That have died manly, which will seek of me
Some news from earth, they shall get none but this—
That thou art brave and noble.
Come here,
take these cold chains off me, give me a sword,
even if it's rusty, and be so kind as to let me have
one meal; then come to me,
with a good sword in your hand, and just say
that Emily is yours, I will forgive you
for the wrong you have done me, even for taking my life
if you can manage it, and brave souls in the underworld
that have died manly deaths, when they ask me
for news from Earth all I will tell them is that
you are brave and noble.
ARCITE
Be content,
Again betake you to your hawthorn house.
With counsel of the night, I will be here
With wholesome viands; these impediments
Will I file off; you shall have garments, and
Perfumes to kill the smell o’ th’ prison; after,
When you shall stretch yourself, and say but, “Arcite,
I am in plight,” there shall be at your choice
Both sword and armor.
Calm yourself,
go back into your hawthorn bush.
Under cover of night, I will come here
with good food; I shall file off
your chains; I will bring you clothes, and
perfume is to drown the smell of the prison; after that,
when you have stretched yourself, and told me
that you are feeling better, you shall be provided
with both sword and armour.
PALAMON
O you heavens, dares any
So noble bear a guilty business? None
But only Arcite; therefore none but Arcite
In this kind is so bold.
Oh you heavens, is there anyone who's guilty
who can look so noble? Nobody
except for Arcite; and so there's nobody but Arcite
who can be as bold as this.
ARCITE
Sweet Palamon—
Sweet Palamon–
PALAMON
I do embrace you and your offer. For
Your offer do’t I only, sir; your person
Without hypocrisy I may not wish
More than my sword’s edge on’t.
I embrace you and your offer. I'm
only doing it for your offer, sir; I would
be a hypocrite if I wished any more for your body
than to have it beneath the edge of my sword.
Wind horns off. Cornets.
ARCITE
You hear the horns:
Enter your musit, lest this match between ’s
Be cross’d ere met. Give me your hand, farewell.
I’ll bring you every needful thing. I pray you
Take comfort and be strong.
You hear the horns:
go back into your hiding place in case our battle
should be stopped before we've begun. Give me your hand, farewell.
I'll bring you everything you need. I ask you to
be hopeful and strong.
PALAMON
Pray hold your promise;
And do the deed with a bent brow. Most certain
You love me not; be rough with me, and pour
This oil out of your language. By this air,
I could for each word give a cuff, my stomach
Not reconcil’d by reason.
Please keep your promise;
and do the deed with a frown. It's certain
that you don't love me; be rude to me, and
stop using this sweet language. I swear,
I could give your belt for each word, if
my anger wasn't controlled by my common sense.
ARCITE
Plainly spoken,
Yet pardon me hard language. When I spur
My horse, I chide him not; content and anger
In me have but one face.
Wind horns within.
Hark, sir, they call
The scatter’d to the banquet. You must guess
I have an office there.
You speak plainly,
but you must allow me not to use rough language. When I urge on
my horse, I don't speak roughly to him; happiness and anger
look the same in me.
Listen, sir, they are calling
the scattered crowd to the banquet. You must know
that I am expected there.
PALAMON
Sir, your attendance
Cannot please heaven, and I know your office
Unjustly is achiev’d.
Sir, your attendance
will not be smiled on by the gods, and I know your position
has been achieved through cheating.
ARCITE
I've a good title.
I am persuaded this question, sick between ’s,
By bleeding must be cur’d. I am a suitor
That to your sword you will bequeath this plea,
And talk of it no more.
I have every right to be there.
I see that the only way to solve
the argument between us is by spilling blood.
I must ask you to settle the matter with the sword,
and let's have no more talking.
PALAMON
But this one word:
You are going now to gaze upon my mistress,
For note you, mine she is—
I'll just say this:
you are now going to look at my mistress,
for you must know, she is mine–
ARCITE
Nay then—
No but-
PALAMON
Nay, pray you—
You talk of feeding me to breed me strength;
You are going now to look upon a sun
That strengthens what it looks on; there you have
A vantage o’er me, but enjoy’t till
I may enforce my remedy. Farewell.
No, please–
you talk of feeding me to make me strong;
you are now going to look at a sun
that strengthens everything it shines on; so you have
an advantage over me, but enjoy it until
I can make things right. Farewell.
Exeunt severally.
Another part of the forest near Athens.
(Jailer’s Daughter)
Enter Jailer’s Daughter alone.
JAILER’S DAUGHTER
He has mistook the brake I meant, is gone
After his fancy. ’Tis now well-nigh morning;
No matter, would it were perpetual night,
And darkness lord o’ th’ world! Hark, ’tis a wolf!
In me hath grief slain fear, and but for one thing,
I care for nothing, and that’s Palamon.
I reck not if the wolves would jaw me, so
He had this file. What if I hallow’d for him?
I cannot hallow. If I whoop’d, what then?
If he not answer’d, I should call a wolf,
And do him but that service. I have heard
Strange howls this livelong night; why may’t not be
They have made prey of him? He has no weapons,
He cannot run, the jingling of his gyves
Might call fell things to listen, who have in them
A sense to know a man unarm’d, and can
Smell where resistance is. I’ll set it down
He’s torn to pieces. They howl’d many together,
And then they fed on him. So much for that,
Be bold to ring the bell. How stand I then?
All’s char’d when he is gone. No, no, I lie:
My father’s to be hang’d for his escape,
Myself to beg, if I priz’d life so much
As to deny my act, but that I would not,
Should I try death by dozens. I am mop’d:
Food took I none these two days—
Sipp’d some water. I have not clos’d mine eyes
Save when my lids scour’d off their brine. Alas,
Dissolve, my life, let not my sense unsettle
Lest I should drown, or stab, or hang myself.
O state of nature, fail together in me,
Since thy best props are warp’d! So which way now?
The best way is, the next way to a grave;
Each errant step beside is torment. Lo
The moon is down, the crickets chirp, the screech owl
Calls in the dawn! All offices are done
Save what I fail in. But the point is this—
An end, and that is all.
Exit.
He's mistaken the thicket I meant, he's gone
following his imagination. It's now almost morning;
it wouldn't matter if night lasted forever,
and darkness ruled the world! Listen, it's a wolf!
Grief has killed my fear, and I only care
about one thing, and that's Palamon.
I don't care if the wolves chewed on me,
as long as he got this file. What if I shouted for him?
I cannot shout. If I did, what would happen?
If he didn't answer, it would call a wolf,
and that would only help him. I have heard
strange howling all through the night; maybe
they have killed him? He has no weapons,
he cannot run, the jingling of his chains
might give him away to evil things, they
can sense when a man is unarmed, and can
always tell whether he can fight back. I have to think
he's been torn to pieces. So many of them howled together,
and then they ate him. That's the end of that,
ring the funeral bell. So where do I stand?
Everything is finished now he's gone. No, no, I'm lying:
my father will be hanged for his escape,
I would beg for myself, if I cared enough about life
to deny my act, but I wouldn't, even if
I had to suffer a dozen deaths. I am dizzy:
I haven't eaten for two days–
I just sipped some water. I haven't closed my eyes
except to blink away the tears. Alas,
let my life end, don't let me go mad
and drown, or stab, or hang, myself.
Nature, let life slip away from me,
since all that supports it is broken! Which way now?
The best way is the way to the grave;
every step that doesn't lead there is torture.
Look, the moon is set, the crickets are chirping, the screech owl
welcomes the dawn! All jobs have been done
except mine, and I failed. In conclusion, all
I want is for everything to end.
Another part of the forest near Athens.
(Arcite, Palamon)
Enter Arcite with meat, wine, and files.
ARCITE
I should be near the place. Ho, cousin Palamon!
I should be near the place. Hello, cousin Palamon!
Enter Palamon.
PALAMON
Arcite?
Arcite?
ARCITE
The same. I have brought you food and files.
Come forth and fear not, here’s no Theseus.
It's me. I have brought you food and files.
Come out and don't be afraid, Theseus is not here.
PALAMON
Nor none so honest, Arcite.
Nobody as honest as him, Arcite.
ARCITE
That’s no matter,
We’ll argue that hereafter. Come, take courage,
You shall not die thus beastly. Here, sir, drink—
I know you are faint—then I’ll talk further with you.
That's not important,
we'll debate that afterwards. Come, take heart,
you will not die in such horrible state. Here, sir, drink–
I know you're faint–and then I'll talk more with you.
PALAMON
Arcite, thou mightst now poison me.
Arcite, you could poison me now.
ARCITE
I might;
But I must fear you first. Sit down, and good now
No more of these vain parleys; let us not,
Having our ancient reputation with us,
Make talk for fools and cowards. To your health, etc.
I could;
but I'd have to be frightened of you to do it. Sit down,
and let's have no more silly talk; let's not,
bearing in mind our nobility,
talk as if we were fools and cowards. Your good health.
Drinks.
PALAMON
Do.
Go on.
ARCITE
Pray sit down then, and let me entreat you
By all the honesty and honor in you,
No mention of this woman. ’Twill disturb us,
We shall have time enough.
Please sit down then, and I beg you
by all the honesty and honour you have
not to mention this woman. It will set us arguing,
we have time enough for that.
PALAMON
Well, sir, I’ll pledge you.
Well, sir, I'll drink your health.
Drinks.
ARCITE
Drink a good hearty draught, it breeds good blood, man.
Do not you feel it thaw you?
Have a good drink, it will strengthen you, man.
Can't you feel it heating you up?
PALAMON
Stay, I’ll tell you
After a draught or two more.
Wait, I'll tell you
after a couple more swigs.
ARCITE
Spare it not,
The Duke has more, coz. Eat now.
Don't stint yourself cousin,
the Duke has more. Now eat.
PALAMON
Yes.
Yes.
Eats.
ARCITE
I am glad
You have so good a stomach.
I'm glad
you have such a good appetite.
PALAMON
I am gladder
I have so good meat to’t.
I'm more glad
that I have such good food to satisfy it.
ARCITE
Is’t not mad lodging
Here in the wild woods, cousin?
Isn't it strange living
here in the wild woods, cousin?
PALAMON
Yes, for them
That have wild consciences.
Yes, for those
who have guilty consciences.
ARCITE
How tastes your victuals?
Your hunger needs no sauce, I see.
How is your food?
You are hungry enough to need no sauce, I see.
PALAMON
Not much.
But if it did, yours is too tart, sweet cousin.
What is this?
Not too much.
But if I did, yours is too bitter, sweet cousin.
What is this?
ARCITE
Venison.
Venison.
PALAMON
’Tis a lusty meat.
Give me more wine. Here, Arcite, to the wenches
We have known in our days! The Lord Steward’s daughter—
Do you remember her?
That's a strengthening meat.
Give me more wine. Here, Arcite, drink to the girls
we have known! The daughter of the Lord Steward–
do you remember her?
ARCITE
After you, coz.
The same as you, cousin.
PALAMON
She lov’d a black-hair’d man.
She loved a black haired man.
ARCITE
She did so; well, sir?
She did that; well, sir?
PALAMON
And I have heard some call him Arcite, and—
And I've heard a rumour he was called Arcite, and–
ARCITE
Out with’t, faith!
Spit it out, by God!
PALAMON
She met him in an arbor:
What did she there, coz? Play o’ th’ virginals?
She met him in a leafy glade:
what did she do there, cousin? Play her piano?
ARCITE
Something she did, sir.
She did something, sir.
PALAMON
Made her groan a month for’t;
Or two, or three, or ten.
She groaned for a month over it;
or two, or three, or ten.
ARCITE
The Marshal’s sister
Had her share too, as I remember, cousin,
Else there be tales abroad. You’ll pledge her?
The Marshal's sister
had her share to, as I recall, cousin,
or someone's spreading untrue rumours. You will drink to her?
PALAMON
Yes.
Yes.
ARCITE
A pretty brown wench ’tis. There was a time
When young men went a-hunting, and a wood,
And a broad beech; and thereby hangs a tale.
Heigh-ho!
She's a pretty brown lass. There was a time
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 421