The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare. With a Glossary

I'll send the fool to Ajax, and desire him
To invite the Trojan lords after the combat,

To see us here unarm'd: I have a woman's longing,
An appetite that I am sick withal,

To see great Hector in his weeds of peace;
To talk with him, and to behold his visage,
Even to my full of view. A labour sav'd!
Enter Thersites.

Ther. A wonder!

Achil. What?

Ane. Is the prince there in person?-
Had I so good occasion to lie long,

As you, prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business
Should rob my bed-mate of my company.
[Æneas.
Dio. That's my mind too.-Good morrow, lord
Par. A valiant Greek, Æneas; take his hand:
Witness the process of your speech, wherein
You told-how Diomed, a whole week by days,
Did haunt you in the field.
Æne.
Health to you, valiant sir,
During all question of the gentle truce:

Ther. Ajax goes up and down the field, asking for But when I meet you arm'd, as black defiance,

himself.

Achil. How so?

Ther. He must fight singly to-morrow with Hector; and is so prophetically proud of an heroical cudgelling, that he raves in saying nothing. Achil. How can that be?

Ther. Why, he stalks up and down like a peacock, a stride and a stand: ruminates, like an hostess, that hath no arithmetic but her brain to set

As heart can think, or courage execute.

Our bloods are now in calm; and, so long, health:
Dio. The one and other Diomed embraces.
But when contention and occasion meet,
By Jove, I'll play the hunter for thy life,
With all my force, pursuit, and policy.

down her reckoning bites his lip with a politic re-
gard, as who should say-there were wit in this
head, an 'twould out; and so there is; but it lies as
coldly in him as fire in a flint, which will not show
without knocking. The man's undone for ever; for
if Hector break not his neck i'the combat, he'll break
it himself in vainglory. He knows not me: I said,
Good morrow, Ajax; and he replies, Thanks, Aga-
memnon. What think you of this man, that takes
me for the general? He is grown a very land-fish,
languageless, a monster. A plague of opinion! a
man may wear it on both sides, like a leather jerkin.
Achil. Thou must be my ambassador to him, Ther-What business, lord, so early?

Ene. And thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly
With his face backward.-In humane gentleness,
Welcome, indeed! By Venus' hand I swear,
Welcome to Troy! now, by Anchises' life,
No man alive can love, in such a sort,
The thing he means to kill more excellently.
If to my sword his fate be not the glory,
Dio. We sympathize:-Jove, let Æneas live,
But, in mine emulous honour, let him die,
A thousand complete courses of the sun!
With every joint a wound; and that to-morrow!
Ene. We know each other well.

sites.

Ther. Who, I? why, he'll answer nobody; he professes not answering; speaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue in his arms. I will put on his presence; let Patroclus make demands to me, you shall see the pageant of Ajax.

Achil. To him, Patroclus: Tell him,-I humbly desire the valiant Ajax, to invite the most valorous Hector to come unarmed to my tent; and to procure safe conduct for his person, of the magnanimous, and most illustrious, six-or-seven-times-honoured captain-general of the Grecian army, Agamemnon. Do this.

Patr. Jove bless great Ajax.

Ther. Humph!

Patr. I come from the worthy Achilles,
Ther. Ha!

Patr. Who most humbly desires you, to invite

Hector to his tent ;

Ther. Humph!

Dio. We do; and long to know each other worse.
The noblest hateful love, that e'er I heard of.-
Par. This is the most despiteful gentle greeting,

[know not.

Ene. I was sent for to the king; but why, I
To Calchas' house; and there to render him, [Greek
Par. His purpose meets you: 'Twas to bring this
For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid:
Let's have your company; or, if you please,
(Or, rather, call my thought a certain knowledge),
Haste there before us: I constantly do think
My brother Troilus lodges there to-night;
Rouse him, and give him note of our approach,
With the whole quality wherefore : I fear,
We shall be much unwelcome.

Ene.
That I assure you;
Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece,
Than Cressid borne from Troy.

Par.

There is no help;

[Exit.

The bitter disposition of the time
Will have it so. On, lord; we'll follow you.
Ene. Good morrow, all.
Par. And tell me, noble Diomed; 'faith, tell me
Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship,- [true,

Patr. And to procure safe conduct from Agamemnon. Who, in your thoughts, merits fair Helen best,

Ther. Agamemnon?

Myself, or Menelaus ?

Dio.
Both alike:
He merits well to have her, that doth seek her
(Not making any scruple of her soilure),
With such a hell of pain, and world of charge;
And you as well to keep her, that defend her
With such a costly loss of wealth and friends:
(Not palating the taste of her dishonour),
He, like a puling cuckold, would drink up
The lees and dregs of flat tamed piece;
You, like a lecher, out of whorish loins
Are pleas'd to breed out your inheritors:
Both merits pois'd, each weighs nor less nor more;
But he as he, the heavier for a whore.

Par. You are too bitter to your countrywoman.
Dio. She's bitter to her country: Hear me, Paris,-
A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple
For every false drop in her bawdy veins
Of her contaminated carrion weight,

A Trojan hath been slain: since she could speak,
She hath not given so many good words breath,
As for her Greeks and Trojans suffer'd death.

Par. Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do,
Dispraise the thing that you desire to buy:
But we in silence hold this virtue well,
We'll not commend what we intend to sell.
Here lies our way.

The same.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Court before the House of Pandarus.
Enter Troilus and Cressida.

Tro. Dear, trouble not yourself; the morn is cold.
Cres. Then, sweet my lord, I'll call mine uncle
He shall unbolt the gates.
[down;
Tro.

Trouble him not;

Are you aweary of me?
Tro. O Cressida! but that the busy day,
Wak'd by the lark, hath rous'd the ribald crows,
And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer,
I would not from thee.
Cres.

Night hath been too brief. Tro. Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she stays,

As tediously as hell; but flies the grasps of love,
With wings more momentary swift than thought.
You will catch cold, and curse me.

Cres.

You men will never tarry.

A plague upon Antenor: I would, they had broke's neck! Enter Cressida.

Cres. How now? What is the matter? Who was Pan. Ah, ah! [here? Cres. Why sigh you so profoundly? where's my lord Tell me, sweet uncle, what's the matter?

[gone? Pan. 'Would I were as deep under the earth as l am above!

Cres. O the gods!-what's the matter?

Pan. Pr'ythee, get thee in ; 'Would thou hadst ne'er been born! I knew, thou wouldst be his death; -O poor gentleman !-A plague upon Antenor ! Cres. Good uncle, I beseech you on my knees,

I beseech you, what's the matter?

Pan. Thou must be gone, wench, thou most be Pr'ythee, tarry-gone; thou art changed for Antenor: thou must to thy father, and be gone from Troilus; 'twill be his death; 'twill be his bane; he cannot bear it.

O foolish Cressid !-I might have still held off, And then you would have tarried. Hark! there's one up.

Pan. [Within] What, are all the doors open here? Tro. It is your uncle.

Enter Pandarus.

Cres. O you immortal gods !-I will not go.
Pan. Thou must.

Cres. I will not, uncle: I have forgot my father; I know no touch of consanguinity!

No kin, no love, no blood, no soul so near me,
As the sweet Troilus.-O you gods divine!

Cres. A pestilence on him! now will he be mock- Make Cressid's name the very crown of falsehood, ing: 1 shall have such a life,

If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death, Pan. How now, how now? how go maidenheads?-Do to this body what extremes you can;

Here, you maid! where's my cousin Cressid?
Cres. Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle?
You bring me to do, and then you flout me too.
Pan. To do what to do what?-let her say what:
what have I brought you to do?

you'll

Cres. Come, come; beshrew your heart! Nor suffer others. [ne'er be good, Pan. Ha, ha! Alas, poor wretch! a poor capocchia!-hast not slept to-night? would he not, a naughty man, let it sleep? a bugbear take him! [Knocking. Cres. Did I not tell you?-'would he were knock'd o'the head!

Who's that at door? good uncle, go and see.-
My lord, come you again into my chamber:
You smile, and mock me, as if I meant naughtily.
Tro. Ha, ha!

Cres. Come, you are deceiv'd, I think of no such thing. [Knocking. How earnestly they knock!-pray you, come in ; I would not for half Troy have you seen here. [Exeunt Troilus and Cressida. Pan. [Going to the Door] Who's there? what's the matter? will you beat down the door? How now? what's the matter?

Enter Eneas.

Ene. Good morrow, lord, good morrow. Pan. Who's there? my lord Eneas? By my troth, I knew you not: what news with you so early? Ene. Is not prince Troilus here?

Pan. Here! what should he do here?

Ene. Come, he is here, my lord, do not deny him; It doth import him much, to speak with me.

Pan. Is he here, say you? 'tis more than I know, I'll be sworn-For my own part, I came in late: What should he do here?

Ene. Who!-nay, then :

Come, come, you'll do him wrong ere you are 'ware:
You'll be so true to him, to be false to him:
Do not yon know of him, yet go fetch him hither;
Go.

As Pandarus is going out, enter Troilus.
Tro. How now? what's the matter?

Ane. My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you, My matter is so rash: There is at band Paris your brother, and Deiphobus, The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor Deliver'd to us; and for him forthwith, Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour, We must give up to Diomedes' hand The lady Cressida.

Tro.

Is it so concluded?

Ene. By Priam, and the general state of Troy : They are at hand, and ready to effect it.

Tro. How my achievements mock me!

I will go meet them: and, my lord Æneas,
We met by chance; you did not find me here.
Ene. Good, good, my lord; the secrets of nature
Have not more gift in taciturnity.

[Exeunt Troilus and Æneas. Pan. Is't possible? no sooner got, but lost? The devil take Antenor! the young prince will go mad.

Is as the very centre of the earth,
But the strong base and building of my love

Drawing all things to it.-I'll go in, and weep ;

Pan. Do, do.

Cres. Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praised cheeks; Crack my clear' voice with sobs, and break my heart With sounding Troilus. I will not go from 'I'roy. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. The same. Before Pandarus' House. Enter Paris, Troilus, Eneas, Deiphobus, Antenor, and Diomedes.

Par. It is great morning; and the bour prefix'd Of her delivery to this valiant Greek Comes fast upon :-Good, my brother Troilus, Tell you the lady what she is to do, And haste her to the purpose.

Tro.

Walk in to her house; I'll bring her to the Grecian presently: And to his hand when I deliver her," Think it an altar; and thy brother Troilus A priest, there offering to it his own heart. Par. I know what 'tis to love; And 'would, as I shall pity, I could help !-Please you, walk in, my lords.

SCENE IV.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

The same. A Room in Pandarus' House.
Enter Pandarus and Cressida.

Pan. Be moderate, be moderate.
Cres. Why tell you me of moderation?
The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste,
And violenteth in a sense as strong

As that which causeth it: How can I moderate it ?
If I could temporize with my affection,
Or brew it to a weak and colder palate,
The like allayment could I give my grief;
My love admits no qualifying dross:
No more my grief, in such a precious loss.
Enter Troilus.

Pan. Here, bere, here he comes.-Ab, sweet
ducks!

Cres. O Troilus! Troilus! [Embracing him. Pan. What a pair of spectacles is here? Let me embrace too: O heart,-as the goodly saying is,

-O heart, O heavy heart,

Why sigh'st thou without breaking? where he answers again,

Because thou canst not ease thy smart,

By friendship, nor by speaking.

There never was a truer rhyme. Let us cast away nothing, for we may live to have need of such a verse; we see it, we see it.-How now, lambs?

Tro. Cressid, I love thee in so strain'd a purity,
That the blest gods-as angry with my fancy,
More bright in zeal than the devotion which
Cold lips blow to their deities,-take thee from me.
Cres. Have the gods envy?

Pan. Ay, ay, ay, ay; 'tis too plain a case.
Cres. And is it true, that I must go from Troy?
Tro. A hateful truth.

Cres.

What, and from Troilus too? Tro. From Troy, and Troilus.

Cres.

Is it possible !
Tro. And suddenly; where injury of chance
Puts back leave-taking, justles roughly by
All time of pause, rudely beguiles our lips.
Of all rejoindure, forcibly prevents

Our lock'd embrasures, strangles our dear vows
Even in the birth of our own labouring breath:
We two, that with so many thousand sighs
Did buy each other, must poorly sell ourselves
With the rude brevity and discharge of one.
Injurious time now, with a robber's haste,
Crams his rich thievery up, he knows not how:
As many farewells as be stars in heaven,

With distinct breath and consign'd kisses to them,
He fumbles up into a loose adieu;

And scants us with a single famish'd kiss,
Distasted with the salt of broken tears.

Ene. [Within] My lord, is the lady ready!

| Entreat her fair; and, by my soul, fair Greek,
If e'er thou stand at mercy of my sword,
Name Cressid, and thy life shall be as safe
As Priam is in Ilion.

Dio.

Fair lady Cressid,
So please you, save the thanks this prince expects:
The lastre in your eye, heaven in your cheek,
Pleads your fair usage; and to Diomed
You shall be mistress, and command him wholly.
Tro. Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously,
To shame the zeal of my petition to thee,
In praising her: I tell thee, lord of Greece,
She is as far high-soaring o'er thy praises,
As thou unworthy to be call'd her servant.

I charge thee, use her well, even for my charge;
For, by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not,
Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard,
I'll cut thy throat.

Dio.

O, be not mov'd, prince Troilus:
Let me be privileg'd by my place, and message,

Tro. Hark! you are call'd: Some say, the Genius so To be a speaker free; when I am hence,
Cries, Come to him that instantly must die.-
Bid them have patience; she shall come anon.
Pan. Where are my tears? rain, to lay this wind, or
my heart will be blown up by the root!
Cres. I must then to the Greeks?
Tro.

[Exit.

No remedy.

I'll answer to my lust: And know you, lord,
I'll nothing do on charge; To her own worth
She shall be priz'd; but that you say-be't so,
I'll speak it in my spirit and honour,-no.
Tro. Come, to the port.I'll tell thee, Diomed,
This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head.---

Cres. A woful Cressid 'mongst the merry Greeks!-Lady, give me your hand; and, as we walk,
When shall we see again?

[heart,

Tro. Hear me, my love: Be thou but true of
Cres. I true! how now? what wicked deem is this?
Tro. Nay, we must use expostulation kindly,
For it is parting from us :-

I speak not, be thou true, as fearing thee;

For I will throw my glove to death himself,
That there's no maculation in thy heart:
But, be thou true, say I, to fashion in
My sequent protestation; be thou true,
And I will see thee.

Cres. O, you shall be expos'd, my lord, to dangers
As infinite as imminent! but, I'll be true. [sleeve.
Tro. And I'll grow friend with danger. Wear this
Cres. And you this glove. When shall I see you?
Tro. I will corrupt the Grecian sentiuels,
To give thee nightly visitation.
But yet, be true.

Cres.

(lowing,

O heavens !-be true, again!
Tro. Hear why I speak it, love;
The Grecian youths are full of quality;
They're loving, well compos'd, with gifts of nature
And swelling o'er with arts and exercise ;
How novelty may move, and parts with person,
Alas, a kind of godly jealousy

(Which, I beseech you, call a virtuous sin),
Makes me afeard.

Cres.

O heavens! you love me not.
Tro. Die I a villain then!
In this I do not call your faith in question,
So mainly as my merit: I cannot sing,

Nor heel the high lavolt, nor sweeten talk,
Nor play at subtle games; fair virtues all,

To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant:
But I can tell, that in each grace of these

There lurks a still and dumb-discoursive devil,
That tempts most cunningly: but be not tempted.
Cres. Do you think, I will?

Tro. No.

But something may be done, that we will not:
And sometimes we are devils to ourselves,
When we will tempt the frailty of our powers,
Presuming on their changeful potency.
Ene. Within) Nay, good, my lord,
Tro.
Come, kiss; and let us part.
Par. [Within] Brother Troilus!
Tro.
Good brother, come you hither;
Aud bring Æneas, and the Grecian, with you.
Cres. My lord, will you be true!

Tro. Who, I alas, it is my vice, my fault:
While others fish with craft for great opinion,
I with great truth catch mere simplicity;
Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns,
With truth and plainness, I do wear mine bare.
Fear not my truth; the moral of my wit
Is-plain, and true,-there's all the reach of it.
Enter Eneas, Paris, Antenor, Deiphobus, and
Diomedes.

Welcome, sir Diomed! here is the lady,
Which for Antenor we deliver you:
At the port, lord, I'll give her to thy hand;
And, by the way, possess thee what she is.

To our own selves bend we our needful talk.
[Exeunt Troilus, Cressida, and Diomed.
Trumpet heard.

Par. Hark! Hector's trumpet.

Ene.

thim.

How have we spent this morning!
The prince must think me tardy and remiss,
That swore to ride before him to the field.
Par. 'Tis Troilus' fault: Come, come, to field with
Dei. Let us make ready straight.
Ene. Yea, with a bridegroom's fresh alacrity,
Let us address to tend on Hector's heels:
The glory of our Troy doth this day lie
On his fair worth, and single chivalry.

[Exeunt.

Agam. Is not yon Diomed, with Calchas' daughter?
Ulyss. "Tis he, I ken the manner of his gait;

He rises on the toe that spirit of his

Ia inspiration lifts him from the earth.

Enter Diomedes, with Cressida.
Agam. Is this the lady Cressid?

Div.

Even she. [lady.
Agam. Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet
Nest. Our general doth salute you with a kiss.
Ulyss. Yet is the kindness but particular;
"Twere better, she were kiss'd in general.
Nest. And very courtly counsel: I'll begin.-
So much for Nestor.

Achil. I'll take that winter from your lips, fair lady:
Achilles bids you welcome.

Men. I had good argument for kissing once.
Patr. But that's no argument for kissing now:
For thus popp'd Paris in his hardiment;
And parted thus you and your argument.
Ulyss. O deadly gall, and theme of all our scorns!
For which we lose our heads, to gild his horns.
Patr. The first was Menelaus' kiss ;-this, mine:
Patroclus kisses you.
Men.

Men. I'll give you boot; I'll give you three for one. Cres. You're an odd man; give even, or give none. Men. An odd man, lady? every man is odd. Cres. No, Paris is not; for, you know, 'tis true, That you are odd, and he is even with you. Men. You fillip me o'the head. Cres. No, I'll be sworn. Ulyss. It were no match, your nail against his May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you? born. Cres. You may.

Ulyss. I do desire it. Cres, Why, beg then. Ulyss. Why then, for Venus' sake, give me a kiss, When Helen is a maid again, and his.

Cres. I am your debtor, claim it when 'tis due. Ulyss. Never's my day, and then a kiss of you. Dio. Lady, a word;-I'll bring you to your father. [Diomedes leads out Cressida. Nest. A woman of quick sense. Ulyss. Fie, fie upon her! There's language in her eye, her cheek, her lip, Nay, her foot speaks; her wanton spirits look out At every joint and motive of her body. O, these encounterers, so glib of tongue, That give a coasting welcome ere it comes, And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts To every ticklish reader! set them down For sluttish spoils of opportunity, And daughters of the game. All. The Trojans' trumpet. Agam.

[Trumpet within.

Yonder comes the troop. Enter Hector, armed; Æneas, Troilus, and other Trojans, with Attendants.

Ene. Hail, all the state of Greece! what shall be

done

To him that victory commands? Or do you purpose,
A victor shall be known? will you, the knights
Shall to the edge of all extremity

Pursue each other; or shall they be divided
By any voice or order of the field?
Hector bade ask.
Agam.

Which way would Hector have it?
ne. He cares not, he'll obey conditions.
Achil. 'Tis done like Hector; but securely done,
A little proudly, and great deal misprising
The knight oppos'd.

Ene.

What is your name?

Achil.

If not Achilles, sir,

If not Achilles, nothing.

Ene. Therefore Achilles: But, whate'er, know
[this;-
In the extremity of great and little,
Valour and pride excel themselves in Hector;
The one almost as infinite as all,

The other blank as nothing. Weigh him well,
And that, which looks like pride, is courtesy.
This Ajax is half made of Hector's blood:
In love whereof, half Hector stays at home;
Half heart, half hand, half Hector comes to seek
This blended knight, half Trojan, and half Greek.
Achil. A maiden battle then ?-O, I perceive you.
Re-enter Diomedes.

Agam. Here is sir Diomed:-Go, gentle knight,
Stand by our Ajax: as you and lord Æneas
Consent upon the order of their fight,
So be it; either to the uttermost,

Or else a breath: the combatants being kin,
Half stints their strife before the strokes begin.
[Ajax and Hector enter the Lists.
Ulyss. They are oppos'd already. [heavy?
Agam. What Trojan is that same that looks so
Ulyss. The youngest son of Priam, true knight;
Not yet mature, yet matchless; firm of word;
Speaking in deeds, and deedless in his tongue;
Not soon provok'd, nor, being provok'd, soon calm'd:
His heart and hand both open, and both free:
For what he has, he gives, what thinks, he shows;
Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty,
Nor dignifies an impair thought with breath:
Manly as Hector, but more dangerous;
For Hector, in his blaze of wrath, subscribes
To tender objects; but he, in heat of action,
Is more vindicative than jealous love:
They call him Troilus; and on him erect
A second hope, as fairly built as Hector.
Thus says Æneas; one that knows the youth
Even to his inches, and with private soul,
Did in great Ilion thus translate him to me.
[Alarum. Hector and Ajax fight.

Agam. They are in action.
Nest. Now, Ajax, hold thine own!

Hect.

Hector, thou sleep'st;

Tro. Awake thee ! Agam. His blows are well dispos'd:-there, Ajax ! Dio. You must no more. [Trumpets cease. Ene. Princes, enough, so please you. Ajax. I am not warm yet, let us fight again. Dio. As Hector pleases. Why then, will I no more :Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son, A cousin-german to great Priam's seed; The obligation of our blood forbids A gory emulation 'twixt us twain: Were thy commixion Greek and Trojan so, That thou couldst say-This hand is Grecian all, And this is Trojan; the sinews of this leg All Greek, and this all Troy; my mother's blood Runs on the dexter cheek, and this sinister Bounds in my father's; by Jove multipotent, Thou shouldst not bear from me a Greekish member Wherein my sword had not impressure made Of our rank feud: But the just gods gainsay, That any drop thou borrow'st from thy mother, My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword Be drain'd! Let me embrace thee, Ajax : By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms; Hector would have them fall upon him thus: Cousin, all honour to thee!

Ajax. I thank thee, Hector : Thou art too gentle, and too free a man : I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence A great addition earned in thy death. Hect. Not Neoptolemus so mirable

(On whose bright crest, Fame, with her loud'st O yes,
A thought of added honour torn from Hector.
Cries, This is he), could promise to himself

What further you will do.
Ene. There is expectance here from both the sides,

Hect.
We'll answer it:
The issue is embracement :-Ajax, farewell.
Ajax. If I might in entreaties find success
(As seld' I have the chance), I would desire

My famous cousin to our Grecian tents.

Dio. "Tis Agamemnon's wish and great Achilles
Doth long to see unarm'd the valiant Hector.
Hect. Aneas, call my brother Troilus to me :
And signify this loving interview

To the expecters of our Trojan part:
Desire them home.-Give me thy hand, my cousin ;

I will go eat with thee, and see your knights.
Ajax. Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here.
Hect. The worthiest of them tell me name by name;
But for Achilles, my own searching eyes
Shall find him by his large and portly size.

Agam. Worthy of arms! as welcome as to one That would be rid of such an enemy;

But that's no welcome; Understand more clear,
What's past, and what's to come, is strew'd with husks
And formless ruin of oblivion;

But, in this extant moment, faith and troth,
Strain'd purely from all hollow bias-drawing,
Bids thee, with most divine integrity,
From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome.
Hect. I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon.
Agam. My well-fam'd lord of Troy, no less to you.
[To Troilus.
Men. Let me confirm my princely brother's greet-
ingi-
You brace of warlike brothers, welcome hither.
Hect. Whom must we answer?

Men.

The noble Menelaus. Hect. O you, my lord? by Mars, his gauntlet, Mock not, that I affect the untraded oath; [thanks; Your quondam wife swears still by Venus' glove: She's well, but bade me not commend her to you.

Men. Name her not now, sir; she's a deadly theme. Hect. O, pardon; I offend. Nest. I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft, Labouring for destiny, make cruel way [thee, Through ranks of Greekish youth and I have seen As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed, Despising many forfeits and subduements, When thou hast hung thy advanced sword i'the air, Not letting it decline on the declin'd; That I have said to some my standers-by, Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life! And I have seen thee pause, and take thy breath, When that a ring of Greeks have hemm'd thee in, Like an Olympian wrestling: This have I seen; But this thy countenance, still lock'd in steel, I never saw till now. I knew thy grandsire, And once fought with him he was a soldier good;

But, by great Mars, the captain of us all,
Never like thee: Let an old man embrace thee;
And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents.
Ene. 'Tis the old Nestor.

Hect. Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle, That hast so long walk'd hand in hand with time :Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp thee.

Nest. I would, my arms could match thee in conAs they contend with thee in courtesy. [tention, Hect. I would they could.

Nest. Ha!

By this white beard, I'd fight with thee to-morrow.
Well, welcome, welcome! I have seen the time-
Ulyss. I wonder now how yonder city stands,
When we have here her base and pillar by us.
Hect. I know your favour, lord Ulysses, well.
Ah, sir, there's many a Greek and Trojan dead,
Since first I saw yourself and Diomed

In Ilion, on your Greekish embassy.

Ulyss. Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue : My prophecy is but half his journey yet; For yonder walls, that pertly front your town, Yon towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds, Must kiss their own feet. Hect. I must not believe you: There they stand yet; and modestly, I think, The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost A drop of Grecian blood: The end crowns all; And that old common arbitrator, Time, Will one day end it.

So to him we leave it.

Ulyss. Most gentle, and most valiant Hector, welcome : After the general, I beseech you next

To feast with me, and see me at my tent.

Achil. I shall forestall thee, lord Ulysses, thou! Now, Hector, I have fed mine eyes on thee; I have with exact view perus'd thee, Hector, And quoted joint by joint.

Hect.

Is this Achilles?

Achil. I am Achilles. Hect. Stand fair, I pray thee. let me look on thee. Achil. Behold thy fill. Hect. Nay, I have done already. Achil. Thou art too brief; I will the second time, As I would buy thee, view thee limb by limb.

Hect. O, like a book of sport thou'lt read me o'er; But there's more in me, than thou understand'st. Why dost thou so oppress me with thine eye?

Achil. Tell me, you heavens, in which part of his body

Shall I destroy him; whether there, there, or there?
That I may give the local wound a name;
And make distinct the very breach, whereout
Hector's great spirit flew: Answer me, heavens!
Hect. It would discredit the bless'd gods, proud
To answer such a question: Stand again:
Think'st thou to catch my life so pleasantly,
As to predominate in nice conjecture,
Where thou wilt hit me dead?

Achil.

[man,

I tell thee, yea.
Hect. Wert thou an oracle to tell me so,
I'd not believe thee. Henceforth guard thee well;
For I'll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there;
But, by the forge that stithied Mars his helm,
I'll kill thee every where, yea, o'er and o'er.-
You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag,
His insolence draws folly from my lips;

But I'll endeavour deeds to match these words,
Or may I never

Ajax.
Do not chafe thee, cousin ;-
And you, Achilles, let these threats alone,
Till accident, or purpose, bring you to't:-
You may have every day enough of Hector,
If you have stomach; the general state, I fear,
Can scarce entreat you to be odd with him.

Hect. I pray you, let us see you in the field; We have had pelting wars, since you refus'd The Grecians' cause.

Achil Dost thou entreat me, Hector? To-morrow, do I meet thee, fell as death; To-night, all friends. Hect.

Thy hand upon that match. Agam. First, all you peers of Greece, go to my tent; There in the full convive we afterwards, As Hector's leisure and your bounties shall Concur together, severally entreat him.Beat loud the tabourines, let the trumpets blow, That this great soldier may his welcome know.

[Exeunt all but Troilus and Ulysses. Tro. My lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you, In what place of the field doth Calchas keep?

Ulyss. At Menelaus' tent, most princely Troilus: There Diomed doth feast with him to-night; Who neither looks upon the heaven, nor earth, But gives all gaze and bent of amorous view On the fair Cressid.

Tro. Shall 1, sweet lord, be bound to you so much, After we part from Agamemnon's tent, To bring me thither? Ulyss.

You shall command me, sir. As gentle tell me, of what honour was This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there, That wails her absence?

Tro. O, sir, to such as boasting show their scars, A mock is due. Will you walk on, my lord? She was belov'd, she lov'd; she is, and doth : But still, sweet love is food for fortune's tooth. [Exeunt.

Achil.

Enter Thersites.

How now, thou core of envy?
Thou crusty batch of nature, what's the news?
Ther. Why, thou picture of what thou seemest, and
idol of idiot-worshippers, here's a letter for thee.
Achil. From whence, fragment?

Ther. Why, thou full dish of fool, from Troy.
Patr. Who keeps the tent now?

Ther. The surgeon's box, or the patient's wound. Patr. Well said, Adversity! and what need these tricks?

Ther. Pr'ythee be silent, boy; I profit not by thy talk: thou art thought to be Achilles' male varlet. Patr. Male varlet, you rogue! what's that? Ther. Why, his masculine whore. Now the rotten diseases of the south, the guts-griping, ruptures, catarrhs, loads o'gravel i'the back, lethargies, cold palsies, raw eyes, dirt-rotten livers, wheezing lungs, bladders full of imposthume, sciaticas, lime-kilns i'the palm, incurable bone-ach, and the rivelled feesimple of the tetter, take and take again such preposterons discoveries!

Patr. Why, thou damnable box of envy, thou, what meanest thou to curse thus ! Ther. Do I curse thee?

Patr. Why, no, you ruinous butt: you whoreson indistinguishable car, no.

Ther. No! why art thou then exasperate, thou idle immaterial skein of sleive silk, thou green sarcenet flap for a sore eye, thou tassel of a prodigal's purse, thou? Ah, how the poor world is pestered with such water-flies; diminutives of nature! Patr. Out, gall!

Ther. Finch-egg!

Achil. My sweet Patroclus, I am thwarted quite From my great purpose in to-morrow's battle." Here is a letter from queen Hecuba;

A token from her daughter, my fair love; Both taxing me, and gaging me to keep An oath that I have sworn. will not break it: Fall, Greeks; fail, fame; honour, or go, or stay; My major vow lies here, this I'll obey. Come, come, Thersites, help to trim my tent: This night in banqueting must all be spent. Away, Patroclus. [Exeunt Achilles and Patroclus. Ther. With too much blood, and too little brain, these two may run mad; but if with too much brain, and too little blood, they do, I'll be a curer of madmen. Here's Agamemnon,-an honest fellow enough, and one that loves quails; but he has not so much brain as ear-wax: And the goodly transformation of Jupiter there, his brother, the bull, the primitive statue, and oblique memorial of cuckolds; a thrifty shoeing-horn in a chain, hanging at his brother's leg,-to what form, but that he is, should wit larded with malice, and malice forced with wit, turn him to? To an ass, were nothing; he is both ass and ox: to an ox, were nothing: he is both ox and ass. To be a dog, a mule, a cat, a fitchew, a toad, a lizard, an owl, a puttock, or a herring without a roe, I would not care: but to be Menelaus,-I would con

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