I have no choice, and I have ly’d so lewdly That women ought to beate me. On my knees I aske thy pardon, Palamon; thou art alone, And only beutifull, and these the eyes, These the bright lamps of beauty, that command And threaten Love, and what yong Mayd dare crosse ’em? What a bold gravity, and yet inviting, Has this browne manly face! O Love, this only From this howre is Complexion: Lye there, Arcite, Thou art a changling to him, a meere Gipsey, And this the noble Bodie. I am sotted, Vtterly lost: My Virgins faith has fled me; For if my brother but even now had ask’d me Whether I lov’d, I had run mad for Arcite; Now, if my Sister, More for Palamon. Stand both together: Now, come aske me, Brother.— Alas, I know not! Aske me now, sweet Sister;— I may goe looke. What a meere child is Fancie, That, having two faire gawdes of equall sweetnesse, Cannot distinguish, but must crie for both. [Enter (a) Gent(leman.)] EMILIA. How now, Sir? GENTLEMAN. From the Noble Duke your Brother, Madam, I bring you newes: The Knights are come. EMILIA. To end the quarrell? GENTLEMAN. Yes. EMILIA. Would I might end first: What sinnes have I committed, chast Diana, That my unspotted youth must now be soyld With blood of Princes? and my Chastitie Be made the Altar, where the lives of Lovers (Two greater and two better never yet Made mothers joy) must be the sacrifice To my unhappy Beautie? [Enter Theseus, Hipolita, Perithous and attendants.] THESEUS. Bring ’em in Quickly, By any meanes; I long to see ’em.— Your two contending Lovers are return’d, And with them their faire Knights: Now, my faire Sister, You must love one of them. EMILIA. I had rather both, So neither for my sake should fall untimely. [Enter Messenger. (Curtis.)] THESEUS. Who saw ’em? PERITHOUS. I, a while. GENTLEMAN. And I. THESEUS. From whence come you, Sir? MESSENGER. From the Knights. THESEUS. Pray, speake, You that have seene them, what they are. MESSENGER. I will, Sir, And truly what I thinke: Six braver spirits Then these they have brought, (if we judge by the outside) I never saw, nor read of. He that stands In the first place with Arcite, by his seeming, Should be a stout man, by his face a Prince, (His very lookes so say him) his complexion, Nearer a browne, than blacke, sterne, and yet noble, Which shewes him hardy, fearelesse, proud of dangers: The circles of his eyes show fire within him, And as a heated Lyon, so he lookes; His haire hangs long behind him, blacke and shining Like Ravens wings: his shoulders broad and strong, Armd long and round, and on his Thigh a Sword Hung by a curious Bauldricke, when he frownes To seale his will with: better, o’my conscience Was never Souldiers friend. THESEUS. Thou ha’st well describde him. PERITHOUS. Yet a great deale short, Me thinkes, of him that’s first with Palamon. THESEUS. Pray, speake him, friend.