The Two Noble Kinsmen

1 Flourish. Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous and some
2 Attendants.
3 EMILIA.
4 I’ll no step further.
5 PIRITHOUS.
6 Will you lose this sight?
7 EMILIA.
8 I had rather see a wren hawk at a fly
9 Than this decision. Every blow that falls
10 Threats a brave life; each stroke laments
11 The place whereon it falls, and sounds more like
12 A bell than blade. I will stay here.
13 It is enough my hearing shall be punished
14 With what shall happen, ’gainst the which there is
15 No deafing, but to hear; not taint mine eye
16 With dread sights it may shun.
17 PIRITHOUS.
18 Sir, my good lord,
19 Your sister will no further.
20 THESEUS.
21 O, she must.
22 She shall see deeds of honour in their kind,
23 Which sometime show well, penciled. Nature now
24 Shall make and act the story, the belief
25 Both sealed with eye and ear. You must be present;
26 You are the victor’s meed, the price and garland
27 To crown the question’s title.
28 EMILIA.
29 Pardon me;
30 If I were there, I’d wink.
31 THESEUS.
32 You must be there;
33 This trial is as ’twere i’ th’ night, and you
34 The only star to shine.
35 EMILIA.
36 I am extinct.
37 There is but envy in that light which shows
38 The one the other. Darkness, which ever was
39 The dam of horror, who does stand accursed
40 Of many mortal millions, may even now,
41 By casting her black mantle over both,
42 That neither could find other, get herself
43 Some part of a good name, and many a murder
44 Set off whereto she’s guilty.
45 HIPPOLYTA.
46 You must go.
47 EMILIA.
48 In faith, I will not.
49 THESEUS.
50 Why, the knights must kindle
51 Their valour at your eye. Know, of this war
52 You are the treasure, and must needs be by
53 To give the service pay.
54 EMILIA.
55 Sir, pardon me;
56 The title of a kingdom may be tried
57 Out of itself.
58 THESEUS.
59 Well, well, then, at your pleasure.
60 Those that remain with you could wish their office
61 To any of their enemies.
62 HIPPOLYTA.
63 Farewell, sister.
64 I am like to know your husband ’fore yourself
65 By some small start of time. He whom the gods
66 Do of the two know best, I pray them he
67 Be made your lot.
68 [_Exeunt all but Emilia._]
69 EMILIA.
70 Arcite is gently visaged, yet his eye
71 Is like an engine bent, or a sharp weapon
72 In a soft sheath; mercy and manly courage
73 Are bedfellows in his visage. Palamon
74 Has a most menacing aspect; his brow
75 Is graved, and seems to bury what it frowns on;
76 Yet sometimes ’tis not so, but alters to
77 The quality of his thoughts. Long time his eye
78 Will dwell upon his object. Melancholy
79 Becomes him nobly; so does Arcite’s mirth;
80 But Palamon’s sadness is a kind of mirth,
81 So mingled as if mirth did make him sad
82 And sadness merry. Those darker humours that
83 Stick misbecomingly on others, on them
84 Live in fair dwelling.
85 [_Cornets. Trumpets sound as to a charge._]
86 Hark how yon spurs to spirit do incite
87 The princes to their proof! Arcite may win me
88 And yet may Palamon wound Arcite to
89 The spoiling of his figure. O, what pity
90 Enough for such a chance? If I were by,
91 I might do hurt, for they would glance their eyes
92 Towards my seat, and in that motion might
93 Omit a ward or forfeit an offence
94 Which craved that very time. It is much better
95 I am not there.
96 [_Cornets. A great cry and noise within crying “À Palamon!”_]
97 Oh better never born
98 Than minister to such harm.
99 Enter Servant.
100 What is the chance?
101 SERVANT.
102 The cry’s “À Palamon.”
103 EMILIA.
104 Then he has won. ’Twas ever likely.
105 He looked all grace and success, and he is
106 Doubtless the prim’st of men. I prithee run
107 And tell me how it goes.
108 [_Shout and cornets, crying “À Palamon!”_]
109 SERVANT.
110 Still “Palamon.”
111 EMILIA.
112 Run and enquire.
113 [_Exit Servant._]
114 Poor servant, thou hast lost.
115 Upon my right side still I wore thy picture,
116 Palamon’s on the left. Why so, I know not.
117 I had no end in ’t else; chance would have it so.
118 On the sinister side the heart lies; Palamon
119 Had the best-boding chance.
120 [_Another cry and shout within, and cornets._]
121 This burst of clamour
122 Is sure th’ end o’ th’ combat.
123 Enter Servant.
124 SERVANT.
125 They said that Palamon had Arcite’s body
126 Within an inch o’ th’ pyramid, that the cry
127 Was general “À Palamon.” But anon,
128 Th’ assistants made a brave redemption, and
129 The two bold titlers at this instant are
130 Hand to hand at it.
131 EMILIA.
132 Were they metamorphosed
133 Both into one—O, why? There were no woman
134 Worth so composed a man! Their single share,
135 Their nobleness peculiar to them, gives
136 The prejudice of disparity, value’s shortness,
137 To any lady breathing.
138 [_Cornets. Cry within, “Arcite, Arcite.”_]
139 More exulting?
140 “Palamon” still?
141 SERVANT.
142 Nay, now the sound is “Arcite.”
143 EMILIA.
144 I prithee, lay attention to the cry;
145 Set both thine ears to th’ business.
146 [_Cornets. A great shout and cry “Arcite, victory!”_]
147 SERVANT.
148 The cry is
149 “Arcite”, and “Victory!” Hark, “Arcite, victory!”
150 The combat’s consummation is proclaimed
151 By the wind instruments.
152 EMILIA.
153 Half-sights saw
154 That Arcite was no babe. God’s lid, his richness
155 And costliness of spirit looked through him; it could
156 No more be hid in him than fire in flax,
157 Than humble banks can go to law with waters
158 That drift-winds force to raging. I did think
159 Good Palamon would miscarry, yet I knew not
160 Why I did think so. Our reasons are not prophets
161 When oft our fancies are. They are coming off.
162 Alas, poor Palamon!
163 Cornets. Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, Arcite as victor, and
164 Attendants.
165 THESEUS.
166 Lo, where our sister is in expectation,
167 Yet quaking and unsettled.—Fairest Emily,
168 The gods by their divine arbitrament
169 Have given you this knight; he is a good one
170 As ever struck at head. Give me your hands.
171 Receive you her, you him; be plighted with
172 A love that grows as you decay.
173 ARCITE.
174 Emily,
175 To buy you, I have lost what’s dearest to me,
176 Save what is bought; and yet I purchase cheaply,
177 As I do rate your value.
178 THESEUS.
179 O loved sister,
180 He speaks now of as brave a knight as e’er
181 Did spur a noble steed. Surely the gods
182 Would have him die a bachelor, lest his race
183 Should show i’ th’ world too godlike. His behaviour
184 So charmed me that methought Alcides was
185 To him a sow of lead. If I could praise
186 Each part of him to th’ all I have spoke, your Arcite
187 Did not lose by ’t, for he that was thus good
188 Encountered yet his better. I have heard
189 Two emulous Philomels beat the ear o’ th’ night
190 With their contentious throats, now one the higher,
191 Anon the other, then again the first,
192 And by-and-by out-breasted, that the sense
193 Could not be judge between ’em. So it fared
194 Good space between these kinsmen, till heavens did
195 Make hardly one the winner.—Wear the garland
196 With joy that you have won.—For the subdued,
197 Give them our present justice, since I know
198 Their lives but pinch ’em. Let it here be done.
199 The scene’s not for our seeing. Go we hence
200 Right joyful, with some sorrow.—Arm your prize;
201 I know you will not lose her.—Hippolyta,
202 I see one eye of yours conceives a tear,
203 The which it will deliver.
204 [_Flourish._]
205 EMILIA.
206 Is this winning?
207 O all you heavenly powers, where is your mercy?
208 But that your wills have said it must be so,
209 And charge me live to comfort this unfriended,
210 This miserable prince, that cuts away
211 A life more worthy from him than all women,
212 I should and would die too.
213 HIPPOLYTA.
214 Infinite pity
215 That four such eyes should be so fixed on one
216 That two must needs be blind for ’t.
217 THESEUS.
218 So it is.
219 [_Exeunt._]