his knight, Philostrate, is thy mortal foe, whom thou hast
banished. He is Arcite, who hath deceived thee for that he loveth
Emelia. And I too love her. I too am thy mortal foe, for I am Palamon,
and I have broken from my prison. Slay us then, here before fair
Emelia."

"That is easily granted," said Theseus. "Ye judge yourselves. Ye shall
die."

Then the queen began to weep, and Emelia too. They were sad to think
that these two princes should die so young, and all for the service
they wished to do to the queen's sister.

The other ladies of the court begged the Duke to forgive the fighters.
"Have mercy, sire," they urged, "on us women, and save the princes!"

At first Theseus was too angry to listen to them, but soon he thought
that he would have done as the princes had done, if he had been in
their place, so he said, "Arcite and Palamon, ye could both have lived
in peace and safety in Thebes, yet love has brought you here to Athens
into my power, who am your deadly foe. Here then for the sake of
Hippolyta, my queen, and of Emelia the Radiant, our dear sister, I
forgive you both. Promise never to make war on my land, but to yield
me your friendship evermore." Joyfully the princes promised this, and
thanked the Duke for his grace.

Then Theseus said, "Both of you are noble. Either might wed Emelia the
Radiant, but she cannot wed you both. Therefore I appoint a tournament
in this place a year hence. Come here then, ye Princes of Thebes, each
of you, with a hundred knights of the bravest, and that one of you,
who shall slay or capture the other, he shall wed Emelia."

Whose face could be brighter than was Palamon's when he heard those
words, and who could step more lightly than did Arcite? Every one
thanked the Duke for his kindness to the princes, while they rode off
to Thebes with high hopes and light hearts.

When the day of the tournament came, great buildings stood in a circle
on the plain beside the grove. Within them stretched an immense arena
in which the knights must fight. Great marble gates opened on to the
space at either side.

Palamon and Arcite found it easy to bring a hundred knights to Athens.
So splendid were the preparations for the tournament that every one
was eager to fight in it.

Emelia alone was sad as the day of the fighting came nearer. Her
maidens heard her say, "Oh that I might not wed at all! I love the
free life of the woods. I love to hunt, and to ride, and to roam. Why
cannot P