The tower, of which before was mention made,
Within whose keep the captive knights were laid,
Built of a large extent, and strong withal,
Was one partition of the palace wall :
The garden was inclos'd within the square,
Where young Emilia took the morning-air.
It happen'd Palamon the prisoner knight,
Restless for woe, arose before the light,
And with his jaylor's leave defir'd to breathe
An air more wholesome than the damps beneath.
This granted, to the tower he took his way,
Chear'd with the promise of a glorious day :
Then cast a languishing regard around,
And faw with hateful eyes the temples crown'd
With golden spires, and all the hoftile ground.
He sigh'd, and turn'd his eyes, because he knew
'Twas but a larger gaol he had in view :
Then look'd below, and from the castle's height
Beheld a nearer and more pleasing sight:
The garden, which before he had not seen,
In spring's new livery clad of white and green,
Fresh flowers in wide parterres, and shady walks be-
This view'd, but not enjoy'd, with arms across
He stood, reflecting on his country's loss;
Himself an object of the public scorn,
And often wish'd he never had been born.
At last, for so his destiny requir'd,
With walking giddy, and with thinking tir'd,
He through a little window cast his fight,
Though thick of bars that gave a scanty light:
But ev'n that glimmering: ferv'd him to defcry
Th' inevitable charms of Emily.
Scarce had he seen, but, seiz'd with fudden smart,
Stung to the quick, he felt it at his heart;
Struck blind with over-powering light he stood,
Then started back amaz'd, and cry'd aloud.
Young Arcite heard; and up he ran with haste,
To help his friend, and in his arms embrac'd;
And afk'd him why he look'd so deadly wan,
And whence and how his change of cheer began?
Or who had done th' offence? But if, said he,
Your grief alone is hard captivity;
For love of heaven, with patience undergo
A cureless ill, since fate will have it fo :
So stood our horoscope in chains to lie,
And Saturn in the dungeon of the sky,
Or other baleful aspect, rul'd our birth,
When all the friendly stars were under earth :
Whate'er betides, by destiny 'tis done;
And better bear like men, than vainly seek to shun,
Nor of my bonds, faid Palamon again,
Nor of unhappy planets I complain;
But when my mortal anguish caus'd my cry,
That moment I was hurt through either eye;
Pierc'd with a random shaft, I faint away,
And perish with insensible decay:
A glance of fome new goddess gave the wound,
Whom, like Acteon, unaware I found.
Look how she walks along yon shady space,
Not Juno moves with more majestic grace;
And all the Cyprian queen is in her face.
If thou art Venus (for thy charms confess
That face was form'd in heaven, nor art thou less ;
Disguis'd in habit, undisguis'd in shape)
O help us captives from our chains to 'scape;
But if our doom be past in bonds to lie
For life, and in a loathsome dungeon die,
Then be thy wrath appeas'd with our disgrace,
And shew compassion to the Theban race,
Oppress'd by tyrant power! While yet he spoke,
Arcite on Emily had fix'd his look;
The fatal dart a ready passage found,
And deep within his heart infix'd the wound:
So that if Palamon were wounded fore,
Arcite was hurt as much as he, or more :
Then from his inmost soul he sigh'd, and said,
The beauty I behold has struck me dead :
Unknowingly she strikes; and kills by chance;
Poison is in her eyes, and death in every glance.
O, I must ask; nor ask alone, but move
Her mind to mercy, or must die for love.
Thus Arcite: and thus Palamon replies,
(Eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes.)
Speak'st thou in earnest, or in jesting vein ?
Jesting, faid Arcite, suits but ill with pain.
It suits far worse (said Palamon again,
And bent his brows) with men who honour weigh,
Their faith to break, their friendship to betray;
But worst with thee, of noble lineage born,
My kinfman, and in arms my brother sworn.
Have we not plighted each our holy oath,
That one should be the common good of both;
One foul should both inspire, and neither prove
His fellow's hindrance in pursuit of love ?
To this before the Gods we gave our hands,
And nothing but our death can break the bands.
This binds thee, then, to further my design :
As I am bound by vow to further thine :
Nor canft, nor dar'st thou, traitor, on the plain
Appeach my honour, or thine own maintain,
Since thou art of my council, and the friend
Whose faith I trust, and on whose care depend:
And would'st thou court my lady's love, which I
Much rather than release would choose to die?
But thou, false Arcite, never shalt obtain
Thy bad pretence; I told thee first my pain:
For first my love began ere thine was born;
Thou, as my council, and my brother sworn,
Art bound t' affist my eldership of right:
Or justly to be deem'd a perjur'd knight.
Thus Palamon: but Arcite with difdain
In haughty language thus reply'd again;
Forfworn thyfelf: the traitor's odious name
I first return, and then difprove thy claim.
If love be paffion, and that passion nurst
With strong defires, I lov'd the lady first.
Canft thou pretend defire, whom zeal inflam'd
To worship, and a power celestial nam'd?
Thine was devotion to the blest above,
I faw the woman, and defir'd her love;
First own'd my passion, and to thee commend
Th' important secret, as my chosen friend.
Suppose (which yet I grant not) thy defire
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 fee,
Is Nature's fanction, 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 plac'd,
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 tranfgrefs,
I keep the greater, while I break the less ;
And both are mad alike, since neither can possess.
Both hopeless to be ransom'd, never more
To see the fun, 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 snatch'd the prize away.
As courtiers therefore justle for a grant,
And when they break their friendship plead their want,
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