Part 8
I cannot tell what you have done, I have; Beshrew mine eyes for't: now I feele my Shackles.
PALAMON.
You love her, then?
ARCITE.
Who would not?
PALAMON.
And desire her?
ARCITE.
Before my liberty.
PALAMON.
I saw her first.
ARCITE.
That's nothing.
PALAMON.
But it shall be.
ARCITE.
I saw her too.
PALAMON.
Yes, but you must not love her.
ARCITE.
I will not as you doe, to worship her, As she is heavenly, and a blessed G.o.ddes; I love her as a woman, to enjoy her: So both may love.
PALAMON.
You shall not love at all.
ARCITE.
Not love at all!
Who shall deny me?
PALAMON.
I, that first saw her; I, that tooke possession First with mine eyes of all those beauties In her reveald to mankinde: if thou lou'st her, Or entertain'st a hope to blast my wishes, Thou art a Traytour, Arcite, and a fellow False as thy t.i.tle to her: friendship, blood, And all the tyes betweene us I disclaime, If thou once thinke upon her.
ARCITE.
Yes, I love her, And if the lives of all my name lay on it, I must doe so; I love her with my soule: If that will lose ye, farewell, Palamon; I say againe, I love, and in loving her maintaine I am as worthy and as free a lover, And have as just a t.i.tle to her beauty As any Palamon or any living That is a mans Sonne.
PALAMON.
Have I cald thee friend?
ARCITE.
Yes, and have found me so; why are you mov'd thus?
Let me deale coldly with you: am not I Part of your blood, part of your soule? you have told me That I was Palamon, and you were Arcite.
PALAMON.
Yes.
ARCITE.
Am not I liable to those affections, Those joyes, greifes, angers, feares, my friend shall suffer?
PALAMON.
Ye may be.
ARCITE.
Why, then, would you deale so cunningly, So strangely, so vnlike a n.o.ble kinesman, To love alone? speake truely: doe you thinke me Vnworthy of her sight?
PALAMON.
No; but unjust, If thou pursue that sight.
ARCITE.
Because an other First sees the Enemy, shall I stand still And let mine honour downe, and never charge?
PALAMON.
Yes, if he be but one.
ARCITE.
But say that one Had rather combat me?
