5
Store never hurts good governors.
PIRITHOUS Though I know
His ocean needs not my poor drops, yet they
Must yield their tribute there.
[to Emilia] My precious maid,
Those best affections that the heavens infuse
In their best-tempered pieces keep enthroned
10
In your dear heart.
EMILIA Thanks, sir. Remember me
To our all-royal brother, for whose speed
The great Bellona I’ll solicit; and,
Since in our terrene state petitions are not
Without gifts understood, I’ll offer to her
15
What I shall be advised she likes. Our hearts
Are in his army, in his tent –
HIPPOLYTA In’s bosom.
We have been soldiers and we cannot weep
When our friends don their helms, or put to sea,
Or tell of babes broached on the lance, or women
20
That have sod their infants in (and after eat them)
The brine they wept at killing ’em. Then, if
You stay to see of us such spinsters, we
Should hold you here forever.
PIRITHOUS Peace be to you
As I pursue this war, which shall be then
25
Beyond further requiring. Exit.
EMILIA How his longing
Follows his friend! Since his depart, his sports,
Though craving seriousness and skill, passed slightly
His careless execution, where nor gain
Made him regard or loss consider, but,
30
Playing one business in his hand, another
Directing in his head, his mind nurse equal
To these so-differing twins. Have you observed him,
Since our great lord departed?
HIPPOLYTA With much labour,
And I did love him for’t. They two have cabined
35
In many as dangerous as poor a corner,
Peril and want contending; they have skiffed
Torrents whose roaring tyranny and power
I’th’ least of these was dreadful; and they have
Sought out together where Death’s self was lodged;
40
Yet fate hath brought them off. Their knot of love,
Tied, weaved, entangled, with so true, so long,
And with a finger of so deep a cunning,
May be outworn, never undone. I think
theseus cannot be umpire to himself,
45
Cleaving his conscience into twain and doing
Each side like justice, which he loves best.
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 enjoyed a play-fellow.
50
You were at wars when she the grave enriched,
Who made too proud the bed – took leave o’th’ moon
(Which then looked pale at parting) when our count
Was each eleven.
HIPPOLYTA ’Twas Flavina.
EMILIA Yes.
You talk of Pirithous’ and Theseus’ love.
55
Theirs has more ground, is more maturely seasoned,
More buckled with strong judgement, and their needs
The one of th’other may be said to water
Their intertangled roots of love – but I
And she I sigh and spoke of were things innocent,
60
Loved for we did and like the elements
That know not what nor why, yet do effect
Rare issues by their operance; our souls
Did so to one another. What she liked
Was then of me approved; what not, condemned –
65
No more arraignment. The flower that I would pluck
And put between my breasts (then but beginning
To swell about the blossom), O, she would long
Till she had such another, and commit it
To the like innocent cradle, where phoenix-like
70
They died in perfume. On my head no toy
But was her pattern; her affections – pretty,
Though happily her careless wear – I followed
For my most serious decking; had mine ear
Stol’n some new air or at adventure hummed one
75
From musical coinage, why, it was a note
Whereon her spirits would sojourn – rather, dwell on,
And sing it in her slumbers. This rehearsal,
Which fury-innocent wots well, comes in
Like old importment’s bastard, has this end:
80
That the true love ’tween maid and maid may be
More than in sex dividual.
HIPPOLYTA You’re out of breath!
And this high-speeded pace is but to say
That you shall never, like the maid Flavina,
Love any that’s called man.
EMILIA I am sure I shall not.
85
HIPPOLYTA Now, alack, weak sister,
I must no more believe thee in this point,
Though in’t I know thou dost believe thy self,
Than I will trust a sickly appetite
That loathes even as it longs. But sure, my sister,
90
If I were ripe for your persuasion, you
Have said enough to shake me from the arm
Of the all-noble Theseus – for whose fortunes
I will now in and kneel, with great assurance
That we, more than his Pirithous, possess
95
The high throne in his heart.
EMILIA I am not
Against your faith, yet I continue mine. Exeunt.
1.4 Cornets. A battle struck within; then a retreat. Flourish. Then enter THESEUS as victor, with a Herald, other lords, and soldiers, PALAMON and ARCITE on hearses The three Queens meet him and fall on their faces before him.
1QUEEN To thee no star be dark!
2QUEEN Both heaven and earth
Friend thee forever!
3QUEEN All the good that may
Be wished upon thy head, I cry ‘Amen’ to’t!
THESEUS
Th’impartial gods, who from the mounted heavens
View us, their mortal herd, behold who err
5
And, in their time, chastise. Go and find out
The bones of your dead lords and honour them
With treble ceremony, rather than a gap
Should be in their dear rites. We would supply’t,
But those we will depute, which shall invest
10
You in your dignities and even each thing
Our haste does leave imperfect. So adieu,
And heaven’s good eyes look on you. Exeunt Queens.
[Theseus notices the two hearses.] What are those?
HERALD Men of great quality, as may be judged
By their appointment. Some of Thebes have told’s
15
They are sisters’ children, nephews to the King.
THESEUS By th’ helm of Mars, I saw them in the war,
Like to a pair of lions, smeared with prey,
Make lanes in troops aghast. I fixed my note
Constantly on them, for they were a mark
20
Worth a god’s view. What prisoner was’t that told me
When I enquired their names?
HERALD Wi’ leave, they’re called
Arcite and Palamon.
THESEUS ’Tis right; those, those.
They are not dead?
HERALD Nor in a state of life. Had they been taken
25
When their last hurts were given, ’twas possible
They might have been recovered; yet they breathe
And have the name of men.
THESEUS Then like men use ’em.
The very lees of such, millions of rates,
Exceed the wine of others. All our surgeons
30
Convent in their behoof; our richest balms,
Rather than niggard, waste; their lives concern us
Much more than Thebes is worth. Rather than have ’em
Freed of this plight and in their morning state,
Sound and at liberty, I would ’em dead;
35
But forty-thousandfold we had rather have ’em
Prisoners to us than death. Bear ’em speedily
From our kind air, to them unkind, and minister
What man to man may do, for our sake – more,
Since I have known frights, fury, friends’ behests,
40
Love’s provocations, zeal, a mistress’ task,
Desire of liberty, a fever, madness,
Hath set a mark which nature could not reach to
Without some imposition, sickness in will
O’er-wrestling strength in reason. For our love
45
And great Apollo’s mercy, all our best
Their best skill tender. Lead into the city,
Where having bound things scattered, we will post
To Athens ’fore our army. Flourish. Exeunt.
1.5 Music. Enter the Queens with the hearses of their knights, in a funeral solemnity.
The Dirge.
Urns and odours bring away;
Vapours, sighs, darken the day;
Our dole more deadly looks than dying –
Balms and gums and heavy cheers,
Sacred vials fill’d with tears,
5
And clamours through the wild air flying.
Come, all sad and solemn shows
That are quick-eyed Pleasure’s foes;
We convent naught else but woes.
We convent naught else but woes.
10
3QUEEN
This funeral path brings to your household’s grave:
Joy seize on you again; peace sleep with him.
2QUEEN And this to yours.
1QUEEN Yours this way. Heavens lend
A thousand differing ways to one sure end.
3QUEEN This world’s a city full of straying streets,
15
And death’s the market-place where each one meets.
Exeunt severally.
2.1 Enter Jailer and Wooer.
JAILER I may depart with little while I live; something I
may cast to you, not much. Alas, the prison I keep,
though it be for great ones, yet they seldom come;
before one salmon, you shall take a number of
minnows. I am given out to be better lined than it can
5
appear to me report is a true speaker. I would I were
really that I am delivered to be. Marry, what I have, be
it what it will, I will assure upon my daughter at the
day of my death.
WOOER Sir, I demand no more than your own offer and
10
I will estate your daughter in what I have promised.
JAILER Well, we will talk more of this when the
solemnity is past. But have you a full promise of her?
Enter the Jailer’s Daughter carrying rushes.
When that shall be seen, I tender my consent.
WOOER I have, Sir. Here she comes.
15
JAILER [to his Daughter] Your friend and I have chanced
to name you here, upon the old business. But no more
of that now; so soon as the court hurry is over, we will
have an end of it. I’th’ meantime, look tenderly to the
two prisoners. I can tell you, they are princes.
20
DAUGHTER These strewings 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 all the world in their chamber.
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JAILER They are famed to be a pair of absolute men.
DAUGHTER By my troth, I think Fame but stammers
’em; they stand a grise above the reach of report.
JAILER I heard them reported in the battle to be the only
doers.
30
DAUGHTER Nay, most likely, for they are noble
sufferers. I marvel how they would have looked had
they been victors, that with such a constant nobility
enforce a freedom out of bondage, making misery
their mirth and affliction a toy to jest at.
35
JAILER Do they so?
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 548
