William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (591 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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PIRITHOUS
Nay, then, I’ll in too.
⌈
He kneels
⌉
By all our friendship, sir, by all our dangers,
By all you love most: wars, and this sweet lady—
By all you love most: wars, and this sweet lady—
EMILIA
By that you would have trembled to deny
A blushing maid—
A blushing maid—
HIPPOLYTA
By your own eyes, by strength—
In which you swore I went beyond all women,
Almost all men—and yet I yielded, Theseus—
In which you swore I went beyond all women,
Almost all men—and yet I yielded, Theseus—
PIRITHOUS
To crown all this, by your most noble soul,
Which cannot want due mercy, I beg first—
Which cannot want due mercy, I beg first—
HIPPOLYTA
Next hear my prayers—
EMILIA
Last let me entreat, sir—
PIRITHOUS
For mercy.
HIPPOLYTA Mercy.
EMILIA
Mercy on these princes.
THESEUS
Ye make my faith reel. Say I felt
Compassion to ’em both, how would you place it?
Compassion to ’em both, how would you place it?
⌈
They rise
⌉
EMILIA
Upon their lives—but with their banishments.
THESEUS
You are a right woman, sister: you have pity,
But want the understanding where to use it.
If you desire their lives, invent a way
Safer than banishment. Can these two live,
And have the agony of love about ‘em,
And not kill one another? Every day
They’d fight about you, hourly bring your honour
In public question with their swords. Be wise, then,
And here forget ’em. It concerns your credit
And my oath equally. I have said—they die.
Better they fall by th’ law than one another.
Bow not my honour.
But want the understanding where to use it.
If you desire their lives, invent a way
Safer than banishment. Can these two live,
And have the agony of love about ‘em,
And not kill one another? Every day
They’d fight about you, hourly bring your honour
In public question with their swords. Be wise, then,
And here forget ’em. It concerns your credit
And my oath equally. I have said—they die.
Better they fall by th’ law than one another.
Bow not my honour.
EMILIA
O my noble brother,
That oath was rashly made, and in your anger.
Your reason will not hold it. If such vows
Stand for express will, all the world must perish.
Beside, I have another oath ’gainst yours,
Of more authority, I am sure more love—
Not made in passion, neither, but good heed.
That oath was rashly made, and in your anger.
Your reason will not hold it. If such vows
Stand for express will, all the world must perish.
Beside, I have another oath ’gainst yours,
Of more authority, I am sure more love—
Not made in passion, neither, but good heed.
THESEUS
What is it, sister?
PIRITHOUS (
to Emilia
) Urge it home, brave lady.
to Emilia
) Urge it home, brave lady.
EMILIA
That you would ne’er deny me anything
Fit for my modest suit and your free granting.
I tie you to your word now; if ye fail in’t,
Think how you maim your honour—
For now I am set a-begging, sir. I am deaf
To all but your compassion—how their lives
Might breed the ruin of my name, opinion.
Shall anything that loves me perish for me?
That were a cruel wisdom: do men prune
The straight young boughs that blush with thousand
blossoms
Because they may be rotten? O, Duke Theseus,
The goodly mothers that have groaned for these,
And all the longing maids that ever loved,
If your vow stand, shall curse me and my beauty,
And in their funeral songs for these two cousins
Despise my cruelty and cry woe worth me,
Till I am nothing but the scorn of women.
For heaven’s sake, save their lives and banish ’em.
Fit for my modest suit and your free granting.
I tie you to your word now; if ye fail in’t,
Think how you maim your honour—
For now I am set a-begging, sir. I am deaf
To all but your compassion—how their lives
Might breed the ruin of my name, opinion.
Shall anything that loves me perish for me?
That were a cruel wisdom: do men prune
The straight young boughs that blush with thousand
blossoms
Because they may be rotten? O, Duke Theseus,
The goodly mothers that have groaned for these,
And all the longing maids that ever loved,
If your vow stand, shall curse me and my beauty,
And in their funeral songs for these two cousins
Despise my cruelty and cry woe worth me,
Till I am nothing but the scorn of women.
For heaven’s sake, save their lives and banish ’em.
THESEUS
On what conditions?
EMILIA
Swear ’em never more To make me their contention, or to know me,
To tread upon thy dukedom; and to be,
Wherever they shall travel, ever strangers
To one another.
To tread upon thy dukedom; and to be,
Wherever they shall travel, ever strangers
To one another.
PALAMON
I’ll be cut a-pieces
Before I take this oath—forget I love her?
O all ye gods, despise me, then. Thy banishment
I not mislike, so we may fairly carry
Our swords and cause along—else, never trifle,
But take our lives, Duke. I must love, and will;
And for that love must and dare kill this cousin
On any piece the earth has.
Before I take this oath—forget I love her?
O all ye gods, despise me, then. Thy banishment
I not mislike, so we may fairly carry
Our swords and cause along—else, never trifle,
But take our lives, Duke. I must love, and will;
And for that love must and dare kill this cousin
On any piece the earth has.
THESEUS
Will you, Arcite,
Take these conditions?
Take these conditions?
PALAMON
He’s a villain then.
PIRITHOUS
These are men!
ARCITE
No, never, Duke. ’Tis worse to me than begging,
To take my life so basely. Though I think
I never shall enjoy her, yet I’ll preserve
The honour of affection and die for her,
Make death a devil.
To take my life so basely. Though I think
I never shall enjoy her, yet I’ll preserve
The honour of affection and die for her,
Make death a devil.
THESEUS
What may be done? For now I feel compassion.
PIRITHOUS
Let it not fall again, sir.
THESEUS
Say, Emilia, If one of them were dead—as one must—are you
Content to take the other to your husband?
They cannot both enjoy you. They are princes
As goodly as your own eyes, and as noble
As ever fame yet spoke of. Look upon ’em,
And if you can love, end this difference.
I give consent. (
To Palamon and Arcite
) Are you
content too, princes?
Content to take the other to your husband?
They cannot both enjoy you. They are princes
As goodly as your own eyes, and as noble
As ever fame yet spoke of. Look upon ’em,
And if you can love, end this difference.
I give consent. (
To Palamon and Arcite
) Are you
content too, princes?
PALAMON and ARCITE
With all our souls.
THESEUS
He that she refuses
Must die, then.
PALAMON and ARCITE
Any death thou canst invent, Duke.
PALAMON
If I fall from that mouth, I fall with favour,
And lovers yet unborn shall bless my ashes.
And lovers yet unborn shall bless my ashes.
ARCITE
If she refuse me, yet my grave will wed me,
And soldiers sing my epitaph.
And soldiers sing my epitaph.
THESEUS (
to Emilia
)
to Emilia
)
Make choice, then.
EMILIA
I cannot, sir. They are both too excellent.
For me, a hair shall never fall of these men.
For me, a hair shall never fall of these men.
HIPPOLYTA ⌈
to Theseus
⌉
to Theseus
⌉
What will become of ’em?
THESEUS
Thus I ordain it, And by mine honour once again it stands,
Or both shall die. (
To Palamon and Arcite
) You shall
both to your country,
And each within this month, accompanied
With three fair knights, appear again in this place,
In which I’ll plant a pyramid; and whether,
Before us that are here, can force his cousin,
By fair and knightly strength, to touch the pillar,
He shall enjoy her; the other lose his head,
And all his friends; nor shall he grudge to fall,
Nor think he dies with interest in this lady.
Will this content ye?
Or both shall die. (
To Palamon and Arcite
) You shall
both to your country,
And each within this month, accompanied
With three fair knights, appear again in this place,
In which I’ll plant a pyramid; and whether,
Before us that are here, can force his cousin,
By fair and knightly strength, to touch the pillar,
He shall enjoy her; the other lose his head,
And all his friends; nor shall he grudge to fall,
Nor think he dies with interest in this lady.
Will this content ye?
PALAMON
Yes. Here, cousin Arcite,
I am friends again till that hour.
I am friends again till that hour.
ARCITE
I embrace ye.
THESEUS (
to Emilia
)
to Emilia
)
Are you content, sister?
EMILIA
Yes, I must, sir,
Else both miscarry.
THESEUS (
to Palamon and Arcite
)
to Palamon and Arcite
)
Come, shake hands again, then,
And take heed, as you are gentlemen, this quarrel
Sleep till the hour prefixed, and hold your course.
And take heed, as you are gentlemen, this quarrel
Sleep till the hour prefixed, and hold your course.
PALAMON
We dare not fail thee, Theseus.
THESEUS
Come, I’ll give ye
Now usage like to princes and to friends.
When ye return, who wins I’ll settle here,
Who loses, yet I’ll weep upon his bier.
Now usage like to princes and to friends.
When ye return, who wins I’ll settle here,
Who loses, yet I’ll weep upon his bier.
Exeunt
. ⌈
ln the act-time the bush is removed
⌉
. ⌈
ln the act-time the bush is removed
⌉
Enter the Jailer and his Friend
JAILER
Hear you no more? Was nothing said of me
Concerning the escape of Palamon?
Good sir, remember.
Concerning the escape of Palamon?
Good sir, remember.
FRIEND
Nothing that I heard,
For I came home before the business
Was fully ended. Yet I might perceive,
Ere I departed, a great likelihood
Of both their pardons: for Hippolyta
And fair-eyed Emily upon their knees
Begged with such handsome pity that the Duke,
Methought, stood staggering whether he should
follow
His rash oath or the sweet compassion
Of those two ladies; and to second them
That truly noble prince, Pirithous—
Half his own heart—set in too, that I hope
All shall be well. Neither heard I one question
Of your name or his scape.
For I came home before the business
Was fully ended. Yet I might perceive,
Ere I departed, a great likelihood
Of both their pardons: for Hippolyta
And fair-eyed Emily upon their knees
Begged with such handsome pity that the Duke,
Methought, stood staggering whether he should
follow
His rash oath or the sweet compassion
Of those two ladies; and to second them
That truly noble prince, Pirithous—
Half his own heart—set in too, that I hope
All shall be well. Neither heard I one question
Of your name or his scape.
Enter the Second Friend
JAILER Pray heaven it hold so.
SECOND FRIEND
Be of good comfort, man. I bring you news,
Good news.
Good news.
JAILER
They are welcome.
SECOND FRIEND
Palamon has cleared you,
And got your pardon, and discovered how
And by whose means he scaped—which was your
daughter’s,
Whose pardon is procured too; and the prisoner,
Not to be held ungrateful to her goodness,
Has given a sum of money to her marriage—
A large one, I’ll assure you.
And got your pardon, and discovered how
And by whose means he scaped—which was your
daughter’s,
Whose pardon is procured too; and the prisoner,
Not to be held ungrateful to her goodness,
Has given a sum of money to her marriage—
A large one, I’ll assure you.
JAILER
Ye are a good man,
And ever bring good news.
And ever bring good news.
FIRST FRIEND
How was it ended?
SECOND FRIEND
Why, as it should be: they that ne’er begged,
But they prevailed, had their suits fairly granted—
The prisoners have their lives.
But they prevailed, had their suits fairly granted—
The prisoners have their lives.
FIRST FRIEND
I knew ’twould be so.
SECOND FRIEND
But there be new conditions which you’ll hear of
At better time.
At better time.
JAILER
I hope they are good.
SECOND FRIEND
They are honourable—
How good they’ll prove I know not.
How good they’ll prove I know not.
Enter the Wooer
EIRST ERIEND
’Twill be known.
WOOER
Alas, sir, where’s your daughter?
JAILER
Why do you ask?
WOOER
O, sir, when did you see her?
SECOND FRIEND
How he looks!
JAILER
This morning.
WOOER
Was she well? Was she in health?
Sir, when did she sleep?
FIRST FRIEND
These are strange questions.
JAILER
I do not think she was very well: for now
You make me mind her, but this very day
I asked her questions and she answered me
So far from what she was, so childishly,
So sillily, as if she were a fool,
An innocent—and I was very angry.
But what of her, sir?
You make me mind her, but this very day
I asked her questions and she answered me
So far from what she was, so childishly,
So sillily, as if she were a fool,
An innocent—and I was very angry.
But what of her, sir?
WOOER
Nothing, but my pity
But you must know it, and as good by me
As by another that less loves her—
But you must know it, and as good by meAs by another that less loves her—
JAILER
Well, sir?
FIRST FRIEND Not right?
WOOER
No, sir, not well.
SECOND FRIEND
Not Well?
WOOER
’Tis too true—she is mad.
FIRST FRIEND
It cannot be.
WOOER
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