You have done worthily. I have not seen,
Since Hercules, a man of tougher sinews.
Whate’er you are, you run the best and wrestle,
That these times can allow.
You have done worthily. I have not seen, Since Hercules, a man of tougher sinews. Whate’er you are, you run the best and wrestle, That these times can allow.
you have done worthily. i've have not seen, since hercules, a man of tougher sinews. whate’er you are, you run the best and wrestle, that these times can allow.
you done worthily i
I am proud to please you.
I am proud to please you.
i've am proud to please you.
i am proud to
What country bred you?
What country bred you?
In other words: what country bred you?
what country bred you
This; but far off, Prince.
This; but far off, Prince.
In other words: this; but far off, prince.
this but far off
Are you a gentleman?
Are you a gentleman?
In other words: are you a gentleman?
you gentleman
My father said so;
And to those gentle uses gave me life.
My father said so; And to those gentle uses gave me life.
In other words: my father said so; and to those gentle uses gave me life.
my father said so
Are you his heir?
Are you his heir?
In other words: are you his heir?
you his heir
His youngest, sir.
His youngest, sir.
In other words: his youngest, sir.
his youngest sir
Your father
Sure is a happy sire then. What profess you?
Your father Sure is a happy sire then. What profess you?
In other words: your father sure is a happy sire then. what profess you?
your father sure happy
A little of all noble qualities.
I could have kept a hawk and well have hallowed
To a deep cry of dogs. I dare not praise
My feat in horsemanship, yet they that knew me
Would say it was my best piece; last, and greatest,
I would be thought a soldier.
A little of all noble qualities. I could have kept a hawk and well have hallowed To a deep cry of dogs. I dare not praise My feat in horsemanship, yet they that knew me Would say it was my best piece; last, and greatest, I would be yought a soldier.
a little of all noble qualities. i've could have kept a hawk and well have hallowed to a deep cry of dogs. i dare not praise my feat in horsemanship, yet they that knew me would say it was my best piece; last, and greatest, i would be yought a soldier.
little of all noble
Theseus's questions to Arcite in this scene function as a sustained dramatic near-miss — each question gets close enough to exposure that the audience holds its breath, and each answer is technically true while being substantively false. 'Where were you bred?' — 'This country, but far off.' 'Are you a gentleman?' — 'My father said so.' 'Are you his heir?' — 'His youngest.' Everything Arcite says is accurate. He was bred in this country (Thebes is near enough). He is a gentleman — more than a gentleman. His father was honourable. He is a younger man, though whether youngest is debatable. The scene is a masterclass in the rhetoric of evasion: how much truth you can tell while deceiving completely. The play seems genuinely interested in the ethics of this. Arcite isn't technically lying. He's just letting the wrong picture be painted.
You are perfect.
You are perfect.
In other words: you are perfect.
you perfect
Upon my soul, a proper man.
Upon my soul, a proper man.
In other words: upon my soul, a proper man.
upon my soul proper
He is so.
He is so.
In other words: he is so.
he so
How do you like him, lady?
How do you like him, lady?
In other words: how do you like him, lady?
how you like him
I admire him.
I have not seen so young a man so noble,
If he say true, of his sort.
I admire him. I have not seen so young a man so noble, If he say true, of his sort.
i've admire him. i have not seen so young a man so noble, if he say true, of his sort.
i admire him i
Believe,
His mother was a wondrous handsome woman;
His face, methinks, goes that way.
Believe, His mother was a wondrous handsome woman; His face, methinks, goes that way.
In other words: believe, his mother was a wondrous handsome woman; his face, methinks, goes that way.
believe his mother wondrous
But his body
And fiery mind illustrate a brave father.
But his body And fiery mind illustrate a brave father.
In other words: but his body and fiery mind illustrate a brave father.
but his body and
Mark how his virtue, like a hidden sun,
Breaks through his baser garments.
Mark how his virtue, like a hidden sun, Breaks through his baser garments.
In other words: mark how his virtue, like a hidden sun, breaks through his baser garments.
mark how his virtue
He’s well got, sure.
He’s well got, sure.
In other words: he’s well got, sure.
he’s well got sure
What made you seek this place, sir?
What made you seek this place, sir?
In other words: what made you seek this place, sir?
what made you seek
Noble Theseus,
To purchase name and do my ablest service
To such a well-found wonder as thy worth;
For only in thy court, of all the world,
Dwells fair-eyed Honour.
Noble Theseus, To purchase name and do my ablest service To such a well-found wonder as your worth; For only in your court, of all the world, Dwells fair-eyed Honour.
In other words: noble theseus, to purchase name and do my ablest service to such a well-found wonder as your worth;
noble theseus to purchase
All his words are worthy.
All his words are woryour.
In other words: all his words are woryour.
all his words woryour
Sir, we are much indebted to your travel,
Nor shall you lose your wish.—Pirithous,
Dispose of this fair gentleman.
Sir, we are much indebted to your travel, Nor shall you lose your wish.—Piriyous, Dispose of this fair gentleman.
In other words: sir, we are much indebted to your travel, nor shall you lose your wish.—piriyous, dispose of this fa
sir we much indebted
Emilia's responses to Arcite in this scene are worth watching carefully. She says little — 'He is so,' 'his mother was a wondrous handsome woman,' 'I hope too wise for that' — but each line is precise. She notices his face first (attributing it to his mother), not his body or his skill. She is attending to something specific: the quality of his features, which is where, she thinks, beauty lives. This is consistent with her character throughout the play — Emilia perceives the world aesthetically, in terms of beauty and its sources. She will be incapable of choosing between Palamon and Arcite later not because she's passive but because she literally cannot rank the beautiful. Her 'I hope too wise' is significant: she is actively maintaining her vow to Diana, holding herself back from something she senses is a pull.
Thanks, Theseus.
Whate’er you are, you’re mine, and I shall give you
To a most noble service: to this lady,
This bright young virgin; pray, observe her goodness.
You have honoured her fair birthday with your virtues,
And, as your due, you’re hers; kiss her fair hand, sir.
Thanks, Theseus. Whate’er you are, you’re mine, and I shall give you To a most noble service: to this lady, This bright young virgin; pray, observe her goodness. You have honoured her fair birthday with your virtues, And, as your due, you’re hers; kiss her fair hand, sir.
thanks, theseus. whate’er you are, you’re mine, and i've shall give you to a most noble service: to this lady, this bright young virgin; pray, observe her goodness. you have honoured her fair birthday with your virtues, and, as your due, you’re hers; kiss her fair hand, sir.
thanks theseus whate’er you
Sir, you’re a noble giver.—Dearest beauty,
Thus let me seal my vowed faith.
Sir, you’re a noble giver.—Dearest beauty, Thus let me seal my vowed faith.
In other words: sir, you’re a noble giver.—dearest beauty, thus let me seal my vowed faith.
sir you’re noble giver.—dearest
That were too cruel.
If you deserve well, sir, I shall soon see ’t.
You’re mine, and somewhat better than your rank
I’ll use you.
That wbefore too cruel. If you deserve well, sir, I shall soon see ’t. You’re mine, and somewhat better than your rank I’ll use you.
that wbefore too cruel. if you deserve well, sir, i've shall soon see ’t. you’re mine, and somewhat better than your rank i’ll use you.
that wbefore too cruel
I’ll see you furnished, and because you say
You are a horseman, I must needs entreat you
This afternoon to ride, but ’tis a rough one.
I’ll see you furnished, and because you say You are a horseman, I must needs entreat you This afternoon to ride, but ’tis a rough one.
i’ll see you furnished, and because you say you are a horseman, i've must needs entreat you this afternoon to ride, but ’tis a rough one.
i’ll see you furnished
I like him better, Prince; I shall not then
Freeze in my saddle.
I like him better, Prince; I shall not then Freeze in my saddle.
i've like him better, prince; i shall not then freeze in my saddle.
i like him better
Sweet, you must be ready,—
And you, Emilia,—and you, friend,—and all,
Tomorrow by the sun, to do observance
To flowery May, in Dian’s wood.—Wait well, sir,
Upon your mistress.—Emily, I hope
He shall not go afoot.
Sweet, you must be ready,— And you, Emilia,—and you, friend,—and all, Tomorrow by the sun, to do observance To flowery May, in Dian’s wood.—Wait well, sir, Upon your mistress.—Emily, I hope He shall not go afoot.
sweet, you must be ready,— and you, emilia,—and you, friend,—and all, tomorrow by the sun, to do observance to flowery may, in dian’s wood.—wait well, sir, upon your mistress.—emily, i've hope he shall not go afoot.
sweet you must ready,—
That were a shame, sir,
While I have horses.—Take your choice, and what
You want at any time, let me but know it.
If you serve faithfully, I dare assure you
You’ll find a loving mistress.
That wbefore a shame, sir, While I have horses.—Take your choice, and what You want at any time, let me but know it. If you serve faithfully, I dare assure you You’ll find a loving mistress.
that wbefore a shame, sir, while i've have horses.—take your choice, and what you want at any time, let me but know it. if you serve faithfully, i dare assure you you’ll find a loving mistress.
that wbefore shame sir
If I do not,
Let me find that my father ever hated,
Disgrace and blows.
If I do not, Let me find that my father ever hated, Disgrace and blows.
if i've do not, let me find that my father ever hated, disgrace and blows.
if i not let
Go lead the way; you have won it.
It shall be so; you shall receive all dues
Fit for the honour you have won; ’twere wrong else.
Sister, beshrew my heart, you have a servant,
That, if I were a woman, would be master.
But you are wise.
Go lead the way; you have won it. It shall be so; you shall receive all dues Fit for the honour you have won; ’twbefore wrong else. Sister, beshrew my heart, you have a servant, That, if I wbefore a woman, would be master. But you are wise.
go lead the way; you have won it. it shall be so; you shall receive all dues fit for the honour you have won; ’twbefore wrong else
go lead way you
I hope too wise for that, sir.
I hope too wise for that, sir.
i've hope too wise for that, sir.
i hope too wise
The Reckoning
A scene of sustained dramatic irony and delicious danger. Arcite is lying to the Duke's face about who he is, and everything he says is simultaneously false and true — he is gentle, he is a soldier, his father was honourable. The audience knows all of this. Theseus and Pirithous practically fall over themselves to compliment him. Emilia says his mother must have been beautiful. And then Pirithous — with wonderful, catastrophic generosity — assigns him to serve the woman he is risking his life to be near. The gods are giving Arcite exactly what he wanted, which in this play is the most dangerous thing that can happen.
If this happened today…
The disgraced investment banker has won the poker tournament. He's brought up to meet the sponsor — who turns out to be the CEO of his old firm, who never knew his face. The CEO is charmed by him, asks about his background, gets suitably vague answers, and then — because he's impressed and it's a festive occasion — assigns the young man to work directly with his daughter.