TROILUS CRESSIDA How Now, Young Man! Mean'st Thou to Fight To-Day? and Whither Go They? ANDROMACHE ALEXANDRA Cassandra, Call My Father to Persuade

Home , Achilles and Patroclus, Calchas, Cassandra (novel), Cressida, Pandarus, Patroclus

Written by William Shakespeare Edited by Dan Schuster

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98 3 TROILUS Hence, broker-lackey! Ignomy and shame Pursue thy life, and live aye with thy name! Exit TROILUS; THERSITES enters and goes back to pillaging the two bodies PANDARUS A goodly medicine for my aching bones! O world! William Shakespeare’s World! World! Thus is the poor agent despised! O traitors and bawds, how earnestly are you set a-work, and how ill requited! Why should our endeavour be so loved and the performance so loathed? What verse for it? What instance for it? Let me see: ‘Full merrily the humble-bee doth sing, Till he hath lost his honey and his sting; And being once subdued in armed tail, Sweet honey and sweet notes together fail.’ Good traders in the flesh, set this in your painted cloths. As many as be here of pander's hall, Your eyes, half out, weep out at Pandar's fall; Troilus Or if you cannot weep, yet give some groans, Though not for me, yet for your aching bones. and Brethren and sisters of the hold-door trade, Some two months hence my will shall here be made: It should be now, but that my fear is this, Some galled goose of Winchester would hiss: Cressida Till then I'll sweat and seek about for eases, And at that time bequeathe you my diseases. Exit PANDARUS and THERSITES together

Edited by Dan Schuster

The Wichita Shakespeare Co.

4 97 ACHILLES Troilus and Cressida The dragon wing of night o'erspreads the earth, Dramatis Personae And, stickler-like, the armies separates. My half-supp'd sword, that frankly would have fed, PRIAM, King of Troy Pleased with this dainty bait, thus goes to bed. ACHILLES sheathes his sword and exits followed by AJAX, and His sons: DIOMEDES; TROILUS enters and discovers the body of HECTOR HECTOR; he kneels next to the body; enter AENEAS and TROILUS PANDARUS PARIS AENEAS Stand, ho! Yet are we masters of the field: Trojans: Never go home; here starve we out the night. AENEAS, a Trojan commander CALCHAS, a Trojan priestess, taking part with the Greeks TROILUS PANDARUS, uncle to Cressida Hector is slain. ANDROMACHE, wife to Hector PANDARUS CASSANDRA, daughter to Priam, a prophetess Hector! The gods forbid! CRESSIDA, daughter to Calchas ALEXANDRA, servant to Cressida TROILUS Frown on, you heavens, effect your rage with speed! AGAMEMNON, the Greek general Sit, gods, upon your thrones, and smile at Troy! I say, at once let your brief plagues be mercy, Greeks: And linger not our sure destructions on! ACHILLES, the greatest of the Greek warriors Hector is gone: AJAX, a Greek warrior Who shall tell Priam so, or Hecuba? ULYSSES, a Greek commander Let him that will a screech-owl aye be call'd, NESTOR, the oldest of the Greek commanders Go in to Troy, and say there, Hector's dead: DIOMEDES, a Greek commander There is a word will Priam turn to stone; PATROCLUS, a Greek warrior Make Niobes of the maids and wives, THERSITES, a deformed and scurrilous Greek Cold statues of the youth, and, in a word, HELEN, living in Troy with Paris Scare Troy out of itself; there is no more to say. You vile abominable tents, Thus proudly pight upon our Phrygian plains, Let Titan rise as early as he dare, I'll through and through you! And, thou Achilles, No space of earth shall sunder our two hates; I'll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still, That mouldeth goblins swift as frenzy's thoughts. Strike a free march to Troy! With comfort go: Hope of revenge shall hide our inward woe. Exeunt AENEAS PANDARUS But hear you, hear you!

96 5 TROILUS O traitor Diomed! Turn thy false face, thou traitor, Troilus and Cressida And pay thy life thou owest me! List of scenes AJAX ACT I Page I'll fight with him alone: stand, Diomed. Prologue Prologue 7 DIOMEDES He is my prize; I will not look upon. Scene 1 Troy. Before Priam's palace. 8 TROILUS Scene 2 The Same. A street. 11 Come, both you cogging Greeks; have at you both! Enter HECTOR; he observes the end of the fight as TROILUS Scene 3 The Grecian camp. Before Agamemnon's tent. 18 exits followed by AJAX and DIOMEDES. ACT II HECTOR Yea, Troilus? O, well fought, my youngest brother! Scene 1 A part of the Grecian camp. 25 Now is my day's work done; I'll take good breath: Scene 2 Troy. A room in Priam's palace. 29 Rest, sword; thou hast thy fill of blood and death. Puts off his helmet and hangs his shield behind him; enter Scene 3 The Grecian camp. Before Achilles' tent. 34 ACHILLES ACT III ACHILLES Look, Hector, how the sun begins to set; Scene 1 Troy. Priam's palace. 43 How ugly night comes breathing at his heels: Scene 2 The same. Pandarus' orchard. 47 Even with the vail and darking of the sun, To close the day up, Hector's life is done. Scene 3 The Grecian camp. Before Achilles' tent. 52

HECTOR ACT IV I am unarm'd; forego this vantage, Greek. ACHILLES Scene 1 Troy. A street. 61 So, Ilion, fall thou next! Scene 2 The same. Court of Pandarus' house. 63 ACHILLES slashes HECTOR’s throat from behind; HECTOR dies Scene 5 The Grecian camp. Lists set out. 72 Now, Troy, sink down! Here lies thy heart, thy sinews, and thy bone. ACT V On, Grecians, and cry you all amain, 'Achilles hath the mighty Hector slain.' Scene 1 The Grecian camp. Before Achilles' tent. 81 A retreat sounded Scene 2 The same. Before Calchas' tent. 83 Hark! A retire upon our Grecian part. Enter AJAX and DIOMEDES Scene 3 Troy. Before Priam's palace. 89 DIOMEDES Scene 4 Plains between Troy and the Grecian camp. 94 The Trojan trumpets sound the like, my lord.

6 95 THERSITES No, no, I am a rascal; a scurvy railing knave; a very filthy rogue. HECTOR I do believe thee: live. THERSITES God-a-mercy, that thou wilt believe me; but a plague break thy neck for frightening me! Exit THERSITES; HECTOR approaches PATROCLUS and grabs hold of the body HECTOR Most putrefied core, so fair without, Thy goodly armour thus hath cost thy life. HECTOR puts body down; ACHILLES enters and sees the very end of this; HECTOR exits; ACHILLES approaches body of PATROCLUS; he kneels, cradling him; wailing. ACHILLES Where is this Hector? Come, come, thou boy-queller, show thy face! Know what it is to meet Achilles angry: ACT I Hector? Where's Hector? I will none but Hector! ULYSSES has entered and viewed this activity unobserved. ACHILLES exits. A satisfied smirk is on ULYSSES face as AJAX and DIOMEDES enter from opposite ends. ULYSSES O, courage, courage, princes! Great Achilles Is arming, weeping, cursing, vowing vengeance: Patroclus' wounds have roused his drowsy blood. Exeunt ULYSSES AJAX Troilus, thou coward Troilus, show thy head! DIOMEDES Troilus, I say! Where's Troilus? AJAX What wouldst thou? DIOMEDES I would correct him. Enter TROILUS 94 7 SCENE IV. Plains between Troy and the PROLOGUE Grecian camp. THERSITES Alarums; enter THERSITES In Troy, there lies the scene. From isles of Greece THERSITES The princes orgulous, their high blood chafed, Now they are clapper-clawing one another; I'll go Have to the port of Athens sent their ships, look on. That dissembling abominable varlet Diomed, Fraught with the ministers and instruments has got that same scurvy doting foolish young knave's Of cruel war: sixty and nine, from the Athenian bay glove of Troy there on his hand; I would fain see Put forth toward Phrygia; and their vow is made them meet; that that same young Trojan ass, that To ransack Troy, within whose strong immures loves the whore there, might send that Greekish The ravish'd Helen, Menelaus' queen, whore-masterly villain, with the glove, back to the With wanton Paris sleeps; and that's the quarrel. dissembling luxurious drab. To Tenedos they come; Soft! Here comes glove, and t'other. And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge Enter DIOMEDES, TROILUS following Their warlike fraughtage: now on Dardan plains The fresh and yet unbruised Greeks do pitch TROILUS Their brave pavilions: Priam's six-gated city, Fly not; for shouldst thou take the river Styx, With massy staples and corresponsive and fulfilling bolts, I would swim after. Sperr up the sons of Troy. Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits, DIOMEDES On one and other side, Trojan and Greek, Thou dost miscall retire: Sets all on hazard: and hither am I come I do not fly, but advantageous care A prologue arm'd, to tell you, fair beholders, that our play Withdrew me from the odds of multitude: Leaps o'er the vaunt and firstlings of those broils, Have at thee! Beginning in the middle, starting thence away THERSITES To what may be digested in a play. Hold thy whore, Grecian!--Now for thy whore, Like or find fault; do as your pleasures are: Trojan!--Now the glove, now the glove! Now good or bad, 'tis but the chance of war. Exeunt TROILUS and DIOMEDES, fighting; enter ULYSSES; PATROCLUS enters from tent. THERSITES hides as they enter. PATROCLUS bumps into ULYSSES; startled, he turns to face ULYSSES; PATROCLUS laughs, relieved to see his ally. ULYSSES beckons PATROCLUS to him; as PATROCLUS approaches, ULYSSES stabs him with a dagger. PATROCLUS looks at ULYSSES with a look of betrayal and dies. With a look of satisfaction, ULYSSES exits. THERSITES comes out from hiding and approaches the body of PATROCLUS. At first it appears like THERSITES may grieve over PATROCLUS. Instead she proceeds to pillaging the body for “valuables.” As she does this, HECTOR enters and sees her. HECTOR What art thou, Greek? Art thou of blood and honour? 8 93 SCENE I. Troy. Before Priam's palace. HECTOR Enter TROILUS armed, and PANDARUS You are amazed, my liege, at her exclaim: Go in and cheer the town: we'll forth and fight, TROILUS Do deeds worth praise and tell you them at night. Call here my varlet; I'll unarm again: Why should I war without the walls of Troy, PRIAM That find such cruel battle here within? Farewell: the gods with safety stand about thee! Each Trojan that is master of his heart, Exeunt severally PRIAM and HECTOR. Alarums Let him to field; Troilus, alas! hath none. TROILUS PANDARUS They are at it, hark! Proud Diomed, believe, Will this gear ne'er be mended? I come to lose my arm, or win my glove. Enter PANDARUS TROILUS The Greeks are strong and skillful to their strength, PANDARUS Fierce to their skill and to their fierceness valiant; Do you hear, my lord? Do you hear? But I am weaker than a woman's tear, TROILUS Tamer than sleep, fonder than ignorance, What now? Less valiant than the virgin in the night And skilless as unpractised infancy. PANDARUS Here's a letter come from yond poor girl. PANDARUS Well, I have told you enough of this: for my part, TROILUS I'll not meddle nor make no further. He that will Let me read. have a cake out of the wheat must needs tarry the grinding. PANDARUS TROILUS A whoreson tisick, a whoreson rascally tisick so Have I not tarried? troubles me, and the foolish fortune of this girl; and what one thing, what another, that I shall PANDARUS leave you one o' these days: and I have a rheum Ay, the grinding; but you must tarry in mine eyes too, and such an ache in my bones the bolting. that, unless a man were cursed, I cannot tell what TROILUS to think on't. What says she there? Have I not tarried? TROILUS PANDARUS Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart: Ay, the bolting, but you must tarry the leavening. The effect doth operate another way. Tearing the letter TROILUS Go, wind, to wind, there turn and change together. Still have I tarried. My love with words and errors still she feeds; But edifies another with her deeds. PANDARUS Exeunt severally Ay, to the leavening; but here's yet in the word 'hereafter' the kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven and the baking; nay, you must stay the cooling too, or you may chance to burn your lips. 92 9 HECTOR TROILUS Aeneas is a-field; Patience herself, what goddess e'er she be, And I do stand engaged to many Greeks, Doth lesser blench at sufferance than I do. Even in the faith of valour, to appear At Priam's royal table do I sit; This morning to them. And when fair Cressid comes into my thoughts,-- PRIAM PANDARUS Ay, but thou shalt not go. Well, she looked yesternight fairer than ever I saw her look, or any woman else. HECTOR I must not break my faith. TROILUS You know me dutiful; therefore, dear sir, O Pandarus! I tell thee, Pandarus,-- Let me not shame respect; but give me leave When I do tell thee, there my hopes lie drown'd, To take that course by your consent and voice, Reply not in how many fathoms deep Which you do here forbid me, royal Priam. They lie indrench'd. I tell thee I am mad In Cressid's love: thou answer'st 'she is fair;' CASSANDRA Pour'st in the open ulcer of my heart O Priam, yield not to him! Her eyes, her hair, her cheek, her gait, her voice, ANDROMACHE Handlest in thy discourse, O, that her hand, Do not, dear father. In whose comparison all whites are ink, To whose soft seizure the cygnet's down is harsh; HECTOR this thou tell'st me, Andromache, I am offended with you: As true thou tell'st me, when I say I love her; Upon the love you bear me, get you in. But, saying thus, instead of oil and balm, Exit ANDROMACHE Thou lay'st in every gash that love hath given me TROILUS The knife that made it. This foolish, dreaming, superstitious girl PANDARUS Makes all these bodements. I speak no more than truth. CASSANDRA TROILUS O, farewell, dear Hector! Thou dost not speak so much. Look, how thou diest! Look, how thy eye turns pale! Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents! PANDARUS Hark, how Troy roars! How Hecuba cries out! Faith, I'll not meddle in't. Let her be as she is: How poor Andromache shrills her dolours forth! if she be fair, 'tis the better for her; an she be Behold, distraction, frenzy and amazement, not, she has the mends in her own hands. Like witless antics, one another meet, TROILUS And all cry, Hector! Hector's dead! O Hector! Good Pandarus, how now, Pandarus! TROILUS PANDARUS Away! Away! I have had my labour for my travail; ill-thought on of CASSANDRA her and ill-thought on of you; gone between and Farewell: yet, soft! Hector! Take my leave: between, but small thanks for my labour. Thou dost thyself and all our Troy deceive. Exit 10 91 TROILUS TROILUS What, art thou angry, Pandarus? what, with me? When many times the captive Grecian falls, Even in the fan and wind of your fair sword, PANDARUS You bid them rise, and live. I'll meddle nor make no more i' the matter. HECTOR TROILUS O,'tis fair play. Pandarus,-- TROILUS PANDARUS Fool's play, by heaven, Hector. Not I. HECTOR TROILUS How now! How now! Sweet Pandarus,-- TROILUS PANDARUS For the love of all the gods, Pray you, speak no more to me: I will leave all as I Let's leave the hermit pity with our mothers, found it, and there an end. And when we have our armours buckled on, Exit PANDARUS. An alarum The venom'd vengeance ride upon our swords, TROILUS Spur them to ruthful work, rein them from ruth. Peace, you ungracious clamours! peace, rude sounds! HECTOR Fools on both sides! Helen must needs be fair, Fie, savage, fie! When with your blood you daily paint her thus. I cannot fight upon this argument; TROILUS It is too starved a subject for my sword. Hector, then 'tis wars. But Pandarus,--O gods, how do you plague me! HECTOR I cannot come to Cressid but by Pandar; Troilus, I would not have you fight to-day. And he's as tetchy to be woo'd to woo. As she is stubborn-chaste against all suit. TROILUS Tell me, Apollo, for thy Daphne's love, Who should withhold me? What Cressid is, what Pandar, and what we? Not fate, obedience; Alarum. Enter AENEAS Not Priam and Hecuba on knees, Their eyes o'ergalled with recourse of tears; AENEAS Not you, my brother, with your true sword drawn, How now, Prince Troilus! Wherefore not afield? Opposed to hinder me, should stop my way. TROILUS Re-enter CASSANDRA, with PRIAM Because not there; CASSANDRA What news, Aeneas, from the field to-day? Lay hold upon him, Priam, hold him fast; AENEAS Fall all together. That Paris is returned home and hurt. PRIAM TROILUS Come, Hector, come, go back: By whom, Aeneas? Thy wife hath dream'd; thy mother hath had visions; Cassandra doth foresee; and I myself AENEAS Am like a prophet suddenly enrapt Troilus, by Menelaus. To tell thee that this day is ominous: Therefore, come back. 90 11 CASSANDRA TROILUS Where is my brother Hector? Let Paris bleed; 'tis but a scar to scorn; Paris is gored with Menelaus' horn. ANDROMACHE Alarum Here, sister; arm'd, and bloody in intent. Consort with me in loud and dear petition, AENEAS Pursue we him on knees; for I have dream'd Hark, what good sport is out of town to-day! Of bloody turbulence, and this whole night TROILUS Hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter. Are you bound thither? CASSANDRA AENEAS O, 'tis true. In all swift haste. HECTOR TROILUS Be gone, I say: the gods have heard me swear. Come, go we then together. CASSANDRA Exeunt The gods are deaf to hot and peevish vows: They are polluted offerings, more abhorr'd Than spotted livers in the sacrifice. SCENE II. The Same. A street. Unarm, sweet Hector. Enter CRESSIDA and ALEXANDRA HECTOR CRESSIDA Hold you still, I say; Who were those went by? Mine honour keeps the weather of my fate: Lie every man holds dear; but the brave man ALEXANDRA Holds honour far more precious-dear than life. Queen Hecuba and Helen. Enter TROILUS CRESSIDA How now, young man! Mean'st thou to fight to-day? And whither go they? ANDROMACHE ALEXANDRA Cassandra, call my father to persuade. Up to the eastern tower, Exit CASSANDRA To see the battle. Hector, whose patience HECTOR Is, as a virtue, fix'd, to-day was moved: No, faith, young Troilus; doff thy harness, youth; He chid Andromache and struck his armourer, I am to-day i' the vein of chivalry: And to the field goes he; where every flower Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong, Did, as a prophet, weep what it foresaw And tempt not yet the brushes of the war. In Hector's wrath. Unarm thee, go, and doubt thou not, brave boy, CRESSIDA I'll stand to-day for thee and me and Troy. What was his cause of anger? TROILUS ALEXANDRA Brother, you have a vice of mercy in you, The noise goes, this: there is among the Greeks Which better fits a lion than a man. A lord of Trojan blood; HECTOR They call him Ajax. What vice is that, good Troilus? Chide me for it. 12 89 CRESSIDA ULYSSES Good; and what of him? O, contain yourself Your passion draws ears hither. ALEXANDRA Enter AENEAS This man, lady, hath robbed many beasts of their particular additions; he is as valiant as the lion, AENEAS churlish as the bear, slow as the elephant: a man I have been seeking you this hour, my lord: into whom nature hath so crowded humours that his Hector, by this, is arming him in Troy; valour is crushed into folly, his folly sauced with Ajax, your guard, stays to conduct you home. discretion: he hath the joints of everything, TROILUS but everything so out of joint that he is a gouty Have with you, prince. My courteous lord, adieu. Briareus, many hands and no use, Farewell, revolted fair! And, Diomed, or purblind Argus, all eyes and no sight. Stand fast! CRESSIDA ULYSSES But how should this man, that makes I'll bring you to the gates. me smile, make Hector angry? Exeunt TROILUS, AENEAS, and ULYSSES ALEXANDRA THERSITES They say he yesterday coped Hector in the battle and Would I could meet that rogue Diomed! I would struck him down, the disdain and shame whereof hath croak like a raven; I would bode, I would bode. ever since kept Hector fasting and waking. Ajax will give me anything for the CRESSIDA intelligence of this whore: the parrot will not Who comes here? do more for an almond than he for a commodious drab. Lechery, lechery; still, wars and lechery; nothing ALEXANDRA else holds fashion: a burning devil take them! Madam, your uncle Pandarus. Exit Enter PANDARUS CRESSIDA SCENE III. Troy. Before Priam's palace. Hector's a gallant man. Enter HECTOR and ANDROMACHE ALEXANDRA ANDROMACHE As may be in the world, lady. When was my lord so much ungently temper'd, PANDARUS To stop his ears against admonishment? What's that? What's that? Unarm, unarm, and do not fight to-day. CRESSIDA HECTOR Good morrow, uncle Pandarus. Get you in: By all the everlasting gods, I'll go! PANDARUS Good morrow, cousin Cressid: what do you talk of? ANDROMACHE Good morrow, Alexandra. How do you, cousin? When My dreams will, sure, prove ominous to the day. were you at Ilium? HECTOR CRESSIDA No more, I say. This morning, uncle. Enter CASSANDRA 88 13 ULYSSES PANDARUS Why stay we, then? What were you talking of when I came? Was Hector armed and gone ere ye came to Ilium? Helen was not TROILUS up, was she? To make a recordation to my soul Of every syllable that here was spoke. CRESSIDA Was Cressid here? Hector was gone, but Helen was not up. ULYSSES PANDARUS I cannot conjure, Trojan. Even so: Hector was stirring early. TROILUS CRESSIDA She was not, sure. That were we talking of, and of his anger. ULYSSES PANDARUS Most sure she was. Was he angry? TROILUS CRESSIDA Why, my negation hath no taste of madness. So she says here. ULYSSES PANDARUS Nor mine, my lord: Cressid was here but now. True, he was so: I know the cause too: he'll lay about him to-day, I can tell them that: and there's TROILUS Troilus will not come far behind him: let them take Let it not be believed for womanhood! heed of Troilus, I can tell them that too. This she? No, this is Diomed's Cressida: If beauty have a soul, this is not she; CRESSIDA If souls guide vows, if vows be sanctimonies, What, is he angry too? If sanctimony be the gods' delight, PANDARUS If there be rule in unity itself, Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of the two. This was not she. You have no judgment, niece: Helen ULYSSES herself swore th' other day, that Troilus, I must confess,-- May worthy Troilus be half attach'd She praised his complexion above Paris. With that which here his passion doth express? CRESSIDA TROILUS Then she's a merry Greek indeed. Ay, Greek; and that shall be divulged well PANDARUS In characters as red as Mars his heart Nay, I am sure she does. She came to him th' other Inflamed with Venus: never did young man fancy day into the compassed window,--and, you know, he With so eternal and so fix'd a soul. has not past three or four hairs on his chin,-- Hark, Greek: as much as I do Cressid love, she came and puts me her white hand to his cloven chin-- So much by weight hate I her Diomed: That glove is mine that he'll bear on his hand. CRESSIDA O Cressid! O false Cressid! False, false, false! Juno have mercy! How came it cloven? Let all untruths stand by thy stained name, And they'll seem glorious. PANDARUS Why, you know 'tis dimpled: I think his smiling becomes him better than any man in all Phrygia. 14 87 CRESSIDA DIOMEDES O, he smiles valiantly. Whose was it? PANDARUS CRESSIDA Does he not? By all Diana's waiting-women yond, And by herself, I will not tell you whose. CRESSIDA O yes, an 'twere a cloud in autumn. DIOMEDES To-morrow will I wear it, PANDARUS And grieve his spirit that dares not challenge it. Why, go to, then: but to prove to you that Helen loves Troilus,-- TROILUS Wert thou the devil, and worest it on thy horn, CRESSIDA It should be challenged. Troilus will stand to the proof, if you'll prove it so. CRESSIDA Well, well, 'tis done, 'tis past: and yet it is not; PANDARUS I will not keep my word. Troilus! Why, he esteems her no more than I esteem an addle egg. I cannot choose but laugh, to think how she tickled DIOMEDES his chin: indeed, she has a marvellous white hand, I Why, then, farewell; must needs confess, and she takes upon her to spy a white hair on Thou never shalt mock Diomed again. his chin. CRESSIDA CRESSIDA You shall not go: one cannot speak a word, Alas, poor chin, many a wart is richer. But it straight starts you. PANDARUS DIOMEDES But there was such laughing! Queen Hecuba laughed I do not like this fooling. that her eyes ran o'er-- DIOMEDES And Cassandra laughed-- What, shall I come? The hour? And Hector laughed. CRESSIDA CRESSIDA Ay, come:--O Jove--do come:--I shall be plagued. At what was all this laughing? DIOMEDES PANDARUS Farewell till then. Marry, at the white hair that Helen spied on Troilus' chin. CRESSIDA CRESSIDA Good night: I prithee, come. An't had been a green hair, I should have laughed Exit DIOMEDES too. Troilus, farewell! One eye yet looks on thee PANDARUS But with my heart the other eye doth see. They laughed not so much at the hair as at his pretty answer. Exit CRESSIDA ULYSSES What was his answer? All's done, my lord. TROILUS It is. 86 15 TROILUS PANDARUS O beauty! Where is thy faith? Quoth she, 'Here's but two and fifty hairs on your chin, and one of them is white.’ ULYSSES My lord,-- CRESSIDA This is her question. CRESSIDA You look upon that glove; behold it well. PANDARUS He loved me--O false wench!--Give't me again. That's true; make no question of that. 'Two and fifty hairs' quoth he, 'and one white: that white DIOMEDES hair is my father, and all the rest are his sons.' Whose was't? 'Jupiter!' quoth she, 'which of these hairs is Paris, CRESSIDA my husband? 'The forked one,' quoth he, 'pluck't It is no matter, now I have't again. out, and give it him.' But there was such laughing! I will not meet with you to-morrow night: and Helen so blushed, an Paris so chafed, and all the I prithee, Diomed, visit me no more. rest so laughed, that it passed. DIOMEDES CRESSIDA I shall have it. So let it now; for it has been while going by. CRESSIDA PANDARUS What, this? Well, cousin. I told you a thing yesterday; think on't. DIOMEDES CRESSIDA Ay, that. So I do. CRESSIDA PANDARUS O, all you gods! O pretty, pretty pledge! I'll be sworn 'tis true. Nay, do not snatch it from me; A retreat sounded He that takes that doth take my heart withal. Hark! they are coming from the field: shall we stand up here, and see them as they pass toward DIOMEDES Ilium? Good niece, do, sweet niece Cressida. I had your heart before, this follows it. CRESSIDA CRESSIDA At your pleasure. You shall not have it, Diomed; faith, you shall not; I'll give you something else. PANDARUS Here, here, here's an excellent place; here we may DIOMEDES see most bravely: I'll tell you them all by their I will have this: whose was it? names as they pass by; but mark Troilus above the rest. CRESSIDA AENEAS passes It is no matter. That's Aeneas: is not that a brave man? He's one of the flowers of Troy, I can tell you: but mark DIOMEDES Troilus; I'll show you Troilus anon: if Come, tell me whose it was. he see me, you shall see him nod at me. CRESSIDA CRESSIDA 'Twas one's that loved me better than you will. Will he give you the nod? But, now you have it, take it. 16 85 PANDARUS TROILUS You shall see. I pray thee, stay. HECTOR passes ULYSSES That's Hector, that, that, look you, that; there's a You have not patience; come. fellow! Go thy way, Hector! There's a brave man, niece. O brave Hector! Look how he looks! There's TROILUS a countenance! Is't not a brave man? I pray you, stay; by hell and all hell's torments I will not speak a word! CRESSIDA O, a brave man! DIOMEDES And so, good night. PANDARUS Is a' not? It does a man's heart good. Look you CRESSIDA what hacks are on his helmet! Look you yonder, do Nay, but you part in anger. you see? Look you there; by God's lid, it does one's Guardian!--why, Greek! heart good. PARIS passes DIOMEDES Yonder comes Paris, yonder comes Paris. Foh, foh! Adieu; you palter. Look ye yonder, niece; is't not a gallant man too, CRESSIDA is't not? Why, this is brave now. Who said he came In faith, I do not: come hither once again. hurt home to-day? He's not hurt: why, this will do Helen's heart good now, ha! ULYSSES I marvel where Troilus is. Hark, do you not hear the You shake, my lord, at something: will you go? people cry 'Troilus'? You will break out. CRESSIDA TROILUS What sneaking fellow comes yonder? She strokes his cheek! TROILUS passes ULYSSES PANDARUS Come, come. 'Tis Troilus! There's a man, niece! Hem! TROILUS Brave Troilus! The prince of chivalry! Nay, stay; by Jove, I will not speak a word. CRESSIDA THERSITES Peace, for shame, peace! How the devil Luxury, with his fat rump and PANDARUS potato-finger, tickles these together! Fry, lechery, fry! Mark him; note him. O brave Troilus! Look well upon DIOMEDES him, niece: look you how his sword is bloodied, and But will you, then? his helm more hacked than Hector's, and how he looks, and how he goes! O admirable youth! He ne'er saw CRESSIDA three and twenty. Go thy way, Troilus, go thy way! In faith, I will, la; never trust me else. O admirable man! DIOMEDES CRESSIDA Give me some token for the surety of it. Here come more. CRESSIDA Here, Diomed, keep this glove. 84 17 TROILUS PANDARUS What should she remember? Asses, fools, dolts! Chaff and bran, chaff and bran! Porridge after meat! I could live and die i' the ULYSSES eyes of Troilus. Ne'er look, ne'er look! I had List. rather be such a man as Troilus than Agamemnon and CRESSIDA all Greece. Sweet honey Greek, tempt me no more to folly. CRESSIDA THERSITES There is among the Greeks Achilles, a better man than Troilus. Roguery! PANDARUS DIOMEDES Achilles?! A drayman, a porter, a very camel. Nay, then,-- CRESSIDA CRESSIDA Well, well. In faith, I cannot: what would you have me do? PANDARUS DIOMEDES 'Well, well!' why, have you any discretion? have What did you swear you would bestow on me? you any eyes? Do you know what a man is? Is not birth, beauty, good shape, discourse, manhood, CRESSIDA learning, gentleness, virtue, youth, liberality, I prithee, do not hold me to mine oath; and such like, the spice and salt that season a man? Bid me do anything but that, sweet Greek. You are such a woman one knows not at what ward you DIOMEDES lie! Good night. CRESSIDA CRESSIDA Upon my back, to defend my belly; upon my wit, to Diomed,-- defend my wiles; upon my secrecy, to defend mine honesty; my mask, to defend my beauty; and you, to DIOMEDES defend all these: and at all these wards I lie, at a No, no, good night: I'll be your fool no more. thousand watches. CRESSIDA PANDARUS Hark, one word in your ear. Fare ye well, good niece. TROILUS CRESSIDA O plague and madness! Adieu, uncle. ULYSSES PANDARUS You are moved, prince; let us depart, I pray you, I'll be with you, niece, by and by. Lest your displeasure should enlarge itself To wrathful terms: this place is dangerous; CRESSIDA The time right deadly; I beseech you, go. To bring, uncle? TROILUS PANDARUS Behold, I pray you! Ay, a token from Troilus. ULYSSES Nay, good my lord, go off: You flow to great distraction; come, my lord. 18 83 CRESSIDA ACHILLES By the same token, you are a bawd. Come, come, enter my tent. Exit PANDARUS Exeunt ACHILLES, HECTOR, AJAX, NESTOR, and Words, vows, gifts, tears, and love's full sacrifice, PATROCLUS He offers in another's enterprise; THERSITES But more in Troilus thousand fold I see That same Diomed's a false-hearted rogue, a most Than in the glass of Pandar's praise may be; unjust knave; I will no more trust him when he leers Yet hold I off. Women are angels, wooing: than I will a serpent when he hisses; they say he keeps a Trojan Things won are done; joy's soul lies in the doing. drab, and uses the traitor Calchas' tent: I'll That she beloved knows nought that knows not this: after. Nothing but lechery! All incontinent varlets! Men prize the thing ungain'd more than it is: Exit That she was never yet that ever knew Love got so sweet as when desire did sue. Therefore this maxim out of love I teach: SCENE II. The same. Before Calchas' tent. Achievement is command; ungain'd, beseech: Enter DIOMEDES Then though my heart's content firm love doth bear, Nothing of that shall from mine eyes appear. DIOMEDES Exeunt What, are you up here, ho? Enter TROILUS and ULYSSES, at a distance; after them, THERSITES SCENE III. The Grecian camp. Before ULYSSES Agamemnon's tent. Stand where the torch may not discover us. Sennet. Enter AGAMEMNON, NESTOR, ULYSSES, Enter CRESSIDA DIOMEDES TROILUS AGAMEMNON Cressid comes forth to him. Princes, DIOMEDES What grief hath set the jaundice on your cheeks? How now, my charge! Is it matter new to us That we come short of our suppose so far CRESSIDA That after seven years' siege yet Troy walls stand? Now, my sweet guardian! Hark, a word with you. Whispers ULYSSES Agamemnon, TROILUS Thou great commander, nerve and bone of Greece, Yea, so familiar! Heart of our numbers, soul and only spirit. DIOMEDES In whom the tempers and the minds of all Will you remember? Should be shut up, hear what Ulysses speaks. CRESSIDA AGAMEMNON Remember! Yes. Speak, prince of Ithaca. DIOMEDES Nay, but do, then; And let your mind be coupled with your words. 82 19 PATROCLUS ULYSSES Why thou damnable box of envy, thou, what meanest Troy, yet upon his basis, had been down, thou to curse thus? And the great Hector's sword had lack'd a master, But for these instances. ACHILLES The specialty of rule hath been neglected: My sweet Patroclus, I am thwarted quite And, look, how many Grecian tents do stand From my great purpose in to-morrow's battle. Hollow upon this plain, so many hollow factions. Here is a letter from Queen Hecuba, The heavens themselves, the planets and this centre A token from her daughter, my fair love, Observe degree, priority and place, Both taxing me and gaging me to keep Course, proportion, form, An oath that I have sworn. I will not break it: Office and custom, in all line of order; This night in banqueting must all be spent. But when the planets Enter HECTOR, TROILUS, AJAX, AGAMEMNON, ULYSSES, In evil mixture to disorder wander, NESTOR, and DIOMEDES, with lights What plagues and what portents! What mutiny! Welcome, brave Hector; welcome, princes all. What raging of the sea! Shaking of earth! AGAMEMNON Commotion in the winds! Frights, horrors, So now, fair prince of Troy, I bid good night. Divert and crack, rend and deracinate Ajax commands the guard to tend on you. The unity and married calm of states Quite from their fixure! O, when degree is shaked, HECTOR Which is the ladder to all high designs, Thanks and good night to the Greeks' general. Then enterprise is sick! How could communities, ACHILLES Degrees in schools and brotherhoods in cities, Good night and welcome, both at once, to those Peaceful commerce from dividable shores, That go or tarry. Prerogative of age, crowns, sceptres, laurels, But by degree, stand in authentic place? AGAMEMNON Take but degree away, untune that string, Good night. And, hark, what discord follows! Great Agamemnon, Exeunt AGAMEMNON This chaos, when degree is suffocate, ACHILLES Follows the choking. Old Nestor tarries; and you too, Diomed, The general's disdain'd Keep Hector company an hour or two. By him one step below, he by the next, That next by him beneath; so every step, DIOMEDES Exampled by the first pace that is sick I cannot, lord; I have important business, Of his superior, grows to an envious fever The tide whereof is now. Good night, great Hector. Of pale and bloodless emulation: ULYSSES And 'tis this fever that keeps Troy on foot, [Aside to TROILUS] Follow his torch; he goes to Not her own sinews. To end a tale of length, Calchas' tent: I'll keep you company. Troy in our weakness stands, not in her strength. TROILUS NESTOR Sweet sir, you honour me. Most wisely hath Ulysses here discover'd The fever whereof all our power is sick. HECTOR And so, good night. AGAMEMNON Exit DIOMEDES; ULYSSES and TROILUS following The nature of the sickness found, Ulysses, What is the remedy? 20 81 ULYSSES SCENE I. The Grecian camp. Before Achilles' The great Achilles, whom opinion crowns The sinew and the forehand of our host, tent. Having his ear full of his airy fame, Enter ACHILLES and PATROCLUS Grows dainty of his worth, and in his tent ACHILLES Lies mocking our designs: with him Patroclus I'll heat his blood with Greekish wine to-night, Upon a lazy bed the livelong day Which with my scimitar I'll cool to-morrow. Breaks scurril jests; Patroclus, let us feast him to the height. And with ridiculous and awkward action, He pageants us. Sometime, great Agamemnon, PATROCLUS Thy topless deputation he puts on, Here comes Thersites. And, like a strutting player, Enter THERSITES He acts thy greatness in: At this fusty stuff ACHILLES The large Achilles, on his press'd bed lolling, How now, thou core of envy! From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause; Thou crusty batch of nature, what's the news? Cries 'Excellent! 'tis Agamemnon just. Now play me Nestor; hem, and stroke thy beard, THERSITES As he being drest to some oration.' Why, thou idol That's done, as near as the extremest ends of idiot worshippers, here's a letter for thee. Of parallels; Yet god Achilles still cries 'Excellent! ACHILLES 'Tis Nestor right. 'O, enough, Patroclus; From whence, fragment? Or give me ribs of steel! I shall split all In pleasure of my spleen.' And in this fashion, THERSITES All our abilities, natures, shapes, Why, thou full dish of fool, from Troy. Achievements, plots, orders, PATROCLUS Excitements to the field, or speech for truce, Who keeps the tent now? Success or loss, what is or is not, serves As stuff for these two to make paradoxes. THERSITES Prithee, be silent, boy; I profit not by thy talk: DIOMEDES thou art thought to be Achilles' male varlet. And in the imitation of these twain-- Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns PATROCLUS With an imperial voice--many are infect. Male varlet, you rogue! What's that? Ajax is grown self-will'd, and bears his head THERSITES In such a rein, in full as proud a place Why, his masculine whore. Now, the rotten diseases As broad Achilles; keeps his tent like him; of the south, the guts-griping, ruptures, lethargies, cold rails on our state of war, palsies, raw eyes, dirt-rotten livers, wheezing Bold as an oracle. lungs, bladders full of imposthume, sciaticas, A tucket incurable bone-ache, and the AGAMEMNON rivelled fee-simple of the tetter, take and take What trumpet? Look, Nestor. again such preposterous discoveries! NESTOR From Troy.

80 21 Enter AENEAS AGAMEMNON What would you 'fore our tent? AENEAS Is this great Agamemnon's tent, I pray you? AGAMEMNON Even this. AENEAS May one, that is a herald and a prince, Do a fair message to his kingly ears? AGAMEMNON With surety stronger than Achilles' arm 'Fore all the Greekish heads, which with one voice Call Agamemnon head and general. AENEAS Fair leave and large security. How may A stranger to those most imperial looks Know them from eyes of other mortals? AGAMEMNON ACT V How! AENEAS Ay; Which is that god in office, guiding men? Which is the high and mighty Agamemnon? AGAMEMNON This Trojan scorns us; or the men of Troy Are ceremonious courtiers. AGAMEMNON Sir, you of Troy, call you yourself Aeneas? AENEAS Ay, Greek, that is my name. AGAMEMNON What's your affair I pray you? AENEAS Sir, pardon; 'tis for Agamemnon's ears. AGAMEMNON He hears naught privately that comes from Troy. 22 79 AENEAS ULYSSES Nor I from Troy come not to whisper him. In her tent, most princely Troilus: There Diomed doth feast with her to-night; AGAMEMNON Who neither looks upon the heaven nor earth, Speak frankly as the wind; But gives all gaze and bent of amorous view It is not Agamemnon's sleeping hour: On the fair Cressid. That thou shalt know. Trojan, he is awake, He tells thee so himself. TROILUS Shall sweet lord, be bound to you so much, AENEAS After we part from Agamemnon's tent, We have, great Agamemnon, here in Troy To bring me thither? A prince call'd Hector,--Priam is his father,-- Who in this dull and long-continued truce ULYSSES Is rusty grown: he bade me this purpose speak. You shall command me, sir. Kings, princes, lords! As gentle tell me, of what honour was If there be one among the fair'st of Greece This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there That holds his honour higher than his ease, That wails her absence? That seeks his praise more than he fears his peril, TROILUS That knows his valour, and knows not his fear, Will you walk on, my lord? That loves his mistress more than in confession, Exeunt And dare avow her beauty and her worth In other arms than hers,--to him this challenge. Hector, hath a lady, wiser, fairer, truer, Than ever Greek did compass in his arms, And will to-morrow with his trumpet call Midway between your tents and walls of Troy, To rouse a Grecian that is true in love: If any come, Hector shall honour him; If none, he'll say in Troy when he retires, The Grecian dames are sunburnt and not worth The splinter of a lance. Even so much. AGAMEMNON This shall be told our lovers, Lord Aeneas; But we are soldiers; And may that soldier a mere recreant prove, That means not, hath not, or is not in love! If then one is, or hath, or means to be, That one meets Hector; if none else, I am he. AENEAS Now heavens forbid such scarcity of youth! ULYSSES Amen. 78 23 HECTOR AGAMEMNON It would discredit the blest gods, proud man, Fair Lord Aeneas, let me touch your hand; To answer such a question: stand again: To our pavilion shall I lead you, sir. Think'st thou to catch my life so pleasantly Achilles shall have word of this intent; As to prenominate in nice conjecture So shall each lord of Greece, from tent to tent: Where thou wilt hit me dead? Yourself shall feast with us before you go And find the welcome of a noble foe. ACHILLES Exeunt all but ULYSSES and NESTOR I tell thee, yea. ULYSSES HECTOR Nestor! Wert thou an oracle to tell me so, I'd not believe thee. Henceforth guard thee well; NESTOR For I'll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there; What says Ulysses? But, by the forge that stithied Mars his helm, ULYSSES I'll kill thee every where, yea, o'er and o'er. I have a young conception in my brain; You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag; Be you my time to bring it to some shape. His insolence draws folly from my lips; But I'll endeavour deeds to match these words, NESTOR Or may I never-- What is't? AJAX ULYSSES Do not chafe thee, cousin: This challenge that the gallant Hector sends, And you, Achilles, let these threats alone, However it is spread in general name, Till accident or purpose bring you to't. Relates in purpose only to Achilles. NESTOR HECTOR Why, 'tis most meet: whom may you else oppose, I pray you, let us see you in the field. That can from Hector bring his honour off, ACHILLES If not Achilles? Dost thou entreat me, Hector? ULYSSES To-morrow do I meet thee, fell as death; Give pardon to my speech: To-night all friends. What glory our Achilles shares from Hector, HECTOR Were he not proud, we all should share with him: Thy hand upon that match. But he already is too insolent. No, make a lottery; And, by device, let blockish Ajax draw AGAMEMNON The sort to fight with Hector: among ourselves First, all you peers of Greece, go to my tent; Give him allowance for the better man; There in the full convive we: let the trumpets blow, For that will physic the great Achilles That this great soldier may his welcome know. Who broils in loud applause, and make him fall Exeunt all except TROILUS and ULYSSES His crest that prouder than blue Iris bends. TROILUS If the dull brainless Ajax come safe off, My Lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you, We'll dress him up in voices: if he fail, In what place of the field doth Calchas keep? Yet go we under our opinion still That we have better men. But, hit or miss, Ajax employ'd plucks down Achilles' plumes. Exeunt

24 77 HECTOR I must not believe you: There they stand yet, and modestly I think, The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost A drop of Grecian blood: the end crowns all, And that old common arbitrator, Time, Will one day end it. ULYSSES So to him we leave it. Most gentle and most valiant Hector, welcome: After the general, I beseech you next To 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, And quoted joint by joint. HECTOR Is this Achilles? ACHILLES ACT II I am Achilles. HECTOR Stand fair, I pray thee: let me look on thee. ACHILLES Behold thy fill. HECTOR Nay, I have done already. ACHILLES Thou 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. Why dost thou so oppress me with thine eye? ACHILLES Tell 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 And make distinct the very breach whereout Hector's great spirit flew: answer me, heavens! 76 25 AJAX SCENE I. A part of the Grecian camp. If I might in entreaties find success-- Enter AJAX and THERSITES As seld I have the chance--I would desire My famous cousin to our Grecian tents. THERSITES Agamemnon, how if he had boils, full, all over, DIOMEDES generally? 'Tis Agamemnon's wish, and great Achilles Doth long to see unarm'd the valiant Hector. AJAX Thersites! HECTOR Give me thy hand, my cousin; THERSITES I will go eat with thee and see your knights. And those boils did run- say so - did not the general run then? Were not that a botchy core? AJAX Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here. AJAX Dog! HECTOR The worthiest of them tell me name by name; THERSITES But for Achilles, mine own searching eyes Then would come some matter from him; I see none now. Shall find him by his large and portly size. AJAX AGAMEMNON Canst thou not hear? Feel, then. Worthy of arms! As welcome as to one Strikes him That would be rid of such an enemy; THERSITES From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome. The plague of Greece upon thee, thou mongrel HECTOR beef-witted lord! I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon. AJAX AGAMEMNON Toadstool, learn me the proclamation. [To TROILUS] My well-famed lord of Troy, no THERSITES less to you. Dost thou think I have no sense, thou strikest me thus? ULYSSES AJAX I wonder now how yonder city stands The proclamation! When we have here her base and pillar by us. THERSITES HECTOR Thou art proclaimed a fool, I think. I know your favour, Lord Ulysses, well. Ah, sir, there's many a Greek and Trojan dead, AJAX Since first I saw yourself and Diomed Do not, porpentine, do not: my fingers itch. In Ilion, on your Greekish embassy. THERSITES ULYSSES I would thou didst itch from head to foot and I had Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue: the scratching of thee; I would make thee the My prophecy is but half his journey yet; loathsomest scab in Greece. For yonder walls, that pertly front your town, AJAX Yond towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds, I say, the proclamation! Must kiss their own feet. 26 75 THERSITES AGAMEMNON Thou grumblest and railest every hour on Achilles, They are in action. and thou art as full of envy at his greatness as NESTOR Cerberus is at Proserpine's beauty. Now, Ajax, hold thine own! AJAX TROILUS Cobloaf! Hector, thou sleep'st; THERSITES Awake thee! Do, do. AGAMEMNON AJAX His blows are well disposed: there, Ajax! Thou stool for a witch! DIOMEDES THERSITES You must no more. Ay, do, do; thou sodden-witted lord, thou hast no AENEAS more brain than I have in mine elbows! Princes, enough, so please you. AJAX AJAX You dog! I am not warm yet; let us fight again. THERSITES DIOMEDES You scurvy lord! As Hector pleases. AJAX HECTOR [Beating him] You cur! Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son, THERSITES A cousin-german to great Priam's seed; Mars his idiot! Do, rudeness; do, camel; do, do! The obligation of our blood forbids Enter ACHILLES and PATROCLUS A gory emulation 'twixt us twain. Let me embrace thee, Ajax: ACHILLES By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms; Why, how now, Ajax! Wherefore do you thus? How now, Hector would have them fall upon him thus: Thersites! What's the matter, wench? Cousin, all honour to thee! THERSITES AJAX You see him there, do you? I thank thee, Hector ACHILLES Thou art too gentle and too free a man: Ay; what's the matter? I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence A great addition earned in thy death. THERSITES Nay, look upon him. AENEAS There is expectance here from both the sides, ACHILLES What further you will do. So I do: what's the matter? HECTOR THERSITES We'll answer it; Nay, but regard him well. The issue is embracement: Ajax, farewell. 74 27 AGAMEMNON ACHILLES Which way would Hector have it? 'Well!' why, I do so. AENEAS THERSITES He cares not; he'll obey conditions. But yet you look not well upon him; for whosoever you take him to be, he is Ajax. ACHILLES 'Tis done like Hector; but securely done, ACHILLES A little proudly, and great deal misprizing I know that, fool. The knight opposed. THERSITES AENEAS Ay, but that fool knows not himself. If not Achilles, sir, AJAX What is your name? Therefore I beat thee. ACHILLES THERSITES If not Achilles, nothing. Lo, lo, lo, lo, what modicums of wit he utters! Re-enter DIOMEDES This lord, Achilles-- Ajax, who wears his wit in his belly and AGAMEMNON his guts in his head-- I'll tell you what I say of him. Here is Sir Diomed. Go, gentle knight, ACHILLES Stand by our Ajax: as you and Lord Aeneas What? Consent upon the order of their fight, So be it; either to the uttermost, THERSITES Or else a breath: the combatants being kin I say, this Ajax-- Half stints their strife before their strokes begin. Ajax offers to beat him AJAX and HECTOR enter the lists ACHILLES ULYSSES Nay, good Ajax. They are opposed already. THERSITES AGAMEMNON Has not so much wit-- What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy? ACHILLES ULYSSES Nay, I must hold you. The youngest son of Priam, a true knight, Not yet mature, yet matchless, firm of word; THERSITES As will stop the eye of Helen's needle, for whom he Manly as Hector, but more dangerous; comes to fight. For Hector in his blaze of wrath subscribes To tender objects, but he in heat of action ACHILLES Is more vindicative than jealous love: Peace, fool! They call him Troilus, and on him erect A second hope, as fairly built as Hector. THERSITES Thus says Aeneas; one that knows the youth I would have peace and quietness, but the fool will Even to his inches, and with private soul not: he there: that he: look you there. Did in great Ilion thus translate him to me. AJAX Alarum. Hector and Ajax fight O thou damned cur! I shall-- 28 73 ACHILLES ACHILLES What's the quarrel? I'll take what winter from your lips, fair lady: Achilles bids you welcome. AJAX I bade the vile owl go learn me the tenor of the AJAX proclamation, and she rails upon me. A pox on his kiss; this, mine; Ajax kisses you. THERSITES I serve thee not. ULYSSES May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you? AJAX Well, go to, go to. CRESSIDA You may. THERSITES I serve here voluntary. ULYSSES I do desire it. ACHILLES Your last service was sufferance, 'twas not CRESSIDA voluntary: no one is beaten voluntary: Ajax was Why, beg, then. here the voluntary, and you as under an impress. ULYSSES THERSITES Why then for Venus' sake, give me a kiss, E'en so; a great deal of your wit, too, lies in your When Helen is a maid again, and his-- sinews, or else there be liars. CRESSIDA ACHILLES I am your debtor, claim it when 'tis due. What, with me too, Thersites? ULYSSES THERSITES Never's my day, and then a kiss of you. To, Achilles! to, Ajax, to-- DIOMEDES AJAX Lady, a word: I'll bring you to your mother. I shall cut out your tongue. Exit with CRESSIDA THERSITES NESTOR 'Tis no matter! I shall speak as much as thou A woman of quick sense. afterwards. Trumpet within PATROCLUS AJAX No more words, Thersites; peace! The Trojans' trumpet. THERSITES AGAMEMNON I will hold my peace when Achilles' bitch bids me, shall I? Yonder comes the troop. Enter HECTOR, armed; AENEAS, and TROILUS ACHILLES There's for you, Patroclus. AENEAS Hail, all you state of Greece! What shall be done THERSITES To him that victory commands? Or do you purpose I will see you hanged, like clotpoles, ere I come A victor shall be known? any more to your tents: I will keep where there is Hector bade ask. wit stirring and leave the faction of fools. Exit 72 29 PARIS PATROCLUS 'Tis Troilus' fault: come, come, to field with him. A good riddance. AENEAS ACHILLES Let us make ready straight. Marry, this, sir, is proclaim'd through all our host: The glory of our Troy doth this day lie That Hector, by the fifth hour of the sun, On his fair worth and single chivalry. Will with a trumpet 'twixt our tents and Troy Exeunt To-morrow morning call some knight to arms That hath a stomach; and such a one that dare SCENE V. The Grecian camp. Lists set out. Maintain--I know not what: 'tis trash. Farewell. Enter AJAX, armed; AGAMEMNON, ACHILLES, AJAX PATROCLUS, ULYSSES, and NESTOR Farewell. Who shall answer him? AGAMEMNON ACHILLES Here art thou in appointment fresh and fair, I know not: 'tis put to lottery; otherwise Anticipating time with starting courage. He knew his man. Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy, AJAX Thou dreadful Ajax; that the appalled air O, meaning you. I will go learn more of it. May pierce the head of the great combatant Exeunt And hale him hither. NESTOR Is not yond Diomed, with Calchas' daughter? SCENE II. Troy. A room in Priam's palace. ULYSSES Enter PRIAM, HECTOR, TROILUS, PARIS 'Tis he, I ken the manner of his gait. Enter DIOMEDES, with CRESSIDA PRIAM After so many hours, lives, speeches spent, AGAMEMNON Thus once again says Nestor from the Greeks: Is this the Lady Cressid? 'Deliver Helen, and all damage else-- DIOMEDES As honour, loss of time, travail, expense, Even she. Wounds, friends, and what else dear that is consumed In hot digestion of this cormorant war-- AGAMEMNON Shall be struck off.' Hector, what say you to't? Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady. HECTOR NESTOR Let Helen go: Our general doth salute you with a kiss. Since the first sword was drawn about this question, ULYSSES Every tithe soul, 'mongst many thousand dismes, Yet is the kindness but particular; Hath been as dear as Helen; I mean, of ours: 'Twere better she were kiss'd in general. If we have lost so many tenths of ours, To guard a thing not ours nor worth to us, NESTOR Had it our name, the value of one ten, And very courtly counsel: I'll begin. What merit's in that reason which denies So much for Nestor. The yielding of her up? 30 71 TROILUS Entreat her fair; and, by my soul, fair Greek, Fie, fie, my brother! Fie, for godly shame! If e'er thou stand at mercy of my sword, Name Cressida and thy life shall be as safe HECTOR As Priam is in Ilion. Brother, she is not worth what she doth cost The keeping. DIOMEDES Fair Lady Cressid, TROILUS So please you, save the thanks this prince expects: What is aught, but as 'tis valued? The lustre in your eye, heaven in your cheek, HECTOR Pleads your fair usage; and to Diomed But value dwells not in particular will; You shall be mistress, and command him wholly. It holds his estimate and dignity TROILUS As well wherein 'tis precious of itself Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously, As in the prizer: 'tis mad idolatry To shame the zeal of my petition to thee To make the service greater than the god. In praising her: I tell thee, lord of Greece, TROILUS She is as far high-soaring o'er thy praises If you'll avouch 'twas wisdom Paris went-- As thou unworthy to be call'd her servant. As you must needs, for you all cried 'Go, go,'-- I charge thee use her well, even for my charge; If you'll confess he brought home noble prize-- For, by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not, As you must needs, for you all clapp'd your hands Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard, And cried 'Inestimable!'--why do you now I'll cut thy throat. Beggar the estimation which you prized DIOMEDES Richer than sea and land? O, theft most base, O, be not moved, Prince Troilus: That we have stol'n what we do fear to keep! Let me be privileged by my place and message, Enter CASSANDRA, raving To be a speaker free; when I am hence CASSANDRA I'll answer to my lust: and know you, lord, Cry, Trojans, cry! I'll nothing do on charge: to her own worth She shall be prized; but that you say 'be't so,' PRIAM I'll speak it in my spirit and honour, 'no.' What shriek is this? TROILUS TROILUS Come, to the port. 'Tis our mad sister. Lady, give me your hand, and, as we walk, CASSANDRA To our own selves bend we our needful talk. Cry, Trojans, cry! lend me ten thousand eyes, Exeunt TROILUS, CRESSIDA, and DIOMEDES And I will fill them with prophetic tears. Trumpet within HECTOR PARIS Peace, sister, peace! Hark! Hector's trumpet. CASSANDRA AENEAS Virgins and boys, mid-age and wrinkled eld, How have we spent this morning! Soft infancy, that nothing canst but cry, The prince must think me tardy and remiss, Add to my clamours! Let us pay betimes That sore to ride before him to the field. 70 31 CRESSIDA A moiety of that mass of moan to come. O heavens! You love me not. Cry, Trojans, cry! Practise your eyes with tears! Troy must not be, nor goodly Ilion stand; TROILUS Our firebrand brother, Paris, burns us all. Die I a villain, then! Cry, Trojans, cry! A Helen and a woe: In this I do not call your faith in question Cry, cry! Troy burns, or else let Helen go. So mainly as my merit: I cannot sing, Exit Nor heel the high lavolt, nor sweeten talk, Nor play at subtle games; fair virtues all, HECTOR To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant: Now, youthful Troilus, do not these high strains But I can tell that in each grace of these Of divination in our sister work There lurks a still and dumb-discoursive devil Some touches of remorse? Or is your blood That tempts most cunningly: but be not tempted. So madly hot that no discourse of reason, Nor fear of bad success in a bad cause, CRESSIDA Can qualify the same? Do you think I will? TROILUS TROILUS Why, brother Hector, No. But something may be done that we will not: We may not think the justness of each act And sometimes we are devils to ourselves, Such and no other than event doth form it, When we will tempt the frailty of our powers, Nor once deject the courage of our minds, Presuming on their changeful potency. Because Cassandra's mad: her brain-sick raptures AENEAS Cannot distaste the goodness of a quarrel [Within] Nay, good my lord,-- Which hath our several honours all engaged To make it gracious. For my private part, TROILUS I am no more touch'd than all Priam's sons: Come, kiss; and let us part. And Jove forbid there should be done amongst us PARIS Such things as might offend the weakest spleen [Within] Brother Troilus! To fight for and maintain! TROILUS PARIS Good brother, come you hither; Else might the world convince of levity And bring Aeneas and the Grecian with you. As well my undertakings as your counsels: But I attest the gods, your full consent CRESSIDA Gave wings to my propension and cut off My lord, will you be true? All fears attending on so dire a project. TROILUS For what, alas, can these my single arms? Who, I? Alas, it is my vice, my fault: What propugnation is in one man's valour, Fear not my truth: the moral of my wit To stand the push and enmity of those Is 'plain and true;' there's all the reach of it. This quarrel would excite? Yet, I protest, Enter AENEAS, PARIS, and DIOMEDES Were I alone to pass the difficulties Welcome, Sir Diomed! Here is the lady And had as ample power as I have will, Which for Antenor we deliver you: Paris should ne'er retract what he hath done, At the port, lord, I'll give her to thy hand, Nor faint in the pursuit. And by the way possess thee what she is. 32 69 PRIAM TROILUS Paris, you speak No remedy. Like one besotted on your sweet delights: CRESSIDA You have the honey still, but these the gall; A woeful Cressid 'mongst the merry Greeks! So to be valiant is no praise at all. When shall we see again? PARIS TROILUS Sir, I propose not merely to myself Hear me, my love: be thou but true of heart,-- The pleasures such a beauty brings with it; But I would have the soil of her fair rape CRESSIDA Wiped off, in honourable keeping her. I true! How now! What wicked deem is this? What treason were it to the ransack'd queen, Disgrace to your great worths and shame to me, TROILUS Nay, we must use expostulation kindly, Now to deliver her possession up For it is parting from us: On terms of base compulsion! Can it be That so degenerate a strain as this I speak not 'be thou true,' as fearing thee, Should once set footing in your generous bosoms? For I will throw my glove to Death himself, That there's no maculation in thy heart: There's not the meanest spirit on our party But 'be thou true,' say I, to fashion in Without a heart to dare or sword to draw My sequent protestation; be thou true, When Helen is defended, nor none so noble And I will see thee. Whose life were ill bestow'd or death unfamed Where Helen is the subject; then, I say, CRESSIDA Well may we fight for her whom, we know well, O, you shall be exposed, my lord, to dangers The world's large spaces cannot parallel. As infinite as imminent! But I'll be true. HECTOR TROILUS Paris and Troilus, you have both said well, And I'll grow friend with danger. Wear this glove. And on the cause and question now in hand Have glozed, but superficially: not much CRESSIDA Unlike young men, And you this charm. When shall I see you? The reasons you allege do more conduce TROILUS To the hot passion of distemper'd blood I will corrupt the Grecian sentinels, Than to make up a free determination To give thee nightly visitation. 'Twixt right and wrong, for pleasure and revenge But yet be true. Have ears more deaf than adders to the voice Of any true decision. Nature craves CRESSIDA All dues be render'd to their owners: now, O heavens! 'Be true' again! What nearer debt in all humanity TROILUS Than wife is to the husband? Hear while I speak it, love: If Helen then be wife to Sparta's king, The Grecian youths are full of quality; As it is known she is, these moral laws They're loving, well composed with gifts of nature, Of nature and of nations speak aloud Flowing and swelling o'er with arts and exercise: To have her back return'd: thus to persist Alas, a kind of godly jealousy-- In doing wrong extenuates not wrong, Which, I beseech you, call a virtuous sin-- Makes me afeard. 68 33 CRESSIDA But makes it much more heavy. Hector's opinion O Troilus! Troilus! Is this in way of truth; yet ne'ertheless, Embracing him My spritely brethren, I propend to you In resolution to keep Helen still, PANDARUS For 'tis a cause that hath no mean dependance What a pair of spectacles is here! Upon our joint and several dignities. Let me embrace too. 'O heart,' as the goodly saying is, '--O heart, heavy heart, TROILUS Why sigh'st thou without breaking?’ Why, there you touch'd the life of our design: There was never a truer rhyme. How now, lambs? Were it not glory that we more affected Than the performance of our heaving spleens, TROILUS I would not wish a drop of Trojan blood Cressid, I love thee in so strain'd a purity, Spent more in her defence. But, worthy Hector, That the bless'd gods, as angry with my fancy, She is a theme of honour and renown, take thee from me. A spur to valiant and magnanimous deeds, CRESSIDA Whose present courage may beat down our foes, Have the gods envy? And fame in time to come canonize us; For, I presume, brave Hector would not lose PANDARUS So rich advantage of a promised glory Ay, ay, ay, ay; 'tis too plain a case. As smiles upon the forehead of this action CRESSIDA For the wide world's revenue. And is it true that I must go from Troy? HECTOR TROILUS I am yours, A hateful truth. You valiant offspring of great Priamus. I have a roisting challenge sent amongst CRESSIDA The dun and factious nobles of the Greeks What, and from Troilus too? Will strike amazement to their drowsy spirits: TROILUS I was advertised their great general slept, From Troy and Troilus. Whilst emulation in the army crept: This, I presume, will wake him. CRESSIDA Exeunt Is it possible? AENEAS [Within] My lord, is the lady ready? TROILUS Hark! You are call'd. Bid them have patience; she shall come anon. PANDARUS Where are my tears? Exit CRESSIDA I must then to the Grecians? 34 67 SCENE III. The Grecian camp. Before PANDARUS Prithee, get thee in: would thou hadst ne'er been Achilles' tent. born! I knew thou wouldst be his death. O, poor Enter THERSITES gentleman! A plague upon Antenor! THERSITES CRESSIDA How now, Thersites! What lost in the labyrinth of Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees! Beseech you, thy fury! Shall the elephant Ajax carry it thus? He what's the matter? beats me, and I rail at him: O, worthy satisfaction! would it were otherwise; that I could beat him, PANDARUS whilst he railed at me. 'Sfoot, I'll learn to Thou must be gone, wench, thou must be gone; thou conjure and raise devils, but I'll see some issue of art changed for Antenor: thou must to thy mother, my spiteful execrations. Then there's Achilles, a and be gone from Troilus: 'twill be his death; rare engineer! If Troy be not taken till these two 'twill be his bane; he cannot bear it. undermine it, the walls will stand till they fall of CRESSIDA themselves. O thou great thunder-darter of Olympus, O you immortal gods! I will not go. forget that thou art Jove, the king of gods and, Mercury, lose all the serpentine craft of thy PANDARUS caduceus, if ye take not that little, little less Thou must. than little wit from them that they have! CRESSIDA I have said my prayers and devil Envy I will not, uncle: I have forgot my mother; say Amen. What ho, my Lord Achilles! I know no touch of consanguinity; Enter PATROCLUS No kin no love, no blood, no soul so near me PATROCLUS As the sweet Troilus. O you gods divine! Who's there? Thersites! Good Thersites, come in and rail. Make Cressid's name the very crown of falsehood, If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death, THERSITES Do to this body what extremes you can; If I could have remembered a gilt counterfeit, thou Tear my bright hair and scratch my praised cheeks, wouldst not have slipped out of my contemplation: but Crack my clear voice with sobs and break my heart it is no matter; thyself upon thyself! The common With sounding Troilus. I will not go from Troy. curse of mankind, folly and ignorance, be thine in great revenue! Heaven bless thee from a tutor, and PANDARUS discipline come not near thee! Let thy blood be thy Be moderate, be moderate. direction till thy death! Then if she that lays thee CRESSIDA out says thou art a fair corse, I'll be sworn and Why tell you me of moderation? sworn upon't she never shrouded any but lazars. The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste, Amen. And violenteth in a sense as strong Enter ACHILLES As that which causeth it: how can I moderate it? ACHILLES PANDARUS Who's there? Here, here, here he comes. PATROCLUS Enter TROILUS Thersites, my lord. Ah, sweet ducks! 66 35 AENEAS ACHILLES My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you, Why, my cheese, my My matter is so rash: there is at hand digestion, why hast thou not served thyself in to Paris your brother, the Grecian Diomed, my table so many meals? Come, what's Agamemnon? And our Antenor THERSITES Deliver'd to us; and for him forthwith, Thy commander, Achilles. Then tell me, Patroclus, Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour, what's Achilles? We must give up to Diomedes' hand The Lady Cressida. PATROCLUS Thy lord, Thersites: then tell me, I pray thee, TROILUS what's thyself? Is it so concluded? THERSITES AENEAS Thy knower, Patroclus: then tell me, Patroclus, By Priam and the general state of Troy: what art thou? They are at hand and ready to effect it. PATROCLUS TROILUS Thou mayst tell that knowest. How my achievements mock me! I will go meet them: and, my Lord Aeneas, ACHILLES We met by chance; you did not find me here. O, tell, tell. AENEAS THERSITES Good, good, my lord; the secrets of nature I'll decline the whole question. Agamemnon commands Have not more gift in taciturnity. Achilles; Achilles is my lord; I am Patroclus' Exeunt TROILUS and AENEAS knower, and Patroclus is a fool. PANDARUS PATROCLUS Is't possible? No sooner got but lost? The devil You rascal! take Antenor! The young prince will go mad: a plague upon Antenor! I would they had broke 's neck! THERSITES Re-enter CRESSIDA Peace, fool! I have not done. ACHILLES CRESSIDA She is a privileged woman. Proceed, Thersites. How now! What's the matter? Who was here? THERSITES PANDARUS Agamemnon is a fool; Achilles is a fool; Thersites Ah, ah! is a fool, and, as aforesaid, Patroclus is a fool. CRESSIDA Why sigh you so profoundly? Where's my lord? Gone! ACHILLES Derive this; come. Tell me, sweet uncle, what's the matter? THERSITES PANDARUS Agamemnon is a fool to offer to command Achilles; Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above! Achilles is a fool to be commanded of Agamemnon; CRESSIDA Thersites is a fool to serve such a fool, and O the gods! What's the matter? Patroclus is a fool positive. 36 65 PATROCLUS Who's that at door? Good uncle, go and see. Why am I a fool? My lord, come you again into my chamber: You smile and mock me, as if I meant naughtily. THERSITES Make that demand of the prover. It suffices me thou TROILUS art. Look you, who comes here? Ha, ha! ACHILLES CRESSIDA Patroclus, I'll speak with nobody. Come, you are deceived, I think of no such thing. Come in with me, Thersites. Knocking within Exit How earnestly they knock! Pray you, come in: I would not for half Troy have you seen here. THERSITES Exeunt TROILUS and CRESSIDA Here is such patchery, such juggling and such knavery! All the argument is a cuckold and a PANDARUS whore; a good quarrel to draw emulous factions Who's there? What's the matter? Will you beat and bleed to death upon. Now, the dry serpigo on down the door? How now! What's the matter? the subject! And war and lechery confound all! Enter AENEAS Exit AENEAS Enter AGAMEMNON, ULYSSES, NESTOR, DIOMEDES, and Good morrow, lord, good morrow. AJAX PANDARUS AGAMEMNON Who's there? My Lord Aeneas! By my troth, Where is Achilles? I knew you not: what news with you so early? PATROCLUS AENEAS Within his tent; but ill disposed, my lord. Is not Prince Troilus here? AGAMEMNON PANDARUS Let it be known to him that we are here. Here! What should he do here? He shent our messengers; and we lay by Our appertainments, visiting of him: AENEAS Let him be told so; lest perchance he think Come, he is here, my lord; do not deny him: We dare not move the question of our place, It doth import him much to speak with me. Or know not what we are. PANDARUS PATROCLUS Is he here, say you? 'Tis more than I know, I'll I shall say so to him. be sworn: for my own part, I came in late. What Exit should he do here? ULYSSES AENEAS We saw him at the opening of his tent: Come, come, you'll do him wrong He is not sick. ere you're ware: you'll be so true to him, to be false to him. AJAX Re-enter TROILUS Yes, lion-sick, sick of proud heart: you may call it melancholy, if you will favour the man; but, by my TROILUS head, 'tis pride. How now! What's the matter? Takes AGAMEMNON aside 64 37 TROILUS NESTOR Beshrew the witch! With venomous wights she stays What moves Ajax thus to bay at him? As tediously as hell, but flies the grasps of love ULYSSES With wings more momentary-swift than thought. Achilles hath inveigled his fool from him. You will catch cold, and curse me. NESTOR CRESSIDA Who, Thersites? Prithee, tarry: You men will never tarry. ULYSSES O foolish Cressid! I might have still held off, She. And then you would have tarried. NESTOR PANDARUS All the better; their fraction is more our wish than [Within] What, 's all the doors open here? their faction. CRESSIDA ULYSSES Hark, there’s one up. Here comes Patroclus. Re-enter PATROCLUS TROILUS It is your uncle. PATROCLUS Achilles bids me say, he is much sorry, CRESSIDA If anything more than your sport and pleasure A pestilence on him! Now will he be mocking! Did move your greatness and this noble state Enter PANDARUS To call upon him; he hopes it is no other PANDARUS But for your health and your digestion sake, How now, how now! How go maidenheads? Here, you And after-dinner's breath. maid! Where's my cousin Cressid? AGAMEMNON CRESSIDA Hear you, Patroclus: Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle! We are too well acquainted with these answers: You bring me to do, and then you flout me too. But his evasion, wing'd thus swift with scorn, Cannot outfly our apprehensions. PANDARUS Much attribute he hath, and much the reason To do what? To do what? Let her say Why we ascribe it to him; yet all his virtues, what: what have I brought you to do? Not virtuously on his own part beheld, CRESSIDA Do in our eyes begin to lose their gloss, Come, come, beshrew your heart! You'll ne'er be good, Go and tell him, Nor suffer others. We come to speak with him; and you shall not sin, If you do say we think him over-proud PANDARUS And under-honest. Ha! ha! Alas, poor wretch! Hast not slept to-night? Would he not, a naughty PATROCLUS man, let it sleep? A bugbear take him! I shall; and bring his answer presently. Exit CRESSIDA Did not I tell you? Knocking within 38 63 AGAMEMNON DIOMEDES In second voice we'll not be satisfied; She's bitter to her country: hear me, Paris: We come to speak with him. Ulysses, enter you. For every false drop in her bawdy veins Exit ULYSSES A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple Of her contaminated carrion weight, AJAX A Trojan hath been slain: since she could speak, What is he more than another? She hath not given so many good words breath AGAMEMNON As for her Greeks and Trojans suffer'd death. No more than what he thinks he is. PARIS AJAX Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do, Is he so much? Do you not think he thinks himself a Dispraise the thing that you desire to buy. better man than I am? Here lies our way. AGAMEMNON Exeunt No question. AJAX SCENE II. The same. Court of Pandarus' Will you subscribe his thought, and say he is? house. AGAMEMNON Enter TROILUS and CRESSIDA No, noble Ajax; you are as strong, as valiant, as TROILUS wise, no less noble, much more gentle, and altogether Dear, trouble not yourself: the morn is cold. more tractable. CRESSIDA AJAX Then, sweet my lord, I'll call mine uncle down; Why should a man be proud? How doth pride grow? I He shall unbolt the gates. know not what pride is. TROILUS AGAMEMNON Trouble him not; Your mind is the clearer, Ajax, and your virtues the To bed, to bed! fairer. He that is proud eats up himself. AJAX CRESSIDA I do hate a proud man, as I hate the engendering of toads. Good morrow, then. NESTOR TROILUS [Aside] Yet he loves himself: is't not strange? I prithee now, to bed. Re-enter ULYSSES CRESSIDA ULYSSES Are you a-weary of me? Achilles will not to the field to-morrow. TROILUS AGAMEMNON O Cressida! But that the busy day, What's his excuse? Waked by the lark, hath roused the ribald crows, And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer, ULYSSES I would not from thee. He doth rely on none, But carries on the stream of his dispose CRESSIDA Without observance or respect of any, Night hath been too brief. In will peculiar and in self-admission. 62 39 PARIS AGAMEMNON His purpose meets you: 'twas to bring this Greek Why will he not upon our fair request To Calchas' house, and there to render him, Untent his person and share the air with us? For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid: Let Ajax go to him. Let's have your company, or, if you please, Dear lord, go you and greet him in his tent: Haste there before us: I constantly do think-- 'Tis said he holds you well, and will be led Or rather, call my thought a certain knowledge-- At your request a little from himself. My brother Troilus lodges there to-night: ULYSSES Rouse him and give him note of our approach. O Agamemnon, let it not be so! With the whole quality wherefore: I fear We'll consecrate the steps that Ajax makes We shall be much unwelcome. When they go from Achilles: shall the proud lord AENEAS That bastes his arrogance with his own seam That I assure you: And never suffers matter of the world Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece Enter his thoughts, save such as do revolve Than Cressid borne from Troy. And ruminate himself, shall he be worshipp'd Of that we hold an idol more than he? PARIS No, this thrice worthy and right valiant lord There is no help; Must not so stale his palm, nobly acquired; The bitter disposition of the time Nor, by my will, assubjugate his merit, Will have it so. On, lord; we'll follow you. By going to Achilles. AENEAS This lord go to him! Jupiter forbid, Good morrow, all. And say in thunder 'Achilles go to him.' Exit NESTOR PARIS [Aside to DIOMEDES] O, this is well; he rubs the And tell me, noble Diomed, faith, tell me true, vein of him. Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship, DIOMEDES Who, in your thoughts, merits fair Helen best, [Aside to NESTOR] And how his silence drinks up Myself or Menelaus? this applause! DIOMEDES AJAX Both alike: If I go to him, with my armed fist I'll pash him o'er the face. He merits well to have her, that doth seek her, Not making any scruple of her soilure, AGAMEMNON With such a hell of pain and world of charge, O, no, you shall not go. And you as well to keep her, that defend her, AJAX Not palating the taste of her dishonour, An a' be proud with me, I'll pheeze his pride: With such a costly loss of wealth and friends: Let me go to him. Both merits poised, each weighs nor less nor more; But he as he, the heavier for a whore. ULYSSES Not for the worth that hangs upon our quarrel. PARIS You are too bitter to your countrywoman. AJAX A paltry, insolent fellow! 40 61 NESTOR SCENE I. Troy. A street. How he describes himself! Enter, from one side, AENEAS, with a torch; from the other, AJAX PARIS, DIOMEDES, with torches Can he not be sociable? PARIS I'll let his humours blood. See, ho! Who is that there? AGAMEMNON AENEAS [Aside] He will be the physician that should be the patient. Is the prince there in person? AJAX Had I so good occasion to lie long An all men were o' my mind,-- As you, prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business Should rob my bed-mate of my company. ULYSSES Wit would be out of fashion. DIOMEDES That's my mind too. Good morrow, Lord Aeneas. AJAX A' should not bear it so, a' should eat swords first. PARIS I will knead him; I'll make him supple. A valiant Greek, Aeneas,--take his hand,-- Witness the process of your speech, wherein DIOMEDES You told how Diomed, a whole week by days, [Aside] He's not yet through warm: force him with praises: Did haunt you in the field. pour in, pour in. AENEAS ULYSSES Health to you, valiant sir, [To AGAMEMNON] My lord, you feed too much on this dislike. During all question of the gentle truce; NESTOR But when I meet you arm'd, as black defiance Our noble general, do not do so. As heart can think or courage execute. DIOMEDES DIOMEDES You must prepare to fight without Achilles. The one and other Diomed embraces. Our bloods are now in calm; and, so long, health! ULYSSES But when contention and occasion meet, Why, 'tis this naming of him does him harm. By Jove, I'll play the hunter for thy life Here is a man--but 'tis before his face; With all my force, pursuit and policy. I will be silent. AENEAS DIOMEDES We know each other well. Wherefore should you so? He is not emulous, as Achilles is. DIOMEDES We do; and long to know each other worse. ULYSSES Know the whole world, he is as valiant. PARIS This is the most despiteful gentle greeting, AJAX The noblest hateful love, that e'er I heard of. A whoreson dog, that shall pelter thus with us! What business, lord, so early? Would he were a Trojan! AENEAS NESTOR I was sent for to the king; but why, I know not. What a vice were it in Ajax now,--

60 41 ULYSSES If he were proud,-- DIOMEDES Or covetous of praise,-- ULYSSES Ay, or surly borne,-- DIOMEDES Or strange, or self-affected! ULYSSES Thank the heavens, lord, thou art of sweet composure; Praise him that got thee, she that gave thee suck: But he that disciplined thy arms to fight, Let Mars divide eternity in twain, And give him half: and, for thy vigour, Bull-bearing Milo his addition yield To sinewy Ajax. Here's Nestor; Instructed by the antiquary times, He must, he is, he cannot but be wise: Put pardon, father Nestor, were your days As green as Ajax' and your brain so temper'd, ACT IV You should not have the eminence of him, But be as Ajax. AJAX Shall I call you father? NESTOR Ay, my good son. DIOMEDES Be ruled by him, Lord Ajax. ULYSSES There is no tarrying here; the hart Achilles Keeps thicket. Please it our great general To call together all his state of war; Fresh kings are come to Troy: to-morrow We must with all our main of power stand fast: And here's a lord,--come knights from east to west, And cull their flower, Ajax shall cope the best. Exeunt

42 59

ACT III 58 43 THERSITES SCENE I. Troy. Priam's palace. If to-morrow be a fair day, by eleven o'clock it will Enter PARIS and HELEN go one way or other. Enter PANDARUS PATROCLUS PANDARUS Your answer, sir. Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair THERSITES company! Fair desires, in all fair measure, Fare you well, with all my heart. fairly guide them! especially to you, fair queen! Fair thoughts be your fair pillow! ACHILLES Why, but he is not in this tune, is he? HELEN Dear lord, you are full of fair words. THERSITES No, but he's out o' tune thus. What music will be in PANDARUS him when Hector has knocked out his brains, I know You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen. Fair not; but, I am sure, none. prince, here is good broken music. ACHILLES PARIS Come, thou shalt bear a letter to him straight. You have broke it, cousin: and, by my life, you shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out THERSITES with a piece of your performance. Nell, he is full Let me bear another to his horse; for that's the more of harmony. capable creature. PANDARUS ACHILLES Truly, lady, no. My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirr'd; And I myself see not the bottom of it. HELEN Exeunt ACHILLES and PATROCLUS O, sir,-- THERSITES PANDARUS Would the fountain of your mind were clear again, Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude. that I might water an ass at it! I had rather be a PARIS tick in a sheep than such a valiant ignorance. Well said, my lord! Well, you say so in fits. Exit PANDARUS I have business to my lord, dear queen. My lord, will you vouchsafe me a word? HELEN Nay, this shall not hedge us out: we'll hear you sing, certainly. PANDARUS Well, sweet queen, you are pleasant with me. But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most esteemed friend, your brother Troilus,-- 44 57 HELEN ACHILLES My Lord Pandarus; honey-sweet lord,-- To him, Patroclus; tell him I humbly desire the valiant Ajax to invite the most valorous Hector PANDARUS to come unarmed to my tent, and to procure Go to, sweet queen, go to--commends himself most safe-conduct for his person of the magnanimous affectionately to you,-- and most illustrious six-or-seven-times-honoured HELEN captain-general of the Grecian army, Agamemnon, You shall not bob us out of our melody: if you do, et cetera. Do this. our melancholy upon your head! PATROCLUS PANDARUS Jove bless great Ajax! Sweet queen, sweet queen! That's a sweet queen, i' faith. THERSITES HELEN Hum! And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence. PATROCLUS PANDARUS I come from the worthy Achilles,-- Nay, that shall not serve your turn; that shall not, THERSITES in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words; no, Ha! no. And, my lord, he desires you, that if the king call for him at supper, you will make his excuse. PATROCLUS Who most humbly desires you to invite Hector to his tent,-- HELEN My Lord Pandarus,-- THERSITES Hum! PANDARUS What says my sweet queen, my very very sweet queen? PATROCLUS And to procure safe-conduct from Agamemnon. PARIS What exploit's in hand? Where sups he to-night? THERSITES Agamemnon? HELEN Nay, but, my lord,-- PATROCLUS Ay, my lord. PANDARUS What says my sweet queen? My cousin will fall out THERSITES with you. You must not know where he sups. Ha! PARIS PATROCLUS I'll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida. What say you to't? PANDARUS THERSITES No, no, no such matter; you are wide. God b' wi' you, with all my heart. PARIS PATROCLUS I spy. Your answer, sir. PANDARUS You spy! What do you spy? Come, give me an instrument. Now, sweet queen. 56 45 ACHILLES HELEN Shall Ajax fight with Hector? Why, this is kindly done. PATROCLUS PANDARUS Ay, and perhaps receive much honour by him. My niece is horribly in love with a thing you have, sweet queen. ACHILLES I see my reputation is at stake HELEN My fame is shrewdly gored. She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my lord Paris. Go call Thersites hither, sweet Patroclus: PANDARUS I'll send the fool to Ajax and desire her He! No, she'll none of him; they two are twain. To invite the Trojan lords after the combat To see us here unarm'd: I have a woman's longing, HELEN An appetite that I am sick withal, Falling in, after falling out, may make them three. To see great Hector in his weeds of peace, To talk with him and to behold his visage, PANDARUS Even to my full of view. Come, come, I'll hear no more of this; I'll sing Enter THERSITES you a song now. A labour saved! HELEN Let thy song be love: this love will undo us all. THERSITES O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid! A wonder! PANDARUS ACHILLES What? Love! Ay, that it shall, i' faith. THERSITES PARIS Ay, good now, love, love, nothing but love. Ajax stalks up and down like a peacock,--a stride and a stand: ruminates like an hostess that hath no PANDARUS arithmetic but her brain to set down her reckoning: In good troth, it begins so. The man's undone forever; for if Hector break not his Sings neck i' the combat, he'll break 't himself in Love, love, nothing but love, still more! vain-glory. He knows not me: I said 'Good morrow, For, O, love's bow Ajax;' and he replies 'Thanks, Agamemnon.' What think Shoots buck and doe: you of this man that takes me for the general? He's The shaft confounds, grown a very land-fish, language-less, a monster. Not that it wounds, But tickles still the sore. ACHILLES Thou must be my ambassador to him, Thersites. These lovers cry Oh! oh! they die! Yet that which seems the wound to kill, THERSITES Doth turn oh! oh! to ha! ha! he! Who, I? Why, he'll answer nobody; he professes not So dying love lives still: answering: speaking is for beggars; he wears his Oh! oh! a while, but ha! ha! ha! tongue in's arms. I will put on his presence: let Oh! oh! groans out for ha! ha! ha! Patroclus make demands to me, you shall see the Heigh-ho! pageant of Ajax. 46 55 HELEN Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail In love, i' faith, to the very tip of the nose. In monumental mockery. The present eye praises the present object. PARIS Then marvel not, thou great and complete man, He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds hot That all the Greeks begin to worship Ajax; blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot Since things in motion sooner catch the eye thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love. Than what not stirs. The cry went once on thee, PANDARUS And still it might, and yet it may again, Is this the generation of love? Hot blood, hot If thou wouldst not entomb thyself alive thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers: And case thy reputation in thy tent. is love a generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who's ACHILLES a-field to-day? Of this my privacy PARIS I have strong reasons. Hector, Aeneas, and all the ULYSSES gallantry of Troy: I would fain have armed to-day, But 'gainst your privacy but my Nell would not have it so. How chance my The reasons are more potent and heroical: brother Troilus went not? 'Tis known, Achilles, that you are in love HELEN With one of Priam's daughters. He hangs the lip at something: you know all, Lord Pandarus. ACHILLES PANDARUS Ha! Known? Not I, honey-sweet queen. I long to hear how they ULYSSES sped to-day. You'll remember your brother's excuse? Is that a wonder? PARIS All the commerce that you have had with Troy To a hair. As perfectly is ours as yours, my lord; And better would it fit Achilles much PANDARUS To throw down Hector than Polyxena: Farewell, sweet queen. But it must grieve young Pyrrhus now at home, HELEN When fame shall in our islands sound her trump, Commend me to your niece. And all the Greekish girls shall tripping sing, 'Great Hector's sister did Achilles win, PANDARUS But our great Ajax bravely beat down him.' I will, sweet queen. Farewell, my lord: I as your friend speak; Exit The fool slides o'er the ice that you should break. A retreat sounded Exit PARIS PATROCLUS They're come from field: let us to Priam's hall, To this effect, Achilles, have I moved you: To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you They think my little stomach to the war To help unarm our Hector: his stubborn buckles, And your great love to me restrains you thus: With these your white enchanting fingers touch'd, Sweet, rouse yourself; and the weak wanton Cupid Shall more obey than to the edge of steel Shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold, Or force of Greekish sinews; you shall do more And, like a dew-drop from the lion's mane, Than all the island kings,--disarm great Hector. Be shook to air. 54 47 AJAX HELEN Ha? 'Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris. ACHILLES PARIS Good morrow. Sweet, above thought I love thee. Exeunt AJAX Ay, and good next day too. Exit SCENE II. The same. Pandarus' orchard. ACHILLES Enter PANDARUS and TROILUS, meeting What mean these fellows? Know they not Achilles? PANDARUS PATROCLUS How now, how now! They pass by strangely: they were used to bend Have you seen my cousin? To send their smiles before them to Achilles; TROILUS To come as humbly as they used to creep No, Pandarus: I stalk about her door, To holy altars. Like a strange soul upon the Stygian banks ACHILLES Staying for waftage. O, be thou my Charon, What, am I poor of late? And give me swift transportance to those fields 'Tis certain, greatness, once fall'n out with fortune, Where I may wallow in the lily-beds Must fall out with men too. But 'tis not so with me: Proposed for the deserver! O gentle Pandarus, Fortune and I are friends: I do enjoy From Cupid's shoulder pluck his painted wings At ample point all that I did possess, And fly with me to Cressid! Save these men's looks; who do, methinks, find out PANDARUS Something not worth in me such rich beholding Walk here i' the orchard, I'll bring her straight. As they have often given. Here is Ulysses; Exit I'll interrupt his reading. How now Ulysses! TROILUS I am giddy; expectation whirls me round. ULYSSES The imaginary relish is so sweet Now, great Thetis' son! That it enchants my sense: what will it be, ACHILLES When that the watery palate tastes indeed They pass'd by me Love's thrice repured nectar? Death, I fear me, As misers do by beggars, neither gave to me Swooning destruction, or some joy too fine, Good word nor look: what, are my deeds forgot? Too subtle-potent, tuned too sharp in sweetness, For the capacity of my ruder powers. ULYSSES Re-enter PANDARUS Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back, Wherein he puts alms for oblivion, PANDARUS A great-sized monster of ingratitudes: She's making her ready, she'll come straight: you Those scraps are good deeds past; which are devour'd must be witty now. She does so blush, and fetches As fast as they are made, forgot as soon her wind so short, as if she were frayed with a As done: perseverance, dear my lord, sprite. I’ll fetch her. It is the prettiest Keeps honour bright: to have done is to hang villain: she fetches her breath as short as a new-ta'en sparrow. Exit 48 53 TROILUS DIOMEDES Even such a passion doth embrace my bosom: This shall I undertake; and 'tis a burden My heart beats thicker than a feverous pulse; Which I am proud to bear. And all my powers do their bestowing lose, Exeunt DIOMEDES and CALCHAS Like vassalage at unawares encountering Enter ACHILLES and PATROCLUS, before their tent The eye of majesty. ULYSSES Re-enter PANDARUS with CRESSIDA Achilles stands i' the entrance of his tent: PANDARUS Please it our general to pass strangely by him, Come, come, what need you blush? Shame's a baby. As if he were forgot; and, princes all, Here she is now: swear the oaths now to her that Lay negligent and loose regard upon him: you have sworn to me. Why do you not speak to I will come last. 'Tis like he'll question me her? Come, draw this curtain, and let's see your Why such unplausive eyes are bent on him. picture. Alas the day, how loath you are to offend AGAMEMNON daylight! So, so; rub on, and kiss the mistress. We'll execute your purpose, and put on TROILUS A form of strangeness as we pass along: You have bereft me of all words, lady. So do each lord, and either greet him not, Or else disdainfully, which shall shake him more PANDARUS Than if not look'd on. I will lead the way. Words pay no debts, give her deeds: but she'll bereave you o' the deeds too, if she call your ACHILLES activity in question. What, comes the general to speak with me? Come in, come in: I'll go get a fire. You know my mind, I'll fight no more 'gainst Troy. Exit AGAMEMNON CRESSIDA What says Achilles? Would he aught with us? Will you walk in, my lord? NESTOR TROILUS Would you, my lord, aught with the general? O Cressida, how often have I wished me thus! ACHILLES CRESSIDA No. Wished, my lord! The gods grant,--O my lord! NESTOR TROILUS Nothing, my lord. What should they grant? What makes this pretty AGAMEMNON abruption? What too curious dreg espies my sweet The better. lady in the fountain of our love? Exeunt AGAMEMNON and NESTOR CRESSIDA ACHILLES More dregs than water, if my fears have eyes. Good day, good day. TROILUS AJAX Fears make devils of cherubims; they never see truly. How now, Patroclus! ACHILLES Good morrow, Ajax. 52 49 SCENE III. The Grecian camp. Before CRESSIDA Blind fear, that seeing reason leads, finds safer Achilles' tent. footing than blind reason stumbling without fear: to Enter AGAMEMNON, ULYSSES, DIOMEDES, NESTOR, fear the worst oft cures the worse. AJAX, and CALCHAS TROILUS CALCHAS O, let my lady apprehend no fear: in all Cupid's Now, princes, for the service I have done you, pageant there is presented no monster. The advantage of the time prompts me aloud To call for recompense. Appear it to your mind CRESSIDA That, through the sight I bear in things to love, Nor nothing monstrous neither? I have abandon'd Troy, left my possession, They say all lovers swear more performance than they Incurr'd a traitor's name; exposed myself, are able, vowing more than the perfection of ten and And here, to do you service, am become discharging less than the tenth part of one. They As new into the world, strange, unacquainted: that have the voice of lions and the act of hares, I do beseech you, as in way of taste, are they not monsters? To give me now a little benefit, TROILUS Out of those many register'd in promise, Are there such? Such are not we: praise us as we Which, you say, live to come in my behalf. are tasted, allow us as we prove; our head shall go AGAMEMNON bare till merit crown it. What wouldst thou of us, witch? Make demand. Re-enter PANDARUS CALCHAS PANDARUS You have a Trojan prisoner, call'd Antenor, What, blushing still? Have you not done talking yet? Yesterday took: Troy holds him very dear. CRESSIDA Oft have you--often have you thanks therefore-- Well, uncle, what folly I commit, I dedicate to you. Desired my Cressid in right great exchange, Whom Troy hath still denied: but this Antenor, PANDARUS I know, is such a wrest in their affairs I thank you for that: if my lord get a boy of you, That their negotiations all must slack, you'll give him me. Be true to my lord: if he Wanting his manage; and they will almost flinch, chide me for it. Give us a prince of blood, a son of Priam, TROILUS In change of him: let him be sent, great princes, You know now your hostages; your uncle's word and my And he shall buy my daughter; and her presence firm faith. Shall quite strike off all service I have done, In most accepted pain. PANDARUS Nay, I'll give my word for her too: our kindred, AGAMEMNON though they be long ere they are wooed, they are Let Diomedes bear him, constant being won: they are burs, I can tell you; And bring us Cressid hither: Calchas shall have they'll stick where they are thrown. What she requests of us. Good Diomed, Furnish you fairly for this interchange: CRESSIDA Withal bring word if Hector will to-morrow Boldness comes to me now, and brings me heart. Be answer'd in his challenge: Ajax is ready. Prince Troilus, I have loved you night and day For many weary months. 50 51 TROILUS TROILUS Why was my Cressid then so hard to win? You cannot shun yourself. CRESSIDA CRESSIDA Hard to seem won: but I was won, my lord, Let me go and try: With the first glance that ever--pardon me-- I have a kind of self resides with you; If I confess much, you will play the tyrant. But an unkind self, that itself will leave, I love you now; but not, till now, so much To be another's fool. I would be gone: But I might master it: in faith, I lie; Where is my wit? I know not what I speak. My thoughts were like unbridled children, grown TROILUS Too headstrong for their mother. See, we fools! Well know they what they speak that speak so wisely. Why have I blabb'd? Who shall be true to us, When we are so unsecret to ourselves? PANDARUS But, though I loved you well, I woo'd you not; Go to, a bargain made: seal it, seal it; I'll be the And yet, good faith, I wish'd myself a man, witness. Here I hold your hand, here my cousin's. Or that we women had men's privilege If ever you prove false one to another, since I have Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue, taken such pains to bring you together, let all For in this rapture I shall surely speak pitiful goers-between be called to the world's end The thing I shall repent. See, see, your silence, after my name; call them all Pandars; let all Cunning in dumbness, from my weakness draws constant men be Troiluses, all false women Cressids, My very soul of counsel! Stop my mouth. and all brokers-between Pandars! Say, amen. TROILUS TROILUS And shall, albeit sweet music issues thence. Amen. PANDARUS CRESSIDA Pretty, i' faith. Amen. CRESSIDA PANDARUS My lord, I do beseech you, pardon me; Amen. Whereupon I will show you a chamber with a 'Twas not my purpose, thus to beg a kiss: bed; which bed, because it shall not speak of your I am ashamed. O heavens! What have I done? pretty encounters, press it to death: away! For this time will I take my leave, my lord. And Cupid grant all tongue-tied maidens here Bed, chamber, Pandar to provide this gear! TROILUS Exeunt Your leave, sweet Cressid! PANDARUS Leave! An you take leave till to-morrow morning,-- CRESSIDA Pray you, content you. TROILUS What offends you, lady? CRESSIDA Sir, mine own company.