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The Two Noble Kinsmen: Act V, Scene 3

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The Two Noble Kinsmen
Act V, Scene 3

A place near the Lists.

  1. Flourish. Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Emilia, Pirithous, and
  2. some Attendants.

Emilia

1
  1. I’ll no step further.

Pirithous

2
  1.                       Will you lose this sight?

Emilia

3 - 11
  1. I had rather see a wren hawk at a fly
  2. Than this decision. Ev’ry blow that falls
  3. Threats a brave life, each stroke laments
  4. The place whereon it falls, and sounds more like
  5. A bell than blade. I will stay here,
  6. It is enough my hearing shall be punish’d
  7. With what shall happen—’gainst the which there is
  8. No deafing—but to hear, not taint mine eye
  9. With dread sights it may shun.

Pirithous

12 - 13
  1.                                Sir, my good lord,
  2. Your sister will no further.

Theseus

14 - 20
  1.                              O, she must.
  2. She shall see deeds of honor in their kind
  3. Which sometime show well, pencill’d. Nature now
  4. Shall make and act the story, the belief
  5. Both seal’d with eye and ear. You must be present,
  6. You are the victor’s meed, the price and garland
  7. To crown the question’s title.

Emilia

21 - 22
  1.                                Pardon me,
  2. If I were there, I’ld wink.

Theseus

23 - 25
  1.                             You must be there;
  2. This trial is as ’twere i’ th’ night, and you
  3. The only star to shine.

Emilia

26 - 34
  1.                         I am extinct,
  2. There is but envy in that light which shows
  3. The one the other. Darkness, which ever was
  4. The dam of Horror, who does stand accurs’d
  5. Of many mortal millions, may even now,
  6. By casting her black mantle over both,
  7. That neither could find other, get herself
  8. Some part of a good name, and many a murder
  9. Set off whereto she’s guilty.

Hippolyta

35
  1.                               You must go.

Emilia

36
  1. In faith, I will not.

Theseus

37 - 40
  1.                       Why, the knights must kindle
  2. Their valor at your eye. Know, of this war
  3. You are the treasure, and must needs be by
  4. To give the service pay.

Emilia

41 - 43
  1.                          Sir, pardon me,
  2. The title of a kingdom may be tried
  3. Out of itself.

Theseus

44 - 46
  1.                Well, well then, at your pleasure.
  2. Those that remain with you could wish their office
  3. To any of their enemies.

Hippolyta

47 - 51
  1.                          Farewell, sister,
  2. I am like to know your husband ’fore yourself
  3. By some small start of time. He whom the gods
  4. Do of the two know best, I pray them he
  5. Be made your lot.
  1. Exeunt Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, etc.

Emilia

52 - 78
  1. Arcite is gently visag’d; yet his eye
  2. Is like an engine bent, or a sharp weapon
  3. In a soft sheath; mercy and manly courage
  4. Are bedfellows in his visage. Palamon
  5. Has a most menacing aspect, his brow
  6. Is grav’d, and seems to bury what it frowns on,
  7. Yet sometime ’tis not so, but alters to
  8. The quality of his thoughts; long time his eye
  9. Will dwell upon his object; melancholy
  10. Becomes him nobly. So does Arcite’s mirth,
  11. But Palamon’s sadness is a kind of mirth,
  12. So mingled as if mirth did make him sad,
  13. And sadness merry; those darker humors that
  14. Stick misbecomingly on others, on him
  15. Live in fair dwelling.
  16. Cornets. Trumpets sound as to a charge.
  17. Hark how yon spurs to spirit do incite
  18. The princes to their proof! Arcite may win me,
  19. And yet may Palamon wound Arcite to
  20. The spoiling of his figure. O, what pity
  21. Enough for such a chance? If I were by,
  22. I might do hurt, for they would glance their eyes
  23. Toward my seat, and in that motion might
  24. Omit a ward, or forfeit an offense,
  25. Which crav’d that very time. It is much better
  26. I am not there. O, better never born
  27. Than minister to such harm!
  28. Cornets. A great cry and noise within, crying “A Palamon!”
  29. Enter Servant.
  30.                             What is the chance?

Servant

79
  1. The cry’s “A Palamon!”

Emilia

80 - 83
  1. Then he has won. ’Twas ever likely:
  2. He look’d all grace and success, and he is
  3. Doubtless the prim’st of men. I prithee run
  4. And tell me how it goes.
  1. Shout and cornets. Crying “A Palamon!” within.

Servant

84
  1. Still “Palamon!”

Emilia

85 - 93
  1. Run and inquire.
  2. Exit Servant.
  3.                  Poor servant, thou hast lost.
  4. Upon my right side still I wore thy picture,
  5. Palamon’s on the left. Why so, I know not;
  6. I had no end in’t else; chance would have it so.
  7. On the sinister side the heart lies; Palamon
  8. Had the best-boding chance.
  9. Another cry, and shout within, and cornets.
  10.                             This burst of clamor
  11. Is sure th’ end o’ th’ combat.
  1. Enter Servant.

Servant

94 - 99
  1. They said that Palamon had Arcite’s body
  2. Within an inch o’ th’ pyramid, that the cry
  3. Was general “A Palamon!”; but anon
  4. Th’ assistants made a brave redemption, and
  5. The two bold titlers at this instant are
  6. Hand to hand at it.

Emilia

100 - 107
  1.                     Were they metamorphis’d
  2. Both into one—O why? There were no woman
  3. Worth so compos’d a man! Their single share,
  4. Their nobleness peculiar to them, gives
  5. The prejudice of disparity, value’s shortness,
  6. To any lady breathing.
  7. Cornets. Cry within, “Arcite, Arcite!”
  8.                        More exulting?
  9. “Palamon” still?

Servant

108
  1.                  Nay, now the sound is “Arcite.”

Emilia

109 - 110
  1. I prithee lay attention to the cry;
  2. Set both thine ears to th’ business.
  1. Cornets. A great shout and cry, “Arcite! Victory!”

Servant

111 - 114
  1.                                      The cry is
  2. “Arcite!” and “victory!” Hark, “Arcite! Victory!”
  3. The combat’s consummation is proclaim’d
  4. By the wind instruments.

Emilia

115 - 124
  1.                          Half-sights saw
  2. That Arcite was no babe. God’s lid, his richness
  3. And costliness of spirit look’d through him, it could
  4. No more be hid in him than fire in flax,
  5. Than humble banks can go to law with waters
  6. That drift-winds force to raging. I did think
  7. Good Palamon would miscarry, yet I knew not
  8. Why I did think so. Our reasons are not prophets
  9. When oft our fancies are. They are coming off.
  10. Alas, poor Palamon!
  1. Cornets.
  1. Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Pirithous, Arcite as victor, and
  2. Attendants, etc.

Theseus

125 - 131
  1. Lo, where our sister is in expectation,
  2. Yet quaking and unsettled. Fairest Emily,
  3. The gods by their divine arbitrement
  4. Have given you this knight: he is a good one
  5. As ever struck at head. Give me your hands.
  6. Receive you her, you him, be plighted with
  7. A love that grows as you decay.

Arcite

132 - 135
  1.                                 Emily,
  2. To buy you I have lost what’s dearest to me
  3. Save what is bought, and yet I purchase cheaply,
  4. As I do rate your value.

Theseus

136 - 160
  1.                          O loved sister,
  2. He speaks now of as brave a knight as e’er
  3. Did spur a noble steed. Surely the gods
  4. Would have him die a bachelor, lest his race
  5. Should show i’ th’ world too godlike. His behavior
  6. So charm’d me that methought Alcides was
  7. To him a sow of lead. If I could praise
  8. Each part of him to th’ all I have spoke, your Arcite
  9. Did not lose by’t; for he that was thus good
  10. Encount’red yet his better. I have heard
  11. Two emulous Philomels beat the ear o’ th’ night
  12. With their contentious throats, now one the higher,
  13. Anon the other, then again the first,
  14. And by and by out-breasted, that the sense
  15. Could not be judge between ’em. So it far’d
  16. Good space between these kinsmen; till heavens did
  17. Make hardly one the winner.—Wear the girlond
  18. With joy that you have won.—For the subdu’d,
  19. Give them our present justice, since I know
  20. Their lives but pinch ’em. Let it here be done.
  21. The scene’s not for our seeing, go we hence,
  22. Right joyful, with some sorrow.—Arm your prize,
  23. I know you will not loose her.—Hippolyta,
  24. I see one eye of yours conceives a tear,
  25. The which it will deliver.

Emilia

161 - 167
  1.                            Is this winning?
  2. O all you heavenly powers, where is your mercy?
  3. But that your wills have said it must be so,
  4. And charge me live to comfort this unfriended,
  5. This miserable prince, that cuts away
  6. A life more worthy from him than all women,
  7. I should and would die too.

Hippolyta

168 - 170
  1.                             Infinite pity
  2. That four such eyes should be so fix’d on one
  3. That two must needs be blind for’t!

Theseus

171
  1.                                     So it is.
  1. Flourish. Exeunt
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