Thes. What is it Sister?
Per. Urge it home brave Lady.
Emil. That you would never deny me any thing
Fit for my modest suit, and your free granting:
I tye you to your word now, if ye fall in't,
Think how you maim your honor;
(For now I'm set a begging Sir, I'm deaf
To all but your compassion) how, their lives
Might breed the ruin of my name; Opinion,
Shall any thing that loves me perish for me?
That were a cruell wisdom, doe men proyn
The straight young Bows that blush with thousand Blossoms
Because they may be rotten? O Duke Theseus
The goodly Mothers that have groan'd for these,
And all the longing Maids that ever lov'd,
If your vow stand, shall curse me and my Beauty,
And in their funerall songs, for these two Cosens
Despise my crueltie, and cry woe worth me,
Till I'm nothing but the scorn of women;
For Heavens sake save their lives, and banish 'em.
Thes. On what conditions?
Emil. Swear'em never more
To make me their Contention, or to know me,
To tread upon the Dukedome, and to be
Where ever they shall travel, ever strangers to one another.
Pal. I'll be cut a peeces
Before I take this oath, forget I love her?
O all ye gods dispise me then: Thy Banishment
I not mislike, so we may fairly carry
Our Swords, and cause along: Else never trifle,
But take our lives Duke, I must love and will,
And for that love, must and dare kill this Cosen
On any peece the earth has.
Thes. Will you Arcite
Take these conditions?
Pal. He's a villain then.
Per. These are men.
Arcite. No, never Duke: 'Tis worse to me than begging
To take my life so basely, though I think
I never shall enjoy her, yet I'll preserve
The honor of affection, and dye for her,
Make death a Devill.