THESEUS. He that she refuses Must die, then. BOTH. Any death thou canst invent, Duke. PALAMON. If I fall from that mouth, I fall with favour, And lovers yet unborn shall bless my ashes. ARCITE. If she refuse me, yet my grave will wed me, And soldiers sing my epitaph. THESEUS. Make choice, then. EMILIA. I cannot, sir, they are both too excellent; For me, a hair shall never fall of these men. HIPPOLYTA. What will become of ’em? THESEUS. Thus I ordain it And, by mine honour, once again, it stands, Or both shall die. You shall both to your country, And each within this month, accompanied With three fair knights, appear again in this place, In which I’ll plant a pyramid; and whether, Before us that are here, can force his cousin By fair and knightly strength to touch the pillar, He shall enjoy her; th’ other lose his head, And all his friends; nor shall he grudge to fall, Nor think he dies with interest in this lady. Will this content ye? PALAMON. Yes. Here, cousin Arcite, I am friends again, till that hour. [_He offers his hand._] ARCITE. I embrace ye. THESEUS. Are you content, sister? EMILIA. Yes, I must, sir, Else both miscarry. THESEUS. Come, shake hands again, then; And take heed, as you are gentlemen, this quarrel Sleep till the hour prefixed, and hold your course. PALAMON. We dare not fail thee, Theseus. [_They shake hands._] THESEUS. Come, I’ll give ye Now usage like to princes, and to friends. When ye return, who wins, I’ll settle here; Who loses, yet I’ll weep upon his bier. [_Exeunt._] ACT IV SCENE I. Athens. A room in the prison Enter Jailer and his Friend. JAILER. Hear you no more? Was nothing said of me Concerning the escape of Palamon? Good sir, remember. FIRST FRIEND. Nothing that I heard, For I came home before the business Was fully ended. Yet I might perceive, Ere I departed, a great likelihood Of both their pardons; for Hippolyta And fair-eyed Emily, upon their knees, Begged with such handsome pity that the Duke Methought stood staggering whether he should follow His rash oath or the sweet compassion Of those two ladies. And, to second them, That truly noble prince, Pirithous, Half his own heart, set in too, that I hope All shall be well. Neither heard I one question Of your name or his ’scape. JAILER. Pray heaven it hold so. Enter Second Friend. SECOND FRIEND. Be of good comfort, man; I bring you news, Good news. JAILER. They are welcome. SECOND FRIEND. Palamon has cleared you, And got your pardon, and discovered how And by whose means he escaped, which was your daughter’s, Whose pardon is procured too; and the prisoner, Not to be held ungrateful to her goodness, Has given a sum of money to her marriage, A large one, I’ll assure you. JAILER. You are a good man And ever bring good news. FIRST FRIEND. How was it ended? SECOND FRIEND. Why, as it should be; they that never begged But they prevailed had their suits fairly granted; The prisoners have their lives. FIRST FRIEND. I knew ’twould be so.