*SCENE V. — An open Place in Athens. A short flourish of *cornets, and shouts within. *Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PIRITHOUS, EMILIA; ARCITE dis*guised, wearing a garland; and Countrymen. *Thes. You have done worthily; I have not seen, Since Hercules, a man of tougher sinews: *Whate'er you are, you run the best, and wrestle, *That these times can allow. *Arc. I'm proud to please you. *Thes. What country bred you? *Arc. *Thes. Are you a gentleman? *Arc. *And to those gentle uses gave my life. This; but far off, Prince. My father said so ; Thes. Are you his heir? *Arc. His youngest, sir. *Thes. Your father, *Sure, is a happy sire, then. What proves you?1 *Arc. A little of all noble qualities: *I could have kept a hawk, and well have holla'd *Thes. You are perfect. *Pir. Upon my soul, a proper2 man! *Emi. *Pir. How do you like him, lady? * Hip. He is so. I admire him : 1 "What proves you to be, as you have said, a gentleman ?" 2 Proper is handsome, fine-looking. Generally so. *I have not seen so young a man so noble, *If he say true, of his sort. *His mother was a wondrous handsome woman; *His face methinks goes that way.3 * Hip. But his body *And fiery mind illustrate a brave father. *Pir. Mark how his virtue, like a hidden sun, *Breaks through his baser garments! * Hip. He's well got, sure. *Thes. What made you seek this place, sir? *To purchase name, and do my ablest service *Pir. Noble Theseus, All his words are worthy. *Thes. Sir, we are much indebted to your travel, *Nor shall you lose your wish. - Pirithous, *Dispose of this fair gentleman. Thanks, Theseus. *Pir. *Whate'er you are, you're mine; and I shall give you *To a most noble service, to this lady, *This bright young virgin: pray, observe her goodness. *You've honour'd her fair birthday with your virtues, *And, as your due, you're hers; kiss her fair hand, sir. *Arc. Sir, you're a noble giver. [To EMILIA.] Dearest *beauty, *Thus let me seal my vow'd faith: [Kisses her hand.] when *your servant -but offends you, 8 His face argues or infers that he had a handsome mother. *Emi. That were too cruel. *If you deserve well, sir, I shall soon see't: *I'll use you. *Pir. I'll see you furnish'd; and, because you say *You are a horseman, I must needs entreat you *This afternoon to ride; but 'tis a rough one. *Arc. I like him better, Prince; I shall not, then, *Freeze in my saddle. Thes. *And you, Emilia, Sweet, you must be ready, and you, friend, and all, *To-morrow, by the sun, to do observance 4 *To flowery May, in Dian's wood. Wait well, sir, Upon your mistress. - Emily, I hope You want at any time, let me but know it: *If you serve faithfully, I dare assure you *You'll find a loving mistress. *Arc. If I do not, *Let me find that my father ever hated, *Disgrace and blows. *Thes. Go, lead the way; you've won it; *It shall be so you shall receive all dues *Fit for the honour you have won; 'twere wrong else. *Sister, beshrew my heart, you have a servant, *That, if I were a woman, would be master: *But you are wise. *Emi. I hope too wise for that, sir. *[Flourish. Exeunt. 4 "Do observance" was the old phrase for celebrating May-day. See vol. iii. page 14, note 22. *SCENE VI. - Athens. Before the Prison. *Enter Jailer's Daughter. Daugh. Let all the dukes and all the devils roar, *A mile hence: I have sent him, where a cedar, *What a stout-hearted child thou art! My father *I care not; I am desperate: if the law *Find me, and then condemn me for't, some wenches, *Some honest-hearted maids will sing my dirge, *And tell to memory my death was noble, *Dying almost a martyr. That way he takes, *I purpose is my way too sure he cannot *Be so unmanly as to leave me here: *If he do, maids will not so easily *Trust men again: and yet he has not thank'd me *For what I've done; no, not so much as kiss'd me; *And that, methinks, is not so well; nor scarcely *Could I persuade him to become a freeman, *He made such scruples of the wrong he did *To me and to my father. Yet, I hope, *When he considers more, this love of mine *Will take more root within him: let him do 5 Close is secret or hidden. So the word was commonly used. *What he will with me, so he use me kindly ;6 * Provide him necessaries, and pack my clothes up, *Kissing the man they look for. Farewell, father! *Get many more such prisoners and such daughters, *And shortly you may keep yourself. Now to him! [Exit. ACT III. SCENE I. A Forest near Athens. Cornets in sundry places: noise and hallooing as of People a-Maying. Enter ARCITE. Arc. The Duke has lost Hippolyta ; each took A several laund. This is a solemn rite They owe bloom'd May, and the Athenians pay it O Queen Emilia, fresher than May, sweeter Than her gold buttons on the boughs, or all Th' enamell'd knacks3 o' the mead or garden! yea, • An equivoque was doubtless intended in kindly. We have a like instance in King Lear. See vol. iii. page 131, note 15, and vol. xv. page 46, note 5. 1 Laund is an old word for lawn; here standing for what is sometimes called a glade, that is, a natural opening or open ground in a forest. See vol. ix. page 57, note 1. 2 That is, pay it in good earnest; carry out the observance to the fullest extent. 8 Knacks, here, seems to mean about the same as our knick-knacks. |