The stronge kyng Emetreus gan hente
This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite,
And made his swerd depe in his flessh to byte,
And by the force of twenty is he take
Unyolden, and ydrawen to the stake.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. Palamon demonstrates great bravery and fighting prowess, as it takes twenty men to capture him and even then he refuses to yield. But his capture means that he has lost the tournament and the prize of Emily’s hand goes to Arcite.