|
Duc Theseus, with al his compaignye, |
| Is comen hoom to Atthenes his citee, |
| With alle blisse and greet solempnitee; |
| 1845 | Al be it that this aventure was falle, |
| He nolde noght disconforten hem alle. |
| Men seyde eek that Arcite shal nat dye, |
| He shal been heeled of his maladye. |
| And of another thyng they weren as fayn, |
| 1850 | That of hem alle was ther noon yslayn, |
| Al were they soore yhurt, and namely oon, |
| That with a spere was thirled his brest boon. |
| To othere woundes, and to broken armes, |
| Somme hadden salves, and somme hadden charmes, |
| 1855 | Fermacies of herbes and eek save |
| They dronken, for they wolde hir lymes have. |
| For which this noble duc as he wel kan, |
| Conforteth and honoureth every man, |
| And made revel al the longe nyght |
| 1860 | Unto the straunge lordes, as was right. |
| Ne ther was holden no disconfitynge |
| But as a justes or a tourneiynge, |
| For soothly ther was no disconfiture. |
| For fallyng nys nat but an aventure- |
| 1865 | Ne to be lad by force unto the stake |
| Unyolden, and with twenty knyghtes take, |
| O persone allone, withouten mo, |
| And haryed forth by arme, foot, and too, |
| And eke his steede dryven forth with staves, |
| 1870 | With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves, |
| It nas aretted hym no vileynye, |
| Ther may no man clepen it cowardye. |
| For which anon duc Theseus leet crye, |
| To stynten alle rancour and envye, |
| 1875 | The gree, as wel of o syde as of oother, |
| And eyther syde ylik as ootheres brother, |
| And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree, |
| And fully heeld a feeste dayes three, |
| And conveyed the kynges worthily |
| 1880 | Out of his toun a journee largely; |
| And hoom wente every man, the righte way. |
| Ther was namoore but "Fare-wel, have good day." |
| Of this bataille I wol namoore endite, |
| But speke of Palamoun and of Arcite. |
|
|
Duke Theseus, with all his company, |
| Is come again to Athens, his city, |
| With joyous heart and great festivity. |
| 1845 | And though sore grieved for this unhappy fall, |
| He would not cast a blight upon them all. |
| Men said, too, that Arcita should not die, |
| But should be healed of all his injury. |
| And of another thing they were right fain, |
| 1850 | Which was, that of them all no one was slain, |
| Though each was sore, and hurt, and specially one |
| Who'd got a lance-head thrust through his breastbone. |
| For other bruises, wounds and broken arms, |
| Some of them carried salves and some had charms; |
| 1855 | And medicines of many herbs, and sage |
| They drank, to keep their limbs from hemorrhage. |
| In all of which this duke, as he well can, |
| Now comforts and now honours every man, |
| And makes a revelry the livelong night |
| 1860 | For all these foreign lords, as was but right. |
| Nor was there held any discomfiting, |
| Save from the jousts and from the tourneying. |
| For truly, there had been no cause for shame, |
| Since being thrown is fortune of the game; |
| 1865 | Nor is it, to be led to barrier, |
| Unyielded, and by twenty knights' power, |
| One man alone, surrounded by the foe, |
| Driven by arms, and dragged out, heel and toe, |
| And with his courser driven forth with staves |
| 1870 | Of men on foot, yeomen and serving knaves- |
| All this imputes to one no kind of vice, |
| And no man may bring charge of cowardice. |
| For which, straightway, Duke Theseus bade cry, |
| To still all rancour and all keen envy, |
| 1875 | The worth, as well of one side as the other, |
| As equal both, and each the other's brother; |
| And gave them gifts according to degree, |
| And held a three days' feast, right royally; |
| And then convoyed these kings upon their road |
| 1880 | For one full day, and to them honour showed. |
| And home went every man on his right way. |
| There was nothing more but "Farewell" and "Good-day." |
| I'll say no more of war, but turn upon |
| My tale of Arcita and Palamon. |
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