and I know your cause.

He that faints¹⁵⁶ now, shame take him. Put thyself

Upon thy present guard.

ARCITE

ARCITE You are not mad?

PALAMON

PALAMON Or I will make th’advantage of this hour

160

160 Mine own, and what to come shall threaten me

I fear less than my fortune. Know, weak cousin,

I love Emilia and in that I’ll bury

Thee, and all crosses¹⁶³ else.

ARCITE

ARCITE Then come what can come.

165

165 Thou shalt know, Palamon, I dare as well

Die as discourse or sleep. Only this fears¹⁶⁶ me:

The law will have the honour of our ends.

Have at thy life.

PALAMON

PALAMON Look to thine own well, Arcite.

Fight again. Horns Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous and Train

170

THESEUS

THESEUS What ignorant¹⁷⁰ and mad malicious traitors

Are you, that gainst the tenor of my laws

Are making battle, thus like knights appointed,¹⁷²

Without my leave and officers of arms?¹⁷³

By Castor,¹⁷⁴ both shall die!

175

PALAMON

PALAMON Hold¹⁷⁵ thy word, Theseus.

We are certainly both traitors, both despisers

Of thee and of thy goodness: I am Palamon

That cannot love thee, he that broke thy prison:

Think well what that deserves. And this is Arcite:

180

180 A bolder traitor never trod thy ground,

A falser ne’er seemed friend. This is the man

Was begged¹⁸² and banished, this is he contemns thee

And what thou dar’st do; and in this disguise

Against thine own edict follows¹⁸⁴ thy sister,

185

185 That fortunate bright star, the fair Emilia,

Whose servant — if there be a right in seeing

And first bequeathing of the soul to — justly

I am, and which is more, dares think her his.

This treachery, like a most trusty lover,

190

190 I called him now to answer. If thou be’st

As thou art spoken,¹⁹¹ great and virtuous,

The true decider of all injuries,

Say, ‘Fight again’ and thou shalt see me, Theseus,

Do such a justice thou thy self wilt envy.

195

195 Then take my life, I’ll woo¹⁹⁵ thee to’t.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS O heaven,

What more than man is this!

THESEUS

THESEUS I have sworn.

ARCITE

ARCITE We seek not

200

200 Thy breath of mercy, Theseus: ’tis to me

A thing as soon to die as thee to say it

And no more moved.²⁰² Where this man calls me traitor,

Let me say thus much: if in love be treason,

In service of so excellent a beauty,

205

205 As I love most, and in that faith will perish,

As I have brought my life here to confirm it,

As I have served her truest, worthiest,

As I dare kill this cousin that denies it,

So let me be most traitor and ye please me.

210

210 For²¹⁰ scorning thy edict, duke, ask that lady

Why she is fair, and why her eyes command me

Stay here to love her: and if she say ‘Traitor’,

I am a villain fit to lie unburied.

PALAMON

PALAMON Thou shalt have pity of us both, O Theseus,

215

215 If unto neither thou show mercy. Stop,²¹⁵

As thou art just, thy noble ear against us:

As thou art valiant, for thy²¹⁷ cousin’s soul

Whose twelve strong labours crown his memory,

Let’s die together at one instant, duke.

220

220 Only a little let him fall before me,

That I may tell my soul he shall not have her.

THESEUS

THESEUS I grant your wish, for to say true, your cousin

Has ten times more offended, for I gave him

More mercy than you found, sir, your offences

225

225 Being no more than his. None here speak for ’em,

For ere the sun set, both shall sleep for ever.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Alas the pity! Now or never, sister, To Emilia

Speak not²²⁸ to be denied. That face of yours

Will bear the curses else of after ages

230

230 For these lost cousins.

EMILIA

EMILIA In my face, dear sister,

I find no anger to ’em, nor no ruin:

The misadventure of their own eyes kill²³³ ’em.

Yet²³⁴ that I will be woman, and have pity,

235

235 My knees shall grow to²³⁵ th’ground but I’ll get mercy.

Help me, dear sister, in a deed so virtuous,

The powers of all women will be with us.— Kneels

Most royal brother—

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Sir, by our tie of marriage— Kneels

240

EMILIA

EMILIA By your own spotless honour—

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA By that faith,

That fair hand and that honest heart you gave me—

EMILIA

EMILIA By that²⁴³ you would have pity in another,

By your own virtues infinite—

245

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA By valour,

By all the chaste²⁴⁶ nights I have ever pleased you—

THESEUS

THESEUS These are strange conjurings.²⁴⁷

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Nay then I’ll in too: Kneels

By all our friendship, sir, by all our dangers,

250

250 By all you love most: wars, and this sweet lady—

EMILIA

EMILIA By that²⁵¹ you would have trembled to deny

A blushing maid—

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA By your own eyes, by strength,

In which you swore I went beyond all women,

255

255 Almost all men, and yet I yielded, Theseus—

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS To crown all this, by your most noble soul,

Which cannot want²⁵⁷ due mercy, I beg first—

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Next hear my prayers—

EMILIA

EMILIA Last let me entreat, sir—

EMILIA Mercy on these princes!

THESEUS

THESEUS Ye make ²⁶³ my faith reel. Say I felt Emilia, Hippolyta, and Pirithous rise

Compassion to ’em both, how would you place it?²⁶⁴

265

EMILIA

EMILIA Upon their lives: but with their banishments.

THESEUS

THESEUS You are a right²⁶⁶ woman, sister: you have pity,

But want the understanding where to use it.

If you desire their lives, invent a way

Safer than banishment. Can these two live

270

270 And have the agony of love about ’em

And not kill one another? Every day

They’d fight about you: hourly bring your honour

In public question²⁷³ with their swords. Be wise then

And here forget ’em. It concerns your credit²⁷⁴

275

275 And my oath equally. I have said they die.

Better they fall by th’law than one another.

Bow²⁷⁷ not my honour.

EMILIA

EMILIA O my noble brother,

That oath was rashly made, and in your anger.

280

280 Your reason will not hold²⁸⁰ it: if such vows

Stand for express will,²⁸¹ all the world must perish.

Beside, I have another oath gainst yours

Of more authority, I am sure more love,

Not made in passion²⁸⁴ neither, but good heed.

285

THESEUS

THESEUS What is it, sister?

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Urge it home, brave lady.

EMILIA

EMILIA That you would nev’r deny me anything

Fit for my modest suit and your free granting.

I tie you to your word now: if ye fail in’t,

290

290 Think how you maim²⁹⁰ your honour —

For now I am set a-begging, sir, I am deaf

To all but your compassion — how their lives

Might breed the ruin of my name. Opinion!

Shall anything that loves me perish for me?

295

295 That were a cruel wisdom. Do men prune

The straight young boughs that blush with thousand blossoms

Because they may be²⁹⁷ rotten? O Duke Theseus,

The goodly mothers that have groaned²⁹⁸ for these

And all the longing maids that ever loved,

300

300 If your vow stand, shall curse me and my beauty

And in their funeral songs for these two cousins

Despise my cruelty and cry ‘Woe worth³⁰² me’,

Till I am nothing but the scorn of women.

For heaven’s sake save their lives and banish ’em.

305

THESEUS

THESEUS On what conditions?

EMILIA

EMILIA Swear ’em never more

To make me their contention,³⁰⁷ or to know me,

To tread upon thy dukedom, and to be,

Wherever they shall travel, ever strangers

310

310 To one another.

PALAMON

PALAMON I’ll be cut a-pieces

Before I take this oath! Forget I love her?

O, all ye gods, despise me then! Thy banishment

I not mislike, so we may fairly carry

315

315 Our swords and cause along, else never trifle

But take our lives, duke. I must love and will,

And for that love, must and dare kill this cousin

On any piece³¹⁸ the earth has.

THESEUS

THESEUS Will you, Arcite,

320

320 Take these conditions?

PALAMON

PALAMON He’s a villain then.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS These are men!

ARCITE

ARCITE No, never, duke: ’tis worse to me than begging

To take my life so basely.³²⁴ Though I think

325

325 I never shall enjoy her, yet I’ll preserve

The honour of affection and die for her,

Make³²⁷ death a devil.

THESEUS

THESEUS What may be done? For now I feel compassion.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Let it not fall again, sir.

330

THESEUS

THESEUS Say, Emilia,

If one of them were dead, as one must,³³¹ are you

Content to³³² take th’other to your husband?

They cannot both enjoy you. They are princes

As goodly as your own eyes and as noble

335

335 As ever fame yet spoke of. Look upon ’em

And if you can love, end this difference.

I give consent. Are you content too, princes?

BOTH

BOTH With all our souls.

THESEUS

THESEUS He that she refuses

340

340 Must die then.

BOTH

BOTH Any death thou canst invent, duke.

PALAMON

PALAMON If I fall from that mouth,³⁴² I fall with favour

And lovers yet unborn shall bless my ashes.

ARCITE

ARCITE If she refuse me, yet my grave will wed me

345

345 And soldiers sing my epitaph.

THESEUS

THESEUS Make choice, then. To Emilia

EMILIA

EMILIA I cannot, sir, they are both too excellent:

For³⁴⁸ me, a hair shall never fall of these men.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA What will become of ’em?

350

THESEUS

THESEUS Thus I ordain it

And by mine honour, once again it stands,

Or both shall die. You shall both to your country

And each within this month accompanied

With three fair knights, appear again in this place,

355

355 In which I’ll plant a pyramid:³⁵⁵ and whether

Before us that are here, can force his cousin

By fair and knightly strength to touch the pillar,

He shall enjoy her: the other lose his head,

And all his friends. Nor shall he grudge to fall,³⁵⁹

360

360 Nor think he dies with interest in³⁶⁰ this lady.

Will this content ye?

PALAMON

PALAMON Yes. Here, cousin Arcite, Offers his hand to Arcite

I am friends again, till that hour.

ARCITE

ARCITE I embrace ye. Embraces him

365

THESEUS

THESEUS Are you content, sister?

EMILIA

EMILIA Yes, I must,³⁶⁶ sir,

Else both miscarry.³⁶⁷

THESEUS

THESEUS Come shake hands again then,

And take heed, as you are gentlemen, this quarrel

370

370 Sleep till the hour prefixed, and hold your course.³⁷⁰

PALAMON

PALAMON We dare not fail thee, Theseus. Palamon and Arcite shake hands

THESEUS

THESEUS Come, I’ll give ye

Now usage³⁷³ like to princes and to friends.

When ye return, who wins, I’ll settle here:³⁷⁴

375

375 Who loses, yet I’ll weep upon his bier.³⁷⁵

Exeunt

Act 4 Scene 1 ^4.1

running scene 12

Enter Jailer and his Friend

JAILER

JAILER Hear you no more? Was nothing said of me

Concerning the escape of Palamon?

Good sir, remember.

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND Nothing that I heard,

5 For I came home before the business

Was fully ended: yet I might perceive,

Ere I departed, a great likelihood

Of both their pardons: for Hippolyta

And fair-eyed Emily, upon their knees,

10 Begged with such handsome¹⁰ pity that the duke

Methought stood staggering¹¹ whether he should follow

His rash oath or the sweet compassion

Of those two ladies: and, to second them,

That truly noble Prince Pirithous,

15 Half¹⁵ his own heart set in too, that I hope

All shall be well. Neither heard I one question

Of your name, or his scape.

Enter Second Friend

JAILER

JAILER Pray heaven it hold¹⁸ so.

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND Be of good comfort man: I bring you news,

20 Good news.

JAILER

JAILER They²¹ are welcome.

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND Palamon has cleared you,

And got your pardon, and discovered²³ how

And by whose means he escaped, which was your daughter’s,

25 Whose pardon is procured too: and the prisoner,

Not to be held ungrateful to her goodness,

Has given a sum of money to her marriage,

A large one, I’ll assure you.

JAILER

JAILER Ye are a good man

30 And ever³⁰ bring good news.

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND How was it ended?

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND Why, as it should be: they that ne’er begged

But they prevailed³³ had their suits fairly granted:

The prisoners have their lives.

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND I knew ’twould be so.

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND But there be new conditions, which you’ll hear of

At better time.

JAILER

JAILER I hope they are good.

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND They are honourable:

40 How good they’ll prove, I know not.

Enter Wooer

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND ’Twill be known.

WOOER

WOOER Alas, sir, where’s your daughter?

JAILER

JAILER Why do you ask?

WOOER

WOOER O, sir, when did you see her?

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND How he looks!⁴⁵

JAILER

JAILER This morning.

WOOER

WOOER Was she well? Was she in health, sir?

When did she sleep?

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND These are strange questions.

JAILER

JAILER I do not think she was very well, for now

You make me mind⁵¹ her: but this very day

I asked her questions, and she answered me

So far from what she was, so childishly,

So sillily, as if she were a fool,

55 An innocent,⁵⁵ and I was very angry.

But what of her, sir?

WOOER

WOOER Nothing⁵⁷ but my pity.

But you must know it, and as good by⁵⁸ me

As by another that less loves her.

JAILER

JAILER Well, sir?

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND Not right?⁶¹

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND Not well?

WOOER

WOOER No, sir, not well. ’Tis too true, she is mad.

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND It cannot be!

WOOER

WOOER Believe, you’ll find it so.

JAILER

JAILER I half suspected

What you told me: the gods comfort her!

Either this was her love to Palamon,

Or fear of my miscarrying on⁶⁹ his scape,

70 Or both.

WOOER

WOOER ’Tis likely.

JAILER

JAILER But why all this haste, sir?

WOOER

WOOER I’ll tell you quickly. As I late⁷³ was angling

In the great lake that lies behind the palace,

75 From the far shore, thick set with reeds and sedges,

As patiently I was attending sport,⁷⁶

I heard a voice, a shrill one, and attentive

I gave my ear, when I might well perceive

’Twas one that sung, and by the smallness⁷⁹ of it,

80 A boy or woman. I then left my angle⁸⁰

To⁸¹ his own skill, came near, but yet perceived not

Who made the sound, the rushes and the reeds

Had so encompassed⁸³ it. I laid me down

And listened to the words she sung, for then,

85 Through a small glade⁸⁵ cut by the fishermen,

I saw it was your daughter.

JAILER

JAILER Pray go on, sir.

WOOER

WOOER She sung much, but no sense, only I heard her

Repeat this often: ‘Palamon is gone,

90 Is gone to th’wood to gather mulberries.

I’ll find him out tomorrow.’

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND Pretty⁹² soul!

WOOER

WOOER ‘His shackles will betray him, he’ll be taken,

And what shall I do then? I’ll bring a bevy,⁹⁴

95 A hundred black-eyed maids that love as I do,

With chaplets⁹⁶ on their heads of daffodillies,

With cherry lips and cheeks of damask⁹⁷ roses,

And all we’ll dance an antic⁹⁸ ’fore the duke

And beg his pardon.’ Then she talked of you, sir:

100

100 That you must lose your head tomorrow morning,

And she must gather flowers to bury you,

And see the house made handsome.¹⁰² Then she sung

Nothing but ‘Willow, willow, willow’¹⁰³ and between

Ever was ‘Palamon, fair Palamon’,

105

105 And ‘Palamon was a tall¹⁰⁵ young man.’ The place

Was knee-deep where she sat: her careless tresses,¹⁰⁶

A wreath of bullrush rounded:¹⁰⁷ about her stuck

Thousand fresh water flowers of several colours,

That methought she appeared like the fair nymph¹⁰⁹

110

110 That feeds the lake with waters, or as Iris¹¹⁰

Newly dropped down from heaven. Rings she made

Of rushes that grew by and to ’em spoke

The prettiest posies:¹¹³ ‘Thus our true love’s tied:

This you may loose, not me’ and many a one:

115

115 And then she wept, and sung again, and sighed,

And with the same breath smiled, and kissed her hand.

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND Alas, what pity it is!

WOOER

WOOER I made¹¹⁸ in to her.

She saw me, and straight¹¹⁹ sought the flood. I saved her,

120

120 And set her safe to land, when presently

She slipped away and to the city made,

With such a cry and swiftness that, believe me,

She left me far behind her. Three or four

I saw from far off cross¹²⁴ her: one of ’em

125

125 I knew to be your brother, where she stayed¹²⁵

And fell, scarce¹²⁶ to be got away. I left them with her,

Enter Brother, Daughter and others

And hither came to tell you. Here they are.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER May¹²⁸ you never more enjoy the light…(etc.) Sings

Is not this a fine song?

130

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER O, a very fine one.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER I can sing twenty more.

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER I think you can.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Yes, truly, can I: I can sing ‘The Broom’,¹³³

And ‘Bonny Robin’. Are not you a tailor?

135

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER Yes.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Where’s my wedding-gown?

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER I’ll bring it tomorrow.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Do, very early: I¹³⁸ must be abroad else

To call the maids and pay the minstrels,

140

140 For I must lose my maidenhead¹⁴⁰ by cocklight,

’Twill never thrive¹⁴¹ else.

O¹⁴² fair, O sweet…(etc.) Sings

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER You must ev’n¹⁴³ take it patiently.

JAILER

JAILER ’Tis true.

145

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Good ev’n, good men: pray did you ever hear

Of one young Palamon?

JAILER

JAILER Yes, wench, we know him.

DAUGHTER

DAUGHTER Is’t not a fine young gentleman?

JAILER

JAILER ’Tis, love.

150

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER By no means cross¹⁵⁰ her, she is then distempered

Far worse than now she shows.

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND Yes, he’s a fine man.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER O, is he so? You have a sister.

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND Yes.

155

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER But she shall never have him, tell her so,

For¹⁵⁶ a trick that I know: you’d best look to her,

For if she see him once, she’s gone,¹⁵⁷ she’s done

And undone in an hour. All the young maids

Of our town are in love with him, but I laugh at ’em

160

160 And let¹⁶⁰ ’em all alone. Is’t not a wise course?

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND Yes.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER There is at least two hundred now with child by him —

There must be four — yet I keep close¹⁶³ for all this,

Close¹⁶⁴ as a cockle: and all these must be boys —

165

165 He has the trick on’t¹⁶⁵ — and at ten years old

They must be all gelt¹⁶⁶ for musicians

And sing the wars of Theseus.

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND This is strange.

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER As ever you heard, but say nothing.

170

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND No.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER They come from all parts of the dukedom to him.

I’ll warrant ye, he had not so few last night

As twenty to dispatch, he’ll tickle’t up¹⁷³

In two hours, if¹⁷⁴ his hand be in.

175

JAILER

JAILER She’s lost

Past all cure.

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER Heaven forbid, man.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Come hither, you are a wise man. To Jailer

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND Does she know¹⁷⁹ him? Aside

180

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND No, Aside

Would she did.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER You are master of a ship?

JAILER

JAILER Yes.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Where’s your compass?

185

JAILER

JAILER Here.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Set it to th’north.

And now direct your course to th’wood,¹⁸⁷ where Palamon

Lies longing for me. For the tackling¹⁸⁸

Let me alone.¹⁸⁹— Come, weigh, my hearts, cheerily all.

190

190 Owgh!¹⁹⁰ Owgh! Owgh!— ’Tis up, the wind’s fair!—

Top the bowline!—

Out with the mainsail!— Where’s your whistle, master?

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER Let’s get her in.

JAILER

JAILER Up to the top,¹⁹⁴ boy.

195

JAILER’S BROTHER

JAILER’S BROTHER Where’s the pilot?

FIRST FRIEND

FIRST FRIEND Here.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER What kenn’st¹⁹⁷ thou?

SECOND FRIEND

SECOND FRIEND A fair wood.¹⁹⁸

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Bear for it, master: tack about.

200

200 When Cynthia²⁰⁰ with her borrowed light…(etc.)

Sings

Exeunt

Act 4 Scene 2^4.2

running scene 13

Enter Emilia alone with two pictures

EMILIA

EMILIA Yet I may bind those wounds up, that must open

And bleed to death for my sake else: I’ll choose,

And end their strife. Two such young handsome men

Shall never fall for me: their weeping mothers,

5 Following the dead cold ashes of their sons,

Shall never curse my cruelty. Good heaven, Looks at one picture

What a sweet face has Arcite! If wise nature,

With all her best endowments, all those beauties

She sows into the births of noble bodies,

10 Were here a mortal woman and had in her

The coy ¹¹ denials of young maids, yet, doubtless,

She would run mad for this man: what an eye,

Of what a fiery sparkle and quick¹³ sweetness,

Has this young prince! Here Love himself sits smiling:

15 Just such another wanton Ganymede¹⁵

Set Jove afire with and enforced the god

Snatch up the goodly boy and set him by him,

A shining constellation.¹⁸ What a brow,

Of what a spacious majesty he carries,

20 Arched like the great-eyed Juno’s, but far sweeter,

Smoother than Pelops’ shoulder!²¹ Fame and honour,

Methinks, from hence,²² as from a promontory

Pointed²³ in heaven, should clap their wings and sing

To all the underworld²⁴ the loves and fights

25 Of gods and such men near ’em.²⁵ Palamon, Looks at the other

Is but his foil,²⁶ to him, a mere dull shadow:

He’s swart²⁷ and meagre, of an eye as heavy

As if he had lost his mother: a still²⁸ temper,

No stirring²⁹ in him, no alacrity,

30 Of all this³⁰ sprightly sharpness, not a smile.

Yet these that we count errors may become him:

Narcissus was a sad³² boy, but a heavenly.

O, who can find the bent³³ of woman’s fancy?

I am a fool, my reason is lost in me,

35 I have no choice,³⁵ and I have lied so lewdly

That women ought to beat me.— On my knees

I ask thy pardon, Palamon: thou art alone

And only⁴² beautiful, and these the eyes,

These the bright lamps of beauty, that command

40 And threaten love, and what young maid dare cross ’em?

What a bold gravity, and yet inviting,

Has this brown manly face!— O Love, this only,

From this hour, is complexion!⁴³— Lie there, Arcite: Sets Arcite’s picture aside

Thou art a changeling⁴⁴ to him, a mere gipsy,

45 And this the noble body.— I am sotted,⁴⁵

Utterly lost: my virgin’s faith⁴⁶ has fled me.

For if my brother but even now had asked me

Whether⁴⁸ I loved, I had run mad for Arcite:

Now if my sister, more for Palamon.

50 Stand both together.— Now, come ask me, brother.

Alas, I know not.— Ask me now, sweet sister.

I may go look.⁵² What a mere child is fancy,

That, having two fair gauds⁵³ of equal sweetness,

Cannot distinguish,⁵⁴ but must cry for both.

Enter Gentleman

EMILIA

EMILIA How now, sir?

GENTLEMAN

GENTLEMAN From the noble duke your brother,

Madam, I bring you news: the knights are come.

EMILIA

EMILIA To end the quarrel?

GENTLEMAN

GENTLEMAN Yes.

EMILIA

EMILIA Would I might end⁶⁰ first!—

What sins have I committed, chaste Diana,

That my unspotted⁶² youth must now be soiled

With blood of princes? And my chastity

Be made the altar where the lives of lovers,

65 Two greater and two better never yet

Made mothers joy, must be the sacrifice

To my unhappy beauty?

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous and Attendants

THESEUS

THESEUS Bring ’em in

Quickly, by any means. I long to see ’em.—

70 Your two contending lovers are returned, To Emilia

And with them their fair knights. Now, my fair sister,

You must love one of them.

EMILIA

EMILIA I had rather both,

So neither for my sake should fall untimely.⁷⁴

Enter Messenger

THESEUS

THESEUS Who saw ’em?

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS I a while.⁷⁶

GENTLEMAN

GENTLEMAN And I.

THESEUS

THESEUS From whence To the Messenger come you, sir?

MESSENGER

MESSENGER From the knights.

THESEUS

THESEUS Pray speak,

You that have seen them, what they are.

MESSENGER

MESSENGER I will, sir,

And truly what I think: six braver spirits

Than these they have brought, if we judge by the outside,

85 I never saw, nor read of. He that stands

In the first place with Arcite, by his seeming⁸⁶

Should be a stout⁸⁷ man, by his face a prince,

His very looks so say⁸⁸ him: his complexion

Nearer a brown than black, stern, and yet noble,

90 Which shows him hardy, fearless, proud of dangers.

The circles of his eyes show fire within him,

And as a heated lion, so he looks.⁹²

His hair hangs long behind him, black and shining

Like ravens’ wings, his shoulders broad and strong,

95 Armed long and round,⁹⁵ and on his thigh a sword

Hung by a curious baldric,⁹⁶ when he frowns

To seal his will with. Better⁹⁷ o’my conscience

Was never soldier’s friend.

THESEUS

THESEUS Thou hast well described him.

100

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Yet a great deal short,

Methinks, of him that’s first with Palamon.

THESEUS

THESEUS Pray speak¹⁰² him, friend.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS I guess he is a prince too,

And if it may be, greater, for his show¹⁰⁴

105

105 Has all the¹⁰⁶ ornament of honour in’t.

He’s somewhat bigger than the knight he spoke of,

But of a face far sweeter: his complexion

Is, as a ripe grape, ruddy. He has felt¹⁰⁸

Without doubt what he fights for, and so apter¹⁰⁹

110

110 To make this cause his own. In’s face appears

All the fair hopes of what he undertakes

And when he’s angry, then a settled valour,

Not tainted with extremes,¹¹³ runs through his body

And guides his arm to brave things. Fear he cannot:

115

115 He shows no such soft temper. His head’s yellow,

Hard-haired,¹¹⁶ and curled, thick twined like ivy tods,

Not to undo¹¹⁷ with thunder. In his face

The livery¹¹⁸ of the warlike maid appears,

Pure red and white, for yet no beard has blest him.

120

120 And in his rolling eyes sits victory,

As if she ever meant to crown his valour.

His nose stands high, a character¹²² of honour,

His red lips, after fights, are fit for¹²³ ladies.

EMILIA

EMILIA Must these men die too?

125

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS When he speaks, his tongue

Sounds like a trumpet: all his lineaments¹²⁶

Are as a man would wish ’em, strong and clean.¹²⁷

He wears a well-steeled axe, the staff¹²⁸ of gold.

His age some five-and-twenty.

130

MESSENGER

MESSENGER There’s another,

A little man, but of a tough soul, seeming

As great¹³² as any: fairer promises

In such a body yet I never looked on.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS O, he that’s freckle-faced?

135

MESSENGER

MESSENGER The same, my lord.

Are they¹³⁶ not sweet ones?

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Yes, they are well.¹³⁷

MESSENGER

MESSENGER Methinks,

Being so few and well-disposed, they show

140

140 Great and fine art in nature. He’s white-haired,¹⁴⁰

Not wanton white,¹⁴¹ but such a manly colour,

Next to an auburn: tough and nimble¹⁴² set,

Which shows an active soul. His arms are brawny,

Lined with strong sinews: to the shoulder piece,

145

145 Gently they swell, like women new-conceived,¹⁴⁵

Which speaks him prone to labour,¹⁴⁶ never fainting

Under the weight of arms: stout-hearted, still,

But when he stirs, a tiger. He’s grey-eyed,¹⁴⁸

Which yields compassion where he conquers, sharp

150

150 To spy advantages, and where he finds ’em,

He’s swift to make ’em his. He does no wrongs,

Nor takes none. He’s round-faced and when he smiles

He shows¹⁵³ a lover, when he frowns, a soldier.

About his head he wears the winner’s oak¹⁵⁴

155

155 And in it stuck the favour of his lady:

His age, some six-and-thirty. In his hand

He bears a charging staff,¹⁵⁷ embossed with silver.

THESEUS

THESEUS Are they all thus?

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS They are all the sons of honour.

160

THESEUS

THESEUS Now, as I have a soul, I long to see ’em.

Lady, you shall see men fight now. To Hippolyta

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA I wish it,

But not the cause, my lord. They would show

Bravely¹⁶³ about the titles of two kingdoms:

165

165 ’Tis pity love should be so tyrannous.—

O, my soft-hearted sister, what think you?

Weep not, till they weep blood. Wench, it must be.

THESEUS

THESEUS You have steeled¹⁶⁸ ’em with your beauty.— Honoured friend, To Pirithous

To you I give the field:¹⁶⁹ pray order it

170

170 Fitting the persons that must use it.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Yes, sir.

THESEUS

THESEUS Come, I’ll go visit ’em. I cannot stay —

Their fame has fired me so — till they appear.

Good friend, be royal.¹⁷⁴

175

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS There shall want¹⁷⁵ no bravery.

EMILIA

EMILIA Poor wench, go weep, for whosoever wins

Loses a noble cousin for thy sins. Exeunt

Act 4 Scene 3^4.3

running scene 14

Enter Jailer, Wooer, Doctor

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Her distraction is more at some time¹ of the moon, than at other some,² is it not?

JAILER

JAILER She is continually in a harmless distemper,³ sleeps little, altogether without appetite, save often drinking, dreaming of another world and a better: and what broken piece of matter soe’er she’s about, the name Palamon lards⁷ it, that she farces ev’ry business withal,⁸ fits it to every question.

Enter Daughter

Look where she comes: you shall perceive her behaviour.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER I have forgot it quite: the burden¹¹ on’t was ‘Down-a down-a’ and penned by no worse man than Giraldo, Emilia’s schoolmaster: he’s as fantastical¹⁴ too as ever he may go upon’s legs, for in the next world will Dido¹⁵ see Palamon, and then will she be out of love with Aeneas.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR What stuff’s here? Poor soul!

JAILER

JAILER Ev’n thus all day long.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Now for this charm that I told you of: you must bring a piece of silver²⁰ on the tip of your tongue, or no ferry. Then if it be your chance to come where the blessed spirits are, there’s a sight now! We maids that have our livers²³ perished, cracked to pieces with love, we shall come there, and do nothing all day long but pick flowers with Proserpine.²⁶ Then will I make Palamon a nosegay, then let him mark²⁷ me — then.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR How prettily²⁸ she’s amiss! Note her a little further.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Faith, I’ll tell you: sometime we go to barley break,³¹ we of the blessed. Alas, ’tis a sore life they have i’th’other place:³² such burning, frying, boiling, hissing, howling, chattering, cursing. O, they have shrewd measure!³⁴ Take heed! If one be mad, or hang or drown themselves, thither they go, Jupiter bless us, and there shall we be put in a cauldron of lead and usurer’s grease,³⁸ amongst a whole million of cutpurses, and there boil like a gammon of bacon that will never be enough.⁴⁰

DOCTOR

DOCTOR How her brain coins!⁴¹

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Lords and courtiers that have got maids with child, they are in this place. They shall stand in fire up to the navel and in ice up to th’heart, and there th’offending part burns and the deceiving part freezes: in troth a very grievous punishment, as one would think, for such a trifle. Believe me, one would marry a leprous⁴⁸ witch to be rid on’t,⁴⁹ I’ll assure you.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR How she continues this fancy! ’Tis not an engrafted⁵¹ madness but a most thick and profound melancholy.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER To hear there a proud lady and a proud city wife howl together: I were⁵⁴ a beast an I’d call it good sport. One cries, ‘O, this smoke!’ another, ‘This fire!’ One cries, ‘O, that ever I did it behind the arras!’⁵⁷ and then howls: th’other curses a suing fellow⁵⁸ and her garden-house.

I will be true, my stars,

Sings

my fate…(etc.)

Exit

JAILER

JAILER What think you of her, sir?

DOCTOR

DOCTOR I think she has a perturbed mind, which I cannot minister to.

JAILER

JAILER Alas, what then?

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Understand you she ever affected⁶⁴ any man, ere⁶⁵ she beheld Palamon?

JAILER

JAILER I was once, sir, in great hope she had fixed her liking on this gentleman, my friend.

WOOER

WOOER I did think so too, and would account⁶⁸ I had a great penn’orth on’t,⁶⁹ to give half my state that both she and I at this present stood unfeignedly⁷⁰ on the same terms.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR That intemperate⁷² surfeit of her eye hath distempered the other senses. They may return and settle again to execute their preordained faculties,⁷⁵ but they are now in a most extravagant vagary.⁷⁶ This you must do: confine her to a place where the light may rather seem to steal in than be permitted. Take upon you, young sir, her friend, the name of Palamon. Say you come to eat with her and to commune⁸⁰ of love. This will catch her attention, for this her mind beats⁸¹ upon: other objects that are inserted ’tween her mind and eye become the pranks and friskins⁸³ of her madness. Sing to her such green⁸⁴ songs of love as she says Palamon hath sung in prison. Come to her, stuck⁸⁶ in as sweet flowers as the season is mistress of and thereto make an addition of some other compounded odours⁸⁸ which are grateful to the sense: all this shall become Palamon, for Palamon can sing, and Palamon is sweet and ev’ry good thing. Desire to eat with her, carve⁹¹ her, drink to her, and still among,⁹² intermingle your petition of grace and acceptance into her favour: learn what maids have been her companions and play-feres⁹⁴ and let them repair⁹⁵ to her with Palamon in their mouths, and appear with tokens,⁹⁶ as if they suggested⁹⁷ for him. It is a falsehood she is in, which is with falsehoods to be combated. This may bring her to eat, to sleep, and reduce⁹⁹ what’s now out of square in her into their former law and regiment. I have seen it approved,¹⁰¹ how many times I know not, but to make the number more I have great hope in this. I will, between the passages¹⁰³ of this project, come in with my appliance.¹⁰⁴ Let us put it in execution and hasten the success,¹⁰⁵ which, doubt not, will bring forth comfort.

Exeunt

Act 5 Scene 1^5.1

running scene 15

Flourish. Enter Theseus, Pirithous, Hippolyta, Attendants

THESEUS

THESEUS Now let ’em enter and before the gods

Tender their holy prayers. Let the temples

Burn bright with sacred fires and the altars

In hallowed clouds commend their swelling⁴ incense

5 To those above us: let no due be wanting.

Flourish of cornets

They have a noble work in hand, will⁶ honour

The very powers that love ’em.

Enter Palamon and Arcite, and their Knights

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Sir, they enter.

THESEUS

THESEUS You valiant and strong-hearted enemies

10 You royal german¹⁰ foes, that this day come

To blow that nearness¹¹ out that flames between ye:

Lay by¹² your anger for an hour, and, dove-like,

Before the holy altars of your helpers,

The all-feared gods, bow down your stubborn¹⁴ bodies.

15 Your ire¹⁵ is more than mortal, so your help be:

And as the gods regard¹⁶ ye, fight with justice.

I’ll leave you to your prayers and betwixt ye

I part¹⁸ my wishes.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Honour crown the worthiest.

Exit Theseus and his train

PALAMON

PALAMON The glass²⁰ is running now that cannot finish To Arcite

Till one of us expire. Think you but thus:

That were there ought in me which strove to show²²

Mine enemy in this business, were’t one eye

Against another, arm oppressed by arm,

25 I would destroy th’offender, coz, I would,

Though parcel²⁶ of myself. Then from this gather

How I should tender²⁷ you.

ARCITE

ARCITE I am in labour

To push your name, your ancient love, our kindred

30 Out of my memory and i’th’self-same place

To seat something I would confound.³¹ So hoist we

The sails that must these vessels port,³² even where

The heavenly limiter³³ pleases.

PALAMON

PALAMON You speak well.

35 Before I turn,³⁵ let me embrace thee, cousin.

This I shall never do again. Embraces him

ARCITE

ARCITE One farewell.

PALAMON

PALAMON Why, let it be so. Farewell, coz.

Exeunt Palamon and his Knights

ARCITE

ARCITE Farewell, sir.—

40 Knights, kinsmen, lovers, yea my sacrifices,⁴⁰

True worshippers of Mars, whose spirit in you

Expels the seeds of fear and th’apprehension⁴²

Which still is father of it: go with me

Before the god of our profession:⁴⁴ there

45 Require⁴⁵ of him the hearts of lions and

The breath⁴⁶ of tigers, yea, the fierceness too,

Yea, the speed also — to go on,⁴⁷ I mean:

Else⁴⁸ wish we to be snails. You know my prize

Must be dragged out of blood. Force and great feat⁴⁹

50 Must put my garland⁵⁰ on, where she sticks

The queen of flowers. Our intercession⁵¹ then

Must be to him that makes the camp a cistern⁵²

Brimmed with the blood of men. Give me your aid

And bend your spirits towards him.— Prostrate before the altar

They kneel

55 Thou mighty one, that with thy power hast turned

Green Neptune⁵⁶ into purple:

Whose havoc⁵⁷ in vast field comets prewarn,

Unearthèd⁵⁸ skulls proclaim, whose breath blows down

The teeming⁵⁹ Ceres’ foison, who dost pluck

60 With hand armipotent⁶⁰ from forth blue clouds

The masoned⁶¹ turrets, that both mak’st and break’st

The stony girths⁶² of cities: me thy pupil,

Youngest follower of thy drum, instruct this day

With military skill, that to thy laud⁶⁴

65 I may advance my streamer,⁶⁵ and by thee

Be styled⁶⁶ the lord o’th’day. Give me, great Mars,

Some token of thy pleasure.

Here they fall on their faces as formerly, and there is heard clanging of armour, with a short thunder, as the burst of a battle, whereupon they all rise, and bow to the altar

O great corrector of enormous⁶⁸ times,

Shaker of o’er-rank⁶⁹ states, thou grand decider

70 Of dusty and old titles, that heal’st with blood⁷⁰

The earth when it is sick and cur’st the world

O’th’pleurisy⁷² of people, I do take

Thy signs auspiciously and in thy name

To my design march boldly. Let us go.

Exeunt

Enter Palamon and his Knights, with the former observance

PALAMON

PALAMON Our stars⁷⁵ must glister with new fire or be

Today extinct.⁷⁶ Our argument is love,

Which if the goddess of it grant, she gives

Victory too. Then blend your spirits with mine,

You whose free⁷⁹ nobleness do make my cause

80 Your personal hazard. To the goddess Venus

Commend we our proceeding and implore

Her power unto our party.—

Here they kneel as formerly

Hail, sovereign queen of secrets,⁸³ who hast power

To call the fiercest tyrant from his rage

85 And weep unto a girl, that hast the might,

Even with an eye-glance, to choke Mars’s drum

And turn th’alarm to whispers, that canst make

A cripple flourish⁸⁸ with his crutch and cure him

Before Apollo, that mayst force the king

90 To be his subject’s vassal⁹⁰ and induce

Stale gravity⁹¹ to dance. The polled bachelor,

Whose youth like wanton boys through bonfires

Have skipped⁹³ thy flame, at seventy, thou canst catch

And make him to the scorn of his hoarse throat

95 Abuse young lays⁹⁵ of love: what godlike power

Hast thou not power upon? To Phoebus⁹⁶ thou

Add’st flames hotter than his: the heavenly fires

Did scorch his mortal son,⁹⁸ thine him: the huntress

All moist⁹⁹ and cold, some say, began to throw

100

100 Her bow away and sigh. Take to thy grace

Me thy vowed soldier, who do bear thy yoke¹⁰¹

As ’twere a wreath of roses, yet is heavier

Than lead itself, stings more than nettles.

I have never been foul-mouthed against thy law,

105

105 Nev’r revealed secret, for I knew none: would not,

Had I kenned¹⁰⁶ all that were. I never practised

Upon man’s wife nor would the libels¹⁰⁷ read

Of liberal¹⁰⁸ wits. I never at great feasts

Sought to betray¹⁰⁹ a beauty, but have blushed

110

110 At simpering sirs that did. I have been harsh

To large confessors¹¹¹ and have hotly asked them

If they had mothers: I had one, a woman,

And women ’twere they wronged. I knew a man

Of eighty winters, this I told them, who

115

115 A lass of fourteen brided.¹¹⁵ ’Twas thy power

To put life into dust: the agèd cramp¹¹⁶

Had screwed¹¹⁷ his square foot round,

The gout had knit his fingers into knots,

Torturing convulsions from his globy¹¹⁹ eyes

120

120 Had almost drawn their spheres,¹²⁰ that what was life

In him seemed torture. This anatomy¹²¹

Had by his young fair fere¹²² a boy, and I

Believed it was his, for she swore it was,

And who would not believe her? Brief,¹²⁴ I am

125

125 To those that prate¹²⁵ and have done, no companion:

To those that boast and have not, a defier:¹²⁶

To those that would and cannot, a rejoicer.

Yea, him I do not love that tells close offices¹²⁸

The foulest way nor names concealments¹²⁹ in

130

130 The boldest¹³⁰ language. Such a one I am

And vow that lover never yet made sigh

Truer than I. O, then, most soft sweet goddess,

Give me the victory of this question, which

Is true love’s merit,¹³⁴ and bless me with a sign

135

135 Of thy great pleasure.

Here music is heard, doves are seen to flutter. They fall again upon their faces, then on their knees

O thou that from eleven to ninety reign’st

In mortal bosoms, whose chase¹³⁷ is this world

And we in herds thy game: I give thee thanks

For this fair token, which being laid unto¹³⁹

140

140 Mine innocent true heart, arms in assurance

My body to this business.— Let us rise They rise

And bow before the goddess. Time comes on.¹⁴²

They bow. Exeunt

Still music of recorders. Enter Emilia in white, her hair about her shoulders, a wheaten wreath; one in white holding up her train, her hair stuck with flowers; one before her carrying a silver hind, in which is conveyed incense and sweet odours, which being set upon the altar, her Maids standing aloof, she sets fire to it; then they curtsy and kneel

EMILIA

EMILIA O sacred, shadowy, cold and constant queen,

Abandoner of revels, mute contemplative,

145

145 Sweet, solitary, white as chaste, and pure

As wind-fanned snow, who to thy female knights

Allow’st no more blood than will make a blush,

Which is their order’s robe:¹⁴⁸ I here, thy priest,

Am humbled ’fore thine altar. O, vouchsafe¹⁴⁹

150

150 With that thy rare green eye, which never yet

Beheld thing maculate,¹⁵¹ look on thy virgin,

And, sacred silver mistress, lend thine ear,

Which ne’er heard scurrile¹⁵³ term, into whose port

Ne’er entered wanton¹⁵⁴ sound, to my petition

155

155 Seasoned¹⁵⁵ with holy fear. This is my last

Of vestal office. I am bride-habited,¹⁵⁶

But maiden-hearted. A husband I have ’pointed,¹⁵⁷

But do not know him. Out of two, I should

Choose one and pray for his success, but I

160

160 Am guiltless¹⁶⁰ of election. Of mine eyes,

Were I to lose one, they are equal precious,

I could doom¹⁶² neither: that which perished should

Go to’t unsentenced. Therefore most modest queen,

He of the two pretenders¹⁶⁴ that best loves me

165

165 And has the truest title¹⁶⁵ in’t, let him

Take off my wheaten garland,¹⁶⁶ or else grant

The file and quality¹⁶⁷ I hold I may

Continue in thy band.¹⁶⁸—

Here the hind vanishes under the altar, and in the place ascends a rose tree, having one rose upon it

See what our general of ebbs and flows,¹⁶⁹

170

170 Out from the bowels of her holy altar,

With sacred act advances: but one rose!

If well inspired,¹⁷² this battle shall confound

Both these brave knights and I, a virgin flower,

Must grow alone, unplucked.

Here is heard a sudden twang of instruments, and the rose falls from the tree

175

175 The flower is fall’n, the tree descends.— O mistress,

Thou here dischargest me. I shall be gathered,¹⁷⁶

I think so, but I know not thine own will:

Unclasp¹⁷⁸ thy mystery!— I hope she’s pleased:

Her signs were gracious.

They curtsy and exeunt

Act 5 Scene 2^5.2

running scene 16

Enter Doctor, Jailer, and Wooer in habit of Palamon

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Has this advice I told you done any good upon¹ her?

WOOER

WOOER O, very much: the maids that kept her company

Have half persuaded her that I am Palamon.

Within this half hour she came smiling to me

5 And asked me what I would eat and when I would kiss her.

I told her, ‘Presently’⁶ and kissed her twice.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR ’Twas well done: twenty times had been far better,

For there the cure lies mainly.

WOOER

WOOER Then she told me

10 She would watch¹⁰ with me tonight, for well she knew

What hour my fit¹¹ would take me.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Let her do so,

And when your fit comes, fit her¹³ home, and presently.

WOOER

WOOER She would have me sing.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR You did so?

WOOER

WOOER No.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR ’Twas very ill done then.

You should observe¹⁸ her ev’ry way.

WOOER

WOOER Alas,

20 I have no voice, sir, to confirm²⁰ her that way.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR That’s all one,²¹ if ye make a noise.

If she entreat again, do anything.

Lie²³ with her if she ask you.

JAILER

JAILER Ho there, doctor!

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Yes, in the way of cure.

JAILER

JAILER But first, by your leave,

I’th’way of honesty.²⁷

DOCTOR

DOCTOR That’s but a niceness.²⁸

Ne’er cast²⁹ your child away for honesty:

30 Cure her first this way, then if she will³⁰ be honest,

She has the path before her.

JAILER

JAILER Thank ye, doctor.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Pray bring her in and let’s see how she is.

JAILER

JAILER I will, and tell her

35 Her Palamon stays for her. But, doctor,

Methinks you are i’th’wrong still.

Exit Jailer

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Go, go: you fathers are fine fools. Her honesty?

And we should give her physic³⁸ till we find that!

WOOER

WOOER Why, do you think she is not honest, sir?

DOCTOR

DOCTOR How old is she?

WOOER

WOOER She’s eighteen.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR She may be,

But that’s all one,⁴³ ’tis nothing to our purpose.

Whate’er her father says, if you perceive

45 Her mood inclining that way that I spoke of,

Videlicet,⁴⁶ the ‘way of flesh’: you have me?

WOOER

WOOER Yes, very well, sir.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Please her appetite

And do it home, it cures her ipso facto,⁴⁹

50 The melancholy humour⁵⁰ that infects her.

WOOER

WOOER I am of your mind, doctor. He withdraws

Enter Jailer, Daughter, mad

DOCTOR

DOCTOR You’ll find it so. She comes, pray humour her.

JAILER

JAILER Come, your love Palamon stays for you, child,

And has done this long hour, to visit you.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER I thank him for his gentle patience:

He’s a kind gentleman and I am much bound⁵⁶ to him.

Did you never see the horse he gave me?

JAILER

JAILER Yes.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER How do you like him?

JAILER

JAILER He’s a very fair one.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER You never saw him dance?

JAILER

JAILER No.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER I have, often.

He dances very finely, very comely,

65 And for a jig, come⁶⁵ cut and long tail to him,

He turns ye⁶⁶ like a top.

JAILER

JAILER That’s fine indeed.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER He’ll dance the morris twenty mile an hour —

And that will founder⁶⁹ the best hobby-horse,

70 If I have any skill,⁷⁰ in all the parish —

And gallops to the turn of ‘Light o’ love’.⁷¹

What think you of this horse?

JAILER

JAILER Having these virtues

I think he might be brought to play at tennis.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Alas, that’s nothing.

JAILER

JAILER Can he write and read too?

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER A very fair hand,⁷⁷ and casts himself th’accounts

Of all his hay and provender:⁷⁸ that ostler

Must rise betime⁷⁹ that cozens him. You know

80 The chestnut mare the duke has?

JAILER

JAILER Very well.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER She is horribly in love with him, poor beast,

But he is like his master, coy⁸³ and scornful.

JAILER

JAILER What dowry has she?

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Some two hundred bottles⁸⁵

And twenty strike⁸⁶ of oats, but he’ll ne’er have her.

He lisps in’s neighing, able to entice

A miller’s mare.⁸⁸ He’ll be the death of her.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR What stuff she utters!

JAILER

JAILER Make curtsy, here your love comes. Wooer comes forward

WOOER

WOOER Pretty soul,

How do ye? That’s a fine maid, there’s a curtsy. She curtsies

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Yours to command i’th’way of honesty.—

How far is’t now to th’end o’th’world, my masters?

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Why, a day’s journey, wench.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Will you go with me? To Wooer

WOOER

WOOER What shall we do there, wench?

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Why, play at stool-ball:⁹⁸

What is there else to do?

100

WOOER

WOOER I am content

If we shall keep¹⁰¹ our wedding there.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER ’Tis true,

For there, I will assure you, we shall find

Some blind priest for the purpose, that will venture

105

105 To marry us, for here they are nice,¹⁰⁵ and foolish.

Besides, my father must be hanged tomorrow

And that would be a blot i’th’business.

Are not you Palamon?

WOOER

WOOER Do not you know me?

110

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Yes, but you care not for me: I have nothing

But this poor petticoat¹¹¹ and two coarse smocks.

WOOER

WOOER That’s all one, I will have you.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Will you surely?

WOOER

WOOER Yes, by this fair hand will I. Takes her hand

115

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER We’ll to bed then.¹¹⁵

WOOER

WOOER Ev’n when you will. Kisses her

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER O, sir, you would fain be nibbling.¹¹⁷ Rubs off the kiss

WOOER

WOOER Why do you rub my kiss off?

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER ’Tis a sweet one

120

120 And will perfume me finely against¹²⁰ the wedding.

Is not this your cousin Arcite? Indicates the Doctor

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Yes, sweetheart,

And I am glad my cousin Palamon

Has made so fair a choice.

125

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Do you think he’ll have me? To Doctor

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Yes, without doubt.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER Do you think so too? To Jailer

JAILER

JAILER Yes.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER We shall have many children.—

130

130 Lord, how you’re grown!¹³⁰ To Doctor

My Palamon, I hope, will grow¹³¹ too, finely,

Now he’s at liberty: alas, poor chicken,

He was kept down with hard meat¹³³ and ill lodging,

But I’ll kiss him up¹³⁴ again.

Enter a Messenger

135

MESSENGER

MESSENGER What do you here? You’ll lose the noblest sight

That ev’r was seen.

JAILER

JAILER Are they i’th’field?

MESSENGER

MESSENGER They are.

You bear a charge¹³⁹ there too.

140

JAILER

JAILER I’ll away straight.¹⁴⁰—

I must ev’n leave you here.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Nay, we’ll go with you.

I will not lose the fight.

JAILER

JAILER How¹⁴⁴ did you like her?

145

DOCTOR

DOCTOR I’ll warrant you within these three or four days

I’ll make her right again.— You must not from¹⁴⁶ her To the Wooer

But still¹⁴⁷ preserve her in this way.

WOOER

WOOER I will.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Let’s get her in.

150

WOOER

WOOER Come, sweet, we’ll go to dinner

And then we’ll play at cards.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER And shall we kiss too?

WOOER

WOOER A hundred times.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER And twenty.

155

WOOER

WOOER Ay, and twenty.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER And then we’ll sleep together.

DOCTOR

DOCTOR Take her offer. To Wooer

WOOER

WOOER Yes, marry,¹⁵⁸ will we. To Daughter

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER But you shall not hurt me.

WOOER

WOOER I will not, sweet.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

JAILER’S DAUGHTER If you do, love, I’ll cry.

Exeunt

Act 5 Scene 3^5.3

running scene 17

Flourish. Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous and some Attendants

EMILIA

EMILIA I’ll no step further.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Will you lose this sight?

EMILIA

EMILIA I had rather see a wren hawk at³ a fly

Than this decision:⁴ ev’ry blow that falls

5 Threats a brave life, each stroke laments

The place whereon it falls and sounds more like

A bell⁷ than blade. I will stay here,

It is enough my hearing shall be punished

With what shall happen, gainst the which there is

10 No deafing,¹⁰ but to hear, not taint mine eye

With dread sights it may shun.

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Sir, my good lord, To Theseus

Your sister will no further.

THESEUS

THESEUS O, she must.

She shall see deeds of honour in their kind,¹⁴

15 Which sometime show well, pencilled.¹⁵ Nature now

Shall make and act the story, the belief¹⁶

Both sealed¹⁷ with eye and ear.— You must be present: To Emilia

You are the victor’s meed,¹⁸ the prize and garland

To crown the question’s title.¹⁹

EMILIA

EMILIA Pardon me:

If I were there, I’d wink.²¹

THESEUS

THESEUS You must be there:

This trial is as ’twere i’th’night, and you

The only star to shine.

EMILIA

EMILIA I am extinct.²⁵

There is but envy²⁶ in that light which shows

The one the other. Darkness, which ever was

The dam²⁸ of horror, who does stand accurst

Of many mortal millions, may even now,

30 By casting her black mantle over both

That neither could find other, get herself

Some part of a good name and many a murder

Set off³³ whereto she’s guilty.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA You must go.

EMILIA

EMILIA In faith, I will not.

THESEUS

THESEUS Why, the knights must kindle³⁶

Their valour at your eye. Know, of this war

You are the treasure and must needs be by

To give³⁹ the service pay.

EMILIA

EMILIA Sir, pardon me,

The title of a kingdom may be tried

Out of itself.⁴²

THESEUS

THESEUS Well, well, then, at your pleasure.

Those that remain with you could wish their office

45 To any of their enemies.

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Farewell, sister.

I am like to know⁴⁹ your husband ’fore yourself

By some small start of time: he whom the gods

Do of the two know best, I pray them he

50 Be made your lot.

Exeunt Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous and others.

[Emilia remains]

EMILIA

EMILIA Arcite is gently visaged, yet his eye

Is like an engine bent,⁵² or a sharp weapon

In a soft sheath: mercy and manly courage

Are bedfellows in his visage. Palamon

55 Has a most menacing aspect:⁵⁵ his brow

Is graved,⁵⁶ and seems to bury what it frowns on,

Yet sometime ’tis not so, but alters to⁵⁷

The quality⁵⁸ of his thoughts. Long time his eye

Will dwell upon his object. Melancholy

60 Becomes him nobly: so does Arcite’s mirth.

But Palamon’s sadness is a kind of mirth,

So mingled as if mirth did make him sad

And sadness merry. Those darker humours that

Stick misbecomingly⁶⁴ on others, on them

65 Live in fair dwelling.

Cornets. Trumpets sound as to a charge

Hark how yon spurs to spirit⁶⁶ do incite

The princes to their proof!⁶⁷ Arcite may win me

And yet may Palamon wound Arcite to

The spoiling⁶⁹ of his figure. O, what pity

70 Enough⁷⁰ for such a chance! If I were by

I might do hurt, for they would glance their eyes

Toward⁷³ my seat and in that motion might

Omit a ward or forfeit an offence

Which craved⁷⁴ that very time: it is much better

Cornets. A great cry and noise within, crying ‘A Palamon!’

75 I am not there. O, better never born

Than minister to such harm!— What⁷⁶ is the chance?

Enter Servant

SERVANT

SERVANT The cry’s ‘A Palamon!’

EMILIA

EMILIA Then he has won:

’Twas ever likely.

80 He looked all grace and success, and he is

Doubtless the prim’st⁸¹ of men. I prithee run

And tell me how it goes.

Shout and cornets, crying ‘A Palamon!‘

SERVANT

SERVANT Still ‘Palamon’.

EMILIA

EMILIA Run and inquire.— [Exit Servant]

85 Poor servant⁸⁵ thou hast lost.

Upon my right side still⁸⁶ I wore thy picture,

Palamon’s on the left. Why so, I know not:

I had no end⁸⁸ in’t, else chance would have it so.

Another cry and shout within, and cornets

On the sinister⁸⁹ side, the heart lies: Palamon

90 Had the best boding⁹⁰ chance. This burst of clamour

Is sure th’end o’th’combat.

Enter Servant

SERVANT

SERVANT They said that Palamon had Arcite’s body

Within an inch o’th’pyramid, that the cry

Was general, ‘A Palamon!’ But anon

95 Th’assistants⁹⁵ made a brave redemption and

The two bold titlers⁹⁶ at this instant are

Hand to hand at it.

EMILIA

EMILIA Were they metamorphosed

Both into one! O, why? There were no woman

100

100 Worth so composed a man: their single share,

Their nobleness, peculiar to them, gives

The prejudice of disparity values shortness,¹⁰²

Cornets. Cry within, ‘Arcite! Arcite!’

To any lady breathing.— More exulting?

‘Palamon’ still?

105

SERVANT

SERVANT Nay, now the sound is ‘Arcite!’

EMILIA

EMILIA I prithee lay attention to the cry.

Cornets. A great shout and cry, ‘Arcite! Victory!’

Set both thine ears to th’business.

SERVANT

SERVANT The cry is

‘Arcite!’ and ‘Victory!’ Hark! ‘Arcite! Victory!’

110

110 The combat’s consummation¹¹⁰ is proclaimed

By the wind instruments.

EMILIA

EMILIA Half-sights¹¹² saw

That Arcite was no babe. God’s lid,¹¹³ his richness

And costliness¹¹⁴ of spirit looked through him: it could

115

115 No more be hid in him than fire in flax,

Than humble banks can go¹¹⁶ to law with waters

That drift¹¹⁷ winds force to raging. I did think

Good Palamon would miscarry, yet I knew not

Why I did think so. Our reasons are not prophets

120

120 When oft our fancies are. They are coming off:¹²⁰

Alas, poor Palamon!

Cornets

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, Arcite as victor, and Attendants and others

THESEUS

THESEUS Lo, where our sister is in expectation,

Yet quaking and unsettled.— Fairest Emily,

The gods by their divine arbitrament

125

125 Have given you this knight. He is a good one

As ever struck at head.¹²⁶ Give me your hands:

Receive you her, you him, be plighted¹²⁷ with

A love that grows as you decay.

ARCITE

ARCITE Emily,

130

130 To buy you, I have lost what’s dearest to me,

Save what is bought, and yet I purchase cheaply,

As I do rate your value.

THESEUS

THESEUS O, lovèd sister,

He speaks now of as brave a knight as e’er

135

135 Did spur a noble steed. Surely the gods

Would have him die a bachelor, lest his race¹³⁶

Should show i’th’world too godlike: his behaviour

So charmed me, that methought Alcides¹³⁸ was

To him a sow¹³⁹ of lead. If I could praise

140

140 Each part of him to th’all I have spoke, your Arcite

Did¹⁴¹ not lose by’t, for he that was thus good

Encountered yet his better. I have heard

Two emulous¹⁴³ Philomels beat the ear o’th’night

With their contentious throats, now one the higher,

145

145 Anon¹⁴⁵ the other, then again the first,

And by and by out-breasted,¹⁴⁶ that the sense

Could not be judge between ’em: so it fared

Good space¹⁴⁸ between these kinsmen, till heavens did

Make hardly¹⁴⁹ one the winner.— Wear the garland To Arcite

150

150 With joy that you have won.— For the subdued,¹⁵⁰

Give them our present justice,¹⁵¹ since I know

Their lives but pinch¹⁵² ’em. Let it here be done.

The scene’s not for our seeing: go we hence,

Right joyful, with some sorrow.— Arm¹⁵⁴ your prize, To Arcite

155

155 I know you will not lose¹⁵⁵ her.— Hippolyta

I see one eye of yours conceives a tear,

The which it will deliver.

Flourish

EMILIA

EMILIA Is this winning?

O, all you heavenly powers, where is your mercy?

160

160 But that your wills have said it must be so,

And charge me live to comfort this unfriended,¹⁶¹

This miserable prince, that cuts away

A life more worthy from him than all women,

I should, and would die too,

165

HIPPOLYTA

HIPPOLYTA Infinite pity

That four such eyes should be so fixed on one¹⁶⁶

That two must needs be blind¹⁶⁷ for’t.

THESEUS

THESEUS So it is.

Exeunt

Act 5 Scene 4^5.4

running scene 17 continues

Enter Palamon and his Knights, pinioned, Jailer, Executioner and other Guard

Some carrying a block and an axe

PALAMON

PALAMON There’s many a man alive that hath outlived

The love o’th’people, yea, i’th’selfsame state

Stands many a father with his child. Some comfort

We have by so considering: we expire,

5 And not without men’s pity: to⁵ live still,

Have their good wishes: we prevent⁶

The loathsome misery of age, beguile⁷

The gout and rheum,⁸ that in lag hours attend

For grey approachers:⁹ we come towards the gods

10 Young and unwappered,¹⁰ not halting under crimes

Many and stale.¹¹ That sure shall please the gods

Sooner than such,¹² to give us nectar with ’em,

For we are more clear¹³ spirits.— My dear kinsmen. To Knights

Whose lives, for this poor comfort are laid down,

15 You have sold ’em too, too cheap.

FIRST KNIGHT

FIRST KNIGHT What ending could be

Of more content? O’er us the victors have

Fortune, whose title¹⁸ is as momentary

As to us death is certain: a grain of honour

20 They not o’er-weigh us.

SECOND KNIGHT

SECOND KNIGHT Let us bid farewell

And with our patience anger tott’ring²² fortune,

Who at her certain’st reels.²³ They embrace

THIRD KNIGHT

THIRD KNIGHT Come, who begins?

PALAMON

PALAMON Ev’n he that led you to this banquet shall

Taste²⁶ to you all.— Aha, my friend, my friend, To Keeper

Your gentle daughter gave me freedom once:

You’ll see’t done²⁸ now for ever. Pray how does she?

I heard she was not well; her kind of ill²⁹

30 Gave me some sorrow.

JAILER

JAILER Sir, she’s well restored

And to be married shortly.

PALAMON

PALAMON By my short life,

I am most glad on’t: ’tis the latest³⁴ thing

35 I shall be glad of, prithee tell her so.

Commend me to her, and to piece her portion,³⁶

Tender her this. He gives his purse

FIRST KNIGHT

FIRST KNIGHT Nay, let’s be offerers all.

SECOND KNIGHT

SECOND KNIGHT Is³⁹ it a maid?

PALAMON

PALAMON Verily⁴⁰ I think so,

A right good creature, more to me deserving

Than I can quite⁴² or speak of.

ALL KNIGHTS

ALL KNIGHTS Commend us to her.

They give their purses

JAILER

JAILER The gods requite⁴⁴ you all and make her thankful.

PALAMON

PALAMON Adieu, and let my life be now as short,

As my leave-taking.

Lies on the block

FIRST KNIGHT

FIRST KNIGHT Lead, courageous cousin.

SECOND and THIRD KNIGHTS

SECOND and THIRD KNIGHTS We’ll follow cheerfully.

A great noise within, crying, ‘Run! Save! Hold!’

Enter in haste a Messenger

MESSENGER

MESSENGER Hold, hold! O, hold, hold, hold!

Enter Pirithous in haste

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Hold, ho! It is a cursèd haste you made

If you have done⁵¹ so quickly.— Noble Palamon,

The gods will show their glory in a life

That thou art yet to lead.

PALAMON

PALAMON Can that be,

When Venus, I have said, is false? How do things fare?

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS Arise, great sir, and give the tidings ear

That are most rarely sweet and bitter.

PALAMON

PALAMON What

Hath waked us from our dream?

PIRITHOUS

PIRITHOUS List then: your cousin,

Mounted upon a steed that Emily

Did first bestow on him, a black one, owing⁶²

Not a hair-worth of white, which some will say

Weakens his price⁶⁴ and many will not buy

His goodness with this note⁶⁵ — which superstition

Here finds allowance⁶⁶ — on this horse is Arcite

Trotting the stones of Athens, which the calkins⁶⁷

Did rather tell⁶⁸ than trample, for the horse

Would make his length⁶⁹ a mile, if’t pleased his rider

To put pride⁷⁰ in him. As he thus went counting

The flinty pavement, dancing as ’twere to th’music

His own hoofs made — for, as they say, from iron⁷²

Came music’s origin — what envious flint,

Cold as old Saturn,⁷⁴ and like him possessed

With fire malevolent, darted a spark,

Or what fierce sulphur else, to this end made,

I comment⁷⁷ not. The hot horse, hot as fire,

Took toy⁷⁸ at this and fell to what disorder

His power could give his will, bounds, comes on end,⁷⁹

Forgets school-doing,⁸⁰ being therein trained,

And of kind manage:⁸¹ pig-like he whines

At the sharp rowell,⁸² which he frets at rather

Than any jot obeys: seeks all foul means

Of boist’rous and rough jad’ry,⁸⁴ to disseat

His lord, that kept it bravely. When nought served,

When neither curb⁸⁶ would crack, girth break, nor diff’ring plunges

Disroot⁸⁷ his rider whence he grew, but that

He kept him ’tween his legs, on his hind hoofs on end he stands,

That Arcite’s legs, being higher than his head,

Seemed with strange art to hang. His victor’s wreath

Even then fell off his head, and presently

Backward the jade comes o’er and his full poise⁹²

Becomes the rider’s load. Yet is he living,

But such a vessel ’tis, that floats⁹⁴ but for

The surge that next approaches. He much desires

To have some speech with you: lo, he appears.

Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Arcite [carried] in a chair

PALAMON

PALAMON O miserable end of our alliance!

The gods are mighty. Arcite, if thy heart,

Thy worthy, manly heart be yet unbroken,

100

Give me thy last words. I am Palamon,

One that yet loves thee dying.

ARCITE

ARCITE Take Emilia

And with her all the world’s joy. Reach thy hand:

Farewell. I have told¹⁰⁴ my last hour. I was false,

105

Yet never treacherous. Forgive me, cousin.

One kiss from fair Emilia. ’Tis done. Emilia kisses Arcite

Take her. I die.

PALAMON

PALAMON Thy brave soul seek Elysium!¹⁰⁸ Arcite dies

EMILIA

EMILIA I’ll close thine eyes, prince: blessed souls be with thee.

110

Thou art a right good man, and while I live,

This day¹¹¹ I give to tears.

PALAMON

PALAMON And I to honour.

THESEUS

THESEUS In this place first you fought: ev’n very here

I sundered¹¹⁴ you. Acknowledge to the gods

115

Our thanks that you are living:

His part is played, and though it were too short

He did it well: your day is lengthened and

The blissful dew of heaven does arrouse¹¹⁸ you.

The powerful Venus well hath graced her altar

120

And given you your love. Our master Mars

Hast vouched¹²¹ his oracle and to Arcite gave

The grace¹²² of the contention. So the deities

Have showed due justice. Bear this¹²³ hence.

PALAMON

PALAMON O, cousin,

125

That we should things desire, which do cost us

The loss of our desire! That nought could buy

Dear love, but loss of dear love! Arcite’s body is carried out

THESEUS

THESEUS Never Fortune

Did play a subtler game: the conquered triumphs,

130

The victor has the loss: yet in the passage¹³⁰

The gods have been most equal.¹³¹— Palamon,

Your kinsman hath confessed the right o’th’lady

Did lie in you, for you first saw her and

Even then proclaimed your fancy.¹³⁴ He restored her

135

As your stolen jewel and desired your spirit

To send him hence forgiven. The gods my justice

Take from my hand and they themselves become

The executioners. Lead your lady off

And call your lovers ¹³⁹ from the stage of death,

140

Whom I adopt my friends. A day or two

Let us look sadly and give grace unto

The funeral of Arcite, in whose end¹⁴²

The visages of bridegrooms we’ll put on

And smile with Palamon, for whom an hour,

145

But one hour since, I was as dearly sorry,

As glad of Arcite, and am now as glad

As for him sorry. O, you heavenly charmers,¹⁴⁷

What things you make of us! For what we lack

We laugh, for what we have are sorry, still

150

Are children in some kind.¹⁵⁰ Let us be thankful

For that which is, and with you leave dispute

That are above¹⁵² our question. Let’s go off,

And bear¹⁵³ us like the time. Flourish. Exeunt

Epilogue

[Enter the Epilogue*]

I would now ask ye how ye like the play,

But, as it is with schoolboys, cannot say.²

I am cruel³ fearful. Pray yet stay a while,

And let me look upon ye. No man smile?

Then it goes hard⁵ I see. He that has

Loved a young handsome wench, then, show his face —

’Tis strange if none be here — and, if he will,

Against his conscience let him hiss, and kill

Our market.⁹ ’Tis in vain, I see, to stay ye:

Have at¹⁰ the worst can come then! Now what say ye?

And yet mistake me not: I am not bold:

We have no such cause.¹² If the tale we have told —

For ’tis no other — any way content ye —

For to that honest purpose it was meant¹⁴ ye —

We have our end:¹⁵ and ye shall have ere long,

I dare say, many a better, to prolong

Your old loves to us. We, and all our might,

Rest at your service. Gentlemen, goodnight.

Flourish. [Exit]

Textual Notes

Q = Quarto text of 1634

F = a correction introduced in the Beaumont and Fletcher Folio text of 1679

Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor

SD = stage direction

SH = speech heading (i.e., speaker’s name)

List of parts = Ed. Not in Q. Inaccurate and incomplete in F

Prologue 26 tack spelled take in Q

1.1.0 SD Music = Ed. Placed after “The Song” in Q SD Pirithous = Ed. Q = Theseus 1 SH BOY = Ed. Not in Q 9 harebells = Ed. Q = her bels 20 chough hoar = Ed. Q = Clough hee 24 SD First = Ed. Q = 1. SD second = Ed. Q = 2. SD third = Ed. Q = 3. 39 stead spelled steed in Q 44 talons = Ed. Q = Tallents 63 Capaneus…The = Ed. Q = Capaneus, was your Lord the 72 Nemean = Ed. Q = Nenuan 144 longer = Ed. Q = long 150 move = F. Q = mooves 171 Rinsing spelled Wrinching in Q 177 Artesius = Ed. Q = Artesuis 187 SH ALL QUEENS = Ed. Q = All 193 war = Ed. Q = was 200 twinning = Ed. Q = twyning 238 Aulis = Ed. Q = Anly

1.2.21 Mars’s spelled Marsis in Q 72 power there’s = Ed. Q = power: there’s 77 glory: one = Ed. Q = glory on

1.3.37 one = Ed. Q = ore 38 mind nurse = Ed. Q = minde, nurse 47 Fought = Q. Sometimes emended to Sought 62 eleven = F. Q = a eleven 63 Flavina = Ed. Q = Flauia 83 careless wear = Ed. Q = careles, were, 85 one = Ed. Q = on 86 musical spelled misicall in Q 92 dividual = Ed. Q = individuall

1.4.21 smeared = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = succard 26 Wi’ = Ed. Q = We 46 friends’ = Ed. Q = friends, 47 Love’s = Ed. Q = Loves, 51 O’er-wrestling = Ed. Q = Or wrastling 55 ’fore = Ed. Q = for SD Flourish occurs one line earlier in Q

1.5.0 SD Music located at the end of Act 1 scene 4 in Q 1 SH ALL = Ed. Not in Q 10 naught…woes = Ed. Q = &c.

2.1.19–20 that now: = Ed. Q = that. Now, 31 grise spelled greise in Q

2.2.24 wore = Ed. Q = were 25 Ravished = Ed. Q = Bravishd 107 abroad and = Ed. Q = abroade? And 131 SH EMILIA = Ed. Assigned to Arcite in Q 229 your blood = F. Q = you blood 275 SH JAILER = Ed. Q = Keeper (throughout this scene) 333 you = F. Q = yon

2.3.6 sins = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = fins 25 SH FIRST COUNTRYMAN = Ed. Q = 1 (throughout) 26 SH SECOND COUNTRYMAN = Ed. Q = 2. (throughout) 27 SH THIRD COUNTRYMAN = Ed. Q = 3. (throughout) 28 SH FOURTH COUNTRYMAN = Ed. Q = 4. (throughout) 44 ye = Ed. Q = yet 59 says = Ed. Q = sees 72 Yes = Q. Sometimes emended to Yet

[Scene 5] = Ed. Q = Scæna 4.

2.5.14 proves = Q (prooves). Ed = profess 16 hollowed spelled holloa’d in Q 40 For = F. Q = Fo

2.6.35 hubbub spelled whoobub in Q

3.1.2 laund = Ed. Q = land rite spelled Right in Q 37 void’st spelled voydes in Q 43 Not = Ed. Q = Nor 73 compelled = Q. F = coupl’d 99 nobly = Ed. Q = noble 108 musit = Ed. Q = Musicke 127 ’Tis = Ed. Q = If

3.2.1 mistook the brake = Ed. Q = mistooke;the Beake 8 hallooed = Ed. Q = hallowed 19 fed = Ed. Q = feed 25 dozens spelled dussons in Q 28 brine = Ed. Q = bine 35 screech-owl spelled Schreichowle in Q

3.3.15 sir = Ed. Q = &c. 31 them = F. Q = then

3.4.9 Run = Ed. Q = Vpon 10 tack spelled take in Q

[Scene 5] = Ed. Q = Scæna 6.

3.5.0 SD Baboon = Ed. Q = Baum. 7 jean = Ed. Q = jave 25 Maudlin spelled Maudline in Q 29 ribbons spelled Ribands in Q 66 SH JAILER’S DAUGHTER printed on the following line in Q 73 I = Ed. Not in Q 96 Chi passa spelled Quipassa in Q 111 SH THESEUS = F. Q = Per. 150 SH SCHOOLMASTER Knocks for = Ed. Q prints as marginal SD: Knocke for Schoole. 152 ye = Ed. Q = thee 155 thee = F. Q = three 172–3 made…Ye = Ed. Q = made. Dij Deaq; omnes, ye

[Scene 6] = Ed. Q = Scæna 7.

3.6.36 upbraidings spelled obbraidings in Q 113 strait spelled streight in Q 184 thine = Ed. Q = this 289 fail = Ed. Q = fall 295 prune spelled proyne in Q

4.1.4 SH FIRST FRIEND = Ed. Q = 1 Fr. (throughout) 12 oath = F. Q = o’th 19 SH SECOND FRIEND = Ed. Q = 2 Fr. (throughout) 63 SH WOOER printed as speech in Q (2. Fr. Not well?—Wooer, No…well. Woo. Tis…mad.) 84 sung = F. Q = song 107 wreath = Ed. Q = wreake 138 early = Ed. Q = rarely 150 means = Ed. Q = meane 151 Far = Ed. Q = For 169 SH BROTHER = Ed. Q = Daugh. 180 SH SECOND FRIEND = F. Q = 1. Fr. 187 course = F. Q = conrse 189 all = Ed. Printed as SH in Q 199 tack spelled take in Q

4.2.16 Jove afire = Ed. Q = Love a fire 27 swart spelled swarth in Q 54 SD Enter Gentleman = Ed. Q = Enter Emil. and Gent. 74 SD Enter Messenger = F. Q = Enter Messengers. Curtis (presumably refers to Curtis Greville, an actor with the King’s Men) 86 first = F. Q = fitst 91 fire = Ed. Q = faire 116 tods = Ed. Q = tops 121 crown = Ed. Q = corect

4.3.22 spirits are, = Ed. Q = spirits, as 32 i’th’other = F. Q = i’th|Thother 40 Q accidentally prints an Exit here 57 behind = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = behold 70 unfeignedly spelled unfainedly in Q 91 carve = F. Q = crave 98 falsehoods spelled fasehoods in Q

5.1.43 father of = Ed. Q farther off 52 cistern spelled Cestron in Q 57 Whose…prewarn = Ed. Q = Comets prewarne, whose havocke in vaste Feild 60 armipotent spelled armenypotent in Q 125 done, no companion: = Ed. Q = done; no Companion 126 not, a defier: = Ed. Q = not; a defyer 127 cannot, a rejoicer. = Ed. Q = cannot; a Rejoycer, 142 SD They bow printed two lines earlier in Q SD recorders spelled Records in Q SD which is spelled “whic his” in Q 158 him. Out = Ed. Q = him, out 160 election. Of = Ed. Q = election of

5.2.47 Yes = F. Q = Yet 51 SD mad = Ed. Q = Maide 52 humour = Ed. Q = honor

5.3.0 SD Flourish is printed at end of Act 5 scene 2 in Q (Florish Exeunt) SD Attendants = Ed. Q = Attendants, T. Tuck: Curtis. (presumably referring to Thomas Tuckfield and Curtis Greville, actors in the King’s Men) 18 prize = Ed. Q = price 159 your = Ed. Q = you

5.4.1 SH PALAMON = Ed. Not in Q 47 courageous spelled couragiour in Q 48 SH SECOND and THIRD KNIGHTS = Ed. Q = 1.2. K. 57 rarely = Ed. Q = early