And eke it is not likely all thy life To standen in her grace, no more than I: For well thou wost thyselfë verily, That thou and I be damned to prisón Perpetual, us gaineth no ranson. We strive, as did the houndës for the bone; They fought all day, and yet their part was none. There came a kite, while that they were so wroth, And bare away the bone betwixt them both. And therefore at the kingë’s court, my brother, Each man for himselfë, there is no other. Love if thee list; for I love and aye shall: And soothly, levë brother, this is all. Here in this prison musten we endure, And each of us takë his áventúre.”
Great was the strife and long betwixt them tway, If that I haddë leisure for to say; But to the effect: it happen’d on a day (To tell it you as shortly as I may), A worthy duke that hight Perithous, That fellow was to the Duke Theseus Since thilkë day that they were children lite, Was come to Athéns, his fellow to visite, And for to play, as he was wont to do; For in this world he loved no man so; And he lov’d him as tenderly again. So well they lov’d, as oldë bookës sayn, That when that one was dead, soothly to tell, His fellow went and sought him down in hell: But of that story list me not to write. Duke Perithous loved well Arcite, And had him known at Thebes year by year: And finally at réquest and prayére Of Perithous, withoutë ransón Duke Theseus him let out of prisón, Freely to go, where him list over all, In such a guise, as I you tellen shall This was the forword, plainly to indite, Betwixtë Theseus and him Arcite: That if so were, that Arcite were y-found Ever in his life, by day or night, one stound In any country of this Theseus, And he were caught, it was accorded thus, That with a sword he shouldë lose his head; There was none other remedy nor rede. But took his leave, and homeward he him sped; Let him beware, his neckë lieth to wed.
How great a sorrow suff’reth now Arcite! The death he feeleth through his heartë smite; He weepeth, waileth, crieth piteously; To slay himself he waiteth privily. He said; “Alas the day that I was born! Now is my prison worsë than beforn: Now is me shape eternally to dwell Not in purgatory,