Baba Brinkman - The Knight's Tale (Scene 2) lyrics

For two long years in the city of Thebes Arcite remained, weeping piteously Until he was finally ready to leave And he looked in a mirror, and in it he could see That his face had been altered so hideously From grief that it seemed he had a deadly disease He was so different to see that he wasn't turned away When Arcite at last returned to stay In Athens, and was fast to learn the ways Of breaking his back for a servant's wage Making him act like an earnest page And gradually he earned the praise Of everyone concerned, and made Sure his plans were firmly laid; For Emilye he yearned and prayed But never said a word, afraid Now, for seven long years, I aim to tell How Palamon stayed, chained in his cell; This wretched prisoner remained to dwell In darkness, and felt the flames of hell Tortured and stretched, in pain, until One fortunate night he came to fill His jailer's drink with these strange pills So the guard became ill, since the dope was made From local opiates, and so he escaped He was sorely afraid, but slowly he made His lonely way to a grove where he stayed Unexposed in the shade and laid low for a day Arcite that morning made no delay And rode out from court so he could pay Respect to the sport and frequent play That people seek in May And he came by chance To aim his lance into those same high stands of trees And began to complain on his hands and knees And said “I can't believe I came from royalty And my family's name will be destroyed in me! Emilye's to blame for spoiling me! She's tempting me to shamefully toil and be My enemy's page, and change my loyalty!” Palamon's blood nearly boiled as he Crouched and listened joylessly To this pointless speech; so annoyed was he That he jumped up and uncoiled to speak: “I hate to spoil the deceit you've created in court And interrupt the life you betrayed me for But this is what I have been waiting for: Waging war to decide who loves the lady more!” Arcite bared the blade of his sword And gravely gave his brave retort: “Has love so clouded your perception That without any sort of weapon You would dare come forth and step in To this place to make war and threaten?” But Arcite was bound by his high honour To go back in to town, and provide armour For his opponent, who would choose the best With clothes and food at his request And then rest for the night, since those were his dues In the case of a feud, and his right And Arcite well knew he could never refuse On the truth of his oath as a knight Both awoke at first light and, the greetings refuted They helped one another to stand and get suited Like brothers and, swords distributed They fought, ‘til their guts were entangled In knots, getting ruptured and mangled ‘Til it got where they stood up to their ankles In pools of their blood And they ought to've been thankful That Theseus, hunting as he was accustomed Entered the grove and there came across them With all of his women arranged in procession; Ypolita and Emilye were in his possession And seeing them, bravely he pulled out his weapon And rode safely forth on his horse to arrest them: He said “Drop your swords, on pain of d**h! You both will now be slain, unless I find out who's to blame for this mess; Now give me the two of your names and confess!” Palamon, with what remained of his breath Did his best to be plain and explain his distress: “I am Palamon, seeking your prison to flee And this is my brother, my sworn enemy Arcite, concealing his identity Who swears he's in love with the fair Emilye Who I love as well, so there's no remedy As she tenderly watches your sword rending me; Since we both deserve condemned to be k** him first, and turn your sword then to me!” With wisdom, compa**ion, and great sympathy Theseus answered: “This makes sense to me And by your confession you must die instantly!” But the women began to cry and weep As blood in front of their eyes did seep From the brothers' wounds both wide and deep; They fell to pray beside his feet “Have mercy, lord, upon us all!” The ladies whispered quietly And when he heard their pious pleas Duke Theseus felt his pride appeased And forgave the knights their rivalry So wise was he that he thus decreed They must be freed, which was agreed By all to be a just deed Plus, the brothers' lust to please Theseus generously accorded That one of them would be awarded Emilye, once they had sorted Out the victor of this sordid Conflict, at the time afforded The duel was set for one year hence And each would bring for his defense A hundred knights to guard against His brother's vengeance and dispense With justice, then home they went And each, received with welcome, spent The year in Thebes, both well content