THE KNIGHT'S TALE
At the next hour of Mars hereafter, Arcite walked unto the temple of Mars the fierce, to do his sacrifice with all the rites of his pagan manner. With high devotion and heart devout he said his orison to the god right thus: "O strong god, that in the cold realms of Thrace art honoured and held for lord, and in every country and every realm hast in thine hand all the bridle of arms and disposest their fortunes as thou wilt, accept of me my devout sacrifice. If so be my youth may have merit and my might be worthy to serve thy godhead, that I may be one of thine, I pray thee to have pity of my grief; remembering that pain and that hot fire in which thou whilom burnedst for the beauty of Venus the fair and fresh and young; although once it mishapped thee on a time, when Vulcanus had caught thee in his net, alas! For that sorrow which was in thine heart, have ruth upon my pains as well. I am young, thou knowest, and uncunning, and with love most tormented, as I trow, of any creature living ; for she that maketh me to endure all this woe recketh never whether I sink or float. And well I wot that I must win her by strength upon the field, ere she will show me favour, and well I wot without help or grace of thee my strength may not avail. Then help me, lord, in my battle for that fire in which thou whilom burnedst as now it burneth me, and grant me victory on the morrow. Mine be the travail and thine be the glory. Thy sovereign temple will I most honour of all places, and alway toil most in thy pleasure and thy strong arts, and in thy temple I will hang my banner and all the arms of my company, and I will maintain eternal fire before thee evermore, until the day I die. And eke I bind me to this vow, my beard and my hair I will give thee, that hang down long and never yet
felt offence of razor or of shears, and I will be thy true servant
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