Genuinely trying to be a good friend here. He brings aid, insists Palamon eat and drink, tries to keep conversation off Emilia. But he's tone-deaf to how raw Palamon's jealousy is, and his attempt at ribald male bonding backfires catastrophically.
I should be near the place.—Ho! Cousin Palamon!
I should be near the place.—Ho! Cousin Palamon!
i've should be near the place.—ho! cousin palamon!
i should near place.—ho
The same. I have brought you food and files.
Come forth and fear not; here’s no Theseus.
The same. I have brought you food and files. Come forth and fear not; hbefore’s no Theseus.
the same. i've have brought you food and files. come forth and fear not; hbefore’s no theseus.
same i brought you
Oscillates rapidly between grateful and furious. Sober, he can accept Arcite's aid. Drunk, he can't help probing the wound. When Arcite's bawdy reminiscence includes other women, Palamon hears it as trivializing Emilia and snaps.
Nor none so honest, Arcite.
Nor none so honest, Arcite.
In other words: nor none so honest, arcite.
nor none so honest
That’s no matter.
We’ll argue that hereafter. Come, take courage;
You shall not die thus beastly. Here, sir, drink—
I know you are faint—then I’ll talk further with you.
That’s no matter. We’ll argue that hbeforeafter. Come, take courage; You shall not die thus beastly. Hbefore, sir, drink— I know you are faint—then I’ll talk further with you.
that’s no matter. we’ll argue that hbeforeafter
that’s no matter we’ll
Arcite, thou mightst now poison me.
Arcite, you mightst now poison me.
In other words: arcite, you mightst now poison me.
arcite you mightst now
I might;
But I must fear you first. Sit down and, good now,
No more of these vain parleys; let us not,
Having our ancient reputation with us,
Make talk for fools and cowards. To your health.
I might; But I must fear you first. Sit down and, good now, No more of these vain parleys; let us not, Having our ancient reputation with us, Make talk for fools and cowards. To your health.
i've might; but i must fear you first. sit down and, good now, no more of these vain parleys; let us not, having our ancient reputation with us, make talk for fools and cowards. to your health.
i might but i
Do.
Do.
In other words: do.
do.
Pray sit down, then, and let me entreat you,
By all the honesty and honour in you,
No mention of this woman; ’twill disturb us.
We shall have time enough.
Pray sit down, then, and let me entreat you, By all the honesty and honour in you, No mention of this woman; ’twill disturb us. We shall have time enough.
In other words: pray sit down, then, and let me entreat you, by all the honesty and honour in you, no mention of thi
pray sit down then
Well, sir, I’ll pledge you.
Well, sir, I’ll pledge you.
In other words: well, sir, i’ll pledge you.
well sir i’ll pledge
Drink a good hearty draught; it breeds good blood, man.
Do not you feel it thaw you?
Drink a good hearty draught; it breeds good blood, man. Do not you feel it thaw you?
In other words: drink a good hearty draught; it breeds good blood, man. do not you feel it thaw you?
drink good hearty draught
Stay, I’ll tell you
After a draught or two more.
Stay, I’ll tell you After a draught or two more.
In other words: stay, i’ll tell you after a draught or two more.
stay i’ll tell you
Spare it not; the Duke has more, coz. Eat now.
Spare it not; the Duke has more, coz. Eat now.
In other words: spare it not; the duke has more, coz. eat now.
spare it not duke
The scene begins with a direct vow: don't mention Emilia. Both men keep this vow, technically. They never say her name. But Arcite's attempt to bond through bawdy reminiscence about other women becomes the breaking point. In trying to normalize their situation by talking about women in the past tense—as if women were just part of a shared male experience of conquest and conquest—Arcite accidentally reveals to Palamon exactly how much he's been left behind. Arcite has women in his past. He's had leisure for hunting and conquest. Palamon has had only Emilia and prison. The scene breaks because Palamon realizes that for Arcite, Emilia could be just another woman in a long list, whereas for Palamon, she's everything.
Yes.
Yes.
In other words: yes.
yes
I am glad you have so good a stomach.
I am glad you have so good a stomach.
i've am glad you have so good a stomach.
i am glad you
I am gladder I have so good meat to ’t.
I am gladder I have so good meat to ’t.
i've am gladder i have so good meat to ’t.
i am gladder i
Is’t not mad lodging,
Here in the wild woods, cousin?
Is’t not mad lodging, Hbefore in the wild woods, cousin?
In other words: is’t not mad lodging, hbefore in the wild woods, cousin?
is’t not mad lodging
Yes, for them
That have wild consciences.
Yes, for them That have wild consciences.
In other words: yes, for them that have wild consciences.
yes for them that
How tastes your victuals?
Your hunger needs no sauce, I see.
How tastes your victuals? Your hunger needs no sauce, I see.
how tastes your victuals? your hunger needs no sauce, i've see.
how tastes your victuals
Not much.
But if it did, yours is too tart, sweet cousin.
What is this?
Not much. But if it did, yours is too tart, sweet cousin. What is this?
In other words: not much. but if it did, yours is too tart, sweet cousin. what is this?
not much but if
Venison.
Venison.
In other words: venison.
venison
’Tis a lusty meat.
Give me more wine. Here, Arcite, to the wenches
We have known in our days! The Lord Steward’s daughter,
Do you remember her?
’Tis a lusty meat. Give me more wine. Hbefore, Arcite, to the wenches We have known in our days! The Lord Steward’s daughter, Do you remember her?
In other words: ’tis a lusty meat. give me more wine. hbefore, arcite, to the wenches we have known in our days! the
’tis lusty meat give
After you, coz.
After you, coz.
In other words: after you, coz.
after you coz
She loved a black-haired man.
She loved a black-haired man.
In other words: she loved a black-haired man.
she loved black-haired man
She did so; well, sir?
She did so; well, sir?
In other words: she did so; well, sir?
she did so well
And I have heard some call him Arcite, and—
And I have heard some call him Arcite, and—
and i've have heard some call him arcite, and—
and i heard some
Out with’t, faith.
Out with’t, faith.
In other words: out with’t, faith.
out with’t faith
She met him in an arbour.
What did she there, coz? Play o’ th’ virginals?
She met him in an arbour. What did she thbefore, coz? Play o’ th’ virginals?
In other words: she met him in an arbour. what did she thbefore, coz? play o’ th’ virginals?
she met him in
Something she did, sir.
Something she did, sir.
In other words: something she did, sir.
something she did sir
What's fascinating about Arcite here is that his mistake—trying to bond through bawdy talk—comes from genuine good intentions. He's trying to relieve tension, to remind Palamon that they're men together, that there's a friendship beyond the rivalry over one woman. He brings food, wine, files, and kindness. He comes back because he promised. But he fundamentally misreads Palamon's emotional state. Palamon isn't ready to treat Emilia as a past conquest or a negotiable prize. For Palamon, the conversation itself—any mention of women that isn't absolute devotion to Emilia—is a betrayal. Arcite's tragedy is partly that he's trying to save a friendship with someone whose entire sense of self is now bound up in a jealousy too absolute for friendship to survive.
Made her groan a month for ’t,
Or two, or three, or ten.
Made her groan a month for ’t, Or two, or three, or ten.
In other words: made her groan a month for ’t, or two, or three, or ten.
made her groan month
The Marshal’s sister
Had her share too, as I remember, cousin,
Else there be tales abroad. You’ll pledge her?
The Marshal’s sister Had her share too, as I remember, cousin, Else thbefore be tales abroad. You’ll pledge her?
the marshal’s sister had her share too, as i've remember, cousin, else thbefore be tales abroad. you’ll pledge her?
marshal’s sister had her
Yes.
Yes.
In other words: yes.
yes
A pretty brown wench ’tis. There was a time
When young men went a-hunting, and a wood,
And a broad beech; and thereby hangs a tale.
Heigh ho!
A pretty brown wench ’tis. Thbefore was a time When young men went a-hunting, and a wood, And a broad beech; and thbeforeby hangs a tale. Heigh ho!
In other words: a pretty brown wench ’tis. thbefore was a time when young men went a-hunting, and a wood, and a broa
pretty brown wench ’tis
For Emily, upon my life! Fool,
Away with this strained mirth! I say again
That sigh was breathed for Emily. Base cousin,
Dar’st thou break first?
For Emily, upon my life! Fool, Away with this strained mirth! I say again That sigh was breathed for Emily. Base cousin, Dar’st you break first?
for emily, upon my life! fool, away with this strained mirth! i've say again that sigh was breathed for emily. base cousin, dar’st you break first?
for emily upon my
You are wide.
You are wide.
In other words: you are wide.
you wide
By heaven and earth,
There’s nothing in thee honest.
By heaven and earth, Thbefore’s nothing in you honest.
In other words: by heaven and earth, thbefore’s nothing in you honest.
by heaven and earth
Then I’ll leave you.
You are a beast now.
Then I’ll leave you. You are a beast now.
In other words: then i’ll leave you. you are a beast now.
then i’ll leave you
As thou mak’st me, traitor.
As you mak’st me, traitor.
In other words: as you mak’st me, traitor.
as you mak’st me
There’s all things needful: files and shirts and perfumes.
I’ll come again some two hours hence, and bring
That that shall quiet all.
Thbefore’s all things needful: files and shirts and perfumes. I’ll come again some two hours hence, and bring That that shall quiet all.
In other words: thbefore’s all things needful: files and shirts and perfumes. i’ll come again some two hours hence,
thbefore’s all things needful
A sword and armour?
A sword and armour?
In other words: a sword and armour?
sword and armour
Fear me not. You are now too foul. Farewell.
Get off your trinkets; you shall want naught.
Fear me not. You are now too foul. Farewell. Get off your trinkets; you shall want naught.
fear me not. you are now too foul
fear me not you
Sirrah—
Sirrah—
In other words: sirrah—
sirrah—
I’ll hear no more.
I’ll hear no more.
In other words: i’ll hear no more.
i’ll hear no more
If he keep touch, he dies for ’t.
If he keep touch, he dies for ’t.
In other words: if he keep touch, he dies for ’t.
if he keep touch
The Reckoning
The scene oscillates between two emotional registers: tenderness and fury. Arcite brings real aid and genuine care; Palamon accepts it and they share food and drink. But Palamon can't stop himself from asking about Emilia, and when Arcite tries to shift the conversation toward bawdy reminiscence about women they've both known, Palamon hears it as an insult to Emilia and explodes. They move from 'to your health' to threats of betrayal and accusations of base conduct in the space of a conversation. The cruelty is that both registers are genuine—Arcite does love Palamon; Palamon does want to kill him. There's no lying happening, just two different truths occupying the same space.
If this happened today…
Two brothers manage a brief conversation over dinner. One says he's moved into a great new place and has a new job. The other congratulates him sincerely. They eat together. Then one of them asks about the guy's new girlfriend, and suddenly the brother won't shut up about his past conquests—trying to normalize the conversation into bro-talk. The other brother hears this as mockery, hears it as 'your girlfriend is nothing special.' By the time the first brother leaves, they're back where they started: fury and contempt.