3 QUEEN

  This funeral path brings to your household’s grave:

  Joy seize on you again; peace sleep with him.

  2 QUEEN

  And this to yours.

  1 QUEEN Yours this way. Heavens lend

  A thousand differing ways to one sure end.

  3 QUEEN

  15 This world’s a city full of straying streets,

  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; 5 before one salmon, you shall take a number of minnows. I am given out to be better lined than it can 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.

  10 WOOER Sir, I demand no more than your own offer and

  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.

  15 WOOER I have, Sir. Here she comes.

  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 20 two prisoners. I can tell you, they are princes.

  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 25 and they have all the world in their chamber.

  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.

  30 JAILER I heard them reported in the battle to be the only oers.

  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 35 and affliction a toy to jest at.

  JAILER Do they so?

  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 40 their own restraint and disasters. Yet sometime a divided sigh, martyred, as ’twere, i’th’ deliverance, will break from one of them – when the other presently gives it so sweet a rebuke that I could wish myself a sigh to be so chid, or at least a sigher to 45 be comforted.

  WOOER I never saw ’em.

  JAILER The Duke himself came privately in the night and

  so did they.

  Enter PALAMON and ARCITE, above.

  What the reason of it is, I know not. Look, yonder 50 they are; that’s Arcite looks out.

  DAUGHTER No, sir, no, that’s Palamon. Arcite is the lower of the twain; you may perceive a part of him.

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

  55 DAUGHTER It is a holiday to look on them. Lord, the difference of men! Exeunt.

  [2.2] Enter PALAMON and ARCITE in prison.

  PALAMON

  How do you, noble cousin?

  ARCITE How do you, sir?

  PALAMON

  Why, strong enough to laugh at misery

  And bear the chance of war; yet we are prisoners,

  I fear, forever, cousin.

  ARCITE I believe it

  5 And to that destiny have patiently

  Laid up my hour to come.

  PALAMON Oh, cousin Arcite,

  Where is Thebes now? Where is our noble country?

  Where are our friends and kindreds? Never more

  Must we behold those comforts, never see

  10 The hardy youths strive for the games of honour,

  Hung with the painted favours of their ladies,

  Like tall ships under sail – then start amongst ’em,

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

  Like lazy clouds, whilst Palamon and Arcite,

  15 Even in the wagging of a wanton leg,

  Outstripped the people’s praises, won the garlands,

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

  Shall we two exercise, like twins of honour,

  Our arms again and feel our fiery horses

  20 Like proud seas under us; our good swords now

  (Better the red-eyed god of war ne’er wore),

  Ravished 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 blast whole armies more.

  25 ARCITE No, Palamon,

  Those hopes are prisoners with us. Here we are,

  And here the graces of our youths must wither

  Like a too-timely spring; here age must find us

  And, which is heaviest, Palamon, unmarried.

  30 The sweet embraces of a loving wife,

  Loaden with kisses, armed with thousand Cupids,

  Shall never clasp our necks; no issue know us;

  No figures of ourselves shall we e’er see,

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

  35 Boldly to gaze against bright arms and say,

  ‘Remember what your fathers were, and conquer!’

  The fair-eyed maids shall weep our banishments

  And in their songs curse ever-blinded Fortune

  Till she for shame see what a wrong she has done

  40 To youth and nature. This is all our world.

  We shall know nothing here but one another,

  Hear nothing but the clock that tells our woes.

  The vine shall grow but we shall never see it;

  Summer shall come and with her all delights,

  45 But dead-cold winter must inhabit here still.

  PALAMON

  ’Tis too true, Arcite. To our Theban hounds

  That shook the aged forest with their echoes

  No more now must we hallow, no more shake

  Our pointed javelins whilst the angry swine

  50 Flies like a Parthian quiver from our rages,

  Struck with our well-steeled 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,

  Children of grief and ignorance.

  55 ARCITE Yet, cousin,

  Even from the bottom of these miseries,

  From all that Fortune can inflict upon us,

  I see two comforts rising, two mere blessings,

  If the gods please: to hold here a brave patience

  60 And the enjoying of our griefs together.

  Whilst Palamon is with me, let me perish

  If I think this our prison!

  PALAMON Certainly,

  ’Tis a main goodness, cousin, that our fortunes

  Were twined together; ’tis most true, two souls

  65 Put in two noble bodies, let ’em suffer

  The gall of hazard, so they grow together,

  Will never sink; they must not, say they could.

  A willing man dies sleeping and all’s done.

  ARCITE

  Shall we make worthy uses of this place

  That all men hate so much?

  70 PALAMON How, gentle cousin?

  ARCITE

  Let’s think this prison holy sanctuary,

  To keep us from corruption of worse men.

  We are young and yet desire the ways of honour,

  That liberty and common conversation,

  75 The poison of pure spirits, might, like women,

  Woo us to wander from. What worthy blessing

  Can be but our imaginations

  May make it ours? And here being thus together,

  We are an endless mine to one another;

  80 We are one another’s wife, ever begetting

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

  We are, in one another, families;

  I am your heir and you are mine. This place

  Is our inheritance; no hard oppressor

  85 Dare take this from us; here, with a little patience,

  We shall live long and loving. No surfeits seek us;

  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;

  90 Quarrels consume us; envy of ill men

  Crave our acquaintance. I might sicken, cousin,

  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.

  95 PALAMON You have made me –

  I thank you, cousin Arcite – almost wanton

  With my captivity: what a misery

  It is to live abroad and everywhere!

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

  100 I am sure, a more content; and all those pleasures

  That woo the wills of men to vanity,

  I see through now and am sufficient

  To tell the world ’tis but a gaudy shadow

  That old Time as he passes by takes with him.

  105 What had we been, old in the court of Creon,

  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, ill old men, unwept,

  110 And had their epitaphs, the people’s curses.

  Shall I say more?

  ARCITE I would hear you still.

  PALAMON Ye shall.

  Is there record of any two that loved

  Better than we do, Arcite?

  ARCITE Sure there cannot.

  PALAMON

  I do not think it possible our friendship

  Should ever leave us.

  115 ARCITE Till our deaths it cannot.

  Enter EMILIA and her Woman.

  And after death our spirits shall be led

  To those that love eternally. [Palamon sees Emilia.]

  Speak on, sir.

  EMILIA

  This garden has a world of pleasures in’t.

  What flower is this?

  WOMAN ’Tis called narcissus, madam.

  EMILIA

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

  To love himself. Were there not maids enough?

  ARCITE [to Palamon]

  Pray, forward.

  PALAMON Yes –

  EMILIA Or were they all hard-hearted?

  WOMAN

  They could not be to one so fair.

  EMILIA Thou wouldst not.

  WOMAN

  I think I should not, madam.

  EMILIA That’s a good wench.

  But take heed to your kindness, though.

  125 WOMAN Why, madam?

  EMILIA

  Men are mad things.

  ARCITE Will ye go forward, cousin?

  EMILIA

  Canst not thou work such flowers in silk, wench?

  WOMAN Yes.

  EMILIA

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

  This is a pretty colour; will’t not do

  Rarely upon a skirt, wench?

  130 WOMAN Dainty, madam.

  ARCITE

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

  PALAMON

  Never till now was I in prison, Arcite.

  ARCITE

  Why, what’s the matter, man?

  PALAMON [Indicates Emilia] Behold, and wonder!

  By heaven, she is a goddess.

  ARCITE [Sees Emilia.] Ha!

  PALAMON Do reverence.

  She is a goddess, Arcite.

  135 EMILIA Of all flowers

  Methinks a rose is best.

  WOMAN Why, gentle madam?

  EMILIA

  It is the very emblem of a maid.

  For, when the west wind courts her gently,

  How modestly she blows and paints the sun

  140 With her chaste blushes! When the north comes

  near her,

  Rude and impatient, then, like chastity,

  She locks her beauties in her bud again

  And leaves him to base briars.

  WOMAN Yet, good madam,

  Sometimes her modesty will blow so far

  145 She falls for’t. A maid,

  If she have any honour, would be loath

  To take example by her.

  EMILIA Thou art wanton.

  ARCITE

  She is wondrous fair.

  PALAMON She is all the beauty extant.

  EMILIA

  The sun grows high; let’s walk in. Keep these flowers.

  150 We’ll see how near art can come near their colours.

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

  WOMAN

  I could lie down, I am sure.

  EMILIA And take one with you?

  WOMAN

  That’s as we bargain, madam.

  EMILIA Well, agree then.

  Exeunt Emilia and Woman.

  PALAMON

  What think you of this beauty?

  ARCITE ’Tis a rare one.

  PALAMON

  Is’t but a rare one?

  155 ARCITE Yes, a matchless beauty.

  PALAMON

  Might not a man well lose himself and love her?

  ARCITE

  I cannot tell what you have done; I have,

  Beshrew mine eyes for’t; now I feel my shackles.

  PALAMON

  You love her then?

  ARCITE Who would not?

  PALAMON And desire her?

  ARCITE

  Before my liberty.

  160 PALAMON I saw her first.

  ARCITE

  That’s nothing.

  PALAMON But it shall be.

  ARCITE

  I saw her too.

  PALAMON Yes, but you must not love her.

  ARCITE

  I will not as you do, to worship her

  As she is heavenly and a blessed goddess.

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

  So both may love.

  PALAMON

  You shall not love at all.

  ARCITE Not love at all!

  Who shall deny me?

  PALAMON

  I that first saw her, I that took possession

  170 First with mine eye of all those beauties in her

  Revealed to mankind! If thou lovest her,

  Or entertain’st a hope to blast my wishes,

  Thou art a traitor, Arcite, and a fellow

  False as thy title to her. Friendship, blood,

  175 And all the ties between us, I disclaim,

  If thou once think upon her.

  ARCITE Yes, I love her

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

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

  If that will lose ye, farewell, Palamon.

  180 I say again,

  I love her and in loving her maintain

  I am as worthy and as free a lover,

  And have as just a title to her beauty,

  As any Palamon, or any living

  That is a man’s son.

  185 PALAMON Have I called thee friend?

  ARCITE

  Yes, and have found me so; why are you moved thus?

  Let me deal coldly with you: am not I

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

  That I was Palamon and you were Arcite.

  PALAMON

  Yes.

  190 ARCITE Am not I liable to those affections,

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

  PALAMON

  Ye may be.

  ARCITE Why then would you deal so cunningly,

  So strangely, so unlike a noble kinsman,

  To love alone? Speak truly: do you think me

  Unworthy of her sight?

  195 PALAMON No, but unjust

  If thou pursue that sight.

  ARCITE Because another

  First sees the enemy, shall I stand still

  And let mine honour down, and never charge?

  PALAMON

  Yes, if he be but one.

  ARCITE But say that one

  Had rather combat me?

  200 PALAMON Let that one say so,

  And use thy freedom. Else, if thou pursuest her,

  Be as that cursed man that hates his country,

  A branded villain.

  ARCITE You are mad.

  PALAMON I must be,

  Till thou art worthy, Arcite; it concerns me.

  205 And, in this madness, if I hazard thee

  And take thy life, I deal but truly.

  ARCITE Fie, sir!

  You play the child extremely. I will love her;

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

  And all this justly.

  PALAMON Oh that now, that now,

  210 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 filch affection from another;

  Thou art baser in it than a cutpurse.

  215 Put but thy head out of this window more

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

  ARCITE

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

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

  And leap the garden, when I see her next,

  220 And pitch between her arms, to anger thee.

  Enter Jailer.

  PALAMON

  No more; the keeper’s coming. I shall live

  To knock thy brains out with my shackles.

  ARCITE Do!

  JAILER

  By your leave, gentlemen.

  PALAMON Now, honest keeper?

  JAILER

  Lord Arcite, you must presently to th’ Duke;

  The cause I know not yet.

  225 ARCITE I am ready, keeper.

  JAILER

  Prince Palamon, I must awhile bereave you

  Of your fair cousin’s company. Exeunt Arcite and Jailer.

  PALAMON And me too,

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

  It may be he shall marry her; he’s goodly