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I am in plight', there shall be at your choice

Both sword and armor.

PALAMON O, you heavens, dares any ...

So noble bear a guilty business! None

But only Arcite, therefore none but Arcite

In this kind is so bold.

ARCITE Sweet Palamon.

PALAMON I do embrace you and your offer -- for

Your offer do't I only, sir; your person,

Without hypocrisy, I may not wish [Wind horns within]

More than my sword's edge on't.

ARCITE You hear the horns --

Enter your musit lest this match between's

Be crossed ere met. Give me your hand, farewell.

I'll bring you every needful thing -- I pray you, ...

Take comfort and be strong.

PALAMON Pray hold your promise,

And do the deed with a bent brow. Most certain

You love me not -- be rough with me and pour

This oil out of your language. By this air,

I could for each word give a cuff, my stomach

Not reconciled by reason.

ARCITE Plainly spoken,

Yet -- pardon me -- hard language: when I spur [Wind horns within.]

My horse I chide him not. Content and anger

In me have but one face. Hark, sir, they call

The scattered to the banquet. You must guess ...

I have an office there.

PALAMON Sir, your attendance

Cannot please heaven, and I know your office

Unjustly is achieved.

ARCITE 'Tis a good title.

I am persuaded this question, sick between's,

By bleeding must be cured. I am a suitor

That to your sword you will bequeath this plea

And talk of it no more.

PALAMON But this one word:

You are going now to gaze upon my mistress --

For note you, mine she is --

ARCITE Nay then --

PALAMON Nay, pray you --

You talk of feeding me to breed me strength --

You are going now to look upon a sun

That strengthens what it looks on. There you have

A vantage o'er me, but enjoy it till

I may enforce my remedy. Farewell.

[Exeunt severally, Palamon as into the bush.]

Act III, Scene 2

Enter the Jailer's Daughter, with a file.

DAUGHTER He has mistook the brake I meant, is gone

After his fancy. 'Tis now well nigh morning.

No matter -- would it were perpetual night,

And darkness lord o'th' world. Hark, 'tis a wolf!

In me hath grief slain fear, and, but for one thing,

I care for nothing -- and that's Palamon.

I reck not if the wolves would jaw me, so

He had this file. What if I hollered for him?

I cannot holler. If I whooped, what then?

If he not answered, I should call a wolf

And do him but that service. I have heard

Strange howls this live-long night -- why may't not be

They have made prey of him? He has no weapons;

He cannot run; the jangling of his gyves

Might call fell things to listen, who have in them

A sense to know a man unarmed, and can

Smell where resistance is. I'll set it down

He's torn to pieces: they howled many together

And then they fed on him. So much for that.

Be bold to ring the bell. How stand I then? ...

All's chared when he is gone. No, no, I lie:

My father's to be hanged for his escape,

Myself to beg, if I prized life so much

As to deny my act -- but that I would not,

Should I try death by dozens. I am moped --

Food took I none these two days,

Sipped some water. I have not closed mine eyes

Save when my lids scoured off their brine. Alas,

Dissolve, my life; let not my sense unsettle,

Lest I should drown or stab or hang myself.

O state of nature, fail together in me,

Since thy best props are warped. So which way now?

The best way is the next way to a grave,

Each errant step beside is torment. Lo,

The moon is down, the crickets chirp, the screech-owl

Calls in the dawn. All offices are done

Save what I fail in; but the point is this,

An end, and that is all. [Exit.]

Act III, Scene 3

Enter Arcite with a bundle containing meat, wine, and files.

ARCITE I should be near the place. Ho, cousin Palamon!

PALAMON Arcite.

ARCITE The same, I have brought you food and files.

Come forth and fear not, here's no Theseus.

PALAMON Nor none so honest, Arcite.

ARCITE That's no matter --

We'll argue that hereafter. Come, take courage --

You shall not die thus