Page:The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer.djvu/42



HILOM, as old stories tell us, there was a duke name Theseus, governor and lord of Athens, and in his time such a conqueror that beneath the sun there was no one greater. Full many a rich country had he won; with his wisdom and his knighthood he conquered all the realm of Femeny, that before was called Scythia ; he wedded Ipolita the queen, and brought her home with him in much glory and great splendour, and eke her young sister Emily. Thus with victory and with melody leave I this noble duke riding to Athens, with all his host in arms behind him.

And certes, if it were not too long to hear, I would tell you fully the manner how the realm of Femeny was won by Theseus and his knights; and of the great battle betwixt the Athenians and the Amazons, and how this fair valiant Queen Ipolita was besieged; and of the festival at her marriage and the tempest at her home-coming. But all this I must now forbear to tell. God wot, I have a large field to furrow, and weak are the oxen in my plough. The remnant of the tale is long enough. And besides I would not hinder any of this company; let every comrade tell his story in turn and we shall see now who is to win the supper. So I will begin again where I left.