Pirithous,

  Lead on the bride; get you and pray the gods

  For success and return; omit not anything

  210 In the pretended celebration. – Queens,

  Follow your soldier. [to Officer]

  As before – hence, you,

  And at the banks of Aulis meet us with

  The forces you can raise, where we shall find

  The moiety of a number for a business

  More bigger-looked. [Exit Officer.]

  215 [to Hippolyta] Since that our theme is haste,

  I stamp this kiss upon thy current lip;

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

  For I will see you gone.

  [Procession moves towards the temple.]

  – Farewell, my beauteous sister. – Pirithous,

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

  220 PIRITHOUS Sir,

  I’ll follow you at heels; the feast’s solemnity

  Shall want till your return.

  THESEUS Cousin, I charge you,

  Budge not from Athens. We shall be returning

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

  225 Make no abatement. Once more, farewell all.

  [Exeunt all except Theseus and Queens.]

  1 QUEEN

  Thus dost thou still make good the tongue o’th’ world –

  2 QUEEN

  And earn’st a deity equal with Mars –

  3 QUEEN

  If not above him, for

  Thou, being but mortal, mak’st affections bend

  230 To godlike honours; they themselves, some say,

  Groan under such a mast’ry.

  THESEUS As we are men,

  Thus should we do; being sensually subdued,

  We lose our human title. Good cheer, ladies:

  Now turn we towards your comforts. Flourish. Exeunt.

  [1.2] Enter PALAMON and ARCITE.

  ARCITE

  Dear Palamon, dearer in love than blood

  And our prime cousin: yet unhardened in

  The crimes of nature, let us leave the city

  Thebes and the temptings in’t, before we further

  5 Sully our gloss of youth

  And here to keep in abstinence we shame

  As in incontinence; for not to swim

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

  At least to frustrate striving, and to follow

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

  Where we should turn or drown; if labour through,

  Our gain but life and weakness.

  PALAMON Your advice

  Is cried up with example. What strange ruins,

  Since first we went to school, may we perceive

  15 Walking in Thebes! Scars and bare weeds

  The gain o’th’ martialist, who did propound

  To his bold ends honour and golden ingots,

  Which, though he won, he had not – and now flurted

  By Peace for whom he fought! Who then shall offer

  20 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 purge

  For her repletion and retain anew

  25 Her charitable heart, now hard and harsher

  Than strife or war could be.

  ARCITE Are you not out?

  Meet you no ruin but the soldier in

  The cranks and turns of Thebes? You did begin

  As if you met decays of many kinds.

  30 Perceive you none that do arouse your pity

  But th’unconsidered soldier?

  PALAMON Yes, I pity

  Decays where’er I find them, but such most

  That, sweating in an honourable toil,

  Are paid with ice to cool ’em.

  ARCITE ’Tis not this

  35 I did begin to speak of. This is virtue

  Of no respect 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; where every seeming good’s

  40 A certain evil; where not to be e’en jump

  As they are here were to be strangers, and,

  Such things to be, mere monsters.

  PALAMON ’Tis in our power,

  Unless we fear that apes can tutor’s, to

  Be masters of our manners. What need I

  45 Affect another’s gait, which is not catching

  Where there is faith, or to be fond upon

  Another’s way of speech when by mine own

  I may be reasonably conceived, saved too,

  Speaking it truly? Why am I bound

  50 By any generous bond to follow him

  Follows his tailor, haply so long until

  The followed make pursuit? Or let me know

  Why mine own barber is unblessed, with him

  My poor chin too, for ’tis not scissored just

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

  That does command my rapier 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

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

  Need not a plantain; that which rips my bosom

  Almost to th’ heart’s –

  ARCITE Our uncle Creon.

  PALAMON He.

  A most unbounded tyrant, whose successes

  Makes heaven unfeared and villainy assured

  65 Beyond its power there’s nothing; almost puts

  Faith in a fever and deifies alone

  Voluble Chance; who only attributes

  The faculties of other instruments

  To his own nerves and act; commands men service

  70 And what they win in’t, boot and glory; one

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

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

  From me with leeches, let them break and fall

  Off me with that corruption.

  ARCITE Clear-spirited cousin,

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

  Of his loud infamy; for our milk

  Will relish of the pasture and we must

  Be vile or disobedient: not his kinsmen

  In blood unless in quality.

  PALAMON Nothing truer:

  80 I think the echoes of his shames have deafed

  The ears of heavenly Justice. Widows’ cries

  Descend again into their throats and have not

  Due audience of the gods.

  Enter VALERIUS.

  Valerius!

  VALERIUS

  The king calls for you; yet be leaden-footed

  85 Till his great rage be off him. Phoebus, when

  He broke his whipstock and exclaimed against

  The horses of the sun, but whispered to

  The loudness of his fury.

  PALAMON Small winds shake him.

  But what’s the matter?

  VALERIUS

  90 Theseus, who, where he threats, appals, hath sent

  Deadly defiance to him and pronounces

  Ruin to Thebes, who is at hand to seal

  The promise of his wrath.

  ARCITE Let him approach.

  But that we fear the gods in him, he brings not

  95 A jot of terror to us. Yet what man

  Thirds his own worth (the case is each of ours)

  When that his action’s dregged with mind assured

  ’Tis bad he goes about?

  PALAMON Leave that unreasoned.

  Our services stand now for Thebes, not Creon.

  100 Yet to be neutral to him were dishonour,

  Rebellious to oppose; therefore we must

  With him stand to the mercy of our fate,

  Who hath bounded our last minute.

  ARCITE So we must.

  [to Valerius] Is’t said this war’s afoot, or, it shall be,

  On fail of some condition?

  105 VALERIUS ’Tis in motion.

  The intelligence of state came in the instant

  With the defier.

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

  A quarter-carrier of that honour which

  His enemy come in, the blood we venture

  110 Should be as for our health, which were not spent,

  Rather laid out for purchase; but, alas,

  Our hands advanced before our hearts, what will

  The fall o’th’ stroke do damage?

  ARCITE Let th’event,

  That never-erring arbitrator, tell us

  115 When we know all ourselves – and let us follow

  The becking of our chance. Exeunt.

  [1.3] Enter PIRITHOUS, HIPPOLYTA and EMILIA.

  PIRITHOUS

  No further.

  HIPPOLYTA Sir, farewell; repeat my wishes

  To our great lord, of whose success I dare not

  Make any timorous question; yet I wish him

  Excess and overflow of power, an’t might be

  5 To dure ill-dealing fortune. Speed to him!

  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

  10 In their best-tempered pieces keep enthroned

  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

  15 Without gifts understood, I’ll offer to her

  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,

  20 Or tell of babes broached on the lance, or women

  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

  25 As I pursue this war, which shall be then

  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

  30 Made him regard or loss consider, but,

  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,

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

  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

  40 Sought out together where Death’s self was lodged;

  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

  45 Theseus cannot be umpire to himself,

  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

  50 Once with a time when I enjoyed a play-fellow.

  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.

  55 You talk of Pirithous’ and Theseus’ love.

  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

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

  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

  65 Was then of me approved; what not, condemned –

  No more arraignment. The flower that I would pluck

  And put between my breasts (then but beginning

  To swell about the blossom), oh, she would long

  Till she had such another, and commit it

  70 To the like innocent cradle, where phoenix-like

  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

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

  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

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

  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.

  85 EMILIA I am sure I shall not.

  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

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

  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

  95 That we, more than his Pirithous, possess

  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.

  1 QUEEN

  To thee no star be dark!

  2 QUEEN Both heaven and earth

  Friend thee forever!

  3 QUEEN All the good that may

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

  THESEUS

  Th’impartial gods, who from the mounted heavens

  5 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

  With treble ceremony, rather than a gap

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

  10 But those we will depute, which shall invest

  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

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

  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

  20 Constantly on them, for they were a mark

  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

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

  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,

  30 Exceed the wine of others. All our surgeons

  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,

  35 Sound and at liberty, I would ’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, and minister

  What man to man may do, for our sake – more,

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

  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

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

  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,

  5 Sacred vials fill’d with tears,

  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.

  10 We convent naught else but woes.