The Canterbury Tales: The Knight's Tale Strength and Skill Quotes Page 4

In this passage, the people at Theseus's court try to predict the outcome of tomorrow's joust judging by the physical appearance of the knights who have gathered for the battle. Just as Theseus did when he ordained the joust, though, the narrator in the end declares the outcome of it to be in the hands of fate.  He says the hall was full of "divynynge," implying that the people's attempts to predict the winner are just like a fortuneteller's efforts to divine the future.

This passage compares the battle-lust of Palamon and Arcite to the wrath of a tiger whose cub has been stolen, or a hunted lion that is crazy with hunger. Despite Theseus's attempt to turn Palamon and Arcite's anger with one another into a "civilized" joust, this passage betrays just how much animal anger and violence still lurks within the two men.

Here the narrator is parroting what the people at Theseus's court say about the losing team. Everyone tries to comfort them, and Palamon.  They're reminded that it's no dishonor to be taken to the stake when harried by twenty knights, or to fall from one's horse in the course of the joust – all of this is just par for the course. The narrator is trying to make the point that no one thinks less of Palamon because of his loss, and nor should we, the reader. He is just as good a fighter as ever.