Enter Thersites.

Ther. A wonder!

And I myself see not the bottom of it.
[Exeunt Achilles and Patroclus.
Ther. 'Would the fountain of your mind were

Achil. What?

Ther. Ajax goes up and down the field, asking clear again, that I might water an ass at it! I had for himself. rather be a tick in a sheep, than such a valiant ignorance.

[Exit.

Achil. How so?

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

Achil. How can that be?

Ther. Why, he stalks up and down like a peacock, a stride and a stand: ruminates, like a hostess, that hath no arithmetic but her brain to set down her reckoning: bites his lip with a politic regard, as who should say-there were wit in this head, an 'twould out; and so there is; but it lies as coldly in him as fire in a flint, which will not show without knocking. The man's undone for ever; for if Hector break not his neck i'the combat, he'll break it himself in vain-glory. He knows not me: I said, Good-morrow, Ajax; and he replies, Thanks, Agamemnon. What think you of this man, that takes me for the general? He is grown a very land-fish, languageless, a monster. A plague of opinion! a man may wear it on both sides, like a leather jerkin.

Achil. Thou must be my ambassador to him, Thersites.

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

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

Patr. Jove bless great Ajax.

Ther. Humph!

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

memnon.

Patr. Who most humbly desires you, to invite Hector to his tent!

Ther. Humph!

Patr. And to procure safe conduct from Aga

Ther. If to-morrow be a fair day, by eleven o'clock it will go one way or other; howsoever, he shall pay for me ere he has me.

Patr. Your answer, sir.

||

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

Ene. And thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly
With his face backward.-In humane gentleness,
Aga-Welcome to Troy! now, by Anchises' life,
Welcome, indeed! By Venus' hand I swear,
No man alive can love, in such a sort,
The thing he means to kill, more excellently.

Dio. We sympathize:-Jove, let Æneas live,
If to my sword his fate be not the glory,
A thousand complete courses of the sun!
But, in mine emulous honour, let him die,
With every joint a wound; and that to-morrow!
Ene. We know each other well.

Dio. We do; and long to know each other

Ther. Fare you well, with all my heart. Achil. Why, but he is not in this tune, is he? Ther. No, but he's out o'tune thus. What music will be in him when Hector has knocked out his brains, I know not: But, I am sure, none; unless the fiddler Apollo get his sinews to make lings! on.

ACT IV.

SCENE I-Troy. A street. Enter, at one side,
Eneas and Servant, with a torch; at the other,
Paris, Deiphobus, Antenor, Diomedes, and oth-
ers, with torches.

Par. See, ho! who's that there?
Dei.

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

Ther. Let me bear another to his horse; for that's the more capable2 creature. Achil. My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirr'd;

(1) Lute-strings made of catgut. (2) Intelligent.

'Tis the lord Æneas. ne. Is the prince there in person?Had I so good occasion to lie long, As you, prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business Should rob my bed-mate of my company. Dio. That's my mind too.-Good morrow, lord Æneas.

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

Æne.

Health to you, valiant sir,
During all question3 of the gentle truce:
But when I meet you arm'd, as black defiance,
As heart can think, or courage execute.

worse.

Par. This is the most despiteful gentle greeting, The noblest hateful love, that e'er I heard of.-What business, lord, so early?

Æne. I was sent for to the king; but why, I know

not.

To Calchas' house; and there to render him,
For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid:
Let's have your company; or, if you please,
Haste there before us: I constantly do think
(Or, rather, call my thought a certain knowledge,)
My brother Troilus lodges there to-night;
Rouse him, and give him note of our approach,
cat-With the whole quality wherefore: I fear,
We shall be much unwelcome.
Ene.
That I assure you;
Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece,
Than Cressid borne from Troy.

There is no help;

Par. His purpose meets you; 'Twas to bring this Greek

Par.
The bitter disposition of the time
Will have it so. On, lord; we'll follow you.

(3) Conversation.

1

Ene. Good morrow, all.
Par. And tell me, noble Diomed; 'faith, tell
me true,

[Exit

Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship,-
Who, in your thoughts, merits fair Helen best,
Myself, or Menelaus?

Dio.

Par. You are too bitter to your countrywoman.
Dio. She's bitter to her country: Hear me,

Paris,

false drop in her bawdy veins

For every
A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple
Of her contaminated carrion weight,

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

Who's that at door? good uncle, go and see.-
My lord, come you again into my chamber:

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

Par Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do,
Dispraise the thing that you desire to buy:
But we in silence hold this virtue well,-
We'll not commend what we intend to sell.
Here lies our way.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II-The same. Court before the house
of Pandarus. Enter Troilus and Cressida.
Tro. Dear, trouble not yourself; the morn is cold.
Cres. Then, sweet my lord, I'll call mine uncle
down;

He shall unbolt the gates.

Tro.
Trouble him not;
To bed, to bed: Sleep kill those pretty eyes,
And give
as soft attachment to thy senses,
As infants' empty of all thought!
Cres.

Good morrow then.

Cres.

Tro. Pr'ythee now, to bed.
Are you a-weary of me?
Tro. O Cressida! but that the busy day,
Wak'd by the lark, hath rous'd the ribald1 crows,
And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer,
I would not from thee.
Cres.

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

Enter Pandarus.

Cres. A pestilence on him! now will he be

mocking: I shall have such a life,

-Here, you maid! where's my cousin Cressid? Cres. Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle !

You bring me to do,2 and then you flout me too. Pan. To do what? to do what?-let her say what: what have I brought you to do?

Cres. Come, come; beshrew3 your heart! you'll ne'er be good,

Nor suffer others.

Pan. Ha, ha! Alas, poor wretch! a poor capocchia 4-hast not slept to-night? would he not, a naughty man, let it sleep? a bugbear take him!

(1) Lewd, noisy.

(2) To do is here used in a wanton sense.

VOL. II,

[Knocking. Cres. Did I not tell you?-'Would he were knock'd o'the head!

Tro. Ha, ha!

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

now? what's the matter?

Enter Eneas.

Ene. Good morrow, lord, good morrow.

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

Pan. Here! what should he do here?

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

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

What should he do here?

Ene. Who-nay, then :

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

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

Cres.

Pr'ythee, tarry;—

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

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

Tro. How my achievements mock me!
I will go meet them: and, my lord Æneas,

Pan. [Within.] What, are all the doors open here? We met by chance; you did not find me here.
Tro. It is your uncle.

Ene Good, good, my lord; the secrets of na

ture

Have not more gift in taciturnity.

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

Ene. My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute

you,

My matter is so rash :5 There is at hand
Paris your brother, and Deiphobus,
The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor
Deliver'd to us; and for him forthwith,
Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour,
We must give up to Diomedes' hand
The lady Cressida.

[Exeunt Troilus and Æneas. Pan. Is't possible? no sooner got, but lost? The devil take Antenor! the young prince will mad. Pan. How now, how now? how go maiden- A plague upon Antenor: I would, they had broke's heads? neck!

go

(3) Ill betide.

(4) An Italian word for poor fool. (5) Hasty. 2 L

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

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

love

Cres. Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praised cheeks, Crack my clear voice with sobs, and break my heart With sounding Troilus. I will not go from Troy. [Exeunt. SCENE III-The same. Before Pandarus' house. Enter Paris, Troilus, Æneas, bus, Antenor, and Diomedes.

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

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

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

Because thou canst not ease thy smart,
By friendship, nor by speaking.

If I could temporize with my affection,
Or brew it to a weak and colder palate,
The like allayment could I give my grief:
My love admits no qualifying dross:
No more my grief, in such a precious loss.

Enter Troilus.

Pan. Here, here, here he comes.-Ah, sweet ducks!

(1) Sense or feeling of relationship. (2) Sealed.

Our lock'd embrasures, strangles our dear vows
Even in the birth of our own labouring breath :
Did buy each other, must poorly sell ourselves
We two, that with so many thousand sighs
With the rude brevity and discharge of one.
Injurious time now, with a robber's haste,
Crams his rich thievery up, he knows not how :
With distinct breath and consign'd2 kisses to them,
As many farewells as be stars in heaven,
And scants us with a single famish'd kiss,
He fumbles up into a loose adieu;
Deipho-Distasted with the salt of broken3 tears.

Cres.
What, and from Troilus too?
Tro. From Troy, and Troilus.
Cres.
Is it possible?
Tro. And suddenly; where injury of chance
Puts back leave-taking, justles roughly by
Of all rejoindure, forcibly prevents
All time of pause, rudely beguiles our lips

Ene. [Within.] My lord! is the lady ready?
Tro. Hark! you are call'd: Some say, the
Genius so

Cries, Come! to him that instantly must die.-Bid them have patience; she shall come anon. Pan. Where are my tears? rain, to lay this wind, Walk in to her house; or my heart will be blown up by the root! I'll bring her to the Grecian presently: And to his hand when I deliver her, Think it an altar; and thy brother Troilus

Tro.

[Exit Pandarus.

A priest, there offering to it his own heart. [Exit.
Par. I know what 'tis to love;

And 'would, as I shall pity, I could help!-
Please you, walk in, my lords.
[Exeunt.
SCENE IV.-The same. A room in Pandarus'
house. Enter Pandarus and Cressida.
Pan. Be moderate, be moderate.

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

Cres. I must then to the Greeks?
Tro.

Cres. A woful Cressid 'mongst the
When shall we see again?
Tro. Hear me, my love: Be thou but true of
heart,-

Cres. I true! how now? what wicked deem1 is
this?

Tro. Nay, we must use expostulation kindly, For it is parting from us:

I speak not, be thou true, as fearing thee;
For I will throw my glove to death himself,
That there's no maculations in thy heart:

As that which causeth it: How can I moderate it? But be thou true, say I, to fashion in

My sequents protestation; be thou true,
And I will see thee.

No remedy. merry Greeks?

Cres. O, you shall be expos'd, my lord, to dangers
As infinite as imminent! but, I'll be true.
Tro. And I'll grow friend with danger.
this sleeve.

Wear

Cres. And you this glove. When shall I see you?
Tro. I will corrupt the Grecian sentinels,

(4) Surmise.

(5) Spot.

(3) Interrupted.

(6) Following.

Dei. Let us make ready straight.

ne. Yea, with a bridegroom's fresh alacrity, preg-Let us address to tend on Hector's heels: The glory of our Troy doth this day lie, On his fair worth and single chivalry.

May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?
Cres. You may.
Ulyss.

I do desire it.

Cres.

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

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

[Trumpet within.

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

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

be done

To him that victory commands? Or do you purpose,
A victor shall be known? will you, the knights
Shall to the edge of all extremity
Pursue each other; or shall they be divided
By any voice or order of the field?
Hector bade ask.

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

If not Achilles, sir,

Ene.
What is your name?
Achil

If not Achilles, nothing.
Jne. Therefore Achilles: But, whate'er, know

this;

In the extremity of great and little,
Valour and pride excel themselves in Hector;
The one almost as infinite as all,
The other blank as nothing. Weigh him well,
And that, which looks like pride, is courtesy.
This Ajax is half made of Hector's blood:
In love whereof, half Hector stays at home;
Half heart, half hand, half Hector comes to seek
This blended knight, half Trojan, and half Greek.
Achil. A maiden battle then?-O, I perceive you.

(1) Motion. (2) Breathing, exercise. (3) Stops. (4) No boaster. (5) Unsuitable to his character. (6) Yields, gives way.

Re-enter Diomed.

Agam. Here is sir Diomed :-Go, gentle knight,
Stand by our Ajax: as you and lord Æneas
Consent upon the order of their fight,
So be it; either to the uttermost,
Or else a breath 2 the combatants being kin,
Half stints their strife before their strokes begin.
[Ajax and Hector enter the lists.
Ulyss. They are oppos'd already.
Agam. What Trojan is that same that looks so

heavy?

Ulyss. The youngest son of Priam. a true knight;
Speaking in deeds, and deedless1 in his tongue;
Not yet mature, yet matchless; firm of word;"
Not soon provok'd, nor, being provok'd, soon calm'd:
His heart and hand both open, and both free;
For what he has, he gives, what thinks, he shows;
Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty,
Nor dignifies an impairs thought with breath:
Manly as Hector, but more dangerous ;
For Hector, in his blaze of wrath, subscribes
To tender objects; but he, in heat of action,
They call him Troilus; and on him erect
Is more vindicative than jealous love:
A

second hope, as fairly built as Hector.
Thus says Eneas; one that knows the youth
Even to his inches, and with private soul,
Did in great Ilion thus translate? him to me.
[Alarum. Hector and Ajax fight.
Agam They are in action.

Nest. Now, Ajax, hold thine own!
Hector, thou sleep'st;

Tro.
Awake thee!

Agam. His blows are well dispos'd:-there,
Ajax!

Dio. You must no more. [Trumpets cease.
Ene.
Princes, enough, so please you.
Ajax. I am not warm yet, let us fight again.
Dio. As Hector pleases.
Hect.
Why then, will I no more :-
Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son,
A cousin-german to great Priam's seed;
The obligation of our blood forbids
Were thy commixion Greek and Trojan so,
A gory emulation 'twixt us twain:
That thou could'st say-This hand is Grecian all,
And this is Trojan; the sinews of this leg
All Greek, and this all Troy; my mother's blood
Runs on the deater9 cheek, and this sinister10
Bounds-in my father's; by Jove multipotent,
Thou should'st not bear from me a Greekish member
of our rank feud: But the just gods gainsay,
Wherein my sword had not impressure made
That drop thou borrow'st from thy mother,
My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword
Be drain'd! Let me embrace thee, Ajax:
By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms;
Hector would have them fall upon him thus:
Cousin, all honour to thee!

Ajax.
I thank thee, Hector:
Thou art too gentle, and too free a man :
I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence
A great addition1l earned in thy death.

Hect. Not Neoptolemus12 so mirable
(On whose bright crest Fame with her loud'st Oyes
Cries, This is he,) could promise to himself
A thought of added honour torn from Hector.
ne. There is expectance here from both the
What further you will do.
sides,