Quarto
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Cornets. A Battaile strooke withim: Then a Retrait: | Cornets. A battle struck within; then a retreat. | | TNK I.iv.1.1.1 | |
| Florish. Then Enter Theseus (victor) the three Queenes meete him, | Flourish. Then enter Theseus, victor, with Herald and | | TNK I.iv.1.2 | |
| and fall on their faces before him. | attendants, and Palamon and Arcite brought in on | | TNK I.iv.1.3 | |
| [printed in the margin earlier] Hearses ready with Palamon and Arcite: | hearses. The three Queens meet him, and fall on their | | TNK I.iv.1.4 | |
| the 3. Queenes. Theseus: and his Lordes ready. | faces before him | | TNK I.iv.1.5 | |
| 1. Qu. | FIRST QUEEN | | | |
| To thee no starre be darke. | To thee no star be dark. | dark (adj.) unfavourable, malignant, evil | TNK I.iv.1.1 | |
| 2. Qu. | SECOND QUEEN | | | |
| Both heaven and earth | Both heaven and earth | | TNK I.iv.1.2 | |
| Friend thee for ever. | Friend thee for ever. | friend (v.)befriend, sustain, assist | TNK I.iv.2.1 | |
| 3. Qu. | THIRD QUEEN | | | |
| All the good that may | All the good that may | | TNK I.iv.2.2 | |
| Be wishd upon thy head, I cry Amen too't. | Be wished upon thy head, I cry amen to't. | | TNK I.iv.3 | |
| Thes. | THESEUS | | | |
| Th'imparciall Gods, who from the mounted heavens | Th' impartial gods, who from the mounted heavens | mounted (adj.)exalted, high, lofty | TNK I.iv.4 | |
| View us their mortall Heard, behold who erre, | View us their mortal herd, behold who err, | | TNK I.iv.5 | |
| And in their time chastice: goe and finde out | And in their time chastise. Go and find out | | TNK I.iv.6 | |
| The bones of your dead Lords, and honour them | The bones of your dead lords, and honour them | | TNK I.iv.7 | |
| With treble Ceremonie, rather then a gap | With treble ceremony; rather than a gap | | TNK I.iv.8 | |
| Should be in their deere rights, we would suppl'it. | Should be in their dear rights, we would supply't. | dear (adj.)noble, honourable, worthy | TNK I.iv.9 | |
| But those we will depute, which shall invest | But those we will depute which shall invest | | TNK I.iv.10 | |
| You in your dignities, and even each thing | You in your dignities, and even each thing | even (v.)make good, settle, put straight | TNK I.iv.11 | |
| Our hast does leave imperfect; So adiew | Our haste does leave imperfect. So adieu, | | TNK I.iv.12 | |
| And heavens good eyes looke on you, | And heaven's good eyes look on you. | | TNK I.iv.13 | |
| Exeunt Queenes. | Exeunt Queens with attendants | | TNK I.iv.13 | |
| what are those? | What are those? | | TNK I.iv.14.1 | |
| Herald. | HERALD | | | |
| Men of great quality, as may be judgd | Men of great quality, as may be judged | quality (n.)rank, standing, position | TNK I.iv.14.2 | |
| By their appointment; Some of Thebs have told's | By their appointment; some of Thebes have told's | Thebes (n.)[theebz] city-state in Boeotia, SE Greece; associated with wisdom and learning | TNK I.iv.15 | |
| | appointment (n.)equipment, effects, weaponry | | |
| They are Sisters children, Nephewes to the King. | They are sisters' children, nephews to the King. | | TNK I.iv.16 | |
| Thes. | THESEUS | | | |
| By'th Helme of Mars, I saw them in the war, | By th' helm of Mars, I saw them in the war, | helm (n.)helmet | TNK I.iv.17 | |
| | Mars (n.)Roman god of war | | |
| Like to a paire of Lions, smeard with prey, | Like to a pair of lions, smeared with prey, | | TNK I.iv.18 | |
| Make lanes in troopes agast. I fixt my note | Make lanes in troops aghast. I fixed my note | note (n.)attention, notice, regard | TNK I.iv.19 | |
| | lane (n.)path, passage, way | | |
| Constantly on them; for they were a marke | Constantly on them, for they were a mark | mark (n.)notable sight, object of serious attention | TNK I.iv.20 | |
| Worth a god's view: what prisoner was't that told me | Worth a god's view. What prisoner was't that told me | | TNK I.iv.21 | |
| When I enquired their names? | When I inquired their names? | | TNK I.iv.22.1 | |
| Herald. | HERALD | | | |
| We leave, they'r called | Wi' leave, they're called | | TNK I.iv.22.2 | |
| Arcite and Palamon, | Arcite and Palamon. | | TNK I.iv.23.1 | |
| Thes. | THESEUS | | | |
| Tis right, those, those | 'Tis right; those, those. | | TNK I.iv.23.2 | |
| They are not dead? | They are not dead? | | TNK I.iv.24 | |
| Her. | HERALD | | | |
| Nor in a state of life, had they bin taken | Nor in a state of life; had they been taken | | TNK I.iv.25 | |
| When their last hurts were given, twas possible | When their last hurts were given, 'twas possible | | TNK I.iv.26 | |
| They might have bin recovered; Yet they breathe | They might have been recovered. Yet they breathe, | recover (v.)revive, restore to health | TNK I.iv.27 | |
| And haue the name of men. | And have the name of men. | | TNK I.iv.28.1 | |
| Thes. | THESEUS | | | |
| Then like men use'em | Then like men use 'em. | use (v.)treat, deal with, manage | TNK I.iv.28.2 | |
| The very lees of such (millions of rates) | The very lees of such, millions of rates, | rate (n.)quantity, amount, instance | TNK I.iv.29 | |
| | lees (n.)(plural) dregs, remains, remnants | | |
| Exceede the wine of others: all our Surgions | Exceed the wine of others. All our surgeons | | TNK I.iv.30 | |
| Convent in their behoofe, our richest balmes | Convent in their behoof; our richest balms, | convent (v.)bring together, assemble, convene | TNK I.iv.31 | |
| | behoof (n.)benefit, advantage | | |
| Rather then niggard wast, their lives concerne us, | Rather than niggard, waste; their lives concern us | niggard (v.)begrudge, hoard, use sparingly | TNK I.iv.32 | |
| Much more then Thebs is worth, rather then have 'em | Much more than Thebes is worth. Rather than have 'em | | TNK I.iv.33 | |
| Freed of this plight, and in their morning state | Freed of this plight and in their morning state, | | TNK I.iv.34 | |
| (Sound and at liberty) I would 'em dead, | Sound and at liberty, I would 'em dead; | | TNK I.iv.35 | |
| But forty thousand fold, we had rather have 'em | But forty-thousandfold we had rather have 'em | | TNK I.iv.36 | |
| Prisoners to us, then death; Beare 'em speedily | Prisoners to us then death. Bear 'em speedily | | TNK I.iv.37 | |
| From our kinde aire, to them unkinde, and minister | From our kind air, to them unkind, and minister | kind (adj.)friendly, agreeable, pleasant | TNK I.iv.38 | |
| What man to man may doe for our sake more, | What man to man may do – for our sake, more, | | TNK I.iv.39 | |
| Since I have knowne frights, fury, friends, beheastes, | Since I have known frights, fury, friends' behests, | | TNK I.iv.40 | |
| Loves, provocations, zeale, a mistris Taske, | Love's provocations, zeal, a mistress' task, | | TNK I.iv.41 | |
| Desire of liberty, a feavour, madnes, | Desire of liberty, a fever, madness, | | TNK I.iv.42 | |
| Hath set a marke which nature could not reach too | Hath set a mark which nature could not reach to | mark (n.)target, goal, aim | TNK I.iv.43 | |
| | nature (n.)natural powers, normal state [of mind and body] | | |
| Without some imposition, sicknes in will | Without some imposition, sickness in will | imposition (n.)extra burden, additional demand | TNK I.iv.44 | |
| Or wrastling strength in reason, for our Love | O'erwrestling strength in reason. For our love | overwrestle , over-wrestle (v.)surpass, outdo, exceed | TNK I.iv.45 | |
| And great Appollos mercy, all our best, | And great Apollo's mercy, all our best | | TNK I.iv.46 | |
| Their best skill tender. Leade into the Citty, | Their best skill tender. Lead into the city, | | TNK I.iv.47 | |
| Where having bound things scatterd, we will post | Where having bound things scattered, we will post | post (v.)hasten, speed, ride fast | TNK I.iv.48 | |
| To Athens for our Army. | To Athens 'fore our army. | | TNK I.iv.49 | |
| Florish. Exeunt. | Flourish. Exeunt | | TNK I.iv.49 | |