It is hard to find words to tell about the great fight that followed. Horses fell and rose, and men fell.
From time to time servants brought food and drink to the fighters. The battle went on all day. Suddenly Palamon was taken prisoner. That was the end of the fight.
Duke Theseus said, “Arcite will have Emily. He has won her in this long day’s battle!”
The people cried out, “Arcite! Arcite! Arcite is the winner!”
Before the battle, the goddess Venus had told Palamon, “I will help you.” So now she was unhappy. She went to her father, Saturn. Saturn listened to her. Then he said, “My dear daughter, it will be all right. Wait and see.”
There was loud music as Arcite rode down the battlefield towards Emily. He liked up at her and she looked down at him. She thought, “He is a brave and beautiful young man! I believe I could love him and marry him!” Suddenly, something made his horse afraid. It sprang into the air and then it fell. Arcite was thrown to the ground. He lay still; his face was covered with blood. They carried him gently to Theseus’ house and laid him on a bed.
The doctors came. At first they thought, “Arcite will not die.” But Arcite’s wounds became worse and worse. Then they said, “The wounds are too deep. He will die.”
They told Arcite that he was going to die. Then he sent for Palamon and Emily. He said to Emily, “I have loved you so mush. I have been unhappy because of you. Now I must lay down my life for you.”
Then he turned to Palamon and said, “I have had mush unhappiness because of you, but now death ends everything. Perhaps it is the best way.” Then he turned to Emily and said, “Emily, if you want to be a wife, think of Palamon. Emily and Palamon! It will make me happy in the other world.”
He closed and his eyes. Death was near. His eyes became dark, but at the very end he looked up at Emily and said her name.
All the people of the city wept for Arcite for many days.
Time makes most things better. Months went by.
The people of Athens had often fought with the people of Thebes, but now they wanted to be friends. So Duke Theseus sent for Palamon.
Palamon came. He was wearing black clothes for his lost friend, Arcite. Then the duke said, “Put an end to your unhappiness. You will not forget Arcite, but you can still be happy. Don’t you remember that Arcite said to Emily, ‘If you want to be a wife, think of Palamon.’ Does that not make you a little happier?”
The duke called for Emily and took her hand. “Sister,” he said, “I will tell you the wish of all my people. If you love Palamon and marry him, then we in Athens will be friendly with the people of Thebes. Take good Palamon and marry him. He has loved you for a long time.”
He said to Palamon, “Take this lady by the hand. She will be your own dear wife.”
So Palamon and Emily were married and lived happily ever after. The people of Athens and Thebes were friends again.
All the pilgrims said, “That was a beautiful story.”
“Yes,” said the host. “We have made a good beginning.”
Some pilgrims told other stories. Then the host turned to the clerk of Oxford. He said, “You haven’t said a word since we started. Perhaps you’ve been thinking about your books. Now think about us, and think of a good story to tell us.”
The Clerk of Oxford was learning to be a priest. He loved books, and he also loved to teach people about the things that he read. He was very poor; his clothes were old and had many holes in them because he had no money. He and his horse never had enough food.