To worship, and a power celestial named? Thine was devotion to the blest above, I saw the woman, and desired her love; First owned my passion, and to thee commend The important secret, as my chosen friend. Suppose (which yet I grant not) thy desire A moment elder than my rival fire; Can chance of seeing first thy title prove? And know'st thou not, no law is made for love? Law is to things which to free choice relate; Love is not in our choice, but in our fate: Laws are but positive; love's power, we see, Is nature's sanction, and her first decree. Each day we break the bond of human laws For love, and vindicate the common cause. Laws for defence of civil rights are placed; Love throws the fences down, and makes a general waste: Maids, widows, wives, without distinction fall; The sweeping deluge, love, comes on, and covers all. If then the laws of friendship I transgress, } I keep the greater, while I break the less; } And both are mad alike, since neither can possess. } Both hopeless to be ransomed, never more To see the sun, but as he passes o'er.-- Like Æsop's hounds contending for the bone, Each pleaded right, and would be lord alone: The fruitless fight continued all the day; A cur came by, and snatched the prize away. As courtiers therefore jostle for a grant, And when they break their friendship, plead their want; So thou, if fortune will thy suit advance, Love on, nor envy me my equal chance: For I must love, and am resolved to try My fate, or, failing in the adventure, die. Great was their strife, which hourly was renewed, Till each with mortal hate his rival viewed: Now friends no more, nor walking hand in hand, But when they met, they made a surly stand, And glared like angry lions as they passed, And wished that every look might be their last. It chanced at length, Perithous came, to attend This worthy Theseus, his familiar friend: Their love in early infancy began, And rose as childhood ripened into man, Companions of the war; and loved so well, } That when one died, as ancient stories tell, } His fellow to redeem him went to hell. } But to pursue my tale; to welcome home His warlike brother, is Perithous come: Arcite of Thebes was known in arms long since, And honoured by this young Thessalian prince. Theseus, to gratify his friend and guest, Who made our Arcite's freedom his request, Restored to liberty the captive knight, But on these hard conditions I recite:-- That if hereafter Arcite should be found Within the compass of Athenian ground, By day or night, or on whate'er pretence, His head should pay the forfeit of the offence. To this Perithous for his friend agreed, And on his promise was the prisoner freed. Unpleased and pensive hence he takes his way, At his own peril; for his life must pay. Who now but Arcite mourns his bitter fate,