Is this victory?
Oh all you gods, where is your mercy?
If it wasn't for the fact that you have decreed it,
and ordered me to live to make happy this friendless
miserable prince, who has taken from himself
a life more worthy than all woman combined,
I would wish to die as well.
HIPPOLYTA
Infinite pity
That four such eyes should be so fix’d on one
That two must needs be blind for’t!
It's a horrible shame
that four eyes like these should have chosen to look at one woman,
so that two of them had to be blinded to settle it!
THESEUS
So it is.
Indeed it is.
Flourish. Exeunt
A place near the Lists. A block prepared.
(Palamon, Three Knights, Jailer, Executioner, Guard, Second Messenger, Pirithous, Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Arcite)
A block ready. Enter Palamon and his Knights pinion’d, Jailer, Executioner, etc., Guard.
PALAMON
There’s many a man alive that hath outliv’d
The love o’ th’ people, yea, i’ th’ self-same state
Stands many a father with his child. Some comfort
We have by so considering: we expire,
And not without men’s pity; to live still,
Have their good wishes; we prevent
The loathsome misery of age, beguile
The gout and rheum, that in lag hours attend
For grey approachers; we come towards the gods
Young and unwapper’d, not halting under crimes
Many and stale. That sure shall please the gods
Sooner than such, to give us nectar with ’em,
For we are more clear spirits. My dear kinsmen,
Whose lives (for this poor comfort) are laid down,
You have sold ’em too too cheap.
There are many men alive who have outlived
the love of the people, and many fathers
outlive the love of their children. This is
a comforting thought: we are dying
with men pitying us; if we lived,
we should have their good wishes; we're avoiding
the horrible misery of growing old, cheat the
gout and rheumatism that attack greybeards
in later life; we approach the gods
young and still fresh, not limping under the burden
of numerous ancient crimes. The gods are bound to
prefer us to that type, to let us drink nectar with them,
for we are the purer spirits. My dear kinsmen,
whose lives are being sacrificed for this poor comfort,
you have sold them far too cheap.
FIRST KNIGHT
What ending could be
Of more content? O’er us the victors have
Fortune, whose title is as momentary
As to us death is certain. A grain of honor
They not o’erweigh us.
What happier ending could
we have? The ones who triumphed over us
had luck, which is as ephemeral as
our death is certain. They do not outweigh us
in honour by an ounce.
SECOND KNIGHT
Let us bid farewell;
And with our patience anger tott’ring Fortune,
Who at her certain’st reels.
Let us say goodbye;
and let our stoicism anger wavering fortune,
who is shaky at her firmest.
THIRD KNIGHT
Come! Who begins?
Come! Who shall go first?
PALAMON
Ev’n he that led you to this banquet shall
Taste to you all.
To the Jailer.
Ah ha, my friend, my friend,
Your gentle daughter gave me freedom once;
You’ll see’t done now forever. Pray how does she?
I heard she was not well; her kind of ill
Gave me some sorrow.
The one who brought you to this banquet shall
taste the food for you all.
[To the jailer]
Aha, my friend, my friend,
your sweet daughter gave me my freedom once;
now you'll give it to me for eternity. Tell me, how is she?
I heard she was not well; for her to be ill
made me sad.
JAILER
Sir, she’s well restor’d,
And to be married shortly.
Sir, she's back in good health,
and will be married shortly.
PALAMON
By my short life,
I am most glad on’t. ’Tis the latest thing
I shall be glad of, prithee tell her so.
Commend me to her, and to piece her portion
Tender her this.
I swear by my short life,
that makes me very happy. It's the last thing
I shall be happy about, please tell her so.
Remember me to her, and give her this
as a dowry.
Gives purse.
FIRST KNIGHT
Nay, let’s be offerers all.
Let's all put in for this.
SECOND KNIGHT
Is it a maid?
Is she a good girl?
PALAMON
Verily I think so,
A right good creature, more to me deserving
Than I can quite or speak of.
I certainly think so,
a very fine creature, whom I owe more
than I can repay or describe.
ALL THREE KNIGHTS
Commend us to her.
Remember us to her.
They give their purses.
JAILER
The gods requite you all, and make her thankful!
May the gods repay you all, and make her grateful!
PALAMON
Adieu; and let my life be now as short
As my leave-taking.
Goodbye; and now let my life be as short
as the time it takes to leave.
Lies on the block.
THIRD KNIGHT
Lead, courageous cousin.
Lead on, brave cousin.
BOTH FIRST KNIGHT AND SECOND KNIGHT
We’ll follow cheerfully.
We shall gladly follow.
A great noise within crying “Run! Save! Hold!”
Enter in haste a Messenger.
2. MESSENGER
Hold, hold! O, hold, hold, hold!
Wait, wait! Oh, wait, wait, wait!
Enter Pirithous in haste.
PIRITHOUS
Hold ho! It is a cursed haste you made
If you have done so quickly. Noble Palamon,
The gods will show their glory in a life
That thou art yet to lead.
Wait there! Your haste will be cursed
if you finish the job so quickly. Noble Palamon,
the gods will show their glory in
your future life.
PALAMON
Can that be, when
Venus I have said is false? How do things fare?
How can that be, when
what Venus has said is false? What's going on?
PIRITHOUS
Arise, great sir, and give the tidings ear
Palamon rises.
That are most dearly sweet and bitter.
Arise, great Sir, and listen to the news
that is both wonderful and bitter.
PALAMON
What
Hath wak’d us from our dream?
What
has woken us from our dream?
PIRITHOUS
List then: your cousin,
Mounted upon a steed that Emily
Did first bestow on him—a black one, owing
Not a hair-worth of white, w
hich some will say
Weakens his price, and many will not buy
His goodness with this note; which superstition
Here finds allowance—on this horse is Arcite
Trotting the stones of Athens, which the calkins
Did rather tell than trample; for the horse
Would make his length a mile, if’t pleas’d his rider
To put pride in him. As he thus went counting
The flinty pavement, dancing as ’twere to th’ music
His own hoofs made (for as they say from iron
Came music’s origin), what envious flint,
Cold as old Saturn, and like him possess’d
With fire malevolent, darted a spark,
Or what fierce sulphur else, to this end made,
I comment not—the hot horse, hot as fire,
Took toy at this, and fell to what disorder
His power could give his will, bounds, comes on end,
Forgets school-doing, being therein train’d,
And of kind manage; pig-like he whines
At the sharp rowel, which he frets at rather
Than any jot obeys; seeks all foul means
Of boist’rous and rough jad’ry, to disseat
His lord that kept it bravely. When nought serv’d,
When neither curb would crack, girth break, nor diff’ring plunges
Disroot his rider whence he grew, but that
He kept him ’tween his legs, on his hind hoofs
On end he stands,
That Arcite’s legs, being higher than his head,
Seem’d with strange art to hang. His victor’s wreath
Even then fell off his head; and presently
Backward the jade comes o’er, and his full poise
Becomes the rider’s load. Yet is he living,
But such a vessel ’tis that floats but for
The surge that next approaches. He much desires
To have some speech with you. Lo he appears.
Listen then: your cousin,
riding a horse that Emily
had given him–a black one, without
a single white hair, which some would say
makes it less valuable, and many wouldn't accept
his goodness because of it; this superstition
is confirmed by this–on this horse Arcite
was riding through Athens, its hooves
just touching stones rather than trampling them, for the horse
could stride a mile in a pace, if his rider was prepared
to put trust in him. As he went forward over
the stony pavement, as if he were dancing to the music
his own hooves made (for they say that music
originates in iron), some malevolent flint,
as cold as old Saturn, and like him filled
with evil fire, made a spark,
or some other piece of hellfire caused it,
I can't say–the passionate horse, passionate as fire,
shied at this, and became as out-of-control
as his power would allow, leaping, bucking,
forgetting his schooling, as he had been trained,
becoming unmanageable; he whined like a pig
at the feel of the spurs, which made him worse
rather than making him obey; he tried all the dirty ways
of rowdy and rough horses, to throw off
his lord, who stuck bravely to the saddle. When nothing worked,
when the bit wouldn't crack, the girth break, and the
different leaps couldn't throw off his rider, who
still stayed in the saddle, he stood up
on his hind hoofs,
so that Arcite's legs, being higher than his head,
seemed to hang as if by magic. His victor's wreath
fell off his head; and at once
the horse fell over backwards, and his full weight
landed on the rider. He is still alive,
but only like a ship that still floats until
the next wave comes. He very much wants
to talk with you. Look, here he comes.
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Arcite in a chair.
PALAMON
O miserable end of our alliance!
The gods are mighty, Arcite. If thy heart,
Thy worthy, manly heart, be yet unbroken,
Give me thy last words; I am Palamon,
One that yet loves thee dying.
What a miserable end to our friendship!
The gods are mighty, Arcite. If your heart,
your worthy, manly heart, be still working,
give me your last words; I am Palamon,
one who loves you still even in death.
ARCITE
Take Emilia,
And with her all the world’s joy. Reach thy hand;
Farewell. I have told my last hour; I was false,
Yet never treacherous. Forgive me, cousin.
One kiss from fair Emilia.—’Tis done.
Take her. I die.
Take Emilia,
and with her all the happiness in the world. Give me your hand;
Farewell. I have seen my last hour; I was wrong,
but never treacherous. Forgive me, cousin.
One kiss from lovely Emilia.–It's done.
Take her. I'm dying.
Dies.
PALAMON
Thy brave soul seek Elysium!
May your brave soul find Elysium!
EMILIA
I’ll close thine eyes, prince; blessed souls be with thee!
Thou art a right good man, and while I live,
This day I give to tears.
I'll close your eyes, prince; may you go to the blessed souls!
You are truly a good man, and for my whole life
I will commemorate this day with tears.
PALAMON
And I to honor.
And I with honour.
THESEUS
In this place first you fought; ev’n very here
I sund’red you. Acknowledge to the gods
Our thanks that you are living.
His part is play’d, and though it were too short,
He did it well; your day is length’ned, and
The blissful dew of heaven does arrouse you.
The powerful Venus well hath grac’d her altar,
And given you your love. Our master Mars
Hath vouch’d his oracle, and to Arcite gave
The grace of the contention So the deities
Have show’d due justice.—Bear this hence.
This is where you first fought; the very place
where I parted you. Give the gods
thanks that you are alive.
He's played his part, and though it was too short,
he did it well; your time has been extended, and
the blessed dew of heaven falls on you.
Powerful Venus has shone her light on her altar
and given you your love. Our master Mars
has fulfilled his promise, and given Arcite
the victory. So the gods
have shown fair justice.–Carry this away.
Arcite is carried out.
PALAMON
O cousin,
That we should things desire which do cost us
The loss of our desire! That nought could buy
Dear love but loss of dear love!
O cousin,
why did we have to desire things which cost us
things we desired! Why could nothing buy
dear love except for losing dear love!
THESEUS
Never fortune
Did play a subtler game. The conquer’d triumphs,
The victor has the loss; yet in the passage
The gods have been most equal. Palamon,
Your kinsman hath confess’d the right o’ th’ lady
Did lie in you, for you first saw her, and
Even then proclaim’d your fancy. He restor’d her
As your stol’n jewel, and desir’d your spirit
To send him hence forgiven. The gods my justice
Take from my hand, and they themselves become
The executioners. Lead your lady off;
And call your lovers from the stage of death,
Whom I adopt my friends. A day or two
Let us look sadly, and give grace unto
The funeral of Arcite, in whose end
The visages of bridegrooms we’ll put on
And smile with Palamon; for whom an hour,
But one hour since, I was as dearly sorry
As glad of Arcite; and am now as glad
As for him sorry. O you heavenly charmers,
What things you make of us! For what we lack
We laugh, for what we have are sorry, still
Are children in some kind. Let us be thankful
For that which is, and with you leave dispute
That are above our question. Let’s go off,
And bear us like the time.
Fate never
played a more cunning game. The loser wins,
the winner loses; but the gods have still been
perfectly fair. Palamon,
your kinsman admitted that you had
the rights to the lady, for you saw her first, and
declared your love at the time. He gave her
back to you as your stolen jewel, and asked you
to send him away forgiven. The gods have taken
my powers of justice out of my hand, and they have become
the executioners themselves. Take your lady away;
and call your followers off the scaffold,
they are now my friends. Let us mourn
for a day or two, and honour the
funeral of Arcite, and at the end of that
we'll assume the faces of bridegrooms
and smile with Palamon; for whom
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 432