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And great Apollo's mercy, all our best

Their best skill tender. -- Lead into the city

Where, having bound things scattered, we will post

To Athens fore our army. [Flourish. Exeunt.]

Act II, Scene 1

Enter the Jailer and the Wooer.

JAILER I may depart with little, while I live; something I

may cast to you, not much. Alas, the prison I keep,

though it be for great ones, yet they seldom come;

before one salmon you shall take a number of minnows.

I am given out to be better lined than it can appear to

me report is a true speaker. I would I were really that

I am delivered to be. Marry, what I have -- be it what

it will -- I will assure upon my daughter at the day of my death.

WOOER Sir, I demand no more than your own offer, and ...

When that shall be seen, I tender my consent.

WOOER I have, sir. Here she comes.

JAILER [to Daughter.] Your friend and I have chanced to

name you here, upon the old business -- but no more

of that now. So soon as the court hurry is over we will

have an end of it. I'th' mean time, look tenderly to the

two prisoners. I can tell you they are princes. ...

DAUGHTER These strewings are for their chamber.

'Tis pity they are in prison, and 'twere pity they should

be out. I do think they have patience to make any

adversity ashamed; the prison itself is proud of 'em,

and they have all the world in their chamber.

JAILER They are famed to be a pair of absolute men.

DAUGHTER By my troth, I think fame but stammers

'em -- they stand a grece above the reach of report.

JAILER I heard them reported in the battle to be the only doers. ...

DAUGHTER Nay, most likely, for they are noble

sufferers. I marvel how they would have looked had

they been victors, that with such a constant nobility

enforce a freedom out of bondage, making misery their

mirth, and affliction a toy to jest at.

JAILER Do they so?

DAUGHTER It seems to me they have no more

sense of their captivity than I of ruling Athens. They

eat well, look merrily, discourse of many things, but

nothing of their own restraint and disasters. Yet ...

sometime a divided sigh -- martyred as 'twere i' th'

deliverance -- will break from one of them, when the

other presently gives it so sweet a rebuke that I could

wish myself a sigh to be so chid, or at least a sigher to be comforted.

WOOER I never saw 'em.

JAILER The Duke himself came privately in the night,

[Palamon and Arcite appear at a window above.]

and so did they. What the reason of it is I know not.

Look, yonder they are. That's Arcite looks out.

DAUGHTER No, sir, no -- that's Palamon. Arcite is ...

the lower of the twain -- [pointing at Arcite.] you may

perceive a part of him.

JAILER Go to, leave your pointing. They would not make

us their object. Out of their sight.

DAUGHTER It is a holiday to look on them. Lord,

the difference of men!

Act II, Scene 2

Enter Palamon and Arcite in prison, (in shackles), above].

PALAMON How do you, noble cousin?

ARCITE How do you, sir?

PALAMON Why, strong enough to laugh at misery

And bear the chance of war. Yet we are prisoners,

I fear, for ever, cousin.

ARCITE I believe it,

And to that destiny have patiently

Laid up my hour to come.

PALAMON O, cousin Arcite,

Where is Thebes now? Where is our noble country?

Where are our friends and kindreds? Never more

Must we behold those comforts, never see

The hardy youths strive for the games of honor, ...

Hung with the painted favors of their ladies,

Like tall ships under sail; then start amongst 'em

And, as an east wind, leave 'em all behind us,

Like lazy clouds, whilst Palamon and Arcite,

Even in the wagging of a wanton leg,

Outstripped the people's praises, won the garlands

Ere they have time to wish 'em ours. O never

Shall we two exercise, like twins of honor,

Our arms again and feel our fiery horses

Like proud seas under us. Our good swords, now -- ...

Better the red-eyed god of war ne'er wore --

Ravished our sides, like age must run to rust

And deck the temples of