THESEUS

What's your request? Deliver you for all. Pray you kneel not, I was transported with your Speech, and suffered Your knees to wrong themselves; I have herd the Fortune's Of your dead Lords, which gives me such lamenting As wakes my vengeance, and revenge for'em King Capaneus, was your Lord the day That he should marry you, at such a season, As now it is with me. I met your Groom, By Marsis Altar, you were that time fair; Not Juno's Mantle fairer then your Tresses, Nor in more bounty spread her. Your wheaten wreathe Was then nor threashd, nor blasted; Fortune at you Dimpled her Cheek with smiles: Hercules our kinesman (Then weaker than your eyes) laid by his Club, He tumbled down upon his Nenuan hide And swore his us thawd: Oh grief, and time, Fearful consumers, you will all devour. Oh no knees, none Widow, Unto the Helmeted-Belona use them, And pray for me your Soldier. Troubled I am. Forward to'th Temple, leave not out a Jot O'th sacred Ceremony. It is true. and I will give you comfort, To give your dead Lords graves: The which to do, must make some work with Creou; Artesuis that best knowest How to draw out fit to this enterprise, The prim'st for this proceeding, and the number To carry such a business, forth and levy Our worthiest Instruments, while we dispatch This grand act of our life, this daring deed OfFate in wedlock. Why good Ladies, This is a service, whereto I am going, Greater then any was; it more imports me Then all the actions that I have foregone, Or futurely can cope. Pray stand up. I am entreating of my self to do That which you kneel to have me; yrithous Lead on the Bride; g to you and pray the Gods For success, and return; omit not any thing In the pretended Celebration: Queens Follow your Soldier (as before) hence you And at the banckos of Anly meet us with The forces you can raise, where we shall find The moiety of a number, for a business, More bigger look't; since that our Theme is haste I stamp this kiss upon thy currant lip, Sweet keep it as my Token; Set you forward For I will see you gone. Ex unt towards the Temple. Farewell my beauteous Sister: Pyrithous Keep the feast full, bore not and hour on't. Counterfeit en I charge you Boudge not from Athens; We shall be returning Ere you can end this Feast; of which I pray you Make no abatement; once more farewell all. As we are men Thus should we do, being sensually subdued We lose our humane title; good cheer Ladies. Flourish. Now turn we towards your Comforts. Exeunt. Th'imparciall Gods, who from the mounted hea vens View us their mortal Herd, behold who err, And in their time chastise: go and find out The bones of your dead Lords, and honour them With Triple Ceremony, rather then a gap Should be in their deer rights, we would suppl'it. But those we will depute, which shall invest You in your dignities, and even each thing Our hast does leave imperfect; So adieu And heavens good eyes look on you. what are those? By'th Helm of Mars, I saw them in the war, Like to a pair of Lions, smeard with prey, Make lanes in troops aghast. I fixed my note Constantly on them; for they were a mark Worth a god's view: what prisoner was't that told me When I inquired their names? 'Tis ight, those, those They are not dead? Then Like men use they The very lees of such (millions of rates) Exceed the wine of others. all our Surgeons Convent in their behoof, our richest balms Rather then niggard wast, their lives concern us, Much more then Thebs is worth, rather then have they From worser of this plighted, and in their morning state (Found and at libcrty) I would they dead, But forty thousand fold, we had rather have they Prisoners to us, then death; Bear they speedily From ou kind air, to them unkind, and minister What man oh man may do for our sake more, Since I have known frights, fury, friends, behests, Loves, provocations, zeal, a mistress Task, Desire of liberty, a favour, madues, Hath set a mark which nature could not reach too Without some imposition, sickness in will Or wrestling strength in reason, for our Love And great Appollos mercy, all our best, Their best skill tender. Lead into the City, Where having bound things scattered, we will post Flourish. To Athens for our Army. You have done worthily: I have not seen Since Hercules, a man of tougher sinews; What ere you are, you run the best, and wrestle, That these times can allow. What Country bred you? Are you a Gentleman? Are you his heir? Your Father Sure is a happy Sire then: what proves you? You are perfect. What made you seek this place Sir? Sir, we are much indebted to your travel, Nor shall you lose your wish: Perithous Dispose of this fair Gentleman. Sweet, you must be ready, And you Emilia, and you (Friend) and all To morrow by the Sun, to do observance To flowery May, in Dians wood: wait well Sir Upon your Mistress: Emely, I hope He shall not go a foot. Go lead the way; you have wone it: It shall be so; you shall receive all dues Fit for the honour you have wone; Twer wrong else, Sister, beshrew my heart, you have a Servant, That if I were a woman, would be Master, But you are wise. This way the Stag took. What have we here? This is a cold beginning. I, I by any meam S, deer Domine. Take 20. Worser mine; how does my sweet heart. Schoolmaster, I thank the , One see' all re warded. Now to our sports again. I have sworn. I grant your wish, for to say true, your Cousin Has ten times more offended, for I gave him More mercy then you found, Sir, your offenses Being no more then his: None here speak for'em For ere the Sun set, both shall sleep for ever. These are strange Conjurings. You make my faith reelc: Say I felt Comp ssion to'em both, how would you place it? You are a right woman Sister; you have pity, B to want the understanding where to use it. If you desire their lives, invent a way Safer then banishment: Can these two live And have the agony of love about they, And not kill one another? Every day The'yld fight about yov; howrely bring your honour In public question with their Swords; Be wise then And here forget they; it concerns your credit, And my oath equally: I have said they die, Better they fallen by'th law, then one another. Bow not my honour. What is it Sister? On what conditions? Will you Arcite Take these conditions? What may be done? for now I feel compassion. Say Emilia If one of them were dead, as one mu , are you Content to take th'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, are you content too Princes? He that she refuses Must die then. Make choice then. Thus I ordain it, And by mine honour, once again it stands, Or both shall die. You shall both to your Country, And each within this more eth accompanied With three fair Knights, appear again in this place, In which I'll plant a Pyramid; and whither 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 fallen, Nor think he die with interest in this Lady: Will this content ye? Are you content Sister? Come shake hands again then, And take eede, as you are Gentlemen, this Quarrel Sleep till the hour prefixed, and hold your course, Come, I'll give you Now usage Like to Princes, and to Friends: When you return, who wins, I'll settle here, Who looses, yet I'll weep upon his Beer. Exeunt. Who saw'em? From whence come you Sir? Pray speak You that have seen them, what they are. Thou ha'st well describe him. Pray speak him friend. Are they all thus? Now as I have a soul I long to see'em, Lady you shall see men fight now. You have steel'd'em with your Beauty: honoured Friend, To you I give the Field; pray order it, Fitting the persons that must use it. Come, go visit'em: I cannot stay. Their fame has fired me so; Till they appear, Good Friend be royal. You valiant and strong hearted Enemies You royal Germane foes, that this day come To blow that nearness out that flames between you; Lay by your anger for and hour, and dovelike Before the holy Altars of your helpers (The all feared gods) bow down your stubborn bodies, Your ire is more than mortal; So your help be, And as the gods regard you, fight with Justice, I le leave you to your prayers, and betwixt you I partly my wishes. O she must. She shall see deeds of honour in their kind, Which sometime show well pencild. Nature now Shall make, and act the Story, the belief Both sealed with eye, and ear; you must be present, You are the victor's meed, the price, and garland To crown the Questions title. You must be there; This Trial is as were i'th night, and you The only star to shine. Why the knights must kindle Their valour at your eye: know of this war You are the Treasure, and must needs be by To give the Service pay. Well, well then, at your pleasure, Those that remain with you, could wish their office To any of their Enemies. Lo, where our Sister is in expectation, Yet quaking, and unsettled: Fairest Emily. The gods by their divine arbitrament Have given you this Knight, he is a good one As ever struck at head: Give me your hands; Receive you her, you him, be plighted with A love that grows, as you decay; Oh loved Sister, He speaks now of as brave a Knight as ere Did spur a noble Steed: Surely the gods Would have him die a Bachelor, least his raze Should show i'th world too godlike: His behaviour So char worser me, that me thought Alcides was To him a sow of led: if I could praise Each partly of him to'th all; I have spoke, your Arcut Did not lose by't; For he that was thus good Encountered yet his Better, I have herd Two emulous Philomels, beat the care o'th night With their contentious throats, now one the higher, Anon the other, then again the first, And by and by out breasted, that the sense Could not be judge between they: So it fared Good space between these kinesmen; till heavens did Make hardly one the winner: wear the Garland With joy that you have wone: For the subdued, Give them our present Justice, since I know Their lives but pinch'em; Let it here be done: The Sceane's not for our seeing, go we hence, Right joyful, with some sorrow. Arm your prize, I know you will not lose her: Hipolita I see one eye of yours conceives a tear The which it will deliver. So it is. In this place first you fought: even very here I sundered you, acknowledge to the gods Our thanks that you are living: His partly is played, and though it were too short He did it well: your day is lengthened, and, The blissful Due of heaven do's arowze you. The powerful , well hath graced her Altar, And given you your love: Our Master Mars Hast vouched his Oracle, and to Arcite gave The grace of the Contention: So the Deities Have showed endue justice: Bear this hence. Never Did play a subtler : The conquered triumphs, The victor has the Loss: yet in the passage, The gods have been most equal: Palamon, Your kinsman hath confessed the right o'th Lady Did lie in you, for you first saw her, and Even then proclaimed your fancy: He restored her As your stolen Jewel, and desired 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 weel put on And smile with Palamon; for whom and hour, But one hour since, I was as dearly sorry, As glad of Arcite: and am now as glad, As for him sorry. Oh 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: Sad Lady ise. 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? By Castor both shall die. Bring they in quickly, By any means, I long to see'em. Your two contending Lovers are returned, And with them their fair Knights: Now my fair Sister, You must love one of them. Now let'em enter, and before the gods Tender their holy prayers: Let the Temples Burn bright with sacred fires, and the Altars In hallowed clouds commend their swelling Incense To those above us: Let no endue be wanting, Flourish of Cornets. They have a noble work in hand, will honour The very powers that love they.