Once upon a time, as old stories tell us, there was a duke named Theseus, lord and governor of Athens, in Greece, and in his time such a conqueror that there was none greater under the sun. Full many a rich country owned his sway.
That with his wisdam and his chivalrie,
He conquered al the regne of Femynye,kingdom, Amazons
That whilom was i-cleped Cithea;once, called
And wedded the fresshe quene Ipolita,[76]fresh
And brought her hoom with him to his contre,country
With mochel glorie and gret solempnite;much, solemnity
And eek hire yonge suster Emelye.also, sister
And thus with victorie and with melodyemusic
Lete I this noble duk to Athenes ryde,duke
And al his ost, in armes him biside.arms
What with his wisdom and his chivalry
The kingdom of the Amazons won he,
That was of old time naméd Scythia,
And wedded the fresh Queen Ipolita,
And brought her to his own land sumptuously,
With pomp and glory, and great festivity;
And also her young sister Emelye.
And thus with victory and with melodie
Let I this noble duke to Athens ride,
And all his glittering hosts on either side.
And, certainly, if it were not too long to listen to, I would have told you fully how the kingdom of the Amazons was won by Theseus and his host. And of the great battle there was for the time between Athens and the Amazons; and how Ipolita—the fair, hardy queen of Scythia—was besieged; and about the feast that was held at the wedding of Theseus and Ipolita, and about the tempest at their home-coming. But all this I must cut short.
I have, God wot, a large feeld to ere;plough
And wayke ben the oxen in my plough.weak
I have, God knows, a full wide field to sow,
And feeble be the oxen in my plough.
I will not hinder anybody in the company. Let every one tell his story in turn, and let us see now who shall win the supper!
I will describe to you what happened as Theseus was bringing home his bride to Athens.
This duk, of whom I make mencioun,
Whan he was comen almost unto the toun,come
In al his wele and in his moste pryde,prosperity
He was war, as he cast his eyghe aside,aware
Wher that ther knelede in the hye weyekneeled
A compagnye of ladies, tweye and tweye,two
Ech after other, clad in clothes blake;each, black
But such a cry and such a woo they make,woe
That in this world nys creature lyvynge,
That herde such another weymentynge,
And of that cry ne wolde they never stenten,cease
Til they the reynes of his bridel henten.caught
What folk be ye that at myn hom comynge
Pertourben so my feste[77] with cryinge?perturb
Quod Theseus; Have ye so gret envye
Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crie?
Or who hath yow misboden or offendid?injured
And telleth me, if it may ben amendid;
And why that ye ben clad thus al in blak?black
The oldest lady of hem alle spak....them
This duke aforesaid, of deserved renown,
When he had almost come into the town
In all his splendour and in all his pride,
Perceivéd, as he cast his eyes aside,
A company of ladies, in a row,
Were kneeling in the highway—two by two,
Each behind each, clad all in black array;
But such an outcry of lament made they,
That in this world there is no living thing
That e’er heard such another outcrying;
Nor would they cease to wail and to complain
Till they had caught him by his bridle-rein.
“What folk are ye who at my home-coming
Perturb my festival with murmuring,”
Quoth Theseus. “Or do you envy me
Mine honour that ye wail so woefully?
Or who hath injured you, or who offended?
Tell me, if haply it may be amended,
And why are all of you in black arrayed?”
The oldest lady of them all then said—
“Lord, to whom fortune has given victory, and to live ever as a conqueror, we do not grudge your glory[78] and honour, but we have come to implore your pity and help. Have mercy on us in our grief. There is not one of us that has not been a queen or duchess; now we are beggars, and you can help us if you will.
“I was wife to King Capaneus, who died at Thebes[79]: and all of us who kneel and weep have lost our husbands there during a siege; and now Creon, who is king of Thebes, has piled together these dead bodies, and will not suffer them to be either burned or buried.”