The Knight’s Tale

Full oft a day have thilkë Thebans two Together met, and wrought each other woe: Unhorsed hath each other of them tway. There is no tiger in the vale of Galaphay, When that her whelp is stole, when it is lite, So cruel on the hunter, as Arcite For jealous heart upon this Palamon: Nor in Belmarie there is no fell lión, That hunted is, or for his hunger wood, Or for his prey desireth so the blood, As Palamon to slay his foe Arcite. The jealous strokes upon their helmets bite; Out runneth blood on both their sidës red, Sometime an end there is of every deed. For ere the sun unto the restë went, The strongë king Emetrius gan hent This Palamon, as he fought with Arcite, And made his sword deep in his flesh to bite, And by the force of twenty is he take, Unyielding, and is drawn unto the stake. And in the rescue of this Palamon The strongë king Licurgus is borne down: And king Emetrius for all his strength Is borne out of his saddle a sword’s length, So hit him Palamon ere he were take: But all for nought; he was brought to the stake: His hardy heartë might him helpë naught, He must abidë, when that he was caught, By force, and eke by compositión. Who sorroweth now but woful Palamon That must no morë go again to fight? And when that Theseus had seen that sight, Unto the folk that foughtë thus each one, He cried, “Ho! no more, for it is done! I will be truë judge, and not party. Arcite of Thebes shall have Emily, That by his fortune hath her fairly won.” Anon there is a noise of people gone, For joy of this, so loud and high withal, It seemed that the listës shouldë fall.