Troilus and Cressida

PROLOGUE

Enter the Prologue in armor.

PROLOGUE

In Troy there lies the scene. From isles of Greece
The princes orgulous, their high blood chafed,
Have to the port of Athens sent their ships
Fraught with the ministers and instruments
55Of cruel war. Sixty and nine, that wore
Their crownets regal, from th’ Athenian bay
Put forth toward Phrygia, and their vow is made
To ransack Troy, within whose strong immures
The ravished Helen, Menelaus’ queen,
1010With wanton Paris sleeps; and that’s the quarrel.
To Tenedos they come,
And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge
Their warlike fraughtage. Now on Dardan plains
The fresh and yet unbruisèd Greeks do pitch
1515Their brave pavilions. Priam’s six-gated city—
Dardan and Timbria, Helias, Chetas, Troien,
And Antenorides—with massy staples
And corresponsive and fulfilling bolts,
Spar up the sons of Troy.
2020Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits
On one and other side, Trojan and Greek,
Sets all on hazard. And hither am I come,
A prologue armed, but not in confidence
Of author’s pen or actor’s voice, but suited
2525In like conditions as our argument,
To tell you, fair beholders, that our play
Leaps o’er the vaunt and firstlings of those broils,
Beginning in the middle, starting thence away
To what may be digested in a play.
3030Like, or find fault; do as your pleasures are.
Now, good or bad, ’tis but the chance of war.

Prologue exits.

ACT 1

Scene 1

Enter Pandarus and Troilus.

TROILUS

Call here my varlet; I’ll unarm again.
Why should I war without the walls of Troy
That find such cruel battle here within?
35Each Trojan that is master of his heart,
5Let him to field; Troilus, alas, hath none.

PANDARUS

Will this gear ne’er be mended?

TROILUS

The Greeks are strong and skilful to their strength,
Fierce to their skill, and to their fierceness valiant;
40But I am weaker than a woman’s tear,
10Tamer than sleep, fonder than ignorance,
Less valiant than the virgin in the night,
And skilless as unpracticed infancy.

PANDARUS

Well, I have told you enough of this. For my
45part, I’ll not meddle nor make no farther. He that will
15have a cake out of the wheat must tarry the grinding.

TROILUS

Have I not tarried?

PANDARUS

Ay, the grinding; but you must tarry the
bolting.

TROILUS

50Have I not tarried?

PANDARUS

20Ay, the bolting; but you must tarry the
leavening.

TROILUS

Still have I tarried.

PANDARUS

Ay, to the leavening; but here’s yet in the word
55hereafter the kneading, the making of the cake, the
25heating the oven, and the baking. Nay, you must stay
the cooling too, or you may chance burn your lips.

TROILUS

Patience herself, what goddess e’er she be,
Doth lesser blench at suff’rance than I do.
60At Priam’s royal table do I sit
30And when fair Cressid comes into my thoughts—
So, traitor! “When she comes”? When is she
thence?

PANDARUS

Well, she looked yesternight fairer than ever
65I saw her look, or any woman else.

TROILUS

35I was about to tell thee: when my heart,
As wedgèd with a sigh, would rive in twain,
Lest Hector or my father should perceive me,
I have, as when the sun doth light a-scorn,
70Buried this sigh in wrinkle of a smile;
40But sorrow that is couched in seeming gladness
Is like that mirth fate turns to sudden sadness.

PANDARUS

An her hair were not somewhat darker than
Helen’s—well, go to—there were no more comparison
75between the women. But, for my part, she is
45my kinswoman; I would not, as they term it, praise
her, but I would somebody had heard her talk yesterday,
as I did. I will not dispraise your sister Cassandra’s
wit, but—

TROILUS

80O, Pandarus! I tell thee, Pandarus:
50When I do tell thee there my hopes lie drowned,
Reply not in how many fathoms deep
They lie indrenched. I tell thee I am mad
In Cressid’s love. Thou answer’st she is fair;
85Pourest in the open ulcer of my heart
55Her eyes, her hair, her cheek, her gait, her voice;
Handiest in thy discourse—O—that her hand,
In whose comparison all whites are ink
Writing their own reproach, to whose soft seizure
90The cygnet’s down is harsh, and spirit of sense
60Hard as the palm of plowman. This thou tell’st me,
As true thou tell’st me, when I say I love her.
But, saying thus, instead of oil and balm
Thou lay’st in every gash that love hath given me
95The knife that made it.

PANDARUS

65I speak no more than truth.

TROILUS

Thou dost not speak so much.

PANDARUS

Faith, I’ll not meddle in it. Let her be as she
is. If she be fair, ’tis the better for her; an she be
100not, she has the mends in her own hands.

TROILUS

70Good Pandarus—how now, Pandarus?

PANDARUS

I have had my labor for my travail, ill thought
on of her, and ill thought on of you; gone between
and between, but small thanks for my labor.

TROILUS

105What, art thou angry, Pandarus? What, with
75me?

PANDARUS

Because she’s kin to me, therefore she’s not
so fair as Helen; an she were not kin to me, she
would be as fair o’ Friday as Helen is on Sunday.
110But what care I? I care not an she were a blackamoor;
80’tis all one to me.

TROILUS

Say I she is not fair?

PANDARUS

I do not care whether you do or no. She’s a
fool to stay behind her father. Let her to the Greeks,
115and so I’ll tell her the next time I see her. For my
85part, I’ll meddle nor make no more i’ th’ matter.

TROILUS

Pandarus—

PANDARUS

Not I.

TROILUS

Sweet Pandarus—

PANDARUS

120Pray you speak no more to me. I will leave
90all as I found it, and there an end.

He exits.Sound alarum.

TROILUS

Peace, you ungracious clamors! Peace, rude sounds!
Fools on both sides! Helen must needs be fair
When with your blood you daily paint her thus.
125I cannot fight upon this argument;
95It is too starved a subject for my sword.
But Pandarus—O gods, how do you plague me!
I cannot come to Cressid but by Pandar,
And he’s as tetchy to be wooed to woo
130As she is stubborn-chaste against all suit.
100Tell me, Apollo, for thy Daphnes love,
What Cressid is, what Pandar, and what we.
Her bed is India; there she lies, a pearl.
Between our Ilium and where she resides,
135Let it be called the wild and wand’ring flood,
105Ourself the merchant, and this sailing Pandar
Our doubtful hope, our convoy, and our bark.

Alarum. Enter Aeneas.

AENEAS

How now, Prince Troilus? Wherefore not afield?

TROILUS

Because not there. This woman’s answer sorts,
140For womanish it is to be from thence.
110What news, Aeneas, from the field today?

AENEAS

That Paris is returnèd home, and hurt.

TROILUS

By whom, Aeneas?

AENEAS

Troilus, by Menelaus.

TROILUS

145Let Paris bleed. ’Tis but a scar to scorn;
115Paris is gored with Menelaus’ horn.

Alarum.

AENEAS

Hark what good sport is out of town today!

TROILUS

Better at home, if “would I might” were “may.”
But to the sport abroad. Are you bound thither?

AENEAS

150In all swift haste.

TROILUS

120Come, go we then together.

They exit.

Scene 2

Enter Cressida and her man Alexander.

CRESSIDA

Who were those went by?

ALEXANDER

Queen Hecuba and Helen.

CRESSIDA

And whither go they?

ALEXANDER

155Up to the eastern tower,
5Whose height commands as subject all the vale,
To see the battle. Hector, whose patience
Is as a virtue fixed, today was moved.
He chid Andromache and struck his armorer;
160And, like as there were husbandry in war,
10Before the sun rose he was harnessed light,
And to the field goes he, where every flower
Did as a prophet weep what it foresaw
In Hector’s wrath.

CRESSIDA

165What was his cause of anger?

ALEXANDER

15The noise goes, this: there is among the Greeks
A lord of Trojan blood, nephew to Hector.
They call him Ajax.

CRESSIDA

Good; and what of him?

ALEXANDER

170They say he is a very man per se
20And stands alone.

CRESSIDA

So do all men unless they are drunk, sick,
or have no legs.

ALEXANDER

This man, lady, hath robbed many beasts
175of their particular additions. He is as valiant as the
25lion, churlish as the bear, slow as the elephant, a
man into whom nature hath so crowded humors
that his valor is crushed into folly, his folly sauced
with discretion. There is no man hath a virtue that
180he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint
30but he carries some stain of it. He is melancholy
without cause and merry against the hair. He hath
the joints of everything, but everything so out of
joint that he is a gouty Briareus, many hands and
185no use, or purblind Argus, all eyes and no sight.

CRESSIDA

35But how should this man that makes me
smile make Hector angry?

ALEXANDER

They say he yesterday coped Hector in the
battle and struck him down, the disdain and
190shame whereof hath ever since kept Hector fasting
40and waking.

Enter Pandarus.

CRESSIDA

Who comes here?

ALEXANDER

Madam, your Uncle Pandarus.

CRESSIDA

Hector’s a gallant man.

ALEXANDER

195As may be in the world, lady.

PANDARUS

45What’s that? What’s that?

CRESSIDA

Good morrow, Uncle Pandarus.

PANDARUS

Good morrow, Cousin Cressid. What do you
talk of?— Good morrow, Alexander.—How do you,
200cousin? When were you at Ilium?

CRESSIDA

50This morning, uncle.

PANDARUS

What were you talking of when I came?
Was Hector armed and gone ere you came to
Ilium? Helen was not up, was she?

CRESSIDA

205Hector was gone, but Helen was not up.

PANDARUS

55E’en so. Hector was stirring early.

CRESSIDA

That were we talking of, and of his anger.

PANDARUS

Was he angry?

CRESSIDA

So he says here.

PANDARUS

210True, he was so. I know the cause too. He’ll
60lay about him today, I can tell them that; and
there’s Troilus will not come far behind him. Let
them take heed of Troilus, I can tell them that too.

CRESSIDA

What, is he angry too?

PANDARUS

215Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of
65the two.

CRESSIDA

O Jupiter, there’s no comparison.

PANDARUS

What, not between Troilus and Hector? Do
you know a man if you see him?

CRESSIDA

220Ay, if I ever saw him before and knew him.

PANDARUS

70Well, I say Troilus is Troilus.

CRESSIDA

Then you say as I say, for I am sure he is not
Hector.

PANDARUS

No, nor Hector is not Troilus in some degrees.

CRESSIDA

225’Tis just to each of them; he is himself.

PANDARUS

75Himself? Alas, poor Troilus, I would he were.

CRESSIDA

So he is.

PANDARUS

Condition I had gone barefoot to India.

CRESSIDA

He is not Hector.

PANDARUS

230Himself? No, he’s not himself. Would he
80were himself! Well, the gods are above. Time must
friend or end. Well, Troilus, well, I would my heart
were in her body. No, Hector is not a better man
than Troilus.

CRESSIDA

235Excuse me.

PANDARUS

85He is elder.

CRESSIDA

Pardon me, pardon me.

PANDARUS

Th’ other’s not come to ’t. You shall tell me
another tale when th’ other’s come to ’t. Hector
240shall not have his wit this year.

CRESSIDA

90He shall not need it, if he have his own.

PANDARUS

Nor his qualities.

CRESSIDA

No matter.

PANDARUS

Nor his beauty.

CRESSIDA

245’Twould not become him. His own ’s better.

PANDARUS

95You have no judgment, niece. Helen herself
swore th’ other day that Troilus, for a brown favor—
for so ’tis, I must confess—not brown neither—

CRESSIDA

No, but brown.

PANDARUS

250Faith, to say truth, brown and not brown.

CRESSIDA

100To say the truth, true and not true.

PANDARUS

She praised his complexion above Paris’.

CRESSIDA

Why, Paris hath color enough.

PANDARUS

So he has.

CRESSIDA

255Then Troilus should have too much. If she
105praised him above, his complexion is higher than
his. He having color enough, and the other higher,
is too flaming a praise for a good complexion. I
had as lief Helen’s golden tongue had commended
260Troilus for a copper nose.

PANDARUS

110I swear to you, I think Helen loves him better
than Paris.

CRESSIDA

Then she’s a merry Greek indeed.

PANDARUS

Nay, I am sure she does. She came to him
265th’ other day into the compassed window—and
115you know he has not past three or four hairs on his
chin—

CRESSIDA

Indeed, a tapster’s arithmetic may soon bring
his particulars therein to a total.

PANDARUS

270Why, he is very young, and yet will he within
120three pound lift as much as his brother Hector.

CRESSIDA

Is he so young a man and so old a lifter?

PANDARUS

But to prove to you that Helen loves him: she
came and puts me her white hand to his cloven
275chin—

CRESSIDA

125Juno have mercy! How came it cloven?

PANDARUS

Why, you know ’tis dimpled. I think his
smiling becomes him better than any man in all
Phrygia.

CRESSIDA

280O, he smiles valiantly.

PANDARUS

130Does he not?

CRESSIDA

O yes, an ’twere a cloud in autumn.

PANDARUS

Why, go to, then. But to prove to you that
Helen loves Troilus—

CRESSIDA

285Troilus will stand to the proof if you’ll
135prove it so.

PANDARUS

Troilus? Why, he esteems her no more than
I esteem an addle egg.

CRESSIDA

If you love an addle egg as well as you love
290an idle head, you would eat chickens i’ th’ shell.

PANDARUS

140I cannot choose but laugh to think how she
tickled his chin. Indeed, she has a marvellous
white hand, I must needs confess—

CRESSIDA

Without the rack.

PANDARUS

295And she takes upon her to spy a white hair
145on his chin.

CRESSIDA

Alas, poor chin! Many a wart is richer.

PANDARUS

But there was such laughing! Queen Hecuba
laughed that her eyes ran o’er—

CRESSIDA

300With millstones.

PANDARUS

150And Cassandra laughed—

CRESSIDA

But there was a more temperate fire under
the pot of her eyes. Did her eyes run o’er too?

PANDARUS

And Hector laughed.

CRESSIDA

305At what was all this laughing?

PANDARUS

155Marry, at the white hair that Helen spied on
Troilus’ chin.

CRESSIDA

An ’t had been a green hair, I should have
laughed too.

PANDARUS

310They laughed not so much at the hair as at
160his pretty answer.

CRESSIDA

What was his answer?

PANDARUS

Quoth she “Here’s but two-and-fifty hairs
on your chin, and one of them is white.”

CRESSIDA

315This is her question.

PANDARUS

165That’s true, make no question of that. “Two-and-fifty
hairs,” quoth he, “and one white. That
white hair is my father, and all the rest are his
sons.” “Jupiter!” quoth she, “which of these hairs
320is Paris, my husband?” “The forked one,” quoth he.
170“Pluck ’t out, and give it him.” But there was such
laughing, and Helen so blushed, and Paris so
chafed, and all the rest so laughed that it passed.

CRESSIDA

So let it now, for it has been a great while
325going by.

PANDARUS

175Well, cousin, I told you a thing yesterday.
Think on ’t.

CRESSIDA

So I do.

PANDARUS

I’ll be sworn ’tis true. He will weep you an
330’twere a man born in April.

CRESSIDA

180And I’ll spring up in his tears an ’twere a nettle
against May.

Sound a retreat.

PANDARUS

Hark, they are coming from the field. Shall
we stand up here and see them as they pass toward
335Ilium? Good niece, do, sweet niece Cressida.

CRESSIDA

185At your pleasure.

PANDARUS

Here, here, here’s an excellent place. Here
we may see most bravely. I’ll tell you them all by
their names as they pass by, but mark Troilus
340above the rest.

They cross the stage; Alexander exits.

CRESSIDA

190Speak not so loud.

Enter Aeneas and crosses the stage.

PANDARUS

That’s Aeneas. Is not that a brave man? He’s
one of the flowers of Troy, I can tell you. But mark
Troilus; you shall see anon.

Enter Antenor and crosses the stage.

CRESSIDA

345Who’s that?

PANDARUS

195That’s Antenor. He has a shrewd wit, I can
tell you, and he’s a man good enough. He’s one o’
th’ soundest judgments in Troy whosoever; and a
proper man of person. When comes Troilus? I’ll
350show you Troilus anon. If he see me, you shall see
200him nod at me.

CRESSIDA

Will he give you the nod?

PANDARUS

You shall see.

CRESSIDA

If he do, the rich shall have more.

Enter Hector and crosses the stage.

PANDARUS

355That’s Hector, that, that, look you, that.
205There’s a fellow!—Go thy way, Hector!—There’s a
brave man, niece. O brave Hector! Look how he
looks. There’s a countenance! Is ’t not a brave man?

CRESSIDA

O, a brave man!

PANDARUS

360Is he not? It does a man’s heart good. Look
210you what hacks are on his helmet. Look you yonder,
do you see? Look you there. There’s no jesting;
there’s laying on, take ’t off who will, as they say.
There be hacks.

CRESSIDA

365Be those with swords?

PANDARUS

215Swords, anything, he cares not. An the devil
come to him, it’s all one. By God’s lid, it does one’s
heart good.

Enter Paris and crosses the stage.

Yonder comes Paris, yonder comes Paris! Look you
370yonder, niece. Is ’t not a gallant man too? Is ’t not?
220Why, this is brave now. Who said he came hurt
home today? He’s not hurt. Why, this will do
Helen’s heart good now, ha? Would I could see
Troilus now! You shall see Troilus anon.

Enter Helenus and crosses the stage.

CRESSIDA

375Who’s that?

PANDARUS

225That’s Helenus. I marvel where Troilus is.
That’s Helenus. I think he went not forth today.
That’s Helenus.

CRESSIDA

Can Helenus fight, uncle?

PANDARUS

380Helenus? No. Yes, he’ll fight indifferent
230well. I marvel where Troilus is. Hark, do you not
hear the people cry “Troilus”? Helenus is a priest.

Enter Troilus and crosses the stage.

CRESSIDA

What sneaking fellow comes yonder?

PANDARUS

Where? Yonder? That’s Deiphobus. ’Tis
385Troilus! There’s a man, niece. Hem! Brave Troilus,
235the prince of chivalry!

CRESSIDA

Peace, for shame, peace.

PANDARUS

Mark him. Note him. O brave Troilus! Look
well upon him, niece. Look you how his sword is
390bloodied and his helm more hacked than Hector’s,
240and how he looks, and how he goes. O admirable
youth! He never saw three and twenty.—Go thy
way, Troilus; go thy way!—Had I a sister were a
Grace, or a daughter a goddess, he should take his
395choice. O admirable man! Paris? Paris is dirt to
245him; and I warrant Helen, to change, would give
an eye to boot.

Enter Common Soldiers and cross the stage.

CRESSIDA

Here comes more.

PANDARUS

Asses, fools, dolts, chaff and bran, chaff and
400bran, porridge after meat. I could live and die in
250the eyes of Troilus. Ne’er look, ne’er look; the
eagles are gone. Crows and daws, crows and daws!
I had rather be such a man as Troilus than
Agamemnon and all Greece.

CRESSIDA

405There is amongst the Greeks Achilles, a better
255man than Troilus.

PANDARUS

Achilles? A drayman, a porter, a very camel!

CRESSIDA

Well, well.

PANDARUS

“Well, well”? Why, have you any discretion?
410Have you any eyes? Do you know what a man is? Is
260not birth, beauty, good shape, discourse, manhood,
learning, gentleness, virtue, youth, liberality and
such-like the spice and salt that season a man?

CRESSIDA

Ay, a minced man; and then to be baked with
415no date in the pie, for then the man’s date is out.

PANDARUS

265You are such a woman a man knows not at
what ward you lie.

CRESSIDA

Upon my back to defend my belly, upon my
wit to defend my wiles, upon my secrecy to defend
420mine honesty, my mask to defend my beauty, and
270you to defend all these; and at all these wards I lie,
at a thousand watches.

PANDARUS

Say one of your watches.

CRESSIDA

Nay, I’ll watch you for that, and that’s one of
425the chiefest of them too. If I cannot ward what I
275would not have hit, I can watch you for telling how
I took the blow—unless it swell past hiding, and
then it’s past watching.

PANDARUS

You are such another!

Enter Troilus’s Boy.

BOY

430Sir, my lord would instantly speak with you.

PANDARUS

280Where?

BOY

At your own house. There he unarms him.

PANDARUS

Good boy, tell him I come.Boy exits.
I doubt he be hurt.—Fare you well, good niece.

CRESSIDA

435Adieu, uncle.

PANDARUS

285I will be with you, niece, by and by.

CRESSIDA

To bring, uncle?

PANDARUS

Ay, a token from Troilus.

CRESSIDA

By the same token, you are a bawd.
Pandarus exits.
440Words, vows, gifts, tears, and love’s full sacrifice
290He offers in another’s enterprise;
But more in Troilus thousandfold I see
Than in the glass of Pandar’s praise may be.
Yet hold I off. Women are angels, wooing;
445Things won are done; joy’s soul lies in the doing.
295That she beloved knows naught that knows not this:
Men prize the thing ungained more than it is.
That she was never yet that ever knew
Love got so sweet as when desire did sue.
450Therefore this maxim out of love I teach:
300Achievement is command; ungained, beseech.
Then though my heart’s content firm love doth bear,
Nothing of that shall from mine eyes appear.

She exits.

Scene 3

Sennet. Enter Agamemnon, Nestor, Ulysses, Diomedes,
Menelaus, with others.

AGAMEMNON

Princes, what grief hath set the jaundice o’er your
455cheeks?
The ample proposition that hope makes
In all designs begun on Earth below
5Fails in the promised largeness. Checks and disasters
Grow in the veins of actions highest reared,
460As knots, by the conflux of meeting sap,
Infects the sound pine and diverts his grain
Tortive and errant from his course of growth.
10Nor, princes, is it matter new to us
That we come short of our suppose so far
465That after seven years’ siege yet Troy walls stand,
Sith every action that hath gone before,
Whereof we have record, trial did draw
15Bias and thwart, not answering the aim
And that unbodied figure of the thought
470That gave ’t surmisèd shape. Why then, you princes,
Do you with cheeks abashed behold our works
And call them shames, which are indeed naught else
20But the protractive trials of great Jove
To find persistive constancy in men?
475The fineness of which metal is not found
In Fortune’s love; for then the bold and coward,
The wise and fool, the artist and unread,
25The hard and soft seem all affined and kin.
But in the wind and tempest of her frown,
480Distinction, with a broad and powerful fan,
Puffing at all, winnows the light away,
And what hath mass or matter by itself
30Lies rich in virtue and unmingled.

NESTOR

With due observance of thy godlike seat,
485Great Agamemnon, Nestor shall apply
Thy latest words. In the reproof of chance
Lies the true proof of men. The sea being smooth,
35How many shallow bauble boats dare sail
Upon her patient breast, making their way
490With those of nobler bulk!
But let the ruffian Boreas once enrage
The gentle Thetis, and anon behold
40The strong-ribbed bark through liquid mountains cut,
Bounding between the two moist elements,
495Like Perseus’ horse. Where’s then the saucy boat
Whose weak untimbered sides but even now
Corrivaled greatness? Either to harbor fled
45Or made a toast for Neptune. Even so
Doth valor’s show and valor’s worth divide
500In storms of Fortune. For in her ray and brightness
The herd hath more annoyance by the breese
Than by the tiger, but when the splitting wind
50Makes flexible the knees of knotted oaks,
And flies flee under shade, why, then the thing of
505courage,
As roused with rage, with rage doth sympathize,
And with an accent tuned in selfsame key
55Retorts to chiding Fortune.

ULYSSES

Agamemnon,
510Thou great commander, nerves and bone of Greece,
Heart of our numbers, soul and only sprite,
In whom the tempers and the minds of all
60Should be shut up, hear what Ulysses speaks.
Besides th’ applause and approbation,
515The which, (to Agamemnon) most mighty for thy
place and sway,
(To Nestor) And thou most reverend for thy
65stretched-out life,
I give to both your speeches, which were such
520As Agamemnon and the hand of Greece
Should hold up high in brass; and such again
As venerable Nestor, hatched in silver,
70Should with a bond of air, strong as the axletree
On which heaven rides, knit all the Greekish ears
525To his experienced tongue, yet let it please both,
Thou great, and wise, to hear Ulysses speak.

AGAMEMNON

Speak, Prince of Ithaca, and be ’t of less expect
75That matter needless, of importless burden,
Divide thy lips than we are confident
530When rank Thersites opes his mastic jaws
We shall hear music, wit, and oracle.

ULYSSES

Troy, yet upon his basis, had been down,
80And the great Hector’s sword had lacked a master
But for these instances:
535The specialty of rule hath been neglected,
And look how many Grecian tents do stand
Hollow upon this plain, so many hollow factions.
85When that the general is not like the hive
To whom the foragers shall all repair,
540What honey is expected? Degree being vizarded,
Th’ unworthiest shows as fairly in the mask.
The heavens themselves, the planets, and this center
90Observe degree, priority, and place,
Insisture, course, proportion, season, form,
545Office, and custom, in all line of order.
And therefore is the glorious planet Sol
In noble eminence enthroned and sphered
95Amidst the other, whose med’cinable eye
Corrects the influence of evil planets,
550And posts, like the commandment of a king,
Sans check, to good and bad. But when the planets
In evil mixture to disorder wander,
100What plagues and what portents, what mutiny,
What raging of the sea, shaking of Earth,
555Commotion in the winds, frights, changes, horrors
Divert and crack, rend and deracinate
The unity and married calm of states
105Quite from their fixture! O, when degree is shaked,
Which is the ladder of all high designs,
560The enterprise is sick. How could communities,
Degrees in schools and brotherhoods in cities,
Peaceful commerce from dividable shores,
110The primogeneity and due of birth,
Prerogative of age, crowns, scepters, laurels,
565But by degree stand in authentic place?
Take but degree away, untune that string,
And hark what discord follows. Each thing meets
115In mere oppugnancy. The bounded waters
Should lift their bosoms higher than the shores
570And make a sop of all this solid globe;
Strength should be lord of imbecility,
And the rude son should strike his father dead;
120Force should be right, or, rather, right and wrong,
Between whose endless jar justice resides,
575Should lose their names, and so should justice too.
Then everything includes itself in power,
Power into will, will into appetite,
125And appetite, an universal wolf,
So doubly seconded with will and power,
580Must make perforce an universal prey
And last eat up himself. Great Agamemnon,
This chaos, when degree is suffocate,
130Follows the choking.
And this neglection of degree it is
585That by a pace goes backward, with a purpose
It hath to climb. The General’s disdained
By him one step below, he by the next,
135That next by him beneath; so every step,
Exampled by the first pace that is sick
590Of his superior, grows to an envious fever
Of pale and bloodless emulation.
And ’tis this fever that keeps Troy on foot,
140Not her own sinews. To end a tale of length,
Troy in our weakness stands, not in her strength.

NESTOR

595Most wisely hath Ulysses here discovered
The fever whereof all our power is sick.

AGAMEMNON

The nature of the sickness found, Ulysses,
145What is the remedy?

ULYSSES

The great Achilles, whom opinion crowns
600The sinew and the forehand of our host,
Having his ear full of his airy fame,
Grows dainty of his worth and in his tent
150Lies mocking our designs. With him Patroclus,
Upon a lazy bed, the live-long day
605Breaks scurril jests,
And with ridiculous and silly action,
Which, slanderer, he imitation calls,
155He pageants us. Sometime, great Agamemnon,
Thy topless deputation he puts on,
610And, like a strutting player whose conceit
Lies in his hamstring and doth think it rich
To hear the wooden dialogue and sound
160’Twixt his stretched footing and the scaffollage,
Such to-be-pitied and o’erwrested seeming
615He acts thy greatness in; and when he speaks,
’Tis like a chime a-mending, with terms unsquared
Which from the tongue of roaring Typhon dropped
165Would seem hyperboles. At this fusty stuff,
The large Achilles, on his pressed bed lolling,
620From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause,
Cries “Excellent! ’Tis Agamemnon right.
Now play me Nestor; hem and stroke thy beard,
170As he being dressed to some oration.”
That’s done, as near as the extremest ends
625Of parallels, as like as Vulcan and his wife;
Yet god Achilles still cries “Excellent!
’Tis Nestor right. Now play him me, Patroclus,
175Arming to answer in a night alarm.”
And then, forsooth, the faint defects of age
630Must be the scene of mirth—to cough and spit,
And, with a palsy fumbling on his gorget,
Shake in and out the rivet. And at this sport
180Sir Valor dies, cries “O, enough, Patroclus,
Or give me ribs of steel! I shall split all
635In pleasure of my spleen.” And in this fashion,
All our abilities, gifts, natures, shapes,
Severals and generals of grace exact,
185Achievements, plots, orders, preventions,
Excitements to the field, or speech for truce,
640Success or loss, what is or is not, serves
As stuff for these two to make paradoxes.

NESTOR

And in the imitation of these twain,
190Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns
With an imperial voice, many are infect:
645Ajax is grown self-willed and bears his head
In such a rein, in full as proud a place
As broad Achilles; keeps his tent like him,
195Makes factious feasts; rails on our state of war,
Bold as an oracle, and sets Thersites—
650A slave whose gall coins slanders like a mint—
To match us in comparisons with dirt,
To weaken and discredit our exposure,
200How rank soever rounded in with danger.

ULYSSES

They tax our policy and call it cowardice,
655Count wisdom as no member of the war,
Forestall prescience, and esteem no act
But that of hand. The still and mental parts
205That do contrive how many hands shall strike
When fitness calls them on and know by measure
660Of their observant toil the enemy’s weight—
Why, this hath not a fingers dignity.
They call this bed-work, mapp’ry, closet war;
210So that the ram that batters down the wall,
For the great swinge and rudeness of his poise,
665They place before his hand that made the engine
Or those that with the fineness of their souls
By reason guide his execution.

NESTOR

215Let this be granted, and Achilles’ horse
Makes many Thetis’ sons.

Tucket.

AGAMEMNON

670What trumpet? Look, Menelaus.

MENELAUS

From Troy.

Enter Aeneas, with a Trumpeter.

AGAMEMNON

What would you ’fore our tent?

AENEAS

220Is this great Agamemnon’s tent, I pray you?

AGAMEMNON

Even this.

AENEAS

675May one that is a herald and a prince
Do a fair message to his kingly eyes?

AGAMEMNON

With surety stronger than Achilles’ arm
225’Fore all the Greekish host, which with one voice
Call Agamemnon head and general.

AENEAS

680Fair leave and large security. How may
A stranger to those most imperial looks
Know them from eyes of other mortals?

AGAMEMNON

230How?

AENEAS

Ay. I ask that I might waken reverence
685And bid the cheek be ready with a blush
Modest as morning when she coldly eyes
The youthful Phoebus.
235Which is that god in office, guiding men?
Which is the high and mighty Agamemnon?

AGAMEMNON

690This Trojan scorns us, or the men of Troy
Are ceremonious courtiers.

AENEAS

Courtiers as free, as debonair, unarmed,
240As bending angels—that’s their fame in peace.
But when they would seem soldiers, they have galls,
695Good arms, strong joints, true swords, and—great
Jove’s accord—
Nothing so full of heart. But peace, Aeneas.
245Peace, Trojan. Lay thy finger on thy lips.
The worthiness of praise distains his worth
700If that the praised himself bring the praise forth.
But what the repining enemy commends,
That breath fame blows; that praise, sole pure,
250transcends.

AGAMEMNON

Sir, you of Troy, call you yourself Aeneas?

AENEAS

705Ay, Greek, that is my name.

AGAMEMNON

What’s your affair, I pray you?

AENEAS

Sir, pardon. ’Tis for Agamemnon’s ears.

AGAMEMNON

255He hears naught privately that comes from Troy.

AENEAS

Nor I from Troy come not to whisper with him.
710I bring a trumpet to awake his ear,
To set his sense on the attentive bent,
And then to speak.

AGAMEMNON

260Speak frankly as the wind;
It is not Agamemnon’s sleeping hour.
715That thou shalt know, Trojan, he is awake,
He tells thee so himself.

AENEAS

Trumpet, blow loud!
265Send thy brass voice through all these lazy tents;
And every Greek of mettle, let him know
720What Troy means fairly shall be spoke aloud.
Sound trumpet.
We have, great Agamemnon, here in Troy
A prince called Hector—Priam is his father—
270Who in this dull and long-continued truce
Is resty grown. He bade me take a trumpet
725And to this purpose speak: “Kings, princes, lords,
If there be one among the fair’st of Greece
That holds his honor higher than his ease,
275That seeks his praise more than he fears his peril,
That knows his valor and knows not his fear,
730That loves his mistress more than in confession
With truant vows to her own lips he loves
And dare avow her beauty and her worth
280In other arms than hers—to him this challenge.
Hector, in view of Trojans and of Greeks,
735Shall make it good, or do his best to do it,
He hath a lady wiser, fairer, truer
Than ever Greek did couple in his arms
285And will tomorrow with his trumpet call,
Midway between your tents and walls of Troy,
740To rouse a Grecian that is true in love.
If any come, Hector shall honor him;
If none, he’ll say in Troy when he retires
290The Grecian dames are sunburnt and not worth
The splinter of a lance.” Even so much.

AGAMEMNON

745This shall be told our lovers, Lord Aeneas.
If none of them have soul in such a kind,
We left them all at home. But we are soldiers,
295And may that soldier a mere recreant prove
That means not, hath not, or is not in love!
750If then one is, or hath, or means to be,
That one meets Hector. If none else, I am he.

NESTOR , to Aeneas

Tell him of Nestor, one that was a man
300When Hector’s grandsire sucked. He is old now,
But if there be not in our Grecian host
755A noble man that hath one spark of fire
To answer for his love, tell him from me
I’ll hide my silver beard in a gold beaver
305And in my vambrace put my withered brawns
And, meeting him, will tell him that my lady
760Was fairer than his grandam and as chaste
As may be in the world. His youth in flood,
I’ll prove this troth with my three drops of blood.

AENEAS

310Now heavens forfend such scarcity of youth!

ULYSSES

Amen.

AGAMEMNON

765Fair Lord Aeneas, let me touch your hand.
To our pavilion shall I lead you, sir.
Achilles shall have word of this intent;
315So shall each lord of Greece from tent to tent.
Yourself shall feast with us before you go,
770And find the welcome of a noble foe.

All but Ulysses and Nestor exit.

ULYSSES

Nestor.

NESTOR

What says Ulysses?

ULYSSES

320I have a young conception in my brain;
Be you my time to bring it to some shape.

NESTOR

775What is ’t?

ULYSSES

This ’tis:
Blunt wedges rive hard knots; the seeded pride
325That hath to this maturity blown up
In rank Achilles must or now be cropped
780Or, shedding, breed a nursery of like evil
To overbulk us all.

NESTOR

Well, and how?

ULYSSES

330This challenge that the gallant Hector sends,
However it is spread in general name,
785Relates in purpose only to Achilles.

NESTOR

True. The purpose is perspicuous as substance
Whose grossness little characters sum up;
335And, in the publication, make no strain
But that Achilles, were his brain as barren
790As banks of Libya—though, Apollo knows,
’Tis dry enough—will, with great speed of judgment,
Ay, with celerity, find Hector’s purpose
340Pointing on him.

ULYSSES

And wake him to the answer, think you?

NESTOR

795Why, ’tis most meet. Who may you else oppose
That can from Hector bring his honor off
If not Achilles? Though ’t be a sportful combat,
345Yet in the trial much opinion dwells,
For here the Trojans taste our dear’st repute
800With their fin’st palate. And, trust to me, Ulysses,
Our imputation shall be oddly poised
In this vile action. For the success,
350Although particular, shall give a scantling
Of good or bad unto the general;
805And in such indexes, although small pricks
To their subsequent volumes, there is seen
The baby figure of the giant mass
355Of things to come at large. It is supposed
He that meets Hector issues from our choice;
810And choice, being mutual act of all our souls,
Makes merit her election and doth boil,
As ’twere from forth us all, a man distilled
360Out of our virtues, who, miscarrying,
What heart receives from hence a conquering part
815To steel a strong opinion to themselves?—
Which entertained, limbs are his instruments,
In no less working than are swords and bows
365Directive by the limbs.

ULYSSES

Give pardon to my speech: therefore ’tis meet
820Achilles meet not Hector. Let us like merchants
First show foul wares and think perchance they’ll sell;
If not, the luster of the better shall exceed
370By showing the worse first. Do not consent
That ever Hector and Achilles meet,
825For both our honor and our shame in this
Are dogged with two strange followers.

NESTOR

I see them not with my old eyes. What are they?

ULYSSES

375What glory our Achilles shares from Hector,
Were he not proud, we all should share with him;
830But he already is too insolent,
And it were better parch in Afric sun
Than in the pride and salt scorn of his eyes
380Should he scape Hector fair. If he were foiled,
Why then we do our main opinion crush
835In taint of our best man. No, make a lott’ry,
And, by device, let blockish Ajax draw
The sort to fight with Hector. Among ourselves
385Give him allowance for the better man,
For that will physic the great Myrmidon,
840Who broils in loud applause, and make him fall
His crest that prouder than blue Iris bends.
If the dull brainless Ajax come safe off,
390We’ll dress him up in voices; if he fail,
Yet go we under our opinion still
845That we have better men. But, hit or miss,
Our project’s life this shape of sense assumes:
Ajax employed plucks down Achilles’ plumes.

NESTOR

395Now, Ulysses, I begin to relish thy advice,
And I will give a taste thereof forthwith
850To Agamemnon. Go we to him straight.
Two curs shall tame each other; pride alone
Must tar the mastiffs on, as ’twere a bone.

They exit.

ACT 2

Scene 1

Enter Ajax and Thersites.

AJAX

Thersites!

THERSITES

Agamemnon—how if he had boils, full, all
855over, generally?

AJAX

Thersites!

THERSITES

5And those boils did run? Say so. Did not the
general run, then? Were not that a botchy core?

AJAX

Dog!

THERSITES

860Then there would come some matter
from him. I see none now.

AJAX

10Thou bitchwolf’s son, canst thou not hear? Feel,
then.

Strikes him.

THERSITES

The plague of Greece upon thee, thou mongrel
865beef-witted lord!

AJAX

Speak, then, thou unsalted leaven, speak. I will
15beat thee into handsomeness.

THERSITES

I shall sooner rail thee into wit and holiness,
but I think thy horse will sooner con an oration
870than thou learn a prayer without book. Thou canst
strike, canst thou? A red murrain o’ thy jade’s tricks.

AJAX

20Toadstool, learn me the proclamation.

THERSITES

Dost thou think I have no sense, thou strikest
me thus?

AJAX

875The proclamation!

THERSITES

Thou art proclaimed a fool, I think.

AJAX

25Do not, porpentine, do not. My fingers itch.

THERSITES

I would thou didst itch from head to foot,
and I had the scratching of thee; I would make
880thee the loathsomest scab in Greece. When thou
art forth in the incursions, thou strikest as slow as
30another.

AJAX

I say, the proclamation!

THERSITES

Thou grumblest and railest every hour on
885Achilles, and thou art as full of envy at his greatness
as Cerberus is at Proserpina’s beauty, ay, that
35thou bark’st at him.

AJAX

Mistress Thersites!

THERSITES

Thou shouldst strike him—

AJAX

890Cobloaf!

THERSITES

He would pound thee into shivers with his
40fist as a sailor breaks a biscuit.

AJAX

You whoreson cur!

Strikes him.

THERSITES

Do, do.

AJAX

895Thou stool for a witch!

THERSITES

Ay, do, do, thou sodden-witted lord. Thou
45hast no more brain than I have in mine elbows; an
asinego may tutor thee, thou scurvy-valiant ass.
Thou art here but to thrash Trojans, and thou art
900bought and sold among those of any wit, like a
barbarian slave. If thou use to beat me, I will begin
50at thy heel and tell what thou art by inches, thou
thing of no bowels, thou.

AJAX

You dog!

THERSITES

905You scurvy lord!

AJAX

You cur!

Strikes him.

THERSITES

55Mars his idiot! Do, rudeness, do, camel, do,
do.

Enter Achilles and Patroclus.

ACHILLES

Why, how now, Ajax? Wherefore do you
910thus?—How now, Thersites? What’s the matter,
man?

THERSITES

60You see him there, do you?

ACHILLES

Ay, what’s the matter?

THERSITES

Nay, look upon him.

ACHILLES

915So I do. What’s the matter?

THERSITES

Nay, but regard him well.

ACHILLES

65Well, why, so I do.

THERSITES

But yet you look not well upon him, for
whosomever you take him to be, he is Ajax.

ACHILLES

920I know that, fool.

THERSITES

Ay, but that fool knows not himself.

AJAX

70Therefore I beat thee.

THERSITES

Lo, lo, lo, lo, what modicums of wit he utters!
His evasions have ears thus long. I have
925bobbed his brain more than he has beat my bones.
I will buy nine sparrows for a penny, and his pia
75mater is not worth the ninth part of a sparrow.
This lord, Achilles—Ajax, who wears his wit in his
belly, and his guts in his head—I’ll tell you what I
930say of him.

ACHILLES

What?

THERSITES

80I say, this Ajax—

Ajax menaces him.

ACHILLES

Nay, good Ajax.

THERSITES

Has not so much wit—

ACHILLES , to Ajax

935Nay, I must hold you.

THERSITES

As will stop the eye of Helen’s needle, for
85whom he comes to fight.

ACHILLES

Peace, fool!

THERSITES

I would have peace and quietness, but the
940fool will not—he there, that he. Look you there.

AJAX

O, thou damned cur, I shall—

ACHILLES

90Will you set your wit to a fool’s?

THERSITES

No, I warrant you. The fool’s will shame it.

PATROCLUS

Good words, Thersites.

ACHILLES , to Ajax

945What’s the quarrel?

AJAX

I bade the vile owl go learn me the tenor of the
95proclamation, and he rails upon me.

THERSITES

I serve thee not.

AJAX

Well, go to, go to.

THERSITES

950I serve here voluntary.

ACHILLES

Your last service was suff’rance; ’twas not
100voluntary. No man is beaten voluntary. Ajax was
here the voluntary, and you as under an impress.

THERSITES

E’en so. A great deal of your wit, too, lies in
955your sinews, or else there be liars. Hector shall
have a great catch an he knock out either of
105your brains; he were as good crack a fusty nut with
no kernel.

ACHILLES

What, with me too, Thersites?

THERSITES

960There’s Ulysses and old Nestor—whose wit
was moldy ere your grandsires had nails on
110their toes—yoke you like draft-oxen and make
you plow up the wars.

ACHILLES

What? What?

THERSITES

965Yes, good sooth. To, Achilles! To, Ajax! To—

AJAX

I shall cut out your tongue.

THERSITES

115’Tis no matter. I shall speak as much as
thou afterwards.

PATROCLUS

No more words, Thersites. Peace.

THERSITES

970I will hold my peace when Achilles’ brach
bids me, shall I?

ACHILLES

120There’s for you, Patroclus.

THERSITES

I will see you hanged like clodpolls ere I
come any more to your tents. I will keep where
975there is wit stirring and leave the faction of fools.

He exits.

PATROCLUS

A good riddance.

ACHILLES , to Ajax

125Marry, this, sir, is proclaimed through all our host:
That Hector, by the fifth hour of the sun,
Will with a trumpet ’twixt our tents and Troy
980Tomorrow morning call some knight to arms
That hath a stomach, and such a one that dare
130Maintain—I know not what; ’tis trash. Farewell.

AJAX

Farewell. Who shall answer him?

ACHILLES

I know not. ’Tis put to lott’ry. Otherwise,
985He knew his man.

Achilles and Patroclus exit.

AJAX

O, meaning you? I will go learn more of it.

He exits.

Scene 2

Enter Priam, Hector, Troilus, Paris and Helenas.

PRIAM

After so many hours, lives, speeches spent,
Thus once again says Nestor from the Greeks:
“Deliver Helen, and all damage else—
990As honor, loss of time, travel, expense,
5Wounds, friends, and what else dear that is consumed
In hot digestion of this cormorant war—
Shall be struck off.”—Hector, what say you to ’t?

HECTOR

Though no man lesser fears the Greeks than I
995As far as toucheth my particular,
10Yet, dread Priam,
There is no lady of more softer bowels,
More spongy to suck in the sense of fear,
More ready to cry out “Who knows what follows?”
1000Than Hector is. The wound of peace is surety,
15Surety secure; but modest doubt is called
The beacon of the wise, the tent that searches
To th’ bottom of the worst. Let Helen go.
Since the first sword was drawn about this question,
1005Every tithe soul, ’mongst many thousand dismes,
20Hath been as dear as Helen; I mean, of ours.
If we have lost so many tenths of ours
To guard a thing not ours—nor worth to us,
Had it our name, the value of one ten—
1010What merit’s in that reason which denies
25The yielding of her up?

TROILUS

Fie, fie, my brother,
Weigh you the worth and honor of a king
So great as our dread father’s in a scale
1015Of common ounces? Will you with counters sum
30The past-proportion of his infinite,
And buckle in a waist most fathomless
With spans and inches so diminutive
As fears and reasons? Fie, for godly shame!

HELENUS

1020No marvel though you bite so sharp at reasons,
35You are so empty of them. Should not our father
Bear the great sway of his affairs with reason,
Because your speech hath none that tell him so?

TROILUS

You are for dreams and slumbers, brother priest.
1025You fur your gloves with reason. Here are your
40reasons:
You know an enemy intends you harm;
You know a sword employed is perilous,
And reason flies the object of all harm.
1030Who marvels, then, when Helenus beholds
45A Grecian and his sword, if he do set
The very wings of reason to his heels
And fly like chidden Mercury from Jove
Or like a star disorbed? Nay, if we talk of reason,
1035Let’s shut our gates and sleep. Manhood and honor
50Should have hare hearts, would they but fat their
thoughts
With this crammed reason. Reason and respect
Make livers pale and lustihood deject.

HECTOR

1040Brother, she is not worth what she doth cost
55The keeping.

TROILUS

What’s aught but as ’tis valued?

HECTOR

But value dwells not in particular will;
It holds his estimate and dignity
1045As well wherein ’tis precious of itself
60As in the prizer. ’Tis mad idolatry
To make the service greater than the god;
And the will dotes that is attributive
To what infectiously itself affects
1050Without some image of th’ affected merit.

TROILUS

65I take today a wife, and my election
Is led on in the conduct of my will—
My will enkindled by mine eyes and ears,
Two traded pilots ’twixt the dangerous shores
1055Of will and judgment. How may I avoid,
70Although my will distaste what it elected,
The wife I choose? There can be no evasion
To blench from this and to stand firm by honor.
We turn not back the silks upon the merchant
1060When we have soiled them, nor the remainder
75viands
We do not throw in unrespective sieve
Because we now are full. It was thought meet
Paris should do some vengeance on the Greeks.
1065Your breath with full consent bellied his sails;
80The seas and winds, old wranglers, took a truce
And did him service. He touched the ports desired,
And for an old aunt whom the Greeks held captive,
He brought a Grecian queen, whose youth and
1070freshness
85Wrinkles Apollo’s and makes pale the morning.
Why keep we her? The Grecians keep our aunt.
Is she worth keeping? Why, she is a pearl
Whose price hath launched above a thousand ships
1075And turned crowned kings to merchants.
90If you’ll avouch ’twas wisdom Paris went—
As you must needs, for you all cried “Go, go”—
If you’ll confess he brought home worthy prize—
As you must needs, for you all clapped your hands
1080And cried “Inestimable”—why do you now
95The issue of your proper wisdoms rate
And do a deed that never Fortune did,
Beggar the estimation which you prized
Richer than sea and land? O, theft most base,
1085That we have stol’n what we do fear to keep!
100But thieves unworthy of a thing so stol’n,
That in their country did them that disgrace
We fear to warrant in our native place.

CASSANDRA , within

Cry, Trojans, cry!

PRIAM

1090What noise? What shriek is this?

TROILUS

105’Tis our mad sister. I do know her voice.

CASSANDRA , within

Cry, Trojans!

HECTOR

It is Cassandra.

Enter Cassandra raving.

CASSANDRA

Cry, Trojans, cry! Lend me ten thousand eyes,
1095And I will fill them with prophetic tears.

HECTOR

110Peace, sister, peace!

CASSANDRA

Virgins and boys, mid-age and wrinkled elders,
Soft infancy, that nothing canst but cry,
Add to my clamors. Let us pay betimes
1100A moiety of that mass of moan to come.
115Cry, Trojans, cry! Practice your eyes with tears.
Troy must not be, nor goodly Ilium stand.
Our firebrand brother Paris burns us all.
Cry, Trojans, cry! A Helen and a woe!
1105Cry, cry! Troy burns, or else let Helen go.

She exits.

HECTOR

120Now, youthful Troilus, do not these high strains
Of divination in our sister work
Some touches of remorse? Or is your blood
So madly hot that no discourse of reason
1110Nor fear of bad success in a bad cause
125Can qualify the same?

TROILUS

Why, brother Hector,
We may not think the justness of each act
Such and no other than event doth form it,
1115Nor once deject the courage of our minds
130Because Cassandra’s mad. Her brainsick raptures
Cannot distaste the goodness of a quarrel
Which hath our several honors all engaged
To make it gracious. For my private part,
1120I am no more touched than all Priam’s sons;
135And Jove forbid there should be done amongst us
Such things as might offend the weakest spleen
To fight for and maintain!

PARIS

Else might the world convince of levity
1125As well my undertakings as your counsels.
140But I attest the gods, your full consent
Gave wings to my propension and cut off
All fears attending on so dire a project.
For what, alas, can these my single arms?
1130What propugnation is in one man’s valor
145To stand the push and enmity of those
This quarrel would excite? Yet, I protest,
Were I alone to pass the difficulties
And had as ample power as I have will,
1135Paris should ne’er retract what he hath done
150Nor faint in the pursuit.

PRIAM

Paris, you speak
Like one besotted on your sweet delights.
You have the honey still, but these the gall.
1140So to be valiant is no praise at all.

PARIS

155Sir, I propose not merely to myself
The pleasures such a beauty brings with it,
But I would have the soil of her fair rape
Wiped off in honorable keeping her.
1145What treason were it to the ransacked queen,
160Disgrace to your great worths, and shame to me,
Now to deliver her possession up
On terms of base compulsion? Can it be
That so degenerate a strain as this
1150Should once set footing in your generous bosoms?
165There’s not the meanest spirit on our party
Without a heart to dare or sword to draw
When Helen is defended, nor none so noble
Whose life were ill bestowed or death unfamed
1155Where Helen is the subject. Then I say,
170Well may we fight for her whom, we know well,
The world’s large spaces cannot parallel.

HECTOR

Paris and Troilus, you have both said well,
And on the cause and question now in hand
1160Have glozed—but superficially, not much
175Unlike young men, whom Aristotle thought
Unfit to hear moral philosophy.
The reasons you allege do more conduce
To the hot passion of distempered blood
1165Than to make up a free determination
180’Twixt right and wrong, for pleasure and revenge
Have ears more deaf than adders to the voice
Of any true decision. Nature craves
All dues be rendered to their owners. Now,
1170What nearer debt in all humanity
185Than wife is to the husband? If this law
Of nature be corrupted through affection,
And that great minds, of partial indulgence
To their benumbèd wills, resist the same,
1175There is a law in each well-ordered nation
190To curb those raging appetites that are
Most disobedient and refractory.
If Helen, then, be wife to Sparta’s king,
As it is known she is, these moral laws
1180Of nature and of nations speak aloud
195To have her back returned. Thus to persist
In doing wrong extenuates not wrong,
But makes it much more heavy. Hector’s opinion
Is this in way of truth; yet, ne’ertheless,
1185My sprightly brethren, I propend to you
200In resolution to keep Helen still,
For ’tis a cause that hath no mean dependence
Upon our joint and several dignities.

TROILUS

Why, there you touched the life of our design!
1190Were it not glory that we more affected
205Than the performance of our heaving spleens,
I would not wish a drop of Trojan blood
Spent more in her defense. But, worthy Hector,
She is a theme of honor and renown,
1195A spur to valiant and magnanimous deeds,
210Whose present courage may beat down our foes,
And fame in time to come canonize us;
For I presume brave Hector would not lose
So rich advantage of a promised glory
1200As smiles upon the forehead of this action
215For the wide world’s revenue.

HECTOR

I am yours,
You valiant offspring of great Priamus.
I have a roisting challenge sent amongst
1205The dull and factious nobles of the Greeks
220Will strike amazement to their drowsy spirits.
I was advertised their great general slept,
Whilst emulation in the army crept.
This, I presume, will wake him.

They exit.

Scene 3

Enter Thersites, alone.

THERSITES

1210How now, Thersites? What, lost in the
labyrinth of thy fury? Shall the elephant Ajax carry
it thus? He beats me, and I rail at him. O, worthy
satisfaction! Would it were otherwise, that I could
5beat him whilst he railed at me. ’Sfoot, I’ll learn to
1215conjure and raise devils but I’ll see some issue of
my spiteful execrations. Then there’s Achilles, a
rare enginer! If Troy be not taken till these two undermine
it, the walls will stand till they fall of
10themselves. O thou great thunder-darter of Olympus,
1220forget that thou art Jove, the king of gods;
and, Mercury, lose all the serpentine craft of thy
caduceus, if you take not that little, little, less than
little wit from them that they have, which short-armed
15ignorance itself knows is so abundant
1225scarce it will not in circumvention deliver a fly
from a spider without drawing their massy irons
and cutting the web. After this, the vengeance on
the whole camp! Or rather, the Neapolitan bone-ache!
20For that, methinks, is the curse depending
1230on those that war for a placket. I have said my
prayers, and devil Envy say “Amen.”—What ho,
my lord Achilles!

PATROCLUS , within

Who’s there? Thersites? Good
25Thersites, come in and rail.

THERSITES

1235If I could ’a remembered a gilt counterfeit,
thou couldst not have slipped out of my contemplation.
But it is no matter. Thyself upon thyself! The
common curse of mankind, folly and ignorance,
30be thine in great revenue! Heaven bless thee from
1240a tutor, and discipline come not near thee! Let thy
blood be thy direction till thy death; then if she
that lays thee out says thou art a fair corse, I’ll be
sworn and sworn upon ’t she never shrouded any
35but lazars. Amen.

Enter Patroclus.

1245Where’s Achilles?

PATROCLUS

What, art thou devout? Wast thou in
prayer?

THERSITES

Ay. The heavens hear me!

PATROCLUS

40Amen.

ACHILLES , within

1250Who’s there?

PATROCLUS

Thersites, my lord.

ACHILLES , within

Where? Where? O, where?

Enter Achilles.

To Thersites. Art thou come? Why, my cheese, my
45digestion, why hast thou not served thyself in to my
1255table so many meals? Come, what’s Agamemnon?

THERSITES

Thy commander, Achilles.—Then, tell me,
Patroclus, what’s Achilles?

PATROCLUS

Thy lord, Thersites. Then, tell me, I pray
50thee, what’s Thersites?

THERSITES

1260Thy knower, Patroclus. Then, tell me, Patroclus,
what art thou?

PATROCLUS

Thou must tell that knowest.

ACHILLES

O tell, tell.

THERSITES

55I’ll decline the whole question. Agamemnon
1265commands Achilles, Achilles is my lord, I am
Patroclus’ knower, and Patroclus is a fool.

PATROCLUS

You rascal!

THERSITES

Peace, fool. I have not done.

ACHILLES , to Patroclus

60He is a privileged man.—Proceed,
1270Thersites.

THERSITES

Agamemnon is a fool, Achilles is a fool,
Thersites is a fool, and, as aforesaid, Patroclus is a
fool.

ACHILLES

65Derive this. Come.

THERSITES

1275Agamemnon is a fool to offer to command
Achilles, Achilles is a fool to be commanded of
Agamemnon, Thersites is a fool to serve such a fool,
and this Patroclus is a fool positive.

PATROCLUS

70Why am I a fool?

THERSITES

1280Make that demand of the creator. It suffices
me thou art.

Enter at a distance Agamemnon, Ulysses, Nestor,
Diomedes, Ajax, and Calchas.

Look you, who comes here?

ACHILLES

Patroclus, I’ll speak with nobody.—Come in
75with me, Thersites.

He exits.

THERSITES

1285Here is such patchery, such juggling, and
such knavery. All the argument is a whore and a
cuckold, a good quarrel to draw emulous factions
and bleed to death upon. Now the dry serpigo on
80the subject, and war and lechery confound all!

He exits.

AGAMEMNON , to Patroclus

1290Where is Achilles?

PATROCLUS

Within his tent, but ill-disposed, my lord.

AGAMEMNON

Let it be known to him that we are here.
He shent our messengers, and we lay by
85Our appertainments, visiting of him.
1295Let him be told so, lest perchance he think
We dare not move the question of our place
Or know not what we are.

PATROCLUS

I shall say so to him.

He exits.

ULYSSES

90We saw him at the opening of his tent.
1300He is not sick.

AJAX

Yes, lion-sick, sick of proud heart. You may call
it melancholy if you will favor the man, but, by my
head, ’tis pride. But, why, why? Let him show us a
95cause.—A word, my lord.

He and Agamemnon walk aside.

NESTOR

1305What moves Ajax thus to bay at him?

ULYSSES

Achilles hath inveigled his fool from him.

NESTOR

Who, Thersites?

ULYSSES

He.

NESTOR

100Then will Ajax lack matter, if he have lost his
1310argument.

ULYSSES

No. You see, he is his argument that has his
argument: Achilles.

NESTOR

All the better. Their fraction is more our wish
105than their faction. But it was a strong composure a
1315fool could disunite.

ULYSSES

The amity that wisdom knits not, folly may
easily untie.

Enter Patroclus.

Here comes Patroclus.

NESTOR

110No Achilles with him.

ULYSSES

1320The elephant hath joints, but none for courtesy;
his legs are legs for necessity, not for flexure.

PATROCLUS , to Agamemnon

Achilles bids me say he is much sorry
If anything more than your sport and pleasure
115Did move your greatness and this noble state
1325To call upon him. He hopes it is no other
But for your health and your digestion sake,
An after-dinner’s breath.

AGAMEMNON

Hear you, Patroclus:
120We are too well acquainted with these answers,
1330But his evasion, winged thus swift with scorn,
Cannot outfly our apprehensions.
Much attribute he hath, and much the reason
Why we ascribe it to him. Yet all his virtues,
125Not virtuously on his own part beheld,
1335Do in our eyes begin to lose their gloss,
Yea, and like fair fruit in an unwholesome dish,
Are like to rot untasted. Go and tell him
We come to speak with him; and you shall not sin
130If you do say we think him overproud
1340And underhonest, in self-assumption greater
Than in the note of judgment; and worthier than
himself
Here tend the savage strangeness he puts on,
135Disguise the holy strength of their command,
1345And underwrite in an observing kind
His humorous predominance—yea, watch
His course and time, his ebbs and flows, as if
The passage and whole carriage of this action
140Rode on his tide. Go tell him this, and add
1350That, if he overhold his price so much,
We’ll none of him. But let him, like an engine
Not portable, lie under this report:
“Bring action hither; this cannot go to war.”
145A stirring dwarf we do allowance give
1355Before a sleeping giant. Tell him so.

PATROCLUS

I shall, and bring his answer presently.

AGAMEMNON

In second voice we’ll not be satisfied;
We come to speak with him.—Ulysses, enter you.

Ulysses exits, with Patroclus.

AJAX

150What is he more than another?

AGAMEMNON

1360No more than what he thinks he is.

AJAX

Is he so much? Do you not think he thinks himself
a better man than I am?

AGAMEMNON

No question.

AJAX

155Will you subscribe his thought and say he is?

AGAMEMNON

1365No, noble Ajax. You are as strong, as
valiant, as wise, no less noble, much more gentle,
and altogether more tractable.

AJAX

Why should a man be proud? How doth pride
160grow? I know not what pride is.

AGAMEMNON

1370Your mind is the clearer, Ajax, and your
virtues the fairer. He that is proud eats up himself.
Pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own
chronicle; and whatever praises itself but in the
165deed devours the deed in the praise.

AJAX

1375I do hate a proud man as I hate the engendering
of toads.

NESTOR , aside

And yet he loves himself. Is ’t not strange?

Enter Ulysses.

ULYSSES

Achilles will not to the field tomorrow.

AGAMEMNON

170What’s his excuse?

ULYSSES

1380He doth rely on none,
But carries on the stream of his dispose,
Without observance or respect of any,
In will peculiar and in self-admission.

AGAMEMNON

175Why, will he not, upon our fair request,
1385Untent his person and share th’ air with us?

ULYSSES

Things small as nothing, for request’s sake only,
He makes important. Possessed he is with greatness
And speaks not to himself but with a pride
180That quarrels at self-breath. Imagined worth
1390Holds in his blood such swoll’n and hot discourse
That ’twixt his mental and his active parts
Kingdomed Achilles in commotion rages
And batters down himself. What should I say?
185He is so plaguy proud that the death-tokens of it
1395Cry “No recovery.”

AGAMEMNON

Let Ajax go to him.—
Dear lord, go you and greet him in his tent.
’Tis said he holds you well and will be led
190At your request a little from himself.

ULYSSES

1400O Agamemnon, let it not be so!
We’ll consecrate the steps that Ajax makes
When they go from Achilles. Shall the proud lord
That bastes his arrogance with his own seam
195And never suffers matter of the world
1405Enter his thoughts, save such as doth revolve
And ruminate himself—shall he be worshipped
Of that we hold an idol more than he?
No. This thrice-worthy and right valiant lord
200Shall not so stale his palm, nobly acquired,
1410Nor, by my will, assubjugate his merit,
As amply titled as Achilles is,
By going to Achilles.
That were to enlard his fat-already pride
205And add more coals to Cancer when he burns
1415With entertaining great Hyperion.
This lord go to him? Jupiter forbid
And say in thunder “Achilles, go to him.”

NESTOR , aside to Diomedes

O, this is well; he rubs the vein of him.

DIOMEDES , aside to Nestor

210And how his silence drinks up this applause!

AJAX

1420If I go to him, with my armèd fist
I’ll pash him o’er the face.

AGAMEMNON

O, no, you shall not go.

AJAX

An he be proud with me, I’ll feeze his pride.
215Let me go to him.

ULYSSES

1425Not for the worth that hangs upon our quarrel.

AJAX

A paltry, insolent fellow.

NESTOR , aside

How he describes himself!

AJAX

Can he not be sociable?

ULYSSES , aside

220The raven chides blackness.

AJAX

1430I’ll let his humorous blood.

AGAMEMNON , aside

He will be the physician that
should be the patient.

AJAX

An all men were of my mind—

ULYSSES , aside

225Wit would be out of fashion.

AJAX

1435—he should not bear it so; he should eat swords
first. Shall pride carry it?

NESTOR , aside

An ’twould, you’d carry half.

ULYSSES , aside

He would have ten shares.

AJAX

230I will knead him; I’ll make him supple.

NESTOR , aside

1440He’s not yet through warm. Force him
with praises. Pour in, pour in; his ambition is dry.

ULYSSES , to Agamemnon

My lord, you feed too much on this dislike.

NESTOR , to Agamemnon

Our noble general, do not do so.

DIOMEDES , to Agamemnon

235You must prepare to fight without Achilles.

ULYSSES

1445Why, ’tis this naming of him does him harm.
Here is a man—but ’tis before his face;
I will be silent.

NESTOR

Wherefore should you so?
240He is not emulous, as Achilles is.

ULYSSES

1450Know the whole world, he is as valiant—

AJAX

A whoreson dog, that shall palter with us thus!
Would he were a Trojan!

NESTOR

What a vice were it in Ajax now—

ULYSSES

245If he were proud—

DIOMEDES

1455Or covetous of praise—

ULYSSES

Ay, or surly borne—

DIOMEDES

Or strange, or self-affected—

ULYSSES , to Ajax

Thank the heavens, lord, thou art of sweet
250composure.
1460Praise him that gat thee, she that gave thee suck;
Famed be thy tutor, and thy parts of nature
Thrice famed beyond, beyond thy erudition;
But he that disciplined thine arms to fight,
255Let Mars divide eternity in twain
1465And give him half; and for thy vigor,
Bull-bearing Milo his addition yield
To sinewy Ajax. I will not praise thy wisdom,
Which like a bourn, a pale, a shore confines
260Thy spacious and dilated parts. Here’s Nestor,
1470Instructed by the antiquary times;
He must, he is, he cannot but be wise.—
But pardon, father Nestor, were your days
As green as Ajax’ and your brain so tempered,
265You should not have the eminence of him,
1475But be as Ajax.

AJAX

Shall I call you father?

NESTOR

Ay, my good son.

DIOMEDES

Be ruled by him, Lord Ajax.

ULYSSES

270There is no tarrying here; the hart Achilles
1480Keeps thicket. Please it our great general
To call together all his state of war.
Fresh kings are come to Troy. Tomorrow
We must with all our main of power stand fast.
275And here’s a lord—come knights from east to west
1485And cull their flower, Ajax shall cope the best.

AGAMEMNON

Go we to council. Let Achilles sleep.
Light boats sail swift, though greater hulks draw deep.

They exit.

ACT 3

Scene 1

Music sounds within. Enter Pandarus and Paris’s
Servingman.

PANDARUS

Friend, you, pray you, a word. Do you not
follow the young Lord Paris?

MAN

1490Ay, sir, when he goes before me.

PANDARUS

You depend upon him, I mean.

MAN

5Sir, I do depend upon the Lord.

PANDARUS

You depend upon a notable gentleman. I
must needs praise him.

MAN

1495The Lord be praised!

PANDARUS

You know me, do you not?

MAN

10Faith, sir, superficially.

PANDARUS

Friend, know me better. I am the Lord
Pandarus.

MAN

1500I hope I shall know your Honor better.

PANDARUS

I do desire it.

MAN

15You are in the state of grace?

PANDARUS

Grace? Not so, friend. “Honor” and “Lordship”
are my titles. What music is this?

MAN

1505I do but partly know, sir. It is music in parts.

PANDARUS

Know you the musicians?

MAN

20Wholly, sir.

PANDARUS

Who play they to?

MAN

To the hearers, sir.

PANDARUS

1510At whose pleasure, friend?

MAN

At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.

PANDARUS

25Command, I mean, friend.

MAN

Who shall I command, sir?

PANDARUS

Friend, we understand not one another. I
1515am too courtly and thou art too cunning. At whose
request do these men play?

MAN

30That’s to ’t indeed, sir. Marry, sir, at the request of
Paris my lord, who is there in person; with him the
mortal Venus, the heart blood of beauty, love’s visible
1520soul.

PANDARUS

Who, my cousin Cressida?

MAN

35No, sir, Helen. Could not you find out that by her
attributes?

PANDARUS

It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not
1525seen the Lady Cressid. I come to speak with Paris
from the Prince Troilus. I will make a complimental
40assault upon him, for my business seethes.

MAN

Sodden business! There’s a stewed phrase indeed.

Enter Paris and Helen with Attendants.

PANDARUS

Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair
1530company! Fair desires in all fair measure fairly
guide them!—Especially to you, fair queen, fair
45thoughts be your fair pillow!

HELEN

Dear lord, you are full of fair words.

PANDARUS

You speak your fair pleasure, sweet
1535queen.—Fair prince, here is good broken music.

PARIS

You have broke it, cousin, and, by my life, you
50shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out
with a piece of your performance.

HELEN

He is full of harmony.

PANDARUS

1540Truly, lady, no.

HELEN

O, sir—

PANDARUS

55Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.

PARIS

Well said, my lord; well, you say so in fits.

PANDARUS

I have business to my lord, dear queen.—
1545My lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?

HELEN

Nay, this shall not hedge us out. We’ll hear you
60sing, certainly.

PANDARUS

Well, sweet queen, you are pleasant with
me.—But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and
1550most esteemed friend, your brother Troilus—

HELEN

My Lord Pandarus, honey-sweet lord—

PANDARUS

65Go to, sweet queen, go to—commends himself
most affectionately to you—

HELEN

You shall not bob us out of our melody. If you
1555do, our melancholy upon your head!

PANDARUS

Sweet queen, sweet queen, that’s a sweet
70queen, i’ faith—

HELEN

And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence.

PANDARUS

Nay, that shall not serve your turn, that
1560shall it not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such
words, no, no.—And, my lord, he desires you that
75if the King call for him at supper, you will make his
excuse.

HELEN

My Lord Pandarus—

PANDARUS

1565What says my sweet queen, my very, very
sweet queen?

PARIS

80What exploit’s in hand? Where sups he tonight?

HELEN

Nay, but, my lord—

PANDARUS

What says my sweet queen? My cousin will
1570fall out with you.

HELEN , to Paris

You must not know where he sups.

PARIS

85I’ll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida.

PANDARUS

No, no, no such matter; you are wide.
Come, your disposer is sick.

PARIS

1575Well, I’ll make ’s excuse.

PANDARUS

Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida?
90No, your poor disposer’s sick.

PARIS

I spy.

PANDARUS

You spy? What do you spy?—Come, give me
1580an instrument. An Attendant gives him an instrument.
Now, sweet queen.

HELEN

95Why, this is kindly done.

PANDARUS

My niece is horribly in love with a thing you
have, sweet queen.

HELEN

1585She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my Lord
Paris.

PANDARUS

100He? No, she’ll none of him. They two are
twain.

HELEN

Falling in after falling out may make them
1590three.

PANDARUS

Come, come, I’ll hear no more of this. I’ll
105sing you a song now.

HELEN

Ay, ay, prithee. Now, by my troth, sweet lord,
thou hast a fine forehead.

PANDARUS

1595Ay, you may, you may.

HELEN

Let thy song be love. “This love will undo us all.”
110O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!

PANDARUS

Love? Ay, that it shall, i’ faith.

PARIS

Ay, good now, “Love, love, nothing but love.”

PANDARUS

1600In good troth, it begins so.
Love, love, nothing but love, still love, still more!
115For, O, love’s bow
Shoots buck and doe.
The shaft confounds
1605Not that it wounds
But tickles still the sore.

120These lovers cry “O ho!” they die,
Yet that which seems the wound to kill
Doth turn “O ho!” to “Ha ha he!”
1610So dying love lives still.
“O ho!” awhile, but “Ha ha ha!”
125“O ho!”groans out for “ha ha ha!”—Hey ho!

HELEN

In love, i’ faith, to the very tip of the nose.

PARIS

He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds
1615hot blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and
hot thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.

PANDARUS

130Is this the generation of love? Hot blood,
hot thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers.
Is love a generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who’s
1620afield today?

PARIS

Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the
135gallantry of Troy. I would fain have armed today,
but my Nell would not have it so. How chance my
brother Troilus went not?

HELEN

1625He hangs the lip at something.—You know all,
Lord Pandarus.

PANDARUS

140Not I, honey sweet queen. I long to hear how
they sped today.—You’ll remember your brother’s
excuse?

PARIS

1630To a hair.

PANDARUS

Farewell, sweet queen.

HELEN

145Commend me to your niece.

PANDARUS

I will, sweet queen.

He exits.Sound a retreat.

PARIS

They’re come from the field. Let us to Priam’s hall
1635To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you
To help unarm our Hector. His stubborn buckles,
150With these your white enchanting fingers touched,
Shall more obey than to the edge of steel
Or force of Greekish sinews. You shall do more
1640Than all the island kings: disarm great Hector.

HELEN

’Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris.
155Yea, what he shall receive of us in duty
Gives us more palm in beauty than we have,
Yea, overshines ourself.

PARIS

1645Sweet, above thought I love thee.

They exit.

Scene 2

Enter Pandarus and Troilus’s Man, meeting.

PANDARUS

How now? Where’s thy master? At my
cousin Cressida’s?

MAN

No, sir, he stays for you to conduct him thither.

Enter Troilus.

PANDARUS

O, here he comes.—How now, how now?

TROILUS , to his Man

51650Sirrah, walk off.

Man exits.

PANDARUS

Have you seen my cousin?

TROILUS

No, Pandarus. I stalk about her door
Like a strange soul upon the Stygian banks
Staying for waftage. O, be thou my Charon,
101655And give me swift transportance to those fields
Where I may wallow in the lily beds
Proposed for the deserver! O, gentle Pandar,
From Cupid’s shoulder pluck his painted wings
And fly with me to Cressid!

PANDARUS

151660Walk here i’ th’ orchard. I’ll bring her
straight.

Pandarus exits.

TROILUS

I am giddy; expectation whirls me round.
Th’ imaginary relish is so sweet
That it enchants my sense. What will it be
201665When that the wat’ry palate taste indeed
Love’s thrice-repurèd nectar? Death, I fear me,
Swooning destruction, or some joy too fine,
Too subtle-potent, tuned too sharp in sweetness
For the capacity of my ruder powers.
251670I fear it much; and I do fear besides
That I shall lose distinction in my joys,
As doth a battle when they charge on heaps
The enemy flying.

Enter Pandarus.

PANDARUS

She’s making her ready; she’ll come straight.
301675You must be witty now. She does so blush and
fetches her wind so short as if she were frayed with
a spirit. I’ll fetch her. It is the prettiest villain. She
fetches her breath as short as a new-ta’en sparrow.

Pandarus exits.

TROILUS

Even such a passion doth embrace my bosom.
351680My heart beats thicker than a feverous pulse,
And all my powers do their bestowing lose,
Like vassalage at unawares encount’ring
The eye of majesty.

Enter Pandarus, and Cressida veiled.

PANDARUS , to Cressida

Come, come, what need you
401685blush? Shame’s a baby.—Here she is now. Swear
the oaths now to her that you have sworn to me.
Cressida offers to leave. What, are you gone again?
You must be watched ere you be made tame, must
you? Come your ways; come your ways. An you
451690draw backward, we’ll put you i’ th’ thills.—Why
do you not speak to her?—Come, draw this curtain
and let’s see your picture. He draws back her veil.
Alas the day, how loath you are to offend daylight!
An ’twere dark, you’d close sooner.—So, so, rub on,
501695and kiss the mistress. (They kiss.) How now? A
kiss in fee-farm? Build there, carpenter; the air is
sweet. Nay, you shall fight your hearts out ere I
part you. The falcon as the tercel, for all the ducks
i’ th’ river. Go to, go to.

TROILUS

551700You have bereft me of all words, lady.

PANDARUS

Words pay no debts; give her deeds. But
she’ll bereave you o’ th’ deeds too, if she call your
activity in question. (They kiss.) What, billing
again? Here’s “In witness whereof the parties
601705interchangeably—.” Come in, come in. I’ll go get a fire.

Pandarus exits.

CRESSIDA

Will you walk in, my lord?

TROILUS

O Cressid, how often have I wished me thus!

CRESSIDA

“Wished,” my lord? The gods grant—O, my
lord!

TROILUS

651710What should they grant? What makes this
pretty abruption? What too-curious dreg espies
my sweet lady in the fountain of our love?

CRESSIDA

More dregs than water, if my fears have eyes.

TROILUS

Fears make devils of cherubins; they never
701715see truly.

CRESSIDA

Blind fear, that seeing reason leads, finds
safer footing than blind reason, stumbling without
fear. To fear the worst oft cures the worse.

TROILUS

O, let my lady apprehend no fear. In all
751720Cupid’s pageant there is presented no monster.

CRESSIDA

Nor nothing monstrous neither?

TROILUS

Nothing but our undertakings, when we vow
to weep seas, live in fire, eat rocks, tame tigers,
thinking it harder for our mistress to devise imposition
801725enough than for us to undergo any difficulty
imposed. This is the monstruosity in love, lady, that
the will is infinite and the execution confined, that
the desire is boundless and the act a slave to limit.

CRESSIDA

They say all lovers swear more performance
851730than they are able and yet reserve an ability that
they never perform, vowing more than the perfection
of ten and discharging less than the tenth part
of one. They that have the voice of lions and the
act of hares, are they not monsters?

TROILUS

901735Are there such? Such are not we. Praise us as
we are tasted, allow us as we prove; our head shall
go bare till merit crown it. No perfection in reversion
shall have a praise in present. We will not
name desert before his birth, and, being born, his
951740addition shall be humble. Few words to fair faith.
Troilus shall be such to Cressid as what envy can
say worst shall be a mock for his truth, and what
truth can speak truest not truer than Troilus.

CRESSIDA

Will you walk in, my lord?

Enter Pandarus.

PANDARUS

1001745What, blushing still? Have you not done
talking yet?

CRESSIDA

Well, uncle, what folly I commit I dedicate
to you.

PANDARUS

I thank you for that. If my lord get a boy of
1051750you, you’ll give him me. Be true to my lord. If he
flinch, chide me for it.

TROILUS , to Cressida

You know now your hostages:
your uncle’s word and my firm faith.

PANDARUS

Nay, I’ll give my word for her too. Our kindred,
1101755though they be long ere they be wooed, they
are constant being won. They are burrs, I can tell
you; they’ll stick where they are thrown.

CRESSIDA

Boldness comes to me now and brings me heart.
Prince Troilus, I have loved you night and day
1151760For many weary months.

TROILUS

Why was my Cressid then so hard to win?

CRESSIDA

Hard to seem won; but I was won, my lord,
With the first glance that ever—pardon me;
If I confess much, you will play the tyrant.
1201765I love you now, but till now not so much
But I might master it. In faith, I lie;
My thoughts were like unbridled children grown
Too headstrong for their mother. See, we fools!
Why have I blabbed? Who shall be true to us
1251770When we are so unsecret to ourselves?
But though I loved you well, I wooed you not;
And yet, good faith, I wished myself a man;
Or that we women had men’s privilege
Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue,
1301775For in this rapture I shall surely speak
The thing I shall repent. See, see, your silence,
Cunning in dumbness, from my weakness draws
My very soul of counsel! Stop my mouth.

TROILUS

And shall, albeit sweet music issues thence.

They kiss.

PANDARUS

1351780Pretty, i’ faith!

CRESSIDA , to Troilus

My lord, I do beseech you pardon me.
’Twas not my purpose thus to beg a kiss.
I am ashamed. O heavens, what have I done!
For this time will I take my leave, my lord.

TROILUS

1401785Your leave, sweet Cressid?

PANDARUS

Leave? An you take leave till tomorrow
morning—

CRESSIDA

Pray you, content you.

TROILUS

What offends you, lady?

CRESSIDA

1451790Sir, mine own company.

TROILUS

You cannot shun yourself.

CRESSIDA

Let me go and try.
I have a kind of self resides with you,
But an unkind self that itself will leave
1501795To be another’s fool. I would be gone.
Where is my wit? I know not what I speak.

TROILUS

Well know they what they speak that speak so wisely.

CRESSIDA

Perchance, my lord, I show more craft than love
And fell so roundly to a large confession
1551800To angle for your thoughts. But you are wise,
Or else you love not; for to be wise and love
Exceeds man’s might. That dwells with gods above.

TROILUS

O, that I thought it could be in a woman—
As, if it can, I will presume in you—
1601805To feed for aye her lamp and flames of love,
To keep her constancy in plight and youth,
Outliving beauty’s outward, with a mind
That doth renew swifter than blood decays!
Or that persuasion could but thus convince me
1651810That my integrity and truth to you
Might be affronted with the match and weight
Of such a winnowed purity in love;
How were I then uplifted! But, alas,
I am as true as truth’s simplicity
1701815And simpler than the infancy of truth.

CRESSIDA

In that I’ll war with you.

TROILUS

O virtuous fight,
When right with right wars who shall be most right!
True swains in love shall in the world to come
1751820Approve their truth by Troilus. When their rhymes,
Full of protest, of oath and big compare,
Wants similes, truth tired with iteration—
“As true as steel, as plantage to the moon,
As sun to day, as turtle to her mate,
1801825As iron to adamant, as Earth to th’ center”—
Yet, after all comparisons of truth,
As truth’s authentic author to be cited,
“As true as Troilus” shall crown up the verse
And sanctify the numbers.

CRESSIDA

1851830Prophet may you be!
If I be false or swerve a hair from truth,
When time is old and hath forgot itself,
When water drops have worn the stones of Troy
And blind oblivion swallowed cities up,
1901835And mighty states characterless are grated
To dusty nothing, yet let memory,
From false to false, among false maids in love,
Upbraid my falsehood! When they’ve said “as false
As air, as water, wind or sandy earth,
1951840As fox to lamb, or wolf to heifer’s calf,
Pard to the hind, or stepdame to her son,”
Yea, let them say, to stick the heart of falsehood,
“As false as Cressid.”

PANDARUS

Go to, a bargain made. Seal it, seal it. I’ll be
2001845the witness. Here I hold your hand, here my
cousin’s. If ever you prove false one to another, since
I have taken such pains to bring you together, let
all pitiful goers-between be called to the world’s
end after my name: call them all panders. Let all
2051850constant men be Troiluses, all false women Cressids,
and all brokers-between panders. Say “Amen.”

TROILUS

Amen.

CRESSIDA

Amen.

PANDARUS

Amen. Whereupon I will show you a chamber
2101855with a bed, which bed, because it shall not
speak of your pretty encounters, press it to death.
Away.Troilus and Cressida exit.
And Cupid grant all tongue-tied maidens here
Bed, chamber, pander to provide this gear.

He exits.

Scene 3

Flourish. Enter Ulysses, Diomedes, Nestor,
Agamemnon, Calchas, Menelaus, and Ajax.

CALCHAS

1860Now, princes, for the service I have done you,
Th’ advantage of the time prompts me aloud
To call for recompense. Appear it to your mind
That, through the sight I bear in things to come,
5I have abandoned Troy, left my possessions,
1865Incurred a traitor’s name, exposed myself,
From certain and possessed conveniences,
To doubtful fortunes, sequest’ring from me all
That time, acquaintance, custom, and condition
10Made tame and most familiar to my nature,
1870And here, to do you service, am become
As new into the world, strange, unacquainted.
I do beseech you, as in way of taste,
To give me now a little benefit
15Out of those many regist’red in promise,
1875Which you say live to come in my behalf.

AGAMEMNON

What wouldst thou of us, Trojan, make demand?

CALCHAS

You have a Trojan prisoner called Antenor
Yesterday took. Troy holds him very dear.
20Oft have you—often have you thanks therefor—
1880Desired my Cressid in right great exchange,
Whom Troy hath still denied; but this Antenor,
I know, is such a wrest in their affairs
That their negotiations all must slack,
25Wanting his manage; and they will almost
1885Give us a prince of blood, a son of Priam,
In change of him. Let him be sent, great princes,
And he shall buy my daughter; and her presence
Shall quite strike off all service I have done
30In most accepted pain.

AGAMEMNON

1890Let Diomedes bear him,
And bring us Cressid hither. Calchas shall have
What he requests of us. Good Diomed,
Furnish you fairly for this interchange.
35Withal, bring word if Hector will tomorrow
1895Be answered in his challenge. Ajax is ready.

DIOMEDES

This shall I undertake, and ’tis a burden
Which I am proud to bear.

He exits with Calchas.Achilles and Patroclus stand in their tent.

ULYSSES

Achilles stands i’ th’ entrance of his tent.
40Please it our General pass strangely by him
1900As if he were forgot, and, princes all,
Lay negligent and loose regard upon him.
I will come last. ’Tis like he’ll question me
Why such unplausive eyes are bent, why turned on
45him.
1905If so, I have derision medicinable
To use between your strangeness and his pride,
Which his own will shall have desire to drink.
It may do good; pride hath no other glass
50To show itself but pride, for supple knees
1910Feed arrogance and are the proud man’s fees.

AGAMEMNON

We’ll execute your purpose and put on
A form of strangeness as we pass along;
So do each lord, and either greet him not
55Or else disdainfully, which shall shake him more
1915Than if not looked on. I will lead the way.

They pass before Achilles and Patroclus. Ulysses
remains in place, reading.

ACHILLES

What, comes the General to speak with me?
You know my mind: I’ll fight no more ’gainst Troy.

AGAMEMNON , to Nestor

What says Achilles? Would he aught with us?

NESTOR , to Achilles

60Would you, my lord, aught with the General?

ACHILLES

1920No.

NESTOR

Nothing, my lord.

AGAMEMNON

The better.

Agamemnon and Nestor exit.

ACHILLES , to Menelaus

Good day, good day.

MENELAUS

65How do you? How do you?

He exits.

ACHILLES

1925What, does the cuckold scorn me?

AJAX

How now, Patroclus?

ACHILLES

Good morrow, Ajax.

AJAX

Ha?

ACHILLES

70Good morrow.

AJAX

1930Ay, and good next day too.

He exits.

ACHILLES

What mean these fellows? Know they not Achilles?

PATROCLUS

They pass by strangely. They were used to bend,
To send their smiles before them to Achilles,
75To come as humbly as they use to creep
1935To holy altars.

ACHILLES

What, am I poor of late?
’Tis certain, greatness, once fall’n out with Fortune,
Must fall out with men too. What the declined is
80He shall as soon read in the eyes of others
1940As feel in his own fall, for men, like butterflies,
Show not their mealy wings but to the summer,
And not a man, for being simply man,
Hath any honor, but honor for those honors
85That are without him—as place, riches, and favor,
1945Prizes of accident as oft as merit,
Which, when they fall, as being slippery slanders,
The love that leaned on them, as slippery too,
Doth one pluck down another and together
90Die in the fall. But ’tis not so with me.
1950Fortune and I are friends. I do enjoy,
At ample point, all that I did possess,
Save these men’s looks, who do, methinks, find out
Something not worth in me such rich beholding
95As they have often given. Here is Ulysses.
1955I’ll interrupt his reading.—How now, Ulysses?

ULYSSES

Now, great Thetis’ son—

ACHILLES

What are you reading?

ULYSSES

A strange fellow here
100Writes me that man, how dearly ever parted,
1960How much in having, or without or in,
Cannot make boast to have that which he hath,
Nor feels not what he owes, but by reflection;
As when his virtues, shining upon others,
105Heat them, and they retort that heat again
1965To the first giver.

ACHILLES

This is not strange, Ulysses.
The beauty that is borne here in the face
The bearer knows not, but commends itself
110To others’ eyes; nor doth the eye itself,
1970That most pure spirit of sense, behold itself,
Not going from itself, but eye to eye opposed
Salutes each other with each other’s form.
For speculation turns not to itself
115Till it hath traveled and is mirrored there
1975Where it may see itself. This is not strange at all.

ULYSSES

I do not strain at the position—
It is familiar—but at the author’s drift,
Who in his circumstance expressly proves
120That no man is the lord of anything—
1980Though in and of him there be much consisting—
Till he communicate his parts to others;
Nor doth he of himself know them for aught
Till he behold them formed in the applause
125Where they’re extended; who, like an arch, reverb’rate
1985The voice again or, like a gate of steel
Fronting the sun, receives and renders back
His figure and his heat. I was much rapt in this
And apprehended here immediately
130Th’ unknown Ajax. Heavens, what a man is there!
1990A very horse, that has he knows not what!
Nature, what things there are
Most abject in regard, and dear in use,
What things again most dear in the esteem
135And poor in worth! Now shall we see tomorrow—
1995An act that very chance doth throw upon him—
Ajax renowned. O, heavens, what some men do
While some men leave to do!
How some men creep in skittish Fortune’s hall,
140Whiles others play the idiots in her eyes!
2000How one man eats into another’s pride,
While pride is fasting in his wantonness!
To see these Grecian lords—why, even already
They clap the lubber Ajax on the shoulder
145As if his foot were on brave Hector’s breast
2005And great Troy shrieking.

ACHILLES

I do believe it, for they passed by me
As misers do by beggars, neither gave to me
Good word nor look. What, are my deeds forgot?

ULYSSES

150Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back
2010Wherein he puts alms for oblivion,
A great-sized monster of ingratitudes.
Those scraps are good deeds past, which are devoured
As fast as they are made, forgot as soon
155As done. Perseverance, dear my lord,
2015Keeps honor bright. To have done is to hang
Quite out of fashion like a rusty mail
In monumental mock’ry. Take the instant way,
For honor travels in a strait so narrow
160Where one but goes abreast. Keep, then, the path,
2020For Emulation hath a thousand sons
That one by one pursue. If you give way
Or turn aside from the direct forthright,
Like to an entered tide they all rush by
165And leave you hindmost;
2025Or, like a gallant horse fall’n in first rank,
Lie there for pavement to the abject rear,
O’errun and trampled on. Then what they do in
present,
170Though less than yours in past, must o’ertop yours;
2030For Time is like a fashionable host
That slightly shakes his parting guest by th’ hand
And, with his arms outstretched as he would fly,
Grasps in the comer. Welcome ever smiles,
175And Farewell goes out sighing. Let not virtue seek
2035Remuneration for the thing it was,
For beauty, wit,
High birth, vigor of bone, desert in service,
Love, friendship, charity are subjects all
180To envious and calumniating Time.
2040One touch of nature makes the whole world kin,
That all, with one consent, praise newborn gauds,
Though they are made and molded of things past,
And give to dust that is a little gilt
185More laud than gilt o’erdusted.
2045The present eye praises the present object.
Then marvel not, thou great and complete man,
That all the Greeks begin to worship Ajax,
Since things in motion sooner catch the eye
190Than what stirs not. The cry went once on thee,
2050And still it might, and yet it may again,
If thou wouldst not entomb thyself alive
And case thy reputation in thy tent,
Whose glorious deeds but in these fields of late
195Made emulous missions ’mongst the gods themselves
2055And drave great Mars to faction.

ACHILLES

Of this my privacy,
I have strong reasons.

ULYSSES

But ’gainst your privacy
200The reasons are more potent and heroical.
2060’Tis known, Achilles, that you are in love
With one of Priam’s daughters.

ACHILLES

Ha? Known?

ULYSSES

Is that a wonder?
205The providence that’s in a watchful state
2065Knows almost every grain of Pluto’s gold,
Finds bottom in the uncomprehensive deep,
Keeps place with thought and almost, like the gods,
Do thoughts unveil in their dumb cradles.
210There is a mystery—with whom relation
2070Durst never meddle—in the soul of state,
Which hath an operation more divine
Than breath or pen can give expressure to.
All the commerce that you have had with Troy
215As perfectly is ours as yours, my lord;
2075And better would it fit Achilles much
To throw down Hector than Polyxena.
But it must grieve young Pyrrhus now at home
When Fame shall in our islands sound her trump,
220And all the Greekish girls shall tripping sing
2080“Great Hector’s sister did Achilles win,
But our great Ajax bravely beat down him.”
Farewell, my lord. I as your lover speak.
The fool slides o’er the ice that you should break.

He exits.

PATROCLUS

225To this effect, Achilles, have I moved you.
2085A woman impudent and mannish grown
Is not more loathed than an effeminate man
In time of action. I stand condemned for this.
They think my little stomach to the war,
230And your great love to me, restrains you thus.
2090Sweet, rouse yourself, and the weak wanton Cupid
Shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold
And, like a dewdrop from the lion’s mane,
Be shook to air.

ACHILLES

235Shall Ajax fight with Hector?

PATROCLUS

2095Ay, and perhaps receive much honor by him.

ACHILLES

I see my reputation is at stake;
My fame is shrewdly gored.

PATROCLUS

O, then, beware!
240Those wounds heal ill that men do give themselves.
2100Omission to do what is necessary
Seals a commission to a blank of danger,
And danger, like an ague, subtly taints
Even then when they sit idly in the sun.

ACHILLES

245Go call Thersites hither, sweet Patroclus.
2105I’ll send the fool to Ajax and desire him
T’ invite the Trojan lords after the combat
To see us here unarmed. I have a woman’s longing,
An appetite that I am sick withal,
250To see great Hector in his weeds of peace,
2110To talk with him, and to behold his visage,
Even to my full of view.

Enter Thersites.

A labor saved.

THERSITES

A wonder!

ACHILLES

255What?

THERSITES

2115Ajax goes up and down the field, asking for
himself.

ACHILLES

How so?

THERSITES

He must fight singly tomorrow with Hector
260and is so prophetically proud of an heroical cudgeling
2120that he raves in saying nothing.

ACHILLES

How can that be?

THERSITES

Why, he stalks up and down like a peacock—
a stride and a stand; ruminates like an hostess
265that hath no arithmetic but her brain to set
2125down her reckoning; bites his lip with a politic regard,
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
270show without knocking. The man’s undone forever,
2130for if Hector break not his neck i’ th’ combat,
he’ll break ’t himself in vainglory. He knows not
me. I said “Good morrow, Ajax,” and he replies
“Thanks, Agamemnon.” What think you of this
275man that takes me for the General? He’s grown a
2135very land-fish, languageless, a monster. A plague of
opinion! A man may wear it on both sides, like a
leather jerkin.

ACHILLES

Thou must be my ambassador to him,
280Thersites.

THERSITES

2140Who, I? Why, he’ll answer nobody. He professes
not answering; speaking is for beggars; he
wears his tongue in ’s arms. I will put on his presence.
Let Patroclus make his demands to me. You
285shall see the pageant of Ajax.

ACHILLES

2145To 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
290most illustrious, six-or-seven-times-honored captain
2150general of the Grecian army, Agamemnon,
et cetera. Do this.

PATROCLUS , to Thersites, who is playing Ajax

Jove
bless great Ajax.

THERSITES

295Hum!

PATROCLUS

2155I come from the worthy Achilles—

THERSITES

Ha?

PATROCLUS

Who most humbly desires you to invite
Hector to his tent—

THERSITES

300Hum!

PATROCLUS

2160And to procure safe-conduct from
Agamemnon.

THERSITES

Agamemnon?

PATROCLUS

Ay, my lord.

THERSITES

305Ha!

PATROCLUS

2165What say you to ’t?

THERSITES

God b’ wi’ you, with all my heart.

PATROCLUS

Your answer, sir.

THERSITES

If tomorrow be a fair day, by eleven of the
310clock it will go one way or other. Howsoever, he
2170shall pay for me ere he has me.

PATROCLUS

Your answer, sir.

THERSITES

Fare you well with all my heart.

He pretends to exit.

ACHILLES

Why, but he is not in this tune, is he?

THERSITES

315No, but he’s out of tune thus. What music
2175will be in him when Hector has knocked out his
brains I know not. But I am sure none, unless the
fiddler Apollo get his sinews to make catlings on.

ACHILLES

Come, thou shalt bear a letter to him
320straight.

THERSITES

2180Let me bear another to his horse, for that’s
the more capable creature.

ACHILLES

My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirred,
And I myself see not the bottom of it.

Achilles and Patroclus exit.

THERSITES

325Would the fountain of your mind were clear
2185again, that I might water an ass at it. I had rather
be a tick in a sheep than such a valiant ignorance.

He exits.

ACT 4

Scene 1

Enter at one door Aeneas with a Torchbearer, at
another Paris, Deiphobus, Antenor, Diomedes and
Grecians with torches.

PARIS

See, ho! Who is that there?

DEIPHOBUS

It is the Lord Aeneas.

AENEAS

Is the Prince there in person?—
2190Had I so good occasion to lie long
5As you, Prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business
Should rob my bedmate of my company.

DIOMEDES

That’s my mind too.—Good morrow, Lord Aeneas.

PARIS

A valiant Greek, Aeneas; take his hand.
2195Witness the process of your speech, wherein
10You told how Diomed a whole week by days
Did haunt you in the field.

AENEAS

Health to you, valiant sir,
During all question of the gentle truce;
2200But when I meet you armed, as black defiance
15As heart can think or courage execute.

DIOMEDES

The one and other Diomed embraces.
Our bloods are now in calm, and, so long, health;
But when contention and occasion meet,
2205By Jove, I’ll play the hunter for thy life
20With all my force, pursuit, and policy.

AENEAS

And thou shalt hunt a lion that will fly
With his face backward. In human gentleness,
Welcome to Troy. Now, by Anchises’ life,
2210Welcome indeed. By Venus’ hand I swear
25No man alive can love in such a sort
The thing he means to kill more excellently.

DIOMEDES

We sympathize. Jove, let Aeneas live,
If to my sword his fate be not the glory,
2215A thousand complete courses of the sun!
30But in mine emulous honor let him die
With every joint a wound and that tomorrow.

AENEAS

We know each other well.

DIOMEDES

We do, and long to know each other worse.

PARIS

2220This is the most despiteful gentle greeting,
35The noblest hateful love, that e’er I heard of.
To Aeneas. What business, lord, so early?

AENEAS

I was sent for to the King, but why I know not.

PARIS

His purpose meets you. ’Twas to bring this Greek
2225To Calchas’ house, and there to render him,
40For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid.
Let’s have your company, or, if you please,
Haste there before us. (Aside to Aeneas.) I constantly
believe—
2230Or, rather, call my thought a certain knowledge—
45My brother Troilus lodges there tonight.
Rouse him, and give him note of our approach,
With the whole quality whereof. I fear
We shall be much unwelcome.

AENEAS , aside to Paris

2235That I assure you.
50Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece
Than Cressid borne from Troy.

PARIS , aside to Aeneas

There is no help.
The bitter disposition of the time
2240Will have it so.—On, lord, we’ll follow you.

AENEAS

55Good morrow, all.

Aeneas exits with the Torchbearer.

PARIS

And tell me, noble Diomed, faith, tell me true,
Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship,
Who, in your thoughts, deserves fair Helen best,
2245Myself or Menelaus?

DIOMEDES

60Both 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;
2250And you as well to keep her that defend her,
65Not palating the taste of her dishonor,
With such a costly loss of wealth and friends.
He, like a puling cuckold, would drink up
The lees and dregs of a flat tamèd piece;
2255You, like a lecher, out of whorish loins
70Are pleased to breed out your inheritors.
Both merits poised, each weighs nor less nor more;
But he as he, the heavier for a whore.

PARIS

You are too bitter to your countrywoman.

DIOMEDES

2260She’s bitter to her country. Hear me, Paris:
75For every false drop in her bawdy veins
A Grecian’s life hath sunk; for every scruple
Of her contaminated carrion weight
A Trojan hath been slain. Since she could speak,
2265She hath not given so many good words breath
80As for her Greeks and Trojans suffered death.

PARIS

Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do,
Dispraise the thing that they desire to buy.
But we in silence hold this virtue well:
2270We’ll not commend that not intend to sell.
85Here lies our way.

They exit.

Scene 2

Enter Troilus and Cressida.

TROILUS

Dear, trouble not yourself. The morn is cold.

CRESSIDA

Then, sweet my lord, I’ll call mine uncle down.
He shall unbolt the gates.

TROILUS

2275Trouble him not.
5To bed, to bed! Sleep kill those pretty eyes
And give as soft attachment to thy senses
As infants’ empty of all thought!

CRESSIDA

Good morrow, then.

TROILUS

2280I prithee now, to bed.

CRESSIDA

10Are you aweary of me?

TROILUS

O Cressida! But that the busy day,
Waked by the lark, hath roused the ribald crows,
And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer,
2285I would not from thee.

CRESSIDA

15Night hath been too brief.

TROILUS

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.
2290You will catch cold and curse me.

CRESSIDA

20Prithee, tarry. You men will never tarry.
O foolish Cressid! I might have still held off,
And then you would have tarried. Hark, there’s one up.

PANDARUS , within

What’s all the doors open here?

TROILUS

2295It is your uncle.

CRESSIDA

25A pestilence on him! Now will he be mocking.
I shall have such a life!

Enter Pandarus.

PANDARUS

How now, how now? How go maidenheads?
Here, you maid! Where’s my Cousin Cressid?

CRESSIDA

2300Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle.
30You bring me to do—and then you flout me too.

PANDARUS

To do what, to do what?—Let her say
what.—What have I brought you to do?

CRESSIDA

Come, come, beshrew your heart! You’ll ne’er be good
2305Nor suffer others.

PANDARUS

35Ha, ha! Alas, poor wretch! Ah, poor capocchia!
Has ’t not slept tonight? Would he not—a
naughty man—let it sleep? A bugbear take him!

CRESSIDA , to Troilus

Did not I tell you? Would he were knocked i’ th’ head!
One knocks.
2310Who’s that at door?—Good uncle, go and see.—
40My lord, come you again into my chamber.
You smile and mock me, as if I meant naughtily.

TROILUS

Ha, ha!

CRESSIDA

Come, you are deceived. I think of no such thing.
Knock.
2315How earnestly they knock! Pray you, come in.
45I would not for half Troy have you seen here.

Troilus and Cressida exit.

PANDARUS

Who’s there? What’s the matter? Will you
beat down the door?

Enter Aeneas.

How now? What’s the matter?

AENEAS

2320Good morrow, lord, good morrow.

PANDARUS

50Who’s there? My Lord Aeneas? By my troth,
I knew you not. What news with you so early?

AENEAS

Is not Prince Troilus here?

PANDARUS

Here? What should he do here?

AENEAS

2325Come, he is here, my lord. Do not deny him.
55It doth import him much to speak with me.

PANDARUS

Is he here, say you? It’s more than I know,
I’ll be sworn. For my own part, I came in late.
What should he do here?

AENEAS

2330Ho, nay, then! Come, come, you’ll do him
60wrong ere you are ware. You’ll be so true to him to
be false to him. Do not you know of him, but yet go
fetch him hither. Go.

Enter Troilus.

TROILUS

How now? What’s the matter?

AENEAS

2335My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you,
65My matter is so rash. There is at hand
Paris your brother and Deiphobus,
The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor
Delivered to us; and for him forthwith,
2340Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour,
70We must give up to Diomedes’ hand
The Lady Cressida.

TROILUS

Is it so concluded?

AENEAS

By Priam and the general state of Troy.
2345They are at hand and ready to effect it.

TROILUS

75How my achievements mock me!
I will go meet them. And, my Lord Aeneas,
We met by chance; you did not find me here.

AENEAS

Good, good, my lord; the secrets of nature
2350Have not more gift in taciturnity.

Troilus and Aeneas exit.

PANDARUS

80Is ’t possible? No sooner got but lost? The
devil take Antenor! The young prince will go mad.
A plague upon Antenor! I would they had broke ’s
neck!

Enter Cressida.

CRESSIDA

2355How now? What’s the matter? Who was here?

PANDARUS

85Ah, ah!

CRESSIDA

Why sigh you so profoundly? Where’s my lord?
Gone? Tell me, sweet uncle, what’s the matter?

PANDARUS

Would I were as deep under the earth as I
2360am above!

CRESSIDA

90O the gods! What’s the matter?

PANDARUS

Pray thee, get thee in. Would thou hadst
ne’er been born! I knew thou wouldst be his death.
O, poor gentleman! A plague upon Antenor!

CRESSIDA

2365Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees I
95beseech you, what’s the matter?

PANDARUS

Thou must be gone, wench; thou must be
gone. Thou art changed for Antenor. Thou must to
thy father and be gone from Troilus. ’Twill be his
2370death; ’twill be his bane. He cannot bear it.

CRESSIDA

100O you immortal gods! I will not go.

PANDARUS

Thou must.

CRESSIDA

I will not, uncle. I have forgot my father.
I know no touch of consanguinity,
2375No kin, no love, no blood, no soul so near me
105As the sweet Troilus. O you gods divine,
Make Cressid’s name the very crown of falsehood
If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death
Do to this body what extremes you can,
2380But the strong base and building of my love
110Is as the very center of the Earth,
Drawing all things to it. I’ll go in and weep—

PANDARUS

Do, do.

CRESSIDA

Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praisèd cheeks,
2385Crack my clear voice with sobs, and break my heart
115With sounding “Troilus.” I will not go from Troy.

They exit.

Scene 3

Enter Paris, Troilus, Aeneas, Deiphobus, Antenor,
and Diomedes.

PARIS

It is great morning, and the hour prefixed
For her delivery to this valiant Greek
Comes fast upon. Good my brother Troilus,
2390Tell you the lady what she is to do
5And haste her to the purpose.

TROILUS

Walk into her house.
I’ll bring her to the Grecian presently;
And to his hand when I deliver her,
2395Think it an altar and thy brother Troilus
10A priest there off’ring to it his own heart.

He exits.

PARIS

I know what ’tis to love,
And would, as I shall pity, I could help.—
Please you walk in, my lords?

They exit.

Scene 4

Enter Pandarus and Cressida, weeping.

PANDARUS

2400Be moderate, be moderate.

CRESSIDA

Why tell you me of moderation?
The grief is fine, full, perfect that I taste,
And violenteth in a sense as strong
5As that which causeth it. How can I moderate it?
2405If 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;
10No more my grief in such a precious loss.

Enter Troilus.

PANDARUS

2410Here, here, here he comes. Ah, sweet
ducks!

CRESSIDA , embracing Troilus

O Troilus, Troilus!

PANDARUS

What a pair of spectacles is here! Let me
15embrace too. “O heart,” as the goodly saying is,
2415O heart, heavy heart,
Why sigh’st thou without breaking?
where he answers again,
Because thou canst not ease thy smart
20By friendship nor by speaking.
2420There was never 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?

TROILUS

Cressid, I love thee in so strained a purity
25That the blest gods, as angry with my fancy—
2425More bright in zeal than the devotion which
Cold lips blow to their deities—take thee from me.

CRESSIDA

Have the gods envy?

PANDARUS

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ’tis too plain a case.

CRESSIDA

30And is it true that I must go from Troy?

TROILUS

2430A hateful truth.

CRESSIDA

What, and from Troilus too?

TROILUS

From Troy and Troilus.

CRESSIDA

Is ’t possible?

TROILUS

35And suddenly, where injury of chance
2435Puts back leave-taking, jostles roughly by
All time of pause, rudely beguiles our lips
Of all rejoindure, forcibly prevents
Our locked embrasures, strangles our dear vows
40Even in the birth of our own laboring breath.
2440We 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
45Crams his rich thiev’ry up, he knows not how.
2445As many farewells as be stars in heaven,
With distinct breath and consigned kisses to them,
He fumbles up into a loose adieu
And scants us with a single famished kiss,
50Distasted with the salt of broken tears.

AENEAS , within

2450My lord, is the lady ready?

TROILUS

Hark, you are called. Some say the genius
Cries so to him that instantly must die.—
Bid them have patience. She shall come anon.

PANDARUS

55Where are my tears? Rain, to lay this wind,
2455or my heart will be blown up by the root.

He exits.

CRESSIDA

I must, then, to the Grecians?

TROILUS

No remedy.

CRESSIDA

A woeful Cressid ’mongst the merry Greeks.
60When shall we see again?

TROILUS

2460Hear me, my love. Be thou but true of heart—

CRESSIDA

I true? How now, what wicked deem is this?

TROILUS

Nay, we must use expostulation kindly,
For it is parting from us.
65I speak not “Be thou true” as fearing thee,
2465For I will throw my glove to Death himself
That there is no maculation in thy heart;
But “Be thou true,” say I, to fashion in
My sequent protestation: “Be thou true,
70And I will see thee.”

CRESSIDA

2470O, you shall be exposed, my lord, to dangers
As infinite as imminent! But I’ll be true.

TROILUS

And I’ll grow friend with danger. Wear this sleeve.

CRESSIDA

And you this glove. When shall I see you?

They exchange love-tokens.

TROILUS

75I will corrupt the Grecian sentinels,
2475To give thee nightly visitation.
But yet, be true.

CRESSIDA

O heavens! “Be true” again?

TROILUS

Hear why I speak it, love.
80The Grecian youths are full of quality,
2480Their loving well composed, with gift of nature
flowing,
And swelling o’er with arts and exercise.
How novelty may move, and parts with person,
85Alas, a kind of godly jealousy—
2485Which I beseech you call a virtuous sin—
Makes me afeard.

CRESSIDA

O heavens, you love me not!

TROILUS

Die I a villain then!
90In this I do not call your faith in question
2490So 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.
95But I can tell that in each grace of these
2495There lurks a still and dumb-discursive devil
That tempts most cunningly. But be not tempted.

CRESSIDA

Do you think I will?

TROILUS

No.
100But something may be done that we will not,
2500And sometimes we are devils to ourselves
When we will tempt the frailty of our powers,
Presuming on their changeful potency.

AENEAS , within

Nay, good my lord—

TROILUS

105Come, kiss, and let us part.

They kiss.

PARIS , within

2505Brother Troilus!

TROILUS , calling

Good brother, come you hither,
And bring Aeneas and the Grecian with you.

CRESSIDA

My lord, will you be true?

TROILUS

110Who, I? Alas, it is my vice, my fault.
2510Whiles 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.
115Fear not my truth. The moral of my wit
2515Is “plain and true”; there’s all the reach of it.

Enter Aeneas, 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
120And by the way possess thee what she is.
2520Entreat 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 Ilium.

DIOMEDES

125Fair Lady Cressid,
2525So please you, save the thanks this prince expects.
The luster in your eye, heaven in your cheek,
Pleads your fair usage, and to Diomed
You shall be mistress and command him wholly.

TROILUS

130Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously,
2530To 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 called her servant.
135I charge thee use her well, even for my charge,
2535For, by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not,
Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard,
I’ll cut thy throat.

DIOMEDES

O, be not moved, Prince Troilus.
140Let me be privileged by my place and message
2540To be a speaker free. When I am hence,
I’ll answer to my lust, and know you, lord,
I’ll nothing do on charge. To her own worth
She shall be prized; but that you say “Be ’t so,”
145I speak it in my spirit and honor: “no.”

TROILUS

2545Come, to the port. I’ll tell thee, Diomed,
This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head.—
Lady, give me your hand, and, as we walk,
To our own selves bend we our needful talk.

Cressida, Diomedes, and Troilus exit.Sound trumpet within.

PARIS

150Hark, Hector’s trumpet.

AENEAS

2550How have we spent this
morning!
The Prince must think me tardy and remiss
That swore to ride before him to the field.

PARIS

155’Tis Troilus’ fault. Come, come to field with him.

DEIPHOBUS

2555Let us make ready straight.

AENEAS

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
160On his fair worth and single chivalry.

They exit.

Scene 5

Enter Ajax, armed, Achilles, Patroclus, Agamemnon,
Menelaus, Ulysses, Nestor, etc. and Trumpeter.

AGAMEMNON , to Ajax

2560Here art thou in appointment fresh and fair,
Anticipating time with starting courage.
Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy,
Thou dreadful Ajax, that the appallèd air
5May pierce the head of the great combatant
2565And hale him hither.

AJAX

Thou, trumpet, there’s my purse.
He gives money to Trumpeter.
Now crack thy lungs and split thy brazen pipe.
Blow, villain, till thy spherèd bias cheek
10Outswell the colic of puffed Aquilon.
2570Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout blood.
Thou blowest for Hector.

Sound trumpet.

ULYSSES

No trumpet answers.

ACHILLES

’Tis but early days.

Enter Cressida and Diomedes.

AGAMEMNON

15Is not yond Diomed with Calchas’ daughter?

ULYSSES

2575’Tis he. I ken the manner of his gait.
He rises on the toe; that spirit of his
In aspiration lifts him from the earth.

AGAMEMNON

Is this the Lady Cressid?

DIOMEDES

20Even she.

AGAMEMNON

2580Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady.

He kisses her.

NESTOR

Our general doth salute you with a kiss.

ULYSSES

Yet is the kindness but particular.
’Twere better she were kissed in general.

NESTOR

25And very courtly counsel. I’ll begin.He kisses her.
2585So much for Nestor.

ACHILLES

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

He kisses her.

MENELAUS

I had good argument for kissing once.

PATROCLUS , stepping between Menelaus and Cressida

30But that’s no argument for kissing now,
2590For thus popped Paris in his hardiment
And parted thus you and your argument.

He kisses her.

ULYSSES

O deadly gall and theme of all our scorns,
For which we lose our heads to gild his horns!

PATROCLUS

35The first was Menelaus’ kiss; this mine.
2595Patroclus kisses you.

He kisses her again.

MENELAUS

O, this is trim!

PATROCLUS

Paris and I kiss evermore for him.

MENELAUS

I’ll have my kiss, sir.—Lady, by your leave.

CRESSIDA

40In kissing, do you render or receive?

MENELAUS

2600Both take and give.

CRESSIDA

I’ll make my match to live,
The kiss you take is better than you give.
Therefore no kiss.

MENELAUS

45I’ll give you boot: I’ll give you three for one.

CRESSIDA

2605You are an odd man. Give even, or give none.

MENELAUS

An odd man, lady? Every man is odd.

CRESSIDA

No, Paris is not, for you know ’tis true
That you are odd, and he is even with you.

MENELAUS

50You fillip me o’ th’ head.

CRESSIDA

2610No, I’ll be sworn.

ULYSSES

It were no match, your nail against his horn.
May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?

CRESSIDA

You may.

ULYSSES

55I do desire it.

CRESSIDA

2615Why, beg two.

ULYSSES

Why, then, for Venus’ sake, give me a kiss
When Helen is a maid again and his.

CRESSIDA

I am your debtor; claim it when ’tis due.

ULYSSES

60Never’s my day, and then a kiss of you.

DIOMEDES

2620Lady, a word. I’ll bring you to your father.

Diomedes and Cressida talk aside.

NESTOR

A woman of quick sense.

ULYSSES

Fie, fie upon her!
There’s language in her eye, her cheek, her lip;
65Nay, her foot speaks. Her wanton spirits look out
2625At every joint and motive of her body.
O, these encounterers, so glib of tongue,
That give accosting welcome ere it comes
And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts
70To every tickling reader! Set them down
2630For sluttish spoils of opportunity
And daughters of the game.

Diomedes and Cressida exit.Flourish.

ALL

The Trojan’s trumpet.

Enter all of Troy: Hector, armed, Paris, Aeneas,
Helenus, Troilus, and Attendants.

AGAMEMNON

Yonder comes the troop.

AENEAS

75Hail, all the state of Greece! What shall be done
2635To 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
80By any voice or order of the field?
2640Hector bade ask.

AGAMEMNON

Which way would Hector have it?

AENEAS

He cares not; he’ll obey conditions.

AGAMEMNON

’Tis done like Hector.

ACHILLES

85But securely done,
2645A little proudly, and great deal misprizing
The knight opposed.

AENEAS

If not Achilles, sir,
What is your name?

ACHILLES

90If not Achilles, nothing.

AENEAS

2650Therefore Achilles. But whate’er, know this:
In the extremity of great and little,
Valor and pride excel themselves in Hector,
The one almost as infinite as all,
95The other blank as nothing. Weigh him well,
2655And 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
100This blended knight, half Trojan and half Greek.

ACHILLES

2660A maiden battle, then? O, I perceive you.

Enter Diomedes.

AGAMEMNON

Here is Sir Diomed.—Go, gentle knight;
Stand by our Ajax. As you and Lord Aeneas
Consent upon the order of their fight,
105So be it, either to the uttermost
2665Or else a breath. The combatants being kin
Half stints their strife before their strokes begin.

Hector and Ajax enter the lists.

ULYSSES

They are opposed already.

AGAMEMNON

What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy?

ULYSSES

110The youngest son of Priam, a true knight,
2670Not yet mature, yet matchless firm of word,
Speaking in deeds, and deedless in his tongue,
Not soon provoked, nor being provoked soon calmed,
His heart and hand both open and both free.
115For what he has, he gives; what thinks, he shows;
2675Yet 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
120To tender objects, but he in heat of action
2680Is more vindicative than jealous love.
They call him Troilus, and on him erect
A second hope, as fairly built as Hector.
Thus says Aeneas, one that knows the youth
125Even to his inches, and with private soul
2685Did in great Ilium thus translate him to me.

Alarum. The fight begins.

AGAMEMNON

They are in action.

NESTOR

Now, Ajax, hold thine own!

TROILUS

Hector, thou sleep’st. Awake thee!

AGAMEMNON

130His blows are well disposed.—There, Ajax!

Trumpets cease.

DIOMEDES

2690You must no more.

AENEAS

Princes, enough, so please you.

AJAX

I am not warm yet. Let us fight again.

DIOMEDES

As Hector pleases.

HECTOR

135Why, then, will I no more.—
2695Thou 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.
140Were thy commixtion Greek and Trojan so
2700That 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
145Bounds in my father’s,” by Jove multipotent,
2705Thou 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 borrowd’st from thy mother,
150My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword
2710Be drained. Let me embrace thee, Ajax.
By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms!
Hector would have them fall upon him thus.
Cousin, all honor to thee!

They embrace.

AJAX

155I thank thee, Hector.
2715Thou art too gentle and too free a man.
I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence
A great addition earnèd in thy death.

HECTOR

Not Neoptolemus so mirable—
160On whose bright crest Fame with her loud’st “Oyez”
2720Cries “This is he”—could promise to himself
A thought of added honor torn from Hector.

AENEAS

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

HECTOR

165We’ll answer it;
2725The issue is embracement.—Ajax, farewell.

They embrace again.

AJAX

If I might in entreaties find success,
As seld I have the chance, I would desire
My famous cousin to our Grecian tents.

DIOMEDES

170’Tis Agamemnon’s wish; and great Achilles
2730Doth long to see unarmed the valiant Hector.

HECTOR

Aeneas, call my brother Troilus to me,
And signify this loving interview
To the expecters of our Trojan part;
175Desire them home.
Aeneas speaks to Trojans, who exit; he then
returns with Troilus.
2735To Ajax. Give me thy hand, my cousin.
I will go eat with thee and see your knights.

Agamemnon and the rest come forward.

AJAX

Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here.

HECTOR , to Aeneas

The worthiest of them tell me name by name;
180But for Achilles, my own searching eyes
2740Shall find him by his large and portly size.

AGAMEMNON

Worthy all arms! As welcome as to one
That would be rid of such an enemy—
But that’s no welcome. Understand more clear:
185What’s past and what’s to come is strewed with husks
2745And formless ruin of oblivion;
But in this extant moment, faith and troth,
Strained purely from all hollow bias-drawing,
Bids thee, with most divine integrity,
190From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome.

HECTOR

2750I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon.

AGAMEMNON , to Troilus

My well-famed lord of Troy, no less to you.

MENELAUS

Let me confirm my princely brother’s greeting:
You brace of warlike brothers, welcome hither.

HECTOR , to Aeneas

195Who must we answer?

AENEAS

2755The noble Menelaus.

HECTOR

O, you, my lord? By Mars his gauntlet, thanks!
Mock not that I affect th’ untraded oath;
Your quondam wife swears still by Venus’ glove.
200She’s well, but bade me not commend her to you.

MENELAUS

2760Name her not now, sir; she’s a deadly theme.

HECTOR

O, pardon! I offend.

NESTOR

I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft,
Laboring for destiny, make cruel way
205Through ranks of Greekish youth; and I have seen
2765thee,
As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed,
Despising many forfeits and subduments,
When thou hast hung thy advanced sword i’ th’ air,
210Not letting it decline on the declined,
2770That 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 hemmed thee in,
215Like an Olympian wrestling. This have I seen.
2775But this thy countenance, still locked 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,
220Never like thee! O, let an old man embrace thee;
2780And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents.

AENEAS , to Hector

’Tis the old Nestor.

HECTOR

Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle
That hast so long walked hand in hand with time.
225Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp thee.

They embrace.

NESTOR

2785I would my arms could match thee in contention
As they contend with thee in courtesy.

HECTOR

I would they could.

NESTOR

Ha! By this white beard, I’d fight with thee tomorrow.
230Well, welcome, welcome. I have seen the time!

ULYSSES

2790I wonder now how yonder city stands
When we have here her base and pillar by us.

HECTOR

I know your favor, Lord Ulysses, well.
Ah, sir, there’s many a Greek and Trojan dead
235Since first I saw yourself and Diomed
2795In Ilium, on your Greekish embassy.

ULYSSES

Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue.
My prophecy is but half his journey yet,
For yonder walls, that pertly front your town,
240Yon towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds,
2800Must kiss their own feet.

HECTOR

I must not believe you.
There they stand yet, and modestly I think
The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost
245A drop of Grecian blood. The end crowns all,
2805And that old common arbitrator, Time,
Will one day end it.

ULYSSES

So to him we leave it.
Most gentle and most valiant Hector, welcome.
250After the General, I beseech you next
2810To feast with me and see me at my tent.

ACHILLES

I shall forestall thee, Lord Ulysses, thou!—
Now, Hector, I have fed mine eyes on thee;
I have with exact view perused thee, Hector,
255And quoted joint by joint.

HECTOR

2815Is this Achilles?

ACHILLES

I am Achilles.

HECTOR

Stand fair, I pray thee. Let me look on thee.

ACHILLES

Behold thy fill.

HECTOR

260Nay, I have done already.

ACHILLES

2820Thou art too brief. I will the second time,
As I would buy thee, view thee limb by limb.

HECTOR

O, like a book of sport thou ’lt read me o’er;
But there’s more in me than thou understand’st.
265Why dost thou so oppress me with thine eye?

ACHILLES

2825Tell me, you heavens, in which part of his body
Shall I destroy him—whether there, or there, or
there—
That I may give the local wound a name
270And make distinct the very breach whereout
2830Hector’s great spirit flew. Answer me, heavens!

HECTOR

It would discredit the blest gods, proud man,
To answer such a question. Stand again.
Think’st thou to catch my life so pleasantly
275As to prenominate in nice conjecture
2835Where thou wilt hit me dead?

ACHILLES

I tell thee, yea.

HECTOR

Wert thou an oracle to tell me so,
I’d not believe thee. Henceforth guard thee well,
280For I’ll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there,
2840But, by the forge that stithied Mars his helm,
I’ll kill thee everywhere, yea, o’er and o’er.—
You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag;
His insolence draws folly from my lips.
285But I’ll endeavor deeds to match these words,
2845Or may I never—

AJAX

Do not chafe thee, cousin.—
And you, Achilles, let these threats alone
Till accident or purpose bring you to ’t.
290You may have every day enough of Hector
2850If you have stomach. The general state, I fear,
Can scarce entreat you to be odd with him.

HECTOR , to Achilles

I pray you, let us see you in the field.
We have had pelting wars since you refused
295The Grecians’ cause.

ACHILLES

2855Dost thou entreat me, Hector?
Tomorrow do I meet thee, fell as death;
Tonight all friends.

HECTOR

Thy hand upon that match.

AGAMEMNON

300First, all you peers of Greece, go to my tent;
2860There in the full convive we. Afterwards,
As Hector’s leisure and your bounties shall
Concur together, severally entreat him.
Beat loud the taborins; let the trumpets blow,
305That this great soldier may his welcome know.

Flourish.All but Troilus and Ulysses exit.

TROILUS

2865My Lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you,
In what place of the field doth Calchas keep?

ULYSSES

At Menelaus’ tent, most princely Troilus.
There Diomed doth feast with him tonight,
310Who neither looks upon the heaven nor Earth,
2870But gives all gaze and bent of amorous view
On the fair Cressid.

TROILUS

Shall I, sweet lord, be bound to you so much,
After we part from Agamemnon’s tent,
315To bring me thither?

ULYSSES

2875You shall command me, sir.
As gentle tell me, of what honor was
This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there
That wails her absence?

TROILUS

320O sir, to such as boasting show their scars
2880A mock is due. Will you walk on, my lord?
She was beloved, she loved; she is, and doth;
But still sweet love is food for Fortune’s tooth.

They exit.

ACT 5

Scene 1

Enter Achilles and Patroclus.

ACHILLES

I’ll heat his blood with Greekish wine tonight,
Which with my scimitar I’ll cool tomorrow.
2885Patroclus, let us feast him to the height.

PATROCLUS

Here comes Thersites.

Enter Thersites.

ACHILLES

5How now, thou core of envy?
Thou crusty botch of nature, what’s the news?

THERSITES

Why, thou picture of what thou seemest and
2890idol of idiot-worshippers, here’s a letter for thee.

ACHILLES

From whence, fragment?

THERSITES

10Why, thou full dish of fool, from Troy.

Achilles takes the letter and moves aside to read it.

PATROCLUS

Who keeps the tent now?

THERSITES

The surgeon’s box or the patient’s wound.

PATROCLUS

2895Well said, adversity. And what need these
tricks?

THERSITES

15Prithee, be silent, boy. I profit not by thy
talk. Thou art said to be Achilles’ male varlet.

PATROCLUS

“Male varlet,” you rogue! What’s that?

THERSITES

2900Why, his masculine whore. Now the rotten
diseases of the south, the guts-griping, ruptures,
20catarrhs, loads o’ gravel in the back, lethargies,
cold palsies, raw eyes, dirt-rotten livers, whissing
lungs, bladders full of impostume, sciaticas,
2905limekilns i’ th’ palm, incurable bone-ache, and the
rivelled fee-simple of the tetter, take and take
25again such preposterous discoveries.

PATROCLUS

Why, thou damnable box of envy, thou,
what means thou to curse thus?

THERSITES

2910Do I curse thee?

PATROCLUS

Why, no, you ruinous butt, you whoreson
30indistinguishable cur, no.

THERSITES

No? Why art thou then exasperate, thou idle
immaterial skein of sleave-silk, thou green sarsenet
2915flap for a sore eye, thou tassel of a prodigal’s purse,
thou? Ah, how the poor world is pestered with such
35waterflies, diminutives of nature!

PATROCLUS

Out, gall!

THERSITES

Finch egg!

ACHILLES , coming forward

2920My sweet Patroclus, I am thwarted quite
From my great purpose in tomorrow’s battle.
40Here is a letter from Queen Hecuba,
A token from her daughter, my fair love,
Both taxing me and gaging me to keep
2925An oath that I have sworn. I will not break it.
Fall, Greeks; fail, fame; honor, or go or stay;
45My major vow lies here; this I’ll obey.
Come, come, Thersites, help to trim my tent.
This night in banqueting must all be spent.
2930Away, Patroclus.

He exits with Patroclus.

THERSITES

With too much blood and too little brain,
50these 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
2935and one that loves quails, but he has not so much
brain as earwax. And the goodly transformation
55of Jupiter there, his brother, the bull—the primitive
statue and oblique memorial of cuckolds, a
thrifty shoeing-horn in a chain, hanging at his
2940brother’s leg—to what form but that he is should
wit larded with malice and malice forced with
60wit 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
2945toad, a lizard, an owl, a puttock, or a herring without
a roe, I would not care; but to be Menelaus! I
65would conspire against destiny. Ask me not what I
would be, if I were not Thersites, for I care not to be
the louse of a lazar so I were not Menelaus.

Enter Hector, Troilus, Ajax, Agamemnon, Ulysses,
Nestor, Menelaus, and Diomedes, with lights.

2950Heyday! Sprites and fires!

AGAMEMNON

We go wrong, we go wrong.

AJAX

70No, yonder—’tis there, where we see the lights.

HECTOR

I trouble you.

AJAX

No, not a whit.

Enter Achilles.

ULYSSES , to Hector

2955Here comes himself to guide you.

ACHILLES

Welcome, brave Hector. Welcome, princes all.

AGAMEMNON , to Hector

75So now, fair prince of Troy, I bid good night.
Ajax commands the guard to tend on you.

HECTOR

Thanks, and good night to the Greeks’ general.

MENELAUS

2960Good night, my lord.

HECTOR

Good night, sweet lord
80Menelaus.

THERSITES , aside

Sweet draught. “Sweet,” quoth he?
Sweet sink, sweet sewer.

ACHILLES

2965Good night and welcome, both at once, to those
That go or tarry.

AGAMEMNON

85Good night.

Agamemnon and Menelaus exit.

ACHILLES

Old Nestor tarries, and you too, Diomed.
Keep Hector company an hour or two.

DIOMEDES

2970I cannot, lord. I have important business,
The tide whereof is now.—Good night, great Hector.

HECTOR

90Give me your hand.

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

Follow his torch; he goes to Calchas’ tent.
I’ll keep you company.

TROILUS

2975Sweet sir, you honor me.

HECTOR

And so, good night.

Diomedes exits, followed by Troilus and Ulysses.

ACHILLES

95Come, come, enter my tent.

Achilles, Ajax, Nestor, and Hector exit.

THERSITES

That same Diomed’s a false-hearted rogue,
a most unjust knave. I will no more trust him when
2980he leers than I will a serpent when he hisses. He
will spend his mouth and promise like Brabbler
100the hound, but when he performs, astronomers
foretell it; it is prodigious, there will come some
change. The sun borrows of the moon when
2985Diomed keeps his word. I will rather leave to see
Hector than not to dog him. They say he keeps a
105Trojan drab and uses the traitor Calchas his tent.
I’ll after. Nothing but lechery! All incontinent varlets!

He exits.

Scene 2

Enter Diomedes.

DIOMEDES

What, are you up here, ho? Speak.

CALCHAS , within

2990Who calls?

DIOMEDES

Diomed. Calchas, I think? Where’s your
daughter?

CALCHAS , within

5She comes to you.

Enter Troilus and Ulysses, at a distance, and then,
apart from them, Thersites.

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

Stand where the torch may not discover us.

Enter Cressida.

TROILUS , aside to Ulysses

2995Cressid comes forth to him.

DIOMEDES

How now, my charge?

CRESSIDA

Now, my sweet guardian. Hark, a word with you.

She whispers to him.

TROILUS , aside

10Yea, so familiar?

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

She will sing any man at
3000first sight.

THERSITES , aside

And any man may sing her, if he
can take her clef. She’s noted.

DIOMEDES

15Will you remember?

CRESSIDA

Remember? Yes.

DIOMEDES

3005Nay, but do, then, and let your mind be
coupled with your words.

TROILUS , aside

What should she remember?

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

20List!

CRESSIDA

Sweet honey Greek, tempt me no more to folly.

THERSITES , aside

3010Roguery!

DIOMEDES

Nay, then—

CRESSIDA

I’ll tell you what—

DIOMEDES

25Foh, foh, come, tell a pin! You are forsworn.

CRESSIDA

In faith, I cannot. What would you have me do?

THERSITES , aside

3015A juggling trick: to be secretly open!

DIOMEDES

What did you swear you would bestow on me?

CRESSIDA

I prithee, do not hold me to mine oath.
30Bid me do anything but that, sweet Greek.

DIOMEDES

Good night.

TROILUS , aside

3020Hold, patience!

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

How now, Trojan?

CRESSIDA

Diomed—

DIOMEDES

35No, no, good night. I’ll be your fool no more.

TROILUS , aside

Thy better must.

CRESSIDA

3025Hark, a word in your ear.

She whispers to him.

TROILUS , aside

O plague and madness!

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

You are moved, prince. Let us depart, I pray you,
40Lest your displeasure should enlarge itself
To wrathful terms. This place is dangerous;
3030The time right deadly. I beseech you, go.

TROILUS , aside to Ulysses

Behold, I pray you.

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

Nay, good my lord, go off.
45You flow to great distraction. Come, my lord.

TROILUS , aside to Ulysses

I prithee, stay.

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

3035You have not patience. Come.

TROILUS , aside to Ulysses

I pray you, stay. By hell and all hell’s torments,
I will not speak a word.

DIOMEDES

50And so good night.

He starts to leave.

CRESSIDA

Nay, but you part in anger.

TROILUS , aside

3040Doth that grieve thee? O withered
truth!

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

How now, my lord?

TROILUS , aside to Ulysses

55By Jove, I will be patient.

CRESSIDA

Guardian! Why, Greek!

DIOMEDES

3045Foh foh! Adieu. You palter.

CRESSIDA

In faith, I do not. Come hither once again.

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

You shake, my lord, at something. Will you go?
60You will break out.

TROILUS , aside

She strokes his cheek!

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

3050Come, come.

TROILUS , aside to Ulysses

Nay, stay. By Jove, I will not speak a word.
There is between my will and all offenses
65A guard of patience. Stay a little while.

THERSITES , aside

How the devil Luxury, with his fat
3055rump and potato finger, tickles these together.
Fry, lechery, fry!

DIOMEDES

But will you, then?

CRESSIDA

70In faith, I will, la. Never trust me else.

DIOMEDES

Give me some token for the surety of it.

CRESSIDA

3060I’ll fetch you one.

She exits.

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

You have sworn patience.

TROILUS , aside to Ulysses

Fear me not, my lord.
75I will not be myself nor have cognition
Of what I feel. I am all patience.

Enter Cressida with Troilus’s sleeve.

THERSITES , aside

3065Now the pledge, now, now, now!

CRESSIDA , giving the sleeve

Here, Diomed. Keep this
sleeve.

TROILUS , aside

80O beauty, where is thy faith?

ULYSSES , aside to Troilus

My lord—

TROILUS , aside to Ulysses

3070I will be patient; outwardly I will.

CRESSIDA

You look upon that sleeve? Behold it well.
He loved me—O false wench!—Give ’t me again.

She snatches the sleeve from Diomedes.

DIOMEDES

85Whose was ’t?

CRESSIDA

It is no matter, now I ha ’t again.
3075I will not meet with you tomorrow night.
I prithee, Diomed, visit me no more.

THERSITES , aside

Now she sharpens. Well said,
90whetstone.

DIOMEDES

I shall have it.

CRESSIDA

3080What, this?

DIOMEDES

Ay, that.

CRESSIDA

O all you gods!—O pretty, pretty pledge!
95Thy master now lies thinking on his bed
Of thee and me, and sighs, and takes my glove,
3085And gives memorial dainty kisses to it
As I kiss thee.

He grabs the sleeve, and she tries to retrieve it.

DIOMEDES

Nay, do not snatch it from me.

CRESSIDA

100He that takes that doth take my heart withal.

DIOMEDES

I had your heart before. This follows it.

TROILUS , aside

3090I did swear patience.

CRESSIDA

You shall not have it, Diomed, faith, you shall not.
I’ll give you something else.

DIOMEDES

105I will have this. Whose was it?

CRESSIDA

It is no matter.

DIOMEDES

3095Come, tell me whose it was.

CRESSIDA

’Twas one’s that loved me better than you will.
But now you have it, take it.

DIOMEDES

110Whose was it?

CRESSIDA

By all Diana’s waiting-women yond,
3100And by herself, I will not tell you whose.

DIOMEDES

Tomorrow will I wear it on my helm
And grieve his spirit that dares not challenge it.

TROILUS , aside

115Wert thou the devil and wor’st it on thy horn,
It should be challenged.

CRESSIDA

3105Well, well, ’tis done, ’tis past. And yet it is not.
I will not keep my word.

DIOMEDES

Why, then, farewell.
120Thou never shalt mock Diomed again.

He starts to leave.

CRESSIDA

You shall not go. One cannot speak a word
3110But it straight starts you.

DIOMEDES

I do not like this fooling.

TROILUS , aside

Nor I, by Pluto! But that that likes not you
125Pleases me best.

DIOMEDES

What, shall I come? The hour?

CRESSIDA

3115Ay, come.—O Jove!—Do, come.—I shall be plagued.

DIOMEDES

Farewell, till then.

CRESSIDA

Good night. I prithee, come.—
He exits.
130Troilus, farewell. One eye yet looks on thee,
But with my heart the other eye doth see.
3120Ah, poor our sex! This fault in us I find:
The error of our eye directs our mind.
What error leads must err. O, then conclude:
135Minds swayed by eyes are full of turpitude.

She exits.

THERSITES , aside

A proof of strength she could not publish more,
3125Unless she said “My mind is now turned whore.”

ULYSSES

All’s done, my lord.

TROILUS

It is.

ULYSSES

140Why stay we then?

TROILUS

To make a recordation to my soul
3130Of every syllable that here was spoke.
But if I tell how these two did co-act,
Shall I not lie in publishing a truth?
145Sith yet there is a credence in my heart,
An esperance so obstinately strong.
3135That doth invert th’ attest of eyes and ears,
As if those organs had deceptious functions,
Created only to calumniate.
150Was Cressid here?

ULYSSES

I cannot conjure, Trojan.

TROILUS

3140She was not, sure.

ULYSSES

Most sure she was.

TROILUS

Why, my negation hath no taste of madness.

ULYSSES

155Nor mine, my lord. Cressid was here but now.

TROILUS

Let it not be believed for womanhood!
3145Think, we had mothers. Do not give advantage
To stubborn critics, apt, without a theme
For depravation, to square the general sex
160By Cressid’s rule. Rather, think this not Cressid.

ULYSSES

What hath she done, prince, that can soil our
3150mothers?

TROILUS

Nothing at all, unless that this were she.

THERSITES , aside

Will he swagger himself out on ’s
165own eyes?

TROILUS

This she? No, this is Diomed’s Cressida.
3155If beauty have a soul, this is not she;
If souls guide vows, if vows be sanctimonies,
If sanctimony be the gods’ delight,
170If there be rule in unity itself,
This is not she. O madness of discourse,
3160That cause sets up with and against itself!
Bifold authority, where reason can revolt
Without perdition, and loss assume all reason
175Without revolt. This is and is not Cressid.
Within my soul there doth conduce a fight
3165Of this strange nature, that a thing inseparate
Divides more wider than the sky and Earth,
And yet the spacious breadth of this division
180Admits no orifex for a point as subtle
As Ariachne’s broken woof to enter.
3170Instance, O instance, strong as Pluto’s gates,
Cressid is mine, tied with the bonds of heaven;
Instance, O instance, strong as heaven itself,
185The bonds of heaven are slipped, dissolved, and
loosed,
3175And with another knot, five-finger-tied,
The fractions of her faith, orts of her love,
The fragments, scraps, the bits and greasy relics
190Of her o’er-eaten faith are given to Diomed.

ULYSSES

May worthy Troilus be half attached
3180With that which here his passion doth express?

TROILUS

Ay, Greek, and that shall be divulgèd well
In characters as red as Mars his heart
195Inflamed with Venus. Never did young man fancy
With so eternal and so fixed a soul.
3185Hark, Greek: as much as I do Cressid love,
So much by weight hate I her Diomed.
That sleeve is mine that he’ll bear on his helm.
200Were it a casque composed by Vulcan’s skill,
My sword should bite it. Not the dreadful spout
3190Which shipmen do the hurricano call,
Constringed in mass by the almighty sun,
Shall dizzy with more clamor Neptune’s ear
205In his descent than shall my prompted sword
Falling on Diomed.

THERSITES , aside

3195He’ll tickle it for his concupy.

TROILUS

O Cressid! O false Cressid! False, false, false!
Let all untruths stand by thy stainèd name,
210And they’ll seem glorious.

ULYSSES

O, contain yourself.
3200Your passion draws ears hither.

Enter Aeneas.

AENEAS , to Troilus

I have been seeking you this hour, my lord.
Hector, by this, is arming him in Troy.
215Ajax, your guard, stays to conduct you home.

TROILUS

Have with you, prince.—My courteous lord, adieu.—
3205Farewell, revolted fair!—And, Diomed,
Stand fast, and wear a castle on thy head!

ULYSSES

I’ll bring you to the gates.

TROILUS

220Accept distracted thanks.

Troilus, Aeneas, and Ulysses exit.

THERSITES

Would I could meet that rogue Diomed! I
3210would croak like a raven; I would bode, I would
bode. Patroclus will give me anything for the intelligence
of this whore. The parrot will not do more
225for an almond than he for a commodious drab.
Lechery, lechery, still wars and lechery! Nothing
3215else holds fashion. A burning devil take them!

He exits.

Scene 3

Enter Hector, armed, and Andromache.

ANDROMACHE

When was my lord so much ungently tempered
To stop his ears against admonishment?
Unarm, unarm, and do not fight today.

HECTOR

You train me to offend you. Get you in.
53220By all the everlasting gods, I’ll go!

ANDROMACHE

My dreams will sure prove ominous to the day.

HECTOR

No more, I say.

Enter Cassandra.

CASSANDRA

Where is my brother Hector?

ANDROMACHE

Here, sister, armed and bloody in intent.
103225Consort with me in loud and dear petition;
Pursue we him on knees. For I have dreamt
Of bloody turbulence, and this whole night
Hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter.

CASSANDRA

O, ’tis true!

HECTOR , calling out

153230Ho! Bid my trumpet sound!

CASSANDRA

No notes of sally, for the heavens, sweet brother!

HECTOR

Begone, I say. The gods have heard me swear.

CASSANDRA

The gods are deaf to hot and peevish vows.
They are polluted off’rings more abhorred
203235Than spotted livers in the sacrifice.

ANDROMACHE , to Hector

O, be persuaded! Do not count it holy
To hurt by being just. It is as lawful,
For we would give much, to use violent thefts
And rob in the behalf of charity.

CASSANDRA

253240It is the purpose that makes strong the vow,
But vows to every purpose must not hold.
Unarm, sweet Hector.

HECTOR

Hold you still, I say.
Mine honor keeps the weather of my fate.
303245Life every man holds dear, but the dear man
Holds honor far more precious-dear than life.

Enter Troilus, armed.

How now, young man? Meanest thou to fight today?

ANDROMACHE

Cassandra, call my father to persuade.

Cassandra exits.

HECTOR

No, faith, young Troilus, doff thy harness, youth.
353250I am today i’ th’ vein of chivalry.
Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong,
And tempt not yet the brushes of the war.
Unarm thee, go, and doubt thou not, brave boy,
I’ll stand today for thee and me and Troy.

TROILUS

403255Brother, you have a vice of mercy in you
Which better fits a lion than a man.

HECTOR

What vice is that? Good Troilus, chide me for it.

TROILUS

When many times the captive Grecian falls,
Even in the fan and wind of your fair sword,
453260You bid them rise and live.

HECTOR

O, ’tis fair play.

TROILUS

Fool’s play, by heaven. Hector.

HECTOR

How now? How now?

TROILUS

For th’ love of all the gods,
503265Let’s leave the hermit Pity with our mother,
And when we have our armors buckled on,
The venomed Vengeance ride upon our swords,
Spur them to ruthful work, rein them from ruth.

HECTOR

Fie, savage, fie!

TROILUS

553270Hector, then ’tis wars.

HECTOR

Troilus, I would not have you fight today.

TROILUS

Who should withhold me?
Not fate, obedience, nor the hand of Mars,
Beck’ning with fiery truncheon my retire;
603275Not Priamus and Hecuba on knees,
Their eyes o’er-gallèd with recourse of tears;
Nor you, my brother, with your true sword drawn
Opposed to hinder me, should stop my way,
But by my ruin.

Enter Priam and Cassandra.

CASSANDRA , indicating Hector

653280Lay hold upon him, Priam; hold him fast.
He is thy crutch. Now if thou loose thy stay,
Thou on him leaning, and all Troy on thee,
Fall all together.

PRIAM

Come, Hector, come. Go back.
703285Thy wife hath dreamt, thy mother hath had visions,
Cassandra doth foresee, and I myself
Am like a prophet suddenly enrapt
To tell thee that this day is ominous.
Therefore, come back.

HECTOR

753290Aeneas is afield,
And I do stand engaged to many Greeks,
Even in the faith of valor, to appear
This morning to them.

PRIAM

Ay, but thou shalt not go.

HECTOR

803295I must not break my faith.
You know me dutiful; therefore, dear sir,
Let me not shame respect, but give me leave
To take that course by your consent and voice
Which you do here forbid me, royal Priam.

CASSANDRA

853300O Priam, yield not to him!

ANDROMACHE

Do not, dear father.

HECTOR

Andromache, I am offended with you.
Upon the love you bear me, get you in.

Andromache exits.

TROILUS

This foolish, dreaming, superstitious girl
903305Makes all these bodements.

CASSANDRA

O farewell, dear Hector.
Look how thou diest! Look how thy eye turns pale!
Look how thy wounds do bleed at many vents!
Hark, how Troy roars, how Hecuba cries out,
953310How poor Andromache shrills her dolor forth!
Behold, distraction, frenzy, and amazement,
Like witless antics, one another meet,
And all cry “Hector! Hector’s dead! O, Hector!”

TROILUS

Away, away!

CASSANDRA

1003315Farewell.—Yet soft! Hector, I take my leave.
Thou dost thyself and all our Troy deceive.

She exits.

HECTOR

You are amazed, my liege, at her exclaim.
Go in and cheer the town. We’ll forth and fight,
Do deeds worth praise, and tell you them at night.

PRIAM

1053320Farewell. The gods with safety stand about thee!

Hector and Priam exit at separate doors.Alarum.

TROILUS

They are at it, hark! Proud Diomed, believe,
I come to lose my arm or win my sleeve.

Enter Pandarus, with a paper.

PANDARUS

Do you hear, my lord? Do you hear?

TROILUS

What now?

PANDARUS

1103325Here’s a letter come from yond poor girl.

TROILUS

Let me read.

He reads.

PANDARUS

A whoreson phthisic, a whoreson rascally
phthisic so troubles me, and the foolish fortune of
this girl, and what one thing, what another, that I
1153330shall leave you one o’ these days. And I have a
rheum in mine eyes too, and such an ache in my
bones that, unless a man were cursed, I cannot tell
what to think on ’t.—What says she there?

TROILUS

Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart.
1203335Th’ effect doth operate another way.
Go, wind, to wind! There turn and change together.
He tears up the paper and throws the pieces in the air.
My love with words and errors still she feeds,
But edifies another with her deeds.

They exit.

Scene 4

Alarum. Excursions. Enter Thersites.

THERSITES

Now they are clapper-clawing one another.
3340I’ll go look on. That dissembling abominable varlet,
Diomed, has got that same scurvy doting foolish
young knave’s sleeve of Troy there in his helm.
5I would fain see them meet, that that same young
Trojan ass that loves the whore there might send
3345that Greekish whoremasterly villain with the sleeve
back to the dissembling luxurious drab, of a sleeveless
errand. O’ th’ t’other side, the policy of those
10crafty swearing rascals—that stale old mouse-eaten
dry cheese, Nestor, and that same dog-fox,
3350Ulysses—is proved not worth a blackberry. They
set me up, in policy, that mongrel cur, Ajax, against
that dog of as bad a kind, Achilles. And now is the
15cur Ajax prouder than the cur Achilles, and will
not arm today, whereupon the Grecians begin to
3355proclaim barbarism, and policy grows into an ill
opinion.

Enter Diomedes, and Troilus pursuing him.

Soft! Here comes sleeve and t’ other.

Thersites moves aside.

TROILUS , to Diomedes

20Fly not, for shouldst thou take the river Styx
I would swim after.

DIOMEDES

3360Thou dost miscall retire.
I do not fly, but advantageous care
Withdrew me from the odds of multitude.
25Have at thee!

They fight.

THERSITES

Hold thy whore, Grecian! Now for thy
3365whore, Trojan! Now the sleeve, now the sleeve!

Diomedes and Troilus exit fighting.Enter Hector.

HECTOR

What art thou, Greek? Art thou for Hector’s match?
Art thou of blood and honor?

THERSITES

30No, no, I am a rascal, a scurvy railing
knave, a very filthy rogue.

HECTOR

3370I do believe thee. Live.

He exits.

THERSITES

God-a-mercy, that thou wilt believe me!
But a plague break thy neck for frighting me!
35What’s become of the wenching rogues? I think
they have swallowed one another. I would laugh at
3375that miracle—yet, in a sort, lechery eats itself. I’ll
seek them.

He exits.

Scene 5

Enter Diomedes and Servingman.

DIOMEDES

Go, go, my servant, take thou Troilus’ horse;
Present the fair steed to my Lady Cressid.
Fellow, commend my service to her beauty.
3380Tell her I have chastised the amorous Trojan
5And am her knight by proof.

MAN

I go, my lord.

He exits.Enter Agamemnon.

AGAMEMNON

Renew, renew! The fierce Polydamas
Hath beat down Menon; bastard Margareton
3385Hath Doreus prisoner,
10And stands colossus-wise, waving his beam
Upon the pashèd corses of the kings
Epistrophus and Cedius. Polyxenes is slain,
Amphimachus and Thoas deadly hurt,
3390Patroclus ta’en or slain, and Palamedes
15Sore hurt and bruised. The dreadful Sagittary
Appals our numbers. Haste we, Diomed,
To reinforcement, or we perish all.

Enter Nestor, with Soldiers bearing the body of
Patroclus.

NESTOR

Go, bear Patroclus’ body to Achilles,
3395And bid the snail-paced Ajax arm for shame.
Soldiers exit with Patroclus’s body.
20There is a thousand Hectors in the field.
Now here he fights on Galathe his horse,
And here lacks work; anon he’s there afoot
And there they fly or die, like scalèd schools
3400Before the belching whale; then is he yonder,
25And there the strawy Greeks, ripe for his edge,
Fall down before him like a mower’s swath.
Here, there, and everywhere he leaves and takes,
Dexterity so obeying appetite
3405That what he will he does, and does so much
30That proof is called impossibility.

Enter Ulysses.

ULYSSES

O, courage, courage, princes! Great Achilles
Is arming, weeping, cursing, vowing vengeance.
Patroclus’ wounds have roused his drowsy blood,
3410Together with his mangled Myrmidons,
35That noseless, handless, hacked and chipped, come
to him,
Crying on Hector. Ajax hath lost a friend
And foams at mouth, and he is armed and at it,
3415Roaring for Troilus, who hath done today
40Mad and fantastic execution,
Engaging and redeeming of himself
With such a careless force and forceless care
As if that luck, in very spite of cunning,
3420Bade him win all.

Enter Ajax.

AJAX

45Troilus, thou coward Troilus!

He exits.

DIOMEDES

Ay, there, there!

He exits.

NESTOR

So, so, we draw together.

Enter Achilles.

ACHILLES

Where is this Hector?—
3425Come, come, thou boy-queller, show thy face!
50Know what it is to meet Achilles angry.
Hector! Where’s Hector? I will none but Hector.

He exits, with the others.

Scene 6

Enter Ajax.

AJAX

Troilus, thou coward Troilus, show thy head!

Enter Diomedes.

DIOMEDES

Troilus, I say! Where’s Troilus?

AJAX

3430What wouldst thou?

DIOMEDES

I would correct him.

AJAX

5Were I the General, thou shouldst have my office
Ere that correction.—Troilus, I say! What, Troilus!

Enter Troilus.

TROILUS

O traitor Diomed! Turn thy false face, thou traitor,
3435And pay the life thou owest me for my horse!

DIOMEDES

Ha! Art thou there?

AJAX

10I’ll fight with him alone. Stand, Diomed.

DIOMEDES

He is my prize. I will not look upon.

TROILUS

Come, both you cogging Greeks. Have at you both!

Enter Hector.Troilus exits, fighting Diomedes and Ajax.

HECTOR

3440Yea, Troilus? O, well fought, my youngest brother!

Enter Achilles.

ACHILLES

Now do I see thee. Ha! Have at thee, Hector!

They fight.

HECTOR

15Pause if thou wilt.

ACHILLES

I do disdain thy courtesy, proud Trojan.
Be happy that my arms are out of use.
3445My rest and negligence befriends thee now,
But thou anon shalt hear of me again;
20Till when, go seek thy fortune.

He exits.

HECTOR

Fare thee well.
I would have been much more a fresher man
3450Had I expected thee.

Enter Troilus.

How now, my brother?

TROILUS

25Ajax hath ta’en Aeneas. Shall it be?
No, by the flame of yonder glorious heaven,
He shall not carry him. I’ll be ta’en too
3455Or bring him off. Fate, hear me what I say!
I reck not though I end my life today.

He exits.Enter one in Greek armor.

HECTOR

30Stand, stand, thou Greek! Thou art a goodly mark.
No? Wilt thou not? I like thy armor well.
I’ll frush it and unlock the rivets all,
3460But I’ll be master of it.The Greek exits.
Wilt thou not, beast, abide?
35Why then, fly on. I’ll hunt thee for thy hide.

He exits.

Scene 7

Enter Achilles, with Myrmidons.

ACHILLES

Come here about me, you my Myrmidons.
Mark what I say. Attend me where I wheel.
3465Strike not a stroke, but keep yourselves in breath,
And, when I have the bloody Hector found,
5Empale him with your weapons round about.
In fellest manner execute your arms.
Follow me, sirs, and my proceedings eye.
3470It is decreed Hector the great must die.

They exit.

Scene 8

Enter Thersites; then Menelaus fighting Paris.

THERSITES

The cuckold and the cuckold-maker are at
it. Now, bull! Now, dog! Loo, Paris, loo! Now, my
double-horned Spartan! Loo, Paris, loo! The bull
has the game. Ware horns, ho!

Paris and Menelaus exit, fighting.Enter Bastard.

BASTARD

53475Turn, slave, and fight.

THERSITES

What art thou?

BASTARD

A bastard son of Priam’s.

THERSITES

I am a bastard too. I love bastards. I am
bastard begot, bastard instructed, bastard in mind,
103480bastard in valor, in everything illegitimate. One
bear will not bite another, and wherefore should
one bastard? Take heed: the quarrel’s most ominous
to us. If the son of a whore fight for a whore,
he tempts judgment. Farewell, bastard.

He exits.

BASTARD

153485The devil take thee, coward!

He exits.

Scene 9

Enter Hector, with the body of the Greek in armor.

HECTOR

Most putrefied core, so fair without,
Thy goodly armor thus hath cost thy life.
Now is my day’s work done. I’ll take my breath.
Rest, sword; thou hast thy fill of blood and death.

He begins to disarm.Enter Achilles and his Myrmidons.

ACHILLES

53490Look, Hector, how the sun begins to set,
How ugly night comes breathing at his heels.
Even with the vail and dark’ning of the sun
To close the day up, Hector’s life is done.

HECTOR

I am unarmed. Forgo this vantage, Greek.

ACHILLES

103495Strike, fellows, strike! This is the man I seek.
The Myrmidons kill Hector.
So, Ilium, fall thou next! Come, Troy, sink down!
Here lies thy heart, thy sinews, and thy bone.
On, Myrmidons, and cry you all amain
“Achilles hath the mighty Hector slain.”
Retreat sounded from both armies.
153500Hark! A retire upon our Grecian part.

A MYRMIDON

The Trojan trumpets sound the like, my lord.

ACHILLES

The dragon wing of night o’erspreads the Earth
And, stickler-like, the armies separates.
My half-supped sword, that frankly would have fed,
203505Pleased with this dainty bait, thus goes to bed.
He sheathes his sword.
Come, tie his body to my horse’s tail;
Along the field I will the Trojan trail.

They exit with the bodies.

Scene 10

Sound retreat. Enter Agamemnon, Ajax, Menelaus,
Nestor, Diomedes, and the rest, marching to the beat of
drums. Shout within.

AGAMEMNON

Hark, hark, what shout is this?

NESTOR

Peace, drums!

The drums cease.

SOLDIERS , within

3510Achilles! Achilles! Hector’s slain! Achilles!

DIOMEDES

The bruit is Hector’s slain, and by Achilles.

AJAX

5If it be so, yet bragless let it be.
Great Hector was as good a man as he.

AGAMEMNON

March patiently along. Let one be sent
3515To pray Achilles see us at our tent.
If in his death the gods have us befriended,
10Great Troy is ours, and our sharp wars are ended.

They exit, marching.

Scene 11

Enter Aeneas, Paris, Antenor, Deiphobus, and Trojan
soldiers.

AENEAS

Stand, ho! Yet are we masters of the field.
Never go home; here starve we out the night.

Enter Troilus.

TROILUS

3520Hector is slain.

ALL

Hector! The gods forbid!

TROILUS

5He’s dead, and at the murderer’s horse’s tail,
In beastly sort, dragged through the shameful field.
Frown on, you heavens; effect your rage with speed.
3525Sit, gods, upon your thrones, and smite at Troy!
I say at once: let your brief plagues be mercy,
10And linger not our sure destructions on!

AENEAS

My lord, you do discomfort all the host.

TROILUS

You understand me not that tell me so.
3530I do not speak of flight, of fear, of death,
But dare all imminence that gods and men
15Address their dangers in. Hector is gone.
Who shall tell Priam so, or Hecuba?
Let him that will a screech-owl aye be called
3535Go into Troy and say their Hector’s dead.
There is a word will Priam turn to stone,
20Make wells and Niobes of the maids and wives,
Cold statues of the youth and, in a word,
Scare Troy out of itself. But march away.
3540Hector is dead. There is no more to say.
Stay yet. You vile abominable tents,
25Thus proudly pitched upon our Phrygian plains,
Let Titan rise as early as he dare,
I’ll through and through you! And, thou great-sized
3545coward,
No space of earth shall sunder our two hates.
30I’ll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still,
That moldeth goblins swift as frenzy’s thoughts.
Strike a free march to Troy! With comfort go.
3550Hope of revenge shall hide our inward woe.

Enter Pandarus.

PANDARUS

But hear you, hear you!

TROILUS

35Hence, broker, lackey! Ignomy and shame
Pursue thy life, and live aye with thy name!

All but Pandarus exit.

PANDARUS

A goodly medicine for my aching bones! O
3555world, world, world! Thus is the poor agent despised.
O traitors and bawds, how earnestly are
40you set a-work, and how ill requited! Why should
our endeavor be so loved and the performance so
loathed? What verse for it? What instance for it?
3560Let me see:
Full merrily the humble-bee doth sing,
45Till he hath lost his honey and his sting;
And being once subdued in armèd tail,
Sweet honey and sweet notes together fail.
3565Good traders in the flesh, set this in your painted
cloths:
50As many as be here of panders’ hall,
Your eyes, half out, weep out at Pandar’s fall;
Or if you cannot weep, yet give some groans,
3570Though not for me, yet for your aching bones.
Brethren and sisters of the hold-door trade,
55Some two months hence my will shall here be made.
It should be now, but that my fear is this:
Some gallèd goose of Winchester would hiss.
3575Till then I’ll sweat and seek about for eases,
And at that time bequeath you my diseases.

He exits.