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PIRITHOUS
And here’s something to paint your pole withall.
[Gives Schoolmaster money.]
THESEUS Now to our sports again.
SCHOOLMASTER
May the stag thou hunt’st stand long,
And thy dogs be swift and strong;
May they kill him without lets
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And the ladies eat his dowsets.
Theseus and his party depart. Horns.
Come, we are all made, dii deaeque omnes. Ye have
danced rarely, wenches. Exeunt.
3.6 Enter PALAMON from the bush.
PALAMON About this hour my cousin gave his faith
To visit me again and with him bring
Two swords and two good armours. If he fail
He’s neither man nor soldier. When he left me
I did not think a week could have restored
5
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
To outdure danger. To delay it longer
10
Would make the world think, when it comes to hearing,
That I lay fatting like a swine to fight
And not a soldier. Therefore this blest morning
Shall be the last and that sword he refuses,
If it but hold, I kill him with: ’tis justice.
15
So love and fortune for me!
Enter ARCITE with armours and swords.
O, good morrow.
ARCITE Good morrow, noble kinsman.
PALAMON I have put you
To too much pains, sir.
ARCITE That too much, fair cousin,
Is but a debt to honour, and my duty.
PALAMON
Would you were so in all, sir; I could wish ye
20
As kind a kinsman as you force me find
A beneficial foe, that my embraces
Might thank ye, not my blows.
ARCITE I shall think either,
Well done, a noble recompense.
PALAMON Then I shall quit you.
ARCITE Defy me in these fair terms, and you show
25
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;
30
And then to whom the birthright of this beauty
Truly pertains (without upbraidings, scorns,
Despisings of our persons, and such poutings
Fitter for girls and schoolboys) will be seen
And quickly, yours or mine. Will’t please you arm, sir?
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Or, if you feel yourself not fitting yet
And furnished with your old strength, I’ll stay, cousin,
And every day discourse you into health,
As I am spared. Your person I am friends with
And I could wish I had not said I loved her,
40
Though I had died; but, loving such a lady
And justifying my love, I must not fly from’t.
PALAMON Arcite, thou art so brave an enemy
That no man but thy cousin’s fit to kill thee.
I am well and lusty; choose your arms.
ARCITE Choose you, sir.
45
PALAMON Wilt thou exceed in all, or dost thou do it
To make me spare thee?
ARCITE If you think so, cousin,
You are deceived, for, as I am a soldier,
I will not spare you.
PALAMON That’s well said.
ARCITE You’ll find it.
PALAMON Then, as I am an honest man and love,
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With all the justice of affection
I’ll pay thee soundly.
[Chooses armour.] This I’ll take.
ARCITE [Takes the other.] That’s mine then.
I’ll arm you first.
PALAMON Do. [Arcite begins to arm him.]
Pray thee tell me, cousin,
Where got’st thou this good armour?
ARCITE ’Tis the Duke’s
And, to say true, I stole it. Do I pinch you?
PALAMON No.
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ARCITE Is’t not too heavy?
PALAMON I have worn a lighter,
But I shall make it serve.
ARCITE I’ll buckl’t close.
PALAMON By any means.
ARCITE You care not for a grand guard?
PALAMON No, no, we’ll use no horses; I perceive
You would fain be at that fight.
ARCITE I am indifferent.
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PALAMON
Faith, so am I. Good cousin, thrust the buckle
Through far enough.
ARCITE I warrant you.
PALAMON My casque now.
ARCITE Will you fight bare-armed?
PALAMON We shall be the nimbler.
ARCITE
But use your gauntlets, though. Those are o’th’ least;
Prithee take mine, good cousin.
PALAMON Thank you, Arcite.
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How do I look? Am I fall’n much away?
ARCITE Faith, very little; love has used you kindly.
PALAMON I’ll warrant thee, I’ll strike home.
ARCITE Do and spare not.
I’ll give you cause, sweet cousin.
PALAMON Now to you, sir. [Begins to arm Arcite.]
Methinks this armour’s very like that, Arcite,
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Thou wor’st that day the three kings fell, but lighter.
ARCITE That was a very good one. And that day,
I well remember, you outdid me, cousin;
I never saw such valour. When you charged
Upon the left wing of the enemy,
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I spurred hard to come up and under me
I had a right good horse.
PALAMON You had indeed:
A bright bay, I remember.
ARCITE Yes, but all
Was vainly laboured in me; you outwent me,
Nor could my wishes reach you. Yet a little
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I did by imitation.
PALAMON More by virtue.
You are modest, cousin.
ARCITE When I saw you charge first,
Methought I heard a dreadful clap of thunder
Break from the troop.
PALAMON But still before that flew
The lightning of your valour. – Stay a little:
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Is not this piece too strait?
ARCITE No, no, ’tis well.
PALAMON
I would have nothing hurt thee but my sword:
A bruise would be dishonour.
ARCITE Now I am perfect.
PALAMON Stand off then.
ARCITE Take my sword; I hold it better.
PALAMON I thank ye, no; keep it, your life lies on it.
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Here’s one: if it but hold, I ask no more
For all my hopes. My cause and honour guard me!
ARCITE And me my love!
[They bow several ways, then advance and stand.]
Is there aught else to say?
PALAMON
This only, and no more. Thou art mine aunt’s son
And that blood we desire to shed is mutual,
95
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
A place prepared for those that sleep in honour,
I wish his weary soul that falls may win it.
&n
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Fight bravely, cousin; give me thy noble hand.
ARCITE Here, Palamon. This hand shall never more
Come near thee with such friendship.
PALAMON I commend thee.
ARCITE If I fall, curse me, and say I was a coward,
For none but such dare die in these just trials.
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Once more farewell, my cousin.
PALAMON Farewell, Arcite.
[They fight. Horns within. They stand.]
ARCITE Lo, cousin, lo, our folly has undone us!
PALAMON Why?
ARCITE This is the Duke, a-hunting as I told you;
If we be found, we are wretched. O, retire,
For honour’s sake and safety, presently no
110
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. Then all the world will scorn us
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And say we had a noble difference,
But base disposers of it.
PALAMON No, no, cousin:
I will no more be hidden, nor put off
This great adventure to a second trial;
I know your cunning and I know your cause.
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He that faints now, shame take him! Put thyself
Upon thy present guard –
ARCITE You are not mad?
PALAMON Or I will make the advantage of this hour
Mine own, and what to come shall threaten me
I fear less than my fortune. Know, weak cousin,
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I love Emilia and in that I’ll bury
Thee and all crosses else.
ARCITE Then come what can come.
Thou shalt know, Palamon, I dare as well
Die as discourse or sleep. Only this fears me:
The law will have the honour of our ends.
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Have at thy life!
PALAMON Look to thine own well, Arcite.
[They fight again.]
Horns. Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EMILIA, PIRITHOUS and train.
THESEUS What ignorant and mad malicious traitors
Are you, that ’gainst the tenor of my laws
Are making battle, thus like knights appointed,
Without my leave and officers of arms?
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By Castor, both shall die!
PALAMON Hold 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:
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A bolder traitor never trod thy ground;
A falser ne’er seemed friend. This is the man
Was begged and banished; this is he contemns thee
And what thou dar’st do and in this disguise
Against thine own edict follows thy sister,
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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,
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I called him now to answer. If thou be’st
As thou art spoken, great and virtuous,
The true decider of all injuries,
Say, ‘Fight again’ and thou shalt see me, Theseus,
Do such a justice thou thyself wilt envy.
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Then take my life; I’ll woo thee to’t.
PIRITHOUS O heaven,
What more than man is this!
THESEUS I have sworn.
ARCITE We seek not
Thy breath of mercy, Theseus; ’tis to me
A thing as soon to die as thee to say it
And no more moved. Where this man calls me traitor,
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Let me say thus much: if in love be treason,
In service of so excellent a beauty,
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,
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As I dare kill this cousin that denies it,
So let me be most traitor and ye please me.
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 554
