Threats a brave life; each stroke laments No deafing) but to hear, not taint mine eye Your sister will no further. Thes. Oh, she must: She shall see deeds of honour in their kind, Which sometime shew well-pencil'd: Nature now Shall make and act the story, the belief Stick misbecomingly on others, on him [Cornets. Trumpets sound as to a charge. I might do hurt; for they would glance their eyes Toward my seat, and in that motion might Which craved that very time; it is much better [Cornets. Cry within, A Palamon! I am not there; oh, better never born Both seal'd with eye and ear. You must be Than minister to such harm!-What is the present; You are the victor's meed, the price and garland To crown the question's title. Emi. Pardon me; If I were there, I'd wink. Thes. You must be there; This trial is as 'twere i'th' night, and you The only star to shine. Emi. I am extinct; To any of their enemies. Hip. Farewell, sister! I'm like to know your husband 'fore yourself, [Exeunt THESEUS, HIPPOLITA, PERITIOUS, &c. Is graved, and seems to bury what it frowns on; chance? Enter a Servant. Sero. The cry's a Palamon. 'Twas ever likely : He look'd all grace and success, and he is Doubtless the primest of men. I prithee run, And tell me how it goes. [Shout, and cornets; cry, A Palamon! Serv. Still Palamon. Emi. Run and enquire. Poor servant, thou hast lost! Upon my right side still I wore thy picture, [Another cry and shout within, and cornets. On the sinister side the heart lies; Palamon Had the best-boding chance. This burst of clamour Is sure the end o' th' combat. Enter Servant. Serv. They said that Palamon had Arcite's body Within an inch o' th' pyramid, that the cry Th' assistants made a brave redemption, and Emi. Were they metamorphos'd [Cornets. Cry within, Arcite, Arcite! To any lady breathing.-More exulting? Palamon still? Sera. Nay, now the sound is Arcite. Emi. I prithee lay attention to the cry; [Cornets. A great shout, and cry, Arcite, victory! Set both thine ears to th' business. Sert. The cry is Arcite, and victory! Hark! Arcite, victory! The combat's consummation is proclaim'd By the wind-instruments. Emi. Half-sights saw That Arcite was no babe: God's 'lid, his rich ness And costliness of spirit look'd thro' him! it could No more be hid in him than fire in flax, When oft our fancies are. They're coming off: Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLITA, PERITHOUS, ARCITE as victor, attendants, &c. Thes. Lo, where our sister is in expectation, Yet quaking, and unsettled. Fairest Emilia, The gods, by their divine arbitrament, Have given you this knight: He is a good one Arc. Emilia, Did not lose by't; for he that was thus good, Anon the other, then again the first, Make hardly one the winner. Wear the garland Emi. Is this winning? [Flourish. SCENE IV. Enter PALAMON and his Knights pinion'd, Jailor, Executioner, and Guard. Pal. 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, 1 Knight. What ending could be Fortune, whose title is as momentary Of more content? O'er us the victors have As to us death is certain; a grain of honour 2 Knight. Let us bid farewell; And with our patience anger tott'ring Fortune, Who at her certain'st reels. 3 Knight. Come, who begins? Pal. Even he that led you to this banquet, shall Taste to you all. Ah-ha, my friend, my friend! You'll see't done now for ever. Pray how does Your gentle Daughter gave me freedom once; she? I heard she was not well; her kind of ill Gave me some sorrow, Jailor. Sir, she's well restor'd, And to be married shortly. Pal. By my short life, I am most glad on't! 'tis the latest thing 1 Knight. Nay, let's be offerers all. Pal. Verily, I think so; A right good creature, more to me deserving All Knights, Commend us to her. Pul. Adieu! and let my life be now as short [Lies on the block As my leave-taking. 1 Knight. Lead, courageous cousin! [4 great noise within, crying, Run, save, hold! Enter in haste a Messenger. Mess. Hold, hold! oh, hold, hold, hold! Enter PERITHOUS in haste. Per. Hold, hoa! it is a cursed haste you made, If you have done so quickly.-Noble Palamon, The gods will shew their glory in a life Hath wak'd us from our dream? Per. List then! Your cousin, Did first bestow on him, a black one, owing To put pride in him: As he thus went counting music His own hoofs made (for, as they say, from iron Forgets school-doing, being therein train'd, When neither curb would crack, girth break, nor diff'ring plunges Dis-root 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 To have some speech with you. Lo, he appears! Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLITA, EMILIA, ARCITE in a chair. Pal. Oh, 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, I sunder'd you: Acknowledge to the gods His part is play'd, and, though it were too short, That we should things desire, which do cost us Thes. Never Fortune Did play a subtler game: The conquer'd triumphs, Did lie in you; for you first saw her, and As your stol'n jewel, and desir'd your spirit tice Take from my hand, and they themselves become 10 SCENE.-On the Frontiers of Armenia; and afterwards in the Metropolis of Iberia. ACT I, Enter MARDONIUS and BESsus, Mar. Bessus, the king has made a fair hand on't; he has ended the wars at a blow. 'Would my sword had a close basket hilt, to hold wine, and the blade would make knives; for we shall have nothing but eating and drinking. Bes. We that are commanders shall do well enough. Mar. Faith, Bessus, such commanders as thou may: I had as lieve set thee perdue for a pudding i'th' dark, as Alexander the Great. Bes. I love these jests exceedingly. Mar. I think thou lov'st 'em better than quarrelling, Bessus; I'll say so much in thy behalf. And yet thou'rt valiant enough upon a retreat: I think thou wouldst kill any man that stop d'thee, if thou couldst. Bes. But was not this a brave combat, Mardonius? VOL. I. Mar. Why, didst thou see it? Mar. I did so; but methought thou wink'd'st every blow they struck. Bes. Well, I believe there are better soldiers than I, that never saw two princes fight in lists. Mar. By my troth, I think so too, Bessus; many a thousand: But, certainly, all that are worse than thou have seen as much. Bcs, 'Twas bravely done of our king. Mar. Yes, if he had not ended the wars. I'm glad thou dar'st talk of such dangerous busi Bes. I could willingly venture for it. Mar. Hum! no venture neither, Bessus. Bes. Let me not live, if I do not think 'tis a braver piece of service than that I'm so fam'd for. Mar. Why, art thou fam'd for any valour? Mar. I'm e'en heartily glad on't: I have been with thee e'er since thou cam'st to the wars, and this is the first word that ever I heard on't. Prithee, who fames thee? Bes. The Christian world. not hear it, Bessus. Here he is, with his prey in his foot. Enter ARBACES, TIGRANES, and two Gentle men. Arb. Thy sadness, brave Tigranes, takes away Mar. 'Tis heathenishly done of 'em, in my What should afflict you? You're as free as I. conscience: Thou deserv'st it not. Bes. Yes, I ha' done good service. Mar. I do not know how thou may'st wait of a man in's chamber, or thy agility in shifting of a trencher; but otherwise no service, good Bes sus. Bes. You saw me do the service yourself. Mar. Not so hasty, sweet Bessus! Where was it? is the place vanish'd? Bes. At Bessus' Desp'rate Redemption. Mar. At Bessus' Desp'rate Redemption! where's that? Bes. There, where I redeem'd the day: the place bears my name. Mar. Prithee, who christen'd it? Bes. The soldiers. Mar. If I were not a very merrily disposed man, what would become of thee? One that had but a grain of choler in the whole composition of his body, would send thee on an errand to the worins, for putting thy name upon that field: Did not I beat thee there, i'th' head, o'th' troops, with a truncheon, because thou wouldst needs run away with thy company, when we should charge the enemy? Bes. True, but I did not run. Mar. Right, Bessus: I beat thee out on't. Bes. But came I not up when the day was gone, and redeem'd all? Mar. Thou knowest, and so do I, thou meant'st to fly, and thy fear making thee mistake, thou ran'st upon the enemy; and a hot charge thou gav'st; as, I'll do thee right, thou art furious in running away; and, I think, we owe thy fear for our victory. If I were the king, and were sure thou wouldst mistake always, and run away upon the enemy, thou shouldst be general, by this light. Bes. You'll never leave this, till I fall foul. Mar. No more such words, dear Bessus; for though I have ever known thee a coward, and therefore durst never strike thee, yet, if thou proceed'st, I will allow thee valiant, and beat thee. Bes. Come, our king's a brave fellow. Mar. He is so, Bessus; I wonder how thou cam'st to know it. But, if thou wert a man of understanding, I would tell thee, he is vain-glorious and humble, and angry and patient, and merry and dull, and joyful and sorrowful, in extremity, in an hour. Do not think me thy friend, for this; for if I car'd who knew it, thou shouldst To be my prisoner, is to be more free The way to victory. She was a pretty child; Tigr. Is't the course Till you saw home again, where 'tis the fashion, Perhaps, to brag. Arb. Be you my witness, earth, Within his whole realm, that I have not past, [Aside. Mar. Indeed, this is none. Arb. Tigranes, nay, did I but take delight To stretch my deeds as others do, on words, I could amaze my hearers. |