Bright was the sun, and clear that morrowning, And Palamon, this woful prisoner, As was his wont, by leave of his gaoler, Was ris’n, and roamed in a chamber on high, In which he all the noble city sigh, And eke the garden, full of branches green, There as this fresh Emelia the sheen Was in her walk, and roamed up and down. This sorrowful prisoner, this Palamon Went in his chamber roaming to and fro, And to himself complaining of his woe: That he was born, full oft he said, Alas! And so befell, by áventure or cas, That through a window thick of many a bar Of iron great, and square as any spar, He cast his eyes upon Emelia, And therewithal he blent and cried, Ah! As though he stungen were unto the heart. And with that cry Arcite anon up start, And saidë, “Cousin mine, what aileth thee, That art so pale and deadly for to see? Why cried’st thou? who hath thee done offence? For Goddë’s love, take all in patience Our prison, for it may none other be. Fortune hath giv’n us this adversity’. Some wick’ aspéct or dispositión Of Saturn, by some constellatión, Hath giv’n us this, although we had it sworn, So stood the heaven when that we were born, We must endure; this is the short and plain.”
This Palamon answér’d, and said again: “Cousin, forsooth of this opinión Thou hast a vain imaginatión. This prison caused me not for to cry; But I was hurt right now thorough mine eye Into mine heart; that will my banë be. The fairness of the lady that I see Yond in the garden roaming to and fro, Is cause of all my crying and my woe. I n’ot whe’r she be woman or goddéss. But Venus is it, soothly as I guess.” And therewithal on knees adown he fill, And saidë: “Venus, if it be your will You in this garden thus to transfigúre, Before me sorrowful wretched creatúre, Out of this prison help that we may scape. And if so be our destiny be shape By etern word to dien in prisón, Of our lineage have some compassión, That is so low y-brought by tyranny.”
And with that word Arcita gan espy Where as this lady roamed to and fro. And with that sight her beauty hurt him so, That if that Palamon