 | The Two Noble Kinsmen |  |
Scæna Secunda.
Enter Palamon, and Arcite in prison.Pal.
How do you, Noble Cosin?
Arcite.
How do you, Sir?
Pal.
Why, strong enough to laugh at misery,
And bear the chance of war yet, we are prisoners
I fear for ever Cosin.
Arcite.
I believe it,
And to that destiny have patiently
Laid up my hour to come.
Pal.
Oh Cosin Arcite,
Where is Thebs now? where is our noble Countrey?
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 favours of their Ladies)
Like tall Ships under Sail: then start amongst 'em
And as an Eastwind leave 'em all behind us,
Like lazy Clouds, whilst Palamon and Arcite.
Even in the wagging of a wanton leg
Out-stript the peoples praises, won the Garlands,
E'r they have time to wish 'em ours. Oh 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-ey'd god of War nev'r were)
Bravish'd our sides, like age, must run to rust,
And deck the Temples of those gods that hate us,
These hands shall never draw 'em out like light'ning
To blast whole Armies more.
Arcite.
No Palamon,
Those hopes are prisoners with us, here we are
And here the graces of our youths must wither
Like a too-timely Spring; here age must find us,
And which is heaviest (Palamon) unmarried,
The sweet embraces of a loving wife
Loaden with kisses, arm'd with thousand Cupids
Shall never claspe our necks, no issue know us,
No figures of our selves shall we ev'r see,
To glad our age, and like young Eagles teach 'em
Boldly to gaze against bright arms, and say
Remember what your Fathers were, and conquer.
The fair-ey'd Maids, shall weep our banishments,
And in their Songs, curse ever-blinded fortune
Till she for shame see what a wrong she has done
To youth and nature; This is all our world;
We shall know nothing here, but one another,
Hear nothing, but the clock that tels our woes.
The Vine shall grow, but we shall never see it:
Summer shall come, and with her all delights;
But dead-cold winter must inhabit here still.
Pal.
'Tis too true Arcite. To our Theban hounds,
That shook the aged Forrest with their ecchoes,
No more now must we hollo, no more shake
Our pointed Javelins, whilst the angry Swine
Flies like a Parthian quiver from our rages,
Struck with our well-steel'd Darts: All valiant uses,
(The food and nourishment of noble minds,)
In us two here shall perish; we shall die
(Which is the curse of honor) lastly,
Children of grief, and Ignorance,
Arc.
Yet Cosin,
Even from the bottom of these miseries
From all that fortune can inflict upon us,
I see two comforts rising, two meer blessings,
If the gods please to hold here a brave patience,
And the enjoying of our griefs together.
Whilst Palamon is with me, let me perish
If I think this our prison.
Pala.
Certainly,
'Tis a main goodness, Cosin, that our fortunes
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Put in two noble bodies, let 'em suffer
The gaul of hazard, so they grow together,
Will never sink, they must not, say they could,
A willing man dies sleeping, and all's done.
Arc.
Shall we make worthy uses of this place
That all men hate so much?
Pal.
How gentle Cosin?
Arc.
Let's think this prison, Holy Sanctuary,
To keep us from corruption of worse men,
We are young, and yet desire the wayes of honour,
That liberty and common conversation,
The poison of pure spirits, might, like women,
Wooe us to wander from. What worthy blessing
Can be but our imaginations
May make it ours? And here being thus together,
We are an endless mine to one another;
We are one anothers Wife, ever begetting
New births of love; we are Father, Friends, Acquaintance,
We are, in one another, Families,
I am your Heir, and you are mine: This place
Is our Inheritance: no hard oppressor
Dare take this from us; here with a little patience
We shall live long, and loving: No surfeits seek us:
The hand of War hurts none here, nor the Seas
Swallow their youth: were we at liberty,
A Wife might part us lawfully, or business,
Quarrels consume us: Envy of ill men
Crave our acquaintance, I might sicken Cosin,
Where you should never know it, and so perish
Without your noble hand to close mine eyes,
Or prayers to the gods; a thousand chances
Were we from hence, would sever us.
Pal.
You have made me
(I thank you Cosin Arcite) almost wanton
With my Captivity: what a misery
It is to live abroad? and every where:
'Tis like a Beast me thinks: I find the Court here,
I'm sure a more content, and all those pleasures
That wooe the Wills of men to vanity,
I see through now; and am sufficient
To tell the world, 'tis but a gaudy shadow,
That old Time, as he passes by, takes with him,
What had we been old in the Court of Creon,
Where sin is Justice, Lust, and Ignorance,
The virtues of the great ones: Cosin Arcite
Had not the loving gods found this place for us
We had di'd as they doe, ill old men unwept,
And had their Epitaphs, the peoples Curses,
Shall I say more?
Arc.
I would hear you still.
Pal.
Ye shall.
Is there record of any two that lov'd
Better than we two Arcite?
Arc.
Sure there cannot.
Pal.
I doe not think it possible our friendship
Should ever leave us.
Arc.
Till our deaths it cannot.
Enter Emilia and her Woman.
And after death our spirits shall be led
To those that love eternally. Speak on Sir.
This Garden has a world of pleasures in't.
Emil.
What Flower is this?
Wom.
'Tis call'd Narcissus, Madam.
Emil.
That was a fair Boy certain, but a fool,
To love himself, were there not Maids enough?
Arc.
Pray forward.
Pal.
Yes.
Emil.
Or were they all hard-hearted?
Wom.
They could not be to one so fair.
Emil.
Thou wouldst not.
Wom.
I think I should not, Madam.
Emil.
That's a good wench:
But take heed to your kindness though.
Wom.
Why Madam?
Emil.
Men are mad things.
Arcite.
Will ye go forward, Cosin?
Emil.
Canst not thou work such Flowers in Silk wench?
Wom.
Yes.
Emil.
I'll have a Gown full of 'em, and of these,
This is a pretty colour, wil't not do
Rarely upon a skirt wench?
Wom.
Dainty Madam.
Arc.
Cosin, Cosin, how do you, Sir? Why Palamon?
Pal.
Never till now, I was in prison Arcite.
Arc.
Why, what's the matter man?
Pal.
Behold, and wonder.
By heaven she is a Goddess.
Arcite.
Ha.
Pal.
Do reverence.
She is a Goddess Arcite.
Emil.
Of all Flowers,
Methinks a Rose is best.
Wom.
Why gentle Madam?
Emil.
It is the very Emblem of a Maid.
For when the West wind courts her gently
How modestly she blows, and paints the Sun,
With her chaste blushes? When the North comes near her,
Rude and impatient, then like Chastity
She locks her beauties in her bud again,
And leaves him to base briers,
Wom.
Yet good Madam,
Sometimes her modesty will blow so far
She falls for't: a Maid
If she have any honor, would be loth
To take example by her.
Emil.
Thou art wanton.
Arc.
She is wondrous fair.
Pal.
She is all the beauty extant.
Emil.
The Sun grows high, let's walk in, keep these flowers,
We'll see how near Art can come near their colours;
I'm wondrous merry-hearted, I could laugh now.
Wom.
I could lie down I am sure.
Emil.
And take one with you?
Wom.
That's as we bargain, Madam,
Emil.
Well, agree then.
Exeunt Emilia and Woman.
Pal.
What think you of this beauty?
Arc.
'Tis a rare one.
Pal.
Is't but a rare one?
Arc.
Yes, a matchless beauty,
Pal.
Might not a man well lose himself, and love her?
Arc.
I cannot tell what you have done, I have,
Beshrew mine eyes for't, now I feel my Shackles.
Pal.
You love her then?
Arc.
Who would not?
Pal.
And desire her?
Arc.
Before my liberty.
Pal.
I saw her first.
Arc.
That's nothing
Pal.
But it shall be.
Arc.
I saw her too.
Pal.
Yes, but you must not love her.
Arc.
I will not as you do; to worship her;
As she is heavenly, and a blessed goddess;
(I love her as a woman, to enjoy her)
So both may love.
Pal.
You shall not love at all.
Arc.
Not love at all;
Who shall denie me?
Pal.
I that first saw her; I that took possession
First with mine eye of all those beauties
In her reveal'd to mankind: if thou lov'st her;
Or entertain'st a hope to blast my wishes,
Thou art a Traitor Arcite, and a fellow
False as thy Title to her: friendship, bloud
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If thou once think upon her.
Arc.
Yes, I love her,
And if the lives of all my name lay on it,
I must do so, I love her with my soul,
If that will lose ye, farewel Palamon.
I say again, I love, and in loving her, maintain
I am as worthy and as free a Lover
And have as just a title to her beauty
As any Palamon, or any living
That is a mans Son.
Pal.
Have I call'd thee friend?
Arc.
Yes, and have found me so; why are you mov'd thus?
Let me deal coldly with you, am not I
Part of your blood, part of your soul? you have told me
That I was Palamon, and you were Arcite.
Pal.
Yes.
Arc.
Am not I liable to those affections,
Those joyes, griefs, angers, fears, my friend shall suffer?
Pal.
Ye may be.
Arc.
Why then would you deal so cunningly,
So strangely, so unlike a Noble Kinsman
To love alone? speak truly, do you think me
Unworthy of her sight?
Pal.
No, but unjust,
If thou pursue that fight.
Arc.
Because another
First sees the Enemy, shall I stand still
And let mine honor down, and never charge?
Pal.
Yes, if he be but one.
Arc.
But say that one
Had rather combat me?
Pal.
Let that one say so,
And use thy freedom: else if thou pursuest her,
Be as that cursed man that hates his Countrey,
A branded villain.
Arc.
You are mad.
Pal.
I must be.
Till thou art worthy, Arcite, it concerns me,
And in this madness, if I hazard thee
And take thy life, I deal but truly.
Arc.
Fie Sir.
You play the child extreamly: I will love her,
I must, I ought to do so, and I dare,
And all this justly.
Pal.
Oh that now, that now
Thy false-self, and thy friend, had but this fortune
To be one hour at liberty, and graspe
Our good swords in our hands, I would quickly teach thee
What 'twere to filch affection from another:
Thou art baser in it than a Cutpurse;
Put but thy head out of this window more,
And as I have a soul, I'll nail thy life to't.
Arc.
Thou dar'st not fool, thou canst not, thou art feeble.
Put my head out? I'll throw my Body out,
And leap the Garden, when I see her next.
Enter Keeper.
And pitch between her Arms to anger thee.
Pal.
No more; the Keepers coming; I shall live
To knock thy brains out with my Shackles.
Arc.
Doe.
Keep.
By your leave, Gentlemen.
Pala.
Now honest Keeper?
Keep.
Lord Arcite, you must presently to th'Duke;
The cause I know not yet.
Arc.
I am ready Keeper.
Keep.
Prince Palamon, I must awhile bereave you
Of your fair Cosins company.
Exeunt Arcite, and Keeper.
Pal.
And me too,
Even when you please of life; why is he sent for?
It may be he shall marry her, he's goodly,
And like enough the Duke hath taken notice
Both of his Bloud and Body: but his falshood,
Why should a friend be treacherous? if that
Get him a Wife so noble, and so fair;
Let honest men ne'er love again. Once more
I would but see this fair one: blessed Garden,
And Fruit, and Flowers more blessed that still blossom
As her bright eies shine on ye. Would I were
For all the fortune of my life hereafter
Yon little Tree, yon blooming Apricock;
How I would spread, and fling my wanton arms
In at her window; I would bring her fruit
Fit for the gods to feed on: youth and pleasure
Still as she tasted should be doubled on her,
And if she be not heavenly, I would make her
So near the gods in nature, they should fear her.
Enter Keeper.
And then I'm sure she would love me: how now Keeper,
Where's Arcite?
Keep.
Banish'd: Prince Pirithous
Obtain'd his liberty; but never more
Upon his oath and life must he set foot
Upon this Kingdom.
Pal.
He's a blessed man,
He shall see Thebes again, and call to Arms
The bold young men, that when he bids 'em charge,
Fall on like fire: Arcite shall have a Fortune,
If he dare make himself a worthy Lover,
Yet in the Field to strike a battel for her;
And if he lose her then, he's a cold Coward;
How bravely may he bear himself to win her
If he be noble Arcite; thousand ways.
Were I at liberty, I would do things
Of such a virtuous greatness, that this Lady,
This blushing Virgin should take manhood to her
And seek to ravish me.
Keep.
My Lord for you
I have this charge too.
Pal.
To discharge my life.
Keep.
No, but from this place to remove your Lordship,
The windows are too open.
Pal.
Devils take 'em
That are so envious to me; prethee kill me.
Keep.
And hang for't afterward.
Pal.
By this good light
Had I a sword I would kill thee.
Keep.
Why my Lord?
Pal.
Thou bring'st such pelting scurvy news continually
Thou art not worthy life; I will not go.
Keep.
Indeed you must my Lord.
Pal.
May I see the Garden?
Keep.
No.
Pal.
Then I am resolv'd, I will not go.
Keep.
I must constrain you then: and, for you are dangerous
I'll clap more irons on you.
Pal.
Doe good Keeper.
I'll shake 'em so, ye shall not sleep,
I'll make ye a new Morriffe, must I goe?
Keep.
There is no remedy.
Pal.
Farewel kind window.
May rude wind never hurt thee. Oh my Lady,
If ever thou hast felt what sorrow was,
Dream how I suffer. Come; now bury me.
Exeunt Palamon and Keeper.
| The Two Noble Kinsmen | |