So
he clad himself as a labourer, and went with one squire to Athens, and
offered his service at the court, where for a year or two he was page of
the chamber to Emilia, and passed under the name of Philostrate. And in the
course of time he was so honoured that Theseus took notice of him, and made
him squire of his own chamber, and maintained him nobly.
Meantime Palamon had lain seven years in prison, when it befel on the third
day of May (as the old books that tell this story say) that, aided by a
friend, he broke prison, having given his gaoler to drink of drugged wine,
and so fled the city, and lay hid in a grove. Hither by chance came Arcite
to do observance to May; and first Palamon heard him sing
"Wel-come be thou, faire fresshe May;
I hope that I som grene gete may,"
and thereafter fall into a study, as lovers will, lamenting his hard fate
that he should be passing under a false name, and daily be slain by the
eyes of Emilia. Whereat Palamon started up, and reproached him, and
challenged him to fight; and Arcite answered him no less boldly, saying he
would bring him arms and weapons on the morrow, as well as meat and drink
and bedding for the night.
So on the morrow the two donned their harness, helping each other to arm,
and then fell a-fighting, Palamon like a wild lion, and Arcite like a cruel
tiger, till they were ankle-deep in blood.
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