The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

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The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 554

by William Shakespeare


  150

  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

  155

  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?

  35

  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,

  50

  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.

  55

  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.

  60

  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.

  65

  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,

  70

  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,

  75

  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

  80

  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:

  85

  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.

  90

  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
bsp; 100

  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.

  105

  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

  115

  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.

  120

  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,

  125

  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.

  130

  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?

  135

  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:

  140

  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,

  145

  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,

  150

  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.

  155

  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,

  160

  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,

  165

  As I dare kill this cousin that denies it,

  So let me be most traitor and ye please me.

 

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