On "The Knight's Tale"

859-874

Duke Theseus as a great conqueror who

. . . conquered al the regne of Femenye,
That whylom was y-cleped Scithia,
And weddede the quene Ipolita

--He is at the height of his glory and power.

875-892

The Knight tells us that he could tell much more about the conquest of "the regne of Femenye" but he will be brief. -- Chaucer uses this technique of listing things he could say again, to great effect, in the Knight's account of Arcite's funeral.

893 - 904

Duke Theseus encounters the company of supplicant ladies. He is "In al his wele and in his most pryde," & therefore makes a contrast with the clamoring ladies who grab his bridle.

905-930

The eldest lady asks from Duke Theseus, "to whom Fortune hath yiven / Victory" (lines 915-916), "Some drope of pitee" (line 920) on the ladies, all of whom were formerly a duchess or queen, but now are "catifs," "Thanked be Fortune and hire false wheel" (line 925).