m kj 
 
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 f AND A 
 
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 ^:2^UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.^-^ <^ 
 
Xafee lEnglisb Classics^ 
 
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 Under the editorial supervision of LINDSAY TODD DAMON, A.B., 
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 OneVol.j^SC. 
 
 SCOTT, FORESMAN & COMPANY, 
 
 Publishers, 
 378-388 Wabash Avenue, Chicago* 
 
^be Xafte lenaHsb Classics 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 LINDSAY TODD DAMON, A.B. 
 Instructor in English in The University of Chicago 
 
Ube Xalie Englisb Classics 
 
 PALAMOJSr ANT) ARCITE 
 
 OK THE KXIGHT'S TALE 
 FROM CHAUCER 
 
 JOH]^ DEYDEl!f 
 
 EDITED FOR SCHOOL USE 
 BY 
 
 MAY ESTELLE COOK, A.B. 
 
 DrSTBUCTOB IK KXQLISH. SOUTH SIDS ACAPKltT. CHICAGO 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 SCOTT, FORESMAN AND COMPANY 
 
 1898 
 
SECOND COPY, 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 ■>^ 
 
 
 *\'- ...^ 
 
 .^^ 
 
 ^%' 
 
 4>- 
 
 
 52098 
 
 Copyright 1898, 
 By SCOTT, FOKESMAN AND COMPANY 
 
 gCD '<0 1}. , 
 
 C^'er of I 
 
 
 •^'■'fSHtCft.fo. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Preface - - - ^ ... - - 7 
 Introduction 
 
 Chaucer 9 
 
 Dryden . . . .... - 16 
 
 The Story of Palamon and Arcite - - 23 
 
 Dryden's Style 23 
 
 Dryden's Estimate of Chaucer - - - 32 
 
 Suggestions to Teachers ----- 33 
 
 Bibliography ...-.-. 38 
 
 Text ....---.. 39 
 
 Notes - - - 145 
 
 Glossary - - - - - - - - 166 
 
 Index 172 
 
PREFACE 
 
 This edition of Palamon and Arcite aims to give 
 the pupil only such information and stimulus as 
 will enable him to do his best work. The notes 
 have been prepared in the belief that stimulus to 
 literary appreciation is quite as necessary to the 
 young student as the understanding of facts, and 
 have therefore been made suggestive as well as 
 critical. The unique feature of the edition, that 
 of footnotes from Chaucer's text, has been intro- 
 duced in the hope that comparative study will not 
 only add zest to the pupil's work, but will give 
 him a basis for forming opinions of his own, and 
 will consequently foster keenness of insight and 
 power of enjoyment. 
 
 The text of Dry den used is that of W. D. 
 Christie (Macmillan, 1893), the Chaucer text, that 
 of Morris and Skeat's Prologue and Enightes Tale 
 in the Clarendon Press Series. 
 
 M. E. C. 
 
INTEODUCTION 
 
 CHAUCER 
 
 In the year 1340,^ six years before the battle of 
 Crecy, there was born in London a child who was 
 destined to perpetuate in English the stories of 
 chivalry. At Crecy, where cannon were used for 
 the first time in European warfare, there appeared 
 a force which was bound finally to destroy chiv- 
 alry ; for neither Norman castles nor Norman armor 
 could withstand the power of firearms. But that 
 result was long in coming about. Throughout the 
 reign of Edward III. the fashion of chivalry was 
 at its height ; the ideal warrior was still the knight 
 with '' crested morion" and the lady's favor on his 
 sleeve. Moreover, the English mind, which is 
 often a little slow in its appreciation of the artistic 
 value of things, had not until the fourteenth 
 century wakened to the fact that the knight was 
 not only a warrior, but also a fit subject for song 
 and story. Englishmen, especially those who had 
 been on the crusades, began to long for tales of 
 knightly deeds, such as were already being sung 
 by the poets of France and Italy. The time was 
 
 * This date is not definitely settled, but Chaucer's 
 birth was certainly nearer 1 340 than the traditional 1328. 
 
 9 
 
10 INTRODUCTION 
 
 ripe therefore for a master poet who would tell 
 those same stories, and others, in the English 
 tongue. That master poet came in the person of 
 Geoffrey Chaucer. 
 
 Chaucer was happy in having not only a poet's 
 power and a poet's opportunity, but also in living 
 at the court of Edward III., the very heart of the 
 English life of the fourteenth century, and being 
 worldly wise in the interesting fashions of the 
 times. It was a time of strange contrasts, when 
 the romance of feudalism was jostling against the 
 prosaic good sense of a growing business world, 
 and the struggle between them was not yet decided. 
 Chaucer was involved in both sides of the struggle 
 in a way which to us seems almost contradictory, 
 but which at the time was quite possible and 
 natural; he was both a romancer and a man of 
 affairs, and scarcely more the one than the other. 
 
 At sixteen or seventeen he became a page to 
 Elizabeth, Duchess of Clarence, the wife of Lionel, 
 son of Edward III. , and from that time on he was 
 all his life more or less actively engaged in the 
 service of the royal family. Perhaps it was while 
 he was a page, in the intervals of running errands 
 and polishing armor, that he began to turn his 
 reading to account by putting into his own words 
 the stories he read; for we know that even 
 then he was an omnivorous reader, and notliing 
 could be more natural than that he should have 
 entertained the other pages, and even the young 
 
CHAUCER 11 
 
 princes, one of whom, John of Gaunt, was about 
 his own age, with the recital of wonderful tales 
 from Ovid or the French romancers. But whatever 
 the reason was, the young Chaucer soon became a 
 favorite with the court. He went with the army 
 to France in 1359, and when taken prisoner was 
 ransomed by no less a person than the king himself. 
 To be sure, the king paid less for the freedom of 
 the young poet than he paid the next day for a 
 good horse; but that fact did not prove that he 
 held his servant in slight regard, for he soon took 
 Chaucer into his own service, spoke of him as 
 'UlHectits valettus noster^'' and granted him a 
 pension and a gift of clothes every Christmas. 
 Chaucer maiTied a maid of honor who was a name- 
 sake of the good Queen Philippa, the wife of 
 Edward III. 
 
 He rose steadily in royal favor, holding several 
 important positions, among them that of Comp- 
 troller of Customs for the port of London ; in this 
 position he was obliged to make the ''rolls," — 
 that is, the bills and accounts, — ^with his own hand, 
 a task which was no easy one, and the accomplish- 
 ment of which proved him a competent business 
 man. He was sent abroad on many important 
 missions, such as negotiating treaties, and arrang- 
 ing for the marriage of the Black Prince's son, 
 who afterwards became Eichard II. There is a 
 tradition, but no real proof, that on one of these 
 journeys (1372-3) he visited Boccaccio at Florence 
 
12 INTRODUCTION 
 
 and Petrarch at Padua. In 1386 he sat in 
 Parliament as a knight of the shire from Kent. 
 For a time after Edward III. died, and while 
 John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, who was 
 Chaucer's patron and especial friend, was away 
 from England, Chaucer lost his offices, and became 
 acquainted with the sorrows of poverty and 
 neglect. But perhaps he needed that experience 
 to show him all sides of life. In any event his 
 greatest poverty did not last long, for Eichard 11. 
 remembered his early services and gave him an 
 office. T\'hen John of Gaunt 's son came to the 
 throne as Henry IT. he promptly granted his 
 father's friend a comfortable pension; so that 
 before Chaucer died in 1400 he was happy in the 
 certainty of his sovereign's favor. He was the first 
 person buried in the Poet's Corner of Westminster 
 Abbey. 
 
 All through his long life, Chaucer was reading 
 and writing. He re-told many French and Italian 
 romances, but always, as Shakspere did, in a way 
 that made them thoroughly English in tone; for 
 he borrowed only the thread of the story, often 
 changing even that to suit his fancy, and making 
 the details, the words, and the turn of thought 
 new. One of his early long poems was the Bolce 
 of the Diicliess^ written in honor of John of 
 Gaunt's first wife, who died in 1369. A little 
 later he TVTote what he called his ''little tragedy' 
 of Troilus and Cresseide; about the same time 
 
CHAUCER 13 
 
 he made his first version of The Story of Palamon 
 and Arcite. Another long poem, called the 
 Legende of Good Women^ he wrote at the queen's 
 request, to make up for some of the sarcastic 
 things he had said about women in his early- 
 poems; next to the Canterbury Tales it was his 
 best work. The Canterbury Tales^ a collection 
 of twenty-four stories, was begun about 1388; and 
 upon this poem, which was his masterpiece, 
 Chaucer spent a large share of the last twelve years 
 of his life. 
 
 Chaucer himself must have been a pleasant man 
 to know. From passages scattered through his 
 poems we suppose that he was short and plump, 
 that he was ''small and fair of face," that he had 
 a shy, ''elfish" look, that he usually carried his 
 head bent forward and looked on the gTound "as 
 he would find a hare," and that his eyes were 
 dazed with hard reading. He is pictured with a 
 forked beard, "wheat color" when he was young 
 and gray when he was not yet old, and with a dark 
 gown reaching to his feet and an ink-horn at his 
 side. Chaucer loved books, and perhaps was 
 thinking of himself when he said of the Clerk : 
 
 For him was levere^ have at his beddes heed 
 
 Twenty bokes, clad in blak or reed 
 
 Of Aristotle and his philosophye, 
 
 Than robes riche, or fithele,^ or gay santrye.^ 
 
 ^ liefer, i. e. rather; ^ fiddle; ^ a psaltery, a musical instrument, 
 something hke a harp. 
 
14 INTRODUCTION 
 
 But better than books he loved the ^'softe, 
 smalle, swote (sweet) grass," and his idea of 
 happiness was to lie on the grass of a May morning 
 and watch a daisy open to the sun. It seems to us 
 now, as we go back to him after reading the poetry 
 of the nineteenth century, that he was curiously 
 limited in his appreciation of nature, for he never 
 mentions the sea nor the sky nor the mountains ; 
 but the meadows and flowers and birds, to which his 
 eyes were open, he speaks of with a simplicity and 
 tenderness which we do not find again until we 
 read the lines of Burns and Wordsworth. Chaucer 
 loved men and women, too. Although he lived 
 among courtiers and princes, he did not scorn 
 millers and ploughmen. He looked at people 
 through very keen eyes, and laughed at their 
 foibles, but without bitterness. He was reticent 
 and quiet in manner, but in spite of that fact his 
 enjoyment of all sorts of society was genuine. 
 One can easily imagine him sitting among a chance 
 company of travelers such as he describes in the 
 Canterhury Tales^ seeing and hearing everything 
 without appearing to watch any one, laughing 
 quietly to himself now and then, saying never a 
 word until he was called upon to speak, and then 
 telling a better story than any of the company had 
 ever heard before. 
 
 Besides making many French and Italian stories 
 available in English, and adding to them not a 
 few stories of his own, Chaucer did another good 
 
CHAUCER 15 
 
 service for English literature, and indeed for all 
 English speaking people. Before the reign of 
 Edward III. there was no literary language in 
 England which really deserved the name of Eng- 
 lish. Since the time of William the Conqueror 
 the Norman kings and their followers had gone on 
 speaking Norman-French, while the conquered 
 Anglo-Saxons had held to their own tongue. The 
 two languages had been coming nearer together all 
 the time, as the two peoples gradually became one 
 nation. But it was not until the time of Edward 
 III. that the new language, made of the union of 
 Norman and Anglo-Saxon, became the speech of 
 the nation. None of the deeds of the great 
 Edward are more worthy of remembrance than that 
 he decreed that English should be the language 
 of court and school. Norman courtiers had to 
 learn English, no matter how much they preferred 
 French; and school-boys from that time on trans- 
 lated their Latin exercises into English. The 
 writers who wished to be widely read must write 
 in English; accordingly Langland wrote his 
 Piers the Ploivman in English, and "Wyclif trans- 
 lated the Bible into English. But the language 
 of both Langland and Wyclif was crude and 
 rugged; it was like a hard path, full of jagged, 
 unbroken stones. It was Chaucer who proved &st 
 that English, in the hands of a master, might be 
 smooth-flowing and musical. The manuscripts of 
 Wyclif's Bible were being made while Chaucer 
 
16 INTRODUCTION 
 
 was writing the Caiiterhurij Tales^ but to us now 
 it seems as though Wyclif's work might be a 
 hundred years or more older than Chaucer's 
 because his language is so much more primitive, so 
 much less finished than Chaucer's. It is for this 
 reason that the period of modern English literature 
 is often dated from Chaucer. Granted that his 
 manner is antiquated, that his words often need 
 translation, it is still true that most of his lines 
 are intelligible to us, and that as much cannot be 
 said of any other writer of his time. For his modern- 
 ness, as well as the beauty of his language, his 
 pupil Lydgate called him the ''load-star of our 
 language," Spenser said he was "the well of 
 English undefiled," and Tennyson sang of him 
 as "Dan Chaucer, the first warbler." 
 
 DKYDEN 
 
 The life of the seventeenth century, in spite of 
 the great stir made by the wars of Roundheads and 
 Cavaliers, seems less romantic to us than that of 
 the fourteenth century, though perhaps not rightly 
 so. In the same way, and with more reason, the 
 life of Dryden appears much more prosaic than 
 that of Chaucer. Dryden was born in 1631, in 
 the parish of Aldwinkle, Northampton. There he 
 lived the ordinary life of an English boy of good 
 family, studying, visiting, and fishing — a sport for 
 which he never lost his fondness. "When he was 
 thirteen there was a day of excitement at his 
 
DRYDEN 17 
 
 father's house, when a force of Parliamentarians 
 barricaded themselves in the church hard by, and 
 were captured and imprisoned by a force of Eoyal- 
 ists. But it is probable that young Dry den was 
 away at school at the time; certainly he never 
 referred to the event in his writings. He prepared 
 for the university at the famous school in West- 
 minster, where he was a favorite with the master, 
 Dr. Busby, and where he wrote good Latin exercises 
 and his first English verse. He took his degree at 
 Cambridge in 1654 and then stayed at the university 
 until 1657, for farther study. From Cambridge 
 he went to London, where he soon became famous. 
 In 1663 he married Lady Elizabeth Howard; but 
 tradition says, whether truly or not, that the 
 marriage was not a happy one. For a time he 
 held a position which Chaucer had held, that of 
 Comptroller of Customs for the port of London; 
 but in his case the position was never more than 
 an honorary one, and probably even the pay was not 
 very regular. In 1670 Dry den was made poet 
 laureate and royal historiogi-apher, with a salary 
 of £200. Even before this time he had become 
 the literary king of London, and the loyal fol- 
 lowers who gathered about him of an evening at 
 Will's Coffee House took his slightest word as final, 
 whether he spoke of the latest news or of politics 
 or of the drama of the day or of literature in 
 general. Scott gives an interesting, though of 
 course largely imaginary picture of him and his 
 
18 ENTTEODUCTIOX 
 
 court, in The Pirate (Chapter XR'). During 
 most of his life, Diyden allowed his politics, and 
 his religion also, to be decided by the party in 
 power. Under the Commonwealth he was a 
 Puritan, under Charles II. he was a Eoyalist and 
 a member of the Established Church, and under 
 James II. he became a Catholic. 'WTien the Prot- 
 ^rant William and Mary came to the throne, 
 however, he refused to change his faith again, and 
 lost his position as poet laureate in consequence. 
 Then, like Chaucer, he became acquainted with 
 neglect and comparative poverty. But he set him- 
 self to meet his misfortunes w^th hard work, and 
 wrote industriously and successfully until his death 
 in ITOO. He was buried between Chaucer and 
 Cowley in 'Westminster Abbey. 
 
 It is almost impossible to think of Dryden's writ- 
 ings apart from his life. More truly than of 
 almost any other poet it might be said of him that 
 his work was his life. Moreover, most of Dryden's 
 poems were ''occasional" pieces, written to cele- 
 brate some event in which he was interested either 
 by his own choice or by the king's wishes. The 
 poem which brought Dryden into notice and made' 
 him decide en literature as a profession was the 
 Heroic Stanzas^ written in praise of Cromwell at 
 the time of the great Protector's death. When 
 Charles II, came to his father's throne, Dryden 
 was ready with praise for him also, and wrote the 
 AstrcBa Redux (Justice Eeturned) to celebrate the 
 
DRYDEN 19 
 
 young monarch's return. With the Restoration 
 came a reviyal of the drama, and Dryden, always 
 ready to turn his hand to the need of the hour, 
 began to write plays. At first he wrote comedies, 
 but they went badly. With tragedies he had better 
 success, though as we read his plays now we think 
 it must have been the perverted taste of the 
 audience or the elaborate stage setting — in one play 
 there were singing angels and a vision of Pai'adise 
 — that carried them through. But these plays, 
 most of which were written in rhyme, did good at 
 least in the matter of training Dryden to use his 
 tools ; for when the time came for his satires and 
 didactic poems, he had become a master of the art 
 of versification. In 1666 he wi'ote the Aujius 
 Mirabilis^ a poem which celebrated the wars with 
 Holland and the Great Fhe of London. The 
 occasion of his first satire, called Absalom and 
 Acliitoplielj was the Popish plot. In this poem 
 the poet undertook the defense of the king against 
 ShreTvsbury — Achitophel — and the excuse of the 
 Duke of Monmouth — Absalom. The Religio Laid,, 
 Dryden's next important poem, has been called the 
 greatest English didactic poem; it was wi^itten in 
 a moderate and apparently sincere spirit of approval 
 of the views of the Church of England. Dryden's 
 last long poem. The Hind and the Panther^ was 
 wi'itten after the accession of James II., and is an 
 allegorical defense of the Eoman Catholic Church 
 under the symbol of the snow-white hind, against 
 
20 INTRODUCTION 
 
 the attacks of the English Church, which is 
 symbolized by the spotted panther. When Dry den 
 lost his position as laureate he again wrote plays. 
 Most of his plays, both early and late, were 
 adaptations of Shakspere or Moliere or other 
 dramatists, or dramatizations of popular stories; 
 he even composed an opera, using Paradise Lost 
 as a basis. Of his dramas the best are All for 
 Love and Don Sehastian. Late in life Dryden 
 undertook translations also. He translated Vergil, 
 and passages from Homer, Theocritus, Ovid, 
 Horace and Lucretius. His last undertakings were 
 his book of Fables^ which contained modern 
 renderings of Chaucer, translations from Ovid and 
 Boccaccio, and the second St. Cecilia Ode^ which 
 is usually called Alexander'' s Feast. Dryden 's 
 prose ^Titing was always subordinate to his poetry, 
 and consisted of prefaces to his poems or defenses 
 of them. His chief essay, that on dramatic poetry, 
 is an attempt to prove that rhyme is suitable for 
 tragedy. His prose style has, however, stood the 
 test of time better than his poetic style, because it 
 is clear, simple, and direct. 
 
 Early in his career, when Dryden felt called upon 
 to explain his failure as a writer of comedies, he 
 said of himself: "My conversation is slow and dulL 
 my humour saturnine and reserved; in short, 1 am 
 none of those who endeavour to break jests in 
 company, and make repartees." Perhaps in this 
 confession Dryden was a little too hard on himself ; 
 
DRYDEN 21 
 
 but he doubtless told more than a half-truth. 
 There have been many conflicting opinions about 
 his character. The truth of the matter seems to 
 be that, living as he did in the unimaginative last 
 half of the seventeenth century, when men made 
 too much of their reason and valued too lightly 
 warmth of heart. Dry den was rather too cold and 
 practical. He was in danger of caring more for an 
 argument than for the man who made it, and more 
 for a well-turned line than for the moral effect of 
 the idea it expressed. He lived a life too narrowly 
 literary. He did sometimes go to the country for 
 a short visit ; but he was usually hard at work in 
 London, he never went abroad, and he never saw 
 life except through the eyes of a writer and critic. 
 Wordsworth says that "there is not a single image 
 from nature in all of Dryden's works," and while 
 that criticism is not literally true, as some half 
 dozen lines in Palamon and Arcite testify, it is 
 true that Dryden did not love nature well enough 
 to break away from the literary conventionalities 
 of his time. He was not "saturnine;" but he was 
 rather cold and stiff, and not so frank and joyous 
 and responsive to the world and the people in it 
 as Chaucer was. 
 
 Dryden must not, however, be criticised too 
 severely. He lived in the beginning of the "classic 
 age" of English literature, when it was the fashion 
 to study Homer and Vergil rather than life, and to 
 imitate the classics rather than to write new verses 
 
22 INTRODUCTION 
 
 that should be truer than the classics to modern 
 life. The result was inevitable; there was an 
 artificial standard for literature, and people did 
 not ask of a new poem "Is it true?" but "Is it 
 like the classics?" Dryden, certainly, was partly 
 responsible for setting this fashion; but he also, in 
 part, merely reflected his age. If he was a trifle cold 
 he was full of manly vigor and enterprise ; if he 
 was sometimes coarse he was always witty and work- 
 manlike ; if he did not study very closely the feel- 
 ings of the human heart he did study the workings 
 of the human mind, and leave us a fairly clfear 
 record of the thought of his day. 
 
 THE STORY OF PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The story of Palamon and Arcite is the first 
 one told by Chaucer in the series of stories called 
 the Canterbury Tales. In the Prologue of the 
 Cayiteriury Tales Chaucer tells how twenty-nine 
 pilgrims spend the night at the Tabard Inn in 
 Southwark on their way to the shrine of St. Thomas 
 a Becket at Canterbury, and how, as they start out 
 together the next morning, they agree to enliven 
 the journey by telling stories. As the company is 
 a motley one, including a knight, a squire, a 
 yeoman, a prioress, a monk, a friar, a merchant, a 
 clerk (student), a sergeant of law (lawyer), a 
 franklin (country gentleman), a haberdasher, a 
 doctor, a plougliman, a miller, and several other 
 people, the stories are of very different sorts and 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 23 
 
 are told in very different fashions. Some of 
 them, indeed, Chaucer feels called upon to apolo- 
 gize for ; not so for this first one, which is told by 
 the knight, who naturally speaks first because of 
 his social position. Chaucer calls the story simply 
 The Krdglites Tale, The knight himself is repre- 
 sented as haying just come home from the crusades 
 and as still weai'ing a bufE jerkin stained with the 
 wear of his armor ; accordingly this tale of chival- 
 rous dcTotion and knightly deeds comes appropri- 
 ately from his lips. 
 
 The origin of the story of Palamon and Arcite 
 is not known. It is quite possible that it was told 
 at first as an independent story, and was afterwards 
 connected with the name of Theseus, because this 
 name was a favorite subject of romance, and came 
 to be used in many legends which did not originally 
 belong to Theseus himself. However that may 
 be, it was taken from the Latin poet Statins by 
 Boccaccio, who elaborated it in his Teseide into a 
 poem of ten thousand lines. In Boccaccio's hands 
 it has all the characteristics of a medieval tale; 
 for example, the prayers of Emily and the two 
 knights before the tournament are personified, and 
 are sent to the gods to make the requests in person, 
 while after the tournament the story follows 
 Arcite's soul in its journey to heaven. Chaucer's 
 version is not simply a translation, but rather a 
 working-over so complete as to produce an almost 
 original story ; he reduces the poem to two thousand 
 
24: INTEODUCTION 
 
 two liundred and fifty lines, makes the characters 
 much more vivid and real, and the story itself 
 more probable, and therefore more modern in tone. 
 Dryden again expands the poem by nearly two 
 hundred lines. His version is a much closer trans- 
 lation of Chaucer's than Chaucer's is of Boc- 
 caccio's; but Dryden did not scruple to change 
 the lines decidedly when he saw fit. Dryden 
 follows Chaucer, however, in giving the story an 
 English setting. Inasmuch as Chaucer's knowl- 
 edo^e of Greek life was verv measrer, his version is 
 full of anachronisms, chief among which is the 
 impossible term "Greek chivalry." But as there 
 is no evidence that such a person as Theseus ever 
 lived and as therefore the story is not a good sub- 
 ject for historical study, the fault is not a grievous 
 one. 
 
 DETDEX'S STYLE 
 
 However interesting it might be for the pupil to 
 make a careful comparison of the styles of Chaucer 
 and Dryden, it would scarcely be possible for him 
 to do so with nothing more of Chaucer 's poem at 
 hand than the meager passages given in the foot- 
 notes. Those passages may well serve, however, 
 to bring out by contrast the more important 
 qualities of Dryden 's style. 
 
 The basis of versification is the same in Chaucer 
 and Dryden. Both poets write in heroic couplets, 
 that is, in iambic pentameter, the lines rhyming 
 
DRYDEN'S STYLE 25 
 
 in pairs. Such verse is peculiarly likely to be 
 monotonous, and both poets show skill in varying 
 the rhythm. Dry den sometimes substitutes a 
 trochee or a spondee for an iambus, as in the lines : 
 
 Marching | he chanced | to cast | his eye | aside. | 
 and 
 Waked, as | her cus- | torn was, | before | the [ day. | 
 
 He occasionally adds a foot ; this iambic hexameter 
 line is called an Alexandrine : 
 
 Two youth- I ful knights \ they found | beneath | a 
 
 load I oppressed. | 
 He also occasionally rhymes three successive lines 
 
 (V. 1. 31, 163, 188, etc.). 
 
 Dryden's rhyme, which, like Chaucer's, is 
 often imperfect, is better than it seems to us, be- 
 cause the seventeenth century pronunciation made 
 many words sound alike which are not alike in 
 modern pronunciation. For instance, joined was 
 pronounced jined^ and the couplet 
 
 By fortune he was now to Venus trined, 
 And with stern Mars in Capricorn was joined, 
 
 was a perfect one. After this allowance is made, 
 however, the fact remains that Dryden's rhyming is 
 often careless. 
 
 Dryden's verse is more regular than Chau- 
 cer's, and at the same time less musical. It 
 is like music played to metronome time, while 
 Chaucer's is like music controlled by the player's 
 
26 INTRODUCTION 
 
 sense of rhythm. For this monotony of effect 
 one reason is that a large proportion of Dryclen's 
 sentences are divided into clauses a line long; 
 accordingly, the pause in reading and the pause 
 in meter coincide, the voice falls at the end of 
 the line, and the time-beat becomes too notice- 
 able. For an illustration of the relief which 
 comes from carrying the thought of one line over 
 into the next, compare the following passages : 
 
 Dryden, 1. 545 — 
 It hap- I pened once | that slum- | bering as^ | he lay, | 
 He dreamt | (his dream | began | at break | of day), | 
 That Her- | mes o'er | his head | in air | appeared, | 
 And with^ | soft words | his droop- | ing spir- | its 
 cheered. | 
 
 Chaucer, Knight's Tale, 1. 525— 
 At The- I bes, in^ | his con- | tree as- | I seyde, | 
 Upon I a night | in sleep | as he^ | him leyde, | 
 Him thoughte | how that* | the win- | ged god | Mercu- 
 
 I rie 
 Biforn | him stood, | and bad | him to^ | be mur- | ye. 
 
 The voice naturally joins the phrase '* Biforn 
 him stood" with the preceding line, and thus 
 prevents the sing-song effect which Dryden 's lines 
 have. The same extracts illustrate well a second 
 reason for the greater monotony of Dryden 's 
 rhythm, namely, that the metrical stress in Dry- 
 den's line falls more often upon a syllable that 
 
BRYDEX'S STYLE 27 
 
 must be accented in reading, and that the time- 
 beat within the line can therefore be disregarded 
 less often than in Chaucer's line. The syllables 
 which bear a metrical accent that may be passed 
 over in reading are numbered in the two passages, 
 and it is worthy of remark that there are only 
 two in Dryden's lines, against five in Chaucer's. 
 
 In their choice of words Dryden and Chaucer 
 differ widely. Dryden believes in the literary value 
 of fine phrases, Chaucer in the appropriateness of 
 simple words. Where Chaucer says that Palamon 
 "caste his eye upon Emelya," Dryden says that 
 he ''descried the charms of Emily" ; where Chaucer 
 tells how Theseus ''let Arcite out of prison," 
 Dryden tells how Theseus "restored Arcite to 
 liberty"; where Chaucer speaks of Theseus 's 
 "giving Arcite gold, " Dryden speaks of Theseus 's 
 "largely entertaining Arcite with sums of gold." 
 Dryden even occasionally sacrifices clearness or 
 definiteness to an alliteration or a play upon words, 
 as, for example, in the phrase "full of museful 
 mopings, ' ' and the line, 
 
 Beholds what e'er he would but what he would behold 
 
 Dryden's diction often lacks the best artistic 
 quality, therefore, because it lacks naturalness. 
 On the other hand it has interest for the scholarly 
 reader because many words which we now use only 
 in their derived meanings are used by Dryden in 
 their literal meaning. 
 
28 INTRODUCTION 
 
 Both Chaucer and Dryden often use long, loose 
 sentences, and sometimes fail to make subordinate 
 clauses depend grammatically upon principal 
 clauses (Y. 1. 304 and 786). Dryden also occasion- 
 ally forgets that he has begun a dependent clause, 
 and goes on with it as though it were principal (V. 
 1. 886). A marked characteristic of Dryden 's 
 style is the frequency of the balanced sentence. 
 The setting of phrase against phrase, clause against 
 clause, was not a new fashion in Dryden's time; 
 but there was an epigrammatic, witty flavor in this 
 style of v/riting which appealed to Dryden, and he 
 fell into the habit of using.it constantly , thereby 
 establishing a fashion which was followed and car- 
 ried to the extreme by Pope. 
 
 The first quality of Dryden's style which im- 
 presses the reader, and indeed which explains 
 nearly every adverse criticism which can be passed 
 upon it, is its lack of simplicity. IN^ot only are 
 his words pretentious in sound, bat he sees his 
 thoughts on their large and pompous side. There 
 is a greater difference than a difference in word- 
 ing between Chaucer's "ther is a noyse of 
 peple" and Dryden's "The people rend the sky 
 with vast applause." Chaucer is never afraid of 
 a simple idea, nor of a homely one, if it is clear 
 and pat. He says that Arcito *'wex lene, anddrye 
 as is a shaft," and that his ^^disposicioun is turned 
 al up-so-doun"; Dryden trims the thoughts up, as 
 well as the phrases, saying that Arcite 
 
DRYDEN'S STYLE 29 
 
 looks as wan 
 As the pale spectre of a murdered man. 
 
 This lack of simplicity runs into such exaggera- 
 tions as are expressed in 
 
 Heaven is not but where Emily abides 
 And where she's absent, all is hell besides, 
 
 and many similar passages. Another phase of the 
 same quality shows in the oyer-emphasized, strained 
 effect of such lines as 
 
 He swells with wrath; he makes outrageous moan; 
 He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground. 
 
 These lines destroy sympathy because they try 
 too hard to excite it. Dryden's artificiality, which 
 comes out in his treatment both of nature and of 
 people, is only another proof of his failure to take 
 the world simply and naturally. There is much 
 more feeling for Chaucer's favorite month in the 
 three words "faire, fresshe May" than in Dryden's 
 elaborate reference to the month when ''Nature's 
 ready pencil paints the flowers." In the same way 
 there is an eye to literary effect rather than to 
 Arcite's real love for Emily when the dying knight 
 is made to say 
 
 I feel my end approach and thus embraced 
 Am pleased to die. 
 
 Chaucer's line 
 
 And softe tak me in your armes tweye 
 For love of God. 
 
 has the real pathos which Dryden's lacks. 
 
30 IXTRODUCTIOX 
 
 Dry den is much less specific than Chaucer. 
 Chaucer tells the color of Emily's hair, the 
 age of King Emetrius, the exact hour at which 
 Palamon goes to the temple of Venus. ]S^ot only 
 does Dryden pass over such realistic details, but 
 when he expresses the same thought that Chaucer 
 does, he gives it in less pointed form. lie is 
 impersonal and general where Chaucer is personal 
 and definite. In Chaucer, Arcite's comfort to Pal- 
 amon has to do only with the two knights them- 
 selves : 
 
 So stood the heven when that we were born ; 
 We moste endure it : this is the short and pleyn. 
 
 while in Dryden the sentiment applies to the 
 whole world: 
 
 Whate'er ]>etides, by Destiny 'tis done; 
 
 And better bear like men than vainly seek to shun. 
 
 Moreover, Dryden adds many generalizations 
 which do not occur in Chaucer, such as, 
 
 The proverb holds, that to be wise and love 
 Is hardly granted to the gods above, 
 
 and. 
 
 Law is to things which to free choice relate ; 
 Love is not in our choice, but in our fate. 
 
 Such sweeping statements enlarge the back- 
 ground of the poem, but at the expense of reality 
 and yiyidness. 
 
 The fact that Dryden 's poem is nearly two hun- 
 
DRYDEN'S STYLE 31 
 
 dred lines longer than Chaucer 's is proof that Dry- 
 den cannot tell a story as concisely as Chaucer. He 
 has the power of condensed phrasing — witness such 
 expressions as ''Creon old and impious," "the 
 woful captive kinsmen, " the Creator's ''all -seeing 
 and all-making mind," — but not of compact 
 narratiye. In the first place he wrote hurriedly, 
 with little revision, and in the second place he was 
 not content to let words suggest thoughts, but felt 
 bound to state explicitly each phase of his idea. 
 For example, in the extract given for scanning (1. 
 545), Chaucer, whose first line is merely intro- 
 ductory, tells the story of Arcite 's dream in three 
 lines where Dry den takes four. 
 
 In spite of the many points in which Dryden 's 
 style falls short of the ideal, it has a stateliness 
 which commends it. His language is stiff and 
 artificial ; yet it was the accepted literary language 
 of his time, and reminds us, not ungratefully, of 
 that day of powdered wigs, velvet coats, artful 
 conversations, and courtly manners. Chaucer's 
 writing is quaint, simple, light-hearted, unconven- 
 tional, full of wit and humor ; Dryden 's is purposely 
 learned, serious almost to heaviness, lacking in 
 humor, and only laboriously witty. Chaucer is 
 spontaneous, as though he wrote for the love of 
 writing; Dryden is premeditated, as though he 
 wrote for fame and money. ISTevertheless, Dryden 
 is a literary workman "who needeth not to be 
 ashamed," and is not altogether unworthy of 
 
32 INTRODUCTION 
 
 Doctor Johnson's praise that ''Dryden found 
 English poetry brick and left it marble." 
 
 DKYDEX'S ESTIMATE OF CHAUCER 
 
 Dry den called Chaucer the "Father of English 
 Poetry, " and spoke of him as a "pei/petual fountain 
 of good sense." The following extract from the 
 introduction to the FaUes is interesting because it 
 not only gives Dryden's opinion of Chaucer, but 
 also his reason for rewiuting Chancers" poems: 
 
 Chaucer, I confess, is a rough diamond, and must first 
 be pohshed, ere he shines. I deny not Hkewise, that, 
 living in our early days of poetry, he writes not always 
 of a piece ; but sometimes mingles trivial things with 
 those of greater moment. Sometimes, also, though not 
 often, he runs riot, like Ovid, and know^s not when he 
 has said enough. But there are more great wits besides 
 Chaucer, whose fault is their excess of conceits, and those 
 ill sorted. An author is not to write all he can, but only 
 all he ought. Having observed this redundancy in 
 Chaucer (as it is an easy matter for a man of ordinary 
 parts to find fault in one of greater), I have not tied 
 myself to literal translation; but have often omitted 
 what I judged unnecessary, or not of dignity enough to 
 appear in the company of better thoughts. I have 
 presumed further, in some places, and added somewhat 
 of my own where I thought my author was deficient, 
 and had not given his thoughts their true lustre, for 
 want of words in the beginning of our language. And 
 to this I was the more emboldened, because (if I may 
 be permitted to say it myself) I found I had a soul con- 
 genial to his, and that I had been conversant in the 
 same studies. 
 
SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS 
 
 This edition of Palamon and Arcite differs from 
 previous ones in giving more of the Chaucer text, 
 and in emphasizing the fact that the poem is more 
 Chaucer's than Dryden's. The teacher is urged 
 to belittle the difficulty of reading Chaucer, to take 
 it for granted that the pupil can read the footnotes 
 readily, and to add to the interest of the poem by 
 making as full a comparative study as possible 
 of the two poems. If the teacher is not familiar 
 with the pronunciation and the grammar of 
 Chaucer, he will find adequate directions for the 
 pronunciation in Volume I. of the Riverside Edition 
 of Chaucer's works, for the grammar in Morris 
 and Skeat's edition of the Prologue and KnigJites 
 Tale^ etc. (Clarendon Press Series.) The pleasure 
 of his pupils in hearing Chaucer well read will 
 amply repay him for taking some trouble in the 
 matter. But if it is impossible for him to acquire 
 the pronunciation, it would be better to mispro- 
 nounce Chaucer's lines than to leave them unread. 
 
 In reading the story two points should be con- 
 stantly kept in mind, namely, a thorough com- 
 prehension of the story and a definite study of the 
 style. If the pupil comprehends the story perfectly 
 
 33 
 
34 INTRODUCTION 
 
 he will be able at any point to give in his own 
 words the argument, the description, or the senti- 
 ments, as well as the events. In studying the style 
 lie will need somewhat heroic treatment if he is to 
 be saved from glittering generalities. It is hoped 
 that the treatment given above of the style of 
 Dryden will be a help toward definiteness. 
 
 The study of words and sentences may well be 
 made the subject of written exercises, varied from 
 day to day — one day a list of words used in their 
 literal meanings, another day a list of effective 
 descriptive words and phrases, another several loose 
 sentences rewritten in more closely welded form, or 
 with Dryden's imperfect sequence of tense cor- 
 rected, and still another, a passage rewritten in 
 more simple wording than Dryden's. These exer- 
 cises may be used to give point to the pupil's read- 
 ing without taking much of his time or of the 
 teacher's, and may give a good amount of technical 
 di411. A moment's comment on such a set of 
 exercises at the beginning of a recitation will often 
 impress a class more than long discussions when the 
 pupils have done no writing. The same method 
 may be made to bring out the further characteristics 
 of Dryden's style. One passage may be rewritten 
 — in prose, of course — to tell the story more com- 
 pactly, another to omit Dryden's general or 
 cynical comments, his lapses in unity, etc. Such 
 paraphrasing with a definite purpose is invaluable, 
 and will lead the pu23il to make for himself dis- 
 
SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS 35 
 
 coyeries about his author's characteristics, whereas 
 paraphrasing with no other purpose than retelling 
 the story is deadening. 
 
 The study of figures is not so important as that 
 of words and sentences, but some treatment of 
 them is advisable. The elementary grouping of 
 figures into those that are founded on resemblance 
 and those that are not, will clarify the subject in 
 the pupil's mind. Personification is plentiful in 
 the poem, and need not be dwelt upon ; the similes 
 speak for themselves ; in the case of metaphors it 
 is well to insist that the pupil fill out the compari- 
 son, even to the extent of making a complete 
 simile. Metonymy, as the typical figure of the 
 class not founded on resemblance, should be 
 emphasized whenever the instance occurs, and 
 carefully distinguished from metaphor. 
 
 The versification need not be dwelt on long. 
 The pupil should however be able to scan the lines, 
 and should learn to notice for himself poor rhymes, 
 triple rhymes, the Alexandrine verses, and the 
 mutilated rhythm of such lines as "The inevitable 
 charms of Emily" (1. 232). 
 
 For any broad literary criticism the high school 
 pupil is not ready. By attempting it he only 
 befuddles himself, and takes away the pleasure of 
 trained discrimination which awaits him in his col- 
 lege course if he confines himself to the a b c's 
 of criticism before entering. The teacher, how- 
 ever, may read as broadly as he will and is the proper 
 
36 INTRODUCTION 
 
 medium for whatever light is to be shed on tlie 
 reading by the great critics. 
 
 The best aid to the pupil's imagination, as well 
 as to his sense of style, is constant writing. The 
 subjects of the themes written outside of class 
 should come from the book in hand, but should be 
 narrowly limited. The pujiil will never know 
 whether he has a definite idea in his own mind of 
 the temple of Mai's until he writes out the descrip- 
 tion of it from memory, nor will he ever be so well 
 l)repared to decide whether Dry den's description is 
 vivid or not until he has made the attempt to 
 describe the same thing himself. A half dozen 
 short themes, for instance, one to describe Emily, 
 one to tell what the pupil imagines Palamon and 
 Arcite had done before the expedition against 
 Thebes, one to tell what Tlieseus thought when he 
 discovered them fighting, one on the lists — includ- 
 ing a map of the place — one on one of the temples, 
 and another on the funeral of Arcite, would be 
 infinitely better than a long theme on a general 
 subject. 
 
 The notes are not intended to supersede the 
 dictionary. The meaning of even unusual words is 
 not given if the words are defined in the standard 
 dictionaries. A glossary of proper names is added 
 for the benefit of pupils who have not a classical 
 dictionary at hand, rather than for those who have. 
 The footnotes are given in place of notes in pas- 
 sages where Chaucer's text explains Dryden's. In 
 
SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS 37 
 
 three instances long extracts from Chaucer's text 
 have been given, in order that the pupil may make 
 for himself a comparative study of the two styles. 
 The teacher will find it an invaluable exercise for 
 the pupil to compare the two texts, line for line, 
 and to draw his own conclusions from his observa- 
 tions as definitely as though he were performing an 
 experiment in chemistry. It is only from such 
 clearly-defined training that a quickened literary 
 sense will come to the mind of the average high 
 school student. Meantime the teacher must foster 
 the pupil's sense of beauty by keeping the main 
 points of the story in mind, and by calling atten- 
 tion to well-chosen w^ords, to well-turned phrases, 
 and to well-conceived pictures. 
 
38 INTRODUCTION 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 Chaucer 
 
 Chaucer, English Men of Letters Series, Ward. 
 Studies in Chaucer, Lounsbury. Vol. Ill, Chap. II. 
 Histoinj of English Literature, Taine. Vol. I. 
 My Study Windows, Lowell. 
 
 Text of Chaucer. — An excellent and inexpensive 
 edition of Chaucer is Morris and Skeat's Prologue and 
 Knighfes Tale in the Clarendon Press Series. 
 
 Drydex 
 
 Lives of the Poets, Johnson, edited by Matthew 
 Arnold. Vol. II. 
 
 Lh^yden, Scott's Edition. Vol. I. 
 
 English Poets, Chalmers. Vol. VIII. 
 
 Bidden, English Men of Letters Series, Saintsbury. 
 
 History of English Literature, Taine. Vol. III. 
 
 Among 3Iy Books, Lowell. 
 
 Home Pictures of English Poets, Kate Sanborn. 
 
 Essay on Dryden, Macaulay. 
 
 The Age of Dryden, Richard Garnett. 
 
 Literary Essays, HI, Lowell. 
 
TO 
 
 HEE GEACE THE DUCHESS OF OEMOKD, 
 
 WITH THE FOLLOWING POEM OF 
 
 PALAMON AND ARCITE, FROM CHAUCER. 
 
 Madam, 
 
 The bard who first adorned our native tongue, 
 
 Tuned to his British lyre this ancient song ; 
 
 Which Homer might without a bhish rehearse, 
 
 And leaves a doubtful palm in Vhgil's verse: 
 5 He matched their beauties, where they most excel; 
 
 Of love sung better, and of arms as well. 
 Vouchsafe, illustrious Ormond, to behold 
 
 What power the charms of beauty had of old ; 
 
 Nor v/onder if such deeds of arms were done, 
 10 Inspired by two fair eyes that sparkled like your 
 own. 
 If Chaucer by the best idea wrought. 
 
 And poets can divine each other's thought, 
 
 The fairest nymph before his eyes he set ; 
 
 And then the fairest was Plantagenet, 
 15 Who three contending princes made her prize, 
 
 And ruled the rival nations with her eyes ; 
 
 Who left immxOrtal trophies of her fame, 
 
 And to the noblest order gave the name. 
 
40 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Like her, of equal kindred to the throne. 
 You keep her conquests, and extend your own: 20 
 As when the stars, in their ethereal race. 
 At length have rolled around the liquid space, 
 At certain periods they resume their place, 
 From the same point of heaven their course 
 
 advance, 
 And move in measures of their former dance ; 25 
 
 Thus, after length of ages, she returns, 
 Eestored in you, and the same place adorns; 
 Or you j)erform her office in the sphere. 
 Born of her blood, and make a new Platonic year. 
 
 true Plantagenet, race divine, so 
 
 (For beauty still is fatal to the line,) 
 Had Chaucer lived that angel-face to view, 
 Sure he had drawn his Emily from you ; 
 Or had you lived to judge the doubtful right. 
 Your noble Palamon had been the knight; 35 
 
 And conquering Theseus from his side had sent 
 Your generous lord, to guide the Theban govern- 
 ment. 
 
 Time shall accomplish that; and I shall see 
 A Palamon in him, in you an Emily. 
 
 Aheady have the Fates your path prepared, 40 
 
 And sure presage your future sway declared : 
 When westward, like the sun, you took your way, 
 And from benighted Britain bore the day. 
 Blue Triton gave the signal from the shore, 
 The ready Xereids heard, and swam before 45 
 
 To smooth the seas ; a soft Etesian gale 
 
DEDICATION 41 
 
 But just inspired, and gently swelled the sail; 
 Portunus took his turn, whose ample hand 
 Heaved up the lightened keel and sunk the sand, 
 
 50 And steered the sacred vessel safe to land. 
 The land, if not restrained, had met your way, 
 Projected out a neck, and jutted to the sea. 
 Hibernia, prostrate at your feet, adored 
 In you the pledge of her expected lord, 
 
 55 Due to her isle ; a venerable name ; 
 
 His father and his grandshe known to fame ; 
 Awed by that house, accustomed to command, 
 The sturdy kerns in due subjection stand, 
 l^or hear the reins in any foreign hand. 
 
 60 At your approach, they crowded to the port; 
 And scarcely landed, you create a court : 
 As Ormond's harbinger, to you they run. 
 For Yenus is the promise of the Sun. 
 
 The waste of civil w^ars, their towns destroyed, 
 
 65 Pales unhonoured, Ceres unemployed, 
 Were all forgot ; and one triumphant day 
 Wiped all the tears of three campaigns away. 
 Blood, rapines, massacres, were cheaply bought, 
 So mighty recompense your beauty brought. 
 
 TO As when the dove returning bore the mark 
 Of earth restored to the long-labouring ark, 
 The relics of mankind, secure of rest. 
 Oped every window to receive the guest. 
 And the fair bearer of the message blessed ; 
 
 75 So, when you came, with loud repeated cries, 
 The nation took an omen from your eyes, 
 
42 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 And God advanced his rainbow in the skies, 
 To sign inviolable peace restored ; 
 The saints, with solemn shouts, proclaimed the new 
 accord. 
 
 When at your second coming you appear so 
 
 (For I foretell that millenary year) 
 The sharpened share shall vex the soil no more. 
 But earth unbidden shall produce her store ; 
 The land shall laugh, the circling ocean smile, 
 And Heaven's indulgence bless the holy isle. 85 
 
 Heaven from all ages has reserved for you 
 That happy clime, which venom never knew; 
 Or if it had been there, your eyes alone 
 Have power to chase all poison, but their own. 
 
 Now in this interval, which Fate has cast 9o 
 
 Betwixt your future glories and your past. 
 This pause of power, 'tis Ireland's hour to mourn; 
 While England celebrates your safe return. 
 By which you seem the seasons to command. 
 And bring our summers back to their forsaken 95 
 land. 
 
 The vanquished isle our leisure must attend, 
 Till the fair blessing we vouchsafe to send ; 
 Nor can we spare you long, though often we may 
 
 lend. 
 The dove was twice employed abroad, before 
 The world was dried and she returned no more. 100 
 
 Nor dare we trust so soft a messenger. 
 New from her sickness, to that northern air; 
 Rest here awhile your lustre to restore, 
 
DEDICATION 43 
 
 That they may see you as you shone before ; 
 105 For yet, the eclipse not wholly past, you wade 
 
 Throuo'h some remains and dimness of a shade. 
 A subject in his prince may claim a right, 
 
 Nor suffer him with strength impaired to fight; 
 
 Till force returns, his ardour we restrain, 
 no And curb his warlike wish to cross the main. 
 Now past the danger, let the learned begin 
 
 The inquiry, where disease could enter in ; 
 
 How those malisfnant atoms forced their way, 
 
 What in the faultless frame they found to make 
 their prey, 
 115 Where every element was weighed so well. 
 
 That Heaven alone, who mixed the mass, could tell 
 
 Which of the four ingredients could rebel ; 
 
 And where, imprisoned in so sweet a cage, 
 
 A soul might well be pleased to pass an age. 
 120 And yet the fine materials made it weak; 
 
 Porcelain, by being pure, is apt to break. 
 
 Even to your breast the sickness durst aspire; 
 
 And, forced from that fah temple to retire, 
 
 Profanely set the holy place on fire. 
 125 In vain your lord, like young Vespasian, mourned, 
 
 When the fierce flames the sanctuary burned; 
 
 And I prepared to pay in verses rude 
 
 A most detested act of gratitude : 
 
 Even this had been your Elegy, which now 
 130 Is offered for your health, the table of my vow. 
 Your angel sure our Morley's mind inspired, 
 
 To find the remedy your ill required. 
 
44 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 As once the Macedon, by Jove's decree, 
 Was taught to di'eam a herb for Ptolemy : 
 Or Heaven, which had such over-cost bestowed 135 
 As scarce it could afford to flesh and blood, 
 So liked the frame, he would not work anew, 
 To save the charges of another yon ; 
 Or by his middle science did he steer, 
 And saw some great contingent good appear, mo 
 
 AVell worth a miracle to keep yon here; 
 And for that end, preserved the precious mould. 
 Which all the future Ormonds was to hold ; 
 And meditated, in his better mind. 
 An heir fromx you, who may redeem the failing 145 
 kind. 
 
 Blessed be the power which has at once restored 
 The hopes of lost succession to your lord ; 
 Joy to the first and last of each degree. 
 Virtue to courts, and, what I longed to see, 
 To you the Graces, and the Muse to me. i50 
 
 daughter of the Eose ! whose cheeks unite 
 The differing titles of the Eed and White; 
 Who Heaven's alternate beauty well display, 
 The blush of morning, and the milky way ; 
 Whose face is Paradise, but fenced from sin; 155 
 
 For God in either eye has placed a cherubin. 
 
 All is your lord's alone; even absent, he 
 Employs the care of chaste Penelope. 
 For him you waste in tears your widowed hours. 
 For him your curious needle paints the flowers; ^qq 
 Such works of old imperial dames were taught, 
 
 I 
 
DEDICATION 45 
 
 Such for Ascaniiis, fair Elisa wrought. 
 
 The soft recesses of your hours improve 
 Thetliree fair pledges of your happy love; 
 1C5 All other parts of pious duty done, 
 
 You owe your Ormond nothing but a son, 
 To fill in future times his father's place, 
 And wear the garter of his mother 's race. 
 
PALAMOE" A^B AROITE 
 
 Or, The Knight's Tale 
 BOOK I 
 
 In days of old there lived, of mighty fame, 
 
 A valiant Prince, and Theseus was his name; 
 
 A chief, who more in feats of arms excelled, 
 
 The rising nor the setting sun beheld. 
 5 Of Athens he was lord ; much land he won, 
 
 And added foreign countries to his crown. 
 
 In Scythia with the warrior Queen he strove, 
 
 Whom first by force he conquered, then by love ; 
 
 He brought in triumph back the beauteous dame, 
 10 With whom her sister, fair Emilia, came. 
 
 With honour to his home let Theseus ride, 
 
 With Love to friend, and Fortune for his guide, 
 
 And his victorious army at his side. 
 
 I pass then warlike pomp, their proud array, 
 15 Their shouts, their songs, their welcome on the 
 way; 
 But, were it not too long, I would recite 
 
 The feats of Amazons, the fatal fight 
 
 0. — Compare Chaucer's opening lines: 
 
 Whylom, as olde stories tellen us, 
 
 Ther was a duk that highte Theseus ; 
 
 Of Athenes he was lord and governour, 
 
 And in his tyme swich a conquerour 
 
 That gretter was ther noon under the sonne. 
 
 Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne, 
 
 47 
 
48 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Betwixt the hardy Queen and hero Knight ; 
 The town besieged, and how much blood it cost 
 The female ai'my, and the Athenian host; 20 
 
 The sponsals of Hippolyta the Queen ; 
 What tilts and turneys at the feast were seen; 
 The storm at their return, the ladies' fear: 
 But these, and other things, I must forbear. 
 The field is spacious I design to sow, 25 
 
 With oxen far unfit to draw the plough : 
 The remnant of my tale is of a length 
 To tire your patience, and to waste my strength; 
 And trivial accidents shall be forborn. 
 That others may have time to take their turn, so 
 
 As was at first enjoined us by mine host^ 
 That he, whose tale is best and pleases most, 
 Should win his supper at our common cost. 
 And therefore where I left, I will pursue 
 This ancient story, whether false or true, 35 
 
 In hope it may be mended with a new. 
 The Prince I mentioned, full of high renown, 
 In this array drew near the Athenian town ; 
 When, in his pomp and utmost of his pride 
 Marching, he chanced to cast his eye aside, 40 
 
 And saw a quire of mourning dames, who lay 
 
 33 (33) ^ — And lat see now who shal the soper winne, 
 
 41 (39).— Wher that ther kneled in the hye weye 
 
 A compaignye of ladies, tweye and tweye, 
 Ech after other, clad in clothes blake, 
 
 » The first numbers are those of Dryden's lines, the second those 
 of Chaucer's (Clarendon Press edition). 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 49 
 
 By two and two across the common way : 
 At his approach they raised a rueful cry, 
 And beat their breasts, and held their hands on high, 
 
 45 Creeping and crying, till they seized at last 
 His courser's bridle and his feet embraced. 
 
 *'Tell me," said Theseus, ''what and whence 
 YOU are, 
 And why this funeral pageant you prepare? 
 Is this the welcome of my worthy deeds, 
 
 50 To meet my triumph in ill-omened weeds? 
 Or envy you m^y praise, and would destroy 
 With gi'ief my pleasures, and pollute my joy? 
 Or are you injured, and demand relief? 
 Name your request, and I will ease your giuef.'* 
 
 55 The most in years of all the mourning train 
 Began ; but swounded first away for pain ; 
 Then scarce recoYered spoke: "Isot euYy we 
 Thy gTcat renown, nor grudge thy Yictory ; 
 'Tis thine, King, the afflicted to redress, 
 
 60 And fame has filled the world with thy success : 
 We TVTctched women sue for that alone, 
 Which of thy goodness is refused to none ; 
 Let fall som-C drops of pity on our grief. 
 If what we beg be just, and we deserYC relief; 
 
 65 For none of us, who now thy gi^ace implore. 
 But held the rank of soYcreign queen before ; 
 Till thanks to giddy Chance, which ncYcr bears 
 That mortal bliss should last for length of years, 
 
 55 (54). — The eldest lady of hem alle spak, 
 
 67 (67) . — Thanked be Fortune, and hir false wheeL 
 
50 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 She cast iis headlong from our high estate, 
 
 And here in hope of thy return we wait, „^ 
 
 And long have waited in the temple nigh, 
 
 Built to the gracious goddess Clemency. 
 
 But reverence thou the power whose name it bears, 
 
 Relieve the oppressed, and wipe the widow's teai's. 
 
 I, ^Tetched I, have other fortune seen. 
 
 The wife of Capaneus, and once a Queen: 
 
 At Thebes he fell ; cursed be the fatal day ! 
 
 And all the re^t thou seest in this array 
 
 To make their moan, their lords in battle lost 
 
 Before that town besieged by our confederate host, g^ 
 
 But Creon. old and impious, who commands 
 
 The Theban city, and usurps the lands. 
 
 Denies the rites of funeral fii'es to those 
 
 "Whose breathless bodies vet he calls his foes. 
 
 Unburned, unburied, on a heap they lie ; ^ 
 
 Such is then' fate, and such his tyranny ; 
 
 No fi'iend has leave to beai' away the dead, 
 
 But with their lifeless limbs his hounds are fed." 
 
 At this she shrieked aloud ; the mournful train 
 
 Echoed her gi'ief , and, gi'ovelling on the plain. 
 
 90 
 
 81 (82).— Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee. 
 
 89 {01).— 
 
 They fillen gi*uf,^ and cry den pitously, 
 *Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy, 
 And lat our sorwe sinken in tliyn herte.' 
 Notice tliat it is Dryden's straining after dramatic 
 effect here that blinds him to the real feeling of the 
 scene. 
 
 Tell on their faces. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 51 
 
 With groans, and hands upheld, to move his mind, 
 Besought his pity to their helpless kind. 
 
 The Prince was touched, his tears began to flow, 
 And as his tender heart would break in two, 
 
 95 He sighed; and could not but their fate deplore. 
 So wretched now, so fortunate before. 
 Then lightly from his lofty steed he flevf, 
 And raising one by one the suppliant crew, 
 To comfort each, full solemnly he swore, 
 
 100 That by the faith which knights to knighthood bore. 
 And whatever else to chivalry belongs. 
 He would not cease, till he revenged their wrongs : 
 That Greece should see performed what he declared, 
 And cruel Creon find his just reward. 
 
 105 He said no more, but shunning all delay, 
 Eode on, nor entered Athens on his way: 
 But left his sister and his queen behind. 
 And waved his royal banner in the wind, 
 Where in an argent field the God of War 
 
 no Was drawn triumphant on his iron car ; 
 
 Eed was his sword, and shield, and whole attire, 
 And all the godhead seemed to gloYi with fire ; 
 Even the gTound glittered where the standard flew. 
 And the green grass was dyed to sanguine hue. 
 
 n5 High on his pointed lance his pennon bore 
 His Cretan fight, the conquered Minotaur: 
 The soldiers shout around with generous rage. 
 And in that victory their own presage. 
 
 100 (101) . — And swoor his oth, as he was trewe knight, 
 105 (116) . — And forth he rit ; ther is namore to telle. 
 
52 PALA3I0N AND ARCITE 
 
 He praised their ardour, inly pleased to see 
 
 His host, the flower of Grecian chiyalry. joq 
 
 All day he mai'ched, and all the ensuing night, 
 
 And saw the city with returning light. 
 
 The process of the war I need not tell, 
 
 How Theseus conquered, and how Creon fell ; 
 
 Or after, how by storm the walls were won, 125 
 
 Or how the victor sacked and burned the town ; 
 
 How to the ladies he restored again 
 
 The bodies of their lords in battle slain; 
 
 And with what ancient rites they were interred ; 
 
 All these to fitter times shall be deferred : 130 
 
 I spai'e the widows' tears, then* woful cries, 
 
 And howling at their husbands' obsequies; 
 
 How Theseus at these funerals did assist, 
 
 And with what gifts the mourning dames dismissed. 
 
 Thus when the victor chief had Creon slain, 135 
 
 And conquered Thebes, he pitched upon the plain 
 His mighty camp, and when the day returned. 
 The country wasted and the hamlets burned, 
 And left the pillagers, to rapine bred, 
 Without control to strip and spoil the dead. no 
 
 There, in a heap of slain, among the rest 
 Two youthful knights they found beneath a load 
 
 oppressed 
 Of slaughtered foes, whom first to death they sent. 
 The trophies of their strength, a bloody monument. 
 
 138 (146).— And dide with al the contree as hini leste.^ 
 
 ^Listed, pleased. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 53 
 
 145 Both fair, and both of royal blood they seemed, 
 Whom kinsmen to the crown the heralds deemed; 
 That day in equal arms they fought for fame i 
 Then swords, then- shields, their surcoats were the 
 
 same. 
 Close by each other laid they pressed the gi'ound, 
 150 Their manly bosoms pierced with many a grisly 
 wound ; 
 Nor well alive nor wholly dead they were, 
 But some faint signs of feeble life appear ; 
 The wandering breath was on the wing to part, 
 Weak was the pulse, and hardly heayed the 
 heai^t. 
 155 These two were sisters' sons; and Arcite one 
 Much famed in fields, with valiant Palamon. 
 From these their costly arms the spoilers rent. 
 And softly both conveyed to Theseus' tent; 
 Whom, known of Creon's line, and cured with 
 care, 
 160 He to his city sent as prisoners of the war ; 
 Hopeless of ransom, and condemned to lie 
 In durance, doomed a lingering death to die. 
 This done, he mai'ched away with warlike 
 sound. 
 And to his Athens turned with laurels crowned, 
 165 Where happy long he lived, much loved, and more 
 renowned. 
 But in a tower, and never to be loosed, 
 
 155 (155). — Of whiclie two Arcita hight that oon, 
 And that other knight hight Palamon. 
 
54 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The woful captive kinsmen are enclosed. 
 
 Thus year by year they pass, and day by day, 
 Till once, ('twas on the morn of cheerful May) 
 The young Emilia, fairer to be seen 170 
 
 Than the fair lily on the flowery green, 
 More fresh than May herself in blossoms new, 
 (For with the rosy colour strove her hue,) 
 AYaked, as her custom was, before the day, 
 To do the observance due to sprightly May ; ns 
 
 168-200 (175-197).— Compare Dryden's thirty-three 
 lines with Chaucer's twenty-three, noting what Dryden 
 adds and what he leaves out. 
 
 This passetli yeer by yeer, and day by day. 
 Til it fil ones, in a morwe of May, 
 That Emelye, that fairer was to sene 
 Than is the iilie upon his stalke grene. 
 And f ressher than the May with floures newe — 
 For with the rose colour strof hir hewe, 
 I noot^ which was the fairer of hem two — 
 Er it were day, as was hir wone- to do, 
 She was arisen, and al redy dight f 
 For May wol have no slogardye anight. 
 The sesoun priketh every gentil herte, 
 And maketh him out of his sleep to sterte, 
 And seith, 'Arys, and do thyn observaunce. ' 
 This maked Emelye have remembraunce 
 To doon honour to May, and for to ryse. 
 Y- clothed was she fresh, for to devyse ;* 
 Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse, 
 Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse. 
 And in the gardin, at the sonne up-riste, 
 She walketh up and doun, and as liir liste^ 
 She gadereth floures, party^ whyte and rede, 
 To make a sotiF gerland for hir hede, 
 And as an aungel hevenly she song. 
 
 ^I know not. -Wont, habit. ^j^j-essed. *To tell or de- 
 scribe; the phrase is really superfluous. ^Listed, pleased. 
 ^Partly. 'Subtle; the liienilmeixmng is finely woven. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 55 
 
 For sprightly May commands our youth to keep 
 The Yio:ils of her nio-ht, and breaks then* si a ward 
 
 sleep ; 
 Each gentle breast with kindly warmth she move^ ; 
 Inspu'es new flames, revives extinguished loves. 
 
 180 In this remembrance Emily ere day 
 Arose, and dressed herself in rich array, 
 Fresh as the month, and as the morning fan-; 
 Adown her shoulders fell her length of hair : 
 A ribband did the braided tresses bind, 
 
 185 The rest was loose, and wantoned in the wind: 
 Aurora had but newly chased the night. 
 And purpled o'er the sky with blushing light, 
 When to the gai^den-walk she took her way, 
 To sport and trip along in cool of day, 
 
 190 And offer maiden vows in honour of the May. 
 
 At every turn, she made a little stand. 
 
 And thrust among the thorns her lily hand 
 
 To draw the rose, and every rose she drew. 
 
 She shook the stalk, and brushed away the dew; 
 
 195 Then party-coloured flowers of white and red 
 She wove, to make a garland for her head : 
 Thi3 done, she sung and carolled out so clear, 
 That men and angels might rejoice to hear; 
 Even wondering Philomel forgot to sing, 
 
 200 And learned fi'om her to welcome in the spring. 
 The tower, of which before was mention made. 
 Within whose keep the captive knights were laid. 
 Built of a large extent, and strong withal, 
 Was one pai^tition of the palace wall ; 
 
56 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The garden was enclosed within the square, 205 
 
 Where young Emilia took the morning ah. 
 
 It happened Palamon, the prisoner knight, 
 Eestless for woe, arose before the light, 
 And with his jailer's leave desired to breathe 
 An air more wholesome than the damps beneath. 210 
 This granted, to the tower he took his way. 
 Cheered with the promise of a glorious day ; 
 Then cast a languishing regard around, 
 And saw, with hateful eyes, the temples crowned 
 With golden spires, and all the hostile ground. 215 
 
 He sighed, and turned his eyes, because he knew 
 'Twas but a larger jail he had in view; 
 Then looked below, and from the castle's height 
 Beheld a nearer and more pleasing sight ; 
 The garden, which before he had not seen 220 
 
 In spring's new livery clad of white and green. 
 Fresh flowers in wide pai'terres, and shady walks 
 
 between. 
 This viewed, but not enjoyed, with arms across 
 He stood, reflecting on his country's loss; 
 Himself an object of the public scorn, 225 
 
 And often wished he never had been born. 
 At last, (for so his destiny requhed). 
 With walking giddy, and with thinking tired, 
 He through a little window cast his sight, 
 Though thick of bars, that gave a scanty light ; 230 
 But even that glimaiering served him to descry 
 The inevitable charms of Emily. 
 
 Scarce had he seen, but seized with sudden smart, 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 57 
 
 Stung to the quick, he felt it at his heart; 
 235 Struck blind with overpowering light he stood, 
 
 Then started back amazed, and cried aloud. 
 
 Young Aixite heard; and up he ran with haste. 
 
 To help his friend, and in his arms embraced; 
 
 And asked him why he looked so deadly wan, 
 240 And whence, and how, his change of cheer began? 
 
 Or who had done the offence? "But if," said he, 
 
 **Your gi'ief alone is hard captivity. 
 
 For love of Heaven with patience undergo 
 
 A cureless ill, since Fate will have it so: 
 245 So stood our horoscope in chains to lie, 
 
 And Saturn in the dungeon of the sky, 
 
 Or other baleful aspect, ruled our birth 
 
 When all the friendly stars were under earth ; 
 
 Whate'er betides, by Destiny 'tis done; 
 250 And better bear like men than vainly seek to shun. ' ■ 
 *'Nor of my bonds," said Palamon again, 
 
 ''Nor of unhappy planets I complain; 
 
 But when my mortal anguish caused my cry. 
 
 The moment I was hurt through either eye ; 
 255 Pierced with a random shaft, I faint away, 
 
 And perish with insensible decay : 
 
 A glance of some new goddess gave the wound, 
 
 Whom, like Actseon, unawai^e I found. 
 
 Look how she walks along yon shady space ; 
 260 Not Juno moves with more majestic grace, 
 
 And all the Cyprian queen is in her face. 
 
 If thou art Yenus, (for thy charms confess 
 
 That face was formed in heaven), nor art thou less, 
 
58 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Disguised in habit, undisguised in shape, 
 help us captives from our chains to scape ! 286 
 
 But if our doom be past in bonds to lie 
 For life, and in a loatlisome dungeon die, 
 Then be thy wrath appeased with our disgrace. 
 And show compassion to the Theban race. 
 Oppressed by tyrant power!" — While yet he spoke, 2:0 
 Arcite on Emily had fixed his look ; 
 The fatal dart a ready passage found 
 And deep within his heart infixed the wound : 
 So that if Palamon were wounded sore 
 Ai'cite was hurt as much as he or more. 275 
 
 Then from his inmost soul he sighed, and said, 
 **The beauty I behold has struck me dead: 
 Unknowingly she strikes, and kills by chance; 
 Poison is in her eyes, and death in every glance. 
 Oh, I must ask; nor ask alone, but move 280 
 
 Her mind to mercy, or must die for love." 
 Thus Arcite: and thus Palamon replies, 
 (Eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes,) 
 *'Speakst thou in earnest, or in jesting vein?" 
 '* Jesting," said Arcite, "suits but ill with pain." 285 
 **It suits far worse," (said Palamon again. 
 And bent his brows), "with men who honour weigh, 
 Their faith to break, their fi-iendship to betray ; 
 But worst with thee, of noble lineage born. 
 My kinsman, and in arms my brother sworn. 290 
 
 Have we not plighted each our holy oath, 
 
 266 (250).— And if so be my destinee be shapen 
 By eteme word to dyen in prisoun, 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 59 
 
 That one should be the common good of both ; 
 One sonl sliould both inspu-e, and neither prove 
 His felloTv's hindi'ance in pursuit of love? 
 295 To this before the Gods Tve crave om^ hands, 
 And nothing but our death can break the bands. 
 This binds thee, then, to farther my design, 
 As I am bound by vow to farther thine : 
 Xor canst, nor darest thou, traitor, on the plain 
 300 Appeach my honour, or thy own maintain, 
 Since thou art of my council, and the friend 
 Whose faith I trust, and on whose care depend. 
 And wouldst thou com-t my lady's love, which I 
 Much rather than release, would choose to die? 
 S05 But thou, false Arcite, never shalt obtain 
 Thy bad pretence : I told thee fii'st my pain : 
 For first my love began ere thine was born ; 
 Thou as my council, and my brother sworn. 
 Art bound to assist my eldership of right, 
 
 310 Or justly to be deemed a perjured knight.' ' 
 Thus Palamon : but Arcite with disdain 
 In haughty language thus replied again : 
 "Forsworn thyself: the traitor's odious name 
 I first return, and then disprove thy claim. 
 
 315 If love be passion, and that passion nurst 
 With strong desires, I loved the lady fii^st. 
 Canst thou pretend desire, whom zeal inflamed 
 To worship, and a power celestial named? 
 
 313 (295).— 
 
 'Thou shalt, ' quod he, 'be rather fals than I ; 
 But thou art fals, I telle thee utterly. ' 
 
60 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Thine was devotion to the blest above, 
 
 I saw the woman, and desired her love; sso 
 
 First owned ni)^ passion, and to thee commend 
 
 The important secret, as my chosen friend. 
 
 Suppose (which yet I grant not) thy desire 
 
 A moment elder than my rival fire ; 
 
 Can chance of seeing first thy title prove? 325 
 
 And knowst thou not, no law is made for love; 
 
 Law is to things which to free choice relate ; 
 
 Love is not in our choice, but in our fate ; 
 
 Laws are not positive; love's power we see 
 
 Is Nature's sanction, and her first decree. 330 
 
 Each day we break the bond of human laws 
 
 For love, and vindicate the common cause. 
 
 Laws for defence of civil rights are placed. 
 
 Love throws the fences down, and makes a general 
 
 waste. 
 Maids, widows, wives without distinction fall; 335 
 
 The sweeping deluge, love, comes on, and covers 
 
 all. 
 If then the laws of friendship I transgress, 
 I keep the gi^eater, while I break the less; 
 And both are mad alike, since neither can possess. 
 Both hopeless to be ransomed, never more 340 
 
 To see the sun, but as he passes o'er. 
 Like /Esop's hounds contending for the bone, 
 Each pleaded right, and would be lord alone : 
 The fruitless fight continued all the day, 
 
 328 (311). — A man moot needes love, maugree his 
 heed. (A man must needs love in spite of reason.) 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 61 
 
 345 A cur came by, and snatched the prize away. 
 As courtiers therefore justle for a grant, 
 And when they break their friendship, plead their 
 
 want, 
 So thou, if Fortune will thy suit advance, 
 LoYC on, nor envy me my equal chance : 
 
 350 For I must love, and am. resolved to try 
 My fate, or failing in the adventure die." 
 
 Great was their strife, which hourly was renewed, 
 Till each with mortal hate his rival viewed : 
 Now friends no more, nor walking hand in hand; 
 
 355 But when they met, they made a surly stand. 
 And glared like angiy lions as they passed. 
 And wished that every look might be their last. 
 
 It chanced at length, Pirithous came to attend 
 This worthy Theseus, his familiar friend; 
 
 360 Their love in early infancy began, 
 
 And rose as childhood ripened into man. 
 Companions of the war; and loved so well, 
 That when one died, as ancient stories tell, 
 His fellow to redeem him went to hell. 
 
 365 But, to pursue my tale: to welcome home 
 His warlike brother is Pirithous come : 
 Arcite of Thebes was known in arms long since 
 And honoured by this young Thessalian prince. 
 
 349 (325). — Love if tliee list; for I love and ay shal; 
 And sothly , ^ leve^ brother, this is al. 
 
 359 (333).— A worthy duk that highte Perotheus, 
 367 (344).— Duk Perotheus loved wel Arcite, 
 
 ^Truly. ^Loved, beloved. 
 
62 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Theseus, to gratify his friend and guest, 
 
 Who made our Arcite's freedom his request, 37o 
 
 Restored to liberty the captive knight ; 
 
 But on these hard conditions I recite ; 
 
 That if hereafter Arcite should be found 
 
 Within the compass of Athenian ground, 
 
 By day or night or on whate'er pretence, 375 
 
 His head should pay the forfeit of the offence. 
 
 To this Pirithous for his friend agreed, 
 
 And on his promise was the prisoner freed. 
 
 Unpleased and pensive hence he takes his 
 
 way. 
 At his own peril ; for his life must pay. 38o 
 
 Who now but Arcite mourns his bitter fate, 
 Finds his dear purchase, and repents too late? 
 *'What have I gained," he said, "in prison 
 
 pent. 
 If I but change my bonds for banishment? 
 And banished from her sight, I suffer more 385 
 
 In freedom, than I felt in bonds before ; 
 Forced from her presence, and condemned to 
 
 live. 
 Unwelcome freedom, and unthanked reprieve : 
 Heaven is not, but where Emily abides, 
 And where she's absent, all is hell besides. 39o 
 
 Next to my day of birth, was that accurst. 
 Which bound my friendship to Pirithous first : 
 Had I not known that prince, I still had been 
 In bondage, and had still Emilia seen : 
 For though I never can her gi^ace deserve, 395 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 63 
 
 'Tis recompense enough to see and serve. 
 Palamon, my kinsman and my friend, 
 How much more happy fates thy love attend ! 
 Thine is the adventure, thine the victory, 
 
 400 Well has thy fortune turned the dice for thee : 
 Thou on that angel's face mayest feed thy eyes. 
 In prison, no ; hut blissful paradise ! 
 Thou daily seest that sun of beauty shine, 
 And loves t at least in love's extremest line. 
 
 405 I mourn in absence, love's eternal night; 
 
 And who can tell but since thou hast her sight, 
 And art a comely, young, and valiant knight, 
 Fortune (a various power) may cease to frown, 
 And by some wa3^s unknown thy v/ishes crown? 
 
 4:0 But I, the most forlorn of human kind, 
 Nor help can hope, nor remedy can find; 
 But doomed to drag my loathsome life in care. 
 For my reward, must end it in despair. 
 Fire, water, air, and earth, and force of fates 
 
 415 That governs all, and Heaven that all creates, 
 Nor art, nor Nature's hand can ease my gTief ; 
 Nothing but death, the wretch's last relief: 
 Then farewell youth, and all the jo5's that dwell 
 
 396 (373).— 
 
 Only the sighte of liir, whom that I serve, 
 Though that I nevere hir grace may deserve, 
 Yf olcte han suffised right ynough for me. 
 
 418 (391).— 
 
 Wei oughte I sterve in wanhope^ and distresse ; 
 Farwel my lyf, my lust,^ and my gladnesse. 
 
 ^Despair, 2 pleasure. 
 
64 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 With youth and life, and life itself, farewell! 
 
 " But why, alas! do mortal men in vain 420 
 
 Of Fortune, Fate, or Providence complain? 
 God gives us what He knows our wants require, 
 And better things than those which we desire: 
 Some pray for riches; riches they obtain; 
 But, watched by robbers, for their wealth are slain : 425 
 Some pray from prison to be freed ; and come. 
 When guilty of their vows, to fall at home ; 
 Murdered by those they trusted with their life, 
 A favoured servant or a bosom wife. 
 Such dear-bought blessings happen every day, 430 
 
 Because we know not for what things to pray. 
 Like drunken sots about the streets we roam : 
 Well knows the sot he has a certain home. 
 Yet knows not how to find the uncertain place. 
 And blunders on, and staggers every pace. 435 
 
 Thus all seek happiness ; but few can find. 
 For far the greater part of men are blind. 
 This is my case, who thought our utmost good 
 Was in one word of freedom understood : 
 The fatal blessing came: from prison free, 440 
 
 I starve abroad, and lose the sight of Emily." 
 
 Thus Arcite: but if Arcite thus deplore 
 His sufferings, Palamon yet suffers more. 
 
 432 (403). — We far en as he that dronke is as a mous;^ 
 
 441 (415). — Sin that I ma}^ nat seen yov/, Emelye, 
 I nam but deed ; ther nis^ no reniedye. 
 
 ^Mouse. " As drunk as a mouse " and "as drunk as a rat " are 
 old sayings, 'Is not. The double negative is common in Chaucer. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 65 
 
 For when he knew his rival freed and gone, 
 
 445 He swells with wrath ; he makes outrageous moan ; 
 He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the 
 
 ground ; 
 The hollow tower with clamours rings around : 
 With briny tears he bathed his fettered feet. 
 And dropped all o'er with agony of sweat. 
 
 450 *'Alas!" he cried, "I, wretch, in prison pine, 
 Too happy rival, while the fruit is thine : 
 Thou livest at large, thou drawest thy native air, 
 Pleased with thy freedom, proud of my despair : 
 Thou mayest, since thou hast youth and courage 
 joined, 
 
 455 A sweet behaviour and a solid mind, 
 Assemble ours, and all the Theban race, 
 To vindicate on Athens thy disgrace ; 
 And after (by some treaty made), possess 
 Fair Emily, the pledge of lasting peace. 
 
 460 So thine shall be the beauteous prize, while I 
 Must languish in despair, in prison die. 
 Thus all the advantage of the strife is thine. 
 Thy portion double joys, and double sorrows mine. " 
 The rage of jealousy then fired his soul, 
 
 465 And his face kindled like a burning coal : 
 Now cold despair, succeeding in her stead. 
 To livid paleness turns the glowing red. 
 His blood, scarce liquid, creeps within his veins, 
 
 460 (435).— 
 
 Greet is thin avauntage, 
 More than is myn, that sterve here in a cage. 
 
66 PALAMOX AND ARCITE 
 
 Like water which the freezing wind constrains. 
 
 Then thus he said : ''Eternal Deities, 47o 
 
 Who rule the world Tvdth absolute decrees, 
 
 And write whatever time shall bring to pass, 
 
 With pens of adamant on plates of brass ; 
 
 What is the race of human kind your care 
 
 Beyond what all his fellow-creatures are? 475 
 
 He with the rest is liable to pain, 
 
 And like the sheep, his brother-beast, is slain. 
 
 Cold, hunger, prisons, ills without a cure. 
 
 All these he must, and guiltless oft, endure; 
 
 Or does your justice, power, or prescience fail, 48o 
 
 When the good suffer and the bad prevail? 
 
 What worse to wretched virtue could befal, 
 
 If Fate or giddy Fortune governed all? 
 
 Xay, worse than other beasts is our estate : 
 
 Them, to pursue their pleasures, you create; 485 
 
 We, bound by harder laws, must curb our will, 
 
 And your commands, not our desires, fulfil; 
 
 Then, when the creature is unjustly slain, 
 
 Yet, after death at least, he feels no pain; 
 
 But man in life surcharged with woe before, 490 
 
 Xot freed when dead, is doomed to suffer more. 
 
 A serpent shoots his sting at unaware ; 
 
 An ambushed thief f orelays a traveller ; 
 
 The man lies murdered, while the thief and 
 
 snake, 
 One gains the thickets, and one thrids the brake. 495 
 
 488 (461).— 
 
 And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne ; 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 67 
 
 This let divines decide; but well I know, 
 Just or unjust, I have my share of woe ; 
 Through Saturn seated in a luckless place, 
 And Juno's wrath, that persecutes my race; 
 
 500 Or Mars and Venus in a quartil move 
 My pangs of jealousy for Arcite's love." 
 
 Let Palamon oppressed in bondage mourn. 
 While to his exiled rival we return. 
 By this the sun, declining from his height, 
 
 505 The day had shortened to prolong the night : 
 The lengthened night gave length of misery, 
 Both to the captive lover and the free : 
 For Palamon in endless prison mourns, 
 And Arcite forfeits life if he returns ; 
 
 510 The banished never hopes his love to see, 
 Nor hopes the captive lord his liberty. 
 'Tis hard to say who suffers greater pains ; 
 One sees his love, but cannot break his chains; 
 One free, and all his motions uncontrolled, 
 
 515 Beholds whate'er he would but what he would behold. 
 Judge as you please, for I will haste to tell 
 What fortune to the banished knight befel. 
 
 When Arcite was to Thebes returned again, 
 The loss of her he loved renewed his pain ; 
 
 496 (465).— 
 
 The answere of this I lete^ to divynis, 
 I But wel I woot, 2 that in this world gret pyne^ is. 
 
 I 511 (489).— 
 
 i Yow loveres axe I now this questioun, 
 
 I Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun? 
 
 Leave. *Know. ^paju^ 
 
68 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 What could be worse than never more to see 520 
 
 His life, his soul, his charming Emily? 
 
 He raved with all the madness of despair, 
 
 He roared, he beat his breast, he tore his hair. 
 
 Dry sorrow in his stupid eyes appears, 
 
 For wanting nourishment, he wanted tears; 525 
 
 His eyeballs in their hollow sockets sink. 
 
 Bereft of sleep ; he loathes his meat and drink ; 
 
 He withers at his heart, and looks as wan 
 
 As the pale spectre of a murdered man : 
 
 That pale turns yellow, and his face receives 530 
 
 The faded hue of sapless boxen leaves ; 
 
 In solitary groves he makes his moan, 
 
 Walks early out, and ever is alone; 
 
 Nor, mixed in mirth, in youthful pleasure shares, 
 
 But sighs when songs and instruments he hears. 535 
 
 His spirits are so low, his voice is drowned, 
 
 He hears as from afar, or in a swound. 
 
 Like the deaf murmurs of a distant sound : 
 
 Uncombed his locks and squalid his attire. 
 
 Unlike the trim of love and gay desire ; 540 
 
 But full of museful mopings, which presage 
 
 527 (503).— 
 
 His sleep, his mete, his drink is him biraf t, ^ 
 That lene he wex,^ and drye as is a shaft. ^ 
 
 541 (519). — And shortly, turned was al up-so-doun 
 Bothe habit and eek* disposicioun 
 Of him, this woful lovere daun^ Arcite. 
 
 ^Bereft; the modern idiom is, he was bereft of sleep, etc. 
 "Grew. ^AiTQ^ Qj. pQie^ ^f^ ^i^e modern phrase " as dry as a 
 stick." *Also. "A title of respect, originally given to monks; 
 it comes from Dominus. Chaucer himself was called Dan Chaucer. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 69 
 
 The loss of reason and conclude in rage. 
 
 This when he had endured a year and more, 
 'Now wholly changed from what he was before^ 
 
 545 It happened once, that, slumbering as he lay, 
 He dreamt (his dream began at break of day) 
 That Hermes o'er his head in air appeared, 
 And with soft words his drooping spirits cheered : 
 His hat adorned with wings disclosed the god, 
 
 550 And in his hand he bore the sleep -compelling rod: 
 Such as he seemed, when, at his sire's command. 
 On Argus' head he laid the snaky wand. 
 * 'Arise," he said, ''to conquering Athens go; 
 There Fate appoints an end of all thy woe." 
 
 555 The fright awakened Arcite with a start. 
 Against his bosom bounced his heaving heart ; 
 But soon he said, with scarce recovered breath, 
 "And thither will I go, to meet my death. 
 Sure to be slain ; but death is my desire, 
 
 560 Since in Emilia's sight I shall expire." 
 By chance he spied a mirror while he spoke, 
 And gazing there beheld his altered look ; 
 
 550 (529).— 
 
 His slepy yerde^ in hond he bar uprighte ; 
 An hat he werede^ upon his heres^ brighte. 
 
 556 (535). — Chaucer says only: 
 
 And with that word Arcite wook* and sterte. 
 
 559 (538).— Ne^ for the drede of death shal I nat spare 
 To see my lady, that I love and serve ; 
 In hir presence I recche^ nat to sterve.*^ 
 
 ^Wand. *Wore. ^gajr, locks. *Woke. ^ Nor; a double 
 negative. ^Recche, make no account of (dying). '^Die. 
 
70 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 ^V^ondering, he saw his features and his hue 
 
 So much were changed, that scarce himself he 
 
 knew. 
 A sudden thought then starting in his mind, 565 
 
 *' Since I in Arcite cannot Aixite find, 
 The world may seaiTh in vain with all their eyes, 
 But never penetrate through this disguise. 
 Thanks to the change which gi'ief and sickness 
 
 give, 
 In low estate I may securely live, 570 
 
 And see, unknown, my mistress day by day." 
 He said, and clothed himself in coarse ai'ray, 
 A labom'ing hind in show ; then forth he went, 
 And to the Athenian towers his journey bent : 
 One squire attended in the same disguise, 575 
 
 Made conscious of his master's enterprise. 
 Arrived at Athens, soon he came to court. 
 Unknown, unquestioned, in that thick resort : 
 Proffering for hire his service at the gate. 
 To di'udge, draw water, and to run or wait. sso 
 
 So fair befel him, that for little gain 
 He served at first Emilia's chamberlain ; 
 And watchful all advantages to spy, 
 Was still at hand, and in his master's eye; 
 And as his bones were big, and sinews strong, 585 
 
 Eef used no toil that could to slaves belong ; 
 But from deep wells with engines water drew, 
 And used his noble hands the wood to hew. 
 He passed a year at least attending thus 
 On Emily, and called Philostratus. 590 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 71 
 
 But never was there man of his degree 
 
 So much esteemed, so well beloved as he. 
 
 So gentle of condition was he known, 
 
 That through the court his courtesy was blown : 
 
 595 All think him worthy of a greater place, 
 And recommend him to the royal gi^ace ; 
 That exercised within a higher sphere. 
 His virtues more conspicuous might appear. 
 Thus by the general voice was Arcite praised, 
 
 600 And by great Theseus to high favour raised ; 
 Among his menial servants first enrolled. 
 And largely entertained with sums of gold : 
 Besides what secretly from Thebes was sent, 
 Of his own income, and his annual rent. 
 
 605 This well employed, he purchased friends and fame, 
 But cautiously concealed from whence it came. 
 Thus for three years he lived with large increase, 
 In arms of honour, and esteem in peace ; 
 To Theseus' person he was ever near; 
 
 610 And Theseus for his virtues held him dear. 
 
 600 (582).— 
 
 That of his chambre he made him a squyer, 
 
BOOK II 
 
 While Arcite lives in bliss, the story turns 
 Where hopeless Palamon in prison mourns. 
 For six long years immured, the captive knight 
 Had dragged his chains, and scarcely seen the 
 
 light : 
 Lost liberty and love at once he bore ; gj5 
 
 His prison pained him much, his passion more: 
 Xor dai'es he hope his fetters to remove, 
 N"or ever wishes to be free from love. 
 
 But when the sixth revolving year was run, I 
 
 And May within the Twins received the sun, ggo 
 
 Were it by Chance, or forceful Destiny, 
 Which forms in causes first whate'er shall be. 
 Assisted by a friend one moonless night. 
 This Palamon from prison took his flight : 
 A pleasant beverage he prepared before 025 i 
 
 Of wine and honey mixed, with added store 
 Of opium ; to his keeper this he brought. 
 Who swallowed unaware the sleepy draught, 
 
 616 (598).— That woodi out of his wit he goth^ for wo: 
 
 622 (608). — As, whan a thing is shapen,^ it shal be, 
 
 623 (605).— The thridde* night, (as olde bokes seyn, 
 
 That al this storie tellen more pleyn). 
 
 *Ma(l. =Goeth. ^Destined. *Tliird. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 73 
 
 And snored secui'e till morn, his senses bound 
 
 630 In slumber, and in long oblivion di'owned. 
 Short was the night, and cai^eful Palamon 
 Sought the next covert ere the rising sun. 
 A thick -spread forest neai' the city lay, 
 To this with lengthened strides he took his way, 
 
 635 (For far he could not fly, and feared the day.) 
 Safe from pursuit, he meant to shun the light, 
 Till the brown shadows of the fidendly night 
 To Thebes might favour his intended flight. 
 When to his country come, his next design 
 
 640 Was all the Theban race in arms to join, 
 And war on Theseus, till he lost his life. 
 Or won the beauteous Emilv to wife. 
 Thus while his thoughts the lingering day beguile. 
 To gentle Arcite let us turn our style ; 
 
 645 Who little dreamt how nigh he was to cai'e. 
 
 Till treacherous fortune caught him in the snai'e. 
 The morning lai^k, the messenger of day, 
 Saluted in her song the morning gray ; 
 And soon the sun arose with beams so bright, 
 
 629 (615).— 
 That al that night, thogh that men wolde him shake 
 The gayler^ sleep, he mighte nat awake ; 
 
 647 (633).— 
 
 The bisy larke, niessager of daye, 
 Sakieth in hir song the niorwe graye ; 
 And fyry Phebus ryseth up so brighte, 
 That al the orient laugheth of the Hghte, 
 And with his str ernes dryeth in the greves^ 
 The silver dropes, hanging on the leves. 
 
 iJailer. ^Qroves. 
 
74: PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 That all the horizon laughed to see the joyous eso 
 
 sight; 
 He with his tepid rays the rose renews, 
 And licks the dropping leaves, and di'ies the dews; 
 When Arcite left his bed, resolved to pay 
 Observance to the month of merry May, 
 Forth on his fiery steed betimes he rode, 655 
 
 That scarcely prints the turf on which he trod : 
 At ease he seemed, and prancing o'er the plains, 
 Turned only to the grove his horse's reins. 
 The grove I named before, and, lighting there, 
 A woodbind garland sought to crown his hair ; 66o 
 
 Then turned his face against the rising day. 
 And raised his voice to welcome in the May : 
 "For thee, sweet month, the groves green 
 liveries wear. 
 If not the first, the fairest of the year: 
 For thee the Graces lead the dancing hours. 
 And Nature's ready pencil paints the flowers : 
 When thy short reign is past, the feverish sun 
 
 657 (644).— 
 
 He on a courser, starting^ as the fyr,* 
 Is riden into the feeldes, him to pleye. 
 Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye ; 
 
 660 (650).— 
 
 Were it of woodebynde or hawethorn-leves, 
 And loude he song ageyn^ the sonne shene. 
 
 662-672 (652).— Chaucer has only three lines: 
 
 May, with alle thy floures and thy grene, 
 Wel-come be thou, wel faire fresshe May, 
 I hope that I som grene gete may. 
 
 665 
 
 ^Leaping, prancing. ''Fire. =* Modern idiom, " in the sunshine." 
 
PALAMON AND AECITE 75 
 
 The sultry tropic fears, and moves more slowly on. 
 So may thy tender blossoms fear no blight, 
 
 670 Nor goats with yenomed teeth thy tendrils bite, 
 As thou shalt guide my wandering feet to find 
 The fragrant greens I seek, my brows to bind." 
 
 His vows addressed, within the grove he strayed, 
 Till Fate or Fortune near the place conveyed 
 
 «75 His steps where secret Palamon was laid. 
 Full little thought of him the gentle knight. 
 Who flying death had there concealed his flight, 
 In brakes and brambles hid, and shunning mortal 
 
 sight; 
 And less he knew him for his hated foe, 
 
 680 But feared him as a man he did not know. 
 But as it has been said of ancient years, 
 That fields are full of eyes and woods have ears, 
 For this the wise are ever on their guard, 
 For unforeseen, they say, is unprepared. 
 
 ^^ Uncautious Arcite thought himself alone. 
 And less than all suspected Palamon, 
 Who, listening, heard him, while he searched the 
 
 grove. 
 And loudly sung his roundelay of love : 
 But on the sudden stopped, and silent stood, 
 
 675 (658).— 
 
 Ther as by aventure this Palamoun 
 
 Was in a bush, that no man mighte him see, 
 
 For sore afered of his deeth was he. 
 
 687 (669).— 
 
 For in the bush he^ sitteth now ful stille. 
 
 1 Palamon. 
 
76 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 (As lovers often muse, and change their mood ;) 69o 
 
 Now high as heaven, and then as low as hell, 
 
 Now up, now down, as buckets in a well: 
 
 For Venus, like her day, will change her cheer, 
 
 And seldom shall we see a Friday clear. 
 
 Thus Arcite, having sung, with altered hue 695 
 
 Sunk on the ground, and from his bosom drew 
 
 A desperate sigh, accusing Heaven and Fate, 
 
 And angry Juno's um-elenting hate: 
 
 "Cursed be the day when first I did appear; 
 
 Let it be blotted from the calendar, 7oo 
 
 Lest it pollute the month, and poison all the year. 
 
 Still will the jealous Queen pursue our race? 
 
 Cadmus is dead, the Theban city was : 
 
 Yet ceases not her hate ; for all who come 
 
 From Cadmus are involved in Cadmus' doom. 705 
 
 I suffer for my blood : unjust decree, 
 
 That punishes another's crime on me. 
 
 In mean estate I serve my mortal foe, 
 
 The man who caused my country's overthrow. 
 
 This is not all; for Juno, to my shame, 710 
 
 Has forced me to forsake my former name ; 
 
 Arcite I was, Philostratns I am. 
 
 That side of heaven is all my enemy : 
 
 Mars ruined Thebes ; his mother ruined me. 
 
 Of all the royal race remains but one 715 
 
 712 (699).— 
 
 But ther as I was wont to hote^ Arcite, 
 
 Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a my te. 
 
 »Be called. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 77 
 
 Besides myself, the unhappy Palamon, 
 Whom Theseus holds in bonds and will not free ; 
 Without a crime, except his kin to me. 
 Yet these and all the rest I could endure ; 
 
 720 But love's a malady without a cure: 
 
 Fierce Love has pierced me with his fiery dart. 
 He fries within, and hisses at my heart. 
 Your eyes, fair Emily, my fate pui^sue; 
 I suffer for the rest, I die for you. 
 
 725 Of such a goddess no time leaves record, 
 
 Who burned the temple where she was adored : 
 And let it burn, I never will complain. 
 Pleased with my sufferings, if you knew my pain." 
 At this a sickly qualm his heart assailed, 
 
 730 His ears ring inward, and his senses failed. 
 No word missed Palamon of all he spoke ; 
 But soon to deadly pale he changed his look ; 
 He trembled every limb, and felt a smart, 
 " As if cold steel had glided through his heart ; 
 
 735 ]^or longer stayed, but starting from his place, 
 Discovered stood, and showed his hostile face : 
 * 'False traitor, Arcite, traitor to thy blood. 
 Bound by thy sacred oath to seek my good, 
 Now art thou found forsworn for Emily, 
 
 740 And darest attempt her love, for whom I die. 
 So hast thou cheated Theseus with a wile. 
 Against thy vow, returning to beguile 
 
 735 (720).— 
 
 As he were wood, with face deed and pale, 
 He sterte him up out of the buskes thikke, 
 
78 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Under a borrowed name : as false to me, 
 
 So false thou art to him who set thee free. 
 
 But rest assured, that either thou shalt die, 745 
 
 Or else renounce thy claim in Emily ; 
 
 For though unarmed I am, and, freed by chance. 
 
 Am here without my sword or pointed lance : 
 
 Hope not, base man, unquestioned hence to go, 
 
 For I am Palamon, thy mortal foe." 750 
 
 Arcite, who heard his tale and knew the man. 
 His sword unsheathed, and fiercely thus began : 
 ''Now, by the gods who govern heaven above, 
 Wert thou not weak with hunger, mad with lo^'^e. 
 That word had been thy last; or in this grove 755 
 
 This hand should force thee to renounce thy love; 
 The surety which I gave thee I defy : 
 Fool, not to know that love endures no tie, 
 And Jove but laughs at lovers' perjury. 
 Know, I will serve the fair in thy despite ; 760 
 
 But since thou art my kinsman and a knight. 
 Here, have my faith, to-morrow in this gi'ove 
 Our arms shall plead the titles of our love : 
 And Heaven so help my right, as I alone 
 Will come, and keep the cause and quarrel both 765 
 
 unknown. 
 With arms of proof both for myself and thee ; 
 Choose thou the best, and leave the worst to me. 
 And, that at better ease thou mayest abide. 
 Bedding and clothes I will this night provide. 
 And needful sustenance, that thou mayest be 770 
 
 A conquest better won, and worthy me." 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 79 
 
 His promise Palamon accepts ; but prayed, 
 To keep it better than the first he made. 
 Thus fair they parted till the morrow's dawn; 
 
 775 For each had laid his plighted faith to pawn. 
 Oh Love ! thou sternly dost thy power maintain, 
 And wilt not bear a rival in thy reign ! 
 Tyrants and thou all fellowship disdain. 
 This was in Arcite proved and Palamon : 
 
 780 Both in despair, yet each would love alone. 
 Aixite returned, and, as in honour tied. 
 His foe with bedding and with food supplied ; 
 Then, ere the day, two suits of armour sought. 
 Which borne before him on his steed he brought : 
 
 785 Both were of shining steel, and wrought so pure 
 As might the strokes of two such arms endure. 
 Now, at the time, and in the appointed place, 
 The challenger and challenged, face to face, 
 Approach ; each other from afar they knew, 
 
 790 And from afar their hatred changed their hue. 
 So stands the Thracian herdsman with his spear. 
 Full in the gap, and hopes the hunted bear, 
 And hears him rustling in the wood, and sees 
 His course at distance by the bending trees : 
 
 795 And thinks, Here comes my mortal enemy. 
 And either he must fall in fight, or I: 
 This while he thinks, he lifts aloft his dart; 
 A generous chillness seizes every part, 
 
 775 (764).— 
 
 When ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe."* 
 
 Given his faith as a pledge. 
 
80 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The veins pour back the blood, and fortify the 
 
 heart. 
 Thus pale they meet; their eyes with fury burn; 80o 
 None greets, for none the greeting will return; 
 But in dumb surliness each armed with care 
 His foe professed, as brother of the war; 
 Then both, no moment lost, at once advance 
 Against each other, armed with sword and lance: sos 
 They lash, they foin, they pass, they strive to bore 
 Their corslets, and the thinnest parts explore. 
 Thus two long hours in equal arms they stood. 
 And wounded wound, till both were bathed in 
 
 blood 
 And not a foot of ground had either got, sio 
 
 As if the world depended on the spot. 
 Fell Arcite like an angry tiger fared. 
 And like a lion Palamon appeared : 
 Or, as two boars whom love to battle draws, 
 With rising bristles and with frothy jaws, 8i5 
 
 Their adverse breasts with tusks oblique they 
 
 wound. 
 With grunts and groans the forest rings around. 
 So fought the knights, and fighting must abide. 
 Till Fate an umpire sends their difference to decide. 
 The power that ministers to God's decrees, 820 
 
 809 (802).— Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood. 
 
 812 (812). — For certeinly oure appetytes here, 
 
 Be it of werre, or pees, ^ or hate, or love, 
 Al is this reuled by the sighte'^ above. 
 
 1 Peace. « providence. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 81 
 
 And executes on earth what Heaven foresees, 
 Called Providence, or Chance, or Fatal sway, 
 Comes with resistless force, and finds or makes her 
 
 way. 
 Nor kings, nor nations, nor united power 
 
 825 One moment can retard the appointed hour ; 
 
 And some one day, some wondrous chance appears, 
 Which happened not in centmdes of years : 
 For sure, whate'er we mortals hate or love 
 Or hope or fear depends on powers above : 
 
 830 They move our appetites to good or ill, 
 And by foresight necessitate the will. 
 In Theseus this appeal's, whose youthful joy 
 Was beasts of chase in forests to destroy ; 
 This gentle knight, inspired by jolly May, 
 
 835 Forsook his easy couch at early day, 
 
 And to the woods and wilds pursued his way. 
 Beside him rode Hippolyta the queen. 
 And Emily attired in lively green. 
 With horns and hounds and all the tuneful 
 cry, 
 
 S40 To hunt a royal hart within the covert nigh : 
 And, as he followed Mars before, so now 
 He serves the goddess of the silver bow. 
 The way that Theseus took was to the wood. 
 Where the two knights in cruel battle stood : 
 
 845 The laund on which they fought, the appointed 
 place 
 In which the uncoupled hounds began the chase. 
 840 (824). — For after Mars he serveth now Diane. 
 
82 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Thither forth-right he rode to rouse the prey, 
 
 That shaded by the fern in harbour lay; 
 
 And thence dislodged, was wont to leave the wood 
 
 For open fields, and cross the crystal flood. 85o 
 
 Approached, and looking underneath the sun, 
 
 He saw proud Arcite and fierce Palamon, 
 
 In mortal battle doubling blow on blow ; 
 
 Like lightning flamed their fauchions to and fro, 
 
 And shot a dreadful gleam; so strong they strook, 855 
 
 There seemed less force required to fell an oak. 
 
 He gazed with wonder on their equal might. 
 
 Looked eager on, but knew not either knight. 
 
 Eesolved to learn, he spurred his fiery steed 
 
 With goring rowels to provoke his speed. seo 
 
 The minute ended that began the race, 
 
 So soon he was betwixt them on the place ; 
 
 And with his sword unsheathed, on pain of life 
 
 Commands both combatants to cease their strife ; 
 
 Then with imperious tone pursues his threat : 865 
 
 "What are you? why in arms together met? 
 
 How dares your pride presume against my laws, 
 
 As in a listed field to fight your cause, 
 
 849 (834).— 
 
 For thider was the hert wont have his flight, 
 And over a brook, and so forth in his weye. 
 
 861 (847).— 
 
 And at a stert he was bitwix hem two, 
 And pullede out a swerd and cryed, 'Ho ! 
 Namore, up peyne^ of lesing^of your heed.' 
 
 'On pain. ^ Losing. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 83 
 
 Unasked the royal grant ; no marshal by, 
 
 870 As knightly rites require, nor judge to try?" 
 Then Palamon, with scarce recovered breath, 
 Thus hasty spoke: ''We both deserve the death. 
 And both would die ; for look the world around, 
 A pair so wretched is not to be found. 
 
 875 Our life's a load; encumbered with the charge, 
 We long to set the imprisoned soul at large. 
 Now, as thou art a sovereign judge, decree 
 The rightful doom of death to him and me; 
 Let neither find thy grace, for grace is cruelty. 
 
 880 Me first, 0, kill me first, and cure my woe; 
 Then sheath the sword of justice on my foe; 
 Or kill him first, for when his name is heard. 
 He foremost will receive his due reward. 
 Arcite of Thebes is he, thy mortal foe, 
 
 885 On whom thy grace did liberty bestow ; 
 But first contracted, that, if ever found 
 By day or night upon the Athenian ground, 
 His head should pay the forfeit ; see returned 
 The perjured knight, his oath and honour scorned: 
 
 890 For this is he, who, with a borrowed name 
 And proffered service, to thy palace came, 
 Now called Philostratus ; retained by thee, 
 A traitor trusted, and in high degree. 
 Aspiring to the bed of beauteous Emily. 
 
 895 My part remains, from Thebes my birth I own, 
 
 880 (863). — Butsle me first, for seynte^ charitee; 
 But sle my felawe eek as wel as m.e. 
 
 Blessed. 
 
84 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 And call myself the unhappy Palamon. 
 
 Think me not like that man ; since no disgrace 
 
 Can force me to renounce the honour of my race. 
 
 Know me for what I am: I broke thy chain, 
 
 Nor promised I thy prisoner to remain : 900 
 
 The loYe of liberty with life is given, 
 
 And life itself the inferior gift of Heaven. 
 
 Thus without crime I fled; but farther know, 
 
 I, with this Arcite, am thy mortal foe : 
 
 Then give me death, since I thy life pursue; oa^ 
 
 For safeguard of thyself, death is my due. 
 
 More wouldst thou know? I love bright Emily, 
 
 And for her sake and in her sight will die : 
 
 But kill my rival too, for he no less 
 
 Deserves ; and I thy righteous doom will bless, 910 
 
 Assured that what I lose he never shall possess." 
 
 To this replied the stern Athenian Prince, 
 
 And sourly smiled: "In owning your offence 
 
 You judge yourself, and I but keep record 
 
 In place of law, while you pronounce the word. 915 
 
 Take your desert, the death you have decreed; 
 
 I seal your doom, and ratify the deed: 
 
 By Mars, the patron of my arms, you die." 
 
 He said; dumb sorrow seized the standers-by. 
 The Queen, above the rest, by nature good, 920 
 
 909 (882). — But sle my felawe in the same wyse, 
 For bothe han we deserved to be slayn. 
 
 920 (890). — The quene anon, for verray wommanhede^ 
 Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye, 
 And alle the ladies in the compaignye. 
 
 ^Womanliness. 
 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 85 
 
 (The pattern formed of perfect womanhood) 
 
 For tender pity wept : when she began, 
 
 Through the bright quire the infectious virtue 
 
 ran. 
 All dropt their tears, even the contended maid: 
 
 925 And thus among themselves they softly said : 
 *'What eyes can suffer this unworthy sight! 
 Two youths of royal blood, renowned in fight, 
 The mastership of Heaven in face and mind, 
 And lovers, far beyond their faithless kind: 
 
 930 See their wide streaming wounds; they neither 
 came 
 From pride of empire nor desire of fame : 
 Kings fight for kingdoms, madmen for applause; 
 But love for love alone, that crowns the lover's 
 
 cause." 
 This thought, which ever bribes the beauteous kind, 
 
 935 Such pity wrought in every lady 's mind, 
 
 They left their steeds, and prostrate on the place. 
 From the fierce King implored the offenders' grace. 
 
 He paused a while, stood silent in his mood; 
 (For yet his rage was boiling in his blood :) 
 
 940 But soon his tender mind the impression felt. 
 (As softest metals are not slow to melt 
 And pity soonest runs in gentle minds :) 
 Then reasons with himself ; and first he finds 
 His passion cast a mist before his sense, 
 
 945 And either made, or magnified the offence. 
 
 Offence! Of what? To whom? Who judged the 
 cause? 
 
86 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The prisoner freed himself by Nature's laws; 
 Born free, he sought his right ; the man he freed 
 Was perjured, but his love excused the deed : 
 Thus pondering, he looked under with his eyes, 950 
 And saw the women's tears, and heard their cries. 
 Which moved compassion more ; he shook his head, 
 And softly sighing to himself he said: 
 
 "Curse on the unpardbning prince, whom tears 
 can draw 
 To no remorse, who rules by lion's law; 955 
 
 And deaf to prayers, by no submission bowed, 
 Eends all alike, the penitent and proud!" 
 At this with look serene he raised his head ; 
 Reason resumed her place, and passion fled: 
 Then thus aloud he spoke: — "The power of Love, 960 
 In earth, and seas, and air, and heaven above, 
 Rules, unresisted, with an awful nod, 
 By daily miracles declared a god ; 
 He blinds the wise, gives eye-sight to the blind; 
 And moulds and stamps anew the lover's mind. 965 
 Behold that Arcite, and this Palamon, 
 Freed from my fetters, and in safety gone. 
 What hindered either in their native soil 
 
 L. 953 (914).— 
 
 And in his gentil herte he thoghte anoon, 
 And softe un-to himself he seyde: 'Fy 
 Up-on a lord that wol have no mercy, 
 But been a leoun,^ bothe in word and dede,' 
 
 960 (927).— The god of love, a! henedicite, 
 
 How mighty and how greet a lord is he ! 
 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 87 
 
 At ease to reap the harvest of their toil? 
 
 970 But Love, their lord, did otherwise ordain, 
 And brought them, in their own despite again, 
 To suffer death deserved ; for well they know 
 'Tis in my power, and I their deadly foe. 
 The proverb holds, that to be wise and love, 
 
 975 Is hardly granted to the gods above. 
 
 See how the madmen bleed ! Behold the gains 
 With which their master, Love, rewards their pains I 
 For seven long years, on duty every day, 
 Lo! their obedience, and their monarch's payl 
 
 980 Yet, as in duty bound, they serve him on ; 
 And ask the fools, they think it wisely done; 
 Nor ease nor wealth nor life itself regard. 
 For 'tis their maxim, love is love's reward. 
 This is not all; the fair, for whom they strove, 
 
 985 ISTor knew before, nor could suspect their love, 
 N"or thought, when she beheld the fight from far, 
 Her beauty was the occasion of the war. 
 But sure a general doom on man is past. 
 And all are fools and lovers, first or last: 
 
 990 This both by others and myself I know, 
 For I have served their sovereign long ago ; 
 Oft have been caught within the winding train 
 Of female snares, and felt the lover's pain, 
 And learned how far the god can human hearts 
 constrain. 
 
 974 (940).— Now loketh,i is nat that an heigh folye? 
 Who may nat ben a fool, if that he love? 
 
 ^Look. 
 
88 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 To this romembrance, and the prayers of those 995 
 
 Who for the offending warriors interpose, 
 
 I give their forfeit lives, on this accord, 
 
 To do me homage as their sovereign lord ; 
 
 And as my vassals, to their utmost might, 
 
 Assist my person and assert my right." looo 
 
 This freely sworn, the knights their grace obtained; 
 
 Then thus the king his secret thought explained : 
 
 "If wealth or honour or a royal race. 
 
 Or each or all, may w^in a lady's grace. 
 
 Then either of you knights may w^ell deserve ioo5 
 
 A princess born ; and such is she you serve : 
 
 For Emily is sister to the crown. 
 
 And but too well to both her beauty known : 
 
 But should you combat till you both were dead, 
 
 Two lovers cannot share a single bed. loio 
 
 As, therefore, both are equal in degree. 
 
 The lot of both be left to destiny. 
 
 Now hear the award, and happy may it prove 
 
 To her, and him who best deserves her love. 
 
 Depart from hence in peace, and free as air, 1015 
 
 Search the wide world, and where you please 
 
 repair ; 
 But on the day when this returning sun 
 To the same point through every sign has run. 
 Then each of you his hundred knights shall bring, 
 In royal lists, to fight before the king; 1020 
 
 And then the knight, whom Fate or happy Chance 
 Shall with his friends to victory advance. 
 And grace his arms so far in equal fight. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 89 
 
 From out the bars to force his opposite, 
 1025 Or kill, or make him recreant on the plain, 
 The prize of valour and of love shall gain ; 
 The vanquished party shall their claim release, 
 And the long jars conclude in lasting peace. 
 The charge be mine to adorn the chosen 
 ground, 
 1030 The theatre of war, for champions so renowned; 
 And take the patron's place of either knight, 
 With eyes impartial to behold the fight ; 
 And Heaven of me so judge as I shall judge 
 
 aright. 
 If both are satisfied with this accord, 
 1035 Swear by the laws of knighthood on my sword. " 
 Who now "but Palamon exults with joy? 
 And ravished Arcite seems to touch the sky. 
 The whole assembled troop was pleased as well, 
 Extolled the award, and on their knees they fell 
 1040 To bless the^ gracious King. The knights, with 
 leave 
 Departing from the place, his last commands 
 
 receive ; 
 On Emily with equal ardour look, 
 And from her eyes their inspiration took : 
 From thence to Thebes' old walls pm^sue their 
 way, 
 1045 Each to provide his champions for the day. 
 
 It might be deemed, on our historian's part, 
 Or too much negligence or want of art, 
 If he forgot the vast magnificence 
 
90 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Of royal Theseus, and his large expense. 
 
 He first enclosed for lists a level ground, 1050 
 
 The whole circumference a mile around ; 
 
 The form was circular ; and all without 
 
 A trench was sunk, to moat the place about. 
 
 Within, an amphitheatre appeared, 
 
 Eaised in degrees, to sixty paces reared: 1055 
 
 That when a man was placed in one degree, 
 
 Height was allowed for him above to see. 
 
 Eastward was built a gate of marble w^hite ; 
 The like adorned the western opposite. 
 A nobler object than this fabric was loeo 
 
 Eome never saw, nor of so vast a space : 
 For, rich with spoils of many a conquered land, 
 All arts and artists Theseus could command, 
 Who sold for hire, or wrought for better fame; 
 The master -painters and the carvers came. loes 
 
 So rose within the compass of the year 
 An age's work, a glorious theatre. ^ 
 Then o'er its eastern gate was raised above 
 A temple, sacred to the Queen of Love; 
 An altar stood below : on either hand 1070 
 
 A priest with roses crowned, who held a myrtle ' 
 
 wand. 
 
 1049 (1027).— 
 
 That swich a noble theatre as it was, 
 
 I dar wel seyn that in this world ther nas. ^ 
 
 1056 (1033). — That whan a man was set on o^ degree, 
 He lette^ nat his felawe for to see. 
 
 »Was not. 2 One, aHindered. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 91 
 
 The dome of Mars Avas on the gate opposed, 
 And on the north a turret was enclosed 
 Within the wall of alabaster white 
 
 1075 And crimson coral, for the Queen of Mght, 
 Who takes in sylvan sports her chaste delight. 
 
 Within these oratories might yon see 
 Eich carvings, portraitures, and imagery: 
 Where every figure to the life expressed 
 
 loso The godhead's power to whom it was addi^essed. 
 In Venus' temple on the sides were seen 
 The broken slumbers of enamoured men ; 
 Prayers that even spoke, and pity seemed to call, 
 And issuing sighs that smoked along the wall ; 
 
 1085 Complaints and hot desires, the lover's hell. 
 
 And scalding tears that wore a channel where they 
 
 fell; 
 And all around were nuptial bonds, the ties 
 Of love's assurance, and a train* of lies, 
 That, made in lust, conclude in perjuries; 
 
 1090 Beauty, and Youth, and Wealth, and Luxury, 
 And sprightly Hope, and short -enduring Joy, 
 And Sorceries to raise the infernal powers. 
 And Sigils framed in planetary hours ; 
 Expense, and After -thought, and idle Care, 
 
 1095 And Doubts of motley hue, and dark Despair ; 
 Suspicions and fantastical Surmise, 
 And Jealousy suffused, with jaundice in her eyes, 
 Discolouring all she viewed, in tawny dressed, 
 Down-looked, and with a cuckow on her fist. 
 
 1100 Opposed to her, on the other side advance 
 
92 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The costly feast, the carol, and the dance, 
 
 Minstrels and music, poetry and play, 
 
 And balls by night, and turnaments by day. 
 
 All these were painted on the wall, and more ; 
 
 With acts and monuments of times before; iio5 
 
 And others added by prophetic doom. 
 
 And lovers yet unborn, and loves to come : 
 
 For there the Idalian mount, and Citheron, 
 
 The court of Venus, was in colours drawn; 
 
 Before the palace gate, in careless dress mo 1 
 
 And loose array, sat portress Idleness ; * 
 
 There by the fount Narcissus pined alone; 
 
 There Samson was ; with wiser Solomon, 
 
 And all the mighty names by love undone. 
 
 Medea's charms were there, Cu'cean feasts, iii5 
 
 With bowls that turned enamoured youths to beasts. 
 
 Here might be seen, that beauty, wealth, and wit, 
 
 And prowess to the power of love submit ; 
 
 The spreading snare for all mankind is laid, 
 
 And lovers all betray, and are betrayed. 1120 
 
 The Goddess ' self some noble hand had wrought ; 
 
 Smiling she seemed, and full of pleasing thought. 
 
 From ocean as she first began to rise, 
 
 And smoothed the ruffled seas, and cleared the skies. 
 
 A lute she held; and on her head was seen 
 
 1119 (1093).— 
 
 Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las,* 
 Til they for wo ful ofte seyde "alias.'* 
 
 »Net. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE ^3 
 
 A T\Teatli of roses red and myrtles green ; 
 Her turtles fanned the buxom air above ; 
 
 1130 And by his mother stood an infant Love, 
 
 With wings unfledged ; his eyes were banded o 'or, 
 His hands a bow, his back a quiyer bore, 
 Supplied with arrows bright and keen, a deadly 
 store. 
 But in the dome of mighty Mars the red 
 
 1135 With different figm^es all the sides were sj)read; 
 This temple, less in form, with equal gi^ace, 
 Was imitatiye of the first in Thrace ; 
 For that cold region was the loyed abode 
 And soyereign mansion of the warrior god. 
 
 1140 The landscape was a forest wide and bare. 
 Where neither beast nor human kind repair. 
 The fowl that scent afar the borders fly. 
 And shun the bitter blast, and wheel about the sky. 
 A cake of scurf lies baking on the ground, 
 
 1145 And prickly stubs, instead of trees, are found; 
 Or woods with knots and knares deformed and old, 
 Headless the most, and hideous to behold. 
 A rattling tempest through the branches went, 
 That stripped them bare, and one sole way they bent. 
 
 1150 Heayen fi'oze aboye severe, the clouds congeal. 
 And through the crystal vault appeared the stand- 
 ing hail. 
 Such was the face without : a mountain stood 
 Threatening from high, and overlooked the wood: 
 
 1148 (1122).— 
 
 As though a storm scholde bresten every bough: 
 
94 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Beneath the lowering brow, and on a bent, 
 
 The temple stood of Mars armipotent : 1155 
 
 The frame of burnished steeL that cast a glare 
 
 From far, and seemed to thaw the freezing air. 
 
 A straight long entry to the temple led, 
 
 Blind with high walls, and hoiTor over head; 
 
 Thence issued such a blast, and hollow roar, iieo 
 
 As threatened from the hinge to heave the door ; 
 
 In through that door a northern light there shone; 
 
 'Twas all it had, for windows there were none. 
 
 The gate was adamant ; eternal frame, 
 
 Which, hewed by Mars himself, from Indian ii65 
 
 quarries came. 
 The labour of a God ; and all along 
 Tough iron plates were clenched to make it strong. 
 A tun about was every pillar there ; 
 A polished miiTor shone not half so clear. 
 There saw I how the secret felon wrought, ino 
 
 And treason labom'ing in the traitor's thought. 
 
 There the red Anger dared the pallid Fear ; 
 
 Kext stood Hypocrisy, with holy leer. 
 
 Soft, smiling, and demurely looking down, 1175 
 
 But hid the da^reer underneath the ofown; 
 
 The assassinating wife, the household fiend; 
 
 And far the blackest there, the traitor -friend. 
 
 On the other side there stood Destruction bare, 
 
 Unpunished Kapine, and a waste of war ; iiso 
 
 1174: (1141j. — One line in Chaucer: 
 
 The smyler with the knyf under the cloke. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 95 
 
 Contest, with sharpened knives, in cloisters di^awn, 
 And all with blood bespread the holy lawn. 
 Loud menaces were heard, and foul disgrace, 
 And brawling infamy, in language base ; 
 
 1185 Till sense was lost in sound, and silence fled the 
 place. 
 The slayer of himself yet saw I there. 
 The gore congealed was clottered in his hair ; 
 With eyes half closed, and gaping mouth he lay. 
 And gTim as when he breathed his sullen soul 
 away. 
 
 1190 In midst of all the dome Misfortune sate, 
 And gloomy Discontent, and fell Debate, 
 And Madness laughing in his ireful mood ; 
 And armed Complaint on theft ; and cries of blood. 
 There was the murdered corps, in covert laid, 
 
 1195 And violent death in thousand shapes displayed : 
 The city to the soldier's rage resigned: 
 Successless wars, and poverty behind: 
 Ships burnt in fight, or forced on rocky shores, 
 And the rash hunter strangled by the boars : 
 
 isoo The new-born babe by nurses overlaid; 
 
 And the cook caught within the raging fire he 
 
 made. 
 All ills of Mars his nature, flame and steel; 
 The gasping charioteer beneath the wheel 
 
 1186 (1147).— 
 
 The sleere of himself yet saugh I ther, 
 
 His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer.^ 
 ^Hair, 
 
96 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Of his own car ; the mined house that falls 
 
 And intercepts her lord betwixt the walls : 1205 
 
 The whole division that to Mars pertains, 
 
 All trades of death that deal in steel for gains 
 
 Were there: the butcher, armourer, and smith, 
 
 Who forges sharpened fauchions, or the scythe. 
 
 The scarlet conquest on a tower was placed, 1210 
 
 With shouts and soldiers' acclamations graced: 
 
 A pointed sword hung threatening o'er his head, 
 
 Sustained but by a slender twine of thread. 
 
 There saw I Mars his ides, the Capitol, 
 
 The seer in vain foretelling Caesar's fall; 1215 
 
 The last Triumvirs, and the wars they move, 
 
 And Antony, who lost the world for love. 
 
 These, and a thousand more, the fane adorn ; 
 
 Their fates were painted ere the men were born, 
 
 All copied from the heavens, and ruling force 1220 
 
 Of the red star, in his revolving course. 
 
 The form of Mars high on a chariot stood. 
 
 All sheathed in arms, and gruffly looked the god: 
 
 Two geomantic figures were displayed 
 
 Above his head, a warrior and a maid, 1226 
 
 1214 (1173). — Depeynted was the slaughtre of lulius, 
 Of grete Nero, and of Antonius. 
 
 1222 (1183). 
 
 The statue of Mars upon a carte stood, 
 Armed, and loked grim as he were wood ; 
 And over his heed ther shynen two figures 
 Of sterres, that been cleped^ in scriptures,^ 
 
 I 
 
 That oon Puella, that other Riibeus. | 
 
 ^Called. *Any important writings; liere, books on astrology. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 97 
 
 One when direct, and one when retrograde. 
 
 Tired with deformities of death, I haste 
 To the third temple of Diana chaste. 
 A sylvan scene with various greens was drawn, 
 
 1230 Shades on the sides, and on the midst a lawn; 
 The silver Cynthia, with her nymphs around. 
 Pursued the flying deer, the woods with horns 
 
 resound : 
 Calisto there stood manifest of shame, 
 And, turned a bear, the northern star became: 
 
 1235 Her son was next, and, by peculiar grace, 
 In the cold circle held the second place : 
 The stag Actaeon in the stream had spied 
 The naked huntress, and for seeing died: 
 His hounds, unknowing of his change, pursue 
 
 1240 The chase, and their mistaken master slew. 
 Peneian Daphne too was there to see, 
 Apollo's love before, and now his tree. 
 The adjoining fane the assembled Greeks expressed, 
 And hunting of the Calydonian beast. 
 
 1245 CEnides' valour, and his envied prize; 
 The fatal power of Atalanta's eyes ; 
 Diana's vengeance on the victor shown, 
 The murderess mother, and consuming son; 
 The Volscian queen extended on the plain, 
 
 1250 The treason punished, and the traitor slain. 
 The rest were various huntings, well designed, 
 And savage beasts destroyed, of every kind. 
 The graceful goddess was arrayed in green ; 
 About her feet were little beagles seen, 
 
98 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 That watched with upward eyes the motions of 1255 
 
 theu' Queen. 
 Her legs were buskined, and the left before, 
 In act to shoot ; a silver bow she bore, 
 And at her back a painted quiver wore. 
 She trod a wexing moon, that soon would wane, 
 And, di'inking borrowed light, be filled again; 1280 
 
 With downcast eyes, as seeming to survey 
 The dark dominions, her alternate sway. 
 
 Theseus beheld the fanes of every god. 
 
 And thought his mighty cost was well bestowed. isro 
 
 So princes now then- poets should regard ; 
 
 But few can write, and fewer can rewai'd. 
 
 The theatre thus raised, the lists enclosed. 
 And all with vast magnificence disposed, 
 TVe leave the monarch pleased, and haste to bring 1275 
 The knights to combat, and their arms to sing. 
 
BOOK III 
 
 The day approached when Fortune should decide 
 The important enterprise, and give the bride; 
 For now the rivals round the world had sought, 
 
 1280 And each his number, well appointed, brought. 
 The nations far and near contend in choice. 
 And send the flower of war by public voice ; 
 That after or before were never known 
 Such chiefs, as each an army seemed alone: 
 
 1285 Beside the champions, all of high degree, 
 Who knighthood loved, and deeds of chivalry, 
 Thi'ouged to the lists, and envied to behold 
 The names of others, not their own, em^olled. 
 K"or seems it strange ; for every noble knight 
 
 1285-1297 (1248-1258).— The passage in Chaucer is two 
 lines shorter, and less fulsome in praise of England : 
 For every wight that loved chivahye, 
 And wolde, his thankes,^ han a passant- name, 
 Hath preyed that he mighte ben of that game ; 
 And wei was him, that ther-to chosen was. 
 For if ther fille to-morwe swich a ca.s, 
 Ye knowen wel. that every lusty knight, 
 That loveth paramours, ^ and hath his might, 
 Were it in Engelond, or elles- where. 
 They wolde, hir thankes, ^ wilnen to be there. 
 To fighte for a lady, benedicite! 
 It were a lusty sighte for to see. 
 
 ^Tbankes is an old genitive used idiomatically and meaning he or 
 they being willing; it means scarcely more than willingly or gladly. 
 ^Surpassing. ^'Loyers. 
 
 99 
 C 
 
100 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Who loves the fair, and is endued with might, 1290 
 
 In such a quarrel would be proud to fight. 
 
 There breathes not scarce a man on British ground 
 
 (An isle for love and arms of old renowned) 
 
 But would have sold his life to purchase fame, 
 
 To Palamon or Arcite sent his name; 1295 
 
 And had the land selected of the best, 
 
 Half had come hence, and let the world provide 
 
 the rest. 
 A hundred knights with Palamon there came. 
 Approved in fight, and men of mighty name; 
 Their arms were several, as their nations were, i3W 
 
 But fm-nished all alike with sword and spear. 
 Some wore coat-armour, imitating scale; 
 And next their skins were stubborn shirts of mail. 
 Some wore a breastplate and a light juppon. 
 Their horses clothed ^\'ith rich caparison; 1305 
 
 Some for defence would leathern bucklers use 
 Of folded hides, and others shields of Pruce. 
 One hung a pole-axe at his saddle-bow. 
 And one a heavy mace to stun the foe ; 
 One for his legs and knees provided well, i3io 
 
 With jambeux armed, and double plates of steel; 
 This on his helmet wore a lady's glove. 
 And that a sleeve embroidered by his love. 
 
 With Palamon above the rest in place, 
 Lycurgus came, the surly king of Thrace ; isib 
 
 Black was his beard, and manly was his face; 
 The balls of his broad eyes rolled in his head. 
 And glared betwixt a yellow and a red ; 
 
 .1 
 
 J 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 101 
 
 He looked a lion with a gloomy stare, 
 1390 And o'er his eyebrows hung his matted hair; 
 
 Big-boned, and large of limbs, with sinews strong, 
 
 Broad-shonldered, and his arms were round and 
 long. 
 
 Four milk-white bulls (the Thracian use of old) 
 
 Were yoked to draw his car of burnished gold. 
 1325 Upright he stood, and bore aloft his shield. 
 
 Conspicuous from afar, and oyerlooked the field. 
 
 His surcoat was a bear -skin on his back; 
 
 His hair hung long behind, and glossy raven-black. 
 
 His ample forehead bore a coronet, 
 1330 With sparkling diamonds and with rubies set. 
 
 Ten brace, and more, of greyhounds, snowy fair. 
 
 And tall as stags, ran loose, and coursed around 
 his chair, 
 
 A match for pards in flight, in grappling for the 
 bear ; 
 
 With golden muzzles all their mouths were bound, 
 1335 And collars of the same their necks surround. 
 
 Thus tln-ough the fields Lycurgus took his way ; 
 
 His hundred knights attend in pomp and proud 
 array. 
 To match this monarch, with strong Arcite came 
 
 Emetrius, king of Inde, a mighty name, 
 1340 On a bay courser, goodly to behold, 
 
 The trappings of his horse embossed with barbarous 
 gold. 
 
 Not Mars bestrode a steed with greater grace ; 
 
 His surcoat o'er his arms was cloth of Thrace, 
 
102 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 x\dorncd with pearls, all orient, round, and great; 
 
 His saddle was of gold, with emeralds set ; 1345 
 
 His shoulders large a mantle did attire, 
 
 With rubies thick, and sparkling as the foe; 
 
 His amber-coloured locks in ringlets run, 
 
 With graceful negligence, and shone against the 
 
 sun. 
 His nose was aquiline, his eyes were blue, i35o 
 
 Ruddy his lips, and fresh and fair his hue; 
 Some sprinkled freckles on his face were seen, 
 W^hose dusk set off the whiteness of the skin. 
 His awful presence did the crowd surprise, 
 Nor durst the rash spectator meet his eyes ; i355 
 
 Eyes that confessed him born for kingly sway, 
 So fierce, they flashed intolerable day. 
 His age in nature's youthful prime appeared. 
 And just began to bloom his yellow beard. 
 Whene'er he spoke, his voice was heard around, ^^eo 
 Loud as a trumpet, with a silver sound; 
 A laurel wTeathed his temples, fresh, and green, 
 And mptle sprigs, the marks of love, were mixed 
 
 between. 
 Upon his fist he bore, for his delight. 
 An eagle well reclaimed, and lily white. ^^^ 
 
 1348 (1307).— 
 
 His crispe heer lyk ringes was y-ronne,^ 
 And that was yelow. and filtered as the sonne. 
 
 1354 (1313).— Chaucer has only one line: 
 And as a leoun he his loking caste. 
 
 1359 (1314).— Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste. 
 
 » Clustered, curled. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 103 
 
 His hundred knights attend him to the war, 
 
 All armed for battle; save their heads were bai'e. 
 
 Words and devices blazed on every shield, 
 
 And pleasing was the terror of the field. 
 13T0 For kings, and dukes, and bai'ons you might see, 
 
 Like spai'kling stars, though different in degree, 
 
 All for the increase of arms, and love of chivalry. 
 
 Before the king tame leopards led the way, 
 
 And troops of lions innocently play. 
 1375 So Bacchus through the conquered Indies rode, 
 
 And beasts in gambols fi'isked before thek honest 
 god. 
 In this array the war of either side 
 
 Through Athens passed w4th military pride. 
 
 At prime, they entered on the Sunday morn; 
 1380 Eich tapestry spread the streets, and flowers the 
 posts adorn. 
 
 The town was all a jubilee of feasts ; 
 
 So Theseus willed in honour of his guests : 
 
 Himself with open arms the kings embraced. 
 
 Then all the rest in their degrees w^ere graced. 
 1385 Xo harbinger was needful for the night. 
 
 For every house w^as proud to lodge a knight. 
 I pass the royal treat, nor must relate 
 
 The gifts bestowed, nor how the champions sate ; 
 
 Who first, who last, or how the knights addressed 
 1390 Their vows, or who was fairest at the feast; 
 
 Whose voice, whose graceful dance did most sur- 
 prise, 
 
 Soft amorous sighs, and silent love of eyes. 
 
104 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The rivals call my Muse another way, 
 To sing their vigils for the ensuing day. 
 
 'Twas ebbing darkness, past the noon of night: 1395 
 And Phosphor, on the confines of the light, 
 Promised the sun; ere day began to spring, 
 The tuneful lark already stretched her wing. 
 And flickering on her nest, made short essays to sing. 
 When wakeful Palamon, preventing day, 1400 
 
 Took to the royal lists his early way. 
 To Venus at her fane, in her own house, to pray. 
 There, falling on his knees before her shrine, 
 He thus implored with prayers her power divine : 
 "Creator Venus, genial power of love, ^ hoo 
 
 I 
 
 1395-1404 (1351-1362).— Chaucer has twelve lines to 
 Dry den's ten : 
 
 The Sonday night, er^ day bigan to springe, 
 When Palamon the larke herde singe, I 
 
 Although it nere nat^ day by houres two, 
 Yet song the larke, and Palamon also. 
 With holy herte, and with an heigh corage i 
 
 He roos,^ to wenden on his pilgrimage j 
 
 Un-to the blisful Citherea ben^^gne, ' 
 
 I mene Venus, honurable and dygne. ^ \ 
 
 And in hir hom'e he walketh forth a pas I 
 
 Un-to the listes, ther^ hir temple was, ' 
 
 And doun he kneleth, and with hmnble chere ' 
 
 And herte soor, he seide as ye shuP here. 
 
 1405 (1363) . — Chaucer's invocation is much shorter : 
 
 *Faireste of faire, o lady myn Venus, j 
 
 Doughter to love, and spouse of Vulcanus, i 
 
 Thou gladere of the mount of Citheroun 
 For thilke^ love thou haddest to Adoun,^ 
 Have pitee of my bittre teres smerte, 
 And tak myn humble preyere at thin herte. 
 
 ^Ere. 2 Double negative; it was not day. ^Rose. *Latin 
 dignus; worthy. « Where. «Shall. ^That. « Adonis. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 105 
 
 The bliss of men below, and gods above! 
 
 Beneath the sliding sun thou runst thy race, 
 
 Dost fairest shine, and best become thy place. 
 
 For thee the winds their eastern blasts forbear, 
 1410 Thy month reveals the spring, and opens all the year. 
 
 Thee, Goddess, thee the storms of winter fly; 
 
 Earth smiles with flowers renewing, laughs the sky, 
 
 And birds to lays of love their tuneful notes apply. 
 
 'Tis thine, whate'er is pleasant, good, or fair; 
 1415 All nature is thy province, life thy care; 
 
 Thou madest the world, and dost the world repair. 
 
 Thou gladder of the mount of Cytheron, 
 
 Increase of Jove, companion of the Sun, 
 
 If e'er Adonis touched thy tender heart, 
 1420 Have pity, Goddess, for thou knowest the smart! 
 
 Alas ! I have not words to tell my gTief ; 
 
 To vent my sorrow would be some relief ; 
 
 Light sufferings give us leisure to complain ; 
 
 We groan, but cannot speak, in greater pain. 
 1425 Goddess, tell thyself what I would say! 
 
 Thou knowest it, and I feel too much to pray. 
 
 So grant my suit, as I enforce my might. 
 
 In love to be thy champion and thy knight, 
 
 A servant to thy sex, a slave to thee, 
 U20 A foe professed to barren chastity: 
 
 Kor ask I fame or honour of the field, 
 
 K or choose I more to vanquish than to yield : 
 
 In my divine Emilia make me blest. 
 
 Let Fate or partial Chance dispose the rest : 
 1435 Find thou the manner, and the means prepare; 
 
106 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Possession, more than conquest, is my care. 
 
 Mars is the waiTior 's god ; in him it lies 
 
 On whom he favours to confer the prize; 
 
 With smiling aspect you serenely move 
 
 In your fifth orb, and rule the realm of love. 1440 
 
 The Fates but only spin the coarser clue, 
 
 The finest of the wool is left for you : 
 
 Spare me but one small portion of the twine, 
 
 And let the Sisters cut below your line : 
 
 The rest among the rubbish may they sweep, 1445 
 
 Or add it to the yarn of some old miser 's heap, 
 
 But if you this ambitious prayer deny, 
 
 (A wish, I grant, beyond mortality,) 
 
 Then let me sink beneath proud Arcite's arms. 
 
 And, I once dead, let him possess her charms." 1450 
 
 Thus ended he ; then, with observance due. 
 The sacred incense on her altar threw : 
 The curling smoke mounts heavy from the fires ; 
 At length it catches flame, and in a blaze expires ; 
 At once the gracious Goddess gave the sign, 1455 
 
 Her statue shook, and trembled all the shrine: 
 Pleased Palamon the tardy omen took ; 
 For since the flames pursued the trailing smoke, 
 He knew his boon was granted, but the day 
 To distance driven, and joy adjourned with long hgo 
 delay. 
 
 Now morn with rosy light had streaked the sky, 
 Up rose the sun, and up rose Emily; 
 
 1450 (1402). — Chaucer ends the prayer with the line: 
 Yif me my love, thou blisful lady dere. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 107 
 
 Addressed her early steps to Cynthia's fane, 
 In state attended by her maiden train, 
 
 1A65 Who bore the vests that holy rites require, 
 Incense, and odorous gums, and coyered fire. 
 The plenteous horns with pleasant mead they crown 
 Nor wanted aught besides in honour of the Moon. 
 Now, while the temple smoked with hallowed steam, 
 
 1470 They wash the virgin in a living stream ; 
 
 Her shining hair, uncombed, was loosely spread, 
 1480 A crown of mastless oak adorned her head : 
 
 When to the shrine approached, the spotless maid 
 
 Had kindling fires on either altar laid ; 
 
 (The rites were such as were observed of old. 
 
 By Statins in his Theban story told.) 
 1485 Then kneeling with her hands across her breast, 
 
 Thus lowly she preferred her chaste request. 
 ''0 Goddess, haunter of the woodland green, 
 
 To whom both heaven and earth and seas are seen ; 
 
 Queen of the nether skies, where half the year 
 1490 Thy silver beams descend, and light the gloomy 
 sphere ; 
 
 Goddess of maids, and conscious of our hearts. 
 
 So keep me from the vengeance of thy darts, 
 
 (Which Mobe's devoted issue felt. 
 
 When hissing through the skies the feathered 
 deaths were dealt,) 
 
 1463 (1416). — Notice the much greater simplicity of 
 Chaucer's line : 
 
 And to the temple of Diane gan hye. 
 
108 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 As I desii'e to live a virgin life, 1495 
 
 Nor know the name of mother or of wife. 
 
 Thy votress from my tender years I am, 
 
 And love, like thee, the woods and sylvan game. 
 
 Like death, thou knowest, I loathe the nuptial 
 
 state. 
 And man, the tyrant of our sex, I hate, 1500 
 
 A lowly servant, but a lofty mate; 
 
 Now by thy triple shape, as thou art seen 
 
 In heaven, earth, hell, and everywhere a queen, i505 
 
 Grant this my first desire; let discord cease, 
 
 And make betwixt the rivals lasting peace: 
 
 Quench their hot fire, or far from me remove 
 
 The fiame, and turn it on some other love; 
 
 Or if my frowning stars have so decreed, 1510 
 
 That one must be rejected, one succeed. 
 
 Make him my lord, within whose faithful breast 
 
 Is fixed my image, and who loves me best. 
 
 But oh ! even that avert ! I choose it not, 
 
 But take it as the least unhappy lot. 1515 
 
 A maid I am, and of thy virgin train; 
 
 Oh, let me still that spotless name retain! 
 
 Frequent the forests, thy chaste will obey. 
 
 And only make the beasts of chase my prey!'' 
 
 The flames ascend on either altar clear, ibso 
 
 While thus the blameless maid addi^essed her prayer. 
 When lo ! the burning fire that shone so bright 
 Flew off, all sudden, with extinguished li^ht, 
 
 1516(1472) .—And whyl I live a mayde,! wol thee serva 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 109 
 
 And left one altar dark, a little space, 
 1525 Which turned self -kindled, and renewed the blaze ; 
 
 That other yictor-flame a moment stood. 
 
 Then fell, and lifeless left the extinguished wood; 
 
 For ever lost, the irrevocable light 
 
 Forsook the blackening coals, and sunk to night: 
 1530 At either end it whistled as it flew, 
 
 And as the brands were green, so dropped the dew. 
 
 Infected as it fell with sweat of sanguine hue. 
 The maid fi^om that ill omen turned her eyes, 
 
 And with loud shrieks and clamours rent the skies ; 
 1535 K'or knew what signified the boding sign. 
 
 But found the powers displeased, and feared the 
 wrath divine. 
 Then shook the sacred shrine, and sudden light 
 
 Sprung through the vaulted roof, and made the 
 temple bright. 
 
 The Power, behold! the Power in glory shone, 
 1540 By her bent bow and her keen arrows known ; 
 
 The rest, a huntress issuing fi'om the wood, 
 
 Eeclining on her cornel spear she stood. 
 
 1526 (1477).— 
 
 — and after that anon 
 That other fyr was queynt,^ and al agon; 
 And as it queynte, it made a whistelinge, 
 As doon thise wete brondes in hir brenninge. ^ 
 And at the brondes ende out-ran anoon 
 As it were blody dropes many oon ; 
 
 1537 (1488).— 
 
 And ther-with-al Diane gan appere, 
 
 With bowe in bond, right as an hunteresse, 
 
 And seyde: 'Doghter, stint thyn hevinesse. 
 
 ^Quenched. ^Burning:. 
 
110 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Then gracious thus began: "Dismiss thy fear, 
 And Heaven's unchanged decrees attentive hear : 
 More powerful gods have torn thee from my side, 1545 
 Unwilling to resign, and doomed a bride ; 
 The two contending knights are weighed above; 
 One Mars protects, and one the Queen of Love: 
 But which the man is in the Thunderer 's breast ; 
 This he pronounced, ' 'Tis he who loves thee best.' 1550 
 The fire that, once extinct, revived again 
 Foreshows the love allotted to remain. 
 Farewell!" she said, and vanished from the place; 
 The sheaf of arrows shook, and rattled in the case. 
 Aghast at this, the royal virgin stood, 1555 
 
 Disclaimed, and now no more a sister of the wood: 
 But to the parting Goddess thus she prayed : 
 "Propitious still, be present to my aid, 
 Nor quite abandon your once favoured maid." 
 Then sighing she returned; but smiled betwixt, 1560 
 With hopes, and fears, and joys with sorrows mixt. 
 
 The next returning planetary hour 
 Of Mars, who shared the heptarchy of power, 
 His steps bold Arcite to the temple bent. 
 To adorn with pagan rites the power armipotent : 1565 
 Then prostrate, low before his altar lay, 
 
 1549 (1495), — But un-to which of hem I may nat telle. 
 
 1560 (1507).— 
 
 And hoom she goth anon the nexte vveye. 
 This is theffect,^ ther is namore to seye. 
 
 I The effect, the conclusion. 
 
PALAMON AXD ARCITE 111 
 
 And raised his manly voice, and thus began to 
 
 pray: 
 ''Strong God of Arms, vfhose iron sceptre sways 
 The freezing North, and Hyperborean seas, 
 
 isro And Scythian colds, and Thi'acia's wintry coast, 
 Where stand thy steeds, and thou art honoured most : 
 There most, but everywhere thy power is known, 
 The fortune of the fight is all thy own : 
 Terror is thine, and wild amazement, flung 
 
 1575 From out thy chariot, withers even the strong; 
 And disarray and shameful rout ensue. 
 And force is added to the fainting crew. 
 Acknowledged as thou ai*t, accept my prayer! 
 If aught I have achieved deserve thy care, 
 
 1580 If to my utmost power with sword and shield 
 I dared the death, unknowing how to yield, 
 And falling in mxy rank, still kept the field ; 
 Then let my arms prevail, by thee sustained, 
 That Emily by conquest may be gained. 
 
 1585 Have pity on my pains ; nor those unknown 
 To Mars, which, when a lover, were his own. 
 Venus, the public care of all above, 
 Thy stubborn heart has softened into love : 
 
 1595 By those dear pleasures, aid my arms in fight, 
 And make me conquer in my patron's right: 
 
 1566 (1513).— 
 
 With pitous^ herte and heigh devocioun, 
 Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun. 
 
 ^Piteous, compassionate. 
 
112 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 For I am young, a novice in the trade, 
 
 The fool of love, unpractised to persuade, 
 
 And want the soothing arts that catch the fair. 
 
 But, caught myself , lie struggling in the snare; leoo 
 
 And she I love or laughs at all my pain 
 
 Or knows her worth too well, and pays me with 
 
 disdain. 
 For sure I am, unless I win in arms, 
 To stand excluded from Emilia's charms: 
 Nor can my strength avail, unless by thee 1605 
 
 Endued Avith force I gain the victory; 
 Then for the fire which warmed thy generous heart, 
 Pity thy subject's pains and equal smart. 
 So be the morrow's sweat and labour mine. 
 The palm and honour of the conquest thine : 1610 | 
 
 Then shall the war, and stern debate, and strife ' 
 
 Immortal be the business of my life ; 
 And in thy fane, the dusty spoils among. 
 High on the burnished roof , my banner shall be hung, 
 Eanked with my champion's bucklers; and below? 1615 
 With arms reversed, the atchievements of my foe ; 
 And while these limbs the vital spirit feeds, 
 While day to night, and night to day succeeds, 
 Thy smoking altar shall be fat with food 
 Of incense and the grateful steam of blood ; 1620 
 
 Burnt-offerings morn and evening shall be thine, 
 And fires eternal in thy temple shine. 
 The bush of yellow beard, this length of hair, 
 Which from my birth inviolate I bear. 
 Guiltless of steel, and from the razor free, 1825 
 
PALAMON AND AECITE 113 
 
 Shall fall a plenteous crop, reserved for thee. 
 So may my arms with victory be blest, 
 I ask no more; let Fate dispose the rest." 
 
 The champion ceased ; there followed in the close 
 
 1630 A hollow groan ; a murmuring wind arose ; 
 
 The rings of iron, that on the doors were hung, 
 Sent out a jarring sound, and harshly rung : 
 The bolted gates flew open at the blast. 
 The storm rushed in, and Arcite stood aghast : 
 
 1635 The flames were blown aside, yet shone they bright, 
 Fanned by the wind, and gave a ruffled light. 
 
 Then from the ground a scent began to rise, 
 Sweet smelling as accepted sacrifice : 
 .This omen pleased, and as the flames aspire 
 
 1640 With odorous incense Arcite heaps the fire : 
 Nor wanted hymns to Mars or heathen charms : 
 At length the nodding statue clashed his arms, 
 And with a sullen sound and feeble cry. 
 Half sunk and half pronounced the word of Victory. 
 
 1645 For this, with soul devout, he thanked the G-od, 
 And, of success secure, returned to his abode. 
 
 These vows, thus granted, raised a strife above 
 Betwixt the God of War and Queen of Love. 
 She, granting first, had right of time to plead; 
 
 1643 (1574).— 
 
 And with that soun he herde a murmnringe 
 Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, 'Victoria.' 
 
 1645 (1578).— 
 
 Arcite anon un-to his inne is fare 
 
 As fayn^ as foweP is of the brighte sonne. 
 
 ^Glad. ^Bird. 
 
114 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 But he had granted too, nor would recede. i65o 
 
 Jove was for Venus, but he feared his wife, 
 
 And seemed unwilling to decide the strife ; 
 
 Till Saturn from his leaden throne arose. 
 
 And found a way the difference to compose : 
 
 Though sparing of his grace, to mischief bent, 1655 
 
 He seldom does a good with good intent. 
 
 Wayward, but wise; by long experience taught. 
 
 To please both parties, for ill ends, he sought: 
 
 For this advantage age from youth has won. 
 
 As not to be outridden, though outrun. I66O 
 
 By fortune he was now to Venus trined. 
 
 And with stern Mars in Capricorn was joined : 
 
 Of him disposing in his own abode. 
 
 He soothed the Goddess, while he gulled the God: 
 
 '^ Cease, daughter, to complain, and stint the strife; i6C5 
 
 Thy Palamon shall have his promised wife : 
 
 And Mars, the lord of conquest, in the fight 
 
 With palm and laurel shall adorn his knight. 
 
 Wide is my course, nor turn I to my place 
 
 Till length of time, and move with tardy pace. i67c 
 
 Man feels me, when I press the ethereal plains ; 
 
 My hand is heavy, and the wound remains. 
 
 Mine is the shipwreck in a watery sign ; 
 
 And in an earthy the dark dungeon mine. 
 
 Cold shivering agues, melancholy care, 1675 
 
 And bitter blasting winds, and poisoned air, 
 
 1659 (1591).— 
 
 Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede.^ 
 
 »The young may outrun the old, but not surpass them in counsel. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 115 
 
 Are mine, and wilful death, resulting from despair. 
 
 The throttling quinsey 'tis my star appoints, 
 
 And rheumatisms I send to rack the joints : 
 1680 When churls rebel against their native prince, 
 
 I arm then hands, and furnish the pretence; 
 
 And housing in the lion's hateful sign. 
 
 Bought senates and deserting troops are mine. 
 
 Mine is the privy poisoning ; I command 
 1685 Unkindly seasons and ungrateful land. 
 
 By me kings ' palaces are pushed to ground, 
 
 And miners crushed beneath their mines are found. 
 
 'Twas I slew Samson, when the pillared hall 
 
 Fell down, and crushed the many with the fall. 
 1690 My looking is the sire of pestilence. 
 
 That sweeps at once the people and the prince. 
 
 K"ow weep no more, but trust thy grandsire's art, 
 
 Mars shall be pleased, and thou perform thy part. 
 
 'Tis ill, though different your complexions are, 
 1695 The family of Heaven for men should war." 
 
 The expedient pleased, where neither lost his right ; 
 
 Mars had the day, and Venus had the night. 
 
 The management they left to Chronos' care; 
 
 Now turn we to the effect, and sing the war. 
 1700 In Athens all was pleasure, mirth, and play. 
 
 All proper to the spring, and sprightly May : 
 
 Which every soul inspired with such delight, 
 
 'Twas justing all the day, and love at night. 
 
 Heaven smiled, and gladded was the heart of man ; 
 1705 And Venus had the world as when it first began. 
 
 At length in sleep their bodies they compose, 
 
116 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 And dreamt the future fight, and early rose. 
 
 Now scarce the dawning day began to spring, 
 As at a signal given, the streets with clamours ring: 
 At once the crowd arose; confused and high, nio 
 
 Even from the heaven was heard a shouting cry, 
 For Mars was early up, and roused the sky. 
 The gods came downward to behold the wars. 
 Sharpening their sights, and leaning from their 
 
 stars. 
 The neighing of the generous horse was heard, i7i5 
 
 For battle by the busy groom prepared : 
 Eustling of harness, rattling of the shield. 
 Clattering of armour, furbished for the field. 
 Crowds to the castle mounted up the street ; 
 Battering the pavement with their coursers' feet: 1720 
 The greedy sight might there devour the gold 
 Of glittering arms, too dazzling to behold: 
 And polished steel that cast the view aside. 
 And crested morions, with their plumy pride. 
 Knights, with a long retinue of their squires, 1725 
 
 In gaudy liveries march, and quaint attires. 
 One laced the helm, another held the lance ; 
 A third the shining buckler did advance. 
 The courser pawed the ground with restless feet, 
 And snorting foamed, and champed the golden bit. it3o 
 The smiths and armourers on palfi*eys ride, 
 Files in their hands, and hammers at their side. 
 And nails for loosened spears, and thongs for 
 
 shields provide. 
 The yeomen guard the streets in seemly bands ; 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 117 
 
 1735 And clowns come crowding on, with cudgels in 
 their hands. 
 The trumpets, next the gate, in order placed, 
 Attend the sign to sound the martial blast : 
 The palace-yard is filled with floating tides. 
 And the last comers bear the former to the sides. 
 
 1740 The throng is in the midst ; the common crew 
 Shut out, the hall admits the better few. 
 In knots they stand, or in a rank they walk. 
 Serious in aspect, earnest in their talk ; 
 Factious, and favouring this or t'other side, 
 
 1745 As their strong fancies and weak reason guide : 
 Their wagers back their wishes ; numbers hold 
 With the fair freckled king, and beard of gold : 
 So yigorous are his eyes, such rays they cast. 
 So prominent his eagle's beak is placed. 
 
 1750 But most their looks on the black monarch bend, 
 His rising muscles and his brawn commend ; 
 His double-biting axe, and beamy spear. 
 Each asking a gigantic force to rear. 
 All spoke as partial favour moved the mind ; 
 
 1755 And, safe themselves, at others' cost divined. 
 
 Waked by the cries, the Athenian chief arose, 
 The knightly forms of combat to dispose ; 
 And passing through the obsequious guards, he sate 
 Conspicuous on a throne, sublime in state; 
 
 1736 (1653).— 
 
 Pypes, trompes, nakers,^ clariounes, 
 That in the bataille blowen blody sounes.^ 
 
 ^Kettle-drums. * Sounds. 
 
118 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 There, for the two contending knights he sent; i76o 
 Armed cap-a-pe, with reverence low they bent : 
 He smiled on both, and with superior look 
 Alike their offered adoration took. 
 The people press on every side to see 
 Their awful Prince, and hear his high decree. n65 
 
 Then signing to their heralds with his hand, 
 They gave his orders from their lofty stand. 
 Silence is thrice enjoined ; then thus aloud 
 The king-at-arms bespeaks the knights and listening 
 crowd : 
 ''Our sovereign lord has pondered in his mind i770 
 The means to spare the blood of gentle kind ; 
 And of his grace and inborn clemency. 
 He modifies his first severe decree. 
 The keener edge of battle to rebate, 
 The troops for honour fighting, not for hate. 1775 
 
 He wills, not death should terminate their strife, 
 And wounds, if wounds ensue, be short of life; 
 But issues, ere the fight, his dread command. 
 That slings afar, and poniards hand to hand. 
 Be banished from the field ; that none shall dare 1780 
 With shortened sword to stab in closer war ; 
 But in fair combat fight with manly strength, 
 
 1758 (1670).— 
 
 Duk Theseus was at a window set, 
 Arrayed right as he were a god in trone.^ 
 
 1771 (1683).— 
 
 Wherfore, to shapen^ that they shul not dye, 
 le wol his firste purpos modifye. 
 
 .*0n a throne. ^MalLe sure. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 119 
 
 Nor piisli with biting point, but strike at length. 
 The tnrney is allowed but one career 
 
 1785 Of the tough ash, with the sharp-grinclecl speai*, 
 But knights unhorsed may rise from off the plain, 
 And fight on foot their honour to regain; 
 Nor, if at mischief taken, on the ground 
 Be slain, but prisoners to the pillar bound, 
 
 1790 At either barrier placed; nor, captives made, 
 Be freed, or armed anew the fight invade : 
 The chief of either side, bereft of life, 
 Or yielded to his foe, concludes the strife. 
 Thus dooms the lord: now valiant knights and 
 young, 
 
 1795 Fight each his fill, with swords and maces long." 
 The herald ends : the vaulted firmament 
 With loud acclaims and vast applause is rent : 
 Heaven guard a Prince so gracious and so good, 
 So just, and yet so provident of blood! 
 
 isoo This was the general cry. The trumpets sound. 
 And warlike symphony is heard around. 
 The marching troops through Athens take thek 
 
 way, 
 The great Earl-marshal orders their array. 
 The fair from high the passing pomp behold; 
 
 1805 A rain of flowers is from the windows rolled. 
 
 1796 (1703).— 
 
 The TOTS of peple touchede the hevene, 
 So loude cry den they with niery stevene^ : 
 'God save swich a lord, that is so good, 
 He wilneth no destruccioun of blood. ' 
 
 1 Sound. 
 
120 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The casements are with golden tissue spread. 
 And horses' hoofs, for earth, on silken tapestry 
 
 tread. 
 The King goes midmost, and the rivals ride 
 In equal rank, and close his either side. 
 Next after these there rode the royal wife, isio 
 
 With Emily, the cause and the reward of strife. 
 The following cayalcade, by three and three, 
 Proceed by titles marshalled in degree. 
 Thus through the southern gate they take their 
 
 way. 
 And at the list arrived ere prime of day. i8i5 
 
 There, parting from the King, the chiefs divide. 
 And wheeling east and west, before their many ride. 
 The Athenian monarch mounts his throne on high, 
 And after him the Queen and Emily : 
 Next these, the kindred of the crown are graced 1820 
 "With nearer seats, and lords by ladies placed. 
 Scarce were they seated, when with clamours loud 
 In rushed at once a rude promiscuous crowd. 
 The guards, and then each other over bare. 
 And in a moment throng the spacious theatre. 1825 
 
 Now changed the jarring noise to whispers low, 
 As winds forsaking seas more softly blow. 
 When at the western gate, on which the car 
 Is placed aloft that bears the God of War, 
 Proud Arcite entering armed before his train i830 
 
 Stops at the barrier, and divides the plain. 
 Eed was his banner, and displayed abroad 
 The bloody colours of his patron god. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 1^1 
 
 At that self moment enters Palamon, 
 
 1835 The gate of Venus, and the rising Sun; 
 
 Waved by the wanton winds, his banner flies, 
 All maiden white, and shai'es the people's eyes. 
 From east to west, look all the world around, 
 Two troops so matched were never to be found ; 
 
 1840 Such bodies built for strength, of equal age, 
 In stature sized ; so proud an equipage : 
 The nicest eye could no distinction make. 
 Where lay the advantage, or what side to take. 
 Thus ranged, the herald for the last proclaims 
 
 1845 A silence, while they answered to their names: 
 For so the king decreed, to shun with care 
 The fraud of musters false, the common bane of 
 
 war. 
 The tale was just, and then the gates were closed; 
 And chief to chief, and troop to troop opposed. 
 
 1850 The heralds last retired, and loadly cried, 
 "The fortune of the field be fairly tried!" 
 At this the challenger, with fierce defy 
 His trumpet sounds ; the challenged makes reply : 
 With clangour rings the field, resounds the vaulted 
 sky. 
 
 1855 Their vizors closed, their lances in the rest. 
 Or at the helmet pointed, or the crest. 
 They vanish from the barrier, speed the race, 
 And spurring see decrease the middle space. 
 
 1851 (1740).— 
 
 Do now your devoir,^ yonge knightes proude! 
 
 ^French word meaning duty. 
 
1^3 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 A cloud of smoke envelopes either host, 
 
 And all at once the combatants are lost : i860 
 
 Darkling they join adverse, and shock unseen, 
 
 Coursers with coursers justling, men with men: 
 
 As labouring in eclipse, a while they stay, 
 
 Till the next blast of wind restores the day. 
 
 They look anew ; the beauteous form of fight 1865 
 
 Is changed, and war appears a grisly sight. 
 
 Two troops in fair array one moment showed. 
 
 The next, a field wdth fallen bodies strowed : 
 
 Not half the number in thek seats are found; 
 
 But men and steeds lie grovelling on the ground. i870 
 
 The points of spears are stuck within the shield, 
 
 The steeds without their riders scour the field. 
 
 The knights unhorsed, on foot renew the fight ; 
 
 The glittering f auchions cast a gleaming light : 
 
 Hauberks and helms are hewed with many a i875 
 
 wound, 
 Out spins the streaming blood, and dyes the ground. 
 The mighty maces with such haste descend, 
 
 1871 (1748).— 
 
 He feleth thurgh the herte-spoon^ the prikke. 
 Up springen spares twenty foot on higlite ; 
 Out goth the swerdes as the silver brighte. 
 The helmes they to-hewen^ and to-shrede f 
 Out brest the blood, with sterne stremes rede. 
 With mighty maces the bones they to-breste.'* 
 He thurgh "^ the thikkeste of the throng gan 
 
 threste. 
 Ther stomblen steedes stronge, and doun goth 
 
 alle. 
 He rolleth under foot as doth a balle. 
 
 ^Lower part of breast. ^^ewed. ^^ut jn giireds. ■♦Break. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 123. 
 
 They break the bones, and make the solid armour 
 
 bend. 
 This thrusts amid the throng with furious force ; 
 
 1880 Down goes, at once, the horseman and the horse: 
 That courser stumbles on the fallen steed. 
 And, floundering, throws the rider o'er his head. 
 One rolls along, a football to his foes ; 
 One with a broken truncheon deals his blows. . 
 
 1885 This halting, this disabled with his wound, 
 In triumph led, is to the pillar bound. 
 Where by the kings award he must abide: 
 There goes a captive led on t'other side. 
 By fits they cease, and leaning on the lance, 
 
 1890 Take breath awhile, and to new fight advance. 
 Full oft the rivals met, and neither spared 
 His utmost force, and each forgot to ward: 
 The head of this was to the saddle bent. 
 The other backward to the crupper sent : 
 
 1895 Both were by turns unhorsed; the jealous blows 
 Fall thick and heavy, when on foot they close. 
 So deep their fauchions bite, that every stroke 
 Pierced to the quick ; and equal wounds they gave 
 
 and took. 
 Borne far asunder by the tides of men, 
 
 1900 Like adamant and steel they met agen. 
 
 So when a tiger sucks the bullock's blood, 
 A famished lion issuing from the wood 
 Eoars lordly fierce, and challenges the food. 
 Each claims possession, neither will obey, 
 
 1905 But both their paws are fastened on the prey ; 
 
12^ PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 They bite, they tear ; and while in vain they strive, 
 The swains come armed between, and both to 
 
 distance drive. 
 At length, as Fate foredoomed, and all things 
 
 tend 
 By course of time to their appointed end ; 
 So when the sun to west was far declined, i9io 
 
 And both afresh in mortal battle joined. 
 The strong Emetrius came in Arcite's aid. 
 And Palamon with odds was overlaid : 
 For, turning short, he struck with all his might 
 Full on the helmet of the unwary knight. i9i5 
 
 Deep was the wound ; he staggered with the blow. 
 And turned him to his unexpected foe ; 
 Whom with such force he struck, he felled him 
 
 down, 
 And cleft the cii'cle of his golden crown. 
 But Arcite's men, who now prevailed in fight, 19-20 
 
 Twice ten at once surround the single knight : 
 O'erpowered at length, they force him to the 
 
 ground, 
 Unyielded as he was, and to the pillar bound; 
 And king Lycurgus, while he fought in vain 
 His friend to free, was tumbled on the plain. 1925 
 
 Who now laments but Palamon, compelled 
 No more to try the fortune of the field. 
 And, worse than death, to view with hateful eyes 
 His rival's conquest, and renounce the prize! 
 
 The royal judge on his tribunal placed, i930 
 
 Who had beheld the fight from first to last, 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 125 
 
 Bad cease the war ; pronouncing from on high, 
 Arcite of Thebes had won the beauteous Emily. 
 The sound of trumpets to the voice replied, 
 
 1935 And round the royal lists the heralds cried, 
 
 "Arcite of Thebes has won the beauteous bride!" 
 
 The people rend the skies with vast applause ; 
 All own the chief, when Fortune owns the cause. 
 Arcite is owned even by the gods above, 
 
 1940 And conquering ilars insults the Queen of Love. 
 So laughed he when the rightful Titan failed. 
 And Jove's usurping arms in heaven prevailed. 
 Laughed all the powers who favour tyranny. 
 And all the standing army of the sky. 
 
 1945 But Venus with dejected eyes appears, 
 
 And weeping on the lists distilled her tears ; 
 Her will refused, which grieves a woman most, 
 And, in her champion foiled, the cause of Love is 
 
 lost. 
 Till Saturn said: — ''Fair daughter, now be still, 
 
 1950 The blustering fool has satisfied his will ; 
 
 His boon is given; his knight has gained the day. 
 But lost the prize; the arrears are yet to pay. 
 Thy hour is come, and mine the care shall be 
 To please thy knight, and set thy promise free." 
 
 1936 (1800).— 
 
 'Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelye, 
 
 That by his fortune hath hir faire y-wonne.' 
 
 Anon ther is a noyse of peple bygonne^ 
 
 For loye of this, so lowde and heigh with-alle, 
 
 It semed that the listes sholde falle. 
 
 Begun. 
 
126 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Now while the heralds run the lists around, 1955 
 
 AndArcite! Arcite! heaven and earth resound, 
 A miracle (nor less it could be called) 
 Their joy with unexpected sorrow palled. 
 The victor knight had laid his helm aside, 
 Part for his ease, the gi^eater part for pride: i960 
 
 Bareheaded, popularly low he bowed, 
 And paid the salutations of the crowd ; 
 Then spurring, at full speed, ran endlong on 
 Where Theseus sat on his imperial throne ; 
 Furious he drove, and upward cast his eye, • i965 
 
 Where, next the Queen, was placed his Emily; 
 Then pausing, to the saddle-bow he bent ; • 
 A sweet regard the gracious virgin lent ; 
 (For women, to the brave an easy prey. 
 Still follow Fortune, where she leads the way;) 1970 
 Just then from earth sprung out a flashing fire, 
 By Pluto sent, at Saturn's bad desire: 
 The startling steed was seized with sudden fright, 
 And, bounding, o'er the pummel cast the knight; 
 Forward he flew, and pitching on his head, 1975 
 
 He quivered with his feet, and lay for dead. 
 Black was his countenance in a little space, 
 For al] the blood was gathered in his face. 
 Help was at hand: they reared him from the 
 
 ground, 
 And from his cumbrous arms his limbs unbound ; i98o 
 Then lanced a vein, and watched returning breath; 
 It came, but clogged with symptoms of his death. 
 The saddle-bow the noble parts had prest. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 127 
 
 All bruised and mortified his manly breast. 
 
 1985 Him still entranced, and in a litter laid, 
 
 They bore from field, and to his bed conveyed. 
 At length he waked ; and, with a feeble cry, 
 The word he first pronounced, was Emily. 
 
 Mean time the King, though inwardly he 
 mourned, 
 
 1990 In pomp triumphant to the town returned, 
 Attended by the chiefs who fought the field, 
 (Now friendly mixed, and in one troop compelled,) 
 Composed his looks to counterfeited cheer, 
 And bade them not for Arcite's life to fear. 
 
 1995 But that which gladded all the warrior train, 
 
 Though most were sorely wounded, none were slain. 
 The surgeons soon despoiled them of their arms. 
 And some with salves they cure, and some with 
 
 charms ; 
 Foment the bruises, and the pains assuage, 
 
 2000 And heal their inward hurts with sovereign 
 draughts of sage. 
 The King in person visits all around. 
 Comforts the sick, congratulates the sound; 
 Honours the princely chiefs, rewards the rest, 
 And holds for thrice three days a roj'al feast. 
 
 2005 None was disgraced ; for falling is no shame, 
 And cowardice alone is loss of fame. 
 
 1986 (1836). — Anon he was y-born out of the place 
 With herte soor, to Theseus paleys.^ 
 
 2003 (1877).— And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree, 
 And fully heeld a feste dayes three. 
 
 ^Palace. 
 
128 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The venturous knight is from the saddle thrown, 
 
 But 'tis the fault of fortune, not his own ; 
 
 If crowds and palms the conquering side adorn, 
 
 The victor under better stars was born : 2010 
 
 The brave man seeks not popular applause, 
 
 Nor, overpowered with arms, deserts his cause; 
 
 Unshamed, though foiled, he does the best he can: 
 
 Force is of brutes, but honour is of man. 
 
 Thus Theseus smiled on all with equal grace, 2015 
 And each was set according to his place; 
 With ease were reconciled the differing parts. 
 For envy never dwells in noble hearts. 
 At length they took their leave, the time expired; 
 Well pleased, and to their several homes retired. 2020 
 
 Meanwhile, the health of Arcite still impairs ; 
 From bad proceeds to worse, and mocks the 
 
 leech 's cares ; 
 Swoln is his breast; his inward pains increase; 
 All means are used, and all without success. 
 The clottered blood lies heavy on his heart, 2025 
 
 Corrupts, and there remains in spite of art; 
 Nor breathing veins nor cupping will prevail ; 
 All outward remedies and inward fail. 
 The mould of nature's fabric is destroyed. 
 Her vessels discomposed, her virtue void : 2030 
 
 The bellows of his lungs begins to swell ; 
 All out of frame is every secret cell, 
 Nor can the good receive, nor bad expel. 
 Those breathing organs, thus within opprest. 
 With venom soon distend the sinews of his breast. 2035 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 129 
 
 Nought profits him to save abandoned life, 
 Nor vomit's upward aid, nor downward laxative. 
 The midmost region battered and destroyed, 
 When nature cannot work, the effect of art is void: 
 
 2040 For physic can but mend our crazy state. 
 Patch an old building, not a new create. 
 Arcite is doomed to die in all his pride. 
 Must leave his youth and yield his beauteous bride, 
 Gained hardly against right, and unenjoyed. 
 
 2045 When 'twas declared all hope of life was past, 
 Conscience, that of all physic works the last. 
 Caused him to send for Emily in haste. 
 With her, at his desire, came Palamon; 
 Then, on his pillow raised, he thus begun : 
 
 2050 '*No language can express the smallest part 
 Of what I feel, and suffer in my heart, 
 For you, whom best I love and value most ; 
 But to your service I bequeath my ghost ; 
 Which, from this mortal body when untied, 
 
 2050 (1907).— 
 
 'Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte 
 
 Declare o^ poynt of alle my sorwes smerte 
 
 To yow, my lady, that I love most ; 
 
 But I byquethe the service of my gost^ 
 
 To yow aboven every creature, 
 
 Sin that my ly f ne may no lenger dure. ^ 
 
 Alias, the wo ! alias, the peynes stronge, 
 
 That I for yow have suffred, and so longe I 
 
 Alias, the deeth ! alias, myn Emelye ! 
 
 Alias, departing of our compaignye ! 
 
 Alias, myn hertes queue ! alias, my wy f ! 
 
 Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf ! 
 
 What is this world? what asketh men to have? 
 
 *One. '^Ghost, spirit. ^Endure. 
 
130 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Unseen, unheard, shall hover at your side ; 2055 
 
 Nor fright you waking, nor your sleep offend, 
 
 But wait ofl&cious, and your steps attend. 
 
 How I have loved, excuse my faltering tongue, 
 
 My spirit's feeble, and my pains are strong: 
 
 This I may say, I only gi'ieve to die, 2060 
 
 Because I lose my chai^ming Emily. 
 
 To die, when Heaven had put you in my power ! 
 
 Fate could not choose a more malicious hour. 
 
 What greater curse could envious Fortune give. 
 
 Than just to die when I began to live ! 2065 
 
 Vain men ! how vanishing a bliss we crave ; 
 
 Now with his love, now in his colde grave, 
 Allone, with-outen any compaignye. 
 Fare-wel, my swete fo !^ myn Emelye ! 
 And softe tak me in your armes tweye, 
 For love of God, and herkneth what I seye. 
 
 I have heer with my cosin Palamon 
 Had stryf and rancour, many a day a-gon, 
 For love of yow, and for my lelousye. 
 And lupiter so wis my soule gye,^ 
 To speken of a servant proprely, 
 With alle circumstaunces trewely, 
 That is to seyn,^ trout he, honour, and knighthede, 
 Wisdom, humblesse, estaat,** and heigh kinrede,^ 
 Fredom, and al that longeth^ to that art, 
 So lupiter have of my soule part, 
 As in this world right now ne knowe I non 
 So worthy to be loved as Palamon, 
 That serveth yow, and wol doon al his lyf. 
 And if that evere ye shul been a wyf, 
 Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man.' 
 And with that word his speche faille gan, 
 For fro his feet up to his brest was come 
 The cold of deeth, that hadde him overcome. 
 
 ^Foe. ^^jkj may Jupiter so wisely guide my soul that I may 
 speak, etc. ^xhat there is to be seen. ♦Possessions. "High 
 kindred, «Belongeth. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 131 
 
 Now warm in love, now withering in the grave ! 
 
 Never, never more to see the sun! 
 
 Still dark, in a damp vault, and still alone! 
 2070 This fate is common ; but I lose my breath 
 
 Near bliss, and yet not blessed before my death. 
 
 Farewell ! but take me dying in your arms ; 
 
 'Tis all I can enjoy of all your charms : 
 
 This hand I cannot but in death resign; 
 2075 Ah, could I live ! but while I live 'tis mine. 
 
 I feel my end approach and thus embraced 
 
 Am pleased to die ; but hear me sjoeak my last : 
 
 Ah, my sweet foe! for you, and you alone, 
 
 I broke my faith with injured Palamon. 
 2080 But love the sense of right and ^Tong confounds ; 
 
 Strong love and proud ambition have no bounds. 
 
 And much I doubt, should Heaven my life pro- 
 long, 
 
 I should return to justify my wi'ong ; 
 
 For while my former flames remain within, 
 2085 Eepentance is but want of power to sin. 
 
 With mortal hatred I pursued his life, 
 
 Nor he nor you were guilty of the strife ; 
 
 Nor I, but as I loved ; yet all combined, 
 
 Yom' beauty and my impotence of mind, 
 2090 And his concurrent flame that blew my fire. 
 
 For still om' kindi^ed souls had one desire. 
 
 He had a moment's right in point of time; 
 
 Had I seen first, then his had been the crime. 
 
 Fate made it mine, and justified his right; 
 2095 Nor holds this earth a more deserving knight 
 
132 PALAMON AXD ARCITE 
 
 For virtue, valour, and for noble blood, 
 
 Truth, honour, all that is comprised in good ; 
 
 So help me Heaven, in all the world is none 
 
 So worthy to be loved as Palamon. 
 
 He loves vou too, with such a holv fire, aoo 
 
 As will not, cannot, but with life expire: 
 
 Our vowed affections both have often tried, 
 
 Nor any love but yours could ours divide. 
 
 Then, by my love's inviolable band, 
 
 By my long suffering and my short command, 2106 
 
 If e'er you plight your vows when I am gone, 
 
 Have pity on the faithful Palamon." 
 
 This was his last ; for Death came on amain, 
 And exercised below his iron reign ; 
 Then upward to the seat of life he goes ; 2110 
 
 Sense fled before him, what he touched he froze: | 
 
 Yet could he not his closing eyes withdraw. 
 Though less and less of Emily he saw ; 
 So, speechless, for a little space he lay; 
 Then grasped the hand he held, and sighed his 2115 
 soul away. 
 
 But whither went his soul? let such relate 
 Who search the secrets of the future state : 
 Divines can say but what themselves believe ; 
 Strong proofs they have, but not demonstrative; 
 For, were all plain, then all sides must agree, 2120 
 
 And faith itself be lost in certainty. 
 
 2115 (1950).— 
 
 His laste word was 'mercy, Emelve!' 
 His spirit chaunged hous, and wente ther, 
 As I cam nevere, I can nat tellen wher. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 133 
 
 To live uprightly then is sure the best ; 
 
 To save ourselves, and not to damn the rest. 
 
 The soul of Arcite went where heathens go, 
 2125 Who better live than we though less they know. 
 In Palamon a manly grief appears ; 
 
 Silent he wept, ashamed to show his tears. 
 
 Emilia shrieked but once; and then, opprest 
 
 With sorrow, sunk upon her lover's breast: 
 2130 Till Theseus in his arms conveyed with care 
 
 Far from so sad a sight the swooning fair. 
 
 'Twere loss of time her sorrow to relate ; 
 
 111 bears the sex a youthful lover's fate. 
 
 When just approaching to the nuptial state : 
 2135 But like a low-hung cloud, it rains so fast, 
 
 That all at once it falls, and cannot last. 
 
 The face of things is changed, and Athens now, 
 
 That laughed so late, becomes the scene of woe: 
 
 Matrons and maids, both sexes, every state, 
 2140 With tears lament the knight's untimely fate. 
 
 Not greater grief in falling Troy was seen 
 
 For Hector's death; but Hector was not then. 
 
 Old men with dust deformed their hoary hair ; 
 
 The women beat their breasts, their cheeks they 
 tear. 
 2145 *'Why wouldst thou go," with one consent they 
 cry, 
 
 ^'When thou hadst gold enough, and Emily?" 
 Theseus himself, who should have cheered the 
 grief 
 
 Of others, wanted now the same relief: 
 
134 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Old ^geus only could revive his son, 
 
 Who various changes of the world had known, 2150 
 
 And strange vicissitudes of human fate. 
 
 Still altering, never in a steady state ; 
 
 Good after ill and after pain delight, 
 
 Alternate, like the scenes of day and night. 
 
 Since every man who lives is born to die, 2155 
 
 And none can boast sincere felicity. 
 
 With equal mind, what happens, let us bear. 
 
 Nor joy, nor grieve too much for things beyond 
 
 our care. 
 
 Like pilgrims to the appointed place we tend ; 1 
 
 The world's an inn, and death the journey's end. 2160 ' 
 
 Even kings but play, and when their part is done, 
 
 Some other, worse or better, mount the throne. \ 
 
 With words like these the crowd was satisfied ; i 
 
 And so they would have been, had Theseus died. ! 
 
 But he, their King, was labouring in his mind 2165 | 
 
 A fitting place for funeral pomps to find, i 
 
 Which were in honour of the dead designed. 
 
 And, after long debate, at last he found 
 
 (As Love itself had marked the spot of ground,) 
 
 That grove for ever green, that conscious laund, 2170 
 
 Where he with Palamon fought hand to hand; 
 
 That, where he fed his amorous desires 
 
 With soft complaints, and felt his hottest fires, 
 
 There other flames might waste his earthly part, 
 
 2159 (1989).— 
 
 This world nis but a thurghfare ful of wo, 
 And we ben pilgrimes, passinge to and fro; 
 Deeth is an ende of every worldly sore. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 135 
 
 2175 And burn his limbs, where love had burned his 
 heart. 
 This once resolved, the peasants were enjoined 
 Sere-wood, and firs, and doddered oaks to find. 
 With sounding axes to the grove they go, 
 Fell, split, and lay the fuel in a row ; 
 
 2180 Vulcanian food : a bier is next prepared, 
 On which the lifeless body should be reared. 
 Covered with cloth of gold ; on which was laid 
 The corps of Arcite, in like robes arrayed. 
 White gloves were on his hands, and on his head 
 
 2185 A wreath of laurel, mixed with mjrtle, spread. 
 A sword keen-edged within his right he held. 
 The warlike emblem of the conquered field : 
 Bare was his manly visage on the bier ; 
 Menaced his countenance, even in death severe. 
 
 2190 Then to the palace-hall they bore the knight. 
 To lie in solemn state, a public sight : 
 Groans, cries, and bowlings fill the crowded place, 
 And unaffected sorrow sat on every face. 
 Sad Palamon above the rest appears, 
 
 2195 In sable garments, dewed with gushing tears; 
 His auburn locks on either shoulder flowed. 
 Which to the funeral of his friend he vowed ; 
 But Emily, as chief, was next his side, 
 A virgin-widow and a mourning bride. 
 
 2188 (2019).— 
 
 He^ leyde him bare the visage on the here, 
 Therwith he weep that pitee was to here. 
 
 ^Theseus. 
 
136 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 And, that the princely obsequies might be 
 Performed according to his high degree, 
 The steed, that bore him living to the fight, 
 Was trapped with polished steel, all shining 
 
 bright, 
 And covered with the atchievements of the knight. 
 The riders rode abreast ; and one his shield, 2205 
 
 His lance of cornel-wood another held ; 
 The third his bow, and glorious to behold, 
 The costly quiver, all of burnished gold. 
 The noblest of the Grecians next appear. 
 And weeping on their shoulders bore the bier ; 2210 
 
 With sober pace they marched, and often stayed. 
 And through the master -street the corps conveyed. 
 The houses to their tops with black were spread. 
 And even the pavements were with mourning hid. 
 The right side of the pall old ^geus kept, 2215 
 
 And on the left the royal Theseus wept ; 
 Each bore a golden bowl of work divine, 
 With honey filled, and milk, and mixed with 
 
 ruddy wine. 
 Then Palamon the kinsman of the slain. 
 And after him appeared the illustrious train. 2220 
 
 To grace the pomp came Emily the bright, 
 With covered fire, the funeral pile to light. 
 With high devotion was the service made, 
 And all the rites of pagan honour paid : 
 So lofty was the pile, a Parthian bow, 2225 
 
 With vigour drawn, must send the shaft below. 
 The bottom was full twenty fathom broad, 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 137 
 
 With crackling straw beneath in due proportion 
 
 strowed. 
 The fabric seemed a wood of rising green, 
 
 2230 With sulphur and bitumen cast between 
 
 To feed the flames : the trees were unctuous fir, 
 And mountain-ash, the mother of the spear ; 
 The mourner -yew, and builder-oak were there, 
 The beech, the swimming alder, and the plane, 
 
 2235 Hard box, and linden of a softer grain. 
 
 And laurels, which the gods for conquering chiefs 
 
 ordain. 
 How they were ranked shall rest untold by me. 
 With nameless Nymphs that lived in every tree ; 
 Nor how the Dryads and the woodland train, 
 
 2240 Disherited, ran howling o'er the plain: 
 Nor how the birds to foreign seats repaired. 
 Or beasts that bolted out and saw the forest bared : 
 Nor how the ground now cleared with ghastly 
 
 fright 
 Beheld the sudden sun, a stranger to the light. 
 
 2245 The straw, as first I said, was laid below : 
 Of chips and sere-wood was the second row ; 
 The third of greens, and timber newly felled; 
 The fourth high stage the fragrant odours held. 
 And pearls, and precious stones, and rich array, 
 
 2250 In midst of which, embalmed, the body lay. 
 
 2241 (2071).— 
 
 Ne how the bestes and the briddes^ alle 
 Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle. 
 
 Birds. 
 
138 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 The service sung, the maid with mourning eyes 
 
 The stubble fired ; the smouldering flames arise : 
 
 This office done, she sunk upon the ground ; 
 
 But what she spoke, recovered from her swound, 
 
 I want the wit in moving words to dress ; 2255 
 
 But by themselves the tender sex may guess. 
 
 While the devouring fire was burning fast, 
 
 Kich jewels in the flame the wealthy cast ; 
 
 And some their shields, and some their lances 
 
 threw. 
 And gave the warrior's ghost a warrior's due. 2260 
 
 Full bowls of wine, of honey, milk and blood 
 Were poured upon the pile of burning wood, 
 And hissing flames receive, and hungry lick the 
 
 food. 
 Then thrice the mounted squadrons ride around 
 The fire, and Arcite's name they thrice resound: 2255 
 ''Hail and farewell!" they shouted thrice amain. 
 Thrice facing to the left, and thrice they turned 
 
 again : 
 Still, as they turned, they beat their clattering 
 
 shields ; 
 The women mix their cries ; and clamour fills the 
 
 fields. 
 The warlike wakes continued all the night, 22T0 
 
 And funeral games were played at new returning 
 
 light: 
 Who naked wrestled best, besmeared with oil, 
 Or who with gauntlets gave or took the foil, 
 I will not tell you, nor would you attend; 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 139 
 
 8275 But briefly haste to my long story's end. 
 
 I pass the rest ; the year was fully mourned, 
 And Palamon long since to Thebes returned : 
 When, by the Grecians' general consent. 
 At Athens Theseus held his parliament ; 
 2280 Among the laws that passed, it was decreed. 
 
 That conquered Thebes from bondage should be 
 
 freed ; 
 Reserving homage to the Athenian throne, 
 To which the sovereign summoned Palamon. 
 Unknowing of the cause, he took his way, 
 2285 Mournful in mind, and still in black array. 
 
 The monarch mounts the throne, and, placed on 
 high. 
 Commands into the court the beauteous Emily. 
 So called, she came ; the senate rose^ and paid 
 Becoming reverence to the royal maid. 
 2290 And first, soft whispers through the assembly 
 went; 
 With silent wonder then they watched the event ; 
 All hushed, the King arose with awful grace ; 
 Deep thought was in his breast, and counsel in his 
 
 face : 
 At length he sighed, and having first prepared 
 2295 The attentive audience, thus his will declared: 
 
 ''The Cause and Spring of motion from above 
 Hung down on earth the golden chain of Love ; 
 Great was the effect, and high was his intent, 
 When peace among the jarring seeds he sent ; 
 2300 Fire, flood, and earth and air by this were bound, 
 
140 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 And Love, the common link, the new creation 
 
 crowned. 
 The chain still holds ; for though the forms decay, 
 Eternal matter never wears away : 
 The same first mover certain bounds has placed. 
 How long those perishable forms shall last ; 2305 
 
 Nor can they last beyond the time assigned 
 By that all-seeing and all-making Mind : 
 Shorten their hours they may, for will is free, 
 But never pass the appointed destiny. 
 To men oppressed, when weary of their breath, 2310 
 Throw off the burden, and suborn their death. 
 Then, since those forms begin, and have their end. 
 On some unaltered cause they sure depend : 
 Parts of the whole are we, but God the w^hole. 
 Who gives us life, and animating soul. 2315 
 
 For Nature cannot from a part derive 
 That being which the whole can only give : 
 He perfect, stable ; but imperfect we, 
 Subject to change, and different in degree; 
 Plants, beasts, and man; and, as our organs are, 2320 
 We more or less of his perfection share. 
 But, by a long descent the ethereal fire 
 Corrupts; and forms, the mortal pai't, expire. 
 As he withdraws his virtue, so they pass 
 And the same matter makes another mass : 2325 
 
 2300 (2133).— 
 
 For with that faire cheyne of love he bond 
 The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond 
 In certeyn boundes, that they may nat flee. 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 141 
 
 This law the omniscient Power was pleased to 
 give, 
 
 That every kind should by succession live ; 
 
 That individuals die, his will ordains ; 
 
 The propagated species still remains. 
 2330 The monarch oak, the patriarch of the trees, 
 
 Shoots rising up, and spreads by slow degrees ; 
 
 Three centm^ies he grows, and three he stays, 
 
 Supreme in state, and in three more decays : 
 
 So wears the paving pebble in the street, 
 2335 And towns and towers their fatal periods meet : 
 
 So rivers, rapid once, now naked lie. 
 
 Forsaken of their springs, and leave their 
 channels dry. 
 
 Man struggles into breath, and cries for aid; 
 
 Then helpless in his mother's lap is laid. 
 
 He creeps, he walks, and issuing into man, 
 2345 Grudges their life from whence his own began ; 
 
 Eeckless of laws, affects to rule alone. 
 
 Anxious to reign, and restless on the throne : 
 
 First vegetive, then feels, and reasons last; 
 
 Kich of three souls, and lives all three to waste. 
 2350 Some thus ; but thousands more in flower of age, 
 
 For few arrive to run the latter stage. 
 
 Sunk in the first, in battle some are slain. 
 
 And others whelmed beneath the stormy main. 
 
 What makes all this, but Jupiter the king, 
 2355 At whose command we perish, and we spring? 
 
 Then 'tis our best, since thus ordained to die, 
 
142 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 To make a yirtue of necessity ; 
 
 Take what he gives, since to rebel is vain; 
 
 The bad grows better, which we well sustain; 
 
 And could we choose the time, and choose aright, 2360 
 
 'Tis best to die, our honour at the height. 
 
 When we have done our ancestors no shame, 
 
 But served our friends, and well secured our fame; 
 
 Then should we wish our happy life to close, 
 
 And leave no more for fortune to dispose ; 2365 
 
 So should we make our death a glad relief 
 
 From future shame, from sickness, and from grief; 
 
 Enjoying while we live the present hour, 
 
 And d)dng in our excellence and flower. 
 
 Then round our death -bed every friend should run, 2370 
 
 And joy us of our conquest early won ; 
 
 While the malicious world, with envious tears. 
 
 Should grudge our happy end, and wish it theirs. 
 
 Since then our Arcite is with honour dead. 
 
 Why should we mourn, that he so soon is freed, 2375 
 
 Or call untimely what the gods decreed? 
 
 With grief as just a friend may be deplored, 
 
 From a foul prison to free air restored. 
 
 Ought he to thank his kinsman or his wife. 
 
 Could tears recall him into wretched life? 2380 
 
 Their sorrow hurts themselves ; on him is lost, 
 
 And worse than both, offends his happy ghost. 
 
 What then remains, but after past annoy 
 
 To take the good vicissitude of joy; 
 
 To thank the gracious gods for what they give, 2385 
 
 Possess our souls, and, while we live, to live? 
 
PALAMON AND ARCITE 143 
 
 Ordain we then two sorrows to combine, 
 
 And in one point the extremes of grief to join ; 
 
 That thence resulting joy may be renewed, 
 
 2390 As jarring notes in harmony conclude. 
 Then I propose that Palamon shall be 
 In marriage joined with beauteous Emily; 
 For which already I have gained the assent 
 Of my free people in full parliament. 
 
 2395 Long love to her has borne the faithful knight, 
 And well deserved, had Fortune done him right : 
 'Tis time to mend her fault, since Emily 
 By Arcite's death from former vows is free; 
 If you, fair sister, ratify the accord, 
 
 2400 And take him for your husband and your lord, 
 'Tis no dishonour to confer your grace 
 On one descended from a royal race ; 
 And were he less, yet years of service past 
 From grateful souls exact reward at last. 
 
 2405 Pity is Heaven's and yours; nor can she find 
 A throne so soft as in a woman's mind." 
 He said; she blushed; and as o'erawed by might, 
 Seemed to give Theseus what she gave the 
 
 knight. 
 Then, turning to the Theban, thus he said : 
 
 2410 "Small arguments are needful to persuade 
 Your temper to comply with my command:" 
 And speaking thus, he gave Emilia's hand. 
 
 2387 (2213). — I rede that we make, of sorwes two, 
 O parfyt loye, lasting evere-mo.^ 
 
 ^More. 
 
144 PALAMON AND ARCITE 
 
 Smiled Venus, to behold her own true knight 
 Obtain the conquest, though he lost the fight. 
 
 All of a tenor was their after-life, 2420 
 
 No day discoloured with domestic strife ; 
 
 No jealousy, but mutual truth believed, 
 
 Secure repose, and kindness undeceived. 
 
 Thus Heaven, beyond the compass of his thought, 
 
 Sent him the blessing he so dearly bought. 2425 
 
 So may the Queen of Love long duty bless, 
 And all true lovers find the same success. 
 
 2413(2239).— 
 
 And thus with alle blisse and melodye j 
 
 Hath Palamon y-wedded Emelye. I 
 
 And God, that al this wyde world hath wroght, { 
 
 Sende him his love, that hath it dere a-boght. . j 
 For now is Palamon in alle wele, 
 
 Living in blisse, in richesse, and in hele;^ I 
 
 And Emelye him loveth so tendrely, | 
 
 And he hir serveth al-so gentilly, j 
 
 That nevere was ther no word hem bitwene | 
 
 Of lelousye, or any other tene. ^ 1 
 Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye , 
 And God save al this f aire compaignye I 
 
 ^Health, ^AimoysiiiQQ, 
 
NOTES ON DEYDEN'S DEDICATION TO 
 THE DUCHESS OF OEMOND 
 
 It was the fashion in Dryden's time, as it had been the 
 fashion for years before and continued to be for years after- 
 ward, for poets to dedicate their writings to the sovereign 
 or to some great noble. Men who wrote were not as well 
 paid and therefore not as independent in the old times as 
 now. They were brought into notice by the praise of 
 some great man to whom they had dedicated a book or 
 essay or poem, and they were often supported by the 
 money which great men paid for these dedications. 
 Therefore authors were tempted to be fulsome in their 
 praise of their patrons, whose vanity was often touched by 
 what seems to us now the most inexcusable flattery. Dry- 
 den was no exception to his class, as the dedication of this 
 poem shows. 
 
 The Duchess of Ormond was the daughter of Henry 
 Beaufort, who was descended from John of Gaunt. She 
 therefore had Plantagenet blood in her veins. Dryden dedi- 
 cated his Book of Fables to the Duke of Ormond, and then 
 added the special dedication of this poem to the Duchess. 
 
 Liine 4. Chaucer's poem was so good as to make it 
 doubtful whether he or Vergil deserved the palm, 
 
 7. Ormond. It is usual to speak of a nobleman in this 
 way without prefixing his title of rank, but unusual to 
 speak so of a peeress. 
 
 11. Idea. Ideal, i. 6., of womanhood. 
 
 15. Princes is the object of made. 
 
 18. Noblest order. The Order of the Garter. The story 
 of the founding of that Order by Edward III. is that the 
 Fair Maid of Kent, then the Countess of Salisbury, dropped 
 her garter while dancing, and that the King, picking it up, 
 
 145 
 
146 NOTES 
 
 put it on his own knee, saying: Honi soit qui mal y pense. 
 (Evil to him who evil thinks) . 
 
 29. Platonic year. The year in which the stars were 
 supposed to return to the places from which they originally 
 started. These years were supposed to occur after a period 
 of about 26,000 years. The idea is that the Duchess of 
 Ormond holds the same important place in the life of Dry- 
 den's time that the "fair Plantagenet" did in Chaucer's 
 time. 
 
 31. Fatal. Fated. The house of Plantagenet is destined 
 to be beautiful. 
 
 42. Grants of land in Ireland had been made to the 
 Duke of Ormond. The Duke and the Duchess had accord- 
 ingly gone to Ireland, the Duchess preceding her husband, 
 as is indicated by line 54. 
 
 58. Kerns. The Irish name for light-armed infantry. 
 V. Macbeth, Act I., Sc. 2. 
 
 59. Hear the reins. Imitation of Latin expression 
 audire hahenas, meaning to listen to and obey authority. 
 
 63. As the morning-star heralds the sun, so she heralded 
 her husband's coming. 
 
 64. The battles of the Revolution of 1688 were fought in 
 Ireland. 
 
 66. One triumphant day. The day of her arrival. 
 
 70. V. Genesis viii. 
 
 72. Relics of mankind. Noah and his family. 
 
 81. Millenary year. The millennium. The suggestion is 
 that the coming of the Duchess is comparable to the coming 
 of Christ. As her first coming cured the wounds of war, 
 her second coming will cause the earth to bring forth crops 
 without cultivation. 
 
 87. Some traditions have it that there never were rep- 
 tiles in Ireland, others that St. Patrick destroyed them at 
 an early day. 
 
 90. This interval. The Duchess had returned to Eng- 
 land for a time. 
 
 99. The dove. The dove sent from Noah's ark. 
 
 107-10. Make the four lines the first half of a simile 
 and supply the second half b^ giving the application of the 
 thought to the Duchess. 
 
NOTES 147 
 
 117. Four ingredients. Earth, air, fire and water, the 
 four elements of which the ancients thought the universe 
 to be composed. 
 
 128. Had she died, Dryden, out of gratitude to her, 
 would have written her elegy, though he would have de- 
 tested the thought of her death. 
 
 130. The poem shows his vow to dedicate a poem to her 
 as plainly as though it were a tablet on which the words of 
 the vow were written. 
 
 138. It was less: expensive for Heaven to preserve the 
 Duchess than to make another woman of such exquisite parts. 
 
 139. Middle science. Between the knowledge of the 
 physician and that of Heaven. 
 
 140. Contingent. Probable. 
 
 143. Ormonds is the object of to hold. 
 
 145. Is may the correct form after the past tense medi- 
 tated? Kind, race family. 
 
 148. Mr^st and last of each degree. The highest and 
 the lowest person in each class of society. 
 
 150. The Graces. The three goddesses of grace, beauty 
 and joy, attend the Duchess when she is well. His power 
 of song, that is, his Muse, has also come back to him. 
 
 152. Red and white. The red rose was the symbol of 
 the House of Lancaster, the white of the House of York. 
 The Duchess belonged to the House of Lancaster. 
 
 153. Who for which^ referring to cheeks. 
 
 164. The Duchess had three daughters, but no son. 
 
NOTES ON THE TEXT 
 
 Whenever the word, phrase or passage conimented on is Dryden's a 
 capital D is used after it; whenever it is Chaucer's, closely translated, 
 a capital C is used; when Dryden translates Chaucer's thought freely 
 no letter is used. 
 
 Comments on proper names are given in the Glossary. 
 
 Abbreviations.— V, Tide; see or consult. Cf. confer; compare. Ded. 
 Dryden's Dedication. 
 
 1-6. Notice the greater simplicity of Chaucer's wording. 
 Pick out in Dryden's lines the phrases like of mighty 
 fame, which have no parallel in Chaucer's. Scan 1. 2. in 
 each version for the pronunciation of Theseus. 
 
 12. D. Is the mixture of the figurative meaning of this 
 line with the literal meaning of the next line artistic? 
 
 16-23. C. The events mentioned are the subject of the 
 first book of Boccaccio's Teseide; as they are only indirectly 
 related to the story of Palamon and Arcite, Chaucer shows 
 his artistic sense by leaving them out. 
 
 30-33. C. A reference to the fact that the Canterbury 
 pilgrims, at the suggestion of the host of the Tabard Inn, 
 who went with them and acted as their guide, had promised 
 a supper at the common cost to the one of their number who 
 should tell the best story. Unfortunately the Canterbury 
 Tales w^ere never finished, and we consequently do not 
 know which story the company liked best. 
 
 36. D. The knight is courteous enough to hope that 
 jsomc one else will tell a better story than his. 
 
 4 1 . Quire. D. The same in derivation as our word choir ; 
 a company of people, not necessarily singers, and not limited 
 to any definite number. 
 
 48. D. Is the line effective? What word spoils it? 
 
 50. Weeds. D. Originally not restricted to mourning. 
 Look up its derivation. 
 
 148 
 
NOTES 149 
 
 56. Swounded. D. Swowned, C. Old forms of swooned. 
 
 57. Nor. Neither. 
 
 64. D. What is the effect of the Alexandrine? 
 
 69. Modern idiom would require " Thanks to Chance we 
 were cast," etc. Cf . Chaucer's line. In both cases, what is 
 the figure? Which line gives the figure more vividly? 
 
 71. Ch aucer says definitely ' ' a f ourtenigh t. ' ' 
 
 79. To make. Making, nave is omitted before lost; 
 what then is the construction of rest, 1. 78, and lords ? 
 
 81. D. Notice that Drj^den's phrase is more condensed 
 than Chaucer's. 
 
 94. As. As if. 
 
 98. Crew. D. A more general and dignified word in 
 Dry den's time than now. 
 
 lOO. The knight's oath was to ''protect the distressed, 
 maintain right against might, and never by word or deed to 
 stain his character as a knight or a Christian." V. article 
 on Knights in International Cyclopedia. 
 
 109. Argent. D. Derivation? Notice that the word be- 
 longs to the science of heraldry, which had not been fully 
 developed in Chaucer's time. For perfect construction, the 
 clauses which follow where should be subordinate; Where 
 the God of War, Mars, was drawn . . with his . . . 
 attire so aglow that the red light was reflected on the grass. 
 
 115. Pennon. The ensign which all knights had 
 a right to carry. It was often a narrow streamer, and 
 was always pointed or forked at the end. The banner 
 was a square ensign, borne before the king or leader in 
 battle. 
 
 117. Generous rage. D. Generous, noble; rage, enthus- 
 iasm, zeal. 
 
 123. Here, again, Chaucer cuts out a whole book of the 
 Teseide. 
 
 132. Howling. A notable instance of Dryden's occa- 
 sional poor taste in the use of words ; even Chaucer's word, 
 *' clamour," is not altogether pleasant. 
 
 138. D. What word in the sentence shows that burned 
 must be a verb and not a participle ? 
 
 142. Hiey. Theseus's soldiers. 143. They. Palamon 
 and Arcite. Sent should be had sent. Was it natural that 
 
150 NOTES 
 
 the young knights should be lying under the bodies of those 
 whom they had killed? 
 
 141-54-. What line in the passage tells something 
 which Theseus' s followers could not then have known i Does 
 it weaken the description ? 
 
 159. D. The expression is too condensed, because the 
 ideas that the knights were found to belong to Creon's 
 family, and that they were carefully nursed until they were 
 well, are too unlike to belong iu a single phrase. Technic- 
 ally^, therefore, the sentence lacks unity of thought. 
 
 169, C. The first day of May, which Chaucer liked bet- 
 ter than any other day in the j^ear. 
 
 175. V. Midsummer NighVs Dream^ Act I, Sc. 1. 
 
 177. The observance of May-day used to be preceded in 
 England by an all-night revel, in which every one shared. 
 
 197. Sung. In Dry den's day the form of the past tense 
 in u was used where we now use the form in a. Notice the 
 frequent examples in the poem. 
 
 204. D. The palace was a whole group of buildings, buil 
 about a central open space. In this open court was the 
 garden. The buildings, of which the tower was one, ad- 
 joined, making a continuous wall about the court. Partition 
 is, therefore, used here in the sense of section. 
 
 214. D. Literal or derived meaning of 7iate/ul? Why is 
 it an anachronism to speak of temples in Athens having 
 spires? 
 
 232. D. Scan the line and notice that the break in 
 rhythm serves to emphasize the thought. WTiat does inev- 
 itahle mean ? 
 
 233. Love at first sight was the rule and not the excep- 
 tion, in times of chivalry. The knight chose his lady for 
 her beauty without waiting to learn her disposition or 
 character. 
 
 244. Both Chaucer and Dry den vacillate between the 
 idea that the universe is ruled bj^ God and the idea that it is 
 ruled by Fate or Destiny. Dryden makes the idea of Fate 
 rather more prominent than Chaucer does, but explains in 
 lines 819-823 that he considers Fate is in accord with the 
 will of God. 
 
 245. Horoscope. The diagram of the heavens at the 
 
NOTES 151 
 
 time of a person's birth, from which astrologers foretold 
 the events of that person's life. Y. Dictionary. 
 
 267. Dungeon. Astrologers divided the heavens into 
 twelve *' houses" by means of twelve great circles, inter- 
 secting the north and south poles of the heavens. Some of 
 these houses were fortunate and some unfortunate in their 
 influence. Saturn, the most unlucky planet, in the " dun- 
 geon of the sky," that is, the most unlucky house, would 
 portend great evil. 
 
 272. Fatal dart. D. The reference is, of course, to the 
 fact that Cupid, the god of love, wounds his victims with 
 arrows sent from his golden bow. 
 
 282-3 lO. What two points does Palamon make in 
 arguing his own better right to Emily ? 
 
 292. D. That one should i»6, etc. That each should share 
 his good fortune with the other. 
 
 299. On the plain. D. In open fight. 
 
 300. Appeach. T>. Impeach. 
 
 311-51. With what three points does Arcite reply to 
 Palamon' s two? Does he succeed in making the worse ap- 
 pear the better reason? 
 
 330. D. Love's power, which nature gives, is the sanc- 
 tion for any unfairness committed in the cause of love. 
 
 342-45. C. Is the simile an appropriate illustration? 
 The full form would be, We plead our right as ^sop's 
 hounds did when they contended. . . . but fruitlessly, 
 for a cur, . . . Notice that 1. 344-345 should be subordinate 
 clauses. 
 
 382, D. Finds his purchase dear. Why? 
 
 383. In prison pent. D. Either, J who was in prison 
 pent^ or, I who am still in prison pent. 
 
 387. D. The condition of which 1. 388 is the conclusion. 
 What is the construction of forced ? 
 
 390. D. An example of the sacrifice of sense to rhyme. 
 Besides is not merely unnecessary ; it contradicts the idea 
 already expressed. 
 
 399. Adventure. D. Chance for adventure or knightly 
 deed. 
 
 400. D. Expand tbe metaphor into a simile. 
 
 404. D. What do poets mean by the not uncommon 
 
153 NOTES 
 
 phrase " Love's extremity" 1 Dry den's thought would have 
 been well expressed by that phrase. 
 
 414. And for nor\ 
 
 420-41. C. Arcite is enough of a philosopher to enjoy 
 making a generalization from his own case. 
 
 427. Guilty of their vows. D. The Latin causal geni- 
 tive. Guilty because they have broken their vows. 
 
 444-45. The false sequence of tense is Dryden's. 
 
 456. Assemble ours. D. Our forces. A Latinism. 
 
 457. Why would avenge be better than vindicate? 
 459. D. How would Emily be the pledge of laiting peace f 
 463. D. Effect of the Alexandrine? 
 
 474. What. In what. 
 
 483. D. Why is fortune called giddy ? 
 
 484. D. Our estate (state) is worse than that of beasts. 
 485-96. A somewhat unfair argument, since the fact 
 
 that man is capable of higher forms of pleasure than the 
 beast is left out of the account. 
 
 493. Forelays. D. Waylays. 
 
 495. Thrids. D. Threads. 
 
 500. A quartil. D. An angle of 90 degrees. Planets at 
 this angle were supposed to be at cross purposes, and, there- 
 fore, to cause trouble. Notice that Mars represents jeal- 
 ousy and Venus love. 
 
 504. By this. D. By this time. 
 
 515. D. This playing upon words was thought in Dry- 
 den's time to add to the beauty of poetry. Pope, who fol- 
 lowed Dryden both in time and method, carried the fashion 
 to great extremes. 
 
 534-25. Dryden probably stated this idea in all serious- 
 ness as a physiological truth. 
 
 531. Boxen. D. An old adjective form. Of the box-tree. 
 
 537. Swound. Swoon. 
 
 538. Deaf murmurs. D. The thought is not very clear 
 because two distinct, though similar, ideas are combined, 
 namely that he hears sounds as though they were at a great 
 distance, and that he hears sounds as mere murmurs, as a 
 deaf person would. 
 
 539-42. Cf. Rosalind's description of the appearance 
 of an ardent loVer, in As You Like It, Act III. Sc. 2. 
 
NOTES 153 
 
 542. Bage. D. Madness. 
 
 550. Sleep-compelling rod. D. Notice the expressive 
 phrase. V. Dictionary under caduceus. 
 
 554. Liike the word of the gods given by oracles, the 
 speech carries a hidden meaning; Arcite's death is hinted 
 at. 
 
 576. Show that conscious is a poorly chosen word. 
 
 578. Is there any single adjective which could be sub- 
 stituted for thick 1 
 
 584. Still, Always. 
 
 590. Phiiostratus. The literal meaning from the Greek 
 would be **fond of the army." 
 
 593-94. Blown. D. Another case where a poor word is 
 chosen because of the rhyme. 
 
 601. D. Although he was only a menial at first. 
 
 602. D. Largely entertained. Liberally paid. 
 606. Grammatical error ? 
 
 BOOK II 
 
 620. The Twins. D. The sign of the zodiac called the 
 Twins. 
 
 621. V. note on 1. 244. 
 
 624. Chaucer says "thethridde (third) night." 
 644. Style. D. Pen. Derivation ? 
 651. Tepid. D. An unusual descriptive word. 
 661. Against in the sense of toward brings to mind 
 Chaucer's lines about the daisy in the Legends of Good 
 
 Women. 
 
 — ther daweth^ me no day 
 That I nam2 up, and walking in the made 
 To seen this flour agein^ the sonne sprede. 
 
 668. The sultry tropic. D. The Tropic of Cancer, the 
 northern limit of the sun's course. When the sun reaches 
 that point the days are longest. 
 
 680. But for tho,n. 
 
 692. C. Is the simile a happy one ? 
 
 694. Friday is named for Freya, the goddess of Northern 
 mythology who corresponds to Venus. 
 
 ^Dawneth. ^Axu not. ^Against. 
 
154 NOTES 
 
 703. D. Cf. ^neid II, 325, Fuit Ilium. 
 
 713. That side of heaven. D. Jupiter and Juno did not 
 always agree, and were leaders of two factions in the family 
 of the gods. Mars and Vulcan sided with Juno, and Venus 
 with Jupiter. Notice, as the story advances, how one 
 side of heaven is interested for Palamon and the other for 
 Arcite. 
 
 718. Was Palamon imprisoned because he was kin to 
 Arcite 'i 
 
 722. D. "To fry" and "to hiss" are verbs of ten used 
 by the poets of the seventeenth century to describe a lover's 
 emotions. 
 
 723. D. Love is destroying him now, as Juno's hatred 
 has before. 
 
 726. D. No goddess ever burned her temple, yet Emily 
 burns his heart. 
 
 730. His ears ring inward. D. There is a ringing in his 
 ears. 
 
 736. D. Discovered is used in its literal sense. 
 
 742. D. Cf. the meaning of bec/uiZe here with the mean- 
 ing in 1. 643. 
 
 757. C. Arcite renounces all his early pledges of friend- 
 ship. 
 
 760. Notice the substantive use of the adjective. 
 
 763. D. Expand the metaphor in titles to a simile. 
 
 771. D. Does the line add to the effect of the passage, 
 or detract from it ? 
 
 775. Each had left his promise to be redeemed. 
 
 791. C. State the full simile. 
 
 792. D. Hopes. Hopes for, awaits. 
 
 798. Generous chillness. D. Noble coolness or courage. 
 
 806. Fain. D. Thrust. 
 
 817. Notice the broken construction ; and mahe the forest 
 ring^ etc., would have carried out the structure consist- 
 ently. 
 
 824-31. One would think that Dry den had been 
 studying Calvinism had not Chaucer expressed a similar 
 thought. 
 
 838. Lively green. D. Cf. "living green," a common 
 phrase in modern poetry. 
 
NOTES 155 
 
 845. Laund. C. Etymologically the same as lawn, but 
 meaning a glade, i. e., an open space in the wood. 
 
 851. Looking underneath the sun. C. Perhaps means 
 definitely that he looked toward the east. 
 
 854. Fauchions. Falchions. 
 
 869. Unasked the royal grant. D. Is the use of the 
 nominative absolute to express a condition common in 
 English ? 
 
 879. Scan. 
 
 902. D. Supply is. 
 
 909. V. Chaucer's lines. Neither version credits Pala- 
 mon with an ideal spirit, but in which is he less magnani- 
 mous ? 
 
 924. The contended maid., i. e. Emily. D. In modern 
 English the passive voice of this verb is not used with a 
 personal subject. 
 
 926-33. D. Chaucer has no parallel lines. 
 
 928. Mastership. D. Masterpiece. 
 
 930. They, i. e., the wounds. 
 
 937. G-race. D. Forgiveness. 
 
 948. He . . . he. Palamon . . . Theseus. 
 
 950. Under. D. Down. Notice that the phrase "to 
 look down with the eyes" follows the Latin rather than the 
 Englism idiom. 
 
 962. D. Borrowed from the classic poets, who often 
 speak of Jove's " awful nod." The implication is that Love 
 is as powerful as Jove. 
 
 971. In their own despite. T>. Why is it more logical to 
 understand the phrase here as meaning to their own disad- 
 vantage rather than in spite of themselves 1 
 
 981. Ask. D. If you ask. 
 
 991. D. Grammatical inaccuracy ? 
 
 1008. Both. Both of you. \N\ij , hut too well 7 
 
 1018. Every sign, i. e., of the Zodiac. D. When the sun 
 has finished his yearly course. 
 
 1023. Give him such success that he shall drive his foe 
 out of the lists. 
 
 1025. Recreant. D. Yielding or cowardly. 
 
 1031. D. Of is the objective genitive; Theseus will be 
 the patron for both knights. 
 
156 NOTES 
 
 1055. Degrees. C. Steps. 
 
 1057. The pitch was steep enough for one person to see 
 over the head of the person in front of him. 
 
 1072. Why was it appropriate that the Temple of Mars 
 should be opposite that of Venus? 
 
 1077. Notice that an oratory is primarily a place of 
 prayer. 
 
 1078. Imagery. D. The word is usually applied to the 
 rhetorical figures of prose or poetry ; here it means images 
 or statues. 
 
 1080. Addressed. D. Sacred or dedicated. 
 
 1080-1100. What, in Dry den's picture, could be 
 painted and what could not ? 
 
 1093. Sigils. D. Seals on which were stamped signs of 
 the planets when in some lucky position. They were some- 
 times worn as talismen. 
 
 1097-99. Suffused. D. Probably with color. What two 
 words suggest the color yellow ? Chaucer says that jealousy 
 wore a garland of yellow marigolds. The cuckoo is the 
 symbol of deception, perhaps because it lays its eggs in 
 another bird's nest. 
 
 1099. Either down-looked is the verb for all the nouns 
 beginning with beauty and and is superfluous, or the verb 
 were is to be supplied from 10S7 and down-looked means 
 down-looking. 
 
 1107. D. Chaucer is less careful to defend himself 
 against the charge of anachronism in giving the examples 
 which follow. 
 
 1119-20. Supply that to make the clauses correspond 
 in construction with those that precede. 
 
 1129. Buxom. D. Flexible, pliant. 
 
 1130. V. glossary, under Cupid. 
 1146. Knares. C. Guarls. 
 
 1 149. How far should the relative clause extend? 
 
 1 150. D. Imperfect rhyme, and shifting of tenses. 
 1154. Bent. C. Slope. 
 
 1155-69. Among other objects represented in this 
 picture on the wall of the oratory of Mars was a Temple of 
 Mars. 
 
 1159. Blind. D. Not admitting light. 
 
NOTES 157 
 
 1170-1226. It is best to understand this passage as 
 describing the rest of the paintings on the walls of the ora- 
 tory, although both Chaucer and Dry den go on with the 
 description as though they might still be speaking of the 
 Temple of Mars which appears in one of the paintings. 
 Notice that throughout the passage the influence of the 
 planet Mars is confused with that of Mars, the god of war. 
 
 1 1 78. D. What is the underlying thought of the line I 
 
 1183. Lawn. D. Another subject of stood. 
 
 1187. Clottered. D. Clotted. 
 
 1202. Mars his nature. In Dryden's time the apos- 
 trophe s was thought to be a broken down and incorrect 
 form of the possessive pronoun. V. also 1. 1214. 
 
 1210. Scarlet conquest. A figure representing Conquest 
 in a scarlet robe. Is the figure of Victory usually that 
 of a man or woman? 
 
 1217. Dryden's clause, TTTio lost the world for love, is 
 out of place here, since it suggests that the picture of 
 Antony belongs in the Temple of Venus. 
 
 1218. Fane. D. Derivation? 
 
 1221. Does Mars really look redder than the other 
 planets? 
 
 1224. "To form geomantic figures, proceed thus: Take 
 a pencil and hurriedly jot down on a paper a number of dots 
 in a line, without counting them. Do the same three times 
 more. Now count the dots, to see whether they are odd or 
 even. If the dots in a line are odd, put one dot on another 
 small paper, half-way across it. If they are even, put down 
 two dots, one towards each side, arranging the results in four 
 rows, one beneath the other." (From Mr. W. W. Skeat's 
 Notes on the Canterbury Tales.) 
 
 Mr. Skeats gives the figures Puella and Rubeus thus : 
 
 There were sixteen of these geomantic figures, each with 
 its name, its element, its planet and its sign, and the astrol- 
 ogers sometimes made their divinations from these figures 
 instead of taking the actual position of the stars. Geo- 
 
158 NOTES 
 
 mancy was sometimes called *' divination by spotting," and 
 was a sort of abbreviated astrology ; the figures were made 
 at first by throwing pebbles carelessly upon the ground 
 (yi)), from which the science took its name. 
 
 1226. D. A planet is direct when it appears to move 
 from west to east with the signs of the Zodiac, and retro- 
 grade when It appears to move from east to west. 
 
 1230. Shades. T>. Of trees. 
 
 1233. Manifest of shame. D. A Latinism, meaning ttJit?i 
 shame manifest. 
 
 1235. Peculiar grace. D. Jupiter was especially merci- 
 ful in placing the mother and the son near each other. 
 
 1236. I7i the cold circle. D. The Arctic circle. 
 1239. What should we say instead of unknowing of? 
 1243-44. The next wall-painting showed the Greeks 
 
 assembled in a temple, and the next showed them in pursuit 
 of the boar sent by Diana to ravage Calydon. There is no 
 connection between the lines, except possibly that the 
 Greeks prayed to Diana before they started on the hunt; 
 but that idea is scarcely logical, since it was Diana's wish 
 that the boar should punish CEneus for his slight to her. 
 
 1249. The Volscian Queen. D. Camilla, V. Glossary 
 under Camilla. 
 
 1259. Wexing. C. Waxing, growing. 
 
 1260. Why is the moon's light called borrowed? 
 1262. Alternate sway. Diana was confused by the 
 
 Romans with Hecate, the goddess of night and the world of 
 spirits, and also with Persephone, wife of Pluto. From 
 1. 1489 it appears that Dryden confuses her with Persephone, 
 and means that she rules in Hades part of the year. Notice 
 that the planet and the goddess are confused. 
 
 1271-72. D. Notice how the unity of the passage is 
 broken by these two lines, which drop out of the particular 
 past time into an indefinite present time. 
 
NOTES 159 
 
 Book III 
 
 1279. Bound the v)orld. T>. Chaucer has no parallel 
 phrase. 
 
 1290. The fair. D. The fair sex. 
 
 1292. Not scarce. Modern use drops the not. 
 
 1311. Jamheux. Jambeaux. From French, jambe^ the 
 leg. 
 
 1322. Unity of construction would require the phrase 
 " round and long of arm," in place of the clause. 
 
 1337. His only in the sense that they were Palamon's, 
 and that after Palamon himself he led Palamon's forces. 
 
 1365. Reclaimed. T>. Tamed, trained. 
 
 1366. His. In reality Ar cite' s. 
 1377. War. Troops. Metonymy. 
 
 1379. Sunday. C. A startling anachronism. 
 
 1384. By the change of what one word might the 
 change in subject and in voice have been avoided? 
 
 1389. How. To what lady. 
 
 1392. Construction of the nouns sighs and love7 
 
 1400. Preventing. D. Used in its literal sense ; ;>7'eren- 
 ire, to go before. 
 
 1407. Sliding. D. Probably used in allusion to the 
 ancient idea that each of the heavenly bodies was set in its 
 own crystalline sphere, and that all these spheres " slid'* 
 around each other in the heavens, with the earth as a cen- 
 ter. The Sun was in the fourth of these spheres and Venus 
 in the third; therefore, Venus was nearer the earth, or 
 beneath the Sun. 
 
 1408. Become^ for consistency, should be hecomest. 
 1410. Thy month. May. 
 
 1417. Gladder. C. Thou who dost make glad. 
 
 1418. Increase of Jove. Daughter of Jove. Companion 
 of the Sun because Venus is the morning star. 
 
 1440. Fifth. A mistake for third. 
 
 1441 . Clue. Thread. Palamon makes no reference to the 
 Fates in Chaucer's version. 
 
 1444. Cut below your line. D. Let the Fates cut off 
 the thread of my life before I am without love, for I prefer 
 to live a short time with love rather than a long time with- 
 
160 NOTES 
 
 out it. Express in a simile the comparison implied by the 
 metaphors of this passage through line 1446. 
 
 1457. D. Palamon took the fact that the flame was so 
 slow in coming as a sign that he must wait a long time for 
 the fulfillment of his prayer. 
 
 1465. Vests. D. Vestments. 
 
 1480. Mastless. Without acorns. 
 
 1494. Feathered deaths. D. Feathered arrows. What 
 figure? 
 
 1501. Servant. Lover. 
 
 1504. Diana was the goddess of the moon, of the chase, 
 and, as Persephone, of Hades. V. note on 1. 1262. 
 
 1519. D. Tell why this line is inappropriate. 
 
 1 520-2 1 . What rhetorical fault in the lines ? 
 
 1522. This first burning fire jneQ.ns Palamon, the victor- 
 flame in 1. 1526 means Arcite. Trace the fulfillment of 
 this prophecy as you read the rest of the poem. 
 
 1528. Literal meaning of irrevocable ? 
 
 1541. The rest. As for the rest. 
 
 1546. D. Incoherent construction ; unwilling should 
 limit gods and doomed should limit thee. 
 
 1549. WTiich the man^ i. c, who is to win ? Thunderer, 
 Jupiter. 
 
 1556. Disclaimed. D. Deserted by Diana. Therefore 
 she is no longer a sister of the wood, i. e., one of Diana's 
 followers. 
 
 1562-63. The seven planets that were supposed to con- 
 trol the destiny of man were the Sun, the Moon, and Saturn, 
 Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. Each hour in the day 
 was said to be controlled by one of these planets. V. 
 Skeat's Chaucer, Vol. V., p. 86. 
 
 1579-82. D. To what lines in the early part of the poem 
 does this passage refer ? 
 
 1585. Nor has Mars forgotten his own pain when he 
 was a lover himself. 
 
 1587. Cf. 1. 1417. 
 
 1598. Unpractised to persuade. D. What is the modern 
 idiom ? 
 
 1601. Or. Either. 
 
 1607. For. For the sake of . 
 
NOTES , 161 
 
 1629. Close. D. Enclosed space. What is the usual 
 meaning of the noun ? 
 
 1 653. Leaden. D. In astrology, lead was the metal which 
 was thought best to indicate the influence of Saturn. 
 
 1660. A blind line, which is perhaps a mistranslation 
 of Chaucer's. Age may be outrun by youth, but not sur- 
 passed in good counsel. 
 
 1661-62. D. Venus and Saturn were 120 degrees (a 
 trine) apart, and Saturn obscured (i.e., gulled), Mars. 
 Therefore Saturn and Venus would work together and 
 overcome Mars. 
 
 1663. In his own abode. D. In the same sign of the 
 zodiac. 
 
 1666. C. Saturn promises to answer both the prayer 
 of Palamon and the prayer of Arcite. 
 
 1673. Three signs of the zodiac were " watery," three 
 " earthy," three " fiery," and three " airy." When Saturn 
 is in a " watery " sign, he wrecks ships, etc. 
 
 1680. When he speaks of the " cherles rebellynge," 
 Chaucer is probably thinking of Jack Straw's rebellion. 
 When Dry den speaks of churls who rebel against their 
 native prince^ he may easily be thinking of the Revolution 
 of 1688 which drove James II. from the throne. 
 
 1682. Who is housing ? A misrelated participle. 
 
 1694. Complexions. C. Temperaments. Medieval physi- 
 ology taught that there were four temperaments, the 
 choleric, the sanguine, the phlegmatic and the melan- 
 cholic. 
 
 1703. According to 1. 13T9 this day was Monday. 
 
 1711-14. D. 
 
 1747. Emetrius. 
 
 1750. Lycurgus. 
 
 1761. Cap-a-pe. Cap-a-pie. French for '' from head to 
 foot." 
 
 1766. Who did the signing ? Another misrelated par- 
 ticiple. 
 
 1769. Bespeaks. D. Speaks to; a poetic use only. 
 What is the prose meaning ? 
 
 1770. In his mind. D. A Latinism. 
 1774. Mebate. D. Abate. 
 
162 NOTES 
 
 1788. At mischief . C. At disadvantage. 
 
 1790. Captives made. If made captives they cannot 
 again enter the fight. 
 
 1792. Chief of either side. Palamon or Arcite. 
 
 1796. Vaulted firmament. The throne of 1. 1759 must, 
 then, have been out of doors, perhaps in the court of the 
 palace. 
 
 1814. Southern gate. The other three gates were per- 
 haps less accessible because of the three temples. 
 
 1824. The guards. Ohiect of overhear. 
 
 1831. Divides the plain. D. Takes his half of the lists. 
 
 1837. Appropriateness of the word shares ? 
 
 1841. Sized. Matched. 
 
 1842. Literal meaning of nice ? 
 
 1844. Grammatically ranged limits herald ; what should 
 it limit to express the thought ? 
 
 1855. In the rest. C. In the rest at the side of the sad- 
 dle, ready for action. 
 
 1861. Shock. D. Come together. 
 
 1879. This. This knight. 
 
 1901. Who was the tiger and who the lion ? V. 1. 812. 
 
 1914. He. Emetrius struck Palamon. 
 
 1922. Construction of overpowered ? 
 
 1928. Hateful. Full of hate, V. 1. 214. 
 
 1941. V. Glossary under Cronus. 
 
 1947. Her will refused. What word must be supplied to 
 make the expression correspond in form with the clause 
 connected to it by and ? 
 
 1950. The blustering fool. D. Mars. 
 
 1 952. Scan the line, noticing the elision in th'' arrears. 
 The elision is rare in Dry den, but very frequent in Chaucer. 
 Indeed, Chaucer sometimes runs the two words together in 
 spelling as well as in sound. V. Theffect^ footnote on 1. 
 1560. 
 
 Th£ arrears (D) means the unfulfilled promise of Venus 
 to Palamon. 
 
 1963. Eiidlong. C. Headlong. 
 
 1969-70. Another instance of Dry den's fashion of 
 breaking the unity of a passage to make a general com- 
 ment. 
 
NOTES 163 
 
 1976. Quivered with his feet. D. Cf. Latin ablative of 
 specification. 
 
 1992. Compelled. D. Notice the literal meaning ; com- 
 pellere, to drive together. 
 
 1993. How may it be determined from the structure 
 of the sentence that composed is a verb, and not a participle ^ 
 
 1996. Notice the omission of the principal verb. In 
 prose, the full form, was the fact that 7ione were slain, would be 
 necessary. 
 
 3010. Another elliptical expression. It proves only that 
 the victor, etc. 
 
 2021. Impairs. D. Is impaired. 
 
 2027. Breathing veins. Blood-letting. 
 
 2031. Bellows. Is the metaphor a happy one ? Why 
 not? 
 
 2044. Agai7ist right. Is this the first time that Arcite 
 acknowledges that he is in the wrong ? 
 
 2057. Officious. The literal meaning from officiosus; ready 
 to serve. What is the meaning now ? 
 
 2058. Excuse my faltering tongue, (which cannot tell 
 you) how I have loved, 
 
 2060-65. What words would have to be differently 
 placed in prose ? 
 
 2069. Notice how entirely unspiritual Arcite's idea 
 of death is. 
 
 2078. Why does Arcite call Emily his foe ? 
 
 2090. Derivation of concurrent ? 
 
 2102. D. We have often proved our affection for each 
 other. 
 
 2109. Below. Upon his limbs. 
 
 2IIO-II0 He. Death. 
 
 2112-16. He. Arcite. 
 
 2117. Who. What word does modern idiom require 
 after such ? 
 
 211 6-25. How much does this passage add to the story 
 of Arcite ? It is freely translated from Chaucer, and 
 enlarged. 
 
 2129. Ser lover^s. Arcite's. 
 
 2135. D. The idea is not clearly expressed. It prob- 
 ably refers to sorrow, 1. 2132. 
 
164 ' NOTES 
 
 2142. But Hector was not then. The time of this story is 
 supposed to precede that of the Trojan war. 
 
 2147-54. A very loosely constructed sentence, u^geus 
 is the antecedent of wTio^ altering limits fate^ good and delight 
 are in apposition with vicissitudes. 
 
 2155-62. These are the ideas that ^geus expresses. 
 
 2164. D. The line is inartistic, not only because it in- 
 troduces an idea foreign to the subject, but also because it 
 gives an exaggerated idea of the fickleness of mankind. 
 
 2177. Sere-wood. Dry wood. 
 
 Doddered. Decayed, and covered with a vine called 
 dodder. 
 
 2180. Vulcanianfood. Fuel, the food of fire, of which 
 Vulcan was the god. V. Glossary. 
 
 2197. D. The hair, which was worn in long flowing 
 locks, was considered by the ancients a sacred offering. 
 V. 1. 1623. 
 
 2198. CJdef. Chief mourner. 
 2204. Atchievements. Accoutrements. 
 
 2212. The master-street. C. The principal street. Old 
 cities had a chief street which was to the others what the 
 spinal cord is to the nervous system of the body. 
 
 2225. D. The pile was so high that even a bow made 
 by the Parthians, the best bowmen of the time, could not 
 send an arrow to the top of it. 
 
 2232. D. Spear shafts were made of the wood of the 
 ash. 
 
 2233-34. Prove the appropriateness of the epithets. 
 
 2237. Unity of construction would demand, and wJiat 
 the nympJis were called (shall rest untold). The nymphs that 
 lived in trees were called dryads. 
 
 2239. Nor. A7id would be better, with the negative 
 untold in the predicate. 
 
 2240. Disherited. D. Disinherited. When a tree was 
 destroyed the dryad who lived in it was left without a 
 home. 
 
 2244. Stranger is in apposition with ground, 
 
 2296. Cause and SpHng of motioit,. The Creator. 
 
 2299. D. The jarring seeds were fire, water, earth 
 
 and air, usually called the elements, from which the 
 
NOTES 165 
 
 whole universe was supposed to have sprung*. The ancients 
 thought that these elements warred with each other dur- 
 ing* the first period of the creation, which they called 
 Chaos. 
 
 2311. Suborn. D. Usually said of a witness who is 
 hired to testify falsely in a law court. The idea is that 
 they are dealing* unfairly by putting* an end to their lives 
 before the appointed time has come. 
 
 2322. The ethereal fire. D. The soul. 
 
 2323. D. Man's mortal part decays, and is taken 
 up again by the earth. It is interesting to notice that 
 Dryden had this idea, which has been so greatly developed 
 by modern science ; but it is doubtful whether this expres- 
 sion of the thought in a speech which is supposed to give 
 consolation for the death of Arcite is very artistic. 
 
 2345. D. He grudges his parents their authority. 
 
 2349. Rich of three souls. D. Eich in having three 
 souls. The medieval conception was that a person had 
 three souls, the vegetive, which controlled the unconscious 
 plant-like life of the body, the sensitive, which controlled 
 the conscious life of the senses, and the rational, which 
 controlled the mind. These souls developed one after the 
 other. 
 
 2350. D. Some, who live long enough to develop all 
 three souls, merely waste their lives ; but thousands more 
 die before the " rational soul " has been developed. 
 
 2352. First. D. First stage of life, when only the veg- 
 etive soul has been developed. 
 2371. Joy us of . Congratulate us upon. 
 2381. D. On hi7n (their sorrow) is lost. 
 2408. D. Emilj^ gives her hand to Theseus. 
 
GLOSSAEY 
 
 Actaeon. 1.258. A famous hunts- 
 man, who saw Artemis (Diana) 
 while she was bathing, and was 
 changed by her into a stag. His 
 own hounds pursued and killed 
 him. 
 
 Adonis. 1. 1419. The beautiful 
 youth whom Venu^ loved. While 
 hunting, he was killed by a boar. 
 
 ^geus. 1. 2149. One of the early 
 kings of Athens, and the father 
 of Theseus. 
 
 ^sop. 1. 342. The author of a 
 large number of fables which 
 teach practical lessons by the con- 
 versation of animals. The tradi- 
 tion is, that ^sop was a slave, who 
 lived in Phrygia about 600 B. C. 
 
 Amazons. 1. 17. A mythical race 
 of women-warriors, who lived 
 north of the Black Sea, and who 
 were the subject of many legends. 
 Both Hercules and Theseus were 
 said to have fought with and 
 subdued them. 
 
 Antony. 1. 1217. Mark Antony, 
 with Lepidus and Octavius Caesar, 
 formed the second triumvirate. 
 At Actium he defeated his own 
 cause by withdrawing from the 
 battle to follow Cleopatra's ship. 
 As a consequence, Octavius be- 
 came Empeior of Home. V. An- 
 tony and Cleopatra, Act III., Sc. 
 10 and 11. 
 
 Apollo. 1. 1242. Son of Zeus and 
 brother of Artemis. He was the 
 god of light and music. He loved 
 the nymph Daphne. 
 
 Arcite. Chaucer pronounced the 
 name Ar-se'-te, Dryden, Ar'-slte 
 orAr-site'. Chaucer's pronuncia- 
 tion is in best accord with Greek 
 pronunciation. 
 
 Argus. 1. 552. A giant, who had 
 eyes all over his head and body. 
 Hermes, at Zeus' command, put 
 all the ej^es to sleep by using his 
 caduceus and flute, and then be- 
 headed the monster. 
 
 Ascanius. Ded 1. 162. Also called 
 lulus; the son of ^neas. 
 
 Atalanta. 1. 1246. The fleet-footed 
 maiden who first touched the 
 boar in the Calydonian hunt, and 
 to whom Meleager accordingly 
 gave the " envied prize" of the 
 boar's head and skin. Meleager's 
 love for her led him to kill his 
 uncles; hence the " fatal power of 
 Atalanta's eyes." "V. CEnides. 
 
 Athens. 1. 5. The capital of Attica, 
 and the most famous city of 
 Greece. Tradition saj's that The- 
 seus gave the city a constitutional 
 government and laid the founda- 
 tion of its greatness. 
 
 Aurora. 1. 186. Goddess of dawn. 
 She is said by the poets to ride in 
 her chariot, wbich is drawn by the 
 swift horses Lampus and Phaeton, 
 along the stream of Ocean and up 
 to Heaven, to announce to the 
 gods first and then to mortals 
 that the light of day is about to 
 appear. 
 
 Bacchus. 1. 1375. Called by the 
 Greeks Dionysus. He was the 
 
 166 
 
GLOSSARY 
 
 167 
 
 god of wine, song and revelry, 
 and was pictured as followed by 
 a train of both men and animals. 
 He went even to India to intro- 
 duce vine-culture. 
 
 Cadmus. 1. 703. The legendary 
 hero who built the citadel of 
 Thebes. Before doing so he slew 
 the dragon which Mars (Ares) had 
 sent to guard the place, and thus 
 incurred the hatred of Mars and 
 Juno. 
 
 Caesar. 1. 1215. Caius Julius Caesar, 
 Roman consul, general and dicta- 
 tor, was assassinated in the capitol 
 at Rome March 1 5th ( the Ides) 44 
 B.C. A soothsayer warned him 
 not to go to the capitol that 
 day. V. Plutarch's Lives and 
 Shakspere's Julius Caesar, Act II., 
 Sc. 2. 
 
 Calisto or Callisto. 1. 1233. A 
 nymph of Artemis (Diana), who 
 was punished for a crime by being 
 changed to a bear. She was slain 
 by Artemis, and became a star in 
 the constellation of the Bear. 
 Her son was placed beside her in 
 the constellation. 
 
 Calydonia. 1. 1244. A city and 
 region in ^tolia. Homer speaks 
 of the beauty and fertility of the 
 plain of " lovely" Calydon. 
 
 Camilla. 1. 1249. Queen of the 
 Volscians, and a votress of Diana, 
 In iEneas's war against the Vol- 
 scians one of his followers, Aruns, 
 killed Camilla. Diana avenged 
 Camilla's^ death by causing the 
 death of Aruns. 
 
 Capaneus. 1.76. One of the Seven 
 Against Thebes. (V.Thebes.) He 
 was scaling the wall, boasting that 
 even a thunderbolt from Zeus 
 should not keep him from enter- 
 ing the city, when Zeus slew him 
 with a thunderbolt. His wife's 
 name was Evadue. (V. 1. 55.) 
 
 Ceres. Ded 1. 65. The goddess of 
 harvest and agriculture. 
 
 Circe. 1. 1115. An enchantress into 
 whose hands Odysseus fell on his 
 way home from the Trojan war. 
 In order to detain Odysseus she 
 gave part of his crew drugged 
 wine and turned them into beasts. 
 
 Citheron. 1. 1108. Dryden prob- 
 ably meant Cythe'ra, an island 
 near Crete, from which the wor- 
 ship of Aphrodite (Venus) was 
 carried to Greece. Possibly the 
 reference is to a range of moun- 
 tains in Greece, called Cithaeron; 
 but these mountains were espe- 
 cially consecrated to Zeus and 
 Dionysus. 
 
 Creon. 1. 81. Called by Sophocles 
 the "Tyrant of Thebes." (V. 
 Thebes.) He was the uncle of 
 Antigone, Polynices and Eteocles. 
 His refusal to let Antigone bury 
 her brother, who had fallen in the 
 expedition of the Seven Against 
 Thebes, is the subject of Sopho- 
 cles 's Antigone. The complaint of 
 the widows of the other leaders of 
 that expedition, given in 1. 55-88, is 
 the occasion of Theseus's march- 
 ing on Thebes. Theseus conquered 
 the city and put Creon to death. 
 
 Cronus. 1.1698. Sometimes, though 
 less correctly, spelled Chronus. 
 The sou of Uranus (Heaven) and 
 Gaea (Earth), and the father of 
 Zeus. He overthrew his father, 
 placed himself on the throne and 
 thus established the second dy- 
 nasty of the gods; but he was 
 overthrown in turn by his son, 
 Zeus, who established the third 
 dynasty. The Romans identified 
 Cronus with Saturn, whooa they 
 considered the great compromiser 
 among the gods. 
 
 Cupid. 1. 1130. The son of Venus 
 and the god of love. He is repre- 
 
1G8 
 
 GLOSSARY 
 
 sented aa a winged bov, carrying a 
 golden bow and a golden quiver 
 full of arrows. Whoever he hit 
 with an arrow was overcome with 
 the power of love. 
 
 Cynthia. 1. 1231. The name given 
 to Artemis from Mt. CynthTis, in 
 the Island of Delos, where she 
 was bom. The name was after- 
 wards applied by the Romans to 
 Diana, whom they identified with 
 Artemis. 
 
 Cyprus. 1. 261. The same as the 
 modern Cyprus. Aphrodite (Ve- 
 nus) was said to have been born 
 on the island, and was therefore 
 called the Cyprian Queen. 
 
 Ellsa. Bed. 1. 162. Dido, Queen of 
 Carthage. 
 
 Daphne. 1. 1241. A nymph, daugh- 
 ter of the river-god Peneus. When 
 Apollo pursued her she prayed to 
 Artemis to save her from his love, 
 and Artemis changed her into a 
 laurel tree. 
 
 Diana. 1. 1228. The Roman god- 
 dess who corresponded to the 
 Greek Artemis. She was the 
 deity of the moon, the chase and 
 the forest. 
 
 Etesian. Ded. 1. 46. From iro^, 
 a year. Periodical winds, es- 
 pecially the favorable north 
 winds which blew on the ^gean 
 for forty days after the rising of 
 the dog-star. 
 
 Fates. 1. 1441. (Ded. 40.) Also caUed 
 Moerae or Moirae, and Parcae. 
 They were sisters; Clotho spun 
 the thread of life. Lachesis deter- 
 mined how long it should be, and 
 Atropos cut it off. They are some- 
 times represented as deciding the 
 fates both of gods and of men, 
 sometimes as subject to the will 
 of Zeus. 
 
 Graces. Ded. 1. 150. The three 
 goddesses of grace, beauty and joy. 
 
 Hector. 1. 2142. Son of Priam, 
 King of Troy. He was the leader 
 of the Trojans when the Greeks 
 besieged the city and his fall led to 
 the victory of the Greeks. 
 
 Hermes. I. 547. Called by the 
 Romans irercury,the messenger of 
 the gods, and especially of Zeus. 
 He was also the god of dreams, 
 and his wand, the caduceus, was 
 ♦' sleep-compelling." 
 
 Hibernia. Ded 1. 53. The Latin 
 name for Ireland. 
 
 Hippolyta. 1. 7. The Queen of the 
 Amazons whom Theseus married 
 after conquering her followers. 
 
 Idalia. 1. 1108. The name of a 
 
 forest and town in Cyprus sacred 
 
 to Aphrodite (Venus); there is no 
 
 mention of a mountain near the 
 
 I place. 
 
 Jove or Jupiter. 1. 759. (Ded. 133.) 
 Called by the Greeks Zeus. He was 
 the king of gods and men and his 
 will was supreme. He was called 
 the Thunderer because, as king of 
 heaven, he controlled the powers 
 of the air, and hurled the thunder- 
 bolts. 
 
 Juno. 1. 260. Called by the Greeks 
 Hera. She was the wife of Jupi- 
 ter, and queen of the gods. 
 
 Lycurgus. 1. 1315. There was a 
 king of Thrace by this name who 
 was said to have expelled Dionysus 
 from his kingdom. Probably, 
 however, Chaucer had no definite 
 person in mind. 
 
 3Iars. 1.500. The god of war He 
 is the son of Juno and corresponds 
 to the Greek god Ares. 
 
 Macedon, The. Ded. 1. 133. Alex- 
 ander the Great, King of Macedon, 
 the country north of Greece. 
 
 Medea. 1.1115. The daughter of the 
 King of Colchis, and an enchant- 
 ress. By her charms she helped 
 Jason to get the golden fleece. 
 
GLOSSARY 
 
 169 
 
 Minotaur. 1. 116. The Bull of 
 Minos, a monster with the head of 
 a bull and the body of a man. He 
 was hid in the labyrinth of Crete, 
 and fed on youths and maidens, 
 sent as tribute from Athens, until 
 Theseus, with Ariadne's help, 
 penetrated the labyrinth and slew 
 him. 
 
 Morley. Ded. 1. 131. Dr. Morley 
 was physician to the Duchess of 
 Ormond. 
 
 Narcissus. 1. 1112. A beautiful 
 youth, the son of a river god, who 
 rejected the love of the nymph 
 Echo. Aphrodite punished him 
 by making him fall in love with 
 his own face, reflected in a pool. 
 He pined away and died because 
 he could not withdraw his eyes 
 from the reflection. 
 
 Nereids. Ded. 1. 45. Sea-nymphs, 
 daughters of the sea-god Nereus. 
 
 Niobe. 1. 1494. Wife of Amphion, 
 King of Thebes. She boasted that 
 she was superior to Leto because 
 she had six sons and six daugh- 
 ters while Leto had only two chil- 
 dren, Apollo and Artemis. As 
 punishment, Leto had Apollo and 
 Artemis kill all of Niobe's chil- 
 dren with their arrows. 
 
 CEnides. 1. 1245. Meleager. The 
 form CEnides is a patronymic 
 from CEneus. CEneus, King of 
 Calydonia, offended Artemis by 
 forgetting to offer sacrifice to 
 her. She accordingly sent a boar 
 to ravage his country. His son 
 Meleager, who was a famous 
 Greek hero and who had been a 
 menaber of the Argonautic ex- 
 pedition, called together a num- 
 ber of Greek warriors to hunt 
 the boar. They killed it, but 
 Artemis, in revenge, stirred up 
 a quarrel among them about the 
 possession of the boar's skin. 
 
 Meleager gave the prize to Ata- 
 lanta, and slew his mother's 
 brothers for trying to steal it from 
 her. Meleager's mother had re- 
 ceived a prophecy that her son 
 should live as long as a brand 
 which was on the hearth when he 
 was born, remained unconsumed. 
 Angered at the murder of her 
 brothers, she threw this brand 
 upon the fire, aad her son died 
 when the brand was consumed. 
 
 Ormond, Duchess of. Ded. Title. 
 Daughter of Henry Beaufort, a 
 descendant of John of Gaunt, the 
 son of Edward Third. 
 
 Pales. Ded. 1. 65. The deity of 
 cattle and pastures. 
 
 Parthia. 1.2225. A wild country of 
 indefinite extent in western Asia, 
 east of the Caspian Sea. 
 
 Penelope. Ded. 1. 158. The wife 
 of Ulysses. During Ulysses's ten 
 years' absence at the Trojan war 
 she put off her suitors with 
 the excuse that she could not 
 marry until she had finished a 
 certain piece of embroidery. She 
 embroidered during the day time 
 and pulled out her work at night. 
 
 Philomel. 1. 199. The daughter of 
 a king of Attica, who was changed 
 into a nightingale. 
 
 Phospher. 1. 1396. The bringer of 
 light. The name was given to 
 Venus when she appeared as the 
 morning star. 
 
 Pirithous, or Peirithous. 1. 358. 
 A prince of Thessaly. 
 
 Plantagenet. Ded. 1.30. The line of 
 kings of whom Henry Second was 
 the first. They ruled in England 
 from 1154-1485, and were, conse- 
 quently, the ruling family in 
 Chaucer's time. The " Fairest 
 Plantagenet" was Joan, "The 
 Fair Maid of Kent," grand- 
 daughter of Edward First. She 
 
170 
 
 GLOSSARY 
 
 was married three times; her sec- 
 ond husband was the Earl of 
 Salisbury, and her third the Black 
 Prince, son of Edward Third. 
 
 Pluto. 1. 1972. Son of Cronus and 
 brother of Zeus and Poseidon. He 
 was the ruler of Hades, and was 
 called Hades in Greek mythology. 
 
 Portunus. Ded. 1. 43. The god of 
 ports and harbors. 
 
 Pruce. 1. 1307. Prussia. 
 
 Ptolemy. Ded. 1. 134. A general 
 of Alexander the Great. He after- 
 wards became King of Egypt. 
 
 Samson. 1.1113. One of the Judges 
 of the Children of Israel, known 
 in sacred history as the "strong- 
 est man." He lost his strength 
 when, at the solicitation of Deli- 
 lah, he broke his vow. V. Judges 
 xvi. 4-21. 
 
 Saturn. V. Cronus. 
 
 Scythia. 1. 7. A wild, uninhabited 
 region of indefinite extent in east- 
 ern Europe and western Asia. In 
 later times the name was applied 
 more definitely to the country 
 north of the Black Sea. 
 
 Solomon. 1. 1113. The son of David 
 and King of Israel at the time 
 of that nation's greatest prosper- 
 ity. His heart was turned from God 
 because he loved " many strange 
 women." V. 1 Kings xi. 1-5. 
 
 Statins. 1.14S4. A Latin poet who 
 lived in Naples in the first cen- 
 tury A.D. His chief poem was 
 the Thebaidt a poem in twelve 
 books, which told the stories of 
 the seven heroes who besieged 
 Thebes under the leadership of 
 Polynices. (V. Thebes.) 
 
 Thebes. 1. 77. The most famous 
 city in Grecian mythology. When 
 CEdipus fled from Thebes after 
 the discovery that he had mur- 
 dered his father, his sons Eteocles 
 and Polynices succeeded him. 
 
 They quarreled, and Polynices 
 departed from the city to gather 
 allies. Six heroes joined him, 
 among them Capaneus, and the 
 expedition has come to be famous, 
 as the subject of Aeschylus's trag- 
 edy The Seven Agairv^t Thebes. 
 
 Theseus. 1. 2. One of the favorite 
 legendary heroes of Greece. The 
 stories about him tell how he 
 went on the Argonautic expedi- 
 tion, how he slew the Minotaur, 
 conquered the Amazons, took part 
 in the Calydonian hunt and estab- 
 lished the government of Athens. 
 But there is no historical proof 
 that such a person as Theseus^'ever 
 lived. It is interesting to notice 
 that Shakspere represents the 
 revel of Midsummer XighVs Dream 
 as taking place at the nuptials of 
 Theseus and Hippolyta. 
 
 Thrace. 1. 1137. A large country 
 north of Greece,of about the same 
 extent as modern Turkey. It was 
 a wild, mountainous region, inhab- 
 ited by barbarous tribes, and 
 thought by the Greeks to be for- 
 biddingly cold. 
 
 Titan. I. 1941. The oldest sou of 
 Heaven and Earth, and oldest 
 brother of Cronus. When he and 
 his offspring, the Titans, tried to 
 get the throne of Heaven from 
 Cronus, Zeus overcame them and 
 cast them down to Tartarus. 
 
 Triton. Ded. 1. 44. The Tritons 
 were the sons of Poseidon, the 
 god of the sea. 
 
 Troy. 1. 2141. The chief city of 
 Troas, in ancient Asia Minor. 
 Paris, son of Priam, King of Troy 
 and younger brother of Hector, 
 visited Greece and carried off 
 Helen, the wife of Menelaus, King 
 of Sparta. Menelaus and his 
 brother, Agamemnon, led the 
 Greeks against Troy, and the siege 
 
GLOSSARY 
 
 171 
 
 lasted ten years. The story of the 
 war is told in Homer's Iliad. 
 
 Venus. 1, 262, The daughter of 
 Jupiter. She is the Koman deity 
 corresponding to the Greek Aphro- 
 dite. She was the goddess of love 
 and the mother of Cupid. Her 
 symbol was the dove. 
 
 Vespasian. Ded 1. 125. Titus, the 
 son of the Emperor Vespasian. His 
 siege of Jerusalem was one of the 
 most famous and one of the most 
 
 horrible events in history. He 
 was said to have wept when he 
 saw the Temple of Jerusalem in 
 flames. 
 Vulcan. The sun of Jupiter and 
 Juno, corresponding to the Greek 
 Hephaestus. He was the husband 
 of Venus. As the artificer among 
 the gods he is represented at his 
 anvil, where, among other things, 
 he forges the thunderbolts of 
 Jupiter. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Pagereferencesare to the introduction; line references, to the poem. 
 Notes on the passages referred to, should also be consulted. 
 
 ^neid, imitation of, 1. 703. 
 Alexandrine line, defined, p. 25. 
 
 Examples of, 1. 64, 80, 142, 144, 
 150. 
 Alliteration, p. 27. 
 
 Examples of, 1. 159, 162, 167, 182. 
 Anachronisms, p. 24. 
 
 Examples of, 1. 22, 100, 214, 1379. 
 Anglo-Saxon language fused with 
 
 Norman, p. 15. 
 Arcite. 
 
 First mentioned; 1. 155. 
 
 Sees Emily, 1. 271. 
 
 Quarrel with Palamon, 1. 281, 
 
 etseq. 
 Released, 1. 369. 
 At Thebes, 1. 518. 
 Return to Athens, 1. 574, 
 Single combat with Palamon, 
 
 1. 787. 
 Prayer to Mars, 1. 1568. 
 Proclaimed victor, 1. 1936. 
 Overthrown, 1. 1976. 
 Death, 1. 2115. 
 Funeral, 1. 2176, et seq. 
 Astrology, references to, 1. 245, 264, 
 500, 1224, 1226, 1562, 1653, 1661, 
 1673. 
 
 Balanced sentence, p. 28. 
 
 Bible, references to, 1. 1113. Ded. 1. 
 
 70, 99. Wyclif's Bible, p. 15. 
 Boccaccio, p. 11, 20, 24. 
 Burns, p. 14. 
 
 Canterbury Tales, p. 13, 22, 30-33. 
 Chaucer. 
 
 Birth, p. 9. 
 
 Early life, p. 10, 11. 
 
 Manhood, p. 11, 12. 
 
 Death, p. 12. 
 
 Appearance and character, p. 
 
 13, 14. 
 Writings,p. 12, 13. 
 Influence on English language, 
 
 p. 15, 16. 
 Style- 
 Simplicity of, p. 27-29. 
 
 Definiteness of, p. 30. 
 
 Conciseness of, p. 31. 
 Dryden's estimate of, p. 32. 
 Classic age of English literature, p. 
 
 21,22. 
 Construction, faults in, p. 28. 
 
 Examples of, 1. 109, 342, 817, 1546, 
 
 1947, 2237. 
 Cosmography, ancient, 1. 1407, 2299 
 
 Ded. 1. 29,116. 
 
 Dan, use of title, footnote 5, p. 76. 
 Dryden. 
 
 Birth, p. 16. 
 
 Early life, p. 16, 17. 
 
 Appointed poet laureate, p. 17. 
 
 Manhood, p. 17, 18. 
 
 Death, p. 18. 
 
 Writings, p 18-20. 
 
 Character, p. 20-22. 
 
 Style- 
 Lack of simplicity, p. 27-29. 
 Diflfuseness of, p. 30. 
 Stateliness of , p. 31, 
 Use of words in literal mean- 
 ings, p. 28. 
 Sentence-structure, p. 28. 
 Generalizations, p. 30. 
 
 Emily, first mentioned, 1, 10. 
 In the garden, 1. 168. 
 Prayer to Diana, 1. 1487. 
 Lights Arcite's funeral pyre, 1. 
 
 2252. 
 Betrothal to Palamon, 1. 2412. 
 
 172 
 
INDEX 
 
 173 
 
 Geomantic figures,!. 1224. 
 Grammar, errors in, p. 28. 
 
 Examples of, 303-4, 606, 786, 991. 
 
 Heroic couplet, p. 25. 
 
 John of Gaunt, p. 12. 
 
 Knighthood, references to, 1. 100, 
 
 233, 290-310, 760-770. 
 Knight's Tale, p. 23, 24. 
 
 Langland's English, p. 15. 
 Latinisms,l. 427, 456,950, 1031,1233, 
 
 1239, 1598, 1770, 1976, 1992, 2371. 
 
 Ded. 59. 
 Literal meanings of words, p. 28. 
 
 Examples of, 1. 214, 644, 736, 
 
 1400, 1528, 1842, 2057, 2090. 
 Lydgate's praise of Chaucer, p. 16. 
 
 Mythology, references to, 1. 1-21. 
 81, 116, 357, 713, 1262, 1444, 1585. 
 
 Nature, Chaucer's love of, p. 14. 
 
 Dryden's treatment of, p. 21, 29. 
 Norman language, fused with 
 Anglo-Saxon, p. 15. 
 
 Oracle, imitation of, 1. 554. 
 Order of Garter, Ded. 1. 18. 
 
 Palace, how built, 1. 204. 
 Palamon. 
 
 First mentioned, 1. 156. 
 
 Sees Emily, 1. 229. 
 
 Quarrel with Arcite, 1. 281. 
 
 Escape, 1. 619. 
 
 Single combat with Arcite, 1. 
 787. 
 
 Prayer to Venus, 1. 1405. 
 
 Betrothal to Emily, 1. 2412. 
 Palamon and Arcite, history of 
 
 story of, p. 23, 24. 
 Participle, misrelated, 1. 1682, 1766, 
 
 1844,] 922. 
 Past tense, form in tt, 1. 197. 
 Petrarch, p. 12. 
 
 Physiology, ancient, 1. 1694, and 
 
 Ded. 1. 117. 
 Of Dryden's time, 1. 525,2029-35, 
 
 2325. 
 Plantagenet line referred to, Ded. 
 
 1. 14, 30. 
 Platonic year, Ded. 1. 29. 
 Poet laureate, Dryden appointed, 
 
 p. 17. 
 Pope, p. 28. 
 Possessive case, substitution of 
 
 pronoun for, 1. 1202, 1214. 
 Prose, Dryden's, p. 20. 
 
 Religion, Dryden's, p. 18. 
 Religious thought, 1. 244, 824, 2069, 
 
 2349. 
 Revolution of 1688 referred to, 1. 
 
 1680, and Ded. 1. 64. 
 Rhyme, p. 25. 
 Rhythm, p. 24, 25. 
 
 Scott's picture of Dryden in Hie 
 Birate, p. 17. 
 
 Sequence of tense, false, 1. 321' 
 524-5, 730, 772-3, 789, 808-9. 
 
 Seven against Thebes, iEschylus's 
 tragedy. V. Glossary under 
 Thebes. 
 
 Shakspere, p. 12, 20. 
 
 Spenser's praise of Chaucer, p. 16. 
 
 Style. V. under Chaucer and Dry- 
 den. 
 
 Tennyson's praise of Chaucer, p. 
 
 16. 
 Teseide, p. 23, 1. 16-23 and 1. 123. 
 Thebaid. V. Glossary under Statins. 
 
 Unity of form, lack of, 1. 1322. 
 Unity of thought, lack of, 1. 159, 
 690-94, 1271-72, 2164. 
 
 Versification, p. 24-26. 
 
 Westminster Abbey, p. 12, 18. 
 Westminster School, p. 17. 
 Will's Coffee House, p. 17. 
 Wordsworth, p. 14, 21. 
 Wyclif 's English, p. 15. 
 
5ep so 1898