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And what thou dar'st do; and in this disguise,

Against thine own edict, follows thy sister,

That fortunate bright star, the fair Emilia,

Whose servant -- if there be a right in seeing

And first bequeathing of the soul to -- justly

I am; and, which is more, dares think her his.

This treachery, like a most trusty lover, ...

I called him now to answer. If thou be'st

As thou art spoken, great and virtuous,

The true decider of all injuries,

Say, 'Fight again', and thou shalt see me, Theseus,

Do such a justice thou thyself wilt envy.

Then take my life -- I'll woo thee to't.

PIRITHOUS O heaven,

What more than man is this!

THESEUS I have sworn.

ARCITE We seek not

Thy breath of mercy, Theseus. 'Tis to me

A thing as soon to die as thee to say it,

And no more moved. Where this man calls me traitor ...

Let me say this much -- if in love be treason,

In service of so excellent a beauty,

As I love most, and in that faith will perish,

As I have brought my life here to confirm it,

As I have served her truest, worthiest,

As I dare kill this cousin that denies it,

So let me be most traitor and ye please me.

For scorning thy edict, Duke, ask that lady

Why she is fair, and why her eyes command me

Stay here to love her, and if she say, 'Traitor', ...

I am a villain fit to lie unburied.

PALAMON Thou shalt have pity of us both, O Theseus,

If unto neither thou show mercy. Stop,

As thou art just, thy noble ear against us;

As thou art valiant, for thy cousin's soul,

Whose twelve strong labors crown his memory,

Let's die together, at one instant, Duke.

Only a little let him fall before me.

That I may tell my soul he shall not have her.

THESEUS I grant your wish; for to say true, your cousin ...

Has ten times more offended, for I gave him

More mercy than you found, sir, your offenses

Being no more than his. None here speak for 'em,

For ere the sun set both shall sleep for ever.

HIPPOLYTA [to Emilia.] Alas, the pity! Now or never, sister,

Speak, not to be denied. That face of yours

Will bear the curses else of after ages

For these lost cousins.

EMILIA In my face, dear sister,

I find no anger to 'em, nor no ruin.

The misadventure of their own eyes kill 'em. ...

Yet that I will be woman and have pity, [She kneels.]

My kneels shall grow to th' ground, but I'll get mercy.

Help me, dear sister -- in a deed so virtuous

The powers of all women will be with us.

[Hippolyta kneels.] Most royal brother --

HIPPOLYTA Sir, by our tie of marriage --

EMILIA By your own spotless honor --

HIPPOLYTA By that faith,

That fair hand, and that honest heart you gave me --

EMILIA By that you would have pity in another,

By your own virtues infinite --

HIPPOLYTA By valor,

By all the chaste nights I have ever pleased you -

THESEUS These are strange conjurings.

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 --

EMILIA By that you would have trembled to deny

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 --

PIRITHOUS To crown all this, by your most noble soul,

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? [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 honor

In public question with their swords. Be wise, then,

And her forget 'em. It concerns your credit

And my oath equally. I have