Gob. Bacurius, I must ease you of your charge.—
Madam, the wonted mercy of the king,
That overtakes your faults, has met with this,
And struck it out; he has forgiven you freely.
Your own will is your law; be where you please.

Ara. I thank him.

Gob. You will be ready
To wait upon his majesty to-morrow?

Ara. I will.

Bac. Madam, be wise, hereafter. I am glad
I have lost this office.

[Exit Arane.

Gob. Good captain Bessus, tell us the discourse
Betwixt Tigranes and our king, and how
We got the victory.

Pan. I pr’ythee do;
And if my brother were in any danger,
Let not thy tale make him abide there long,
Before thou bring him off; for all that while
My heart will beat.

Bes. Madam, let what will beat, I must tell truth, and thus it was: They fought single in lists, but one to one. As for my own part, I was dangerously hurt but three days before; else, perhaps, we had been two to two; I cannot tell, some thought we had. And the occasion of my hurt was this: the enemy had made trenches—

Gob. Captain, without the manner of your hurt
Be much material to this business,
We’ll hear’t some other time.

Pan. I pr’ythee, leave it, and go on with my brother.

Bes. I will; but ’twould be worth your hearing. To the lists they came, and single sword and gauntlet was their fight.

Pan. Alas!

Bes. Without the lists there stood some dozen captains of either side mingled, all which were sworn, and one of those was I; And ’twas my chance to stand next a captain of the enemies’ side, call’d Tiribasus; valiant, they said, he was. Whilst these two kings were stretching themselves, this Tiribasus cast something a scornful look on me, and ask’d me, whom I thought would overcome? I smiled, and told him, if he would fight with me, he should perceive by the event of that whose king would win. Something he answer’d, and a scuffle was like to grow, when one Zipetus offered to help him: I—

Pan. All this of is thyself: I pr’ythee, Bessus,
Tell something of my brother; did he nothing?

Bes. Why, yes; I’ll tell your grace. They were not to fight till the word given; which for my own part, by my troth, I was not to give.

Pan. See, for his own part!

Bac. I fear, yet, this fellow’s abused with a good report.

Bes. Ay, but I—

Pan. Still of himself!

Bes. Cried, “Give the word;” when, as some of them say, Tigranes was stooping; but the word was not given then: yet one Cosroes, of the enemies’ part, held up his finger to me, which is as much with us