He wepeth, wayleth, crieth pitously;
To sleen hymself he waiteth prively.
He seyde, "Allas that day that I was born!
Now is my prisoun worse than biforn;
Now is me shape eternally to dwelle
Noght in purgatorie, but in helle.
Allas, that evere knew I Perotheus!"
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. On his release from prison and banishment from Athens, Arcite is distraught at having to leave behind the woman he loves, Emily. He feels he is now in an even worse prison. Separated from Emily he is not in Purgatory, but in Hell. He wishes he had never known Perotheus, who was instrumental in having him freed from prison. Arcite’s speech is full of dramatic irony.