Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Two Noble Kinsmen (1634 Edition)
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Scene ii
697: Scaena 2. Enter Palamon, and Arcite in prison.
698:
Pal.
How doe you Noble Cosen?
699:
Arcite.
How doe you Sir?
700:
Pal.
Why strong inough to laugh at misery,
701: And beare the chance of warre yet, we are prisoners
702: I feare for ever Cosen.
703:
Arcite.
I beleeve it,
704: And to that destiny have patiently
705: Laide up my houre to come.
706:
Pal.
Oh Cosen Arcite,
707: Where is Thebs now? where is our noble Country?
708: Where are our friends, and kindreds? never more
709: Must we behold those comforts, never see
710: The hardy youthes strive for the Games of honour
711: (Hung with the painted favours of their Ladies)
712: Like tall Ships under saile: then start amongst 'em
713: And as an Eastwind leave 'em all behinde us,
714: Like lazy Clowdes, whilst Palamon and Arcite,
715: Even in the wagging of a wanton leg
716: Out-stript the peoples praises, won the Garlands,
717: Ere they have time to wish 'em ours. O never
718: Shall we two exercise, like Twyns of honour,
719: Our Armes againe, and feele our fyry horses
720: Like proud Seas under us, our good Swords, now
721: (Better the red-eyd god of war nev'r were)
722: Ravishd our sides, like age must run to rust,
723: And decke the Temples of those gods that hate us,
724: These hands shall never draw 'em out like lightning
725: To blast whole Armies more.
726:
Arcite.
No Palamon,
727: Those hopes are Prisoners with us, here we are
728: And here the graces of our youthes must wither
729: Like a too-timely Spring; here age must finde us,
730: And which is heaviest (Palamon) unmarried,
731: The sweete embraces of a loving wife
732: Loden with kisses, armd with thousand Cupids
733: Shall never claspe our neckes, no issue know us,
734: No figures of our selves shall we ev'r see,
735: To glad our age, and like young Eagles teach 'em
736: Boldly to gaze against bright armes, and say
737: Remember what your fathers were, and conquer.
738: The faire-eyd Maides, shall weepe our Banishments,
739: And in their Songs, curse ever-blinded fortune
740: Till shee for shame see what a wrong she has done
741: To youth and nature; This is all our world;
742: We shall know nothing here but one another,
743: Heare nothing but the Clocke that tels our woes.
744: The Vine shall grow, but we shall never see it:
745: Sommer shall come, and with her all delights;
746: But dead-cold winter must inhabite here still.
747:
Pal.
Tis too true Arcite. To our Theban houndes,
748: That shooke the aged Forrest with their ecchoes,
749: No more now must we halloa, no more shake
750: Our pointed Iavelyns, whilst the angry Swine
751: Flyes like a parthian quiver from our rages,
752: Strucke with our well-steeld Darts: All valiant uses,
753: (The foode, and nourishment of noble mindes,)
754: In us two here shall perish; we shall die
755: (Which is the curse of honour) lastly,
756: Children of greife, and Ignorance.
757:
Arc.
Yet Cosen,
758: Even from the bottom of these miseries
759: From all that fortune can inflict upon us,
760: I see two comforts rysing, two meere blessings,
761: If the gods please, to hold here a brave patience,
762: And the enjoying of our greefes together.
763: Whilst Palamon is with me, let me perish
764: If I thinke this our prison.
765:
Pala.
Certeinly,
766: Tis a maine goodnes Cosen, that our fortunes
767: Were twyn'd together; tis most true, two soules
768: Put in two noble Bodies, let 'em suffer
769: The gaule of hazard, so they grow together,
770: Will never sincke, they must not, say they could,
771: A willing man dies sleeping, and all's done.
772:
Arc.
Shall we make worthy uses of this place
773: That all men hate so much?
774:
Pal.
How gentle Cosen?
775:
Arc.
Let's thinke this prison, holy sanctuary,
776: To keepe us from corruption of worse men,
777: We are young and yet desire the waies of honour,
778: That liberty and common Conversation
779: The poyson of pure spirits; might like women
780: Wooe us to wander from. What worthy blessing
781: Can be but our Imaginations
782: May make it ours? And heere being thus together,
783: We are an endles mine to one another;
784: We are one anothers wife, ever begetting
785: New birthes of love; we are father, friends, acquaintance,
786: We are in one another, Families,
787: I am your heire, and you are mine: This place
788: Is our Inheritance: no hard Oppressour
789: Dare take this from us; here with a little patience
790: We shall live long, and loving: No surfeits seeke us:
791: The hand of war hurts none here, nor the Seas
792: Swallow their youth: were we at liberty,
793: A wife might part us lawfully, or busines,
794: Quarrels consume us, Envy of ill men
795: Crave our acquaintance, I might sicken Cosen,
796: Where you should never know it, and so perish
797: Without your noble hand to close mine eies,
798: Or praiers to the gods; a thousand chaunces
799: Were we from hence, would seaver us.
800:
Pal.
You have made me
801: (I thanke you Cosen Arcite) almost wanton
802: With my Captivity: what a misery
803: It is to live abroade? and every where:
804: Tis like a Beast me thinkes: I finde the Court here,
805: I am sure a more content, and all those pleasures
806: That wooe the wils of men to vanity,
807: I see through now, and am sufficient
808: To tell the world, tis but a gaudy shaddow,
809: That old Time, as he passes by takes with him,
810: What had we bin old in the Court of Creon,
811: Where sin is Iustice, lust, and ignorance,
812: The vertues of the great ones: Cosen Arcite,
813: Had not the loving gods found this place for us
814: We had died as they doe, ill old men, unwept,
815: And had their Epitaphes, the peoples Curses,
816: Shall I say more?
817:
Arc.
I would heare you still.
818:
Pal.
Ye shall.
819: Is there record of any two that lov'd
820: Better then we doe Arcite?
821:
Arc.
Sure there cannot.
822:
Pal.
I doe not thinke it possible our friendship
823: Should ever leave us.
824:
Arc.
Till our deathes it cannot
825: [ Enter Emilia and her woman.]
826: And after death our spirits shall be led
827: To those that love eternally. Speake on Sir.
828: This garden has a world of pleasure in't.
829:
Emil.
What Flowre is this?
830:
Wom.
Tis calld Narcissus Madam.
831:
Emil.
That was a faire Boy certaine, but a foole,
832: To love himselfe, were there not maides enough?
833:
Arc.
Pray forward.
834:
Pal.
Yes.
835:
Emil.
Or were they all hard hearted?
836:
Wom.
They could not be to one so faire.
837:
Emil.
Thou wouldst not.
838:
Wom.
I thinke I should not, Madam.
839:
Emil.
That's a good wench:
840: But take heede to your kindnes though.
841:
Wom.
Why Madam?
842:
Emil.
Men are mad things.
843:
Arcite.
Will ye goe forward Cosen?
844:
845:
846:
Emil.
Ile have a gowne full of 'em and of these,
847: This is pretty colour, wilt not doe
848: Rarely upon a Skirt wench?
849:
Wom.
Deinty Madam.
850:
Arc.
Cosen, Cosen, how doe you Sir? Why Palamon?
851:
Pal.
Never till now I was in prison Arcite.
852:
Arc.
Why whats the matter Man?
853:
Pal.
Behold, and wonder.
854: By heaven shee is a Goddesse.
855:
Arcite.
Ha.
856:
Pal.
Doe reverence.
857: She is a Goddesse Arcite.
858:
Emil.
Of all Flowres,
859: Me thinkes a Rose is best.
860:
Wom.
Why gentle Madam?
861:
Emil.
It is the very Embleme of a Maide.
862: For when the west wind courts her gently
863: How modestly she blowes, and paints the Sun,
864:
865:
866: Shee lockes her beauties in her bud againe,
867: And leaves him to base briers.
868:
Wom.
Yet good Madam,
869: Sometimes her modesty will blow so far
870: She fals for't: a Mayde
871: If shee have any honour, would be loth
872: To take example by her.
873:
Emil.
Thou art wanton.
874:
Arc.
She is wondrous faire.
875:
Pal.
She is all the beauty extant.
876:
877:
878: I am wondrous merry hearted, I could laugh now.
879:
Wom.
I could lie downe I am sure.
880:
Emil.
And take one with you?
881:
Wom.
That's as we bargaine Madam,
882:
Emil.
Well, agree then.
883: [ Exeunt Emilia and woman.]
884:
Pal.
What thinke you of this beauty?
885:
Arc.
Tis a rare one.
886:
Pal.
Is't but a rare one?
887:
Arc.
Yes a matchles beauty.
888:
Pal.
Might not a man well lose himselfe and love her?
889:
Arc.
I cannot tell what you have done, I have,
890: Beshrew mine eyes for't, now I feele my Shackles.
891:
Pal.
You love her then?
892:
Arc.
Who would not?
893:
Pal.
And desire her?
894:
Arc.
Before my liberty.
895:
Pal.
I saw her first.
896:
Arc.
That's nothing
897:
Pal.
But it shall be.
898:
Arc.
I saw her too.
899:
Pal.
Yes, but you must not love her.
900:
Arc.
I will not as you doe; to worship her;
901: As she is heavenly, and a blessed Goddes;
902: (I love her as a woman, to enjoy her)
903: So both may love.
904:
Pal.
You shall not love at all.
905:
Arc.
Not love at all.
906: Who shall deny me?
907:
Pal.
I that first saw her; I that tooke possession
908: First with mine eye of all those beauties
909: In her reveald to mankinde: if thou lou'st her,
910: Or entertain'st a hope to blast my wishes,
911: Thou art a Traytour Arcite and a fellow
912: False as thy Title to her: friendship, blood
913: And all the tyes betweene us I disclaime
914: If thou once thinke upon her.
915:
Arc.
Yes I love her,
916: And if the lives of all my name lay on it,
917: I must doe so, I love her with my soule,
918: If that will lose ye, farewell Palamon,
919: I say againe, I love, and in loving her maintaine
920: I am as worthy, and as free a lover
921: And have as just a title to her beauty
922: As any Palamon or any living
923: That is a mans Sonne.
924:
Pal.
Have I cald thee friend?
925:
926:
927: Part of your blood, part of your soule? you have told me
928: That I was Palamon, and you were Arcite.
929:
Pal.
Yes.
930:
Arc.
Am not I liable to those affections,
931: Those joyes, greifes, angers, feares, my friend shall suffer?
932:
Pal.
Ye may be.
933:
Arc.
Why then would you deale so cunningly,
934: So strangely, so vnlike a noble kinesman
935: To love alone? speake truely, doe you thinke me
936: Vnworthy of her sight?
937:
Pal.
No; but unjust,
938: If thou pursue that sight.
939:
Arc.
Because an other
940: First sees the Enemy, shall I stand still
941: And let mine honour downe, and never charge?
942:
Pal.
Yes, if he be but one.
943:
Arc.
But say that one
944: Had rather combat me?
945:
Pal.
Let that one say so,
946: And use thy freedome; els if thou pursuest her,
947: Be as that cursed man that hates his Country,
948: A branded villaine.
949:
Arc.
You are mad.
950:
Pal.
I must be.
951: Till thou art worthy, Arcite, it concernes me,
952: And in this madnes, if I hazard thee
953: And take thy life, I deale but truely.
954:
Arc.
Fie Sir.
955: You play the Childe extreamely: I will love her,
956: I must, I ought to doe so, and I dare,
957: And all this justly.
958:
Pal.
O that now, that now
959: Thy false-selfe and thy friend, had but this fortune
960: To be one howre at liberty, and graspe
961:
962:
963: Thou art baser in it then a Cutpurse;
964: Put but thy head out of this window more,
965: And as I have a soule, Ile naile thy life too't.
966:
967:
968: And leape the garden, when I see her next
969: [ Enter Keeper.]
970: And pitch between her armes to anger thee.
971:
Pal.
No more; the keeper's comming; I shall live
972: To knocke thy braines out with my Shackles.
973:
Arc.
Doe.
974:
Keeper.
By your leave Gentlemen.
975:
Pala.
Now honest keeper?
976:
Keeper.
Lord Arcite, you must presently to'th Duke;
977: The cause I know not yet.
978:
Arc.
I am ready keeper.
979:
Keeper.
Prince Palamon, I must awhile bereave you
980: Of your faire Cosens Company.
981: [ Exeunt Arcite, and Keeper.]
982:
Pal.
And me too,
983: Even when you please of life; why is he sent for?
984: It may be he shall marry her, he's goodly,
985: And like enough the Duke hath taken notice
986: Both of his blood and body: But his falsehood,
987: Why should a friend be treacherous? If that
988: Get him a wife so noble, and so faire;
989: Let honest men ne're love againe. Once more
990: I would but see this faire One: Blessed Garden,
991: And fruite, and flowers more blessed that still blossom
992: As her bright eies shine on ye. Would I were
993: For all the fortune of my life hereafter
994: Yon little Tree, yon blooming Apricocke;
995: How I would spread, and fling my wanton armes
996: In at her window; I would bring her fruite
997: Fit for the Gods to feed on: youth and pleasure
998: Still as she tasted should be doubled on her,
999: And if she be not heavenly I would make her
1000: So neere the Gods in nature, they should feare her.
1001: [ Enter Keeper.]
1002:
1003:
1004:
Keeper.
Banishd: Prince Pirithous
1005: Obtained his liberty; but never more
1006: Vpon his oth and life must he set foote
1007: Vpon this Kingdome.
1008:
Pal.
Hees a blessed man,
1009: He shall see Thebs againe, and call to Armes
1010: The bold yong men, that when he bids 'em charge,
1011: Fall on like fire: Arcite shall have a Fortune,
1012: If he dare make himselfe a worthy Lover,
1013: Yet in the Feild to strike a battle for her;
1014: And if he lose her then, he's a cold Coward;
1015: How bravely may he beare himselfe to win her
1016: If he be noble Arcite; thousand waies.
1017: Were I at liberty, I would doe things
1018: Of such a vertuous greatnes, that this Lady,
1019: This blushing virgine should take manhood to her
1020: And seeke to ravish me.
1021:
Keeper.
My Lord for you
1022: I have this charge too.
1023:
Pal.
To discharge my life.
1024:
1025:
1026:
Pal.
Devils take 'em
1027: That are so envious to me; pre'thee kill me.
1028:
Keep.
And hang for't afterward.
1029:
Pal.
By this good light
1030: Had I a sword I would kill thee.
1031:
Keep.
Why my Lord?
1032:
1033:
1034:
Keep.
Indeede you must my Lord..
1035:
Pal.
May I see the garden?
1036:
Keep.
Noe.
1037:
Pal.
Then I am resolud, I will not goe.
1038:
1039:
1040:
Pal.
Doe good keeper.
1041: Ile shake 'em so, ye shall not sleepe,
1042: Ile make ye a new Morrisse, must I goe?
1043:
Keep.
There is no remedy.
1044:
Pal.
Farewell kinde window.
1045: May rude winde never hurt thee. O my Lady
1046: If ever thou hast felt what sorrow was,
1047: Dreame how I suffer. Come; now bury me.
1048: [ Exeunt Palamon, and Keeper.]