Читать книгу The Two Noble Kinsmen - John Fletcher - Страница 8

Table of Contents

Scaena 4. (A field before Thebes. Dead bodies lying on the

ground.)

[A Battaile strooke within: Then a Retrait: Florish. Then

Enter Theseus (victor), (Herald and Attendants:) the three

Queenes meete him, and fall on their faces before him.]

1. QUEEN.

To thee no starre be darke.

2. QUEEN.

Both heaven and earth

Friend thee for ever.

3. QUEEN.

All the good that may

Be wishd upon thy head, I cry Amen too't.

THESEUS.

Th'imparciall Gods, who from the mounted heavens

View us their mortall Heard, behold who erre,

And in their time chastice: goe and finde out

The bones of your dead Lords, and honour them

With treble Ceremonie; rather then a gap

Should be in their deere rights, we would supply't.

But those we will depute, which shall invest

You in your dignities, and even each thing

Our hast does leave imperfect: So, adiew,

And heavens good eyes looke on you. What are those? [Exeunt

Queenes.]

HERALD.

Men of great quality, as may be judgd

By their appointment; Sone of Thebs have told's

They are Sisters children, Nephewes to the King.

THESEUS.

By'th Helme of Mars, I saw them in the war,

Like to a paire of Lions, smeard with prey,

Make lanes in troopes agast. I fixt my note

Constantly on them; for they were a marke

Worth a god's view: what prisoner was't that told me

When I enquired their names?

HERALD.

Wi'leave, they'r called Arcite and Palamon.

THESEUS.

Tis right: those, those. They are not dead?

HERALD.

Nor in a state of life: had they bin taken,

When their last hurts were given, twas possible [3. Hearses

ready.]

They might have bin recovered; Yet they breathe

And haue the name of men.

THESEUS.

Then like men use 'em.

The very lees of such (millions of rates)

Exceede the wine of others: all our Surgions

Convent in their behoofe; our richest balmes

Rather then niggard, waft: their lives concerne us

Much more then Thebs is worth: rather then have 'em

Freed of this plight, and in their morning state

(Sound and at liberty) I would 'em dead;

But forty thousand fold we had rather have 'em

Prisoners to us then death. Beare 'em speedily

From our kinde aire, to them unkinde, and minister

What man to man may doe—for our sake more,

Since I have knowne frights, fury, friends beheastes,

Loves provocations, zeale, a mistris Taske,

Desire of liberty, a feavour, madnes,

Hath set a marke which nature could not reach too

Without some imposition: sicknes in will

Or wrastling strength in reason. For our Love

And great Appollos mercy, all our best

Their best skill tender. Leade into the Citty,

Where having bound things scatterd, we will post [Florish.]

To Athens for(e) our Army [Exeunt. Musicke.]