#  1.2 The Knight's Tale 

 



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**The Knight's Tale**

*Iamque domos patrias, Sithice post*  
*aspera gentis prelia,laurigero, etc.*  
  
\[And now (Theseus drawing nigh his) native land in   
laurelled car after battling with the Scithian folk, etc.\]

859 **Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,**  
 Once, as old histories tell us,  
860 **Ther was a duc that highte Theseus;**  
 There was a duke who was called Theseus;  
861 **Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,**  
 He was lord and governor of Athens,  
862 **And in his tyme swich a conquerour**  
 And in his time such a conqueror  
863 **That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.**  
 That there was no one greater under the sun.  
864 **Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne;**  
 Very many a powerful country had he won;  
865 **What with his wysdom and his chivalrie,**  
 What with his wisdom and his chivalry,  
866 **He conquered al the regne of Femenye,**  
 He conquered all the land of the Amazons,  
867 **That whilom was ycleped Scithia,**  
 That once was called Scithia,  
868 **And weddede the queene Ypolita,**  
 And wedded the queen Ypolita,  
869 **And broghte hire hoom with hym in his contree**  
 And brought her home with him into his country  
870 **With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee,**  
 With much glory and great ceremony,  
871 **And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.**  
 And also her young sister Emelye.  
872 **And thus with victorie and with melodye**  
 And thus with victory and with festivity  
873 **Lete I this noble duc to Atthenes ryde,**  
 I leave this noble duke riding to Athens,  
874 **And al his hoost in armes hym bisyde.**  
 And all his host in arms beside him.  
875 **And certes, if it nere to long to heere,**  
 And certainly, if it were not too long to hear,  
876 **I wolde have toold yow fully the manere**  
 I would have told you fully the manner  
877 **How wonnen was the regne of Femenye**  
 How the reign of Femenye was won  
878 **By Theseus and by his chivalrye;**  
 By Theseus and by his chivalry;  
879 **And of the grete bataille for the nones**  
 And of the great battle at that time  
880 **Bitwixen Atthenes and Amazones;**  
 Between Athenians and Amazons;  
881 **And how asseged was Ypolita,**  
 And how Ypolita was besieged,  
882 **The faire, hardy queene of Scithia;**  
 The fair, bold queen of Scithia;  
883 **And of the feste that was at hir weddynge,**  
 And of the festivity that was at their wedding,  
884 **And of the tempest at hir hoom-comynge;**  
 And of the storm at her home-coming;  
885 **But al that thyng I moot as now forbere.**  
 But all that matter I must now forgo.   
886 **I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere,**  
 I have, God knows, a large field to till,  
887 **And wayke been the oxen in my plough.**  
 And the oxen in my plow are weak.  
888 **The remenant of the tale is long ynough.**  
 The remnant of the tale is long enough.  
889 **I wol nat letten eek noon of this route;**  
 Also I will not hinder any one of this company;  
890 **Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute,**  
 Let every fellow tell his tale in turn,  
891 **And lat se now who shal the soper wynne;**  
 And let's see now who shall win the supper;  
892 **And ther I lefte, I wol ayeyn bigynne.**  
 And where I left off, I will again begin.  
893 **This duc, of whom I make mencioun,**  
 This duke, of whom I make mention,  
894 **Whan he was come almoost unto the toun,**  
 When he was come almost unto the town,  
895 **In al his wele and in his mooste pride,**  
 In all his prosperity and in his most pride,  
896 **He was war, as he caste his eye aside,**  
 He was aware, as he cast his eye aside,  
897 **Where that ther kneled in the heighe weye**  
 Where there kneeled in the high way  
898 **A compaignye of ladyes, tweye and tweye,**  
 A company of ladies, two by two,  
899 **Ech after oother clad in clothes blake;**  
 Each after another, clad in black clothes;  
900 **But swich a cry and swich a wo they make**  
 But such a cry and such a woeful (lament) they make  
901 **That in this world nys creature lyvynge**  
 That in this world is no living creature   
902 **That herde swich another waymentynge;**  
 That (ever) heard lamentation such as this;  
903 **And of this cry they nolde nevere stenten**  
 And of this cry they would not ever stop  
904 **Til they the reynes of his brydel henten.**  
 Until they seized the reins of his bridle.  
905 **"What folk been ye, that at myn hom-comynge**  
 "What folk are you, who at my homecoming  
906 **Perturben so my feste with criynge?"**  
 So disturb my festival with crying?"  
907 **Quod Theseus. "Have ye so greet envye**  
 Said Theseus. "Have you such great envy  
908 **Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crye?**  
 Of my honor, (you) who thus lament and cry?  
909 **Or who hath yow mysboden or offended?**  
 Or who has injured or offended you?  
910 **And telleth me if it may been amended,**  
 And tell me if it may be remedied,  
911 **And why that ye been clothed thus in blak."**  
 And why you are clothed thus in black."  
912 **The eldeste lady of them alle spak,**  
 The eldest lady of them all spoke,  
913 **Whan she hadde swowned with a deedly cheere,**  
 After she had swooned with (so) deadly a countenance,  
914 **That it was routhe for to seen and heere;**  
 That it was pitiful to see and hear;  
915 **She seyde, "Lord, to whom Fortune hath yiven**  
 She said, "Lord, to whom Fortune has given  
916 **Victorie, and as a conqueror to lyven,**  
 Victory, and (allowed) to live as a conqueror,  
917 **Nat greveth us youre glorie and youre honour,**  
 Your glory and your honor does not grieve us,  
918 **But we biseken mercy and socour.**  
 But we beseech (you for) mercy and succor.  
919 **Have mercy on oure wo and oure distresse!**  
 Have mercy on our woe and our distress!  
920 **Som drope of pitee, thurgh thy gentillesse,**  
 Some drop of pity, because of thy nobility,  
921 **Upon us wrecched wommen lat thou falle,**  
 Let thou fall upon us wretched women,  
922 **For, certes, lord, ther is noon of us alle**  
 For, certainly, lord, there is not one of us all  
923 **That she ne hath been a duchesse or a queene.**  
 Who has not been a duchesse or a queen.  
924 **Now be we caytyves, as it is wel seene,**  
 Now we are miserable wretches, as it is easily seen,  
925 **Thanked be Fortune and hire false wheel,**  
 Thanks be to Fortune and her false wheel,  
926 **That noon estaat assureth to be weel.**  
 Who assures no estate (will continue) to be well.  
927 **And certes, lord, to abyden youre presence,**  
 And certainly, lord, to await your presence,  
928 **Heere in this temple of the goddesse Clemence**  
 Here in this temple of the goddess Clemency  
929 **We han ben waitynge al this fourtenyght.**  
 We have been waiting all this fortnight.  
930 **Now help us, lord, sith it is in thy myght.**  
 Now help us, lord, since it is in thy power.  
931 **"I, wrecche, which that wepe and wayle thus,**  
 "I, wretch, who weep and wail thus,  
932 **Was whilom wyf to kyng Cappaneus,**  
 Was once wife to king Cappaneus,  
933 **That starf at Thebes -- cursed be that day! --**  
 Who died at Thebes -- cursed be that day! --  
934 **And alle we that been in this array**  
 And all of us who are in this condition  
935 **And maken al this lamentacioun,**  
 And make all this lamentation,  
936 **We losten alle oure housbondes at that toun,**  
 We lost all our husbands at that town,  
937 **Whil that the seege theraboute lay.**  
 While the siege lay around it.  
938 **And yet now the olde Creon -- weylaway! --**  
 And yet now the old Creon -- woe oh woe! --  
939 **That lord is now of Thebes the citee,**  
 Who is now lord of the city of Thebes,  
940 **Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee,**  
 Filled with anger and with iniquity,  
941 **He, for despit and for his tirannye,**  
 He, for spite and for his tyranny,  
942 **To do the dede bodyes vileynye**  
 To do dishonor to the dead bodies  
943 **Of alle oure lordes whiche that been yslawe,**  
 Of all our lords who are slain,  
944 **Hath alle the bodyes on an heep ydrawe,**  
 Has dragged all the bodies in a heap,  
945 **And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent,**  
 And will not allow them, not at all,   
946 **Neither to been yburyed nor ybrent,**  
 Neither to be buried nor burned,  
947 **But maketh houndes ete them in despit."**  
 But makes hounds eat them as an insult."  
  
948 **And with that word, withouten moore respit,**  
 And with that word, without more delay,  
949 **They fillen gruf and criden pitously,**  
 They fell face down and cried piteously,  
950 **"Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy,**  
 "Have some mercy on us wretched women,  
951 **And lat oure sorwe synken in thyn herte."**  
 And let our sorrow sink in thy heart."  
952 **This gentil duc doun from his courser sterte**  
 This gentle duke leaped down from his war horse  
953 **With herte pitous, whan he herde them speke.**  
 With compassionate heart, when he heard them speak.  
954 **Hym thoughte that his herte wolde breke,**  
 It seemed to him that his heart would break,  
955 **Whan he saugh hem so pitous and so maat,**  
 When he saw them so pitiful and so dejected,  
956 **That whilom weren of so greet estaat;**  
 That once were of such high rank;  
957 **And in his armes he hem alle up hente,**  
 And in his arms he caught up them all,  
958 **And hem conforteth in ful good entente,**  
 And comforts them with very good will,  
959 **And swoor his ooth, as he was trewe knyght,**  
 And swore his oath, as he was true knight,  
960 **He wolde doon so ferforthly his myght**  
 (That) he would do his might so completely  
961 **Upon the tiraunt Creon hem to wreke**  
 To avenge them upon the tyrant Creon   
962 **That al the peple of Grece sholde speke**  
 That all the people of Greece should speak (about)  
963 **How Creon was of Theseus yserved**  
 How Creon was treated by Theseus  
964 **As he that hadde his deeth ful wel deserved.**  
 As one who had very well deserved his death.  
965 **And right anoon, withouten moore abood,**  
 And right away, without more delay,  
966 **His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood**  
 He displays his banner, and rode forth   
967 **To Thebes-ward, and al his hoost biside.**  
 Toward Thebes, and all his army beside (him).  
968 **No neer Atthenes wolde he go ne ride,**  
 He would not walk nor ride any nearer to Athens,  
969 **Ne take his ese fully half a day,**  
 Nor take his ease fully half a day,  
970 **But onward on his wey that nyght he lay,**  
 But that night he lay (camped) on his way,  
971 **And sente anon Ypolita the queene,**  
 And sent straightway Ypolita the queen,  
972 **And Emelye, hir yonge suster sheene,**  
 And Emelye, her beautiful young sister,  
973 **Unto the toun of Atthenes to dwelle,**  
 Unto the town of Athens to dwell,  
974 **And forth he rit; ther is namoore to telle.**  
 And forth he rides; there is no more to tell.  
975 **The rede statue of Mars, with spere and targe,**  
 The red statue of Mars, with spear and shield,  
976 **So shyneth in his white baner large**  
 So shines in his large white banner  
977 **That alle the feeldes glyteren up and doun;**  
 That all the fields glitter all around;  
978 **And by his baner born is his penoun**  
 And by his banner is carried his pennon  
979 **Of gold ful riche, in which ther was ybete**  
 Of very rich gold, in which there was embroidered  
980 **The Mynotaur, which that he wan in Crete.**  
 The Minotaur, which he defeated in Crete.  
981 **Thus rit this duc, thus rit this conquerour,**  
 Thus rides this duke, thus rides this conqueror,  
982 **And in his hoost of chivalrie the flour,**  
 And in his army the flower of chivalry,  
983 **Til that he cam to Thebes and alighte**  
 Until he came to Thebes and dismounted  
984 **Faire in a feeld, ther as he thoughte to fighte.**  
 Graciously in a field, where he intended to fight.  
985 **But shortly for to speken of this thyng,**  
 But briefly to speak of this thing,  
986 **With Creon, which that was of Thebes kyng,**  
 With Creon, who was king of Thebes,  
987 **He faught, and slough hym manly as a knyght**  
 He fought, and slew him boldly as a knight  
988 **In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flyght;**  
 In open battle, and put the army to flight;  
989 **And by assaut he wan the citee after,**  
 And by assault he won the city afterwards,  
990 **And rente adoun bothe wall and sparre and rafter;**  
 And tore down both wall and beam and rafter;  
991 **And to the ladyes he restored agayn**  
 And he gave back to the ladies   
992 **The bones of hir freendes that were slayn,**  
 The bones of their husbands who were slain,  
993 **To doon obsequies, as was tho the gyse.**  
 To do obsequies, as was then the custom.  
994 **But it were al to longe for to devyse**  
 But it would be all too long to describe   
995 **The grete clamour and the waymentynge**  
 The great clamor and the lamentation  
996 **That the ladyes made at the brennynge**  
 That the ladies made at the burning  
997 **Of the bodies, and the grete honour**  
 Of the bodies, and the great honor  
998 **That Theseus, the noble conquerour,**  
 That Theseus, the noble conqueror,  
999 **Dooth to the ladyes, whan they from hym wente;**  
 Does to the ladies, when they went from him;  
1000 **But shortly for to telle is myn entente.**  
 But briefly to tell is my intent.

1001 **Whan that this worthy duc, this Theseus,**  
 When this worthy duke, this Theseus,  
1002 **Hath Creon slayn and wonne Thebes thus,**  
 Has slain Creon and thus won Thebes,  
1003 **Stille in that feeld he took al nyght his reste,**  
 Still in that field he took all night his rest,  
1004 **And dide with al the contree as hym leste.**  
 And did with all the country as he pleased.  
1005 **To ransake in the taas of bodyes dede,**  
 To search in the heap of dead bodies,  
1006 **Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede,**  
 To strip them of armor and of clothing,  
1007 **The pilours diden bisynesse and cure**  
 The scavengers took great pains and worked hard  
1008 **After the bataille and disconfiture.**  
 After the battle and defeat.  
1009 **And so bifel that in the taas they founde,**  
 And (it) so befell that in the heap they found,  
1010 **Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde,**  
 Pierced through with many a grievous bloody wound,  
1011 **Two yonge knyghtes liggynge by and by,**  
 Two young knights lying side by side,  
1012 **Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely,**  
 Both with the same coat of arms, very richly wrought,  
1013 **Of whiche two Arcita highte that oon,**  
 Of which two one was called Arcite,  
1014 **And that oother knyght highte Palamon.**  
 And that other knight was called Palamon.  
1015 **Nat fully quyke, ne fully dede they were,**  
 They were not fully alive, nor fully dead,  
1016 **But by hir cote-armures and by hir gere**  
 But by their coats of arms and by their equipment  
1017 **The heraudes knewe hem best in special**  
 The heralds best knew them in particular  
1018 **As they that weren of the blood roial**  
 As they that were of the royal blood   
1019 **Of Thebes, and of sustren two yborn.**  
 Of Thebes, and born of two sisters.  
1020 **Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn,**  
 The scavengers have pulled them out of the heap,  
1021 **And han hem caried softe unto the tente**  
 And have carried them softy unto the tent  
1022 **Of Theseus; and he ful soone hem sente**  
 Of Theseus; and he very soon sent them   
1023 **To Atthenes, to dwellen in prisoun**  
 To Athens, to dwell in prison  
1024 **Perpetuelly -- he nolde no raunsoun.**  
 Perpetually -- he would not (accept) any ransom.  
1025 **And whan this worthy duc hath thus ydon,**  
 And when this worthy duke has thus done,  
1026 **He took his hoost, and hoom he rit anon**  
 He took his army, and home he rides straightway  
1027 **With laurer crowned as a conquerour;**  
 As a conqueror crowned with laurel;  
1028 **And ther he lyveth in joye and in honour**  
 And there he lives in joy and in honor  
1029 **Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo?**  
 For the duration of his life; what more words are needed?  
1030 **And in a tour, in angwissh and in wo,**  
 And in a tower, in anguish and in woe,  
1031 **This Palamon and his felawe Arcite**  
 This Palamon and his fellow Arcite  
1032 **For everemoore; ther may no gold hem quite.**  
 For evermore (remain); no gold can ransom them.  
1033 **This passeth yeer by yeer and day by day,**  
 This passes year by year and day by day,  
1034 **Till it fil ones, in a morwe of May,**  
 Until it befell once, in a morning of May,  
1035 **That Emelye, that fairer was to sene**  
 That Emelye, who was fairer to be seen   
1036 **Than is the lylie upon his stalke grene,**  
 Than is the lily upon its green stalk,  
1037 **And fressher than the May with floures newe --**  
 And fresher than the May with new flowers --  
1038 **For with the rose colour stroof hire hewe,**  
 For her hue vied with color of the rose,  
1039 **I noot which was the fyner of hem two --**  
 I do not know which was the finer of them two --  
1040 **Er it were day, as was hir wone to do,**  
 Before it was day, as was her custom to do,  
1041 **She was arisen and al redy dight,**  
 She was arisen and all ready prepared,  
1042 **For May wole have no slogardie anyght.**  
 For May will have no laziness at night.  
1043 **The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,**  
 The season urges on every gentle heart,  
1044 **And maketh it out of his slep to sterte,**  
 And makes it out of its sleep to awake suddenly,  
1045 **And seith "Arys, and do thyn observaunce."**  
 And says "Arise, and do thy observance."  
1046 **This maked Emelye have remembraunce**  
 This made Emelye remember  
1047 **To doon honour to May, and for to ryse.**  
 To do honor to May, and to rise.  
1048 **Yclothed was she fressh, for to devyse:**  
 She was gaily clothed, so to say:  
1049 **Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse**  
 Her yellow hair was braided in a tress  
1050 **Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse.**  
 Behind her back, a yard long, I guess.  
1051 **And in the gardyn, at the sonne upriste,**  
 And in the garden, at the rising of the sun,  
1052 **She walketh up and doun, and as hire liste**  
 She walks up and down, and as she pleases  
1053 **She gadereth floures, party white and rede,**  
 She gathers flowers, mixed white and red,  
1054 **To make a subtil gerland for hire hede;**  
 To make an intricate garland for her head;  
1055 **And as an aungel hevenysshly she soong.**  
 And she sang (as) heavenly as an angel.  
1056 **The grete tour, that was so thikke and stroong,**  
 The great tower, that was so thick and strong,  
1057 **Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun**  
 Which was the main fortification of the castle  
1058 **(Ther as the knyghtes weren in prisoun**  
 (Where the knights were in prison  
1059 **Of which I tolde yow and tellen shal),**  
 Of which I told yow and shall tell),  
1060 **Was evene joynant to the gardyn wal**  
 Was just next to the garden wall  
1061 **Ther as this Emelye hadde hir pleyynge.**  
 Where this Emelye took her pleasure.  
1062 **Bright was the sonne and cleer that morwenynge,**  
 The sun was bright and clear that morning,  
1063 **And Palamoun, this woful prisoner,**  
 And Palamon, this woeful prisoner,  
1064 **As was his wone, by leve of his gayler,**  
 As was his custom, by permission of his jailer,  
1065 **Was risen and romed in a chambre an heigh,**  
 Had risen and roamed in a chamber on high,  
1066 **In which he al the noble citee seigh,**  
 In which he saw all the noble city,  
1067 **And eek the gardyn, ful of braunches grene,**  
 And also the garden, full of green branches,  
1068 **Ther as this fresshe Emelye the shene**  
 Where this fresh Emelye the bright  
1069 **Was in hire walk, and romed up and doun.**  
 Was in her walk, and roamed up and down.  
1070 **This sorweful prisoner, this Palamoun,**  
 This sorrowful prisoner, this Palamon,  
1071 **Goth in the chambre romynge to and fro**  
 Goes in the chamber roaming to and fro  
1072 **And to hymself compleynynge of his wo.**  
 And to himself lamenting his woe.  
1073 **That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, "allas!"**  
 That he was born, full often he said, "alas!"  
1074 **And so bifel, by aventure or cas,**  
 And so it happened, by chance or accident,  
1075 **That thurgh a wyndow, thikke of many a barre**  
 That through a window, thickly set with many a bar  
1076 **Of iren greet and square as any sparre,**  
 Of iron, great and square as any beam,  
1077 **He cast his eye upon Emelya,**  
 He cast his eye upon Emelye,  
1078 **And therwithal he bleynte and cride, "A!"**  
 And with that he turned pale and cried, "A!"  
1079 **As though he stongen were unto the herte.**  
 As though he were stabbed unto the heart.  
1080 **And with that cry Arcite anon up sterte**  
 And with that cry Arcite immediately leaped up   
1081 **And seyde, "Cosyn myn, what eyleth thee,**  
 And said, "My cousin, what ails thee,  
1082 **That art so pale and deedly on to see?**  
 Who art so pale and deadly to look upon?  
1083 **Why cridestow? Who hath thee doon offence?**  
 Why didst thou cry out? Who has done thee offence?  
1084 **For Goddes love, taak al in pacience**  
 For the love of God, take all in patience  
1085 **Oure prisoun, for it may noon oother be.**  
 Our imprisonment, for it may not be otherwise.  
1086 **Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee.**  
 Fortune has given us this adversity.  
1087 **Som wikke aspect or disposicioun**  
 Some wicked aspect or disposition  
1088 **Of Saturne, by som constellacioun,**  
 Of Saturn, by some arrangement of the heavenly bodies,  
1089 **Hath yeven us this, although we hadde it sworn;**  
 Has given us this, although we had sworn it would not be;  
1090 **So stood the hevene whan that we were born.**  
 So stood the heavens when we were born.  
1091 **We moste endure it; this is the short and playn."**  
 We must endure it; this is the short and plain."  
1092 **This Palamon answerde and seyde agayn,**  
 This Palamon answered and said in reply,  
1093 **"Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun**  
 "Cousin, truly, concerning this opinion  
1094 **Thow hast a veyn ymaginacioun.**  
 Thou hast a foolish conception.  
1095 **This prison caused me nat for to crye,**  
 This prison did not cause me to cry out,  
1096 **But I was hurt right now thurghout myn ye**  
 But I was hurt right now through my eye  
1097 **Into myn herte, that wol my bane be.**  
 Into my heart, so that it will be the death of me.  
1098 **The fairnesse of that lady that I see**  
 The fairness of that lady whom I see  
1099 **Yond in the gardyn romen to and fro**  
 Yonder in the garden roaming to and fro  
1100 **Is cause of al my criyng and my wo.**  
 Is cause of all my crying and my woe.  
1101 **I noot wher she be womman or goddesse,**  
 I know not whether she is woman or goddess,  
1102 **But Venus is it soothly, as I gesse."**  
 But truly it is Venus, as I suppose."  
1103 **And therwithal on knees doun he fil,**  
 And with that he fell down on his knees,  
1104 **And seyde, "Venus, if it be thy wil**  
 And said, "Venus, if it be thy will  
1105 **Yow in this gardyn thus to transfigure**  
 Thus to transfigure yourself in this garden   
1106 **Bifore me, sorweful, wrecched creature,**  
 Before me, sorrowful, wretched creature,  
1107 **Out of this prisoun help that we may scapen.**  
 Help that we may escape out of this prison.  
1108 **And if so be my destynee be shapen**  
 And if it be so that my destiny is shaped  
1109 **By eterne word to dyen in prisoun,**  
 By eternal decree to die in prison,  
1110 **Of oure lynage have som compassioun,**  
 Have some compassion on our (noble) lineage  
1111 **That is so lowe ybroght by tirannye."**  
 Which is brought so low by tyranny."  
1112 **And with that word Arcite gan espye**  
 And with that word Arcite did see  
1113 **Wher as this lady romed to and fro,**  
 Where this lady roamed to and fro,  
1114 **And with that sighte hir beautee hurte hym so,**  
 And with that sight her beauty hurt him so,  
1115 **That, if that Palamon was wounded sore,**  
 That, if Palamon was sorely wounded,  
1116 **Arcite is hurt as muche as he, or moore.**  
 Arcite is hurt as much as he, or more.  
1117 **And with a sigh he seyde pitously,**  
 And with a sigh he said piteously,  
1118 **"The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly**  
 "The fresh beauty slays me suddenly  
1119 **Of hire that rometh in the yonder place;**  
 Of her who roams in the yonder place;  
1120 **And but I have hir mercy and hir grace,**  
 And unless I have her mercy and her grace,  
1121 **That I may seen hire atte leeste weye,**  
 So that I can at least see her,   
1122 **I nam but deed; ther nis namoore to seye."**  
 I am as good as dead; there is no more to say."  
1123 **This Palamon, whan he tho wordes herde,**  
 This Palamon, when he heard those words,  
1124 **Dispitously he looked and answerde,**  
 Angrily he looked and answered,  
1125 **"Wheither seistow this in ernest or in pley?"**  
 "Sayest thou this in earnest or in play?"  
1126 **"Nay," quod Arcite, "in ernest, by my fey!**  
 "Nay," said Arcite, "in earnest, by my faith!  
1127 **God helpe me so, me list ful yvele pleye."**  
 So help me God, I have no desire to play."  
1128 **This Palamon gan knytte his browes tweye.**  
 This Palamon did knit his two brows.  
1129 **"It nere," quod he, "to thee no greet honour**  
 "It would not be," said he, "any great honor to thee   
1130 **For to be fals, ne for to be traitour**  
 To be false, nor to be traitor  
1131 **To me, that am thy cosyn and thy brother**  
 To me, who am thy cousin and thy brother  
1132 **Ysworn ful depe, and ech of us til oother,**  
 Sworn very sincerely, and each of us to the other,  
1133 **That nevere, for to dyen in the peyne,**  
 That never, though we had to die by torture,  
1134 **Til that the deeth departe shal us tweyne,**  
 Until death shall part us two,  
1135 **Neither of us in love to hyndre oother,**  
 Neither of us in love (is) to hinder the other,  
1136 **Ne in noon oother cas, my leeve brother,**  
 Nor in any other case, my dear brother,  
1137 **But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me**  
 But rather thou shouldest truly help me  
1138 **In every cas, as I shal forthren thee --**  
 In every case, as I shall help thee --  
1139 **This was thyn ooth, and myn also, certeyn;**  
 This was thy oath, and mine also, certainly;  
1140 **I woot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn.**  
 I know right well, thou darest not deny it.  
1141 **Thus artow of my conseil, out of doute,**  
 Thus thou art my trusted confidant, without doubt,  
1142 **And now thow woldest falsly been aboute**   
 And now thou wouldest falsely be busy preparing   
1143 **To love my lady, whom I love and serve,**  
 To love my lady, whom I love and serve,  
1144 **And evere shal til that myn herte sterve.**  
 And ever shall until my heart dies.  
1145 **Nay, certes, false Arcite, thow shalt nat so.**  
 Nay, certainly, false Arcite, thou shalt not (do) so.  
1146 **I loved hire first, and tolde thee my wo**  
 I loved hire first, and told thee my woe  
1147 **As to my conseil and my brother sworn**  
 As to my confidant and my sworn brother   
1148 **To forthre me, as I have toold biforn.**  
 To further me, as I have told before.  
1149 **For which thou art ybounden as a knyght**  
 For which thou art bound as a knight  
1150 **To helpen me, if it lay in thy myght,**  
 To help me, if it lay in thy power,  
1151 **Or elles artow fals, I dar wel seyn."**  
 Or else thou art false, I dare well say."  
1152 **This Arcite ful proudly spak ageyn:**  
 This Arcite full proudly spoke in return:  
1153 **"Thow shalt," quod he, "be rather fals than I;**  
 "Thou shalt," said he, "be rather false than I;  
1154 **And thou art fals, I telle thee outrely,**  
 And thou art false, I tell thee flatly,  
1155 **For paramour I loved hire first er thow.**  
 As a mistress I loved her first before thou.  
1156 **What wiltow seyen? Thou woost nat yet now**  
 What wilt thou say? Thou knowest not yet now  
1157 **Wheither she be a womman or goddesse!**  
 Whether she is a woman or goddess!  
1158 **Thyn is affeccioun of hoolynesse,**  
 Thine is a feeling of holiness,  
1159 **And myn is love as to a creature;**  
 And mine is love as to a creature;  
1160 **For which I tolde thee myn aventure**  
 For which I told thee my circumstance  
1161 **As to my cosyn and my brother sworn.**  
 As to my cousin and my sworn brother.  
1162 **I pose that thow lovedest hire biforn;**  
 I posit (this assumption): that thou lovedest her first;  
1163 **Wostow nat wel the olde clerkes sawe,**  
 Knowest thou not well the old clerks' saying,  
1164 **That `who shal yeve a lovere any lawe?'**  
 That `who shall give a lover any law?'  
1165 **Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan,**  
 Love is a greater law, by my skull,  
1166 **Than may be yeve to any erthely man;**  
 Than may be given to any earthly man;  
1167 **And therfore positif lawe and swich decree**  
 And therefore positive (man-made) law and such decree  
1168 **Is broken al day for love in ech degree.**  
 Is broken every day for love in every way.  
1169 **A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed;**  
 A man must of necessity love, in spite of all he can do;  
1170 **He may nat fleen it, thogh he sholde be deed,**  
 He can not flee (from) it, though he should be dead,  
1171 **Al be she mayde, or wydwe, or elles wyf.**  
 Whether she be maid, or widow, or else wife.  
1172 **And eek it is nat likly al thy lyf**  
 And also it is not likely all thy life  
1173 **To stonden in hir grace; namoore shal I;**  
 To stand in her good graces; no more shall I;  
1174 **For wel thou woost thyselven, verraily,**  
 For well thou thyself knowest, truly,  
1175 **That thou and I be dampned to prisoun**  
 That thou and I are condemned to prison  
1176 **Perpetuelly; us gayneth no raunsoun.**  
 Perpetually; no ransom can help us.  
1177 **We stryve as dide the houndes for the boon;**  
 We strive as the hounds did for the bone;  
1178 **They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon.**  
 They fought all day, and yet their share was nothing.  
1179 **Ther cam a kyte, whil that they were so wrothe,**  
 There came a kite, while they were so angry,  
1180 **And baar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe.**  
 And carried away the bone between them both.  
1181 **And therfore, at the kynges court, my brother,**  
 And therefore, at the king's court, my brother,  
1182 **Ech man for hymself, ther is noon oother.**  
 Each man for himself, there is no other (way).  
1183 **Love, if thee list, for I love and ay shal;**  
 Love, if it please thee, for I love and always shall;  
1184 **And soothly, leeve brother, this is al.**  
 And truly, dear brother, this is all.  
1185 **Heere in this prisoun moote we endure,**  
 Here in this prison we must endure,  
1186 **And everich of us take his aventure."**  
 And each one of us take his chance."  
1187 **Greet was the strif and long bitwix hem tweye,**  
 Great and long was the strife between them two,  
1188 **If that I hadde leyser for to seye;**  
 If I had leisure to tell (it);  
1189 **But to th'effect. It happed on a day,**  
 But to the point. It happened on a day,  
1190 **To telle it yow as shortly as I may,**  
 To tell it to you as briefly as I can,  
1191 **A worthy duc that highte Perotheus,**  
 A worthy duke that was called Perotheus,  
1192 **That felawe was unto duc Theseus**  
 Who was a friend to duke Theseus  
1193 **Syn thilke day that they were children lite,**  
 Since that same time that they were little children,  
1194 **Was come to Atthenes his felawe to visite,**  
 Had come to Athens to visit his friend,  
1195 **And for to pleye as he was wont to do;**  
 And to amuse himself as he was accustomed to do;  
1196 **For in this world he loved no man so,**  
 For in this world he loved no man so (much),  
1197 **And he loved hym als tendrely agayn.**  
 And he (Theseus) loved him as tenderly in turn.  
1198 **So wel they lovede, as olde bookes sayn,**  
 So well they loved, as old books say,  
1199 **That whan that oon was deed, soothly to telle,**  
 That when one was dead, truly to tell,  
1200 **His felawe wente and soughte hym doun in helle --**  
 His friend went and sought him down in hell --  
1201 **But of that storie list me nat to write.**  
 But of that story I do not desire to write.  
1202 **Duc Perotheus loved wel Arcite,**  
 Duke Perotheus loved well Arcite,  
1203 **And hadde hym knowe at Thebes yeer by yere,**  
 And had known him at Thebes year after year,  
1204 **And finally at requeste and preyere**  
 And finally at request and prayer  
1205 **Of Perotheus, withouten any raunsoun,**  
 Of Perotheus, without any ransom,  
1206 **Duc Theseus hym leet out of prisoun**  
 Duke Theseus let him out of prison  
1207 **Frely to goon wher that hym liste over al,**  
 Freely to go all over, wherever he wishes,  
1208 **In swich a gyse as I you tellen shal.**  
 In such a manner as shall I tell you.  
1209 **This was the forward, pleynly for t'endite,**  
 This was the agreement, plainly to write,  
1210 **Bitwixen Theseus and hym Arcite:**  
 Between Theseus and this Arcite:  
1211 **That if so were that Arcite were yfounde**  
 That if it so were that Arcite were found  
1212 **Evere in his lif, by day or nyght, oo stounde**  
 Ever in his life, by day or night, at any moment  
1213 **In any contree of this Theseus,**  
 In any country of this Theseus,  
1214 **And he were caught, it was acorded thus,**  
 And if he were caught, it was agreed thus,  
1215 **That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed.**  
 That with a sword he should lose his head.  
1216 **Ther nas noon oother remedie ne reed;**  
 There was no other remedy nor course of action;  
1217 **But taketh his leve, and homward he him spedde.**  
 But (he) takes his leave, and homeward he sped.  
1218 **Lat hym be war! His nekke lith to wedde.**  
 Let him be ware! His neck lies as a pledge.  
1219 **How greet a sorwe suffreth now Arcite!**  
 How great a sorrow now suffers Arcite!  
1220 **The deeth he feeleth thurgh his herte smyte;**  
 He feels the death smite through his heart;  
1221 **He wepeth, wayleth, crieth pitously;**  
 He weeps, wails, cries piteously;  
1222 **To sleen hymself he waiteth prively.**  
 To slay himself he secretly awaits (an opportunity).  
1223 **He seyde, "Allas that day that I was born!**  
 He said, "Alas that day that I was born!  
1224 **Now is my prisoun worse than biforn;**  
 Now my prison is worse than before;  
1225 **Now is me shape eternally to dwelle**  
 Now I am destined eternally to dwell  
1226 **Noght in purgatorie, but in helle.**  
 Not in purgatory, but in hell.  
1227 **Allas, that evere knew I Perotheus!**  
 Alas, that ever I knew Perotheus!  
1228 **For elles hadde I dwelled with Theseus,**  
 For else I would have remained with Theseus,  
1229 **Yfetered in his prisoun everemo.**  
 Fettered in his prison evermore.  
1230 **Thanne hadde I been in blisse and nat in wo.**  
 Then would I have been in bliss and not in woe.  
1231 **Oonly the sighte of hire whom that I serve,**  
 Only the sight of her whom I serve,  
1232 **Though that I nevere hir grace may deserve,**  
 Though I never can deserve her grace,  
1233 **Wolde han suffised right ynough for me.**  
 Would have sufficed right enough for me.  
1234 **O deere cosyn Palamon," quod he,**  
 O dear cousin Palamon," said he,  
1235 **"Thyn is the victorie of this aventure.**  
 "The victory of this adventure is thine.  
1236 **Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure --**  
 Very blissfully in prison thou can remain --  
1237 **In prison? Certes nay, but in paradys!**  
 In prison? Certainly not, but in paradise!  
1238 **Wel hath Fortune yturned thee the dys,**  
 Well has Fortune turned the dice for thee,  
1239 **That hast the sighte of hire, and I th'absence.**  
 That hast the sight of her, and I the absence.  
1240 **For possible is, syn thou hast hire presence,**  
 For it is possible, since thou hast her presence,  
1241 **And art a knyght, a worthy and an able,**  
 And art a knight, a worthy and an able (one),  
1242 **That by som cas, syn Fortune is chaungeable,**  
 That by some chance, since Fortune is changeable,  
1243 **Thow maist to thy desir somtyme atteyne.**  
 Thou mayest sometime attain thy desire.  
1244 **But I, that am exiled and bareyne**  
 But I, who am exiled and barren  
1245 **Of alle grace, and in so greet dispeir**  
 Of all grace, and in so great despair  
1246 **That ther nys erthe, water, fir, ne eir,**  
 That there is not earth, water, fire, nor air,  
1247 **Ne creature that of hem maked is,**  
 Nor creature that is made of them,  
1248 **That may me helpe or doon confort in this,**  
 That can help me or do comfort (to me) in this,  
1249 **Wel oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse.**  
 Well ought I to die in despair and distress.  
1250 **Farwel my lif, my lust, and my gladnesse!**  
 Farwell my life, my desire, and my gladness!  
1251 **"Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune**  
 "Alas, why do folk so commonly complain   
1252 **On purveiaunce of God, or of Fortune,**  
 About the providence of God, or of Fortune,  
1253 **That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse**  
 That gives them full often in many a manner  
1254 **Wel bettre than they kan hemself devyse?**  
 Much better than they can themselves imagine?  
1255 **Som man desireth for to han richesse,**  
 One man desires to have riches,  
1256 **That cause is of his mordre or greet siknesse;**  
 Which is the cause of his murder or great sickness;  
1257 **And som man wolde out of his prisoun fayn,**  
 And one man would happily (go) out of his prison,  
1258 **That in his hous is of his meynee slayn.**  
 Who is slain in his house by members of his household.  
1259 **Infinite harmes been in this mateere.**  
 Infinite harms are in this matter.  
1260 **We witen nat what thing we preyen heere;**  
 We know not what thing we pray for here;  
1261 **We faren as he that dronke is as a mous.**  
 We act like one who is drunk as a mouse.  
1262 **A dronke man woot wel he hath an hous,**  
 A drunk man knows well he has a house,  
1263 **But he noot which the righte wey is thider,**  
 But he does not know which is the right way to it,  
1264 **And to a dronke man the wey is slider.**  
 And to a drunk man the way is slippery.  
1265 **And certes, in this world so faren we;**  
 And certainly, so we fare in this world;  
1266 **We seken faste after felicitee,**  
 We seek eagerly after felicity,  
1267 **But we goon wrong ful often, trewely.**  
 But we go wrong very often, truly.  
1268 **Thus may we seyen alle, and namely I,**  
 Thus can we all say, and especially I,  
1269 **That wende and hadde a greet opinioun**  
 Who supposed and had a firm belief  
1270 **That if I myghte escapen from prisoun,**  
 That if I might escape from prison,  
1271 **Thanne hadde I been in joye and parfit heele,**  
 Then I would have been in joy and perfect well-being,  
1272 **Ther now I am exiled fro my wele.**  
 Whereas now I am exiled from my source of happiness.  
1273 **Syn that I may nat seen you, Emelye,**  
 Since I can not see you, Emelye,  
1274 **I nam but deed; ther nys no remedye."**  
 I am as good as dead; there is not any remedy."  
1275 **Upon that oother syde Palamon,**  
 Upon that other side Palamon,  
1276 **Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon,**  
 When he knew Arcite was gone,  
1277 **Swich sorwe he maketh that the grete tour**  
 He makes such sorrow that the great tour  
1278 **Resouneth of his youlyng and clamour.**  
 Resounds with his yowling and clamor.  
1279 **The pure fettres on his shynes grete**  
 The great fetters themselves on his shins   
1280 **Weren of his bittre, salte teeres wete.**  
 Were wet from his bitter, salt tears.  
1281 **"Allas," quod he, "Arcita, cosyn myn,**  
 "Alas," said he, "Arcite, cousin mine,  
1282 **Of al oure strif, God woot, the fruyt is thyn.**  
 Of all our strife, God knows, the profit is thine.  
1283 **Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large,**  
 Thou walkest freely now in Thebes,  
1284 **And of my wo thow yevest litel charge.**  
 And thou care little about my woe.  
1285 **Thou mayst, syn thou hast wisdom and manhede,**  
 Thou mayest, since thou hast wisdom and manhood,  
1286 **Assemblen alle the folk of oure kynrede,**  
 Assemble all the folk of our family,  
1287 **And make a werre so sharp on this citee**  
 And make a war so sharp on this city  
1288 **That by som aventure or some tretee**  
 That by some chance or some treaty  
1289 **Thow mayst have hire to lady and to wyf**  
 Thou mayest have her as lady and as wife  
1290 **For whom that I moste nedes lese my lyf.**  
 For whom I must of necessity lose my life.  
1291 **For, as by wey of possibilitee,**  
 For, as by way of possibility,  
1292 **Sith thou art at thy large, of prisoun free,**  
 Since thou art at thy liberty, free of prison,  
1293 **And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage**  
 And art a lord, thy advantage is great,  
1294 **Moore than is myn, that sterve here in a cage.**  
 More than is mine, who die here in a cage.  
1295 **For I moot wepe and wayle, whil I lyve,**  
 For I must weep and wail, while I live,  
1296 **With al the wo that prison may me yive,**  
 With all the woe that prison may give me,  
1297 **And eek with peyne that love me yeveth also,**  
 And also with pain that love gives me also,  
1298 **That doubleth al my torment and my wo."**  
 That doubles all my torment and my woe."  
1299 **Therwith the fyr of jalousie up sterte**  
 With that the fire of jealousy started up  
1300 **Withinne his brest, and hente him by the herte**  
 Within his breast, and seized him by the heart  
1301 **So woodly that he lyk was to biholde**  
 So madly that he was to look upon like   
1302 **The boxtree or the asshen dede and colde.**  
 The box tree or the ash dead and cold.  
1303 **Thanne seyde he, "O crueel goddes that governe**  
 Then said he, "O cruel gods that govern  
1304 **This world with byndyng of youre word eterne,**  
 This world with binding of your eternal word,  
1305 **And writen in the table of atthamaunt**  
 And write in the table of adamant (hardest of stones)  
1306 **Youre parlement and youre eterne graunt,**  
 Your decision and your eternal decree,  
1307 **What is mankynde moore unto you holde**  
 Why is mankind more obligated unto you   
1308 **Than is the sheep that rouketh in the folde?**  
 Than is the sheep that cowers in the sheepfold?  
1309 **For slayn is man right as another beest,**  
 For man is slain exactly like another beast,  
1310 **And dwelleth eek in prison and arreest,**  
 And dwells also in prison and detention,  
1311 **And hath siknesse and greet adversitee,**  
 And has sickness and great adversity,  
1312 **And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee.**  
 And often times guiltless, indeed.  
1313 **"What governance is in this prescience,**  
 "What (sort of) governance is in this foreknowledge,  
1314 **That giltelees tormenteth innocence?**  
 That torments guiltless innocence?  
1315 **And yet encresseth this al my penaunce,**  
 And yet this increases all my suffering,  
1316 **That man is bounden to his observaunce,**  
 That man is bound to his duty,  
1317 **For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille,**  
 For God's sake, to refrain from his desire,  
1318 **Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille.**  
 Whereas a beast may fulfill all his desire.  
1319 **And whan a beest is deed he hath no peyne;**  
 And when a beast is dead he has no pain;   
1320 **But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne,**  
 But man after his death must weep and lament,  
1321 **Though in this world he have care and wo.**  
 Though in this world he may have (had) care and woe.  
1322 **Withouten doute it may stonden so.**  
 Without doubt such is the case.  
1323 **The answere of this lete I to dyvynys,**  
 The answer to this I leave to theologians,  
1324 **But wel I woot that in this world greet pyne ys.**  
 But well I know that great pain is in this world.  
1325 **Allas, I se a serpent or a theef,**  
 Alas, I see a serpent or a thief,  
1326 **That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef,**  
 That has done mischief to many a true man,  
1327 **Goon at his large, and where hym list may turne.**  
 Go at his liberty, and can go where he pleases.  
1328 **But I moot been in prisoun thurgh Saturne,**  
 But I must be in prison because of Saturn,  
1329 **And eek thurgh Juno, jalous and eek wood,**  
 And also because of Juno, jealous and also mad,  
1330 **That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood**  
 Who has destroyed well nigh all the blood  
1331 **Of Thebes with his waste walles wyde;**  
 Of Thebes with its wide devastated walls;  
1332 **And Venus sleeth me on that oother syde**  
 And Venus slays me on that other side  
1333 **For jalousie and fere of hym Arcite."**  
 For jealousy and fear of this Arcite."  
1334 **Now wol I stynte of Palamon a lite,**  
 Now will I cease (speaking of) of Palamon for a little while,  
1335 **And lete hym in his prisoun stille dwelle,**  
 And leave him to dwell in his prison still,  
1336 **And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle.**  
 And of Arcite forth I will tell you.  
1337 **The somer passeth, and the nyghtes longe**  
 The summer passes, and the long nights   
1338 **Encressen double wise the peynes stronge**  
 Increase doubly the strong pains   
1339 **Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner.**  
 Both of the lover and the prisoner.  
1340 **I noot which hath the wofuller mester.**  
 I know not which has the more woeful task.  
1341 **For, shortly for to seyn, this Palamoun**  
 For, briefly to say (it), this Palamon  
1342 **Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun,**  
 Is damned perpetually to prison,  
1343 **In cheynes and in fettres to been deed;**  
 In chains and in fetters to be dead;  
1344 **And Arcite is exiled upon his heed**  
 And Arcite is exiled on threat of losing his head  
134e **For everemo, as out of that contree,**  
 For evermore, out of that country,  
1346 **Ne nevere mo ne shal his lady see.**  
 Nor nevermore shall see his lady.  
1347 **Yow loveres axe I now this questioun:**  
 Yow lovers now I ask this question:  
1348 **Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun?**  
 Who has the worse, Arcite or Palamon?  
1349 **That oon may seen his lady day by day,**  
 That one may see his lady every day,  
1350 **But in prison he moot dwelle alway;**  
 But in prison he must always dwell;  
1351 **That oother wher hym list may ride or go,**  
 That other where he pleases may ride or walk,  
1352 **But seen his lady shal he nevere mo.**  
 But he shall see his lady nevermore.  
1353 **Now demeth as yow liste, ye that kan,**  
 Now judge as it pleases you, you who know (of such things),  
1354 **For I wol telle forth as I bigan.**  
 For I will tell forth as I began.

*Explicit prima pars*  
The first part ends

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

*Sequitur pars secunda*  
The second part follows

1355 **Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was,**  
 When Arcite was come to Thebes,  
1356 **Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde "Allas!"**  
 Very often each day he grew faint and said "Alas!"  
1357 **For seen his lady shal he nevere mo.**  
 For he shall never more see his lady.  
1358 **And shortly to concluden al his wo,**  
 And shortly to conclude (telling) all his woe,  
1359 **So muche sorwe hadde nevere creature**  
 So much sorrow never had creature  
1360 **That is, or shal, whil that the world may dure.**  
 That is, or shall (be), while the world may endure.  
1361 **His slep, his mete, his drynke, is hym biraft,**  
 He is bereft of his sleep, his food, his drink  
1362 **That lene he wex and drye as is a shaft;**  
 So that he became lean and dry as is a stick;  
1363 **His eyen holwe and grisly to biholde,**  
 His eyes sunken and grisly to behold,  
1364 **His hewe falow and pale as asshen colde,**  
 His hue sickly yellow and pale as cold ashes,  
1365 **And solitarie he was and evere allone,**  
 And he was solitary and ever alone,  
1366 **And waillynge al the nyght, makynge his mone;**  
 And wailing all the night, making his moan;  
1367 **And if he herde song or instrument,**  
 And if he heard song or instrument,  
1368 **Thanne wolde he wepe, he myghte nat be stent.**  
 Then would he weep, he could not be stopped.  
1369 **So feble eek were his spiritz, and so lowe,**  
 So feeble also were his spirits, and so low,  
1370 **And chaunged so, that no man koude knowe**  
 And changed so, that no man could know  
1371 **His speche nor his voys, though men it herde.**  
 His speech nor his voice, though men heard it.  
1372 **And in his geere for al the world he ferde**  
 And in his behavior for all the world he fared  
1373 **Nat oonly lik the loveris maladye**  
 Not only like the lover's malady  
1374 **Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye,**  
 Of Hereos, but rather like mania,  
1375 **Engendred of humour malencolik**  
 Engendered by the melancholic humor   
1376 **Biforen, in his celle fantastik.**  
 In the front lobe, in his imagination.  
1377 **And shortly, turned was al up so doun**  
 And shortly, all was turned topsy-turvy  
1378 **Bothe habit and eek disposicioun**  
 Both the physical condition and also the mental disposition  
1379 **Of hym, this woful lovere daun Arcite.**  
 Of him, this woeful lover dan Arcite.  
1380 **What sholde I al day of his wo endite?**  
 Why should I all daylong write of his woe?  
1381 **Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two**  
 When he had endured a year or two  
1382 **This crueel torment and this peyne and wo,**  
 This cruel torment and this pain and woe,  
1383 **At Thebes, in his contree, as I seyde,**  
 At Thebes, in his country, as I said,  
1384 **Upon a nyght in sleep as he hym leyde,**  
 Upon one night as he laid himself in sleep,  
1385 **Hym thoughte how that the wynged god Mercurie**  
 It seemed to him that the winged god Mercury  
1386 **Biforn hym stood and bad hym to be murie.**  
 Stood before him and commanded him to be merry.  
1387 **His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte;**  
 His sleep-inducing staff he carried upright in his hand;  
1388 **An hat he werede upon his heris brighte.**  
 He wore a hat upon his bright hair.  
1389 **Arrayed was this god, as he took keep,**  
 This god was dressed, as he (Arcite) noticed,  
1390 **As he was whan that Argus took his sleep;**  
 As he was when he put Argus to sleep;  
1391 **And seyde hym thus: "To Atthenes shaltou wende,**  
 And said to him thus: "To Athens shalt thou go,  
1392 **Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende."**  
 Where an end of thy woe is destined for thee."  
1393 **And with that word Arcite wook and sterte.**  
 And with that word Arcite awoke and leaped up.  
1394 **"Now trewely, hou soore that me smerte,"**  
 "Now truly, however sorely it may pain me,"  
1395 **Quod he, "to Atthenes right now wol I fare,**  
 Said he, "I will go to Athens right now,  
1396 **Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare**  
 Nor shall I refrain for the dread of death   
1397 **To se my lady, that I love and serve.**  
 From seeing my lady, whom I love and serve.  
1398 **In hire presence I recche nat to sterve."**  
 In her presence I care not if I die."  
1399 **And with that word he caughte a greet mirour,**  
 And with that word he picked up a large mirror,  
1400 **And saugh that chaunged was al his colour,**  
 And saw that all his color was changed,  
1401 **And saugh his visage al in another kynde.**  
 And saw his visage all (changed) to another sort.  
1402 **And right anon it ran hym in his mynde,**  
 And right away it ran to him in his mind,  
1403 **That, sith his face was so disfigured**  
 That, since his face was so disfigured  
1404 **Of maladye the which he hadde endured,**  
 By the malady which he had endured,  
1405 **He myghte wel, if that he bar hym lowe,**  
 He might well, if he conducted himself humbly,  
1406 **Lyve in Atthenes everemoore unknowe,**  
 Live in Athens evermore unknown,  
1407 **And seen his lady wel ny day by day.**  
 And see his lady almost every day.  
1408 **And right anon he chaunged his array,**  
 And right away he changed his clothing,  
1409 **And cladde hym as a povre laborer,**  
 And clad himself as a poor laborer,  
1410 **And al allone, save oonly a squier**  
 And all alone, except only a squire  
1411 **That knew his privetee and al his cas,**  
 Who knew his private affairs and all his situation,  
1412 **Which was disgised povrely as he was,**  
 Who was disguised as poorly as he was,  
1413 **To Atthenes is he goon the nexte way.**  
 To Athens he is gone the nearest way.  
1414 **And to the court he wente upon a day,**  
 And to the court he went upon a day,  
1415 **And at the gate he profreth his servyse**  
 And at the gate he offers his service  
1416 **To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse.**  
 To drudge and draw water, whatever men will command.  
1417 **And shortly of this matere for to seyn,**  
 And shortly to speak of this matter,  
1418 **He fil in office with a chamberleyn**  
 He was given employment by a household attendant  
1419 **The which that dwellynge was with Emelye,**  
 Who was dwelling with Emelye,  
1420 **For he was wys and koude soone espye,**  
 For he was wise and could soon take the measure  
1421 **Of every servaunt, which that serveth here.**  
 Of every servant, who serves here.  
1422 **Wel koude he hewen wode, and water bere,**  
 He could well hew wood, and carry water,  
1423 **For he was yong and myghty for the nones,**  
 For he was young and mighty indeed,  
1424 **And therto he was long and big of bones**  
 And moreover he was tall and strong of bones  
1425 **To doon that any wight kan hym devyse.**  
 To do what any one can command him.  
1426 **A yeer or two he was in this servyse,**  
 A year or two he was in this service,  
1427 **Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte,**  
 Page of the chamber of Emelye the bright,  
1428 **And Philostrate he seyde that he highte.**  
 And he said that he was called Philostrate.  
1429 **But half so wel biloved a man as he**  
 But half so well beloved a man as he  
1430 **Ne was ther nevere in court of his degree;**  
 Was never in court (anyone) of his rank;  
1431 **He was so gentil of condicioun**  
 He was so noble in manner  
1432 **That thurghout al the court was his renoun.**  
 That his fame was (spread) throughout all the court .  
1433 **They seyden that it were a charitee**  
 They said that it would be a act of charity  
1434 **That Theseus wolde enhauncen his degree,**  
 If Theseus would advance his rank,  
1435 **And putten hym in worshipful servyse,**  
 And put him in noble employment,  
1436 **Ther as he myghte his vertu excercise.**  
 Where he could exercise his abilities.  
1437 **And thus withinne a while his name is spronge,**  
 And thus within a short time his fame is sprung,  
1438 **Bothe of his dedes and his goode tonge,**  
 Both for his deeds and his good speech,  
1439 **That Theseus hath taken hym so neer**  
 That Theseus has taken him so near  
1440 **That of his chambre he made hym a squier,**  
 That he has made him a squire of his chamber,  
1441 **And gaf hym gold to mayntene his degree.**  
 And gave him gold to maintain (a life style suitable to) his rank.  
1442 **And eek men broghte hym out of his contree,**  
 And also men brought him out of his country,  
1443 **From yeer to yeer, ful pryvely his rente;**  
 From year to year, very secretly, his income;  
1444 **But honestly and slyly he it spente,**  
 But properly and slyly he spent it,  
1445 **That no man wondred how that he it hadde.**  
 So that no man wondered how he acquired it.  
1446 **And thre yeer in this wise his lif he ladde,**  
 And three years in this manner he led his life,  
1447 **And bar hym so, in pees and eek in werre,**  
 And conducted himself so that, in peace and also in war,  
1448 **Ther was no man that Theseus hath derre.**  
 There was no man whom Theseus holds dearer.  
1449 **And in this blisse lete I now Arcite,**  
 And in this bliss I now leave Arcite,  
1450 **And speke I wole of Palamon a lite.**  
 And I will speak of Palamon a little.  
1451 **In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun**  
 In darkness and horrible and strong imprisonment  
1452 **Thise seven yeer hath seten Palamoun**  
 These seven years Palamon has sat   
1453 **Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse.**  
 Wasted by suffering, what for woe and for distress.  
1454 **Who feeleth double soor and hevynesse**  
 Who feels double pain and sadness  
1455 **But Palamon, that love destreyneth so**  
 But Palamon, whom love so afflicts  
1456 **That wood out of his wit he goth for wo?**  
 That he goes mad, out of his wits because of woe?  
1457 **And eek therto he is a prisoner**  
 And also moreover he is a prisoner  
1458 **Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yer.**  
 Perpetually, not just for a year.  
1459 **Who koude ryme in Englyssh proprely**  
 Who could rime in English properly  
1460 **His martirdom? For sothe it am nat I;**  
 His martyrdom? In truth it is not I;  
1461 **Therfore I passe as lightly as I may.**  
 Therefore I pass on as quickly as I can.  
1462 **It fel that in the seventhe yer, of May**  
 It happened that in the seventh year, of May  
1463 **The thridde nyght (as olde bookes seyn,**  
 The third night (as old books say,  
1464 **That al this storie tellen moore pleyn),**  
 That tell all this story more fully),  
1465 **Were it by aventure or destynee --**  
 Whether it was by chance or fate --  
1466 **As, whan a thyng is shapen, it shal be --**  
 As, when a thing is pre-ordained, it must be --  
1467 **That soone after the mydnyght Palamoun,**  
 That soon after midnight Palamon,  
1468 **By helpyng of a freend, brak his prisoun**  
 With the help of a friend, broke out of his prison  
1469 **And fleeth the citee faste as he may go.**  
 And flees the city as fast as he can go.  
1470 **For he hadde yeve his gayler drynke so**  
 For he had so given his jailer drink   
1471 **Of a clarree maad of a certeyn wyn,**  
 Of a spiced and sweetened drink made of a certain wine,  
1472 **With nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn,**  
 With narcotics and pure opium of Thebes,  
1473 **That al that nyght, thogh that men wolde him shake,**  
 That all that night, though men would shake him,  
1474 **The gayler sleep; he myghte nat awake.**  
 The jailer slept; he could not awake.  
1475 **And thus he fleeth as faste as evere he may.**  
 And thus he flees as fast as ever he can.  
1476 **The nyght was short and faste by the day**  
 The night was short and very close to the day  
1477 **That nedes cost he moot hymselven hyde,**  
 So that by necessity he must hide himself,  
1478 **And til a grove faste ther bisyde**  
 And to a grove close by   
1479 **With dredeful foot thanne stalketh Palamon.**  
 With fearful foot then stalks Palamon.  
1480 **For, shortly, this was his opinion:**  
 For, shortly, this was his idea:  
1481 **That in that grove he wolde hym hyde al day,**  
 That in that grove he would hide himself all day,  
1482 **And in the nyght thanne wolde he take his way**  
 And in the night then he would take his way  
1483 **To Thebes-ward, his freendes for to preye**  
 Toward Thebes, to pray his friends   
1484 **On Theseus to helpe him to werreye;**  
 To help him to wage war on Theseus;  
1485 **And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lif**  
 And shortly, he would either lose his life  
1486 **Or wynnen Emelye unto his wyf.**  
 Or win Emelye to be his wife.  
1487 **This is th'effect and his entente pleyn.**  
 This is the purpose and his full intent.  
1488 **Now wol I turne to Arcite ageyn,**  
 Now I will turn again to Arcite,  
1489 **That litel wiste how ny that was his care,**  
 That little knew how near his trouble was,  
1490 **Til that Fortune had broght him in the snare.**  
 To which Fortune had brought him in the snare.  
1491 **The bisy larke, messager of day,**  
 The busy lark, messenger of day,  
1492 **Salueth in hir song the morwe gray,**  
 Salutes the morning gray in her song,  
1493 **And firy Phebus riseth up so bright**  
 And fiery Phoebus rises up so bright  
1494 **That al the orient laugheth of the light,**  
 That all the orient laughs because of the light,  
1495 **And with his stremes dryeth in the greves**  
 And with his rays dries in the groves  
1496 **The silver dropes hangynge on the leves.**  
 The silver drops hanging on the leaves.  
1497 **And Arcita, that in the court roial**  
 And Arcite, who in the royal court  
1498 **With Theseus is principal squier,**  
 With Theseus is chief squire,  
1499 **Is risen and looketh on the myrie day.**  
 Is risen and looks on the merry day.  
1500 **And for to doon his observaunce to May,**  
 And to do his observance to May,  
1501 **Remembrynge on the poynt of his desir,**  
 Meditating on the object of his desire,  
1502 **He on a courser, startlynge as the fir,**  
 He on a war horse, leaping about like the fire,  
1503 **Is riden into the feeldes hym to pleye,**  
 Has ridden into the fields to amuse himself,  
1504 **Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye.**  
 Out of the court, about a mile or two.  
1505 **And to the grove of which that I yow tolde**  
 And to the grove of which I told you   
1506 **By aventure his wey he gan to holde**  
 By chance he began to hold his way   
1507 **To maken hym a gerland of the greves,**  
 To make himself a garland of the branches,  
1508 **Were it of wodebynde or hawethorn leves,**  
 Were it of woodbine or hawthorn leaves,  
1509 **And loude he song ayeyn the sonne shene:**  
 And loud he sang in the bright sun:  
1510 **"May, with alle thy floures and thy grene,**  
 "May, with all thy flowers and thy greenery,  
1511 **Welcome be thou, faire, fresshe May,**  
 Welcome be thou, fair, fresh May,  
1512 **In hope that I som grene gete may."**  
 In hope that I can get something green."  
1513 **And from his courser, with a lusty herte,**  
 And from his war horse, with an eager heart,  
1514 **Into the grove ful hastily he sterte,**  
 He rushed into the grove hastily,  
1515 **And in a path he rometh up and doun,**  
 And in a path he roams up and down,  
1516 **Ther as by aventure this Palamoun**  
 Where by chance this Palamon  
1517 **Was in a bussh, that no man myghte hym se,**  
 Was in a thicket, so that no man could see him,  
1518 **For soore afered of his deeth was he.**  
 For he was sorely afraid of his death.  
1519 **No thyng ne knew he that it was Arcite;**  
 In no way did he know that it was Arcite;  
1520 **God woot he wolde have trowed it ful lite.**  
 God knows he would scarcely have believed it  
1521 **But sooth is seyd, go sithen many yeres,**  
 But truly it is said, since many years ago,  
1522 **That "feeld hath eyen and the wode hath eres."**  
 That "field has eyes and the wood has ears."  
1523 **It is ful fair a man to bere hym evene,**  
 It is very good for a man to act calmly,  
1524 **For al day meeteth men at unset stevene.**  
 For every day people meet at unexpected times.  
1525 **Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe,**  
 Arcite knows full little of his fellow,  
1526 **That was so ny to herknen al his sawe,**  
 Who was near enough to hear all his speech,  
1527 **For in the bussh he sitteth now ful stille.**  
 For in the thicket he sits now very still.  
1528 **Whan that Arcite hadde romed al his fille,**  
 When Arcite had roamed all his fill,  
1529 **And songen al the roundel lustily,**  
 And sung all the rondel cheerfully,  
1530 **Into a studie he fil sodeynly,**  
nbsp; He fell suddenly into a state of anxiety,  
1531 **As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres,**  
 As these lovers do in their strange manners,  
1532 **Now in the crope, now doun in the breres,**  
 Now in the tree top, now down in the briars,  
1533 **Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle.**  
 Now up, now down, like a bucket in a well.  
1534 **Right as the Friday, soothly for to telle,**  
 Exactly like the Friday, truly for to tell,  
1535 **Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste,**  
 Now it shines, now it rains hard,  
1536 **Right so kan geery Venus overcaste**  
 Just so can fickle Venus sadden  
1537 **The hertes of hir folk; right as hir day**  
 The hearts of her folk; just as her day  
1538 **Is gereful, right so chaungeth she array.**  
 Is changeable, just so she changes her array.  
1539 **Selde is the Friday al the wowke ylike.**  
 Friday is seldom like all the rest of the week.  
1540 **Whan that Arcite had songe, he gan to sike**  
 When Arcite had sung, he began to sigh  
1541 **And sette hym doun withouten any moore.**  
 And sat himself down without any more.  
1542 **"Allas," quod he, "that day that I was bore!**  
 "Alas," he said, "that day that I was born!  
1543 **How longe, Juno, thurgh thy crueltee,**  
 How long, Juno, through thy cruelty,  
1544 **Woltow werreyen Thebes the citee?**  
 Wilt thou make war on the city of Thebes?  
1545 **Allas, ybroght is to confusioun**  
 Alas, to ruin is brought  
1546 **The blood roial of Cadme and Amphioun --**  
 The royal blood of Cadmus and Amphion --  
1547 **Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man**  
 Of Cadmus, who was the first man  
1548 **That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan,**  
 Who built Thebes, before the town first began,  
1549 **And of the citee first was crouned kyng.**  
 And first was crowned king of the city.  
1550 **Of his lynage am I and his ofspryng**  
 I am of his lineage and his offspring  
1551 **By verray ligne, as of the stok roial,**  
 By true lineage, of the royal family,  
1552 **And now I am so caytyf and so thral,**  
 And now I am so wretched and so enslaved,  
1553 **That he that is my mortal enemy,**  
 That he who is my mortal enemy,  
1554 **I serve hym as his squier povrely.**  
 I meekly serve him as his squire.  
1555 **And yet dooth Juno me wel moore shame,**  
 And yet Juno does me much more shame,  
1556 **For I dar noght biknowe myn owene name;**  
 For I dare not acknowledge my own name;  
1557 **But ther as I was wont to highte Arcite,**  
 But whereas I was accustomed to be called Arcite,  
1558 **Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte.**  
 Now I am called Philostrate, not worth a penny.  
1559 **Allas, thou felle Mars! Allas, Juno!**  
 Alas, thou fierce Mars! Alas, Juno!  
1560 **Thus hath youre ire oure lynage al fordo,**  
 Thus has your anger destroyed all our lineage,  
1561 **Save oonly me and wrecched Palamoun,**  
 Save only me and wretched Palamon,  
1562 **That Theseus martireth in prisoun.**  
 Whom Theseus torments in prison.  
1563 **And over al this, to sleen me outrely**  
 And in addition to all this, to slay me utterly  
1564 **Love hath his firy dart so brennyngly**  
 Love has his fiery dart so ardently  
1565 **Ystiked thurgh my trewe, careful herte**  
 Stabbed through my faithful, sorrowful heart  
1566 **That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte.**  
 That my death was destined before my first garment was made.  
1567 **Ye sleen me with youre eyen, Emelye!**  
 You slay me with your eyes, Emelye!  
1568 **Ye been the cause wherfore that I dye.**  
 You are the cause by which I die.  
1569 **Of al the remenant of myn oother care**  
 Of all the rest of my other troubles  
1570 **Ne sette I nat the montance of a tare,**  
 I do not reckon at the value of a weed,  
1571 **So that I koude doon aught to youre plesaunce."**  
 Provided that I could do anything to please you."  
1572 **And with that word he fil doun in a traunce**  
 And with that word he fell down in a trance  
1573 **A longe tyme, and after he up sterte.**  
 A long time, and afterwards he leaped up.  
1574 **This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte**  
 This Palamon, that thought that through his heart  
1575 **He felte a coold swerd sodeynliche glyde,**  
 He felt a cold sword suddenly glide,  
1576 **For ire he quook; no lenger wolde he byde.**  
 For anger he trembled; no longer would he wait.  
1577 **And whan that he had herd Arcites tale,**  
 And when he had heard Arcite's tale,  
1578 **As he were wood, with face deed and pale,**  
 As if he were mad, with face dead and pale,  
1579 **He stirte hym up out of the buskes thikke**  
 He leaped up out of the thick bushes   
1580 **And seide: "Arcite, false traytour wikke,**  
 And said: "Arcite, false, wicked traitor,  
1581 **Now artow hent, that lovest my lady so,**  
 Now art thou taken, who lovest my lady so,  
1582 **For whom that I have al this peyne and wo,**  
 For whom that I have all this pain and woe,  
1583 **And art my blood, and to my conseil sworn,**  
 And art of my blood, and sworn to be in my confidence,  
1584 **As I ful ofte have told thee heerbiforn,**  
 As I full often have told thee before now,  
1585 **And hast byjaped heere duc Theseus,**  
 And hast tricked here duke Theseus,  
1586 **And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus!**  
 And thus hast falsely changed thy name!  
1587 **I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye.**  
 I will be dead, or else thou shalt die.  
1588 **Thou shalt nat love my lady Emelye,**  
 Thou shalt not love my lady Emelye,  
1589 **But I wol love hire oonly and namo;**  
 But I will love her only and no other;  
1590 **For I am Palamon, thy mortal foo.**  
 For I am Palamon, thy mortal foe.  
1591 **And though that I no wepene have in this place,**  
 And though I have no weapon in this place,  
1592 **But out of prison am astert by grace,**  
 But out of prison am escaped by good luck,  
1593 **I drede noght that outher thow shalt dye,**  
 I doubt not that either thou shalt dye,  
1594 **Or thow ne shalt nat loven Emelye.**  
 Either thou shalt not love Emelye,  
1595 **Chees which thou wolt, or thou shalt nat asterte!"**  
 Choose which thou wish, or thou shalt not escape!"  
1596 **This Arcite, with ful despitous herte,**  
 This Arcite, with full spiteful heart,  
1597 **Whan he hym knew, and hadde his tale herd,**  
 When he knew him, and had heard his tale,  
1598 **As fiers as leon pulled out his swerd,**  
 As fierce as a lion pulled out his sword,  
1599 **And seyde thus: "By God that sit above,**  
 And said thus: "By God who sits above,  
1600 **Nere it that thou art sik and wood for love,**  
 Were it not that thou art sick and mad for love,  
1601 **And eek that thow no wepne hast in this place,**  
 And also because thou hast no weapon in this place,  
1602 **Thou sholdest nevere out of this grove pace,**  
 Thou shouldest never walk out of this grove,  
1603 **That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond.**  
 Rather thou shouldest die of my hand.   
1604 **For I defye the seurete and the bond**  
 For I repudiate the pledge and the bond  
1605 **Which that thou seist that I have maad to thee.**  
 Which thou sayest that I have made to thee.  
1606 **What! Verray fool, thynk wel that love is free,**  
 Lo! True fool, think well that love is free,  
1607 **And I wol love hire maugree al thy myght!**  
 And I will love her in spite of all thy might!  
1608 **But for as muche thou art a worthy knyght**  
 But for as much as thou art a worthy knight  
1609 **And wilnest to darreyne hire by bataille,**  
 And desire to decide the right to her by battle,  
1610 **Have heer my trouthe; tomorwe I wol nat faille,**  
 Have here my pledge; tomorrow I will not fail,  
1611 **Withoute wityng of any oother wight,**  
 Without the knowledge of any other person,  
1612 **That heere I wol be founden as a knyght,**  
 But here I will be found as a knight,  
1613 **And bryngen harneys right ynough for thee;**  
 And bring armor right enough for thee;  
1614 **And ches the beste, and leef the worste for me.**  
 And choose the best, and leave the worst for me.  
1615 **And mete and drynke this nyght wol I brynge**  
 And food and drink this night will I bring  
1616 **Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddynge.**  
 Enough for thee, and bed-clothes for thy bedding.  
1617 **And if so be that thou my lady wynne,**  
 And if it so be that thou win my lady,  
1618 **And sle me in this wode ther I am inne,**  
 And slay me in this wood where I am in,  
1619 **Thow mayst wel have thy lady as for me."**  
 Thou mayest well have thy lady as far as I am concerned."  
1620 **This Palamon answerde, "I graunte it thee."**  
 This Palamon answered, "I agree."  
1621 **And thus they been departed til amorwe,**   
 And thus they are departed until morning,  
1622 **Whan ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe.**  
 When each of them had laid his faith as a pledge.  
1623 **O Cupide, out of alle charitee!**  
 O Cupid, devoid of all kindness to others!  
1624 **O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee!**  
 O reign, that will have no partner with thee!  
1625 **Ful sooth is seyd that love ne lordshipe**  
 Full truly it is said that love nor lordship  
1626 **Wol noght, his thankes, have no felaweshipe.**  
 Will not, willingly, have any partnership.  
1627 **Wel fynden that Arcite and Palamoun.**  
 Arcite and Palamon well find that (to be true).  
1628 **Arcite is riden anon unto the toun,**  
 Arcite has ridden immediately into the town,  
1629 **And on the morwe, er it were dayes light,**  
 And on the morning, before it was day's light,  
1630 **Ful prively two harneys hath he dight,**  
 Very secretly he has prepared two sets of armor,  
1631 **Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne**  
 Both sufficient and suitable to decide  
1632 **The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne;**  
 The battle in the field between them two;  
1633 **And on his hors, allone as he was born,**  
 And on his horse, alone as he was born,  
1634 **He carieth al the harneys hym biforn.**  
 He carries all the armor before him.  
1635 **And in the grove, at tyme and place yset,**  
 And in the grove, at time and place set,  
1636 **This Arcite and this Palamon ben met.**  
 This Arcite and this Palamon are met.  
1637 **To chaungen gan the colour in hir face;**  
 The color in their faces began to change;  
1638 **Right as the hunters in the regne of Trace,**  
 Just as the hunters in the reign of Thrace,  
1639 **That stondeth at the gappe with a spere,**  
 He who stands at the gap in the forrest with a spear,  
1640 **Whan hunted is the leon or the bere,**  
 When the lion or the bear is hunted,  
1641 **And hereth hym come russhyng in the greves,**  
 And hears him come rushing in the bushes,  
1642 **And breketh bothe bowes and the leves,**  
 And breaks both boughs and the leaves,  
1643 **And thynketh, "Heere cometh my mortal enemy!**  
 And thinks, "Here comes my mortal enemy!  
1644 **Withoute faille, he moot be deed, or I,**  
 Without fail, he must be dead, or I,  
1645 **For outher I moot sleen hym at the gappe,**  
 For either I must slay him at the gap,  
1646 **Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe."**  
 Or he must slay me, if I suffer misfortune."  
1647 **So ferden they in chaungyng of hir hewe,**  
 So fared they in changing colors of their faces,  
1648 **As fer as everich of hem oother knewe.**  
 When each of them knew the other.  
1649 **Ther nas no good day, ne no saluyng,**  
 There was no 'good day,' nor no salutations,  
1650 **But streight, withouten word or rehersyng,**  
 But straightway, without word or conversing,  
1651 **Everich of hem heelp for to armen oother**  
 Each one of them helped to arm the other  
1652 **As freendly as he were his owene brother;**  
 As friendly as if he were his own brother;  
1653 **And after that, with sharpe speres stronge**  
 And after that, with sharp strong spears   
1654 **They foynen ech at oother wonder longe.**  
 They thrust at each other a wonderfully long time.  
1655 **Thou myghtest wene that this Palamon**  
 Thou mightest suppose that this Palamon  
1656 **In his fightyng were a wood leon,**  
 In his fighting was a mad lion,  
1657 **And as a crueel tigre was Arcite;**  
 And Arcite was like a cruel tiger;  
1658 **As wilde bores gonne they to smyte,**  
 They began to smite like wild boars,  
1659 **That frothen whit as foom for ire wood.**  
 That froth at the mouth white as foam for mad anger.   
1660 **Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood.**  
 They fought up to the ankle in their blood.  
1661 **And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle,**  
 And in this manner I leave them to remain fighting,  
1662 **And forth I wole of Theseus yow telle.**  
 And forth I will tell you of Theseus.  
1663 **The destinee, ministre general,**  
 The destiny, general minister,  
1664 **That executeth in the world over al**  
 That executes in the world everywhere  
1665 **The purveiaunce that God hath seyn biforn,**  
 The providence that God has foreseen,  
1666 **So strong it is that, though the world had sworn**  
 So strong it is that, though the world had sworn  
1667 **The contrarie of a thyng by ye or nay,**  
 The contrary of a thing by yes or no,  
1668 **Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day**  
 Yet sometimes it shall happen on one day  
1669 **That falleth nat eft withinne a thousand yeer.**  
 That happens not again in a thousand years.   
1670 **For certeinly, oure appetites heer,**  
 For certainly, our desires here,  
1671 **Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love,**  
 Be it of war, or peace, or hate, or love,  
1672 **Al is this reuled by the sighte above.**  
 All this is ruled by the foresight above.  
1673 **This mene I now by myghty Theseus,**  
 I mean this now in regard to mighty Theseus,  
1674 **That for to hunten is so desirus,**  
 Who is so desirous to hunt,  
1675 **And namely at the grete hert in May,**  
 And especially at the large hart in May,  
1676 **That in his bed ther daweth hym no day**  
 That in his bed there dawns for him no day  
1677 **That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde**  
 That he is not clad, and ready to ride  
1678 **With hunte and horn and houndes hym bisyde.**  
 With huntsman and horn and hounds beside him.  
1679 **For in his huntyng hath he swich delit**  
 For in his hunting he has such delight  
1680 **That it is al his joye and appetit**  
 That it is all his joy and desire  
1681 **To been hymself the grete hertes bane,**  
 To be himself the large hart's slayer,  
1682 **For after Mars he serveth now Dyane.**  
 For next to Mars he now serves Diana.  
1683 **Cleer was the day, as I have toold er this,**  
 The day was clear, as I have told before this,  
1684 **And Theseus with alle joye and blis,**  
 And Theseus with all joy and bliss,  
1685 **With his Ypolita, the faire queene,**  
 With his Ypolita, the faire queen,  
1686 **And Emelye, clothed al in grene,**  
 And Emelye, clothed all in green,  
1687 **On huntyng be they riden roially.**  
 On hunting they are ridden royally.  
1688 **And to the grove that stood ful faste by,**  
 And to the grove that stood very close by,  
1689 **In which ther was an hert, as men hym tolde,**  
 In which there was a hart, so people told him,  
1690 **Duc Theseus the streighte wey hath holde.**  
 Duke Theseus has held the straight way.  
1691 **And to the launde he rideth hym ful right,**  
 And directly to the glade he rides,  
1692 **For thider was the hert wont have his flight,**  
 For through there the hart was accustomed to take his escape,  
1693 **And over a brook, and so forth on his weye.**  
 And (flee) over a brook, and so forth on his way.  
1694 **This duc wol han a cours at hym or tweye**  
 This duke will have a run or two at him  
1695 **With houndes swiche as that hym list comaunde.**  
 With such hounds as he pleases to command.  
1696 **And whan this duc was come unto the launde,**  
 And when this duke was come unto the glade,  
1697 **Under the sonne he looketh, and anon**  
 He looks toward the sun, and immediately  
1698 **He was war of Arcite and Palamon,**  
 He was aware of Arcite and Palamon,  
1699 **That foughten breme as it were bores two.**  
 Who fought as fiercely as if it were two wild boars.  
1700 **The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro**  
 The bright swords went to and fro  
1701 **So hidously that with the leeste strook**  
 So hideously that with the weakest stroke  
1702 **It semed as it wolde felle an ook.**  
 It seemed as if it would fell an oak.  
1703 **But what they were, no thyng he ne woot.**  
 But who they were, he knew nothing.  
1704 **This duc his courser with his spores smoot,**  
 This duke smote his warhorse with his spurs,  
1705 **And at a stert he was bitwix hem two,**  
 And with a sudden leap he was between them two,  
1706 **And pulled out a swerd and cride, "Hoo!**  
 And pulled out a sword and cried, "Stop!  
1707 **Namoore, up peyne of lesynge of youre heed!**  
 No more, on the penalty of the loss of your head!  
1708 **By myghty Mars, he shal anon be deed**  
 By mighty Mars, he shall at once be dead  
1709 **That smyteth any strook that I may seen.**  
 Who smites any stroke that I can see.  
1710 **But telleth me what myster men ye been,**  
 But tell me what sort of men you are,  
1711 **That been so hardy for to fighten heere**  
 Who are so bold as to fight here  
1712 **Withouten juge or oother officere,**  
 Without judge or other officer,  
1713 **As it were in a lystes roially."**  
 As it would be in a properly conducted duel,"  
1714 **This Palamon answerde hastily**  
 This Palamon answered hastily  
1715 **And seyde, "Sire, what nedeth wordes mo?**  
 And said, "Sire, what more words are needed?  
1716 **We have the deeth disserved bothe two.**  
 We have deserved the death, both of us two.  
1717 **Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves,**  
 Two woeful wretches are we, two miserable people,  
1718 **That been encombred of oure owene lyves;**  
 Who are burdened down by our own lives;  
1719 **And as thou art a rightful lord and juge,**  
 And as thou art a rightful lord and judge,  
1720 **Ne yif us neither mercy ne refuge,**  
 Give us neither mercy nor refuge,  
1721 **But sle me first, for seinte charitee!**  
 But slay me first, by holy charity!  
1722 **But sle my felawe eek as wel as me;**  
 But slay my fellow also as well as me;  
1723 **Or sle hym first, for though thow knowest it lite,**  
 Or slay him first, for though thou little knowest it,  
1724 **This is thy mortal foo, this is Arcite,**  
 This is thy mortal foe, this is Arcite,  
1725 **That fro thy lond is banysshed on his heed,**  
 Who is banished from thy land on (pain of losing) his head,  
1726 **For which he hath deserved to be deed.**  
 For which he has deserved to be dead.  
1727 **For this is he that cam unto thy gate**  
 For this is he that came unto thy gate  
1728 **And seyde that he highte Philostrate.**  
 And said that he was called Philostrate.  
1729 **Thus hath he japed thee ful many a yer,**  
 Thus has he tricked thee for many years,  
1730 **And thou hast maked hym thy chief squier;**  
 And thou hast made him thy chief squire;  
1731 **And this is he that loveth Emelye.**  
 And this is he that loves Emelye.  
1732 **For sith the day is come that I shal dye,**  
 For since the day is come that I must dye,  
1733 **I make pleynly my confessioun**  
 I make plainly my confession  
1734 **That I am thilke woful Palamoun**  
 That I am that same woeful Palamon  
1735 **That hath thy prisoun broken wikkedly.**  
 That wickedly has broken (out of) thy prison.  
1736 **I am thy mortal foo, and it am I**  
 I am thy mortal foe, and it is I  
1737 **That loveth so hoote Emelye the brighte**  
 Who loves the beautiful Emelye so passionately   
1738 **That I wol dye present in hir sighte.**  
 That I will die at this moment in her sight.  
1739 **Wherfore I axe deeth and my juwise;**  
 Therefore I ask death and my judicial sentence;  
1740 **But sle my felawe in the same wise,**  
 But slay my fellow in the same way,  
1741 **For bothe han we deserved to be slayn."**  
 For we have both deserved to be slain."  
1742 **This worthy duc answerde anon agayn,**  
 This worthy duke answered at once in reply,  
1743 **And seyde, "This is a short conclusioun.**  
 And said, "This is a brief (easy) decision.   
1744 **Youre owene mouth, by youre confessioun,**  
 Your own mouth, by your confession,  
1745 **Hath dampned yow, and I wol it recorde;**  
 Has condemned you, and I will pronounce it;  
1746 **It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde.**  
 There is no deed to torture you with the cord.  
1747 **Ye shal be deed, by myghty Mars the rede!"**  
 You shall be dead, by mighty Mars the red!"  
1748 **The queene anon, for verray wommanhede,**  
 The queen at once, for true womanliness,  
1749 **Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye,**  
 Began to weep, and so did Emelye,  
1750 **And alle the ladyes in the compaignye.**  
 And all the ladies in the company.  
1751 **Greet pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle,**  
 Great pity was it, as it seemed to them all,  
1752 **That evere swich a chaunce sholde falle,**  
 That ever such a misfortune should occur,  
1753 **For gentil men they were of greet estaat,**  
 For they were gentle men of high rank,  
1754 **And no thyng but for love was this debaat;**  
 And this debate was for nothing but love;  
1755 **And saugh hir blody woundes wyde and soore,**  
 And saw their bloody wounds wide and sore,  
1756 **And alle crieden, bothe lasse and moore,**  
 And all cried, both low ranking and high,  
1757 **"Have mercy, Lord, upon us wommen alle!"**  
 "Have mercy, Lord, upon all of us women!"  
1758 **And on hir bare knees adoun they falle**  
 And they fall down on their bare knees   
1759 **And wolde have kist his feet ther as he stood;**  
 And would have kissed his feet there where he stood;  
1760 **Til at the laste aslaked was his mood,**  
 Until at the last his mood was calmed,  
1761 **For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte.**  
 For pity comes soon to a gentle heart.  
1762 **And though he first for ire quook and sterte,**  
 And though he first for anger shook and trembled,  
1763 **He hath considered shortly, in a clause,**  
 He has considered shortly, in brief,  
1764 **The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause,**  
 The trespass of them both, and also the cause,  
1765 **And although that his ire hir gilt accused,**  
 And although his anger reproached them for their guilt,  
1766 **Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused,**  
 Yet in his reason he excused them both,  
1767 **As thus: he thoghte wel that every man**  
 As thus: he thought well that every man  
1768 **Wol helpe hymself in love, if that he kan,**  
 Will help himself in love, if he can,  
1769 **And eek delivere hymself out of prisoun.**  
 And also deliver himself out of prison.  
1770 **And eek his herte hadde compassioun**  
 And also his heart had compassion  
1771 **Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon,**  
 Of women, for they weep continually,  
1772 **And in his gentil herte he thoughte anon,**  
 And in his gentle heart he thought straightway,  
1773 **And softe unto hymself he seyde, "Fy**  
 And softly to himself he said, "Fie  
1774 **Upon a lord that wol have no mercy,**  
 Upon a lord that will have no mercy,  
1775 **But been a leon, bothe in word and dede,**  
 But be a lion, both in word and deed,  
1776 **To hem that been in repentaunce and drede,**  
 To those who are in repentance and fear,  
1777 **As wel as to a proud despitous man**  
 As well as to a proud, spiteful man  
1778 **That wol mayntene that he first bigan.**  
 Who will persist in what he first began.  
1779 **That lord hath litel of discrecioun,**  
 That lord has little sound judgment,  
1780 **That in swich cas kan no divisioun**  
 That in such cases knows no distinctions  
1781 **But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon."**  
 But considers pride and humility equal."  
1782 **And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon,**  
 And shortly, when his anger is thus gone,  
1783 **He gan to looken up with eyen lighte**  
 He began to look up with bright eyes   
1784 **And spak thise same wordes al on highte:**  
 And spoke these same words all aloud:  
1785 **"The god of love, a benedicite!**  
 "The god of love, ah, bless my soul!  
1786 **How myghty and how greet a lord is he!**  
 How mighty and how great a lord is he!  
1787 **Ayeyns his myght ther gayneth none obstacles.**  
 Against his power there avail no obstacles.  
1788 **He may be cleped a god for his myracles,**  
 He may be called a god for his miracles,  
1789 **For he kan maken, at his owene gyse,**  
 For he can make, as he pleases,  
1790 **Of everich herte as that hym list divyse.**  
 Of every heart whatever he wants to devise.  
1791 **Lo heere this Arcite and this Palamoun,**  
 Lo here this Arcite and this Palamon,  
1792 **That quitly weren out of my prisoun,**  
 Who freely were out of my prison,  
1793 **And myghte han lyved in Thebes roially,**  
 And could have lived royally in Thebes,  
1794 **And witen I am hir mortal enemy,**  
 And know I am their mortal enemy,  
1795 **And that hir deth lith in my myght also,**  
 And that their death lies in my power also,  
1796 **And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two,**  
 And yet has Love, despite anything they could do,  
1797 **Broght hem hyder bothe for to dye.**  
 Brought them both hither to die.  
1798 **Now looketh, is nat that an heigh folye?**  
 Now look, is that not a great folly?  
1799 **Who may been a fool but if he love?**  
 Who can be a fool unless he is in love?  
1800 **Bihoold, for Goddes sake that sit above,**  
 Behold, for the sake of God who sits above,  
1801 **Se how they blede! Be they noght wel arrayed?**  
 See how they bleed! Are they not in fine condition?  
1802 **Thus hath hir lord, the god of love, ypayed**  
 Thus has their lord, the god of love, paid  
1803 **Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse!**  
 Their wages and their fees for their service!  
1804 **And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse**  
 And yet they consider themselves very wise,  
1805 **That serven love, for aught that may bifalle.**  
 Those who serve love, whatever may happen.  
1806 **But this is yet the beste game of alle,**  
 But this is yet the best joke of all,  
1807 **That she for whom they han this jolitee**  
 That she for whom they have this sport  
1808 **Kan hem therfore as muche thank as me.**  
 Owes them as much gratitude for this as she owes me.  
1809 **She woot namoore of al this hoote fare,**  
 She knows no more of all this passionate business,  
1810 **By God, than woot a cokkow or an hare!**  
 By God, than knows a cuckoo or a hare!  
1811 **But all moot ben assayed, hoot and coold;**  
 But all must be tried, hot or cold;   
1812 **A man moot ben a fool, or yong or oold --**  
 A man must be a fool, either young or old --  
1813 **I woot it by myself ful yore agon,**  
 I know it by my own experience very long ago,  
1814 **For in my tyme a servant was I oon.**  
 For in my time I was a servant (of love).  
1815 **And therfore, syn I knowe of loves peyne**  
 And therefore, since I know of love's pain  
1816 **And woot hou soore it kan a man distreyne,**  
 And know how sorely it can afflict a man,  
1817 **As he that hath ben caught ofte in his laas,**  
 As one who has been often caught in its snare,  
1818 **I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespaas,**  
 I wholly forgive you this trespass,  
1819 **At requeste of the queene, that kneleth heere,**  
 At the request of the queen, who kneels here,  
1820 **And eek of Emelye, my suster deere.**  
 And also of Emelye, my dear sister.  
1821 **And ye shul bothe anon unto me swere**  
 And you must both immediately swear unto me   
1822 **That nevere mo ye shal my contree dere,**  
 That you shall never more harm my country,  
1823 **Ne make werre upon me nyght ne day,**  
 Nor make war upon me at any time,  
1824 **But been my freendes in all that ye may.**  
 But be my friends in all that you can.  
1825 **I yow foryeve this trespas every deel."**  
 I forgive you this trespass completely."  
1826 **And they hym sworen his axyng faire and weel,**  
 And they fairly and well swore to him (to do) his request,  
1827 **And hym of lordshipe and of mercy preyde,**  
 And prayed him to be their lord and to have mercy ,  
1828 **And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde:**  
 And he grants them his favor, and thus he said:  
1829 **"To speke of roial lynage and richesse,**  
 "To speak of royal lineage and riches,  
1830 **Though that she were a queene or a princesse,**  
 Though she were a queen or a princess,  
1831 **Ech of you bothe is worthy, doutelees,**  
 Each of you both is worthy, doubtless,  
1832 **To wedden whan tyme is; but nathelees --**  
 To wed when it is time; but none the less --  
1833 **I speke as for my suster Emelye,**  
 I speak for my sister Emelye,  
1834 **For whom ye have this strif and jalousye --**  
 For whom you have this strife and jealousy --  
1835 **Ye woot yourself she may nat wedden two**  
 You know yourself she can not wed two  
1836 **Atones, though ye fighten everemo,**  
 At once, though you were to fight for evermore,  
1837 **That oon of you, al be hym looth or lief,**  
 That one of you, whether he likes it or not,   
1838 **He moot go pipen in an yvy leef;**  
 He must go whistle in an ivy leaf;  
1839 **This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe,**  
 This is to say, she can not now have both,  
1840 **Al be ye never so jalouse ne so wrothe.**  
 Although you be never so jealous nor so angry.  
1841 **And forthy I yow putte in this degree,**  
 And therefore I put you in this situation,  
1842 **That ech of yow shal have his destynee**  
 That each of you shall have his destiny  
1843 **As hym is shape, and herkneth in what wyse;**  
 As is ordained for him, and listen in what way;  
1844 **Lo, heere youre ende of that I shal devyse.**  
 Lo, hear what I shall arrange for your fate.  
1845 **My wyl is this, for plat conclusioun,**  
 My will is this, for flat conclusion,  
1846 **Withouten any repplicacioun --**  
 Without any arguing --  
1847 **If that you liketh, take it for the beste:**  
 If this pleases you, take it for the best:  
1848 **That everich of you shal goon where hym leste**  
 That each one of you shall go where he pleases  
1849 **Frely, withouten raunson or daunger,**  
 Freely, without ransom or resistance,  
1850 **And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner,**  
 And fifty weeks from this day, more or less,  
1851 **Everich of you shal brynge an hundred knyghtes**  
 Each one of you shall bring a hundred knights  
1852 **Armed for lystes up at alle rightes,**  
 Armed up for the lists in all respects,  
1853 **Al redy to darreyne hire by bataille.**  
 All ready to decide the right to her by battle.  
1854 **And this bihote I yow withouten faille,**  
 And this I promise you without fail,  
1855 **Upon my trouthe, and as I am a knyght,**  
 Upon my word, and as I am a knight,  
1856 **That wheither of yow bothe that hath myght --**  
 That whichever of you both who has the power --  
1857 **This is to seyn, that wheither he or thow**  
 This is to say, that whether he or thou  
1858 **May with his hundred, as I spak of now,**  
 Can with his hundred, as I spoke of now,  
1859 **Sleen his contrarie, or out of lystes dryve,**  
 Slay his opponent, or drive him out of the lists ,  
1860 **Thanne shal I yeve Emelya to wyve**  
 Then I shall give Emelye as wife  
1861 **To whom that Fortune yeveth so fair a grace.**  
 To whom Fortune gives so good a gift (to win the battle).   
1862 **The lystes shal I maken in this place,**  
 I shall make the lists in this place,  
1863 **And God so wisly on my soule rewe**  
 And as God may surely have pity on my soul  
1864 **As I shal evene juge been and trewe.**  
 I shall be an impartial and true judge.  
1865 **Ye shul noon oother ende with me maken,**  
 You shall make no other agreement with me,  
1866 **That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken.**  
 (Save this:) that one of you must be dead or taken.  
1867 **And if yow thynketh this is weel ysayd,**  
 And if it seems to you that this is well said,  
1868 **Seyeth youre avys, and holdeth you apayd.**  
 Say your opinion, and consider yourself satisfied.  
1869 **This is youre ende and youre conclusioun."**  
 This is your (destined) end and your conclusion."  
1870 **Who looketh lightly now but Palamoun?**  
 Who but Palamon looks happy now?  
1871 **Who spryngeth up for joye but Arcite?**  
 Who springs up for joy but Arcite?  
1872 **Who kouthe telle, or who kouthe it endite,**  
 Who could tell, or who could describe in writing,  
1873 **The joye that is maked in the place**  
 The joy that is made in the place  
1874 **Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace?**  
 When Theseus has behaved so graciously?  
1875 **But doun on knees wente every maner wight,**  
 But down on knees went every sort of person,  
1876 **And thonked hym with al hir herte and myght,**  
 And thanked him with all their heart and might,  
1877 **And namely the Thebans often sithe.**  
 And especially the Thebans many times.  
1878 **And thus with good hope and with herte blithe**  
 And thus with good hope and with happy heart  
1879 **They taken hir leve, and homward gonne they ride**  
 They take their leave, and homeward did they ride  
1880 **To Thebes with his olde walles wyde.**  
 To Thebes with his old wide walls.

*Explicit secunda pars*  
The second part ends

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

*Sequitur pars tercia*  
The third part follows

1881 **I trowe men wolde deme it necligence**  
 I suppose men would consider it negligence  
1882 **If I foryete to tellen the dispence**  
 If I forget to tell the expenditure  
1883 **Of Theseus, that gooth so bisily**  
 Of Theseus, who goes (about) so busily  
1884 **To maken up the lystes roially,**  
 To build the lists royally,  
1885 **That swich a noble theatre as it was**  
 That such a noble theatre as it was  
1886 **I dar wel seyen in this world ther nas.**  
 I dare well say there was not (another such) in this world.  
1887 **The circuit a myle was aboute,**  
 The circumference was a mile around,  
1888 **Walled of stoon, and dyched al withoute.**  
 Walled with stone, and surrounded by a ditch.  
1889 **Round was the shap, in manere of compas,**  
 Round was the shape, in the manner of a circle,  
1890 **Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas,**  
 Full of tiers of seats, the height of sixty paces,  
1891 **That whan a man was set on o degree,**  
 That when a man was set on one tier of seats,  
1892 **He letted nat his felawe for to see.**  
 He did not hinder his fellow from seeing.  
1893 **Estward ther stood a gate of marbul whit,**  
 Eastward there stood a gate of white marble,  
1894 **Westward right swich another in the opposit.**  
 Westward just such another on the opposite (side).  
1895 **And shortly to concluden, swich a place**  
 And shortly to conclude, such a place  
1896 **Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space;**  
 Was none in earth, (constructed) in so little time;  
1897 **For in the lond ther was no crafty man**  
 For in the land there was no skilled man  
1898 **That geometrie or ars-metrike kan,**  
 Who knows geometry or arithmetic,  
1899 **Ne portreyour, ne kervere of ymages,**  
 Nor painter, nor carver of images,  
1900 **That Theseus ne yaf him mete and wages**  
 That Theseus did not give him food and wages  
1901 **The theatre for to maken and devyse.**  
 To make and devise the theatre.  
1902 **And for to doon his ryte and sacrifise,**  
 And to do his rite and sacrifice,  
1903 **He estward hath, upon the gate above,**  
 He has eastward, upon the gate above,  
1904 **In worshipe of Venus, goddesse of love,**  
 In worship of Venus, goddess of love,  
1905 **Doon make an auter and an oratorie;**  
 Had made an altar and a chapel;  
1906 **And on the gate westward, in memorie**  
 And on the westward gate, in memory  
1907 **Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another,**  
 Of Mars, he has made just such another,  
1908 **That coste largely of gold a fother.**  
 That cost fully a cartload of gold.  
1909 **And northward, in a touret on the wal,**  
 And northward, in a turret on the wall,  
1910 **Of alabastre whit and reed coral,**  
 Of white alabaster and red coral,  
1911 **An oratorie, riche for to see,**  
 A chapel, rich to look upon,  
1912 **In worshipe of Dyane of chastitee,**  
 In worship of Diana of chastity,  
1913 **Hath Theseus doon wroght in noble wyse.**  
 Has Theseus had made in noble style.  
1914 **But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse**  
 But yet had I forgotten to describe  
1915 **The noble kervyng and the portreitures,**  
 The noble sculpture and the portraits,  
1916 **The shap, the contenaunce, and the figures**  
 The shape, the appearance, and the figures  
1917 **That weren in thise oratories thre.**  
 That were in these three chapels.  
1918 **First in the temple of Venus maystow se**  
 First in the temple of Venus canst thou see  
1919 **Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde,**  
 Wrought on the wall, full piteous to behold,  
1920 **The broken slepes, and the sikes colde,**  
 The broken sleeps, and the cold sighs,  
1921 **The sacred teeris, and the waymentynge,**  
 The sacred tears, and the lamenting,  
1922 **The firy strokes of the desirynge**  
 The fiery strokes of the desiring  
1923 **That loves servantz in this lyf enduren;**  
 That love's servants endure in this life;  
1924 **The othes that hir covenantz assuren;**  
 The oaths that assure their covenants;  
1925 **Pleasance and Hope, Desir, Foolhardynesse,**  
 Pleasure and Hope, Desire, Foolhardiness,  
1926 **Beautee and Youthe, Bauderie, Richesse,**  
 Beauty and Youth, Mirth, Riches,  
1927 **Charmes and Force, Lesynges, Flaterye,**  
 Charms and Force, Lies, Flattery,  
1928 **Despense, Bisynesse, and Jalousye,**  
 Expenditures, Attentiveness, and Jealousy,  
1929 **That wered of yelewe gooldes a gerland,**  
 Who wore a garland of yellow marigolds,  
1930 **And a cokkow sittynge on hir hand;**  
 And a cuckoo sitting on her hand;  
1931 **Festes, instrumentz, caroles, daunces,**  
 Feasts, musical instruments, dance-songs, dances,  
1932 **Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces**  
 Desire and festivity, and all the details  
1933 **Of love, which that I rekned and rekne shal,**  
 Of love, which I recounted and shall recount,  
1934 **By ordre weren peynted on the wal,**  
 Were painted in sequence on the wall,  
1935 **And mo than I kan make of mencioun.**  
 And more than I can make mention of.  
1936 **For soothly al the mount of Citheroun,**  
 For truly all the mount of Cithaeron,  
1937 **Ther Venus hath hir principal dwellynge,**  
 Where Venus has her principal dwelling,  
1938 **Was shewed on the wal in portreyynge,**  
 Was shown on the wall in portraits,  
1939 **With al the gardyn and the lustynesse.**  
 With all the garden (of Love) and the pleasure.  
1940 **Nat was foryeten the porter, Ydelnesse,**  
 The porter, Idleness, was not forgotten   
1941 **Ne Narcisus the faire of yore agon,**  
 Nor the handsome Narcissus of many years ago,  
1942 **Ne yet the folye of kyng Salomon,**  
 Nor yet the folly of king Solomon,  
1943 **Ne yet the grete strengthe of Ercules --**  
 Nor yet the great strength of Hercules --  
1944 **Th'enchauntementz of Medea and Circes --**  
 The enchantments of Medea and Circes --  
1945 **Ne of Turnus, with the hardy fiers corage,**  
 Nor of Turnus, with the hardy fierce courage,  
1946 **The riche Cresus, kaytyf in servage.**  
 The riche Cresus, wretched in servitude.  
1947 **Thus may ye seen that wysdom ne richesse,**  
 Thus can you see that wisdom nor riches,  
1948 **Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardynesse,**  
 Beauty nor trickery, strength nor bravery,  
1949 **Ne may with Venus holde champartie,**  
 Can not share power with Venus,  
1950 **For as hir list the world than may she gye.**  
 For she may rule the world as she pleases.  
1951 **Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las,**  
 Lo, all these folk were so caught in her snare,  
1952 **Til they for wo ful ofte seyde "allas!"**  
 Until for woe they very often said "alas!"  
1953 **Suffiseth heere ensamples oon or two,**  
 One or two examples here suffice,  
1954 **And though I koude rekene a thousand mo.**  
 Even though I could recount a thousand more.  
1955 **The statue of Venus, glorious for to se,**  
 The statue of Venus, glorious to look upon,  
1956 **Was naked, fletynge in the large see,**  
 Was naked, floating in the large sea,  
1957 **And fro the navele doun al covered was**  
 And from the navel down all was covered   
1958 **With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas.**  
 With waves green and bright as any glass.  
1959 **A citole in hir right hand hadde she,**  
 She had a citole (zither-like instrument) in her right hand,  
1960 **And on hir heed, ful semely for to se,**  
 And on her head, very elegant to look upon,  
1961 **A rose gerland, fressh and wel smellynge;**  
 A rose garland, fresh and fragrant;  
1962 **Above hir heed hir dowves flikerynge.**  
 Above her head her doves fluttering.  
1963 **Biforn hire stood hir sone Cupido;**  
 Before her stood her son Cupid;  
1964 **Upon his shuldres wynges hadde he two,**  
 He had two wings upon his shoulders,  
1965 **And blynd he was, as it is often seene;**  
 And he was blind, as it is often seen;  
1966 **A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene.**  
 He carried a bow and arrows bright and keen.  
1967 **Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al**  
 Why should I not as well also tell you all  
1968 **The portreiture that was upon the wal**  
 The portraiture that was upon the wall  
1969 **Withinne the temple of myghty Mars the rede?**  
 Within the temple of mighty Mars the red?  
1970 **Al peynted was the wal, in lengthe and brede,**  
 All painted was the wall, in length and breadth,  
1971 **Lyk to the estres of the grisly place**  
 Like to the interior of the grisly place  
1972 **That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace,**  
 That is called the Great Temple of Mars in Thrace,  
1973 **In thilke colde, frosty regioun**  
 In that same cold, frosty region  
1974 **Ther as Mars hath his sovereyn mansioun.**  
 Where Mars has his most excellent mansion.   
1975 **First on the wal was peynted a forest,**  
 First a forest was painted on the wall,  
1976 **In which ther dwelleth neither man ne best,**  
 In which there dwells neither man nor beast,  
1977 **With knotty, knarry, bareyne trees olde,**  
 With knotty, gnarled, barren old trees,  
1978 **Of stubbes sharpe and hidouse to biholde,**  
 Of stumps sharp and hideous to behold,  
1979 **In which ther ran a rumbel in a swough,**  
 Through which there ran a rumbling in a moaning of wind,  
1980 **As though a storm sholde bresten every bough.**  
 As though a storm should burst every bough.  
1981 **And dounward from an hille, under a bente,**  
 And downward from a hill, close to a grassy slope,  
1982 **Ther stood the temple of Mars armypotente,**  
 There stood the temple of Mars, powerful in arms,  
1983 **Wroght al of burned steel, of which the entree**  
 Wrought all of burnished steel, of which the entry  
1984 **Was long and streit, and gastly for to se.**  
 Was long and narrow, and frightening to look upon.   
1985 **And therout came a rage and swich a veze**  
 And out of there came a rush of wind and such a blast  
1986 **That it made al the gate for to rese.**  
 That it made all the gate to shake.  
1987 **The northren lyght in at the dores shoon,**  
 The northern light shone in at the doors,  
1988 **For wyndowe on the wal ne was ther noon,**  
 For there was no window on the wall,  
1989 **Thurgh which men myghten any light discerne.**  
 Through which men might discern any light.  
1990 **The dore was al of adamant eterne,**  
 The door was all of eternal adamant (hardest of stones),  
1991 **Yclenched overthwart and endelong**  
 Bound crosswise and lengthwise   
1992 **With iren tough; and for to make it strong,**  
 With tough iron; and to make it strong,  
1993 **Every pyler, the temple to sustene,**  
 Every pillar, to support the temple,  
1994 **Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene.**  
 Was big as a large barrel, (made) of iron bright and shining.  
1995 **Ther saugh I first the derke ymaginyng**  
 There I saw first the malicious plotting  
1996 **Of Felonye, and al the compassyng;**  
 Of Felony, and all the scheming;  
1997 **The crueel Ire, reed as any gleede;**  
 The cruel Anger, red as any glowing coal;  
1998 **The pykepurs, and eek the pale Drede;**  
 The pick-purse, and also the pale Fear;  
1999 **The smylere with the knyf under the cloke;**  
 The smiler with the knife under the cloak;  
2000 **The shepne brennynge with the blake smoke;**  
 The stable burning with the black smoke;  
2001 **The tresoun of the mordrynge in the bedde;**  
 The treason of the murdering in the bed;  
2002 **The open werre, with woundes al bibledde;**  
 The open war, all covered with blood from wounds:  
2003 **Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace.**  
 Strife, with bloody knife and sharp menacing.  
2004 **Al ful of chirkyng was that sory place.**  
 All full of creaking was that sorry place.  
2005 **The sleere of hymself yet saugh I ther --**  
 There yet I saw slayer of himself there --  
2006 **His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer --**  
 His heart-blood has bathed all his hair --  
2007 **The nayl ydryven in the shode anyght;**  
 The nail driven in the top of the head at night;  
2008 **The colde deeth, with mouth gapyng upright.**  
 The cold death, with mouth gaping upwards.  
2009 **Amyddes of the temple sat Meschaunce,**  
 Amidst the temple sat Misfortune,  
2010 **With disconfort and sory contenaunce.**  
 With grief and sorry countenance.  
2011 **Yet saugh I Woodnesse, laughynge in his rage,**  
 Yet I saw Madness, laughing in his rage,  
2012 **Armed Compleint, Outhees, and fiers Outrage;**  
 Armed Discontent, Alarm, and fierce Violence;  
2013 **The careyne in the busk, with throte ycorve;**  
 The corpse in the woods, with (its) throat cut;  
2014 **A thousand slayn, and nat of qualm ystorve;**  
 A thousand slain, and not killed by the plague;  
2015 **The tiraunt, with the pray by force yraft;**  
 The tyrant, with his prey taken by force;  
2016 **The toun destroyed, ther was no thyng laft.**  
 The town destroyed, there was nothing left.  
2017 **Yet saugh I brent the shippes hoppesteres;**  
 Yet I saw burned the ships dancing (on the waves);  
2018 **The hunte strangled with the wilde beres;**  
 The hunter killed by the wild bears;  
2019 **The sowe freten the child right in the cradel;**  
 The sow devouring the child right in the cradle;  
2020 **The cook yscalded, for al his longe ladel.**  
 The cook scalded, despite his long-handled spoon.  
2021 **Noght was foryeten by the infortune of Marte.**  
 Nothing concerning the evil influence of Mars was forgotten.  
2022 **The cartere overryden with his carte --**  
 The wagon driver run over by his wagon --   
2023 **Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun.**  
 He lay down full low under the wheel.  
2024 **Ther were also, of Martes divisioun,**  
 There were also, of those influenced by Mars,  
2025 **The barbour, and the bocher, and the smyth,**  
 The barber, and the butcher, and the smith,  
2026 **That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his styth.**  
 Who forges sharp swords on his anvil.  
2027 **And al above, depeynted in a tour,**  
 And all above, painted in a tower,  
2028 **Saugh I Conquest, sittynge in greet honour,**  
 I saw conquest, sitting in great honor,  
2029 **With the sharpe swerd over his heed**  
 With the sharp sword over his head  
2030 **Hangynge by a soutil twynes threed.**  
 Hanging by a thin thread of twine.  
2031 **Depeynted was the slaughtre of Julius,**  
 Depicted was the slaughter of Julius,  
2032 **Of grete Nero, and of Antonius;**  
 Of great Nero, and of Antonius;  
2033 **Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn,**  
 Although at that same time they were unborn,  
2034 **Yet was hir deth depeynted ther-biforn**  
 Yet was their death depicted before then  
2035 **By manasynge of Mars, right by figure;**  
 By menacing of Mars, according to the horoscope;  
2036 **So was it shewed in that portreiture,**  
 So was it shown in that portraiture,  
2037 **As is depeynted in the sterres above**  
 As is depicted in the stars above  
2038 **Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love.**  
 Who shall be slain or else dead for love.  
2039 **Suffiseth oon ensample in stories olde;**  
 Suffices one illustrative tale in old histories;   
2040 **I may nat rekene hem alle though I wolde.**  
 I can not recount them all even if I desired to.  
2041 **The statue of Mars upon a carte stood**  
 The statue of Mars stood upon a chariot  
2042 **Armed, and looked grym as he were wood;**  
 Armed, and looked as grim as if he were mad;  
2043 **And over his heed ther shynen two figures**  
 And over his head there shine two figures  
2044 **Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures,**  
 Of stars, that are called in books,  
2045 **That oon Puella, that oother Rubeus --**  
 That one Puella, that other Rubeus --  
2046 **This god of armes was arrayed thus.**  
 This god of arms was arrayed thus.  
2047 **A wolf ther stood biforn hym at his feet**  
 A wolf stood there before him at his feet  
2048 **With eyen rede, and of a man he eet;**  
 With red eyes, and he ate of a man;  
2049 **With soutil pencel was depeynted this storie**  
 With subtle brush was depicted this story  
2050 **In redoutynge of Mars and of his glorie.**  
 In reverence of Mars and of his glory.  
  
2051 **Now to the temple of Dyane the chaste,**  
 Now to the temple of Diana the chaste,  
2052 **As shortly as I kan, I wol me haste,**  
 As briefly as I can, I will hasten myself,  
2053 **To telle yow al the descripsioun.**  
 To tell you all the description.  
2054 **Depeynted been the walles up and doun**  
 The walls are painted all over  
2055 **Of huntyng and of shamefast chastitee.**  
 (With scenes) of hunting and of modest chastity.  
2056 **Ther saugh I how woful Calistopee,**  
 There I saw how woeful Callisto,  
2057 **Whan that Diane agreved was with here,**  
 When Diana was angry with her,  
2058 **Was turned from a womman til a bere,**  
 Was turned from a woman into a bear,  
2059 **And after was she maad the loode-sterre.**  
 And after she was made the North Star  
2060 **Thus was it peynted; I kan sey yow no ferre.**  
 Thus was it painted; I can tell you no more.  
2061 **Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see.**  
 Her son is also a star, as one can see.  
2062 **Ther saugh I Dane, yturned til a tree --**  
 There I saw Daphne, turned into a tree --  
2063 **I mene nat the goddesse Diane,**  
 I mean not the goddess Diana,  
2064 **But Penneus doghter, which that highte Dane.**  
 But Penneus' daughter, who is called Daphne.  
2065 **Ther saugh I Attheon an hert ymaked,**  
 There I saw Actaeon changed into a hart,  
2066 **For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked;**  
 For vengeance that he saw Diana all naked;  
2067 **I saugh how that his houndes have hym caught**  
 I saw how his hounds have caught him   
2068 **And freeten hym, for that they knewe hym naught.**  
 And devoured him, because they did not know him.  
2069 **Yet peynted was a litel forther moor**  
 Yet was painted a little further on   
2070 **How Atthalante hunted the wilde boor,**  
 How Atalanta hunted the wild boar,  
2071 **And Meleagre, and many another mo,**  
 And Meleager, and many more others,  
2072 **For which Dyane wroghte hym care and wo.**  
 For which Diana wrought him care and woe.  
2073 **Ther saugh I many another wonder storie,**  
 There I saw many another wonderful story,  
2074 **The which me list nat drawen to memorie.**  
 The which I do not desire to call to mind.  
2075 **This goddesse on an hert ful hye seet,**  
 This goddess sat full high on a hart,  
2076 **With smale houndes al aboute hir feet,**  
 With small hounds all about her feet,  
2077 **And undernethe hir feet she hadde a moone --**  
 And underneath her feet she had a moon --  
2078 **Wexynge it was and sholde wanye soone.**  
 Waxing it was and should wane soon.  
2079 **In gaude grene hir statue clothed was,**  
 Her statue was clothed in yellowish green,  
2080 **With bowe in honde and arwes in a cas.**  
 With bow in hand and arrows in a quiver.  
2081 **Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun**  
 She cast her eyes down full low   
2082 **Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun.**  
 Where Pluto has his dark region.  
2083 **A womman travaillynge was hire biforn;**  
 A woman in childbirth was before her;  
2084 **But for hir child so longe was unborn,**  
 But because her child was so long unborn,  
2085 **Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle**  
 Very piteously did she call on Lucina   
2086 **And seyde, "Help, for thou mayst best of alle!"**  
 And said, "Help, for thou canst (do so) best of all!"  
2087 **Wel koude he peynten lifly that it wroghte;**  
 He who made it well knew how to paint in a life-like manner;  
2088 **With many a floryn he the hewes boghte.**  
 With many a florin he bought the paints.  
2089 **Now been thise lystes maad, and Theseus,**  
 Now these lists are made, and Theseus,  
2090 **That at his grete cost arrayed thus**  
 Who at his great cost thus prepared  
2091 **The temples and the theatre every deel,**  
 The temples and the theatre in all respects,  
2092 **Whan it was doon, hym lyked wonder weel.**  
 When it was done, it greatly pleased him.  
2093 **But stynte I wole of Theseus a lite,**  
 But I will stop speaking of Theseus a little while,  
2094 **And speke of Palamon and of Arcite.**  
 And speak of Palamon and of Arcite.  
2095 **The day approcheth of hir retournynge,**  
 The day of their return approaches,  
2096 **That everich sholde an hundred knyghtes brynge**  
 When each one should bring a hundred knights  
2097 **The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde.**  
 To decide the battle, as I told you.  
2098 **And til Atthenes, hir covenant for to holde,**  
 And to Athens, to keep their agreement,  
2099 **Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knyghtes,**  
 Each one of them has brought a hundred knights,  
2100 **Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes.**  
 Well armed for the battle in all respects.  
2101 **And sikerly ther trowed many a man**  
 And surely many a man there believed  
2102 **That nevere, sithen that the world bigan,**  
 That never, since the world began,  
2103 **As for to speke of knyghthod of hir hond,**  
 To speak of knighthood of (the deeds of) their hand,  
2104 **As fer as God hath maked see or lond,**  
 As far as God has made sea or land,  
2105 **Nas of so fewe so noble a compaignye.**  
 Was not of so few so noble a company.  
2106 **For every wight that lovede chivalrye**  
 For every person that loved chivalry  
2107 **And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name,**  
 And would, willingly, have an outstanding reputation  
2108 **Hath preyed that he myghte been of that game;**  
 Has prayed that he might participate in that game;  
2109 **And wel was hym that therto chosen was,**  
 And well it was for him who was chosen to be there,  
2110 **For if ther fille tomorwe swich a cas,**  
 For if there fell tomorrow such a situation,  
2111 **Ye knowen wel that every lusty knyght**  
 You know well that every vigorous knight  
2112 **That loveth paramours and hath his myght,**  
 Who loves passionately and has his might,  
2113 **Were it in Engelond or elleswhere,**  
 Were it in England or elsewhere,  
2114 **They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there --**  
 They would, willingly, desire to be there --  
2115 **To fighte for a lady, benedicitee!**  
 To fight for a lady, bless me!   
2116 **It were a lusty sighte for to see.**  
 It would be a pleasing sight to see.  
2117 **And right so ferden they with Palamon.**  
 And right so fared those with Palamon.  
2118 **With hym ther wenten knyghtes many on;**  
 With him there went knights many a one;  
2119 **Som wol ben armed in an haubergeoun,**  
 One of them will be armed in a coat of mail,  
2120 **And in a brestplate and a light gypoun;**  
 And in a breastplate and a light tunic;  
2121 **And som wol have a paire plates large;**  
 And one of them will have a set of plate armor;  
2122 **And som wol have a Pruce sheeld or a targe;**  
 And one of them will have a Prussian shield or a buckler;  
2123 **Som wol ben armed on his legges weel,**  
 One of them will be well armed on his legs,  
2124 **And have an ax, and som a mace of steel --**  
 And have an axe, and one a mace of steel --  
2125 **Ther is no newe gyse that it nas old.**  
 There is no new fashion that has not been old.  
2126 **Armed were they, as I have yow told,**  
 They were armed, as I have told you,  
2127 **Everych after his opinioun.**  
 Every one according to his preference.  
2128 **Ther maistow seen, comynge with Palamoun,**  
 There mayst thou seen, coming with Palamon,  
2129 **Lygurge hymself, the grete kyng of Trace.**  
 Lycurgus himself, the great king of Thrace.  
2130 **Blak was his berd, and manly was his face;**  
 Black was his beard, and manly was his face;  
2131 **The cercles of his eyen in his heed,**  
 The circles of his eyes in his head,  
2132 **They gloweden bitwixen yelow and reed,**  
 They glowed between yellow and red,  
2133 **And lik a grifphon looked he aboute,**  
 And he looked about like a griffin (with an eagle's head),  
2134 **With kempe heeris on his browes stoute;**  
 With shaggy hairs on his stout brows;  
2135 **His lymes grete, his brawnes harde and stronge,**  
 His limbs large, his muscles hard and strong,  
2136 **His shuldres brode, his armes rounde and longe;**  
 His shoulders broad, his arms round and long;  
2137 **And as the gyse was in his contree,**  
 And as was the fashion in his country,  
2138 **Ful hye upon a chaar of gold stood he,**  
 He stood full high upon a chariot of gold,  
2139 **With foure white boles in the trays.**  
 With four white bulls in the traces.  
2140 **In stede of cote-armure over his harnays,**  
 Instead of a tunic with his coat of arms over his armor,  
2141 **With nayles yelewe and brighte as any gold,**  
 With claws yellow and bright as any gold,   
2142 **He hadde a beres skyn, col-blak for old.**  
 He had a bear's skin, coal-black because of age.  
2143 **His longe heer was kembd bihynde his bak;**  
 His long hair was combed behind his back;  
2144 **As any ravenes fethere it shoon for blak;**  
 Like any raven's feather it shone because of its blackness;  
2145 **A wrethe of gold, arm-greet, of huge wighte,**  
 A wreath of gold, thick as an arm, of huge weight,  
2146 **Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte,**  
 Upon his head, set full of bright stones,  
2147 **Of fyne rubyes and of dyamauntz.**  
 Of fine rubies and of diamonds.  
2148 **Aboute his chaar ther wenten white alauntz,**  
 About his chariot there went white wolfhounds,  
2149 **Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer,**  
 Twenty and more, as big as any steer,  
2150 **To hunten at the leoun or the deer,**  
 To hunt for the lion or the deer,  
2151 **And folwed hym with mosel faste ybounde,**  
 And followed him with muzzles securely bound,  
2152 **Colered of gold, and tourettes fyled rounde.**  
 Wearing collars of gold, and rings for leashes filed round.  
2153 **An hundred lordes hadde he in his route,**  
 He had a hundred lords in his company,  
2154 **Armed ful wel, with hertes stierne and stoute.**  
 Very well armed, with stern and stout hearts.  
2155 **With Arcita, in stories as men fynde,**  
 With Arcite, as people find in histories,  
2156 **The grete Emetreus, the kyng of Inde,**  
 The great Emetreus, the king of India,  
2157 **Upon a steede bay trapped in steel,**  
 Upon a reddish-brown steed with trappings of steel,  
2158 **Covered in clooth of gold, dyapred weel,**  
 Covered in cloth of gold, well decorated (with geometric patterns),  
2159 **Cam ridynge lyk the god of armes, Mars.**  
 Came riding like the god of arms, Mars.  
2160 **His cote-armure was of clooth of Tars**  
 His tunic with his coat of arms was of cloth of Tarsia (in Turkestan)  
2161 **Couched with perles white and rounde and grete;**  
 Adorned with pearls white and round and big;  
2162 **His sadel was of brend gold newe ybete;**  
 His saddle was newly adorned with pure gold;  
2163 **A mantelet upon his shulder hangynge,**  
 A short cloak hanging upon his shoulder,  
2164 **Bret-ful of rubyes rede as fyr sparklynge;**  
 Brimful of rubies red as sparkling fire;  
2165 **His crispe heer lyk rynges was yronne,**  
 His curly hair like rings was run (fashioned),  
2166 **And that was yelow, and glytered as the sonne.**  
 And that was yellow, and glittered like the sun.  
2167 **His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn,**  
 His nose was high, his eyes bright lemon yellow,  
2168 **His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn;**  
 His lips round, his color was ruddy;  
2169 **A fewe frakenes in his face yspreynd,**  
 A few freckles were sprinkled in his face,  
2170 **Bitwixen yelow and somdel blak ymeynd;**  
 Between yellow and somewhat mingled with black;  
2171 **And as a leon he his lookyng caste.**  
 And as a lion he cast about his look.  
2172 **Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste.**  
 I reckon his age at five and twenty years.  
2173 **His berd was wel bigonne for to sprynge;**  
 His beard had well begun to spring;  
2174 **His voys was as a trompe thonderynge.**  
 His voice was like a trumpet thundering.  
2175 **Upon his heed he wered of laurer grene**  
 Upon his head he wore of green laurel   
2176 **A gerland, fressh and lusty for to sene.**   
 A garland, fresh and pleasing to look upon.  
2177 **Upon his hand he bar for his deduyt**  
 Upon his hand he carried for his delight  
2178 **An egle tame, as any lilye whyt.**  
 A tame eagle, white as any lily.  
2179 **An hundred lordes hadde he with hym there,**  
 He had a hundred lords with him there,  
2180 **Al armed, save hir heddes, in al hir gere,**  
 All armed, except for their heads, in all their equipment,  
2181 **Ful richely in alle maner thynges.**  
 Very richly in every detail.  
2182 **For trusteth wel that dukes, erles, kynges**  
 For trust well that dukes, earls, kings  
2183 **Were gadered in this noble compaignye,**  
 Were gathered in this noble company,  
2184 **For love and for encrees of chivalrye.**  
 For love and for the benefit of chivalry.  
2185 **Aboute this kyng ther ran on every part**  
 About this king there ran on all sides   
2186 **Ful many a tame leon and leopart.**  
 Full many a tame lion and leopard.  
2187 **And in this wise thise lordes, alle and some,**  
 And in this manner these lords, one and all,  
2188 **Been on the Sonday to the citee come**  
 Are come to the city on the Sunday   
2189 **Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight.**  
 About nine a.m., and in the town dismounted.  
2190 **This Theseus, this duc, this worthy knyght,**  
 This Theseus, this duke, this worthy knight,  
2191 **Whan he had broght hem into his citee,**  
 When he had brought them into his city,  
2192 **And inned hem, everich at his degree,**  
 And provided them lodging, each one according to his rank,  
2193 **He festeth hem, and dooth so greet labour**  
 He feasts them, and does such great labor  
2194 **To esen hem and doon hem al honour**  
 To entertain them and do them all honor  
2195 **That yet men wenen that no mannes wit**  
 That people still believe that the wit of no man  
2196 **Of noon estaat ne koude amenden it.**  
 Of any rank could do better.  
2197 **The mynstralcye, the service at the feeste,**  
 The music, the service at the feast,  
2198 **The grete yiftes to the meeste and leeste,**  
 The great gifts to every one,  
2199 **The riche array of Theseus paleys,**  
 The rich adornment of Theseus' palace,  
2200 **Ne who sat first ne last upon the deys,**  
 Nor who sat first nor last upon the dais,  
2201 **What ladyes fairest been or best daunsynge,**  
 What ladies are fairest or best in dancing,  
2202 **Or which of hem kan dauncen best and synge,**  
 Or which of them can dance best and sing,  
2203 **Ne who moost felyngly speketh of love;**  
 Nor who speaks most feelingly of love;  
2204 **What haukes sitten on the perche above,**  
 What hawks sit on the perch above,  
2205 **What houndes liggen on the floor adoun --**  
 What hounds lie down on the floor --  
2206 **Of al this make I now no mencioun,**  
 I now make no mention of all this,  
2207 **But al th' effect; that thynketh me the beste.**  
 But (speak only) of the substance; that seems to me the best.   
2208 **Now cometh the point, and herkneth if yow leste.**  
 Now comes the point, and listen if you please.  
2209 **The Sonday nyght, er day bigan to sprynge,**  
 The Sunday night, before day began to spring,  
2210 **Whan Palamon the larke herde synge**  
 When Palamon heard the lark sing  
2211 **(Although it nere nat day by houres two,**  
 (Although it was not day by two hours,  
2212 **Yet the larke sang) and Palamon right then**  
 Yet sang the lark) and Palamon right then  
2213 **With hooly herte and with an heigh corage,**  
 With pious heart and with a noble disposition,  
2214 **He roos to wenden on his pilgrymage**  
 He rose to go on his pilgrimage  
2215 **Unto the blissful Citherea benign --**  
 To the blessed gracious Citherea --   
2216 **I mene Venus, honurable and digne.**  
 I mean Venus, honorable and worshipful.  
2217 **And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas**  
 And in her (planetary) hour he walks forth slowly  
2218 **Unto the lystes ther hire temple was,**  
 Unto the lists where her temple was,  
2219 **And doun he kneleth, and with humble cheere**  
 And down he kneels, and with humble expression  
2220 **And herte soor he seyde as ye shal heere:**  
 And painful heart he said as you shall hear:  
2221 **"Faireste of faire, O lady myn, Venus,**  
 "Fairest of the fair, O lady mine, Venus,  
2222 **Doughter to Jove and spouse of Vulcanus,**  
 Daughter to Jove and spouse of Vulcan,  
2223 **Thow gladere of the mount of Citheron,**  
 Thou maker of joy of the mount of Citheron,  
2224 **For thilke love thow haddest to Adoon,**  
 For that same love thou haddest to Adonis,  
2225 **Have pitee of my bittre teeris smerte,**  
 Have pity on my bitter, smarting tears,  
2226 **And taak myn humble preyere at thyn herte.**  
 And take my humble prayer to thy heart.  
2227 **Allas! I ne have no langage to telle**  
 Alas! I do not have any language to tell  
2228 **Th'effectes ne the tormentz of myn helle;**  
 The effects nor the torments of my hell;  
2229 **Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye;**  
 My heart can not reveal my harms;  
2230 **I am so confus that I kan noght seye**  
 I am so befuddled that I can not say (anything)  
2231 **But `Mercy, lady bright, that knowest weele**  
 But `Mercy, lady bright, who knowest well  
2232 **My thought and seest what harmes that I feele!'**  
 My thought and seest what harms I feel!'  
2233 **Considere al this and rewe upon my soore,**  
 Consider all this and have pity upon my pain,  
2234 **As wisly as I shal for everemoore,**  
 As surely as I shall for evermore,  
2235 **Emforth my myght, thy trewe servant be,**  
 According to my power (as much as I can), be thy true servant,  
2236 **And holden werre alwey with chastitee.**  
 And make war always against chastity.  
2237 **That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe!**  
 I make that my vow, providing you help me!  
2238 **I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe,**  
 I care not to boast of arms   
2239 **Ne I ne axe nat tomorwe to have victorie,**  
 Nor do I ask to have victory tomorrow,  
2240 **Ne renoun in this cas, ne veyne glorie**  
 Nor renown in this case, nor vain glory  
2241 **Of pris of armes blowen up and doun;**  
 Nor fame for deeds of arms proclaimed everywhere;  
2242 **But I wolde have fully possessioun**  
 But I would have fully possession  
2243 **Of Emelye, and dye in thy servyse.**  
 Of Emelye, and die in thy service.  
2244 **Fynd thow the manere hou and in what wyse:**  
 Find thou the manner how and in what way:  
2245 **I recche nat but it may bettre be**  
 I care not if it may better be  
2246 **To have victorie of hem, or they of me,**  
 To have victory over them, or they over me,  
2247 **So that I have my lady in myne armes.**  
 So that I have my lady in my arms.  
2248 **For though so be that Mars is god of armes,**  
 For though it be true that Mars is god of arms,  
2249 **Youre vertu is so greet in hevene above**  
 Your power is so great in heaven above  
2250 **That if yow list, I shal wel have my love.**  
 That if you please, I shall well have my love.  
2251 **Thy temple wol I worshipe everemo,**  
 I will worship thy temple evermore,  
2252 **And on thyn auter, where I ride or go,**  
 And on thy altar, whether I ride or walk (whatever I do),  
2253 **I wol doon sacrifice and fires beete.**  
 I will do sacrifice and kindle fires.  
2254 **And if ye wol nat so, my lady sweete,**  
 And if you will not (do) so, my lady sweet,  
2255 **Thanne preye I thee, tomorwe with a spere**  
 Then I pray thee, tomorrow with a spear  
2256 **That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere.**  
 That Arcite stab me through the heart.  
2257 **Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf,**  
 Then I care not, when I have lost my life,  
2258 **Though that Arcita wynne hire to his wyf.**  
 Though Arcite win her to be his wife.  
2259 **This is th'effect and ende of my preyere:**  
 This is the substance and goal of my prayer:  
2260 **Yif me my love, thow blisful lady deere."**  
 Give me my love, thou blessed dear lady."  
2261 **Whan the orison was doon of Palamon,**  
 When the prayer of Palamon was done,  
2262 **His sacrifice he dide, and that anon,**  
 He did his sacrifice, and that quickly,  
2263 **Ful pitously, with alle circumstaunces,**  
 Full piteously, with all due ceremony,  
2264 **Al telle I noght as now his observaunces;**  
 Although I tell not now his observances;  
2265 **But atte laste the statue of Venus shook,**  
 But at the last the statue of Venus shook,  
2266 **And made a signe, wherby that he took**  
 And made a sign, whereby he understood  
2267 **That his preyere accepted was that day.**  
 That his prayer was accepted that day.  
2268 **For thogh the signe shewed a delay,**  
 For though the sign showed a delay,  
2269 **Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his boone,**  
 Yet he knew well that his request was granted,  
2270 **And with glad herte he wente hym hoom ful soone.**  
 And with glad heart he went home very soon.  
2271 **The thridde houre inequal that Palamon**  
 The third planetary hour after Palamon  
2272 **Bigan to Venus temple for to gon,**  
 Began to go to Venus' temple,  
2273 **Up roos the sonne, and up roos Emelye**  
 Up rose the sun, and up rose Emelye  
2274 **And to the temple of Dyane gan hye.**  
 And to the temple of Diana did hasten.  
2275 **Hir maydens, that she thider with hire ladde,**  
 Her maidens, whom she led thither with her,  
2276 **Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde,**  
 They had the fire full readily with them,  
2277 **Th'encens, the clothes, and the remenant al**  
 The incense, the cloths, and all the rest  
2278 **That to the sacrifice longen shal;**  
 That is needed for the sacrifice;  
2279 **The hornes fulle of meeth, as was the gyse --**  
 The horns full of mead, as was the custom --  
2280 **Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifise.**  
 There lacked nothing (needed) to do her sacrifice.  
2281 **Smokynge the temple, ful of clothes faire,**  
 The temple smoking (with incense), full of fair cloths,  
2282 **This Emelye, with herte debonaire,**  
 This Emelye, with gentle heart,  
2283 **Hir body wessh with water of a welle.**  
 Washed her body with water of a well.  
2284 **But hou she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle,**  
 But how she did her rite I dare not tell,  
2285 **But it be any thing in general;**  
 Unless it be some thing in general;   
2286 **And yet it were a game to heeren al.**  
 And yet it would be a pleasure to hear all.  
2287 **To hym that meneth wel it were no charge;**  
 To one who means well it would be no matter of concern;  
2288 **But it is good a man been at his large.**  
 But it is good for a man to be without restriction (speak freely).  
2289 **Hir brighte heer was kembd, untressed al;**  
 Her bright hair was combed, all loose;  
2290 **A coroune of a grene ook cerial**  
 A crown of an evergreen oak   
2291 **Upon hir heed was set ful fair and meete.**  
 Was set upon her head full fair and suitable.  
2292 **Two fyres on the auter gan she beete,**  
 Two fires on the altar did she kindle,  
2293 **And dide hir thynges, as men may biholde**  
 And did her duties, as men can behold  
2294 **In Stace of Thebes and thise bookes olde.**  
 In Statius' *Thebaid* and such old books.  
2295 **Whan kyndled was the fyr, with pitous cheere**  
 When the fire was kindled, with a pitiful expression  
2296 **Unto Dyane she spak as ye may heere:**  
 Unto Diana she spoke as you may hear:  
2297 **"O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene,**  
 "O chaste goddess of the green woods,  
2298 **To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene,**  
 To whom both heaven and earth and sea is visible,  
2299 **Queene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe,**  
 Queen of the dark and low reign of Pluto,  
2300 **Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe**  
 Goddess of maidens, whom my heart hast known  
2301 **Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire,**  
 Full many a year, and knowest what I desire,  
2302 **As keepe me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire,**  
 Keep me from thy vengeance and thy ire,  
2303 **That Attheon aboughte cruelly.**  
 Which Acteon paid for cruelly.  
2304 **Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I**  
 Chaste goddess, well knowest thou that I  
2305 **Desire to ben a mayden al my lyf,**  
 Desire to be a maiden all my life,  
2306 **Ne nevere wol I be no love ne wyf.**  
 Nor never will I be no lover nor wife.  
2307 **I am, thow woost, yet of thy compaignye,**  
 I am, thou knowest, yet of thy company,  
2308 **A mayde, and love huntynge and venerye,**  
 A maiden, and love hunting and the chase,  
2309 **And for to walken in the wodes wilde,**  
 And to walk in the wild woods,  
2310 **And noght to ben a wyf and be with childe.**  
 And not to be a wife and be with child.  
2311 **Noght wol I knowe compaignye of man.**  
 I do not desire to know company of man.  
2312 **Now help me, lady, sith ye may and kan,**  
 Now help me, lady, since you can and know how,  
2313 **For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.**  
 For those three forms that thou hast in thee.  
2314 **And Palamon, that hath swich love to me,**  
 And Palamon, that has such love to me,  
2315 **And eek Arcite, that loveth me so soore,**  
 And also Arcite, who loves me so painfully,  
2316 **This grace I preye thee withoute moore,**  
 This grace I pray thee and ask no more,  
2317 **As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two,**  
 Send love and peace between them two,  
2318 **And fro me turne awey hir hertes so**  
 And turn away their hearts from me so  
2319 **That al hire hoote love and hir desir,**  
 That all their hot love and their desire,  
2320 **And al hir bisy torment, and hir fir**  
 And all their intense torment, and their fire  
2321 **Be queynt, or turned in another place.**  
 Will be quenched, or turned to another place.  
2322 **And if so be thou wolt nat do me grace,**  
 And if it so be thou wilt not do me grace,  
2323 **Or if my destynee be shapen so**  
 Or if my destiny is shaped so  
2324 **That I shal nedes have oon of hem two,**  
 That I must by necessity have one of them two,  
2325 **As sende me hym that moost desireth me.**  
 Send me him who most desires me.  
2326 **Bihoold, goddesse of clene chastitee,**  
 Behold, goddess of clean chastity,  
2327 **The bittre teeris that on my chekes falle.**  
 The bitter tears that fall on my cheeks.  
2328 **Syn thou art mayde and kepere of us alle,**  
 Since thou art maiden and guardian of us all,  
2329 **My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve,**  
 Thou care for and well conserve my maidenhood,  
2330 **And whil I lyve, a mayde I wol thee serve."**  
 And while I live, as a maiden I will serve thee."  
2331 **The fires brenne upon the auter cleere,**  
 The fires burn brightly upon the altar,  
2332 **Whil Emelye was thus in hir preyere.**  
 While Emelye was thus in her prayer.  
2333 **But sodeynly she saugh a sighte queynte,**  
 But suddenly she saw a curious sight,  
2334 **For right anon oon of the fyres queynte**  
 For right away one of the fires quenched  
2335 **And quyked agayn, and after that anon**  
 And rekindled again, and after that straightway  
2336 **That oother fyr was queynt and al agon;**  
 That other fire was quenched and all gone;  
2337 **And as it queynte it made a whistelynge,**  
 And as it quenched it made a roaring sound,  
2338 **As doon thise wete brondes in hir brennynge,**  
 As these wet brands do in their burning,  
2339 **And at the brondes ende out ran anon**  
 And at the brand's end (the fire) ran out straightway  
2340 **As it were blody dropes many oon;**  
 As if it were many bloody drops;  
2341 **For which so soore agast was Emelye**  
 For which so sorely frightened was Emelye  
2342 **That she was wel ny mad and gan to crye,**  
 That she was well nigh mad and began to cry,  
2343 **For she ne wiste what it signyfied,**  
 For she did not know what it signified,  
2344 **But oonly for the feere thus hath she cried,**  
 But simply for fear has she cried thus,  
2345 **And weep that it was pitee for to heere.**  
 And wept that it was a pity to hear.  
2346 **And therwithal Dyane gan appeere,**  
 And right then Diana did appear,  
2347 **With bowe in honde, right as an hunteresse,**  
 With bow in hand, just like a huntress,  
2348 **And seyde, "Doghter, stynt thyn hevynesse.**  
 And said, "Daughter, cease thy sadness.  
2349 **Among the goddes hye it is affermed,**  
 Among the high gods it is affirmed,  
2350 **And by eterne word writen and confermed,**  
 And by eternal word written and confirmed,  
2351 **Thou shalt ben wedded unto oon of tho**  
 Thou shalt be wedded unto one of those  
2352 **That han for thee so muchel care and wo,**  
 Who have for thee so much care and woe,  
2353 **But unto which of hem I may nat telle.**  
 But unto which of them I may not tell.  
2354 **Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle.**  
 Farwell, for I can stay no longer .  
2355 **The fires which that on myn auter brenne**  
 The fires which burn on my altar   
2356 **Shulle thee declaren, er that thou go henne,**  
 Shall declare to thee, before thou go hence,  
2357 **Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas."**  
 Thy destiny concerning love, as in this situation."  
2358 **And with that word, the arwes in the caas**  
 And with that word, the arrows in the quiver  
2359 **Of the goddesse clateren faste and rynge,**  
 Of the goddess clatter fast and ring,  
2360 **And forth she wente and made a vanysshynge;**  
 And forth she went and vanished;  
2361 **For which this Emelye astoned was,**  
 For which this Emelye was astonished,  
2362 **And seyde, "What amounteth this, allas?**  
 And said, "What does this mean, alas?  
2363 **I putte me in thy proteccioun,**  
 I put me in thy protection,  
2364 **Dyane, and in thy disposicioun."**  
 Diana, and in thy power."  
2365 **And hoom she goth anon the nexte weye.**  
 And home she goes at once the nearest way.  
2366 **This is th'effect; ther is namoore to seye.**  
 This is the substance; there is no more to say.  
2367 **The nexte houre of Mars folwynge this,**  
 The next (planetary) hour of Mars following this,  
2368 **Arcite unto the temple walked is**  
 Arcite has walked unto the temple   
2369 **Of fierse Mars to doon his sacrifise,**  
 Of fierce Mars to do his sacrifice,  
2370 **With alle the rytes of his payen wyse.**  
 With all the rites of his pagan manner (of worship).  
2371 **With pitous herte and heigh devocioun,**  
 With sorrowful heart and intense devotion,  
2372 **Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun:**  
 Right thus to Mars he said his prayer:  
2373 **"O stronge god, that in the regnes colde**  
 "O strong god, who in the cold reigns   
2374 **Of Trace honoured art and lord yholde,**  
 Of Thrace art honored and considered lord,  
2375 **And hast in every regne and every lond**  
 And hast in every reign and every land  
2376 **Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond,**  
 All the control of arms in thy hand,  
2377 **And hem fortunest as thee lyst devyse,**  
 And grants them fortune as it pleases thee to command.  
2378 **Accepte of me my pitous sacrifise.**  
 Accept of me my sorrowful sacrifice.  
2379 **If so be that my youthe may deserve,**  
 If it so be that my youth may deserve,  
2380 **And that my myght be worthy for to serve**  
 And that my power be worthy to serve  
2381 **Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne,**  
 Thy godhead, so that I may be one of thine,  
2382 **Thanne preye I thee to rewe upon my pyne.**  
 Then pray I thee to have pity upon my pain.  
2383 **For thilke peyne and thilke hoote fir**  
 For that same pain and that same hot fire  
2384 **In which thow whilom brendest for desir,**  
 In which thou once burned for desire,  
2385 **Whan that thow usedest the beautee**  
 When that thou enjoyed the beauty  
2386 **Of faire, yonge, fresshe Venus free,**  
 Of fair, young, fresh Venus the noble,  
2387 **And haddest hire in armes at thy wille --**  
 And haddest her in arms as you wished --  
2388 **Although thee ones on a tyme mysfille,**  
 Although once things went wrong for you,  
2389 **Whan Vulcanus hadde caught thee in his las**  
 When Vulcan had caught thee in his snare  
2390 **And foond thee liggynge by his wyf, allas! --**  
 And found thee lying by his wife, alas! --  
2391 **For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte,**  
 For that same sorrow that was in thy heart,  
2392 **Have routhe as wel upon my peynes smerte.**  
 Have pity as well upon my painful sufferings.   
2393 **I am yong and unkonnynge, as thow woost,**  
 I am young and ignorant, as thou knowest,  
2394 **And, as I trowe, with love offended moost**  
 And, as I suppose, injured most by love   
2395 **That evere was any lyves creature,**  
 Than ever was any living creature,  
2396 **For she that dooth me al this wo endure**  
 For she that causes me to endure all this woe   
2397 **Ne reccheth nevere wher I synke or fleete.**  
 Nor cares never whether I sink or swim.  
2398 **And wel I woot, er she me mercy heete,**  
 And well I know, before she may promise me mercy,  
2399 **I moot with strengthe wynne hire in the place,**  
 I must win her with strength in the lists,  
2400 **And wel I woot, withouten help or grace**  
 And well I know, without help or grace  
2401 **Of thee ne may my strengthe noght availle.**  
 Of thee my strength can not avail.  
2402 **Thanne help me, lord, tomorwe in my bataille,**  
 Then help me, lord, tomorrow in my battle,  
2403 **For thilke fyr that whilom brente thee,**  
 For that same fire that once burned thee,  
2404 **As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me,**  
 As well as that same fire now burns me,  
2405 **And do that I tomorwe have victorie.**  
 And bring it about so that I have victory tomorrow.  
2406 **Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie!**  
 Mine be the labor, and thine be the glory!  
2407 **Thy sovereyn temple wol I moost honouren**  
 I will most honor thy most excellent temple  
2408 **Of any place, and alwey moost labouren**  
 Over any place, and always most labor  
2409 **In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge,**  
 In thy pleasure and in thy strong crafts,  
2410 **And in thy temple I wol my baner honge**  
 And in thy temple I will hang my banner   
2411 **And alle the armes of my compaignye,**  
 And all the arms of my company,  
2412 **And everemo, unto that day I dye,**  
 And evermore, until that day I die,  
2413 **Eterne fir I wol bifore thee fynde.**  
 Eternal fire I will provide before thee (on your altar).  
2414 **And eek to this avow I wol me bynde:**  
 And also I will bind myself to this vow:  
2415 **My beerd, myn heer, that hongeth long adoun,**  
 My beard, my hair, that hangs long down,  
2416 **That nevere yet ne felte offensioun**  
 That never yet felt injury  
2417 **Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yive,**  
 Of razor nor of shears, I will give thee,  
2418 **And ben thy trewe servant whil I lyve.**  
 And be thy true servant while I live.  
2419 **Now, lord, have routhe upon my sorwes soore;**  
 Now, lord, have pity upon my painful sorrows;  
2420 **Yif me \[victorie\]; I aske thee namoore."**  
 Give me victory; I ask of thee no more."  
2421 **The preyere stynt of Arcita the stronge,**  
 The prayer of Arcite the strong stopped,  
2422 **The rynges on the temple dore that honge,**  
 The rings that hung on the temple door,  
2423 **And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste,**  
 And also the doors, clattered very fast,  
2424 **Of which Arcita somwhat hym agaste.**  
 Of which Arcite was somewhat afraid.  
2425 **The fyres brenden upon the auter brighte**  
 The fires upon the altar burned (so) brightly   
2426 **That it gan al the temple for to lighte;**  
 That it began to illuminate all the temple;  
2427 **A sweete smel the ground anon up yaf,**  
 A sweet smell the ground at once yielded up,  
2428 **And Arcita anon his hand up haf,**  
 And Arcite immediately raised up his hand,  
2429 **And moore encens into the fyr he caste,**  
 And he cast more incense into the fire,  
2430 **With othere rytes mo; and atte laste**  
 With more other rites; and at the last  
2431 **The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk rynge,**  
 The statue of Mars began to ring its coat of mail,  
2432 **And with that soun he herde a murmurynge**  
 And with that sound he heard a murmuring  
2433 **Ful lowe and dym, and seyde thus, "Victorie!"**  
 Very low and faint, that said thus, "Victory!"  
2434 **For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie.**  
 For which he (Arcite) gave to Mars honor and glory.  
2435 **And thus with joye and hope wel to fare**  
 And thus with joy and hope to fare well  
2436 **Arcite anon unto his in is fare,**  
 Arcite at once is gone unto his lodging,  
2437 **As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.**  
 As happy as a fowl is for the bright sun.  
2438 **And right anon swich strif ther is bigonne,**  
 And right away such strife there is begun,  
2439 **For thilke grauntyng, in the hevene above,**  
 Because of that same grant, in the heaven above,   
2440 **Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love,**  
 Between Venus, the goddess of love,  
2441 **And Mars, the stierne god armypotente,**  
 And Mars, the stern god powerful in arms,  
2442 **That Juppiter was bisy it to stente,**  
 That Jupiter was hard put to stop it,  
2443 **Til that the pale Saturnus the colde,**  
 Until the pale Saturn the hostile,  
2444 **That knew so manye of aventures olde,**  
 Who knew so many of old adventures,  
2445 **Foond in his olde experience an art**  
 Found in his old experience a plan  
2446 **That he ful soone hath plesed every part.**  
 That he full soon has pleased every side.  
2447 **As sooth is seyd, elde hath greet avantage;**  
 As is truly said, old age has a great advantage;  
2448 **In elde is bothe wysdom and usage;**  
 In old age is both wisdom and experience;  
2449 **Men may the olde atrenne and noght atrede.**  
 One can outrun the old but not outwit them.  
2450 **Saturne anon, to stynten strif and drede,**  
 Saturn anon, to stop strife and fear,   
2451 **Al be it that it is agayn his kynde,**  
 Although it is against his natural disposition,  
2452 **Of al this strif he gan remedie fynde.**  
 He found a remedy for all this strife.  
2453 **"My deere doghter Venus," quod Saturne,**  
 "My dear daughter Venus," said Saturn,  
2454 **"My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne,**  
 "My orbit, that has so wide (a course) to turn,  
2455 **Hath moore power than woot any man.**  
 Has more power than any man knows.  
2456 **Myn is the drenchyng in the see so wan;**  
 Mine is the drowning in the sea so dark;  
2457 **Myn is the prison in the derke cote;**  
 Mine is the imprisonment in the dark cell;  
2458 **Myn is the stranglyng and hangyng by the throte,**  
 Mine is the killing and hanging by the throat,  
2459 **The murmure and the cherles rebellyng,**  
 The murmur (of discontent) and the churls' rebelling,  
2460 **The groynynge, and the pryvee empoysonyng;**  
 The grumbling, and the secret poisoning;  
2461 **I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun,**  
 I exact vengeance and do full punishment,  
2462 **Whil I dwelle in the signe of the leoun.**  
 While I dwell in the (zodiacal) sign of the lion.  
2463 **Myn is the ruyne of the hye halles,**  
 Mine is the ruin of the high halls,  
2464 **The fallynge of the toures and of the walles**  
 The falling of the towers and of the walls  
2465 **Upon the mynour or the carpenter.**  
 Upon the miner or the carpenter.  
2466 **I slow Sampsoun, shakynge the piler;**  
 I slew Sampson, shaking the pillar;  
2467 **And myne be the maladyes colde,**  
 And mine are the cold maladies,  
2468 **The derke tresons, and the castes olde;**  
 The dark treasons, and the old plots;  
2469 **My lookyng is the fader of pestilence.**  
 My (astrological) aspect is the father of pestilence.  
2470 **Now weep namoore; I shal doon diligence**  
 Now weep no more; I shall do my diligence  
2471 **That Palamon, that is thyn owene knyght,**  
 So that Palamon, who is thine own knight,  
2472 **Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight.**  
 Shall have his lady, as thou hast promised him.  
2473 **Though Mars shal helpe his knyght, yet nathelees**  
 Though Mars shall help his knight, yet nonetheless  
2474 **Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees,**  
 Between you there must be peace sometime,  
2475 **Al be ye noght of o compleccioun,**  
 Although you are not of one (the same) temperament,  
2476 **That causeth al day swich divisioun.**  
 Which daily causes such dissension.  
2477 **I am thyn aiel, redy at thy wille;**  
 I am thy grandfather, ready (to do) as you wish;  
2478 **Weep now namoore; I wol thy lust fulfille."**  
 Weep now no more; I will fulfill thy desire."  
2479 **Now wol I stynten of the goddes above,**  
 Now I will stop (speaking) of the gods above,  
2480 **Of Mars, and of Venus, goddesse of love,**  
 Of Mars, and of Venus, goddess of love,  
2481 **And telle yow as pleynly as I kan**  
 And tell you as plainly as I can  
2482 **The grete effect, for which that I bygan.**  
 The essential part, for which I began.

*Explicit tercia pars*  
The third part ends

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

*Sequitur pars quarta*  
The fourth part follows

2483 **Greet was the feeste in Atthenes that day,**  
 Great was the feast in Athens that day,  
2484 **And eek the lusty seson of that May**  
 And also the pleasing season of that May  
2485 **Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce**  
 Made every person to be in such delight  
2486 **That al that Monday justen they and daunce,**  
 That all that Monday they joust and dance,  
2487 **And spenden it in Venus heigh servyse.**  
 And spend that day in Venus's noble service.  
2488 **But by the cause that they sholde ryse**  
 But because they must rise  
2489 **Eerly, for to seen the grete fight,**  
 Early, to see the great fight,  
2490 **Unto hir reste wenten they at nyght.**  
 Unto their rest they went at nightfall.  
2491 **And on the morwe, whan that day gan sprynge,**  
 And in the morning, when day did spring,  
2492 **Of hors and harneys noyse and claterynge**  
 Noise and clattering of horses and armor   
2493 **Ther was in hostelryes al aboute,**  
 There was in hostelries all about,  
2494 **And to the paleys rood ther many a route**  
 And to the palace there rode many a company  
2495 **Of lordes upon steedes and palfreys.**  
 Of lords upon steeds and palfreys.  
2496 **Ther maystow seen devisynge of harneys**  
 There canst thou see preparation of armor  
2497 **So unkouth and so riche, and wroght so weel**  
 So exotic and so rich, and wrought so well  
2498 **Of goldsmythrye, of browdynge, and of steel;**  
 Of goldsmiths' works, of embroidery, and of steel;  
2499 **The sheeldes brighte, testeres, and trappures,**  
 The bright shields, horses' head-armor, and horse-armor,  
2500 **Gold-hewen helmes, coats of mail, cote-armures;**  
 Gold-colored helms, coats of mail, tunics with heraldic devices;   
2501 **Lordes in parementz on hir courseres,**  
 Lords in richly decorated robes on their coursers,  
2502 **Knyghtes of retenue, and eek squieres**  
 Knights of (their) retinues, and also squires  
2503 **Nailynge the speres, and helmes bokelynge;**  
 Nailing heads to the spear-shafts, and buckling helms;  
2504 **Giggynge of sheeldes, with layneres lacynge --**  
 Fitting the shields with straps, fastening with laces --  
2505 **There as nede is they weren no thyng ydel;**  
 Where it is needed they were not at all idle;  
2506 **The fomy steedes on the golden brydel**  
 The steeds frothing on the golden bridles  
2507 **Gnawynge, and faste the armurers also**  
 Gnawing, and fast the armorers also  
2508 **With fyle and hamer prikynge to and fro;**  
 With file and hammer are spurring to and fro;  
2509 **Yemen on foote, and communes many oon**  
 Yeomen on foot, and foot soldiers many a one  
2510 **With shorte staves, thikke as they may goon;**  
 With short staves, thick as they can go;  
2511 **Pypes, trompes, nakers, clariounes,**  
 Pipes, trumpets, kettle drums, bugles,  
2512 **That in the bataille blowen blody sounes;**  
 That blow bloody sounds in the battle;  
2513 **The paleys ful of peple up and doun,**  
 The palace full of people everywhere,  
2514 **Heere thre, ther ten, holdynge hir questioun,**  
 Here three, there ten, debating,   
2515 **Dyvynynge of thise Thebane knyghtes two.**  
 Conjecturing about these two Theban knights.  
2516 **Somme seyden thus, somme seyde "it shal be so";**  
 Some said thus, some said "it shall be so";  
2517 **Somme helden with hym with the blake berd,**  
 Some held with him with the black beard,  
2518 **Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke herd;**  
 Some with the bald, some with the thickly haired;  
2519 **Somme seyde he looked grymme, and he wolde fighte:**  
 Some said he looked grim, and he would fight:  
2520 **"He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte."**  
 "He has a battle-ax of twenty pounds of weight."  
2521 **Thus was the halle ful of divynynge,**  
 Thus was the hall full of conjecturing,  
2522 **Longe after that the sonne gan to sprynge.**  
 Long after the sun began to rise.  
2523 **The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked**  
 The great Theseus, who was awakened of his sleep  
2524 **With mynstralcie and noyse that was maked,**  
 By the music and noise that was made,  
2525 **Heeld yet the chambre of his paleys riche**  
 Remained yet in the chamber of his rich palace   
2526 **Til that the Thebane knyghtes, bothe yliche**  
 Until the Theban knights, both equally  
2527 **Honured, were into the paleys fet.**  
 Honored, were fetched into the palace.  
2528 **Duc Theseus was at a wyndow set,**  
 Duke Theseus was set at a window,  
2529 **Arrayed right as he were a god in trone.**  
 Arrayed exactly as if he were a god on a throne.  
2530 **The peple preesseth thiderward ful soone**  
 The people press thither full soon  
2531 **Hym for to seen, and doon heigh reverence,**  
 In order to see him, and to do great reverence,  
2532 **And eek to herkne his heste and his sentence.**  
 And also to hear his command and his decision.  
2533 **An heraud on a scaffold made an "Oo!"**  
 A herald on a scaffold made a "Ho!"  
2534 **Til al the noyse of peple was ydo,**  
 Until all the noise of people was done,  
2535 **And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille,**  
 And when he saw the people all still of noise,  
2536 **Tho shewed he the myghty dukes wille:**  
 Then showed he the mighty duke's will:  
2537 **"The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun**  
 "The lord has of his great sound judgment  
2538 **Considered that it were destruccioun**  
 Considered that it would be destruction  
2539 **To gentil blood to fighten in the gyse**  
 To gentle blood to fight in the manner  
2540 **Of mortal bataille now in this emprise.**  
 Of mortal battle now in this undertaking.  
2541 **Wherfore, to shapen that they shal nat dye,**  
 Wherefore, to arrange matters so that they shall not die,  
2542 **He wol his firste purpos modifye.**  
 He will modify his previous plan.  
2543 **No man therfore, up peyne of los of lyf,**  
 No man therefore, upon punishment of loss of life,  
2544 **No maner shot, ne polax, ne short knyf**  
 No sort of arrow, nor battle-axe, nor short knife  
2545 **Into the lystes sende or thider brynge;**  
 Send into the lists or bring there;  
2546 **Ne short swerd, for to stoke with poynt bitynge,**  
 Nor short sword, to stab with piercing point,  
2547 **No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde.**  
 May no man neither draw, nor bear it by his side.  
2548 **Ne no man shal unto his felawe ryde**  
 And no man shall ride at his opponent  
2549 **But o cours with a sharpe ygrounde spere;**  
 More than one course with a sharply honed spear;   
2550 **Foyne, if hym list, on foote, hymself to were.**  
 Let him thrust, if he wishes, on foot, to defend himself.  
2551 **And he that is at meschief shal be take**  
 And he who is at a disadvantage shall be taken  
2552 **And noght slayn, but be broght unto the stake**  
 And not slain, but be brought unto the stake  
2553 **That shal ben ordeyned on either syde;**  
 That shall be placed on either side;  
2554 **But thider he shal by force, and there abyde.**  
 But thither he must (go) by force, and remain there.  
2555 **And if so falle the chieftayn be take**  
 And if so happen that the chieftain be taken  
2556 **On outher syde, or elles sleen his make,**  
 On either side, or else should slay his opponent,  
2557 **No lenger shal the turneiynge laste.**  
 The tournament shall last no longer.  
2558 **God spede you! Gooth forth and ley on faste!**  
 God give you success! Go forth and lay on fast!  
2559 **With long swerd and with mace fighteth youre fille.**  
 With long sword and with mace fight your fill.  
2560 **Gooth now youre wey; this is the lordes wille."**  
 Go now on your way; this is the lord's will."  
2561 **The voys of peple touchede the hevene,**  
 The voice of people touched the heaven,  
2562 **So loude cride they with murie stevene,**  
 So loudly they cried with merry voices,  
2563 **"God save swich a lord, that is so good**  
 "God save such a lord, that is so good  
2564 **He wilneth no destruccion of blood!"**  
 He desires no destruction of blood!"  
2565 **Up goon the trompes and the melodye,**  
 Up go the trumpets and the melody,  
2566 **And to the lystes rit the compaignye,**  
 And to the lists rides the company,  
2567 **By ordinance, thurghout the citee large,**  
 In battle array, throughout all the city,   
2568 **Hanged with clooth of gold, and nat with sarge.**  
 Hung with cloth of gold, and not with serge.  
2569 **Ful lik a lord this noble duc gan ryde,**  
 Fully like a lord this noble duke did ride,  
2570 **Thise two Thebans upon either syde,**  
 These two Thebans upon either side,  
2571 **And after rood the queene and Emelye,**  
 And after rode the queen and Emelye,  
2572 **And after that another compaignye**  
 And after that another company  
2573 **Of oon and oother, after hir degree.**  
 One after another, according to their rank.  
2574 **And thus they passen thurghout the citee,**  
 And thus they pass throughout the city,  
2575 **And to the lystes come they by tyme.**  
 And they come to the lists in good time.  
2576 **It nas nat of the day yet fully pryme**  
 It was not yet fully prime (nine a.m.) of the day   
2577 **Whan set was Theseus ful riche and hye,**  
 When Theseus was set very splendidly and nobly,  
2578 **Ypolita the queene, and Emelye,**  
 Ypolita the queen, and Emelye,  
2579 **And othere ladys in degrees aboute.**  
 And other ladies about in tiers.  
2580 **Unto the seetes preesseth al the route.**  
 Unto the seats press all the crowd.  
2581 **And westward, thurgh the gates under Marte,**  
 And westward, through the gates under Mars,  
2582 **Arcite, and eek the hondred of his parte,**  
 Arcite, and also the hundred of his party,  
2583 **With baner reed is entred right anon;**  
 With red banner is entered right away;  
2584 **And in that selve moment Palamon**  
 And in that same moment Palamon  
2585 **Is under Venus, estward in the place,**  
 Is under Venus, eastward in the place,  
2586 **With baner whyt and hardy chiere and face.**  
 With white banner and hardy countenance and face.  
2587 **In al the world, to seken up and doun,**  
 In all the world, to seek up and down,  
2588 **So evene, withouten variacioun,**  
 So evenly, without variation,  
2589 **Ther nere swiche compaignyes tweye,**  
 There were not two such companies,  
2590 **For ther was noon so wys that koude seye**  
 For there was no one so wise that could say  
2591 **That any hadde of oother avauntage**  
 That any one had advantage over the other   
2592 **Of worthynesse, ne of estaat, ne age,**  
 In worthiness, nor in status, nor age,  
2593 **So evene were they chosen, for to gesse.**  
 So evenly were they chosen, as I estimate.  
2594 **And in two renges faire they hem dresse.**  
 And in two fair ranks they arrange themselves.  
2595 **Whan that hir names rad were everichon,**  
 When every one of their names were read,  
2596 **That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon,**  
 So that in their total number there would be no deception,  
2597 **Tho were the gates shet, and cried was loude:**  
 Then the gates were shut, and cried was aloud:  
2598 **"Do now youre devoir, yonge knyghtes proude!"**  
 "Do now your duty, proud young knights!"  
2599 **The heraudes lefte hir prikyng up and doun;**  
 The heralds left their spurring up and down;  
2600 **Now ryngen trompes loude and clarioun.**  
 Now trumpets and bugles ring loud.   
2601 **Ther is namoore to seyn, but west and est**  
 There is no more to say, but from west and east  
2602 **In goon the speres ful sadly in arrest;**  
 In go the spears very firmly in the lance-rests;  
2603 **In gooth the sharpe spore into the syde.**  
 In goes the sharp spur into the flank.  
2604 **Ther seen men who kan juste and who kan ryde;**  
 There people see who can joust and who can ride;  
2605 **Ther shyveren shaftes upon sheeldes thikke;**  
 There splinter spears upon thick shields;  
2606 **He feeleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke.**  
 He feels the stabbing through the breast-bone.  
2607 **Up spryngen speres twenty foot on highte;**  
 Up spring spears twenty foot on height;  
2608 **Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte;**  
 Out go the swords bright as silver;  
2609 **The helmes they tohewen and toshrede;**  
 The helms they hew to pieces and cut into shreds  
2610 **Out brest the blood with stierne stremes rede;**  
 Out burst the blood in strong red streams;  
2611 **With myghty maces the bones they tobreste.**  
 With mighty maces they break the bones to pieces.  
2612 **He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste;**  
 He did thrust through the thickest of the throng;  
2613 **Ther stomblen steedes stronge, and doun gooth al,**  
 There strong steeds stumble, and down goes all,  
2614 **He rolleth under foot as dooth a bal;**  
 He rolls under foot as does a ball;  
2615 **He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun,**  
 On his feet he stabs with the broken shaft of his spear,  
2616 **And he hym hurtleth with his hors adoun;**  
 And he hurtles him down with his horse;  
2617 **He thurgh the body is hurt and sithen ytake,**  
 He is hurt through the body and then taken,  
2618 **Maugree his heed, and broght unto the stake;**  
 Despite all he can do, and brought unto the stake;  
2619 **As forward was, right there he moste abyde.**  
 As was the agreement, right there he must abide.  
2620 **Another lad is on that oother syde.**  
 Another on that other side is led away.  
2621 **And some tyme dooth hem Theseus to reste,**  
 And for a while Theseus makes them rest,  
2622 **Hem to refresshe and drynken, if hem leste.**  
 To refresh themselves and drink, if they wish.  
2623 **Ful ofte a day han thise Thebanes two**  
 Many times these two Thebans have   
2624 **Togydre ymet, and wroght his felawe wo;**  
 Met together, and (each) wrought woe to his opponent;  
2625 **Unhorsed hath ech oother of hem tweye.**  
 Each has unhorsed the other of them two.  
2626 **Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye,**  
 There was not any tiger in the vale of Gargaphia,   
2627 **Whan that hir whelp is stole whan it is lite,**  
 When her whelp is stolen when it is little,  
2628 **So crueel on the hunte as is Arcite**  
 So cruel on the hunt as is Arcite  
2629 **For jelous herte upon this Palamon.**  
 For jealous heart upon this Palamon.  
2630 **Ne in Belmarye ther nys so fel leon,**  
 Nor in Benmarin there is not so fierce a lion,  
2631 **That hunted is, or for his hunger wood,**  
 That is hunted, or maddened by his hunger,  
2632 **Ne of his praye desireth so the blood,**  
 Nor of his prey desires so the blood,  
2633 **As Palamon to sleen his foo Arcite.**  
 As Palamon to slay his foe Arcite.  
2634 **The jelous strokes on hir helmes byte;**  
 The fervent strokes bite on their helms;  
2635 **Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede.**  
 Out runs red blood on both their sides.  
2636 **Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede.**  
 Some time there is an end of every deed.  
2637 **For er the sonne unto the reste wente,**  
 For before the sun went unto its rest,  
2638 **The stronge kyng Emetreus gan hente**  
 The strong king Emetreus did seize  
2639 **This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite,**  
 This Palamon, as he fought with Arcite,  
2640 **And made his swerd depe in his flessh to byte,**  
 And made his sword deep in his flesh to bite,  
2641 **And by the force of twenty is he take**  
 And by the force of twenty he (Palamon) is taken   
2642 **Unyolden, and ydrawen to the stake.**  
 Without having surrendered, and dragged to the stake.  
2643 **And in the rescus of this Palamoun**  
 And in the rescue of this Palamon  
2644 **The stronge kyng Lygurge is born adoun,**  
 The strong king Lygurge is born down,  
2645 **And kyng Emetreus, for al his strengthe,**  
 And king Emetreus, despite all his strength,  
2646 **Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe,**  
 Is carried out of his saddle a sword's length,  
2647 **So hitte him Palamoun er he were take.**  
 So hit him Palamon before he was taken.  
2648 **But al for noght; he was broght to the stake.**  
 But all for naught; he was brought to the stake.  
2649 **His hardy herte myghte hym helpe naught:**  
 His hardy heart could not help him:  
2650 **He moste abyde, whan that he was caught,**  
 He must abide, when he was caught,  
2651 **By force and eek by composicioun.**  
 By force and also by the agreed terms of battle.  
2652 **Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun,**  
 Who sorrows now but woeful Palamon,  
2653 **That moot namoore goon agayn to fighte?**  
 That must no more go again to fight?  
2654 **And whan that Theseus hadde seyn this sighte,**  
 And when Theseus had seen this sight,  
2655 **Unto the folk that foghten thus echon**  
 Unto each one of the folk that fought thus   
2656 **He cryde, "Hoo! namoore, for it is doon!**  
 He cried, "Stop! no more, for it is done!   
2657 **I wol be trewe juge, and no partie.**  
 I will be true judge, and no partisan.  
2658 **Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelie,**  
 Arcite of Thebes shall have Emelye,  
2659 **That by his fortune hath hire faire ywonne."**  
 Who by his fortune has won her fairly."  
2660 **Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne**  
 Immediately there is a noise of people begun  
2661 **For joye of this, so loude and heighe withalle**  
 For joy of this, so loud and clamorous indeed  
2662 **It semed that the lystes sholde falle.**  
 It seemed that the lists should fall.  
2663 **What kan now faire Venus doon above?**  
 What now can fair Venus do above?  
2664 **What seith she now? What dooth this queene of love,**  
 What says she now? What does this queen of love,  
2665 **But wepeth so, for wantynge of hir wille,**  
 But weeps so, for lack of (having) her will,  
2666 **Til that hir teeres in the lystes fille?**  
 Until her tears fell in the lists?   
2667 **She seyde, "I am ashamed, doutelees."**  
 She said, "I am disgraced, doubtless."  
2668 **Saturnus seyde, "Doghter, hoold thy pees!**  
 Saturn said, "Daughter, hold thy peace!  
2669 **Mars hath his wille, his knyght hath al his boone,**  
 Mars has his will, his knight has all his request,  
2670 **And, by myn heed, thow shalt been esed soone."**  
 And, by my head, thou shalt be relieved soon."  
2671 **The trompours, with the loude mynstralcie,**  
 The trumpeters, with the loud music,  
2672 **The heraudes, that ful loude yelle and crie,**  
 The heralds, who full loudly yell and cry,  
2673 **Been in hire wele for joye of daun Arcite.**  
 Are in their happiest state for joy of dan Arcite.  
2674 **But herkneth me, and stynteth noyse a lite,**  
 But listen to me, and stop the noise for a little,  
2675 **Which a myracle ther bifel anon.**  
 (Hear) what a miracle at once befell there.  
2676 **This fierse Arcite hath of his helm ydon,**  
 This fierce Arcite has taken off his helm,  
2677 **And on a courser, for to shewe his face,**  
 And on a war horse, to show his face,  
2678 **He priketh endelong the large place**  
 He spurs from one end to the other of the large open space  
2679 **Lokynge upward upon this Emelye;**  
 Looking upward upon this Emelye;  
2680 **And she agayn hym caste a freendlich ye**  
 And she to him cast a friendly eye  
2681 **(For wommen, as to speken in comune,**  
 (For women, so to speak in general,  
2682 **Thei folwen alle the favour of Fortune)**  
 They all follow the favor of Fortune)  
2683 **And was al his chiere, as in his herte.**  
 And was all his source of pleasure, in his heart.  
2684 **Out of the ground a furie infernal sterte,**  
 Out of the ground leaped an infernal fury,  
2685 **From Pluto sent at requeste of Saturne,**  
 Sent from Pluto at the request of Saturn,  
2686 **For which his hors for fere gan to turne,**  
 For which his horse for fear began to turn,  
2687 **And leep aside, and foundred as he leep;**  
 And leaped aside, and stumbled as he leaped;  
2688 **And er that Arcite may taken keep,**  
 And before Arcite can take heed,  
2689 **He pighte hym on the pomel of his heed,**  
 He hit himself on the top of his head,  
2690 **That in the place he lay as he were deed,**  
 That in the place he lay as if he were dead,  
2691 **His brest tobrosten with his sadel-bowe.**  
 His breast shattered by his saddlebow.  
2692 **As blak he lay as any cole or crowe,**  
 He lay as black as any coal or crow,  
2693 **So was the blood yronnen in his face.**  
 The blood was so run in his face.  
2694 **Anon he was yborn out of the place,**  
 Immediately he was carried out of the place,  
2695 **With herte soor, to Theseus paleys.**  
 With painful heart, to Theseus's palace.  
2696 **Tho was he korven out of his harneys**  
 Then was he cut out of his armor  
2697 **And in a bed ybrought ful faire and blyve,**  
 And brought in a bed very gently and quickly,  
2698 **For he was yet in memorie and alyve,**  
 For he was yet conscious and alive,  
2699 **And alwey criynge after Emelye.**  
 And always crying for Emelye.  
2700 **Duc Theseus, with al his compaignye,**  
 Duke Theseus, with all his company,  
2701 **Is comen hoom to Atthenes his citee,**  
 Is come home to Athens, his city,  
2702 **With alle blisse and greet solempnitee.**  
 With all bliss and great solemnity.  
2703 **Al be it that this aventure was falle,**  
 Although this accident had happened,  
2704 **He nolde noght disconforten hem alle.**  
 He would not distress them all.  
2705 **Men seyde eek that Arcite shal nat dye;**  
 People said also that Arcite shall not dye;  
2706 **He shal been heeled of his maladye.**  
 He shall be healed of his injuries.  
2707 **And of another thyng they weren as fayn,**  
 And of another thing they were as happy,  
2708 **That of hem alle was ther noon yslayn,**  
 That of them all there was no one slain,  
2709 **Al were they soore yhurt, and namely oon,**  
 Although they (were) sorely hurt, and especially one,  
2710 **That with a spere was thirled his brest boon.**  
 Whose breastbone was pierced by a spear.  
2711 **To othere woundes and to broken armes**  
 To other wounds and to broken arms  
2712 **Somme hadden salves, and somme hadden charmes;**  
 Some had salves, and some had charms;  
2713 **Fermacies of herbes, and eek save**  
 Medicines made of herbs, and also of sage  
2714 **They dronken, for they wolde hir lymes have.**  
 They drank, for they wanted to have their limbs cured.  
2715 **For which this noble duc, as he wel kan,**  
 For which this noble duke, as he well knows how,  
2716 **Conforteth and honoureth every man,**  
 Comforts and honors every man,  
2717 **And made revel al the longe nyght**  
 And made revel all the long night  
2718 **Unto the straunge lordes, as was right.**  
 For the foreign lords, as was right.   
2719 **Ne ther was holden no disconfitynge**  
 Nor was it considered any defeat (in battle)  
2720 **But as a justes or a tourneiynge;**  
 But (only) as a joust or a tournament;  
2721 **For soothly ther was no disconfiture.**  
 For truly there was no defeat.  
2722 **For fallyng nys nat but an aventure,**  
 For falling is nothing but an accident,  
2723 **Ne to be lad by force unto the stake**  
 Nor to be led by force unto the stake  
2724 **Unyolden, and with twenty knyghtes take,**  
 Without having surrendered, and taken by twenty knights,  
2725 **O persone allone, withouten mo,**  
 One person alone, without others,  
2726 **And haryed forth by arme, foot, and too,**  
 And dragged forth by arm, foot, and toe,  
2727 **And eke his steede dryven forth with staves**  
 And also his steed driven forth with staves  
2728 **With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves --**  
 By men on foot, both yeomen and also foot soldiers --  
2729 **It nas arretted hym no vileynye;**  
 He incurred no shameful blame for it;   
2730 **Ther may no man clepen it cowardye.**  
 No man there may call it cowardice.  
2731 **For which anon duc Theseus leet crye,**  
 For which anon duke Theseus had proclaimed,  
2732 **To stynten alle rancour and envye,**  
 To put a stop to all rancor and ill-will,  
2733 **The gree as wel of o syde as of oother,**  
 The victory (is given) as well to one side as to the other,  
2734 **And eyther syde ylik as ootheres brother;**  
 And either side equal as the other's brother;   
2735 **And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree,**  
 And gave them gifts in accordance with their ranks,  
2736 **And fully heeld a feeste dayes three,**  
 And held a feast for fully three days,  
2737 **And conveyed the kynges worthily**  
 And honorably escorted the kings   
2738 **Out of his toun a journee largely.**  
 Out of his town a full day's journey.  
2739 **And hoom wente every man the righte way.**  
 And home went every man the direct way.  
2740 **Ther was namoore but "Fare wel, have good day!"**  
 There was no more but "Fare well, have good day!"  
2741 **Of this bataille I wol namoore endite,**  
 Of this battle I will write no more,  
2742 **But speke of Palamon and of Arcite.**  
 But speak of Palamon and of Arcite.  
2743 **Swelleth the brest of Arcite, and the soore**  
 The breast of Arcite swells, and the pain  
2744 **Encreesseth at his herte moore and moore.**  
 At his heart increases more and more.  
2745 **The clothered blood, for any lechecraft,**  
 The clotted blood, despite any medical treatment,  
2746 **Corrupteth, and is in his bouk ylaft,**  
 Corrupts, and is left in the trunk of his body,  
2747 **That neither veyne-blood, ne ventusynge,**  
 That neither blood letting at a vein, nor applying suction cups,  
2748 **Ne drynke of herbes may ben his helpynge.**  
 Nor drink of herbs can be any help to him.  
2749 **The vertu expulsif, or animal,**  
 The power expulsive (to expel fluids), or animal,  
2750 **Fro thilke vertu cleped natural**  
 From that power called natural  
2751 **Ne may the venym voyden ne expelle.**  
 Can not remove nor expel the poison.  
2752 **The pipes of his longes gonne to swelle,**  
 The pipes of his lungs began to swell,  
2753 **And every lacerte in his brest adoun**  
 And every muscle down in his breast  
2754 **Is shent with venym and corrupcioun.**  
 Is destroyed by poison and corrupted matter.  
2755 **Hym gayneth neither, for to gete his lif,**  
 Avails him neither, to preserve his life,  
2756 **Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif.**  
 Vomit upward, nor downward laxative.  
2757 **Al is tobrosten thilke regioun;**  
 All is shattered in that region;  
2758 **Nature hath now no dominacioun.**  
 Nature now has no power to control.   
2759 **And certeinly, ther Nature wol nat wirche,**  
 And certainly, where Nature will not work,  
2760 **Fare wel phisik! Go ber the man to chirche!**  
 Fare well medicine! Go bear the man to church!  
2761 **This al and som, that Arcita moot dye;**  
 This is the whole of it, that Arcite must die;  
2762 **For which he sendeth after Emelye,**  
 For which he sends after Emelye,  
2763 **And Palamon, that was his cosyn deere.**  
 And Palamon, who was his dear cousin.  
2764 **Thanne seyde he thus, as ye shal after heere:**  
 Then said he thus, as you shall after hear:  
2765 **"Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte**  
 "The woeful spirit in my heart can not  
2766 **Declare o point of alle my sorwes smerte**  
 Declare one small part of all my painful sorrows  
2767 **To yow, my lady, that I love moost,**  
 To you, my lady, whom I love most,  
2768 **But I biquethe the servyce of my goost**  
 But I bequeath the service of my ghost  
2769 **To yow aboven every creature,**  
 To you above every creature,  
2770 **Syn that my lyf may no lenger dure.**  
 Since my life can no longer endure.  
2771 **Allas, the wo! Allas, the peynes stronge,**  
 Alas, the woe! Alas, the strong pains,  
2772 **That I for yow have suffred, and so longe!**  
 That I have suffered for you, and so long!  
2773 **Allas, the deeth! Allas, myn Emelye!**  
 Alas, the death! Alas, my Emelye!  
2774 **Allas, departynge of oure compaignye!**  
 Alas, separation of our company!  
2775 **Allas, myn hertes queene! Allas, my wyf,**  
 Alas, my heart's queen! Alas, my wife,  
2776 **Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf!**  
 My heart's lady, ender of my life!  
2777 **What is this world? What asketh men to have?**  
 What is this world? What do people ask to have?  
2778 **Now with his love, now in his colde grave**  
 Now with his love, now in his cold grave  
2779 **Allone, withouten any compaignye.**  
 Alone, without any company.  
2780 **Fare wel, my sweete foo, myn Emelye!**  
 Fare well, my sweet foe, my Emelye!  
2781 **And softe taak me in youre armes tweye,**  
 And softly take me in your two arms,  
2782 **For love of God, and herkneth what I seye.**  
 For love of God, and listen to what I say.  
2783 **"I have heer with my cosyn Palamon**  
 "I have here with my cousin Palamon  
2784 **Had strif and rancour many a day agon**  
 Had strife and rancor many a day ago  
2785 **For love of yow, and for my jalousye.**  
 For love of you, and for my jealousy.  
2786 **And Juppiter so wys my soule gye,**  
 And as Jupiter may guide my soul,  
2787 **To speken of a servaunt proprely,**  
 To speak specifically of a servant (of love),  
2788 **With alle circumstances trewely --**  
 With all the attendant attributes truly --  
2789 **That is to seyen, trouthe, honour, knyghthede,**  
 That is to say, truth, honor, knighthood,  
2790 **Wysdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kynrede,**  
 Wisdom, humbleness, rank, and noble ancestry,  
2791 **Fredom, and al that longeth to that art --**  
 Nobility of character, and all that belongs to that art --  
2792 **So Juppiter have of my soule part,**  
 As Jupiter may have concern for my soul,  
2793 **As in this world right now ne knowe I non**  
 In this world right now I know no one  
2794 **So worthy to ben loved as Palamon,**  
 So worthy to be loved as Palamon,  
2795 **That serveth yow, and wol doon al his lyf.**  
 Who serves you, and will do so all his life.  
2796 **And if that evere ye shul ben a wyf,**  
 And if ever you shall be a wife,   
2797 **Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man."**  
 Forget not Palamon, the gentle man."  
2798 **And with that word his speche faille gan,**  
 And with that word his speech began to fail,  
2799 **For from his feet up to his brest was come**  
 For from his feet up to his breast had come  
2800 **The coold of deeth, that hadde hym overcome,**  
 The cold of death, which had overcome him,  
2801 **And yet mooreover, for in his armes two**  
 And yet moreover, for in his two arms   
2802 **The vital strengthe is lost and al ago.**  
 The vital strength is lost and all gone.  
2803 **Oonly the intellect, withouten moore,**  
 Only the intellect, nothing else,  
2804 **That dwelled in his herte syk and soore,**  
 That dwelled in his heart sick and sore,  
2805 **Gan faillen whan the herte felte deeth.**  
 Began to fail when the heart felt death.  
2806 **Dusked his eyen two, and failled breeth,**  
 His two eyes grew dark, and his breath failed,  
2807 **But on his lady yet caste he his ye;**  
 But on his lady yet he cast his eye;  
2808 **His laste word was, "Mercy, Emelye!"**  
 His last word was, "Mercy, Emelye!"  
2809 **His spirit chaunged hous and wente ther,**  
 His spirit changed house and went where,  
2810 **As I cam nevere, I kan nat tellen wher.**  
 Since I came never (there), I can not tell where.  
2811 **Therfore I stynte; I nam no divinistre;**  
 Therefore I stop; I am no theologian;  
2812 **Of soules fynde I nat in this registre,**  
 I find nothing about souls in this register,   
2813 **Ne me ne list thilke opinions to telle**  
 Nor do I wish to tell such beliefs   
2814 **Of hem, though that they writen wher they dwelle.**  
 Of them, though they write of where they (the souls) dwell.  
2815 **Arcite is coold, ther Mars his soule gye!**  
 Arcite is cold, may Mars guide his soul!  
2816 **Now wol I speken forth of Emelye.**  
 Now will I speak forth of Emelye.  
2817 **Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon,**  
 Emelye shrieked, and Palamon howls,  
2818 **And Theseus his suster took anon**  
 And Theseus immediately took his sister   
2819 **Swownynge, and baar hire fro the corps away.**  
 Swooning, and carried her away from the corpse.  
2820 **What helpeth it to tarien forth the day**  
 What helps it to waste the whole day  
2821 **To tellen how she weep bothe eve and morwe?**  
 To tell how she wept both evening and morning?  
2822 **For in swich cas wommen have swich sorwe,**  
 For in such cases women have such sorrow,  
2823 **Whan that hir housbondes ben from hem ago,**  
 When their husbands are gone from them,  
2824 **That for the moore part they sorwen so,**  
 That for the most part they so sorrow,  
2825 **Or ellis fallen in swich maladye**  
 Or else fall in such illness  
2826 **That at the laste certeinly they dye.**  
 That at the last certainly they die.  
2827 **Infinite been the sorwes and the teeres**  
 Infinite are the sorrows and the tears  
2828 **Of olde folk and folk of tendre yeeres**  
 Of old folk and folk of tender years  
2829 **In al the toun for deeth of this Theban.**  
 In all the town for the death of this Theban.  
2830 **For hym ther wepeth bothe child and man;**  
 For him there weep both child and man;  
2831 **So greet wepyng was ther noon, certayn,**  
 There was no such great weeping, certainly,  
2832 **Whan Ector was ybroght, al fressh yslayn,**  
 When Hector was brought, just recently slain,  
2833 **To Troye. Allas, the pitee that was ther,**  
 To Troy. Alas, the lamentation that was there,  
2834 **Cracchynge of chekes, rentynge eek of heer.**  
 Scratching of cheeks, also tearing of hair.  
2835 **"Why woldestow be deed," thise wommen crye,**  
 "Why wouldst thou be dead," these women cry,  
2836 **"And haddest gold ynough, and Emelye?"**  
 "Since thou haddest gold enough, and Emelye?"  
2837 **No man myghte gladen Theseus,**  
 No man might comfort Theseus,  
2838 **Savynge his olde fader Egeus,**  
 Except for his old father Egeus,  
2839 **That knew this worldes transmutacioun,**  
 Who knew the changes of this world,  
2840 **As he hadde seyn it chaunge bothe up and doun,**  
 As he had seen it change both up and down,  
2841 **Joye after wo, and wo after gladnesse,**  
 Joy after woe, and woe after gladness,  
2842 **And shewed hem ensamples and liknesse.**  
 And showed them examples and comparisons.  
2843 **"Right as ther dyed nevere man," quod he,**  
 "Right as there died never a man," said he,  
2844 **"That he ne lyvede in erthe in some degree,**  
 "Who did not live in earth to some extent  
2845 **Right so ther lyvede never man," he seyde,**  
 Just so there lived never a man," he said,  
2846 **"In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde.**  
 "In all this world, who some time did not die.  
2847 **This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo,**  
 This world is nothing but a thoroughfare full of woe,  
2848 **And we been pilgrymes, passynge to and fro.**  
 And we are pilgrims, passing to and fro.  
2849 **Deeth is an ende of every worldly soore."**  
 Death is an end of every worldly pain."  
2850 **And over al this yet seyde he muchel moore**  
 And beyond all this yet he said much more  
2851 **To this effect, ful wisely to enhorte**  
 To this effect, full wisely to exhort  
2852 **The peple that they sholde hem reconforte.**  
 The people that they should comfort themselves.   
2853 **Duc Theseus, with al his bisy cure,**  
 Duke Theseus, with all his careful attention,  
2854 **Caste now wher that the sepulture**  
 Considered now where the tomb  
2855 **Of goode Arcite may best ymaked be,**  
 Of good Arcite may best be made,  
2856 **And eek moost honurable in his degree.**  
 And also most honorable in (regard to) his rank.  
2857 **And at the laste he took conclusioun**  
 And at the last he concluded  
2858 **That ther as first Arcite and Palamoun**  
 That there where first Arcite and Palamon  
2859 **Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene,**  
 Had the battle between them for love,  
2860 **That in that selve grove, swoote and grene,**  
 That in that same grove, sweet-smelling and green,   
2861 **Ther as he hadde his amorouse desires,**  
 Where he had his amorous desires,  
2862 **His compleynte, and for love his hoote fires,**  
 His lament, and for love his hot fires,  
2863 **He wolde make a fyr in which the office**  
 He would make a fire in which the rite  
2864 **Funeral he myghte al accomplice.**  
 Of a funeral he might fully perform.  
2865 **And leet comande anon to hakke and hewe**  
 And he ordered immediately to hack and hew  
2866 **The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe**  
 The old oaks, and lay them in a row  
2867 **In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne.**  
 In piles arranged to burn well.  
2868 **His officers with swifte feet they renne**  
 His officers with swift feet they run  
2869 **And ryde anon at his comandement.**  
 And ride quickly at his commandment.  
2870 **And after this, Theseus hath ysent**  
 And after this, Theseus has sent  
2871 **After a beere, and it al overspradde**  
 For a bier, and it all overspread  
2872 **With clooth of gold, the richeste that he hadde.**  
 With cloth of gold, the richest that he had.  
2873 **And of the same suyte he cladde Arcite;**  
 And of the same material he clad Arcite;  
2874 **Upon his hondes hadde he gloves white,**  
 Upon his hands he had white gloves,  
2875 **Eek on his heed a coroune of laurer grene,**  
 Also on his head a crown of green laurel,  
2876 **And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene.**  
 And in his hand a sword full bright and keen.  
2877 **He leyde hym, bare the visage, on the beere;**  
 He laid him, with the face bare, on the bier;  
2878 **Therwith he weep that pitee was to heere.**  
 Therewith he wept that it was a pity to hear.  
2879 **And for the peple sholde seen hym alle,**  
 And in order that all the people should see him,  
2880 **Whan it was day, he broghte hym to the halle,**  
 When it was day, he brought him to the hall,  
2881 **That roreth of the criyng and the soun.**  
 That resounds with the crying and the sound.  
2882 **Tho cam this woful Theban Palamoun,**  
 Then came this woeful Theban Palamon,  
2883 **With flotery berd and ruggy, asshy heeres,**  
 With waving beard and rough hair sprinkled with ashes,  
2884 **In clothes blake, ydropped al with teeres;**  
 In black clothes, all sprinkled with tears;   
2885 **And, passynge othere of wepynge, Emelye,**  
 And, excelling others in weeping, Emelye,  
2886 **The rewefulleste of al the compaignye.**  
 The most pitiful of all the company.  
2887 **In as muche as the servyce sholde be**  
 In order that the ritual should be  
2888 **The moore noble and riche in his degree,**  
 The more noble and rich in its degree,  
2889 **Duc Theseus leet forth thre steedes brynge,**  
 Duke Theseus had three steeds brought forth,  
2890 **That trapped were in steel al gliterynge,**  
 That were equipped with trappings of steel all glittering,  
2891 **And covered with the armes of daun Arcite.**  
 And covered with the coat of arms of Don Arcite.  
2892 **Upon thise steedes, that weren grete and white,**  
 Upon these steeds, that were large and white,  
2893 **Ther seten folk, of whiche oon baar his sheeld,**  
 There sat folk, of which one carried his (Arcite's) shield,  
2894 **Another his spere up on his hondes heeld,**  
 Another held his spear upright in his hands,   
2895 **The thridde baar with hym his bowe Turkeys**  
 The third carried with him his Turkish bow  
2896 **(Of brend gold was the caas and eek the harneys);**  
 (Of pure gold was the quiver and also the fittings);  
2897 **And riden forth a paas with sorweful cheere**  
 And they rode forth slowly with sorrowful demeanor  
2898 **Toward the grove, as ye shul after heere.**  
 Toward the grove, as you shall later hear.  
2899 **The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were**  
 The noblest of the Greeks that were there   
2900 **Upon hir shuldres caryeden the beere,**  
 Carried the bier upon their shoulders,  
2901 **With slakke paas and eyen rede and wete,**  
 With slow pace and eyes red and wet,  
2902 **Thurghout the citee by the maister strete,**  
 Throughout the city by the main street,  
2903 **That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye**  
 Which was all spread with black, and wonderfully high  
2904 **Right of the same is the strete ywrye.**  
 The street is covered with exactly the same.  
2905 **Upon the right hond wente olde Egeus,**  
 Upon the right hand went old Egeus,  
2906 **And on that oother syde duc Theseus,**  
 And on that other side duke Theseus,  
2907 **With vessels in hir hand of gold ful fyn,**  
 With vessels of pure gold in their hands,  
2908 **Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn;**  
 All full of honey, milk, and blood, and wine;  
2909 **Eek Palamon, with ful greet compaignye;**  
 Also Palamon, with a very large company;  
2910 **And after that cam woful Emelye,**  
 And after that came woeful Emelye,  
2911 **With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse,**  
 With fire in hand, as was at that time the custom,  
2912 **To do the ritual of funeral service.**  
 To do the office of funeral service.  
2913 **Heigh labour and ful greet apparaillynge**  
 Much labor and full great preparation   
2914 **Was at the service and the fyr-makynge,**  
 Was at the service and the fire-making,  
2915 **That with his grene top the hevene raughte;**  
 Which with its green top reached the heaven;  
2916 **And twenty fadme of brede the armes straughte --**  
 And twenty fathom of breadth the sides stretched --  
2917 **This is to seyn, the bowes weren so brode.**  
 This is to say, the boughs were so broad.  
2918 **Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode.**  
 There was first laid very many a load of straw.  
2919 **But how the fyr was maked upon highte,**  
 But how the fire was made on high,  
2920 **Ne eek the names that the trees highte,**  
 Nor also the names that the trees are called,  
2921 **As ook, firre, birch, aspe, alder, holm, popler,**  
 Such as oak, fir, birch, aspen, alder, holm oak, poplar,  
2922 **Wylugh, elm, plane, assh, box, chasteyn, lynde, laurer,**  
 Willow, elm, plane, ash, box, chestnut, linden, laurel,  
2923 **Mapul, thorn, bech, hasel, ew, whippeltree --**  
 Maple, thorn, beech, hazel, yew, dogwood --  
2924 **How they weren feld shal nat be toold for me;**  
 How they were cut down shall not be told by me;  
2925 **Ne hou the goddes ronnen up and doun,**  
 Nor how the gods ran up and down,  
2926 **Disherited of hire habitacioun,**  
 Disinherited of their habitation,  
2927 **In which they woneden in reste and pees,**  
 In which they dwelt in rest and peace,  
2928 **Nymphes, fawnes and amadrides;**  
 Nymphs, fawns and hamadryades (wood nymphs);  
2929 **Ne hou the beestes and the briddes alle**  
 Nor how the beasts and the birds all  
2930 **Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle;**  
 Fled for fear, when the wood was cut down;  
2931 **Ne how the ground agast was of the light,**  
 Nor how frightened by the light was the ground,  
2932 **That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright;**  
 Which was not accustomed to see the bright sun;  
2933 **Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree,**  
 Nor how the fire was laid first with straw,  
2934 **And thanne with drye stikkes cloven a thre,**  
 And then with dry branches cut in thirds,  
2935 **And thanne with grene wode and spicerye,**  
 And then with green wood and mixtures of spices,  
2936 **And thanne with clooth of gold and with perrye,**  
 And then with cloth of gold and with precious stones  
2937 **And gerlandes, hangynge with ful many a flour;**  
 And garlands, hanging with full many a flower;  
2938 **The mirre, th'encens, with al so greet odour;**  
 The myrrh, the incense, with such great fragrance;  
2939 **Ne how Arcite lay among al this,**  
 Nor how Arcite lay among all this,  
2940 **Ne what richesse aboute his body is;**  
 Nor what richness about his body is;  
2941 **Ne how that Emelye, as was the gyse,**  
 Nor how Emelye, as was the custom,  
2942 **Putte in the fyr of funeral servyse;**  
 Lighted the fire of funeral service;  
2943 **Ne how she swowned whan men made the fyr,**  
 Nor how she swooned when men made the fire,  
2944 **Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desir;**  
 Nor what she spoke, nor what was her desire;  
2945 **Ne what jeweles men in the fyre caste,**  
 Nor what jewels men threw in the fire,  
2946 **Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste;**  
 When the fire was great and burned fast;  
2947 **Ne how somme caste hir sheeld, and somme hir spere,**  
 Nor how some threw their shields, and some their spears,  
2948 **And of hire vestimentz, whiche that they were,**  
 And of their vestments, which they wore,  
2949 **And coppes fulle of wyn, and milk, and blood,**  
 And cups full of wine, and milk, and blood,  
2950 **Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood;**  
 Into the fire, that burned as if it were mad;  
2951 **Ne how the Grekes, with an huge route,**  
 Nor how the Greeks, with a huge company,  
2952 **Thries riden al the fyr aboute**  
 Thrice ride all the fire about  
2953 **Upon the left hand, with a loud shoutynge,**  
 Upon the left hand, with a loud shouting,  
2954 **And thries with hir speres claterynge;**  
 And thrice with their spears clattering;  
2955 **And thries how the ladyes gonne crye;**  
 And thrice how the ladies did cry;  
2956 **And how that lad was homward Emelye;**  
 And how Emelye was led homeward;  
2957 **Ne how Arcite is brent to asshen colde;**  
 Nor how Arcite is burned to cold ashes;  
2958 **Ne how that lyche-wake was yholde**  
 Nor how that wake was held   
2959 **Al thilke nyght; ne how the Grekes pleye**  
 All that same night; nor how the Greeks play  
2960 **The wake-pleyes; ne kepe I nat to seye**  
 The funeral games I care not to say  
2961 **Who wrastleth best naked with oille enoynt,**  
 Who wrestles best, naked with oil anointed,  
2962 **Ne who that baar hym best, in no disjoynt.**  
 Nor who bore him best, in any difficulty.  
2963 **I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon**  
 I will not tell also how they go  
2964 **Hoom til Atthenes, whan the pley is doon;**  
 Home to Athens, when the games are done;  
2965 **But shortly to the point thanne wol I wende**  
 But shortly to the point then I will go  
2966 **And maken of my longe tale an ende.**  
 And make an end of my long tale.  
2967 **By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres,**  
 By the course of events and by length of a certain number of years,  
2968 **Al stynted is the moornynge and the teres**  
 All stopped is the mourning and the tears  
2969 **Of Grekes, by oon general assent.**  
 Of the Greeks, by one general assent.  
2970 **Thanne semed me ther was a parlement**  
 Then it seemed to me there was a parliament  
2971 **At Atthenes, upon certein pointz and caas;**  
 At Athens, upon certain topics and cases;  
2972 **Among the whiche pointz yspoken was,**  
 Among which topics was discussed (a proposal)  
2973 **To have with certein contrees alliaunce,**  
 To have alliance with certain countries,  
2974 **And have fully of Thebans obeisaunce.**  
 And have fully the submission of the Thebans.  
2975 **For which this noble Theseus anon**  
 For which this noble Theseus immediately  
2976 **Leet senden after gentil Palamon,**  
 Ordered (someone) to send for gentle Palamon,  
2977 **Unwist of hym what was the cause and why,**  
 Unknown by him (Palamon) what was the cause and why,  
2978 **But in his blake clothes sorwefully**  
 But in his black clothes sorrowfully  
2979 **He cam at his comandement in hye.**  
 He came at his (Theseus's) commandment in haste.  
2980 **Tho sente Theseus for Emelye.**  
 Then Theseus sent for Emelye.  
2981 **Whan they were set, and hust was al the place,**  
 When they were set, and all the place was hushed,  
2982 **And Theseus abiden hadde a space**  
 And Theseus had waited for a while  
2983 **Er any word cam fram his wise brest,**  
 Before any word came from his wise breast,  
2984 **His eyen sette he ther as was his lest.**  
 He set his eyes where his object of desire was.  
2985 **And with a sad visage he siked stille,**  
 And with a sad face he sighed softly,  
2986 **And after that right thus he seyde his wille:**  
 And after that exactly thus he pronounced his decision:  
2987 **"The Firste Moevere of the cause above,**  
 "The First Mover of the First Cause above,  
2988 **Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love,**  
 When he first made the faire chain of love,  
2989 **Greet was th'effect, and heigh was his entente.**  
 Great was the effect, and noble was his plan.  
2990 **Wel wiste he why, and what thereof he mente,**  
 Well knew he why, and what thereof he meant,  
2991 **For with that faire cheyne of love he bond**  
 For with that faire chain of love he bound  
2992 **The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond**  
 The fire, the air, the water, and the land  
2993 **In certeyn boundes, that they may nat flee.**  
 In definite bounds, from which they may not flee.  
2994 **That same Prince and that Moevere," quod he,**  
 That same Prince and that Mover," said he,  
2995 **"Hath stablissed in this wrecched world adoun**  
 "Has established in this wretched world below  
2996 **Certeyne dayes and duracioun**  
 Specific (numbers of) days and (term of) duration  
2997 **To al that is engendred in this place,**  
 To all that is engendered in this place,  
2998 **Over the whiche day they may nat pace,**  
 Beyond the which day they can not pass,  
2999 **Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge.**  
 Although they may yet well shorten those days.  
3000 **Ther nedeth noght noon auctoritee t'allegge,**  
 There is no need to cite any written authority,  
3001 **For it is preeved by experience,**  
 For it is proven by experience,  
3002 **But that me list declaren my sentence.**  
 Unless I wish to make my meaning more clear.  
3003 **Thanne may men by this ordre wel discerne**  
 Then one can by this order well discern  
3004 **That thilke Moevere stable is and eterne.**  
 That that same Mover is stable and eternal.  
3005 **Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool,**  
 Well may one know, unless it be a fool,  
3006 **That every part dirryveth from his hool,**  
 That every part derives from its whole,  
3007 **For nature hath nat taken his bigynnyng**  
 For nature has not taken its beginning  
3008 **Of no partie or cantel of a thyng,**  
 Of no part or portion of a thing,  
3009 **But of a thyng that parfit is and stable,**  
 But of a thing that is complete and stable,  
3010 **Descendynge so til it be corrumpable.**  
 Descending (from that) until it becomes corruptible.  
3011 **And therfore, of his wise purveiaunce,**  
 And therefore, by his wise foresight,  
3012 **He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce**  
 He has so well established his plan  
3013 **That speces of thynges and progressiouns**  
 That types of being and natural processes  
3014 **Shullen enduren by successiouns,**  
 Shall endure (for a set time) one after another,  
3015 **And nat eterne, withouten any lye.**  
 And not eternally, without any lie.  
3016 **This maystow understonde and seen at ye.**  
 This thou canst understand and plainly see.  
3017 **"Loo the ook, that hath so long a norisshynge**  
 "Lo the oak, that is so slow to mature,  
3018 **From tyme that it first bigynneth to sprynge,**  
 From the time that it first begins to spring,  
3019 **And hath so long a lif, as we may see,**  
 And has so long a life, as we may see,  
3020 **Yet at the laste wasted is the tree.**  
 Yet at the last the tree is wasted away.  
3021 **"Considereth eek how that the harde stoon**  
 "Consider also how the hard stone  
3022 **Under oure feet, on which we trede and goon,**  
 Under our feet, on which we tread and go,  
3023 **Yet wasteth it as it lyth by the weye.**  
 Eventually it is worn away as it lies by the way.  
3024 **The brode ryver somtyme wexeth dreye;**  
 The broad river sometimes grows dry;  
3025 **The grete tounes se we wane and wende.**  
 We see the great cities grow weak and pass away.  
3026 **Thanne may ye se that al this thyng hath ende.**  
 Then you can see that all things have an end.  
3027 **"Of man and womman seen we wel also**  
 "Of man and woman also we see well   
3028 **That nedes, in oon of thise termes two --**  
 That by necessity, in one of these two periods of time --  
3029 **This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age --**  
 This is to say, in youth or else in age --  
3030 **He moot be deed, the kyng as shal a page;**  
 He must be dead, the king as must a servant boy;  
3031 **Som in his bed, som in the depe see,**  
 One in his bed, one in the deep sea,  
3032 **Som in the large feeld, as men may see;**  
 One in the large field, as people can see;  
3033 **Ther helpeth noght; al goth that ilke weye.**  
 Nothing helps there; all goes that same way.  
3034 **Thanne may I seyn that al this thyng moot deye.**  
 Then may I say that all things must die.  
3035 **"What maketh this but Juppiter, the kyng,**  
 "What causes this but Jupiter, the king,  
3036 **That is prince and cause of alle thyng,**  
 Who is prince and cause of all things,  
3037 **Convertynge al unto his propre welle**  
 Causing all to return to its own origin  
3038 **From which it is dirryved, sooth to telle?**  
 From which it is derived, to tell the truth?  
3039 **And heer-agayns no creature on lyve,**  
 And against this no living creature,  
3040 **Of no degree, availleth for to stryve.**  
 Of any rank, is helped by striving.  
3041 **"Thanne is it wysdom, as it thynketh me,**  
 "Then is it wisdom, as it seems to me,  
3042 **To maken vertu of necessitee,**  
 To make virtue of necessity,  
3043 **And take it weel that we may nat eschue,**  
 And take it well what we may not escape,  
3044 **And namely that to us alle is due.**  
 And namely that which is due to us all.  
3045 **And whoso gruccheth ought, he dooth folye,**  
 And whoever complains in any way, he does folly,  
3046 **And rebel is to hym that al may gye.**  
 And is rebel to Him that can rule all.  
3047 **And certeinly a man hath moost honour**  
 And certainly a man has most honor  
3048 **To dyen in his excellence and flour,**  
 To die in his (time of) excellence and flower,  
3049 **Whan he is siker of his goode name;**  
 When he is sure of his good name;  
3050 **Thanne hath he doon his freend, ne hym, no shame.**  
 Then he has not done his friend, nor himself, any shame.  
3051 **And gladder oghte his freend been of his deeth,**  
 And his friend ought to be more pleased with his death,  
3052 **Whan with honour up yolden is his breeth,**  
 When his breath is yielded up with honor,  
3053 **Than whan his name apalled is for age,**  
 Than when his name is faded because of age,  
3054 **For al forgeten is his vassellage.**  
 For all forgotten is his knightly prowess.  
3055 **Thanne is it best, as for a worthy fame,**  
 Then is it best, for a worthy fame,  
3056 **To dyen whan that he is best of name.**  
 To die when he has the most fame.  
3057 **"The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse.**  
 "The contrary of all this is willfulness.  
3058 **Why grucchen we, why have we hevynesse,**  
 Why do we complain, why do we have sadness,  
3059 **That goode Arcite, of chivalrie flour,**  
 That good Arcite, flower of chivalry,  
3060 **Departed is with duetee and honour**  
 Is departed with all due honor  
3061 **Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf?**  
 Out of this foul prison of this life?  
3062 **Why grucchen heere his cosyn and his wyf**  
 Why do his cousin and his wife complain here  
3063 **Of his welfare, that loved hem so weel?**  
 Of the welfare of him, who loved them so well?  
3064 **Kan he hem thank? Nay, God woot, never a deel,**  
 Can he show them his gratitude? Nay, God knows, not a bit;  
3065 **That both his soule and eek hemself offende,**  
 They offend both his soul and themselves as well,  
3066 **And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende.**  
 And as yet they may not change their desires.

3067 **"What may I conclude of this longe serye,**  
 "What can I conclude of this long argument,  
3068 **But after wo I rede us to be merye**  
 But after woe I advise us to be merry  
3069 **And thanken Juppiter of al his grace?**  
 And thank Jupiter for all his grace?  
3070 **And er that we departen from this place**  
 And before we depart from this place  
3071 **I rede that we make of sorwes two**  
 I advise that we make of two sorrows   
3072 **O parfit joye, lastynge everemo.**  
 One perfect joy, lasting evermore.  
3073 **And looketh now, wher moost sorwe is herinne,**  
 And look now, where most sorrow is herein,  
3074 **Ther wol we first amenden and bigynne.**  
 There will we first amend and begin.  
3075 **"Suster," quod he, "this is my fulle assent,**  
 "Sister," said he, "this is my full intention,  
3076 **With al th'avys heere of my parlement,**  
 With all the advice of my parliament here,  
3077 **That gentil Palamon, youre owene knyght,**  
 That gentle Palamon, your own knight,  
3078 **That serveth yow with wille, herte, and myght,**  
 Who serves you with will, heart, and might,  
3079 **And ever hath doon syn ye first hym knewe,**  
 And ever has done so since you first knew him,  
3080 **That ye shul of youre grace upon hym rewe,**  
 That you shall of your grace have pity upon him,  
3081 **And taken hym for housbonde and for lord.**  
 And take him for husband and for lord.  
3082 **Lene me youre hond, for this is oure accord.**  
 Lend me your hand, for this is our decision.  
3083 **Lat se now of youre wommanly pitee.**  
 Let your womanly pity now be seen.  
3084 **He is a kynges brother sone, pardee;**  
 He is a king's brother's son, indeed;  
3085 **And though he were a povre bacheler,**  
 And even if he were a poor young knight,  
3086 **Syn he hath served yow so many a yeer,**  
 Since he has served you so many a year,  
3087 **And had for yow so greet adversitee,**  
 And has had for you such great adversity,  
3088 **It moste been considered, leeveth me,**  
 It must be taken in account, believe me,  
3089 **For gentil mercy oghte to passen right."**  
 For gentle mercy ought to prevail over justice."  
3090 **Thanne seyde he thus to Palamon the knight:**  
 Then said he thus to Palamon the knight:  
3091 **"I trowe ther nedeth litel sermonyng**  
 "I suppose little preaching is needed here  
3092 **To make yow assente to this thyng.**  
 To make you assent to this thing.  
3093 **Com neer, and taak youre lady by the hond."**  
 Come near, and take your lady by the hand."  
3094 **Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond**  
 Between them was made right away the bond  
3095 **That highte matrimoigne or mariage,**  
 That is called matrimony or marriage,  
3096 **By al the conseil and the baronage.**  
 By all the council and the baronage.  
3097 **And thus with alle blisse and melodye**  
 And thus with all bliss and festivity  
3098 **Hath Palamon ywedded Emelye.**  
 Palamon has wedded Emelye.  
3099 **And God, that al this wyde world hath wroght,**  
 And God, who has made all this wide world,  
3100 **Sende hym his love that hath it deere aboght;**  
 Send him his love who has dearly paid for it;  
3101 **For now is Palamon in alle wele,**  
 For now is Palamon in complete happiness,  
3102 **Lyvynge in blisse, in richesse, and in heele,**  
 Living in bliss, in riches, and in health,  
3103 **And Emelye hym loveth so tendrely,**  
 And Emelye loves him so tenderly,  
3104 **And he hire serveth so gentilly,**  
 And he serves her so gently,  
3105 **That nevere was ther no word hem bitwene**  
 That never was there any word between them   
3106 **Of jalousie or any oother teene.**  
 Of jealousy or any other vexation.  
3107 **Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye;**  
 Thus ends Palamon and Emelye;  
3108 **And God save al this faire compaignye! Amen.**  
 And God save all this fair company! Amen.

*Heere is ended the Knyghtes Tale*