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.Theseus and his company, still hunting, come upon the duelers.Theseus is furious, for dueling is against the law.He says, angrily, even before he knows the identity of the fighters:By Castor, both shall die.—Act III, scene vi, line 137It is unusual to swear by Castor alone, for he is one of an inseparable pair, Castor and Polydeuces (or Pollux).They were twin brothers who were the model of fraternal affection.They were born of Leda and were brothers of Helen, whose beauty later caused the Trojan War.To swear by Castor is inappropriate for another reason, for Castor and his twin brother were contemporaries of Theseus and were still alive.They had not yet attained the status of gods.In any case, Theseus' vow does not stand.Everyone, Pirithous, Hippolyta, and Emilia, pleads with him to let the warriors fight it out.Since Emilia refuses to choose between them but offers to accept the winner- quite in line with the conventions of courtly love-Theseus gives them a month's grace and then each, accompanied by three friends apiece, can join battle formally for the hand of the lady.… as IrisThe Jailer's mad Daughter is back at home now and her faithful Wooer comes anxiously to learn of her.He had seen her roaming the countryside in her madness and had found her as beautiful… as IrisNewly dropped down from heaven.-Act IV, scene i, lines 87-88The name "Iris" means "rainbow" and she was the representation of that phenomenon.Since the rainbow seems like a delicate bridge in the sky, it was easy to imagine that it served as a route between heaven and earth.From the route itself, the name was applied to a messenger who plied that route, and Iris was therefore a messenger, carrying divine orders to mortals and serving Juno (Hera) in particular.wanton GanymedeEmilia has her problems.She is distressed that either Palamon or Arcite should die for her.She could prevent it if only she could choose between them, but she can't She has a picture of each, and each she in turns admires.Of Arcite, she says:Just such another wanton GanymedeSet Jove a-fire with and enforced the godSnatch up the goodly boy.—Act IV, scene ii, lines 15-16Ganymede, in the Greek myths, was a beautiful Trojan prince, with whom Jupiter (Zeus) fell in love.Jupiter took on the guise of an eagle and carried Ganymede off, taking him to heaven where he became the wine pourer of the gods.This is another case of homosexuality attributed to the gods, as in the case of Apollo and Hyacinthus (see page I-15)-this time of Jupiter himself.The use of Jove for Jupiter, as in this passage, is common.Jove is from a Latin word that means simply "god."… Pelops" shoulderOf Arcite's brow, Emilia goes on to say that it isArched like the great-eyed Juno's, but far sweeter,Smoother than Pelops" shoulder!—Act IV, scene ii, lines 20-21Pelops was the son whom Tantalus killed and served as food for the gods (see page I-13).The gods recognized what was being served them and, with one exception, did not eat of the food.The exception was Deme-ter, who, sorrowing over Proserpina (see page I-7), had absent-mindedly eaten some of the shoulder.The gods, in bringing Pelops back to life, replaced the missing part with ivory so that Pelops' shoulder served, in literature, as a standard for smoothness.—But then Emilia looks at Palamon's picture and thinks he is equally wonderful.She cannot choose.… a piece of silver.While this is going on, the Jailer has brought a doctor to treat his mad daughter.All she can do is talk of Palamon, nothing but Palamon.She thinks Palamon is dead and that in the next world Dido will abandon Aeneas (see page I-20) for Palamon's sake.The reference to Dido is as anachronistic here as it was in A Midsummer Night's Dream.She seems to be thinking of death herself, to join Palamon in the after-world.This requires certain rites, of course:… you must bring a piece of silveron the tip of your tongue, or no ferry.—Act IV, scene iii, lines 19-21The Greeks felt that Charon, the ferrier of the underworld, would not take a shade over the Styx River into Hades unless he were paid, and for the purpose a small coin was usually placed in the corpse's mouth.… pick flowers with Proserpine …The Daughter imagines that once in the Elysian Fields (see page I-13), all would be well:we shall come there, and do nothing all day longbut pick flowers with Proserpine.Then will I make Palamon a nose gay…—Act IV, scene iii, lines 24-26Proserpina was picking flowers when she was carried off by Hades (see page I-7) and that action is therefore associated with her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]