[Cornets. A battle struck within; then a retreat. Flourish. Then enter, THESEUS, as victor, with a HERALD, other Lords, and Soldiers. The three QUEENS meet him and fall on their faces before him.]
FIRST QUEEN
To thee no star be dark!
SECOND QUEEN
Both heaven and earth
Friend thee for ever!
THIRD QUEEN
All the good that may
Be wished upon thy head, I cry “Amen” to ’t!
THESEUS
Th’ impartial gods, who from the mounted heavens
View us their mortal herd, behold who err
And, in their time, chastise. Go and find out
The bones of your dead lords and honour them
With treble ceremony, rather than a gap
Should be in their dear rites, we would supply ’t,
But those we will depute which shall invest
You in your dignities and even each thing
Our haste does leave imperfect. So, adieu,
And heaven’s good eyes look on you.
[Exeunt QUEENS.]
[Enter a HERALD and Soldiers bearing PALAMON and ARCITE on hearses.]
What are those?
HERALD
Men of great quality, as may be judged
By their appointment. Some of Thebes have told ’s
They are sisters’ children, nephews to the King.
THESEUS
By th’ helm of Mars, I saw them in the war,
Like to a pair of lions, smeared with prey,
Make lanes in troops aghast. I fixed my note
Constantly on them, for they were a mark
Worth a god’s view. What prisoner was ’t that told me
When I enquired their names?
HERALD
Wi’ leave, they’re called Arcite and Palamon.
THESEUS
’Tis right; those, those. They are not dead?
HERALD
Nor in a state of life. Had they been taken
When their last hurts were given, ’twas possible
They might have been recovered; yet they breathe
And have the name of men.
THESEUS
Then like men use ’em.
The very lees of such, millions of rates,
Exceed the wine of others. All our surgeons
Convent in their behoof; our richest balms,
Rather than niggard, waste. Their lives concern us
Much more than Thebes is worth. Rather than have ’em
Freed of this plight, and in their morning state,
Sound and at liberty, I would ’em dead;
But forty-thousandfold we had rather have ’em
Prisoners to us than death. Bear ’em speedily
From our kind air, to them unkind, and minister
What man to man may do, for our sake, more,
Since I have known frights, fury, friends’ behests,
Love’s provocations, zeal, a mistress’ task,
Desire of liberty, a fever, madness,
Hath set a mark which nature could not reach to
Without some imposition, sickness in will
O’er-wrestling strength in reason. For our love
And great Apollo’s mercy, all our best
Their best skill tender. Lead into the city,
Where, having bound things scattered, we will post
To Athens ’fore our army.
[Flourish. Exeunt.]