Folger Shakespeare Library https://shakespeare.folger.edu/ Get even more from the Folger You can get your own copy of this text to keep. Purchase a full copy to get the text, plus explanatory notes, illustrations, and more. Buy a copy Contents Front Matter From the Director of the Folger Shakespeare Library Textual Introduction Synopsis Characters in the Play Preface Prologue ACT 1 Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 ACT 2 Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 ACT 3 Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 ACT 4 Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 Scene 5 ACT 5 Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 Scene 11 From the Director of the Folger Shakespeare Library It is hard to imagine a world without Shakespeare. Since their composition four hundred years ago, Shakespeare’s plays and poems have traveled the globe, inviting those who see and read his works to make them their own. Readers of the New Folger Editions are part of this ongoing process of “taking up Shakespeare,” finding our own thoughts and feelings in language that strikes us as old or unusual and, for that very reason, new. We still struggle to keep up with a writer who could think a mile a minute, whose words paint pictures that shift like clouds. These expertly edited texts are presented to the public as a resource for study, artistic adaptation, and enjoyment. By making the classic texts of the New Folger Editions available in electronic form as The Folger Shakespeare (formerly Folger Digital Texts), we place a trusted resource in the hands of anyone who wants them. The New Folger Editions of Shakespeare’s plays, which are the basis for the texts realized here in digital form, are special because of their origin. The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is the single greatest documentary source of Shakespeare’s works. An unparalleled collection of early modern books, manuscripts, and artwork connected to Shakespeare, the Folger’s holdings have been consulted extensively in the preparation of these texts. The Editions also reflect the expertise gained through the regular performance of Shakespeare’s works in the Folger’s Elizabethan Theatre. I want to express my deep thanks to editors Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine for creating these indispensable editions of Shakespeare’s works, which incorporate the best of textual scholarship with a richness of commentary that is both inspired and engaging. Readers who want to know more about Shakespeare and his plays can follow the paths these distinguished scholars have tread by visiting the Folger either in-person or online, where a range of physical and digital resources exists to supplement the material in these texts. I commend to you these words, and hope that they inspire. Michael Witmore Director, Folger Shakespeare Library Textual Introduction By Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine Until now, with the release of The Folger Shakespeare (formerly Folger Digital Texts), readers in search of a free online text of Shakespeare’s plays had to be content primarily with using the Moby™ Text, which reproduces a late-nineteenth century version of the plays. What is the difference? Many ordinary readers assume that there is a single text for the plays: what Shakespeare wrote. But Shakespeare’s plays were not published the way modern novels or plays are published today: as a single, authoritative text. In some cases, the plays have come down to us in multiple published versions, represented by various Quartos (Qq) and by the great collection put together by his colleagues in 1623, called the First Folio (F). There are, for example, three very different versions of Hamlet, two of King Lear, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, and others. Editors choose which version to use as their base text, and then amend that text with words, lines or speech prefixes from the other versions that, in their judgment, make for a better or more accurate text. Other editorial decisions involve choices about whether an unfamiliar word could be understood in light of other writings of the period or whether it should be changed; decisions about words that made it into Shakespeare’s text by accident through four hundred years of printings and misprinting; and even decisions based on cultural preference and taste. When the Moby™ Text was created, for example, it was deemed “improper” and “indecent” for Miranda to chastise Caliban for having attempted to rape her. (See The Tempest, 1.2: “Abhorred slave,/Which any print of goodness wilt not take,/Being capable of all ill! I pitied thee…”). All Shakespeare editors at the time took the speech away from her and gave it to her father, Prospero. The editors of the Moby™ Shakespeare produced their text long before scholars fully understood the proper grounds on which to make the thousands of decisions that Shakespeare editors face. The Folger Library Shakespeare Editions, on which the Folger Shakespeare texts depend, make this editorial process as nearly transparent as is possible, in contrast to older texts, like the Moby™, which hide editorial interventions. The reader of the Folger Shakespeare knows where the text has been altered because editorial interventions are signaled by square brackets (for example, from Othello: “ If she in chains of magic were not bound, ”), half-square brackets (for example, from Henry V: “With blood and sword and fire to win your right,”), or angle brackets (for example, from Hamlet: “O farewell, honest soldier. Who hath relieved/you?”). At any point in the text, you can hover your cursor over a bracket for more information. Because the Folger Shakespeare texts are edited in accord with twenty-first century knowledge about Shakespeare’s texts, the Folger here provides them to readers, scholars, teachers, actors, directors, and students, free of charge, confident of their quality as texts of the plays and pleased to be able to make this contribution to the study and enjoyment of Shakespeare. Synopsis Set during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida recounts the love affair of its title characters. Inside the besieged city of Troy, the Trojan prince Troilus is lovesick for Cressida. Cressida is drawn to Troilus, too, and her uncle, Pandarus, brings them together. In the Greek camp outside, Cressida’s father, Calchas, asks that Cressida be brought to him in return for the help he has given the Greeks. The morning after the lovers’ night together, Cressida is exchanged for a Trojan prisoner and taken to the camp by the Greek warrior Diomedes. The great Trojan warrior Hector, Troilus’s brother, engages in single combat with the Greek Ajax, a fight that ends inconclusively. Hector and Troilus join the Greeks for a feast. Cressida, meanwhile, is seduced by Diomedes. Distraught at Cressida’s betrayal, Troilus fights Diomedes and others. Patroclus, favorite of the Greek warrior Achilles, dies in battle. Achilles fights with and loses to Hector, who is then, on Achilles’s orders, dishonorably slain. Grieving, Troilus and the other Trojans return to Troy. Characters in the Play PROLOGUE The Trojans PRIAM, king of Troy CASSANDRA, Priam’s daughter, a soothsayer TROILUS HECTOR PARIS Priam’s sons HELENUS DEIPHOBUS BASTARD ANDROMACHE, AENEAS ANTENOR Hector’s wife Trojan leaders TROILUS’S BOY TROILUS’S MAN PARIS’S SERVINGMAN CRESSIDA CALCHAS, her father PANDARUS, her uncle ALEXANDER, her servant The Greeks AGAMEMNON, the general NESTOR ULYSSES Greek leaders DIOMEDES MENELAUS, brother to Agamemnon AJAX ACHILLES HELEN, Menelaus’s wife and queen PATROCLUS, Achilles’ favorite companion MYRMIDONS, Achilles’ soldiers THERSITES, cynical critic DIOMEDES’ SERVINGMAN Other Trojans and Greeks, Common Soldiers of Troy and Greece, Trumpeters, Attendants, Torchbearers A never writer to an ever reader: news. Eternal reader, you have here a new play, never staled with the stage, never clapperclawed with the palms of the vulgar, and yet passing full of the palm comical, for it is a birth of your brain that never undertook anything comical vainly. And were but the vain names of comedies changed for the titles of commodities, or of plays for pleas, you should see all those grand censors, that now style them such vanities, flock to them for the main grace of their gravities, especially this author’s comedies, that are so framed to the life that they serve for the most common commentaries of all the actions of our lives, showing such a dexterity and power of wit that the most displeased with plays are pleased with his comedies. And all such dull and heavy-witted worldlings as were never capable of the wit of a comedy, coming by report of them to his representations, have found that wit there that they never found in themselves and have parted better witted than they came, feeling an edge of wit set upon them more than ever they dreamed they had brain to grind it on. So much and such savored salt of wit is in his comedies that they seem, for their height of pleasure, to be born in that sea that brought forth Venus. Amongst all there is none more witty than this; and had I time, I would comment upon it, though I know it needs not, for so much as will make you think your testern well bestowed, but for so much worth as even poor I know to be stuffed in it. It deserves such a labor as well as the best comedy in Terence or Plautus. And believe this, that when he is gone and his comedies out of sale, you will scramble for them and set up a new English 5 Troilus and Cressida Inquisition. Take this for a warning, and at the peril of your pleasure’s loss, and judgment’s, refuse not nor like this the less for not being sullied with the smoky breath of the multitude, but thank fortune for the scape it hath made amongst you, since by the grand possessors’ wills I believe you should have prayed for them rather than been prayed. And so I leave all such to be prayed for, for the states of their wits’ healths, that will not praise it. Vale. Enter the Prologue in armor. PROLOGUE FTLN 0001 FTLN 0002 FTLN 0003 FTLN 0004 FTLN 0005 FTLN 0006 FTLN 0007 FTLN 0008 FTLN 0009 FTLN 0010 FTLN 0011 FTLN 0012 FTLN 0013 FTLN 0014 FTLN 0015 FTLN 0016 FTLN 0017 FTLN 0018 FTLN 0019 FTLN 0020 FTLN 0021 FTLN 0022 FTLN 0023 FTLN 0024 FTLN 0025 FTLN 0026 FTLN 0027 FTLN 0028 FTLN 0029 FTLN 0030 FTLN 0031 In Troy there lies the scene. From isles of Greece The princes orgulous, their high blood chafed, Have to the port of Athens sent their ships Fraught with the ministers and instruments Of cruel war. Sixty and nine, that wore Their crownets regal, from th’ Athenian bay Put forth toward Phrygia, and their vow is made To ransack Troy, within whose strong immures The ravished Helen, Menelaus’ queen, With wanton Paris sleeps; and that’s the quarrel. To Tenedos they come, And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge Their warlike fraughtage. Now on Dardan plains The fresh and yet unbruisèd Greeks do pitch Their brave pavilions. Priam’s six-gated city— Dardan and Timbria, Helias, Chetas, Troien, And Antenorides—with massy staples And corresponsive and fulfilling bolts, Spar up the sons of Troy. Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits On one and other side, Trojan and Greek, Sets all on hazard. And hither am I come, A prologue armed, but not in confidence Of author’s pen or actor’s voice, but suited In like conditions as our argument, To tell you, fair beholders, that our play Leaps o’er the vaunt and firstlings of those broils, Beginning in the middle, starting thence away To what may be digested in a play. Like, or find fault; do as your pleasures are. Now, good or bad, ’tis but the chance of war. Prologue exits. 13 5 10 15 20 25 30 ACT 1 Scene 1 Enter Pandarus and Troilus. TROILUS FTLN 0032 FTLN 0033 FTLN 0034 FTLN 0035 FTLN 0036 FTLN 0037 Call here my varlet; I’ll unarm again. Why should I war without the walls of Troy That find such cruel battle here within? Each Trojan that is master of his heart, Let him to field; Troilus, alas, hath none. PANDARUS Will this gear ne’er be mended? 5 TROILUS FTLN 0038 FTLN 0039 FTLN 0040 FTLN 0041 FTLN 0042 FTLN 0043 FTLN 0044 FTLN 0045 FTLN 0046 FTLN 0047 FTLN 0048 FTLN 0049 FTLN 0050 FTLN 0051 FTLN 0052 The Greeks are strong and skilful to their strength, Fierce to their skill, and to their fierceness valiant; But I am weaker than a woman’s tear, Tamer than sleep, fonder than ignorance, Less valiant than the virgin in the night, And skilless as unpracticed infancy. PANDARUS Well, I have told you enough of this. For my part, I’ll not meddle nor make no farther. He that will have a cake out of the wheat must tarry the grinding. TROILUS Have I not tarried? PANDARUS Ay, the grinding; but you must tarry the bolting. TROILUS Have I not tarried? PANDARUS Ay, the bolting; but you must tarry the leavening. 15 10 15 20 17 FTLN 0053 FTLN 0054 FTLN 0055 FTLN 0056 FTLN 0057 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 1 Still have I tarried. PANDARUS Ay, to the leavening; but here’s yet in the word hereafter the kneading, the making of the cake, the heating the oven, and the baking. Nay, you must stay the cooling too, or you may chance burn your lips. TROILUS 25 TROILUS FTLN 0058 FTLN 0059 FTLN 0060 FTLN 0061 FTLN 0062 FTLN 0063 FTLN 0064 FTLN 0065 Patience herself, what goddess e’er she be, Doth lesser blench at suff’rance than I do. At Priam’s royal table do I sit And when fair Cressid comes into my thoughts— So, traitor! “ When she comes”? When is she thence? PANDARUS Well, she looked yesternight fairer than ever I saw her look, or any woman else. 30 TROILUS FTLN 0066 FTLN 0067 FTLN 0068 FTLN 0069 FTLN 0070 FTLN 0071 FTLN 0072 FTLN 0073 FTLN 0074 FTLN 0075 FTLN 0076 FTLN 0077 FTLN 0078 FTLN 0079 I was about to tell thee: when my heart, As wedgèd with a sigh, would rive in twain, Lest Hector or my father should perceive me, I have, as when the sun doth light a-scorn, Buried this sigh in wrinkle of a smile; But sorrow that is couched in seeming gladness Is like that mirth fate turns to sudden sadness. PANDARUS An her hair were not somewhat darker than Helen’s—well, go to—there were no more comparison between the women. But, for my part, she is my kinswoman; I would not, as they term it, praise her, but I would somebody had heard her talk yesterday, as I did. I will not dispraise your sister Cassandra’s wit, but— 35 40 45 TROILUS FTLN 0080 FTLN 0081 FTLN 0082 FTLN 0083 FTLN 0084 FTLN 0085 O, Pandarus! I tell thee, Pandarus: When I do tell thee there my hopes lie drowned, Reply not in how many fathoms deep They lie indrenched. I tell thee I am mad In Cressid’s love. Thou answer’st she is fair; Pourest in the open ulcer of my heart 50 19 FTLN 0086 FTLN 0087 FTLN 0088 FTLN 0089 FTLN 0090 FTLN 0091 FTLN 0092 FTLN 0093 FTLN 0094 FTLN 0095 FTLN 0096 FTLN 0097 FTLN 0098 FTLN 0099 FTLN 0100 FTLN 0101 FTLN 0102 FTLN 0103 FTLN 0104 FTLN 0105 FTLN 0106 FTLN 0107 FTLN 0108 FTLN 0109 FTLN 0110 FTLN 0111 FTLN 0112 FTLN 0113 FTLN 0114 FTLN 0115 FTLN 0116 FTLN 0117 FTLN 0118 FTLN 0119 FTLN 0120 FTLN 0121 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 1 Her eyes, her hair, her cheek, her gait, her voice; Handiest in thy discourse—O—that her hand, In whose comparison all whites are ink Writing their own reproach, to whose soft seizure The cygnet’s down is harsh, and spirit of sense Hard as the palm of plowman. This thou tell’st me, As true thou tell’st me, when I say I love her. But, saying thus, instead of oil and balm Thou lay’st in every gash that love hath given me The knife that made it. PANDARUS I speak no more than truth. TROILUS Thou dost not speak so much. PANDARUS Faith, I’ll not meddle in it. Let her be as she is. If she be fair, ’tis the better for her; an she be not, she has the mends in her own hands. TROILUS Good Pandarus—how now, Pandarus? PANDARUS I have had my labor for my travail, ill thought on of her, and ill thought on of you; gone between and between, but small thanks for my labor. TROILUS What, art thou angry, Pandarus? What, with me? PANDARUS Because she’s kin to me, therefore she’s not so fair as Helen; an she were not kin to me, she would be as fair o’ Friday as Helen is on Sunday. But what care I? I care not an she were a blackamoor; ’tis all one to me. TROILUS Say I she is not fair? PANDARUS I do not care whether you do or no. She’s a fool to stay behind her father. Let her to the Greeks, and so I’ll tell her the next time I see her. For my part, I’ll meddle nor make no more i’ th’ matter. TROILUS Pandarus— PANDARUS Not I. TROILUS Sweet Pandarus— PANDARUS Pray you speak no more to me. I will leave all as I found it, and there an end. He exits. 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 21 ACT 1. SC. 1 Troilus and Cressida Sound alarum. TROILUS FTLN 0122 FTLN 0123 FTLN 0124 FTLN 0125 FTLN 0126 FTLN 0127 FTLN 0128 FTLN 0129 FTLN 0130 FTLN 0131 FTLN 0132 FTLN 0133 FTLN 0134 FTLN 0135 FTLN 0136 FTLN 0137 Peace, you ungracious clamors! Peace, rude sounds! Fools on both sides! Helen must needs be fair When with your blood you daily paint her thus. I cannot fight upon this argument; It is too starved a subject for my sword. But Pandarus—O gods, how do you plague me! I cannot come to Cressid but by Pandar, And he’s as tetchy to be wooed to woo As she is stubborn-chaste against all suit. Tell me, Apollo, for thy Daphnes love, What Cressid is, what Pandar, and what we. Her bed is India; there she lies, a pearl. Between our Ilium and where she resides, Let it be called the wild and wand’ring flood, Ourself the merchant, and this sailing Pandar Our doubtful hope, our convoy, and our bark. 95 100 105 Alarum. Enter Aeneas. AENEAS FTLN 0138 How now, Prince Troilus? Wherefore not afield? TROILUS FTLN 0139 FTLN 0140 FTLN 0141 Because not there. This woman’s answer sorts, For womanish it is to be from thence. What news, Aeneas, from the field today? 110 AENEAS FTLN 0142 That Paris is returnèd home, and hurt. TROILUS FTLN 0143 FTLN 0144 By whom, Aeneas? AENEAS Troilus, by Menelaus. TROILUS FTLN 0145 FTLN 0146 Let Paris bleed. ’Tis but a scar to scorn; Paris is gored with Menelaus’ horn. 115 Alarum. 23 ACT 1. SC. 2 Troilus and Cressida AENEAS FTLN 0147 Hark what good sport is out of town today! TROILUS FTLN 0148 FTLN 0149 Better at home, if “would I might” were “may.” But to the sport abroad. Are you bound thither? AENEAS FTLN 0150 FTLN 0151 In all swift haste. Come, go we then together. TROILUS 120 They exit. Scene 2 Enter Cressida and her man Alexander. CRESSIDA FTLN 0152 FTLN 0153 Who were those went by? ALEXANDER Queen Hecuba and Helen. CRESSIDA FTLN 0154 FTLN 0155 FTLN 0156 FTLN 0157 FTLN 0158 FTLN 0159 FTLN 0160 FTLN 0161 FTLN 0162 FTLN 0163 FTLN 0164 FTLN 0165 And whither go they? Up to the eastern tower, Whose height commands as subject all the vale, To see the battle. Hector, whose patience Is as a virtue fixed, today was moved. He chid Andromache and struck his armorer; And, like as there were husbandry in war, Before the sun rose he was harnessed light, And to the field goes he, where every flower Did as a prophet weep what it foresaw In Hector’s wrath. CRESSIDA What was his cause of anger? ALEXANDER 5 10 ALEXANDER FTLN 0166 FTLN 0167 FTLN 0168 FTLN 0169 The noise goes, this: there is among the Greeks A lord of Trojan blood, nephew to Hector. They call him Ajax. CRESSIDA Good; and what of him? 15 25 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 2 ALEXANDER FTLN 0170 FTLN 0171 FTLN 0172 FTLN 0173 FTLN 0174 FTLN 0175 FTLN 0176 FTLN 0177 FTLN 0178 FTLN 0179 FTLN 0180 FTLN 0181 FTLN 0182 FTLN 0183 FTLN 0184 FTLN 0185 FTLN 0186 FTLN 0187 FTLN 0188 FTLN 0189 FTLN 0190 FTLN 0191 They say he is a very man per se And stands alone. CRESSIDA So do all men unless they are drunk, sick, or have no legs. ALEXANDER This man, lady, hath robbed many beasts of their particular additions. He is as valiant as the lion, churlish as the bear, slow as the elephant, a man into whom nature hath so crowded humors that his valor is crushed into folly, his folly sauced with discretion. There is no man hath a virtue that he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint but he carries some stain of it. He is melancholy without cause and merry against the hair. He hath the joints of everything, but everything so out of joint that he is a gouty Briareus, many hands and no use, or purblind Argus, all eyes and no sight. CRESSIDA But how should this man that makes me smile make Hector angry? ALEXANDER They say he yesterday coped Hector in the battle and struck him down, the disdain and shame whereof hath ever since kept Hector fasting and waking. 20 25 30 35 40 Enter Pandarus. FTLN 0192 FTLN 0193 FTLN 0194 FTLN 0195 FTLN 0196 FTLN 0197 FTLN 0198 FTLN 0199 FTLN 0200 FTLN 0201 Who comes here? ALEXANDER Madam, your Uncle Pandarus. CRESSIDA Hector’s a gallant man. ALEXANDER As may be in the world, lady. PANDARUS What’s that? What’s that? CRESSIDA Good morrow, Uncle Pandarus. PANDARUS Good morrow, Cousin Cressid. What do you talk of?— Good morrow, Alexander.—How do you, cousin? When were you at Ilium? CRESSIDA This morning, uncle. CRESSIDA 45 50 27 FTLN 0202 FTLN 0203 FTLN 0204 FTLN 0205 FTLN 0206 FTLN 0207 FTLN 0208 FTLN 0209 FTLN 0210 FTLN 0211 FTLN 0212 FTLN 0213 FTLN 0214 FTLN 0215 FTLN 0216 FTLN 0217 FTLN 0218 FTLN 0219 FTLN 0220 FTLN 0221 FTLN 0222 FTLN 0223 FTLN 0224 FTLN 0225 FTLN 0226 FTLN 0227 FTLN 0228 FTLN 0229 FTLN 0230 FTLN 0231 FTLN 0232 FTLN 0233 FTLN 0234 FTLN 0235 FTLN 0236 FTLN 0237 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 2 What were you talking of when I came? Was Hector armed and gone ere you came to Ilium? Helen was not up, was she? CRESSIDA Hector was gone, but Helen was not up. PANDARUS E’en so. Hector was stirring early. CRESSIDA That were we talking of, and of his anger. PANDARUS Was he angry? CRESSIDA So he says here. PANDARUS True, he was so. I know the cause too. He’ll lay about him today, I can tell them that; and there’s Troilus will not come far behind him. Let them take heed of Troilus, I can tell them that too. CRESSIDA What, is he angry too? PANDARUS Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of the two. CRESSIDA O Jupiter, there’s no comparison. PANDARUS What, not between Troilus and Hector? Do you know a man if you see him? CRESSIDA Ay, if I ever saw him before and knew him. PANDARUS Well, I say Troilus is Troilus. CRESSIDA Then you say as I say, for I am sure he is not Hector. PANDARUS No, nor Hector is not Troilus in some degrees. CRESSIDA ’Tis just to each of them; he is himself. PANDARUS Himself? Alas, poor Troilus, I would he were. CRESSIDA So he is. PANDARUS Condition I had gone barefoot to India. CRESSIDA He is not Hector. PANDARUS Himself? No, he’s not himself. Would he were himself! Well, the gods are above. Time must friend or end. Well, Troilus, well, I would my heart were in her body. No, Hector is not a better man than Troilus. CRESSIDA Excuse me. PANDARUS He is elder. CRESSIDA Pardon me, pardon me. PANDARUS 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 29 FTLN 0238 FTLN 0239 FTLN 0240 FTLN 0241 FTLN 0242 FTLN 0243 FTLN 0244 FTLN 0245 FTLN 0246 FTLN 0247 FTLN 0248 FTLN 0249 FTLN 0250 FTLN 0251 FTLN 0252 FTLN 0253 FTLN 0254 FTLN 0255 FTLN 0256 FTLN 0257 FTLN 0258 FTLN 0259 FTLN 0260 FTLN 0261 FTLN 0262 FTLN 0263 FTLN 0264 FTLN 0265 FTLN 0266 FTLN 0267 FTLN 0268 FTLN 0269 FTLN 0270 FTLN 0271 FTLN 0272 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 2 Th’ other’s not come to ’t. You shall tell me another tale when th’ other’s come to ’t. Hector shall not have his wit this year. CRESSIDA He shall not need it, if he have his own. PANDARUS Nor his qualities. CRESSIDA No matter. PANDARUS Nor his beauty. CRESSIDA ’Twould not become him. His own ’s better. PANDARUS You have no judgment, niece. Helen herself swore th’ other day that Troilus, for a brown favor— for so ’tis, I must confess—not brown neither— CRESSIDA No, but brown. PANDARUS Faith, to say truth, brown and not brown. CRESSIDA To say the truth, true and not true. PANDARUS She praised his complexion above Paris’. CRESSIDA Why, Paris hath color enough. PANDARUS So he has. CRESSIDA Then Troilus should have too much. If she praised him above, his complexion is higher than his. He having color enough, and the other higher, is too flaming a praise for a good complexion. I had as lief Helen’s golden tongue had commended Troilus for a copper nose. PANDARUS I swear to you, I think Helen loves him better than Paris. CRESSIDA Then she’s a merry Greek indeed. PANDARUS Nay, I am sure she does. She came to him th’ other day into the compassed window—and you know he has not past three or four hairs on his chin— CRESSIDA Indeed, a tapster’s arithmetic may soon bring his particulars therein to a total. PANDARUS Why, he is very young, and yet will he within three pound lift as much as his brother Hector. CRESSIDA Is he so young a man and so old a lifter? PANDARUS 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 31 FTLN 0273 FTLN 0274 FTLN 0275 FTLN 0276 FTLN 0277 FTLN 0278 FTLN 0279 FTLN 0280 FTLN 0281 FTLN 0282 FTLN 0283 FTLN 0284 FTLN 0285 FTLN 0286 FTLN 0287 FTLN 0288 FTLN 0289 FTLN 0290 FTLN 0291 FTLN 0292 FTLN 0293 FTLN 0294 FTLN 0295 FTLN 0296 FTLN 0297 FTLN 0298 FTLN 0299 FTLN 0300 FTLN 0301 FTLN 0302 FTLN 0303 FTLN 0304 FTLN 0305 FTLN 0306 FTLN 0307 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 2 But to prove to you that Helen loves him: she came and puts me her white hand to his cloven chin— CRESSIDA Juno have mercy! How came it cloven? PANDARUS Why, you know ’tis dimpled. I think his smiling becomes him better than any man in all Phrygia. CRESSIDA O, he smiles valiantly. PANDARUS Does he not? CRESSIDA O yes, an ’twere a cloud in autumn. PANDARUS Why, go to, then. But to prove to you that Helen loves Troilus— CRESSIDA Troilus will stand to the proof if you’ll prove it so. PANDARUS Troilus? Why, he esteems her no more than I esteem an addle egg. CRESSIDA If you love an addle egg as well as you love an idle head, you would eat chickens i’ th’ shell. PANDARUS I cannot choose but laugh to think how she tickled his chin. Indeed, she has a marvellous white hand, I must needs confess— CRESSIDA Without the rack. PANDARUS And she takes upon her to spy a white hair on his chin. CRESSIDA Alas, poor chin! Many a wart is richer. PANDARUS But there was such laughing! Queen Hecuba laughed that her eyes ran o’er— CRESSIDA With millstones. PANDARUS And Cassandra laughed— CRESSIDA But there was a more temperate fire under the pot of her eyes. Did her eyes run o’er too? PANDARUS And Hector laughed. CRESSIDA At what was all this laughing? PANDARUS Marry, at the white hair that Helen spied on Troilus’ chin. PANDARUS 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 33 FTLN 0308 FTLN 0309 FTLN 0310 FTLN 0311 FTLN 0312 FTLN 0313 FTLN 0314 FTLN 0315 FTLN 0316 FTLN 0317 FTLN 0318 FTLN 0319 FTLN 0320 FTLN 0321 FTLN 0322 FTLN 0323 FTLN 0324 FTLN 0325 FTLN 0326 FTLN 0327 FTLN 0328 FTLN 0329 FTLN 0330 FTLN 0331 FTLN 0332 FTLN 0333 FTLN 0334 FTLN 0335 FTLN 0336 FTLN 0337 FTLN 0338 FTLN 0339 FTLN 0340 FTLN 0341 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 2 An ’t had been a green hair, I should have laughed too. PANDARUS They laughed not so much at the hair as at his pretty answer. CRESSIDA What was his answer? PANDARUS Quoth she “Here’s but two-and-fifty hairs on your chin, and one of them is white.” CRESSIDA This is her question. PANDARUS That’s true, make no question of that. “Two-and-fifty hairs,” quoth he, “and one white. That white hair is my father, and all the rest are his sons.” “Jupiter!” quoth she, “which of these hairs is Paris, my husband?” “The forked one,” quoth he. “Pluck ’t out, and give it him.” But there was such laughing, and Helen so blushed, and Paris so chafed, and all the rest so laughed that it passed. CRESSIDA So let it now, for it has been a great while going by. PANDARUS Well, cousin, I told you a thing yesterday. Think on ’t. CRESSIDA So I do. PANDARUS I’ll be sworn ’tis true. He will weep you an ’twere a man born in April. CRESSIDA And I’ll spring up in his tears an ’twere a nettle against May. Sound a retreat. PANDARUS Hark, they are coming from the field. Shall we stand up here and see them as they pass toward Ilium? Good niece, do, sweet niece Cressida. CRESSIDA At your pleasure. PANDARUS Here, here, here’s an excellent place. Here we may see most bravely. I’ll tell you them all by their names as they pass by, but mark Troilus above the rest. They cross the stage; Alexander exits. CRESSIDA Speak not so loud. CRESSIDA 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 35 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 2 Enter Aeneas and crosses the stage. FTLN 0342 FTLN 0343 FTLN 0344 That’s Aeneas. Is not that a brave man? He’s one of the flowers of Troy, I can tell you. But mark Troilus; you shall see anon. PANDARUS Enter Antenor and crosses the stage. FTLN 0345 FTLN 0346 FTLN 0347 FTLN 0348 FTLN 0349 FTLN 0350 FTLN 0351 FTLN 0352 FTLN 0353 FTLN 0354 Who’s that? PANDARUS That’s Antenor. He has a shrewd wit, I can tell you, and he’s a man good enough. He’s one o’ th’ soundest judgments in Troy whosoever; and a proper man of person. When comes Troilus? I’ll show you Troilus anon. If he see me, you shall see him nod at me. CRESSIDA Will he give you the nod? PANDARUS You shall see. CRESSIDA If he do, the rich shall have more. CRESSIDA 195 200 Enter Hector and crosses the stage. FTLN 0355 FTLN 0356 FTLN 0357 FTLN 0358 FTLN 0359 FTLN 0360 FTLN 0361 FTLN 0362 FTLN 0363 FTLN 0364 FTLN 0365 FTLN 0366 FTLN 0367 FTLN 0368 That’s Hector, that, that, look you, that. There’s a fellow!—Go thy way, Hector!—There’s a brave man, niece. O brave Hector! Look how he looks. There’s a countenance! Is ’t not a brave man? CRESSIDA O, a brave man! PANDARUS Is he not? It does a man’s heart good. Look you what hacks are on his helmet. Look you yonder, do you see? Look you there. There’s no jesting; there’s laying on, take ’t off who will, as they say. There be hacks. CRESSIDA Be those with swords? PANDARUS Swords, anything, he cares not. An the devil come to him, it’s all one. By God’s lid, it does one’s heart good. PANDARUS Enter Paris and crosses the stage. FTLN 0369 FTLN 0370 Yonder comes Paris, yonder comes Paris! Look you yonder, niece. Is ’t not a gallant man too? Is ’t not? 205 210 215 37 FTLN 0371 FTLN 0372 FTLN 0373 FTLN 0374 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 2 Why, this is brave now. Who said he came hurt home today? He’s not hurt. Why, this will do Helen’s heart good now, ha? Would I could see Troilus now! You shall see Troilus anon. 220 Enter Helenus and crosses the stage. FTLN 0375 FTLN 0376 FTLN 0377 FTLN 0378 FTLN 0379 FTLN 0380 FTLN 0381 FTLN 0382 Who’s that? PANDARUS That’s Helenus. I marvel where Troilus is. That’s Helenus. I think he went not forth today. That’s Helenus. CRESSIDA Can Helenus fight, uncle? PANDARUS Helenus? No. Yes, he’ll fight indifferent well. I marvel where Troilus is. Hark, do you not hear the people cry “Troilus”? Helenus is a priest. CRESSIDA 225 230 Enter Troilus and crosses the stage. FTLN 0383 FTLN 0384 FTLN 0385 FTLN 0386 FTLN 0387 FTLN 0388 FTLN 0389 FTLN 0390 FTLN 0391 FTLN 0392 FTLN 0393 FTLN 0394 FTLN 0395 FTLN 0396 FTLN 0397 What sneaking fellow comes yonder? PANDARUS Where? Yonder? That’s Deiphobus. ’Tis Troilus! There’s a man, niece. Hem! Brave Troilus, the prince of chivalry! CRESSIDA Peace, for shame, peace. PANDARUS Mark him. Note him. O brave Troilus! Look well upon him, niece. Look you how his sword is bloodied and his helm more hacked than Hector’s, and how he looks, and how he goes. O admirable youth! He never saw three and twenty.—Go thy way, Troilus; go thy way!—Had I a sister were a Grace, or a daughter a goddess, he should take his choice. O admirable man! Paris? Paris is dirt to him; and I warrant Helen, to change, would give an eye to boot. CRESSIDA Enter Common Soldiers and cross the stage. Here comes more. Asses, fools, dolts, chaff and bran, chaff and bran, porridge after meat. I could live and die in FTLN 0398 CRESSIDA FTLN 0399 PANDARUS FTLN 0400 235 240 245 39 FTLN 0401 FTLN 0402 FTLN 0403 FTLN 0404 FTLN 0405 FTLN 0406 FTLN 0407 FTLN 0408 FTLN 0409 FTLN 0410 FTLN 0411 FTLN 0412 FTLN 0413 FTLN 0414 FTLN 0415 FTLN 0416 FTLN 0417 FTLN 0418 FTLN 0419 FTLN 0420 FTLN 0421 FTLN 0422 FTLN 0423 FTLN 0424 FTLN 0425 FTLN 0426 FTLN 0427 FTLN 0428 FTLN 0429 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 2 the eyes of Troilus. Ne’er look, ne’er look; the eagles are gone. Crows and daws, crows and daws! I had rather be such a man as Troilus than Agamemnon and all Greece. CRESSIDA There is amongst the Greeks Achilles, a better man than Troilus. PANDARUS Achilles? A drayman, a porter, a very camel! CRESSIDA Well, well. PANDARUS “Well, well”? Why, have you any discretion? Have you any eyes? Do you know what a man is? Is not birth, beauty, good shape, discourse, manhood, learning, gentleness, virtue, youth, liberality and such-like the spice and salt that season a man? CRESSIDA Ay, a minced man; and then to be baked with no date in the pie, for then the man’s date is out. PANDARUS You are such a woman a man knows not at what ward you lie. CRESSIDA Upon my back to defend my belly, upon my wit to defend my wiles, upon my secrecy to defend mine honesty, my mask to defend my beauty, and you to defend all these; and at all these wards I lie, at a thousand watches. PANDARUS Say one of your watches. CRESSIDA Nay, I’ll watch you for that, and that’s one of the chiefest of them too. If I cannot ward what I would not have hit, I can watch you for telling how I took the blow—unless it swell past hiding, and then it’s past watching. PANDARUS You are such another! 250 255 260 265 270 275 Enter Troilus’s Boy. FTLN 0430 FTLN 0431 FTLN 0432 FTLN 0433 FTLN 0434 Sir, my lord would instantly speak with you. PANDARUS Where? BOY At your own house. There he unarms him. PANDARUS Good boy, tell him I come. Boy exits. I doubt he be hurt.—Fare you well, good niece. BOY 280 41 FTLN 0435 FTLN 0436 FTLN 0437 FTLN 0438 FTLN 0439 FTLN 0440 FTLN 0441 FTLN 0442 FTLN 0443 FTLN 0444 FTLN 0445 FTLN 0446 FTLN 0447 FTLN 0448 FTLN 0449 FTLN 0450 FTLN 0451 FTLN 0452 FTLN 0453 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 Adieu, uncle. PANDARUS I will be with you, niece, by and by. CRESSIDA To bring, uncle? PANDARUS Ay, a token from Troilus. CRESSIDA By the same token, you are a bawd. Pandarus exits. Words, vows, gifts, tears, and love’s full sacrifice He offers in another’s enterprise; But more in Troilus thousandfold I see Than in the glass of Pandar’s praise may be. Yet hold I off. Women are angels, wooing; Things won are done; joy’s soul lies in the doing. That she beloved knows naught that knows not this: Men prize the thing ungained more than it is. That she was never yet that ever knew Love got so sweet as when desire did sue. Therefore this maxim out of love I teach: Achievement is command; ungained, beseech. Then though my heart’s content firm love doth bear, Nothing of that shall from mine eyes appear. She exits. CRESSIDA 285 290 295 300 Scene 3 Sennet. Enter Agamemnon, Nestor, Ulysses, Diomedes, Menelaus, with others. AGAMEMNON FTLN 0454 FTLN 0455 FTLN 0456 FTLN 0457 FTLN 0458 FTLN 0459 FTLN 0460 FTLN 0461 Princes, what grief hath set the jaundice o’er your cheeks? The ample proposition that hope makes In all designs begun on Earth below Fails in the promised largeness. Checks and disasters Grow in the veins of actions highest reared, As knots, by the conflux of meeting sap, Infects the sound pine and diverts his grain 5 43 FTLN 0462 FTLN 0463 FTLN 0464 FTLN 0465 FTLN 0466 FTLN 0467 FTLN 0468 FTLN 0469 FTLN 0470 FTLN 0471 FTLN 0472 FTLN 0473 FTLN 0474 FTLN 0475 FTLN 0476 FTLN 0477 FTLN 0478 FTLN 0479 FTLN 0480 FTLN 0481 FTLN 0482 FTLN 0483 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 Tortive and errant from his course of growth. Nor, princes, is it matter new to us That we come short of our suppose so far That after seven years’ siege yet Troy walls stand, Sith every action that hath gone before, Whereof we have record, trial did draw Bias and thwart, not answering the aim And that unbodied figure of the thought That gave ’t surmisèd shape. Why then, you princes, Do you with cheeks abashed behold our works And call them shames, which are indeed naught else But the protractive trials of great Jove To find persistive constancy in men? The fineness of which metal is not found In Fortune’s love; for then the bold and coward, The wise and fool, the artist and unread, The hard and soft seem all affined and kin. But in the wind and tempest of her frown, Distinction, with a broad and powerful fan, Puffing at all, winnows the light away, And what hath mass or matter by itself Lies rich in virtue and unmingled. 10 15 20 25 30 NESTOR FTLN 0484 FTLN 0485 FTLN 0486 FTLN 0487 FTLN 0488 FTLN 0489 FTLN 0490 FTLN 0491 FTLN 0492 FTLN 0493 FTLN 0494 FTLN 0495 FTLN 0496 With due observance of thy godlike seat, Great Agamemnon, Nestor shall apply Thy latest words. In the reproof of chance Lies the true proof of men. The sea being smooth, How many shallow bauble boats dare sail Upon her patient breast, making their way With those of nobler bulk! But let the ruffian Boreas once enrage The gentle Thetis, and anon behold The strong-ribbed bark through liquid mountains cut, Bounding between the two moist elements, Like Perseus’ horse. Where’s then the saucy boat Whose weak untimbered sides but even now 35 40 45 FTLN 0497 FTLN 0498 FTLN 0499 FTLN 0500 FTLN 0501 FTLN 0502 FTLN 0503 FTLN 0504 FTLN 0505 FTLN 0506 FTLN 0507 FTLN 0508 FTLN 0509 FTLN 0510 FTLN 0511 FTLN 0512 FTLN 0513 FTLN 0514 FTLN 0515 FTLN 0516 FTLN 0517 FTLN 0518 FTLN 0519 FTLN 0520 FTLN 0521 FTLN 0522 FTLN 0523 FTLN 0524 FTLN 0525 FTLN 0526 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 Corrivaled greatness? Either to harbor fled Or made a toast for Neptune. Even so Doth valor’s show and valor’s worth divide In storms of Fortune. For in her ray and brightness The herd hath more annoyance by the breese Than by the tiger, but when the splitting wind Makes flexible the knees of knotted oaks, And flies flee under shade, why, then the thing of courage, As roused with rage, with rage doth sympathize, And with an accent tuned in selfsame key Retorts to chiding Fortune. ULYSSES Agamemnon, Thou great commander, nerves and bone of Greece, Heart of our numbers, soul and only sprite, In whom the tempers and the minds of all Should be shut up, hear what Ulysses speaks. Besides th’ applause and approbation, The which, ( to Agamemnon ) most mighty for thy place and sway, ( To Nestor ) And thou most reverend for thy stretched-out life, I give to both your speeches, which were such As Agamemnon and the hand of Greece Should hold up high in brass; and such again As venerable Nestor, hatched in silver, Should with a bond of air, strong as the axletree On which heaven rides, knit all the Greekish ears To his experienced tongue, yet let it please both, Thou great, and wise, to hear Ulysses speak. 45 50 55 60 65 70 AGAMEMNON FTLN 0527 FTLN 0528 FTLN 0529 FTLN 0530 FTLN 0531 Speak, Prince of Ithaca, and be ’t of less expect That matter needless, of importless burden, Divide thy lips than we are confident When rank Thersites opes his mastic jaws We shall hear music, wit, and oracle. 75 47 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 ULYSSES FTLN 0532 FTLN 0533 FTLN 0534 FTLN 0535 FTLN 0536 FTLN 0537 FTLN 0538 FTLN 0539 FTLN 0540 FTLN 0541 FTLN 0542 FTLN 0543 FTLN 0544 FTLN 0545 FTLN 0546 FTLN 0547 FTLN 0548 FTLN 0549 FTLN 0550 FTLN 0551 FTLN 0552 FTLN 0553 FTLN 0554 FTLN 0555 FTLN 0556 FTLN 0557 FTLN 0558 FTLN 0559 FTLN 0560 FTLN 0561 FTLN 0562 FTLN 0563 FTLN 0564 FTLN 0565 FTLN 0566 Troy, yet upon his basis, had been down, And the great Hector’s sword had lacked a master But for these instances: The specialty of rule hath been neglected, And look how many Grecian tents do stand Hollow upon this plain, so many hollow factions. When that the general is not like the hive To whom the foragers shall all repair, What honey is expected? Degree being vizarded, Th’ unworthiest shows as fairly in the mask. The heavens themselves, the planets, and this center Observe degree, priority, and place, Insisture, course, proportion, season, form, Office, and custom, in all line of order. And therefore is the glorious planet Sol In noble eminence enthroned and sphered Amidst the other, whose med’cinable eye Corrects the influence of evil planets, And posts, like the commandment of a king, Sans check, to good and bad. But when the planets In evil mixture to disorder wander, What plagues and what portents, what mutiny, What raging of the sea, shaking of Earth, Commotion in the winds, frights, changes, horrors Divert and crack, rend and deracinate The unity and married calm of states Quite from their fixture! O, when degree is shaked, Which is the ladder of all high designs, The enterprise is sick. How could communities, Degrees in schools and brotherhoods in cities, Peaceful commerce from dividable shores, The primogeneity and due of birth, Prerogative of age, crowns, scepters, laurels, But by degree stand in authentic place? Take but degree away, untune that string, 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 49 FTLN 0567 FTLN 0568 FTLN 0569 FTLN 0570 FTLN 0571 FTLN 0572 FTLN 0573 FTLN 0574 FTLN 0575 FTLN 0576 FTLN 0577 FTLN 0578 FTLN 0579 FTLN 0580 FTLN 0581 FTLN 0582 FTLN 0583 FTLN 0584 FTLN 0585 FTLN 0586 FTLN 0587 FTLN 0588 FTLN 0589 FTLN 0590 FTLN 0591 FTLN 0592 FTLN 0593 FTLN 0594 Troilus and Cressida And hark what discord follows. Each thing meets In mere oppugnancy. The bounded waters Should lift their bosoms higher than the shores And make a sop of all this solid globe; Strength should be lord of imbecility, And the rude son should strike his father dead; Force should be right, or, rather, right and wrong, Between whose endless jar justice resides, Should lose their names, and so should justice too. Then everything includes itself in power, Power into will, will into appetite, And appetite, an universal wolf, So doubly seconded with will and power, Must make perforce an universal prey And last eat up himself. Great Agamemnon, This chaos, when degree is suffocate, Follows the choking. And this neglection of degree it is That by a pace goes backward, with a purpose It hath to climb. The General’s disdained By him one step below, he by the next, That next by him beneath; so every step, Exampled by the first pace that is sick Of his superior, grows to an envious fever Of pale and bloodless emulation. And ’tis this fever that keeps Troy on foot, Not her own sinews. To end a tale of length, Troy in our weakness stands, not in her strength. ACT 1. SC. 3 115 120 125 130 135 140 NESTOR FTLN 0595 FTLN 0596 Most wisely hath Ulysses here discovered The fever whereof all our power is sick. AGAMEMNON FTLN 0597 FTLN 0598 The nature of the sickness found, Ulysses, What is the remedy? ULYSSES FTLN 0599 The great Achilles, whom opinion crowns 145 51 FTLN 0600 FTLN 0601 FTLN 0602 FTLN 0603 FTLN 0604 FTLN 0605 FTLN 0606 FTLN 0607 FTLN 0608 FTLN 0609 FTLN 0610 FTLN 0611 FTLN 0612 FTLN 0613 FTLN 0614 FTLN 0615 FTLN 0616 FTLN 0617 FTLN 0618 FTLN 0619 FTLN 0620 FTLN 0621 FTLN 0622 FTLN 0623 FTLN 0624 FTLN 0625 FTLN 0626 FTLN 0627 FTLN 0628 FTLN 0629 FTLN 0630 FTLN 0631 FTLN 0632 FTLN 0633 FTLN 0634 FTLN 0635 FTLN 0636 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 The sinew and the forehand of our host, Having his ear full of his airy fame, Grows dainty of his worth and in his tent Lies mocking our designs. With him Patroclus, Upon a lazy bed, the live-long day Breaks scurril jests, And with ridiculous and silly action, Which, slanderer, he imitation calls, He pageants us. Sometime, great Agamemnon, Thy topless deputation he puts on, And, like a strutting player whose conceit Lies in his hamstring and doth think it rich To hear the wooden dialogue and sound ’Twixt his stretched footing and the scaffollage, Such to-be-pitied and o’erwrested seeming He acts thy greatness in; and when he speaks, ’Tis like a chime a-mending, with terms unsquared Which from the tongue of roaring Typhon dropped Would seem hyperboles. At this fusty stuff, The large Achilles, on his pressed bed lolling, From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause, Cries “Excellent! ’Tis Agamemnon right. Now play me Nestor; hem and stroke thy beard, As he being dressed to some oration.” That’s done, as near as the extremest ends Of parallels, as like as Vulcan and his wife; Yet god Achilles still cries “Excellent! ’Tis Nestor right. Now play him me, Patroclus, Arming to answer in a night alarm.” And then, forsooth, the faint defects of age Must be the scene of mirth—to cough and spit, And, with a palsy fumbling on his gorget, Shake in and out the rivet. And at this sport Sir Valor dies, cries “O, enough, Patroclus, Or give me ribs of steel! I shall split all In pleasure of my spleen.” And in this fashion, All our abilities, gifts, natures, shapes, 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 53 FTLN 0637 FTLN 0638 FTLN 0639 FTLN 0640 FTLN 0641 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 Severals and generals of grace exact, Achievements, plots, orders, preventions, Excitements to the field, or speech for truce, Success or loss, what is or is not, serves As stuff for these two to make paradoxes. 185 NESTOR FTLN 0642 FTLN 0643 FTLN 0644 FTLN 0645 FTLN 0646 FTLN 0647 FTLN 0648 FTLN 0649 FTLN 0650 FTLN 0651 FTLN 0652 FTLN 0653 And in the imitation of these twain, Who, as Ulysses says, opinion crowns With an imperial voice, many are infect: Ajax is grown self-willed and bears his head In such a rein, in full as proud a place As broad Achilles; keeps his tent like him, Makes factious feasts; rails on our state of war, Bold as an oracle, and sets Thersites— A slave whose gall coins slanders like a mint— To match us in comparisons with dirt, To weaken and discredit our exposure, How rank soever rounded in with danger. 190 195 200 ULYSSES FTLN 0654 FTLN 0655 FTLN 0656 FTLN 0657 FTLN 0658 FTLN 0659 FTLN 0660 FTLN 0661 FTLN 0662 FTLN 0663 FTLN 0664 FTLN 0665 FTLN 0666 FTLN 0667 They tax our policy and call it cowardice, Count wisdom as no member of the war, Forestall prescience, and esteem no act But that of hand. The still and mental parts That do contrive how many hands shall strike When fitness calls them on and know by measure Of their observant toil the enemy’s weight— Why, this hath not a fingers dignity. They call this bed-work, mapp’ry, closet war; So that the ram that batters down the wall, For the great swinge and rudeness of his poise, They place before his hand that made the engine Or those that with the fineness of their souls By reason guide his execution. 205 210 NESTOR FTLN 0668 FTLN 0669 Let this be granted, and Achilles’ horse Makes many Thetis’ sons. 215 Tucket. 55 FTLN 0670 AGAMEMNON FTLN 0671 MENELAUS ACT 1. SC. 3 Troilus and Cressida What trumpet? Look, Menelaus. From Troy. Enter Aeneas, with a Trumpeter. FTLN 0672 AGAMEMNON What would you ’fore our tent? AENEAS FTLN 0673 FTLN 0674 Is this great Agamemnon’s tent, I pray you? AGAMEMNON Even this. 220 AENEAS FTLN 0675 FTLN 0676 May one that is a herald and a prince Do a fair message to his kingly eyes? AGAMEMNON FTLN 0677 FTLN 0678 FTLN 0679 With surety stronger than Achilles’ arm ’Fore all the Greekish host, which with one voice Call Agamemnon head and general. 225 AENEAS FTLN 0680 FTLN 0681 FTLN 0682 FTLN 0683 Fair leave and large security. How may A stranger to those most imperial looks Know them from eyes of other mortals? AGAMEMNON How? 230 AENEAS FTLN 0684 FTLN 0685 FTLN 0686 FTLN 0687 FTLN 0688 FTLN 0689 Ay. I ask that I might waken reverence And bid the cheek be ready with a blush Modest as morning when she coldly eyes The youthful Phoebus. Which is that god in office, guiding men? Which is the high and mighty Agamemnon? 235 AGAMEMNON FTLN 0690 FTLN 0691 This Trojan scorns us, or the men of Troy Are ceremonious courtiers. AENEAS FTLN 0692 FTLN 0693 FTLN 0694 Courtiers as free, as debonair, unarmed, As bending angels—that’s their fame in peace. But when they would seem soldiers, they have galls, 240 57 FTLN 0695 FTLN 0696 FTLN 0697 FTLN 0698 FTLN 0699 FTLN 0700 FTLN 0701 FTLN 0702 FTLN 0703 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 Good arms, strong joints, true swords, and—great Jove’s accord— Nothing so full of heart. But peace, Aeneas. Peace, Trojan. Lay thy finger on thy lips. The worthiness of praise distains his worth If that the praised himself bring the praise forth. But what the repining enemy commends, That breath fame blows; that praise, sole pure, transcends. 245 250 AGAMEMNON FTLN 0704 FTLN 0705 FTLN 0706 Sir, you of Troy, call you yourself Aeneas? Ay, Greek, that is my name. AGAMEMNON What’s your affair, I pray you? AENEAS AENEAS FTLN 0707 Sir, pardon. ’Tis for Agamemnon’s ears. AGAMEMNON FTLN 0708 He hears naught privately that comes from Troy. 255 AENEAS FTLN 0709 FTLN 0710 FTLN 0711 FTLN 0712 FTLN 0713 FTLN 0714 FTLN 0715 FTLN 0716 FTLN 0717 FTLN 0718 FTLN 0719 FTLN 0720 FTLN 0721 FTLN 0722 FTLN 0723 FTLN 0724 FTLN 0725 Nor I from Troy come not to whisper with him. I bring a trumpet to awake his ear, To set his sense on the attentive bent, And then to speak. AGAMEMNON Speak frankly as the wind; It is not Agamemnon’s sleeping hour. That thou shalt know, Trojan, he is awake, He tells thee so himself. AENEAS Trumpet, blow loud ! Send thy brass voice through all these lazy tents; And every Greek of mettle, let him know What Troy means fairly shall be spoke aloud. Sound trumpet. We have, great Agamemnon, here in Troy A prince called Hector—Priam is his father— Who in this dull and long-continued truce Is resty grown. He bade me take a trumpet And to this purpose speak: “Kings, princes, lords, 260 265 270 59 FTLN 0726 FTLN 0727 FTLN 0728 FTLN 0729 FTLN 0730 FTLN 0731 FTLN 0732 FTLN 0733 FTLN 0734 FTLN 0735 FTLN 0736 FTLN 0737 FTLN 0738 FTLN 0739 FTLN 0740 FTLN 0741 FTLN 0742 FTLN 0743 FTLN 0744 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 If there be one among the fair’st of Greece That holds his honor higher than his ease, That seeks his praise more than he fears his peril, That knows his valor and knows not his fear, That loves his mistress more than in confession With truant vows to her own lips he loves And dare avow her beauty and her worth In other arms than hers—to him this challenge. Hector, in view of Trojans and of Greeks, Shall make it good, or do his best to do it, He hath a lady wiser, fairer, truer Than ever Greek did couple in his arms And will tomorrow 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 honor 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. 275 280 285 290 AGAMEMNON FTLN 0745 FTLN 0746 FTLN 0747 FTLN 0748 FTLN 0749 FTLN 0750 FTLN 0751 FTLN 0752 FTLN 0753 FTLN 0754 FTLN 0755 FTLN 0756 FTLN 0757 FTLN 0758 FTLN 0759 This shall be told our lovers, Lord Aeneas. If none of them have soul in such a kind, We left them all at home. But we are soldiers, 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. NESTOR, to Aeneas Tell him of Nestor, one that was a man When Hector’s grandsire sucked. He is old now, But if there be not in our Grecian host A noble man that hath one spark of fire To answer for his love, tell him from me I’ll hide my silver beard in a gold beaver And in my vambrace put my withered brawns And, meeting him, will tell him that my lady 295 300 305 61 FTLN 0760 FTLN 0761 FTLN 0762 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 Was fairer than his grandam and as chaste As may be in the world. His youth in flood, I’ll prove this troth with my three drops of blood. AENEAS FTLN 0763 FTLN 0764 Now heavens forfend such scarcity of youth! ULYSSES Amen. 310 AGAMEMNON FTLN 0765 FTLN 0766 FTLN 0767 FTLN 0768 FTLN 0769 FTLN 0770 FTLN 0771 FTLN 0772 Fair Lord Aeneas, let me touch your hand. To our pavilion shall I lead you, sir. Achilles shall have word of this intent; So shall each lord of Greece from tent to tent. Yourself shall feast with us before you go, And find the welcome of a noble foe. All but Ulysses and Nestor exit. ULYSSES Nestor. NESTOR What says Ulysses? 315 ULYSSES FTLN 0773 FTLN 0774 FTLN 0775 FTLN 0776 FTLN 0777 FTLN 0778 FTLN 0779 FTLN 0780 FTLN 0781 FTLN 0782 I have a young conception in my brain; Be you my time to bring it to some shape. NESTOR What is ’t? ULYSSES This ’tis: Blunt wedges rive hard knots; the seeded pride That hath to this maturity blown up In rank Achilles must or now be cropped Or, shedding, breed a nursery of like evil To overbulk us all. NESTOR Well, and how? 320 325 ULYSSES FTLN 0783 FTLN 0784 FTLN 0785 This challenge that the gallant Hector sends, However it is spread in general name, Relates in purpose only to Achilles. 330 NESTOR FTLN 0786 FTLN 0787 FTLN 0788 FTLN 0789 True. The purpose is perspicuous as substance Whose grossness little characters sum up; And, in the publication, make no strain But that Achilles, were his brain as barren 335 63 FTLN 0790 FTLN 0791 FTLN 0792 FTLN 0793 FTLN 0794 Troilus and Cressida ACT 1. SC. 3 As banks of Libya—though, Apollo knows, ’Tis dry enough—will, with great speed of judgment, Ay, with celerity, find Hector’s purpose Pointing on him. ULYSSES And wake him to the answer, think you? 340 NESTOR FTLN 0795 FTLN 0796 FTLN 0797 FTLN 0798 FTLN 0799 FTLN 0800 FTLN 0801 FTLN 0802 FTLN 0803 FTLN 0804 FTLN 0805 FTLN 0806 FTLN 0807 FTLN 0808 FTLN 0809 FTLN 0810 FTLN 0811 FTLN 0812 FTLN 0813 FTLN 0814 FTLN 0815 FTLN 0816 FTLN 0817 FTLN 0818 Why, ’tis most meet. Who may you else oppose That can from Hector bring his honor off If not Achilles? Though ’t be a sportful combat, Yet in the trial much opinion dwells, For here the Trojans taste our dear’st repute With their fin’st palate. And, trust to me, Ulysses, Our imputation shall be oddly poised In this vile action. For the success, Although particular, shall give a scantling Of good or bad unto the general; And in such indexes, although small pricks To their subsequent volumes, there is seen The baby figure of the giant mass Of things to come at large. It is supposed He that meets Hector issues from our choice; And choice, being mutual act of all our souls, Makes merit her election and doth boil, As ’twere from forth us all, a man distilled Out of our virtues, who, miscarrying, What heart receives from hence a conquering part To steel a strong opinion to themselves?— Which entertained, limbs are his instruments, In no less working than are swords and bows Directive by the limbs. 345 350 355 360 365 ULYSSES FTLN 0819 FTLN 0820 FTLN 0821 FTLN 0822 FTLN 0823 Give pardon to my speech: therefore ’tis meet Achilles meet not Hector. Let us like merchants First show foul wares and think perchance they’ll sell; If not, the luster of the better shall exceed By showing the worse first. Do not consent 370 65 FTLN 0824 FTLN 0825 FTLN 0826 ACT 1. SC. 3 Troilus and Cressida That ever Hector and Achilles meet, For both our honor and our shame in this Are dogged with two strange followers. NESTOR FTLN 0827 I see them not with my old eyes. What are they? ULYSSES FTLN 0828 FTLN 0829 FTLN 0830 FTLN 0831 FTLN 0832 FTLN 0833 FTLN 0834 FTLN 0835 FTLN 0836 FTLN 0837 FTLN 0838 FTLN 0839 FTLN 0840 FTLN 0841 FTLN 0842 FTLN 0843 FTLN 0844 FTLN 0845 FTLN 0846 FTLN 0847 What glory our Achilles shares from Hector, Were he not proud, we all should share with him; But he already is too insolent, And it were better parch in Afric sun Than in the pride and salt scorn of his eyes Should he scape Hector fair. If he were foiled, Why then we do our main opinion crush In taint of our best man. No, make a lott’ry, And, by device, let blockish Ajax draw The sort to fight with Hector. Among ourselves Give him allowance for the better man, For that will physic the great Myrmidon, Who broils in loud applause, and make him fall His crest that prouder than blue Iris bends. If the dull brainless Ajax come safe off, We’ll dress him up in voices; if he fail, Yet go we under our opinion still That we have better men. But, hit or miss, Our project’s life this shape of sense assumes: Ajax employed plucks down Achilles’ plumes. 375 380 385 390 NESTOR FTLN 0848 FTLN 0849 FTLN 0850 FTLN 0851 FTLN 0852 Now, Ulysses, I begin to relish thy advice, And I will give a taste thereof forthwith To Agamemnon. Go we to him straight. Two curs shall tame each other; pride alone Must tar the mastiffs on, as ’twere a bone. 395 They exit. ACT 2 Scene 1 Enter Ajax and Thersites. FTLN 0853 FTLN 0854 FTLN 0855 FTLN 0856 FTLN 0857 FTLN 0858 FTLN 0859 FTLN 0860 FTLN 0861 FTLN 0862 FTLN 0863 FTLN 0864 FTLN 0865 FTLN 0866 FTLN 0867 FTLN 0868 FTLN 0869 FTLN 0870 FTLN 0871 FTLN 0872 FTLN 0873 FTLN 0874 FTLN 0875 FTLN 0876 Thersites! THERSITES Agamemnon—how if he had boils, full, all over, generally? AJAX Thersites! THERSITES And those boils did run? Say so. Did not the general run, then? Were not that a botchy core? AJAX Dog! THERSITES Then there would come some matter from him. I see none now. AJAX Thou bitchwolf’s son, canst thou not hear? Feel, then. Strikes him. THERSITES The plague of Greece upon thee, thou mongrel beef-witted lord! AJAX Speak, then, thou unsalted leaven, speak. I will beat thee into handsomeness. THERSITES I shall sooner rail thee into wit and holiness, but I think thy horse will sooner con an oration than thou learn a prayer without book. Thou canst strike, canst thou? A red murrain o’ thy jade’s tricks. AJAX Toadstool, learn me the proclamation. THERSITES Dost thou think I have no sense, thou strikest me thus? AJAX The proclamation! THERSITES Thou art proclaimed a fool, I think. 69 AJAX 5 10 15 20 71 FTLN 0877 FTLN 0878 FTLN 0879 FTLN 0880 FTLN 0881 FTLN 0882 FTLN 0883 FTLN 0884 FTLN 0885 FTLN 0886 FTLN 0887 FTLN 0888 FTLN 0889 FTLN 0890 FTLN 0891 FTLN 0892 FTLN 0893 FTLN 0894 FTLN 0895 FTLN 0896 FTLN 0897 FTLN 0898 FTLN 0899 FTLN 0900 FTLN 0901 FTLN 0902 FTLN 0903 FTLN 0904 FTLN 0905 FTLN 0906 FTLN 0907 FTLN 0908 Troilus and Cressida Do not, porpentine, do not. My fingers itch. THERSITES I would thou didst itch from head to foot, and I had the scratching of thee; I would make thee the loathsomest scab in Greece. When thou art forth in the incursions, thou strikest as slow as another. AJAX I say, the proclamation! THERSITES Thou grumblest and railest every hour on Achilles, and thou art as full of envy at his greatness as Cerberus is at Proserpina’s beauty, ay, that thou bark’st at him. AJAX Mistress Thersites! THERSITES Thou shouldst strike him— AJAX Cobloaf! He would pound thee into shivers with his THERSITES fist as a sailor breaks a biscuit. You whoreson cur! AJAX Strikes him. Do, do. THERSITES AJAX Thou stool for a witch! THERSITES Ay, do, do, thou sodden-witted lord. Thou hast no more brain than I have in mine elbows; an asinego may tutor thee, thou scurvy-valiant ass. Thou art here but to thrash Trojans, and thou art bought and sold among those of any wit, like a barbarian slave. If thou use to beat me, I will begin at thy heel and tell what thou art by inches, thou thing of no bowels, thou. AJAX You dog! THERSITES You scurvy lord! AJAX You cur! Strikes him. THERSITES Mars his idiot! Do, rudeness, do, camel, do, do. AJAX Enter Achilles and Patroclus. FTLN 0909 FTLN 0910 FTLN 0911 ACT 2. SC. 1 Why, how now, Ajax? Wherefore do you thus?—How now, Thersites? What’s the matter, man? ACHILLES 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 73 FTLN 0912 FTLN 0913 FTLN 0914 FTLN 0915 FTLN 0916 FTLN 0917 FTLN 0918 FTLN 0919 FTLN 0920 FTLN 0921 FTLN 0922 FTLN 0923 FTLN 0924 FTLN 0925 FTLN 0926 FTLN 0927 FTLN 0928 FTLN 0929 FTLN 0930 FTLN 0931 FTLN 0932 FTLN 0933 FTLN 0934 FTLN 0935 FTLN 0936 FTLN 0937 FTLN 0938 FTLN 0939 FTLN 0940 FTLN 0941 FTLN 0942 FTLN 0943 FTLN 0944 FTLN 0945 FTLN 0946 FTLN 0947 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 1 You see him there, do you? ACHILLES Ay, what’s the matter? THERSITES Nay, look upon him. ACHILLES So I do. What’s the matter? THERSITES Nay, but regard him well. ACHILLES Well, why, so I do. THERSITES But yet you look not well upon him, for whosomever you take him to be, he is Ajax. ACHILLES I know that, fool. THERSITES Ay, but that fool knows not himself. AJAX Therefore I beat thee. THERSITES Lo, lo, lo, lo, what modicums of wit he utters! His evasions have ears thus long. I have bobbed his brain more than he has beat my bones. I will buy nine sparrows for a penny, and his pia mater is not worth the ninth part of a sparrow. This lord, Achilles—Ajax, who wears his wit in his belly, and his guts in his head— I’ll tell you what I say of him. ACHILLES What? THERSITES I say, this Ajax— Ajax menaces him. ACHILLES Nay, good Ajax. THERSITES Has not so much wit— ACHILLES, to Ajax Nay, I must hold you. THERSITES As will stop the eye of Helen’s needle, for whom he comes to fight. ACHILLES Peace, fool! THERSITES I would have peace and quietness, but the fool will not—he there, that he. Look you there. AJAX O, thou damned cur, I shall— ACHILLES Will you set your wit to a fool’s? THERSITES No, I warrant you. The fool’s will shame it. PATROCLUS Good words, Thersites. ACHILLES, to Ajax What’s the quarrel? AJAX I bade the vile owl go learn me the tenor of the proclamation, and he rails upon me. THERSITES 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 75 FTLN 0948 FTLN 0949 FTLN 0950 FTLN 0951 FTLN 0952 FTLN 0953 FTLN 0954 FTLN 0955 FTLN 0956 FTLN 0957 FTLN 0958 FTLN 0959 FTLN 0960 FTLN 0961 FTLN 0962 FTLN 0963 FTLN 0964 FTLN 0965 FTLN 0966 FTLN 0967 FTLN 0968 FTLN 0969 FTLN 0970 FTLN 0971 FTLN 0972 FTLN 0973 FTLN 0974 FTLN 0975 FTLN 0976 FTLN 0977 FTLN 0978 FTLN 0979 FTLN 0980 FTLN 0981 FTLN 0982 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 1 I serve thee not. AJAX Well, go to, go to. THERSITES I serve here voluntary. ACHILLES Your last service was suff’rance; ’twas not voluntary. No man is beaten voluntary. Ajax was here the voluntary, and you as under an impress. THERSITES E’en so. A great deal of your wit, too, lies in your sinews, or else there be liars. Hector shall have a great catch an he knock out either of your brains; he were as good crack a fusty nut with no kernel. ACHILLES What, with me too, Thersites? THERSITES There’s Ulysses and old Nestor—whose wit was moldy ere your grandsires had nails on their toes —yoke you like draft-oxen and make you plow up the wars. ACHILLES What? What? THERSITES Yes, good sooth. To, Achilles! To, Ajax! To— AJAX I shall cut out your tongue. THERSITES ’Tis no matter. I shall speak as much as thou afterwards. PATROCLUS No more words, Thersites. Peace. THERSITES I will hold my peace when Achilles’ brach bids me, shall I? ACHILLES There’s for you, Patroclus. THERSITES I will see you hanged like clodpolls ere I come any more to your tents. I will keep where there is wit stirring and leave the faction of fools. He exits. PATROCLUS A good riddance. ACHILLES, to Ajax Marry, this, sir, is proclaimed through all our host: That Hector, by the fifth hour of the sun, Will with a trumpet ’twixt our tents and Troy Tomorrow morning call some knight to arms That hath a stomach, and such a one that dare Maintain—I know not what; ’tis trash. Farewell. THERSITES 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 77 FTLN 0983 AJAX Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 2 Farewell. Who shall answer him? ACHILLES FTLN 0984 FTLN 0985 FTLN 0986 I know not. ’Tis put to lott’ry. Otherwise, He knew his man. Achilles and Patroclus exit. AJAX O, meaning you? I will go learn more of it. He exits. Scene 2 Enter Priam, Hector, Troilus, Paris and Helenas. PRIAM FTLN 0987 FTLN 0988 FTLN 0989 FTLN 0990 FTLN 0991 FTLN 0992 FTLN 0993 After so many hours, lives, speeches spent, Thus once again says Nestor from the Greeks: “Deliver Helen, and all damage else— As honor, loss of time, travel, expense, Wounds, friends, and what else dear that is consumed In hot digestion of this cormorant war— Shall be struck off.”—Hector, what say you to ’t? 5 HECTOR FTLN 0994 FTLN 0995 FTLN 0996 FTLN 0997 FTLN 0998 FTLN 0999 FTLN 1000 FTLN 1001 FTLN 1002 FTLN 1003 FTLN 1004 FTLN 1005 FTLN 1006 FTLN 1007 FTLN 1008 FTLN 1009 Though no man lesser fears the Greeks than I As far as toucheth my particular, Yet, dread Priam, There is no lady of more softer bowels, More spongy to suck in the sense of fear, More ready to cry out “Who knows what follows?” Than Hector is. The wound of peace is surety, Surety secure; but modest doubt is called The beacon of the wise, the tent that searches To th’ bottom of the worst. Let Helen go. Since the first sword was drawn about this question, Every tithe soul, ’mongst many thousand dismes, Hath been as dear as Helen; I mean, of ours. If we have lost so many tenths of ours To guard a thing not ours—nor worth to us, Had it our name, the value of one ten— 10 15 20 79 FTLN 1010 FTLN 1011 FTLN 1012 FTLN 1013 FTLN 1014 FTLN 1015 FTLN 1016 FTLN 1017 FTLN 1018 FTLN 1019 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 2 What merit’s in that reason which denies The yielding of her up? TROILUS Fie, fie, my brother, Weigh you the worth and honor of a king So great as our dread father’s in a scale Of common ounces? Will you with counters sum The past-proportion of his infinite, And buckle in a waist most fathomless With spans and inches so diminutive As fears and reasons? Fie, for godly shame! 25 30 HELENUS FTLN 1020 FTLN 1021 FTLN 1022 FTLN 1023 No marvel though you bite so sharp at reasons, You are so empty of them. Should not our father Bear the great sway of his affairs with reason, Because your speech hath none that tell him so? 35 TROILUS FTLN 1024 FTLN 1025 FTLN 1026 FTLN 1027 FTLN 1028 FTLN 1029 FTLN 1030 FTLN 1031 FTLN 1032 FTLN 1033 FTLN 1034 FTLN 1035 FTLN 1036 FTLN 1037 FTLN 1038 FTLN 1039 You are for dreams and slumbers, brother priest. You fur your gloves with reason. Here are your reasons: You know an enemy intends you harm; You know a sword employed is perilous, And reason flies the object of all harm. Who marvels, then, when Helenus beholds A Grecian and his sword, if he do set The very wings of reason to his heels And fly like chidden Mercury from Jove Or like a star disorbed? Nay, if we talk of reason, Let’s shut our gates and sleep. Manhood and honor Should have hare hearts, would they but fat their thoughts With this crammed reason. Reason and respect Make livers pale and lustihood deject. 40 45 50 HECTOR FTLN 1040 FTLN 1041 FTLN 1042 Brother, she is not worth what she doth cost The keeping. TROILUS What’s aught but as ’tis valued? 55 81 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 2 HECTOR FTLN 1043 FTLN 1044 FTLN 1045 FTLN 1046 FTLN 1047 FTLN 1048 FTLN 1049 FTLN 1050 But value dwells not in particular will; It holds his estimate and dignity As well wherein ’tis precious of itself As in the prizer. ’Tis mad idolatry To make the service greater than the god; And the will dotes that is attributive To what infectiously itself affects Without some image of th’ affected merit. 60 TROILUS FTLN 1051 FTLN 1052 FTLN 1053 FTLN 1054 FTLN 1055 FTLN 1056 FTLN 1057 FTLN 1058 FTLN 1059 FTLN 1060 FTLN 1061 FTLN 1062 FTLN 1063 FTLN 1064 FTLN 1065 FTLN 1066 FTLN 1067 FTLN 1068 FTLN 1069 FTLN 1070 FTLN 1071 FTLN 1072 FTLN 1073 FTLN 1074 FTLN 1075 FTLN 1076 I take today a wife, and my election Is led on in the conduct of my will— My will enkindled by mine eyes and ears, Two traded pilots ’twixt the dangerous shores Of will and judgment. How may I avoid, Although my will distaste what it elected, The wife I choose? There can be no evasion To blench from this and to stand firm by honor. We turn not back the silks upon the merchant When we have soiled them, nor the remainder viands We do not throw in unrespective sieve Because we now are full. It was thought meet Paris should do some vengeance on the Greeks. Your breath with full consent bellied his sails; The seas and winds, old wranglers, took a truce And did him service. He touched the ports desired, And for an old aunt whom the Greeks held captive, He brought a Grecian queen, whose youth and freshness Wrinkles Apollo’s and makes pale the morning. Why keep we her? The Grecians keep our aunt. Is she worth keeping? Why, she is a pearl Whose price hath launched above a thousand ships And turned crowned kings to merchants. If you’ll avouch ’twas wisdom Paris went— 65 70 75 80 85 90 83 FTLN 1077 FTLN 1078 FTLN 1079 FTLN 1080 FTLN 1081 FTLN 1082 FTLN 1083 FTLN 1084 FTLN 1085 FTLN 1086 FTLN 1087 FTLN 1088 FTLN 1089 FTLN 1090 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 2 As you must needs, for you all cried “Go, go”— If you’ll confess he brought home worthy prize— As you must needs, for you all clapped your hands And cried “Inestimable”—why do you now The issue of your proper wisdoms rate And do a deed that never Fortune did, Beggar the estimation which you prized Richer than sea and land? O, theft most base, That we have stol’n what we do fear to keep! But thieves unworthy of a thing so stol’n, That in their country did them that disgrace We fear to warrant in our native place. CASSANDRA, within Cry, Trojans, cry! PRIAM What noise? What shriek is this? 95 100 TROILUS FTLN 1091 FTLN 1092 FTLN 1093 ’Tis our mad sister. I do know her voice. CASSANDRA, within Cry, Trojans! HECTOR It is Cassandra. 105 Enter Cassandra raving. CASSANDRA FTLN 1094 FTLN 1095 FTLN 1096 Cry, Trojans, cry! Lend me ten thousand eyes, And I will fill them with prophetic tears. HECTOR Peace, sister, peace! 110 CASSANDRA FTLN 1097 FTLN 1098 FTLN 1099 FTLN 1100 FTLN 1101 FTLN 1102 FTLN 1103 FTLN 1104 FTLN 1105 Virgins and boys, mid-age and wrinkled elders, Soft infancy, that nothing canst but cry, Add to my clamors. Let us pay betimes A moiety of that mass of moan to come. Cry, Trojans, cry! Practice your eyes with tears. Troy must not be, nor goodly Ilium stand. Our firebrand brother Paris burns us all. Cry, Trojans, cry! A Helen and a woe! Cry, cry! Troy burns, or else let Helen go. She exits. 115 85 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 2 HECTOR FTLN 1106 FTLN 1107 FTLN 1108 FTLN 1109 FTLN 1110 FTLN 1111 FTLN 1112 FTLN 1113 FTLN 1114 FTLN 1115 FTLN 1116 FTLN 1117 FTLN 1118 FTLN 1119 FTLN 1120 FTLN 1121 FTLN 1122 FTLN 1123 Now, youthful Troilus, do not these high strains Of divination in our sister work Some touches of remorse? Or is your blood So madly hot that no discourse of reason Nor fear of bad success in a bad cause Can qualify the same? TROILUS Why, brother Hector, We may not think the justness of each act Such and no other than event doth form it, Nor once deject the courage of our minds Because Cassandra’s mad. Her brainsick raptures Cannot distaste the goodness of a quarrel Which hath our several honors all engaged To make it gracious. For my private part, I am no more touched than all Priam’s sons; And Jove forbid there should be done amongst us Such things as might offend the weakest spleen To fight for and maintain! 120 125 130 135 PARIS FTLN 1124 FTLN 1125 FTLN 1126 FTLN 1127 FTLN 1128 FTLN 1129 FTLN 1130 FTLN 1131 FTLN 1132 FTLN 1133 FTLN 1134 FTLN 1135 FTLN 1136 FTLN 1137 FTLN 1138 FTLN 1139 FTLN 1140 Else might the world convince of levity As well my undertakings as your counsels. But I attest the gods, your full consent Gave wings to my propension and cut off All fears attending on so dire a project. For what, alas, can these my single arms? What propugnation is in one man’s valor To stand the push and enmity of those This quarrel would excite? Yet, I protest, Were I alone to pass the difficulties And had as ample power as I have will, Paris should ne’er retract what he hath done Nor faint in the pursuit. PRIAM Paris, you speak Like one besotted on your sweet delights. You have the honey still, but these the gall. So to be valiant is no praise at all. 140 145 150 87 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 2 PARIS FTLN 1141 FTLN 1142 FTLN 1143 FTLN 1144 FTLN 1145 FTLN 1146 FTLN 1147 FTLN 1148 FTLN 1149 FTLN 1150 FTLN 1151 FTLN 1152 FTLN 1153 FTLN 1154 FTLN 1155 FTLN 1156 FTLN 1157 Sir, I propose not merely to myself The pleasures such a beauty brings with it, But I would have the soil of her fair rape Wiped off in honorable keeping her. What treason were it to the ransacked queen, Disgrace to your great worths, and shame to me, Now to deliver her possession up On terms of base compulsion? Can it be That so degenerate a strain as this Should once set footing in your generous bosoms? There’s not the meanest spirit on our party Without a heart to dare or sword to draw When Helen is defended, nor none so noble Whose life were ill bestowed or death unfamed Where Helen is the subject. Then I say, Well may we fight for her whom, we know well, The world’s large spaces cannot parallel. 155 160 165 170 HECTOR FTLN 1158 FTLN 1159 FTLN 1160 FTLN 1161 FTLN 1162 FTLN 1163 FTLN 1164 FTLN 1165 FTLN 1166 FTLN 1167 FTLN 1168 FTLN 1169 FTLN 1170 FTLN 1171 FTLN 1172 FTLN 1173 FTLN 1174 Paris and Troilus, you have both said well, And on the cause and question now in hand Have glozed—but superficially, not much Unlike young men, whom Aristotle thought Unfit to hear moral philosophy. The reasons you allege do more conduce To the hot passion of distempered blood Than to make up a free determination ’Twixt right and wrong, for pleasure and revenge Have ears more deaf than adders to the voice Of any true decision. Nature craves All dues be rendered to their owners. Now, What nearer debt in all humanity Than wife is to the husband? If this law Of nature be corrupted through affection, And that great minds, of partial indulgence To their benumbèd wills, resist the same, 175 180 185 89 FTLN 1175 FTLN 1176 FTLN 1177 FTLN 1178 FTLN 1179 FTLN 1180 FTLN 1181 FTLN 1182 FTLN 1183 FTLN 1184 FTLN 1185 FTLN 1186 FTLN 1187 FTLN 1188 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 2 There is a law in each well-ordered nation To curb those raging appetites that are Most disobedient and refractory. If Helen, then, be wife to Sparta’s king, As it is known she is, these moral laws Of nature and of nations speak aloud To have her back returned. Thus to persist In doing wrong extenuates not wrong, But makes it much more heavy. Hector’s opinion Is this in way of truth; yet, ne’ertheless, My sprightly brethren, I propend to you In resolution to keep Helen still, For ’tis a cause that hath no mean dependence Upon our joint and several dignities. 190 195 200 TROILUS FTLN 1189 FTLN 1190 FTLN 1191 FTLN 1192 FTLN 1193 FTLN 1194 FTLN 1195 FTLN 1196 FTLN 1197 FTLN 1198 FTLN 1199 FTLN 1200 FTLN 1201 FTLN 1202 FTLN 1203 FTLN 1204 FTLN 1205 FTLN 1206 FTLN 1207 FTLN 1208 FTLN 1209 Why, there you touched the life of our design! Were it not glory that we more affected Than the performance of our heaving spleens, I would not wish a drop of Trojan blood Spent more in her defense. But, worthy Hector, She is a theme of honor and renown, A spur to valiant and magnanimous deeds, Whose present courage may beat down our foes, And fame in time to come canonize us; For I presume brave Hector would not lose So rich advantage of a promised glory As smiles upon the forehead of this action For the wide world’s revenue. HECTOR I am yours, You valiant offspring of great Priamus. I have a roisting challenge sent amongst The dull and factious nobles of the Greeks Will strike amazement to their drowsy spirits. I was advertised their great general slept, Whilst emulation in the army crept. This, I presume, will wake him. They exit. 205 210 215 220 91 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 3 Scene 3 Enter Thersites, alone. FTLN 1210 FTLN 1211 FTLN 1212 FTLN 1213 FTLN 1214 FTLN 1215 FTLN 1216 FTLN 1217 FTLN 1218 FTLN 1219 FTLN 1220 FTLN 1221 FTLN 1222 FTLN 1223 FTLN 1224 FTLN 1225 FTLN 1226 FTLN 1227 FTLN 1228 FTLN 1229 FTLN 1230 FTLN 1231 FTLN 1232 FTLN 1233 FTLN 1234 FTLN 1235 FTLN 1236 FTLN 1237 FTLN 1238 FTLN 1239 FTLN 1240 FTLN 1241 FTLN 1242 How now, Thersites? What, lost in the labyrinth of thy fury? Shall the elephant Ajax carry it thus? He beats me, and I rail at him. O, worthy satisfaction! Would it were otherwise, that I could beat him whilst he railed at me. ’Sfoot, I’ll learn to conjure and raise devils but I’ll see some issue of my spiteful execrations. Then there’s Achilles, a rare enginer! If Troy be not taken till these two undermine it, the walls will stand till they fall of themselves. O thou great thunder-darter of Olympus, forget that thou art Jove, the king of gods; and, Mercury, lose all the serpentine craft of thy caduceus, if you take not that little, little, less than little wit from them that they have, which short-armed ignorance itself knows is so abundant scarce it will not in circumvention deliver a fly from a spider without drawing their massy irons and cutting the web. After this, the vengeance on the whole camp! Or rather, the Neapolitan bone-ache! For that, methinks, is the curse depending on those that war for a placket. I have said my prayers, and devil Envy say “Amen.”—What ho, my lord Achilles! PATROCLUS, within Who’s there? Thersites? Good Thersites, come in and rail. THERSITES If I could ’a remembered a gilt counterfeit, thou couldst not have slipped out of my contemplation. But it is no matter. Thyself upon thyself! The common curse of mankind, folly and ignorance, be thine in great revenue! Heaven bless thee from a tutor, and discipline come not near thee! Let thy blood be thy direction till thy death; then if she that lays thee out says thou art a fair corse, I’ll be THERSITES 5 10 15 20 25 30 93 FTLN 1243 FTLN 1244 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 3 sworn and sworn upon ’t she never shrouded any but lazars. Amen. 35 Enter Patroclus. FTLN 1245 FTLN 1246 FTLN 1247 FTLN 1248 FTLN 1249 FTLN 1250 FTLN 1251 FTLN 1252 Where’s Achilles? PATROCLUS What, art thou devout? Wast thou in prayer? THERSITES Ay. The heavens hear me! PATROCLUS Amen. ACHILLES, within Who’s there? PATROCLUS Thersites, my lord. ACHILLES, within Where? Where? O, where? 40 Enter Achilles. FTLN 1253 FTLN 1254 FTLN 1255 FTLN 1256 FTLN 1257 FTLN 1258 FTLN 1259 FTLN 1260 FTLN 1261 FTLN 1262 FTLN 1263 FTLN 1264 FTLN 1265 FTLN 1266 FTLN 1267 FTLN 1268 FTLN 1269 FTLN 1270 FTLN 1271 FTLN 1272 FTLN 1273 FTLN 1274 To Thersites. Art thou come? Why, my cheese, my digestion, why hast thou not served thyself in to my table so many meals? Come, what’s Agamemnon? THERSITES Thy commander, Achilles.—Then, tell me, Patroclus, what’s Achilles? PATROCLUS Thy lord, Thersites. Then, tell me, I pray thee, what’s Thersites? THERSITES Thy knower, Patroclus. Then, tell me, Patroclus, what art thou? PATROCLUS Thou must tell that knowest. ACHILLES O tell, tell. THERSITES I’ll decline the whole question. Agamemnon commands Achilles, Achilles is my lord, I am Patroclus’ knower, and Patroclus is a fool. PATROCLUS You rascal! THERSITES Peace, fool. I have not done. ACHILLES, to Patroclus He is a privileged man.—Proceed, Thersites. THERSITES Agamemnon is a fool, Achilles is a fool, Thersites is a fool, and, as aforesaid, Patroclus is a fool. ACHILLES Derive this. Come. 45 50 55 60 65 95 FTLN 1275 FTLN 1276 FTLN 1277 FTLN 1278 FTLN 1279 FTLN 1280 FTLN 1281 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 3 Agamemnon is a fool to offer to command Achilles, Achilles is a fool to be commanded of Agamemnon, Thersites is a fool to serve such a fool, and this Patroclus is a fool positive. PATROCLUS Why am I a fool? THERSITES Make that demand of the creator. It suffices me thou art. THERSITES 70 Enter at a distance Agamemnon, Ulysses, Nestor, Diomedes, Ajax, and Calchas. FTLN 1282 FTLN 1283 FTLN 1284 FTLN 1285 FTLN 1286 FTLN 1287 FTLN 1288 FTLN 1289 FTLN 1290 Look you, who comes here? ACHILLES Patroclus, I’ll speak with nobody.—Come in with me, Thersites. He exits. THERSITES Here is such patchery, such juggling, and such knavery. All the argument is a whore and a cuckold, a good quarrel to draw emulous factions and bleed to death upon. Now the dry serpigo on the subject, and war and lechery confound all! He exits. AGAMEMNON, to Patroclus Where is Achilles? 75 80 PATROCLUS FTLN 1291 Within his tent, but ill-disposed, my lord. AGAMEMNON FTLN 1292 FTLN 1293 FTLN 1294 FTLN 1295 FTLN 1296 FTLN 1297 FTLN 1298 Let it be known to him that we are here. He shent our messengers, and we lay by Our appertainments, visiting of him. Let him be told so, lest perchance he think We dare not move the question of our place Or know not what we are. PATROCLUS I shall say so to him. 85 He exits. ULYSSES FTLN 1299 FTLN 1300 FTLN 1301 FTLN 1302 We saw him at the opening of his tent. He is not sick. AJAX Yes, lion-sick, sick of proud heart. You may call it melancholy if you will favor the man, but, by my 90 97 FTLN 1303 FTLN 1304 FTLN 1305 FTLN 1306 FTLN 1307 FTLN 1308 FTLN 1309 FTLN 1310 FTLN 1311 FTLN 1312 FTLN 1313 FTLN 1314 FTLN 1315 FTLN 1316 FTLN 1317 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 3 head, ’tis pride. But, why, why? Let him show us a cause.— A word, my lord. He and Agamemnon walk aside. NESTOR What moves Ajax thus to bay at him? ULYSSES Achilles hath inveigled his fool from him. NESTOR Who, Thersites? ULYSSES He. NESTOR Then will Ajax lack matter, if he have lost his argument. ULYSSES No. You see, he is his argument that has his argument: Achilles. NESTOR All the better. Their fraction is more our wish than their faction. But it was a strong composure a fool could disunite. ULYSSES The amity that wisdom knits not, folly may easily untie. 95 100 105 Enter Patroclus. FTLN 1318 FTLN 1319 FTLN 1320 FTLN 1321 FTLN 1322 FTLN 1323 FTLN 1324 FTLN 1325 FTLN 1326 FTLN 1327 FTLN 1328 FTLN 1329 FTLN 1330 FTLN 1331 FTLN 1332 FTLN 1333 FTLN 1334 Here comes Patroclus. No Achilles with him. ULYSSES The elephant hath joints, but none for courtesy; his legs are legs for necessity, not for flexure. PATROCLUS, to Agamemnon Achilles bids me say he is much sorry If anything more than your sport and pleasure Did move your greatness and this noble state To call upon him. He hopes it is no other But for your health and your digestion sake, An after-dinner’s breath. AGAMEMNON Hear you, Patroclus: We are too well acquainted with these answers, But his evasion, winged thus swift with scorn, Cannot outfly our apprehensions. Much attribute he hath, and much the reason Why we ascribe it to him. Yet all his virtues, Not virtuously on his own part beheld, NESTOR 110 115 120 125 99 FTLN 1335 FTLN 1336 FTLN 1337 FTLN 1338 FTLN 1339 FTLN 1340 FTLN 1341 FTLN 1342 FTLN 1343 FTLN 1344 FTLN 1345 FTLN 1346 FTLN 1347 FTLN 1348 FTLN 1349 FTLN 1350 FTLN 1351 FTLN 1352 FTLN 1353 FTLN 1354 FTLN 1355 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 3 Do in our eyes begin to lose their gloss, Yea, and like fair fruit in an unwholesome dish, Are like to rot untasted. Go and tell him We come to speak with him; and you shall not sin If you do say we think him overproud And underhonest, in self-assumption greater Than in the note of judgment; and worthier than himself Here tend the savage strangeness he puts on, Disguise the holy strength of their command, And underwrite in an observing kind His humorous predominance—yea, watch His course and time, his ebbs and flows, as if The passage and whole carriage of this action Rode on his tide. Go tell him this, and add That, if he overhold his price so much, We’ll none of him. But let him, like an engine Not portable, lie under this report: “Bring action hither; this cannot go to war.” A stirring dwarf we do allowance give Before a sleeping giant. Tell him so. 130 135 140 145 PATROCLUS FTLN 1356 I shall, and bring his answer presently. AGAMEMNON FTLN 1357 FTLN 1358 FTLN 1359 FTLN 1360 FTLN 1361 FTLN 1362 FTLN 1363 FTLN 1364 FTLN 1365 FTLN 1366 FTLN 1367 In second voice we’ll not be satisfied; We come to speak with him.—Ulysses, enter you. Ulysses exits, with Patroclus. AJAX What is he more than another? AGAMEMNON No more than what he thinks he is. AJAX Is he so much? Do you not think he thinks himself a better man than I am? AGAMEMNON No question. AJAX Will you subscribe his thought and say he is? AGAMEMNON No, noble Ajax. You are as strong, as valiant, as wise, no less noble, much more gentle, and altogether more tractable. 150 155 101 FTLN 1368 FTLN 1369 FTLN 1370 FTLN 1371 FTLN 1372 FTLN 1373 FTLN 1374 FTLN 1375 FTLN 1376 FTLN 1377 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 3 Why should a man be proud? How doth pride grow? I know not what pride is. AGAMEMNON Your mind is the clearer, Ajax, and your virtues the fairer. He that is proud eats up himself. Pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praises itself but in the deed devours the deed in the praise. AJAX I do hate a proud man as I hate the engendering of toads. NESTOR, aside And yet he loves himself. Is ’t not strange? AJAX 160 165 Enter Ulysses. ULYSSES FTLN 1378 Achilles will not to the field tomorrow. AGAMEMNON FTLN 1379 FTLN 1380 FTLN 1381 FTLN 1382 FTLN 1383 What’s his excuse? 170 He doth rely on none, But carries on the stream of his dispose, Without observance or respect of any, In will peculiar and in self-admission. ULYSSES AGAMEMNON FTLN 1384 FTLN 1385 Why, will he not, upon our fair request, Untent his person and share th’ air with us? 175 ULYSSES FTLN 1386 FTLN 1387 FTLN 1388 FTLN 1389 FTLN 1390 FTLN 1391 FTLN 1392 FTLN 1393 FTLN 1394 FTLN 1395 FTLN 1396 Things small as nothing, for request’s sake only, He makes important. Possessed he is with greatness And speaks not to himself but with a pride That quarrels at self-breath. Imagined worth Holds in his blood such swoll’n and hot discourse That ’twixt his mental and his active parts Kingdomed Achilles in commotion rages And batters down himself. What should I say? He is so plaguy proud that the death-tokens of it Cry “No recovery.” AGAMEMNON Let Ajax go to him.— 180 185 103 FTLN 1397 FTLN 1398 FTLN 1399 Troilus and Cressida Dear lord, go you and greet him in his tent. ’Tis said he holds you well and will be led At your request a little from himself. ACT 2. SC. 3 190 ULYSSES FTLN 1400 FTLN 1401 FTLN 1402 FTLN 1403 FTLN 1404 FTLN 1405 FTLN 1406 FTLN 1407 FTLN 1408 FTLN 1409 FTLN 1410 FTLN 1411 FTLN 1412 FTLN 1413 FTLN 1414 FTLN 1415 FTLN 1416 FTLN 1417 FTLN 1418 FTLN 1419 O Agamemnon, let it not be so! We’ll consecrate the steps that Ajax makes When they go from Achilles. Shall the proud lord That bastes his arrogance with his own seam And never suffers matter of the world Enter his thoughts, save such as doth revolve And ruminate himself—shall he be worshipped Of that we hold an idol more than he? No. This thrice-worthy and right valiant lord Shall not so stale his palm, nobly acquired, Nor, by my will, assubjugate his merit, As amply titled as Achilles is, By going to Achilles. That were to enlard his fat-already pride And add more coals to Cancer when he burns With entertaining great Hyperion. This lord go to him? Jupiter forbid And say in thunder “Achilles, go to him.” NESTOR, aside to Diomedes O, this is well; he rubs the vein of him. DIOMEDES, aside to Nestor And how his silence drinks up this applause! 195 200 205 210 AJAX FTLN 1420 FTLN 1421 FTLN 1422 If I go to him, with my armèd fist I’ll pash him o’er the face. AGAMEMNON O, no, you shall not go. AJAX FTLN 1423 FTLN 1424 An he be proud with me, I’ll feeze his pride. Let me go to him. ULYSSES FTLN 1425 FTLN 1426 Not for the worth that hangs upon our quarrel. A paltry, insolent fellow. AJAX 215 105 FTLN 1427 FTLN 1428 FTLN 1429 FTLN 1430 FTLN 1431 FTLN 1432 FTLN 1433 FTLN 1434 FTLN 1435 FTLN 1436 FTLN 1437 FTLN 1438 FTLN 1439 FTLN 1440 FTLN 1441 FTLN 1442 FTLN 1443 FTLN 1444 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 3 NESTOR, aside How he describes himself! AJAX Can he not be sociable? ULYSSES, aside The raven chides blackness. AJAX I’ll let his humorous blood. AGAMEMNON, aside He will be the physician that should be the patient. AJAX An all men were of my mind— ULYSSES, aside Wit would be out of fashion. AJAX —he should not bear it so; he should eat swords first. Shall pride carry it? NESTOR, aside An ’twould, you’d carry half. ULYSSES, aside He would have ten shares. AJAX I will knead him; I’ll make him supple. NESTOR, aside He’s not yet through warm. Force him with praises. Pour in, pour in; his ambition is dry. ULYSSES, to Agamemnon My lord, you feed too much on this dislike. NESTOR, to Agamemnon Our noble general, do not do so. DIOMEDES, to Agamemnon You must prepare to fight without Achilles. 220 225 230 235 ULYSSES FTLN 1445 FTLN 1446 FTLN 1447 FTLN 1448 FTLN 1449 Why, ’tis this naming of him does him harm. Here is a man—but ’tis before his face; I will be silent. NESTOR Wherefore should you so? He is not emulous, as Achilles is. 240 ULYSSES FTLN 1450 FTLN 1451 FTLN 1452 FTLN 1453 FTLN 1454 FTLN 1455 FTLN 1456 FTLN 1457 Know the whole world, he is as valiant— A whoreson dog, that shall palter with us thus! Would he were a Trojan! NESTOR What a vice were it in Ajax now— ULYSSES If he were proud— DIOMEDES Or covetous of praise— ULYSSES Ay, or surly borne— DIOMEDES Or strange, or self-affected— AJAX 245 107 Troilus and Cressida ACT 2. SC. 3 ULYSSES, FTLN 1458 FTLN 1459 FTLN 1460 FTLN 1461 FTLN 1462 FTLN 1463 FTLN 1464 FTLN 1465 FTLN 1466 FTLN 1467 FTLN 1468 FTLN 1469 FTLN 1470 FTLN 1471 FTLN 1472 FTLN 1473 FTLN 1474 FTLN 1475 FTLN 1476 to Ajax Thank the heavens, lord, thou art of sweet composure. Praise him that gat thee, she that gave thee suck; Famed be thy tutor, and thy parts of nature Thrice famed beyond, beyond thy erudition; But he that disciplined thine arms to fight, Let Mars divide eternity in twain And give him half; and for thy vigor, Bull-bearing Milo his addition yield To sinewy Ajax. I will not praise thy wisdom, Which like a bourn, a pale, a shore confines Thy spacious and dilated parts. Here’s Nestor, Instructed by the antiquary times; He must, he is, he cannot but be wise.— But pardon, father Nestor, were your days As green as Ajax’ and your brain so tempered, You should not have the eminence of him, But be as Ajax. AJAX Shall I call you father? 250 255 260 265 NESTOR FTLN 1477 FTLN 1478 Ay, my good son. DIOMEDES Be ruled by him, Lord Ajax. ULYSSES FTLN 1479 FTLN 1480 FTLN 1481 FTLN 1482 FTLN 1483 FTLN 1484 FTLN 1485 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. Tomorrow 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. AGAMEMNON FTLN 1486 FTLN 1487 Go we to council. Let Achilles sleep. Light boats sail swift, though greater hulks draw deep. They exit. 270 275 ACT 3 Scene 1 Music sounds within. Enter Pandarus and Paris’s Servingman. FTLN 1488 FTLN 1489 FTLN 1490 FTLN 1491 FTLN 1492 FTLN 1493 FTLN 1494 FTLN 1495 FTLN 1496 FTLN 1497 FTLN 1498 FTLN 1499 FTLN 1500 FTLN 1501 FTLN 1502 FTLN 1503 FTLN 1504 FTLN 1505 FTLN 1506 FTLN 1507 FTLN 1508 FTLN 1509 FTLN 1510 Friend, you, pray you, a word. Do you not follow the young Lord Paris? MAN Ay, sir, when he goes before me. PANDARUS You depend upon him, I mean. MAN Sir, I do depend upon the Lord. PANDARUS You depend upon a notable gentleman. I must needs praise him. MAN The Lord be praised! PANDARUS You know me, do you not? MAN Faith, sir, superficially. PANDARUS Friend, know me better. I am the Lord Pandarus. MAN I hope I shall know your Honor better. PANDARUS I do desire it. MAN You are in the state of grace? PANDARUS Grace? Not so, friend. “Honor” and “Lordship” are my titles. What music is this? MAN I do but partly know, sir. It is music in parts. PANDARUS Know you the musicians? MAN Wholly, sir. PANDARUS Who play they to? MAN To the hearers, sir. PANDARUS At whose pleasure, friend? 111 PANDARUS 5 10 15 20 113 FTLN 1511 FTLN 1512 FTLN 1513 FTLN 1514 FTLN 1515 FTLN 1516 FTLN 1517 FTLN 1518 FTLN 1519 FTLN 1520 FTLN 1521 FTLN 1522 FTLN 1523 FTLN 1524 FTLN 1525 FTLN 1526 FTLN 1527 FTLN 1528 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 1 At mine, sir, and theirs that love music. PANDARUS Command, I mean, friend. MAN Who shall I command, sir? PANDARUS Friend, we understand not one another. I am too courtly and thou art too cunning. At whose request do these men play? MAN That’s to ’t indeed, sir. Marry, sir, at the request of Paris my lord, who is there in person; with him the mortal Venus, the heart blood of beauty, love’s visible soul. PANDARUS Who, my cousin Cressida? MAN No, sir, Helen. Could not you find out that by her attributes? PANDARUS It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the Lady Cressid. I come to speak with Paris from the Prince Troilus. I will make a complimental assault upon him, for my business seethes. MAN Sodden business! There’s a stewed phrase indeed. MAN 25 30 35 40 Enter Paris and Helen with Attendants. FTLN 1529 FTLN 1530 FTLN 1531 FTLN 1532 FTLN 1533 FTLN 1534 FTLN 1535 FTLN 1536 FTLN 1537 FTLN 1538 FTLN 1539 FTLN 1540 FTLN 1541 FTLN 1542 FTLN 1543 Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company! Fair desires in all fair measure fairly guide them!—Especially to you, fair queen, fair thoughts be your fair pillow! HELEN Dear lord, you are full of fair words. PANDARUS You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen.—Fair prince, here is good broken music. PARIS You have broke it, cousin, and, by my life, you shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance. HELEN He is full of harmony. PANDARUS Truly, lady, no. HELEN O, sir— PANDARUS Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude. PARIS Well said, my lord; well, you say so in fits. PANDARUS 45 50 55 115 FTLN 1544 FTLN 1545 FTLN 1546 FTLN 1547 FTLN 1548 FTLN 1549 FTLN 1550 FTLN 1551 FTLN 1552 FTLN 1553 FTLN 1554 FTLN 1555 FTLN 1556 FTLN 1557 FTLN 1558 FTLN 1559 FTLN 1560 FTLN 1561 FTLN 1562 FTLN 1563 FTLN 1564 FTLN 1565 FTLN 1566 FTLN 1567 FTLN 1568 FTLN 1569 FTLN 1570 FTLN 1571 FTLN 1572 FTLN 1573 FTLN 1574 FTLN 1575 FTLN 1576 FTLN 1577 FTLN 1578 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 1 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— HELEN My Lord Pandarus, honey-sweet lord— PANDARUS Go to, sweet queen, go to—commends himself most affectionately to you— HELEN You shall not bob us out of our melody. If you do, our melancholy upon your head! PANDARUS Sweet queen, sweet queen, that’s a sweet queen, i’ faith— HELEN And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence. PANDARUS Nay, that shall not serve your turn, that shall it not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words, no, no.—And, my lord, he desires you that if the King call for him at supper, you will make his excuse. HELEN My Lord Pandarus— PANDARUS What says my sweet queen, my very, very sweet queen? PARIS What exploit’s in hand? Where sups he tonight? HELEN Nay, but, my lord— PANDARUS What says my sweet queen? My cousin will fall out with you. HELEN, to Paris You must not know where he sups. PARIS I’ll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida. PANDARUS No, no, no such matter; you are wide. Come, your disposer is sick. PARIS Well, I’ll make ’s excuse. PANDARUS Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? No, your poor disposer’s sick. PARIS I spy. PANDARUS 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 117 FTLN 1579 FTLN 1580 FTLN 1581 FTLN 1582 FTLN 1583 FTLN 1584 FTLN 1585 FTLN 1586 FTLN 1587 FTLN 1588 FTLN 1589 FTLN 1590 FTLN 1591 FTLN 1592 FTLN 1593 FTLN 1594 FTLN 1595 FTLN 1596 FTLN 1597 FTLN 1598 FTLN 1599 FTLN 1600 FTLN 1601 FTLN 1602 FTLN 1603 FTLN 1604 FTLN 1605 FTLN 1606 FTLN 1607 FTLN 1608 FTLN 1609 FTLN 1610 FTLN 1611 FTLN 1612 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 1 You spy? What do you spy?—Come, give me an instrument. An Attendant gives him an instrument. Now, sweet queen. HELEN Why, this is kindly done. PANDARUS My niece is horribly in love with a thing you have, sweet queen. HELEN She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my Lord Paris. PANDARUS He? No, she’ll none of him. They two are twain. HELEN Falling in after falling out may make them three. PANDARUS Come, come, I’ll hear no more of this. I’ll sing you a song now. HELEN Ay, ay, prithee. Now, by my troth, sweet lord, thou hast a fine forehead. PANDARUS Ay, you may, you may. HELEN Let thy song be love. “This love will undo us all.” O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid! PANDARUS Love? Ay, that it shall, i’ faith. PARIS Ay, good now, “Love, love, nothing but love.” PANDARUS In good troth, it begins so. Love, love, nothing but love, still love, still more! For, O, love’s bow Shoots buck and doe. The shaft confounds Not that it wounds But tickles still the sore. PANDARUS These lovers cry “O ho!” they die, Yet that which seems the wound to kill Doth turn “O ho!” to “Ha ha he!” So dying love lives still. “O ho!” awhile, but “Ha ha ha!” “O ho!”groans out for “ha ha ha!”—Hey ho! 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 119 FTLN 1613 FTLN 1614 FTLN 1615 FTLN 1616 FTLN 1617 FTLN 1618 FTLN 1619 FTLN 1620 FTLN 1621 FTLN 1622 FTLN 1623 FTLN 1624 FTLN 1625 FTLN 1626 FTLN 1627 FTLN 1628 FTLN 1629 FTLN 1630 FTLN 1631 FTLN 1632 FTLN 1633 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 1 In love, i’ faith, to the very tip of the nose. PARIS He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds hot blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love. PANDARUS Is this the generation of love? Hot blood, hot thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers. Is love a generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who’s afield today? PARIS Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the gallantry of Troy. I would fain have armed today, but my Nell would not have it so. How chance my brother Troilus went not? HELEN He hangs the lip at something.—You know all, Lord Pandarus. PANDARUS Not I, honey sweet queen. I long to hear how they sped today.—You’ll remember your brother’s excuse? PARIS To a hair. PANDARUS Farewell, sweet queen. HELEN Commend me to your niece. PANDARUS I will, sweet queen. He exits. Sound a retreat. HELEN 130 135 140 145 PARIS FTLN 1634 FTLN 1635 FTLN 1636 FTLN 1637 FTLN 1638 FTLN 1639 FTLN 1640 They’re come from the field. Let us to Priam’s hall To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you To help unarm our Hector. His stubborn buckles, With these your white enchanting fingers touched, Shall more obey than to the edge of steel Or force of Greekish sinews. You shall do more Than all the island kings: disarm great Hector. 150 HELEN FTLN 1641 FTLN 1642 FTLN 1643 FTLN 1644 FTLN 1645 ’Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris. Yea, what he shall receive of us in duty Gives us more palm in beauty than we have, Yea, overshines ourself. PARIS Sweet, above thought I love thee. 155 They exit. 121 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 2 Scene 2 Enter Pandarus and Troilus’s Man, meeting. FTLN 1646 FTLN 1647 FTLN 1648 How now? Where’s thy master? At my cousin Cressida’s? MAN No, sir, he stays for you to conduct him thither. PANDARUS Enter Troilus. O, here he comes.—How now, how now? to his Man Sirrah, walk off. Man exits. PANDARUS Have you seen my cousin? FTLN 1649 PANDARUS FTLN 1650 TROILUS, FTLN 1651 5 TROILUS FTLN 1652 FTLN 1653 FTLN 1654 FTLN 1655 FTLN 1656 FTLN 1657 FTLN 1658 FTLN 1659 FTLN 1660 FTLN 1661 No, Pandarus. I stalk about her door Like a strange soul upon the Stygian banks Staying for waftage. O, be thou my Charon, And give me swift transportance to those fields Where I may wallow in the lily beds Proposed for the deserver! O, gentle Pandar, From Cupid’s shoulder pluck his painted wings And fly with me to Cressid! PANDARUS Walk here i’ th’ orchard. I’ll bring her straight. Pandarus exits. 10 15 TROILUS FTLN 1662 FTLN 1663 FTLN 1664 FTLN 1665 FTLN 1666 FTLN 1667 FTLN 1668 FTLN 1669 FTLN 1670 FTLN 1671 FTLN 1672 FTLN 1673 I am giddy; expectation whirls me round. Th’ imaginary relish is so sweet That it enchants my sense. What will it be When that the wat’ry palate taste indeed Love’s thrice-repurèd nectar? Death, I fear me, Swooning destruction, or some joy too fine, Too subtle-potent, tuned too sharp in sweetness For the capacity of my ruder powers. I fear it much; and I do fear besides That I shall lose distinction in my joys, As doth a battle when they charge on heaps The enemy flying. 20 25 123 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 2 Enter Pandarus. FTLN 1674 FTLN 1675 FTLN 1676 FTLN 1677 FTLN 1678 She’s making her ready; she’ll come straight. You must be witty now. She does so blush and fetches her wind so short as if she were frayed with a spirit. I’ll fetch her. It is the prettiest villain. She fetches her breath as short as a new-ta’en sparrow. Pandarus exits. PANDARUS 30 TROILUS FTLN 1679 FTLN 1680 FTLN 1681 FTLN 1682 FTLN 1683 Even such a passion doth embrace my bosom. My heart beats thicker than a feverous pulse, And all my powers do their bestowing lose, Like vassalage at unawares encount’ring The eye of majesty. 35 Enter Pandarus, and Cressida veiled. FTLN 1684 FTLN 1685 FTLN 1686 FTLN 1687 FTLN 1688 FTLN 1689 FTLN 1690 FTLN 1691 FTLN 1692 FTLN 1693 FTLN 1694 FTLN 1695 FTLN 1696 FTLN 1697 FTLN 1698 FTLN 1699 FTLN 1700 FTLN 1701 FTLN 1702 FTLN 1703 PANDARUS, to Cressida Come, come, what need you blush? Shame’s a baby.—Here she is now. Swear the oaths now to her that you have sworn to me. Cressida offers to leave. What, are you gone again? You must be watched ere you be made tame, must you? Come your ways; come your ways. An you draw backward, we’ll put you i’ th’ thills. —Why do you not speak to her?—Come, draw this curtain and let’s see your picture. He draws back her veil. Alas the day, how loath you are to offend daylight! An ’twere dark, you’d close sooner.—So, so, rub on, and kiss the mistress. ( They kiss. ) How now? A kiss in fee-farm? Build there, carpenter; the air is sweet. Nay, you shall fight your hearts out ere I part you. The falcon as the tercel, for all the ducks i’ th’ river. Go to, go to. TROILUS You have bereft me of all words, lady. PANDARUS Words pay no debts; give her deeds. But she’ll bereave you o’ th’ deeds too, if she call your activity in question. ( They kiss. ) What, billing 40 45 50 55 125 FTLN 1704 FTLN 1705 FTLN 1706 FTLN 1707 FTLN 1708 FTLN 1709 FTLN 1710 FTLN 1711 FTLN 1712 FTLN 1713 FTLN 1714 FTLN 1715 FTLN 1716 FTLN 1717 FTLN 1718 FTLN 1719 FTLN 1720 FTLN 1721 FTLN 1722 FTLN 1723 FTLN 1724 FTLN 1725 FTLN 1726 FTLN 1727 FTLN 1728 FTLN 1729 FTLN 1730 FTLN 1731 FTLN 1732 FTLN 1733 FTLN 1734 FTLN 1735 FTLN 1736 FTLN 1737 FTLN 1738 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 2 again? Here’s “In witness whereof the parties interchangeably—.” Come in, come in. I’ll go get a fire. Pandarus exits. CRESSIDA Will you walk in, my lord? TROILUS O Cressid, how often have I wished me thus! CRESSIDA “Wished,” my lord? The gods grant—O, my lord! TROILUS What should they grant? What makes this pretty abruption? What too-curious dreg espies my sweet lady in the fountain of our love? CRESSIDA More dregs than water, if my fears have eyes. TROILUS Fears make devils of cherubins; they never see truly. CRESSIDA Blind fear, that seeing reason leads, finds safer footing than blind reason, stumbling without fear. To fear the worst oft cures the worse. TROILUS O, let my lady apprehend no fear. In all Cupid’s pageant there is presented no monster. CRESSIDA Nor nothing monstrous neither? TROILUS Nothing but our undertakings, when we vow to weep seas, live in fire, eat rocks, tame tigers, thinking it harder for our mistress to devise imposition enough than for us to undergo any difficulty imposed. This is the monstruosity in love, lady, that the will is infinite and the execution confined, that the desire is boundless and the act a slave to limit. CRESSIDA They say all lovers swear more performance than they are able and yet reserve an ability that they never perform, vowing more than the perfection of ten and discharging less than the tenth part of one. They that have the voice of lions and the act of hares, are they not monsters? TROILUS Are there such? Such are not we. Praise us as we are tasted, allow us as we prove; our head shall go bare till merit crown it. No perfection in reversion shall have a praise in present. We will not 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 127 FTLN 1739 FTLN 1740 FTLN 1741 FTLN 1742 FTLN 1743 FTLN 1744 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 2 name desert before his birth, and, being born, his addition shall be humble. Few words to fair faith. Troilus shall be such to Cressid as what envy can say worst shall be a mock for his truth, and what truth can speak truest not truer than Troilus. CRESSIDA Will you walk in, my lord? 95 Enter Pandarus. FTLN 1745 FTLN 1746 FTLN 1747 FTLN 1748 FTLN 1749 FTLN 1750 FTLN 1751 FTLN 1752 FTLN 1753 FTLN 1754 FTLN 1755 FTLN 1756 FTLN 1757 What, blushing still? Have you not done talking yet? CRESSIDA Well, uncle, what folly I commit I dedicate to you. PANDARUS I thank you for that. If my lord get a boy of you, you’ll give him me. Be true to my lord. If he flinch, chide me for it. TROILUS, to Cressida You know now your hostages: your uncle’s word and my firm faith. PANDARUS Nay, I’ll give my word for her too. Our kindred, though they be long ere they be wooed, they are constant being won. They are burrs, I can tell you; they’ll stick where they are thrown. PANDARUS 100 105 110 CRESSIDA FTLN 1758 FTLN 1759 FTLN 1760 Boldness comes to me now and brings me heart. Prince Troilus, I have loved you night and day For many weary months. 115 TROILUS FTLN 1761 Why was my Cressid then so hard to win? CRESSIDA FTLN 1762 FTLN 1763 FTLN 1764 FTLN 1765 FTLN 1766 FTLN 1767 FTLN 1768 FTLN 1769 Hard to seem won; but I was won, my lord, With the first glance that ever—pardon me; If I confess much, you will play the tyrant. I love you now, but till now not so much But I might master it. In faith, I lie; My thoughts were like unbridled children grown Too headstrong for their mother. See, we fools! Why have I blabbed? Who shall be true to us 120 129 FTLN 1770 FTLN 1771 FTLN 1772 FTLN 1773 FTLN 1774 FTLN 1775 FTLN 1776 FTLN 1777 FTLN 1778 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 2 When we are so unsecret to ourselves? But though I loved you well, I wooed you not; And yet, good faith, I wished myself a man; Or that we women had men’s privilege Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue, For in this rapture I shall surely speak The thing I shall repent. See, see, your silence, Cunning in dumbness, from my weakness draws My very soul of counsel! Stop my mouth. 125 130 TROILUS FTLN 1779 FTLN 1780 FTLN 1781 FTLN 1782 FTLN 1783 FTLN 1784 FTLN 1785 FTLN 1786 FTLN 1787 FTLN 1788 FTLN 1789 FTLN 1790 FTLN 1791 FTLN 1792 FTLN 1793 FTLN 1794 FTLN 1795 FTLN 1796 And shall, albeit sweet music issues thence. They kiss. Pretty, i’ faith! CRESSIDA, to Troilus My lord, I do beseech you pardon me. ’Twas not my purpose thus to beg a kiss. I am ashamed. O heavens, what have I done! For this time will I take my leave, my lord. TROILUS Your leave, sweet Cressid? PANDARUS Leave? An you take leave till tomorrow morning— CRESSIDA Pray you, content you. TROILUS What offends you, lady? CRESSIDA Sir, mine own company. TROILUS You cannot shun yourself. CRESSIDA Let me go and try. I have a kind of self resides with you, But an unkind self that itself will leave To be another’s fool. I would be gone. Where is my wit? I know not what I speak. PANDARUS 135 140 145 150 TROILUS FTLN 1797 Well know they what they speak that speak so wisely. CRESSIDA FTLN 1798 FTLN 1799 FTLN 1800 Perchance, my lord, I show more craft than love And fell so roundly to a large confession To angle for your thoughts. But you are wise, 155 131 FTLN 1801 FTLN 1802 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 2 Or else you love not; for to be wise and love Exceeds man’s might. That dwells with gods above. TROILUS FTLN 1803 FTLN 1804 FTLN 1805 FTLN 1806 FTLN 1807 FTLN 1808 FTLN 1809 FTLN 1810 FTLN 1811 FTLN 1812 FTLN 1813 FTLN 1814 FTLN 1815 O, that I thought it could be in a woman— As, if it can, I will presume in you— To feed for aye her lamp and flames of love, To keep her constancy in plight and youth, Outliving beauty’s outward, with a mind That doth renew swifter than blood decays! Or that persuasion could but thus convince me That my integrity and truth to you Might be affronted with the match and weight Of such a winnowed purity in love; How were I then uplifted! But, alas, I am as true as truth’s simplicity And simpler than the infancy of truth. 160 165 170 CRESSIDA FTLN 1816 FTLN 1817 FTLN 1818 FTLN 1819 FTLN 1820 FTLN 1821 FTLN 1822 FTLN 1823 FTLN 1824 FTLN 1825 FTLN 1826 FTLN 1827 FTLN 1828 FTLN 1829 FTLN 1830 FTLN 1831 FTLN 1832 FTLN 1833 FTLN 1834 In that I’ll war with you. O virtuous fight, When right with right wars who shall be most right! True swains in love shall in the world to come Approve their truth by Troilus. When their rhymes, Full of protest, of oath and big compare, Wants similes, truth tired with iteration— “As true as steel, as plantage to the moon, As sun to day, as turtle to her mate, As iron to adamant, as Earth to th’ center”— Yet, after all comparisons of truth, As truth’s authentic author to be cited, “As true as Troilus” shall crown up the verse And sanctify the numbers. CRESSIDA Prophet may you be! If I be false or swerve a hair from truth, When time is old and hath forgot itself, When water drops have worn the stones of Troy And blind oblivion swallowed cities up, TROILUS 175 180 185 133 FTLN 1835 FTLN 1836 FTLN 1837 FTLN 1838 FTLN 1839 FTLN 1840 FTLN 1841 FTLN 1842 FTLN 1843 FTLN 1844 FTLN 1845 FTLN 1846 FTLN 1847 FTLN 1848 FTLN 1849 FTLN 1850 FTLN 1851 FTLN 1852 FTLN 1853 FTLN 1854 FTLN 1855 FTLN 1856 FTLN 1857 FTLN 1858 FTLN 1859 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 And mighty states characterless are grated To dusty nothing, yet let memory, From false to false, among false maids in love, Upbraid my falsehood! When they’ve said “as false As air, as water, wind or sandy earth, As fox to lamb, or wolf to heifer’s calf, Pard to the hind, or stepdame to her son,” Yea, let them say, to stick the heart of falsehood, “As false as Cressid.” PANDARUS Go to, a bargain made. Seal it, seal it. I’ll be the witness. Here I hold your hand, here my cousin’s. If ever you prove false one to another, since I have taken such pains to bring you together, let all pitiful goers-between be called to the world’s end after my name: call them all panders. Let all constant men be Troiluses, all false women Cressids, and all brokers-between panders. Say “Amen.” TROILUS Amen. CRESSIDA Amen. PANDARUS Amen. Whereupon I will show you a chamber with a bed, which bed, because it shall not speak of your pretty encounters, press it to death. Away. Troilus and Cressida exit. And Cupid grant all tongue-tied maidens here Bed, chamber, pander to provide this gear. He exits. Scene 3 Flourish. Enter Ulysses, Diomedes, Nestor, Agamemnon, Calchas, Menelaus, and Ajax. CALCHAS FTLN 1860 FTLN 1861 FTLN 1862 Now, princes, for the service I have done you, Th’ advantage of the time prompts me aloud To call for recompense. Appear it to your mind 190 195 200 205 210 135 FTLN 1863 FTLN 1864 FTLN 1865 FTLN 1866 FTLN 1867 FTLN 1868 FTLN 1869 FTLN 1870 FTLN 1871 FTLN 1872 FTLN 1873 FTLN 1874 FTLN 1875 Troilus and Cressida That, through the sight I bear in things to come, I have abandoned Troy, left my possessions, Incurred a traitor’s name, exposed myself, From certain and possessed conveniences, To doubtful fortunes, sequest’ring from me all That time, acquaintance, custom, and condition Made tame and most familiar to my nature, And here, to do you service, am become As new into the world, strange, unacquainted. I do beseech you, as in way of taste, To give me now a little benefit Out of those many regist’red in promise, Which you say live to come in my behalf. ACT 3. SC. 3 5 10 15 AGAMEMNON FTLN 1876 What wouldst thou of us, Trojan, make demand? CALCHAS FTLN 1877 FTLN 1878 FTLN 1879 FTLN 1880 FTLN 1881 FTLN 1882 FTLN 1883 FTLN 1884 FTLN 1885 FTLN 1886 FTLN 1887 FTLN 1888 FTLN 1889 FTLN 1890 FTLN 1891 FTLN 1892 FTLN 1893 FTLN 1894 FTLN 1895 You have a Trojan prisoner called Antenor Yesterday took. Troy holds him very dear. Oft have you—often have you thanks therefor— Desired my Cressid in right great exchange, Whom Troy hath still denied; but this Antenor, I know, is such a wrest in their affairs That their negotiations all must slack, Wanting his manage; and they will almost Give us a prince of blood, a son of Priam, In change of him. Let him be sent, great princes, And he shall buy my daughter; and her presence Shall quite strike off all service I have done In most accepted pain. AGAMEMNON Let Diomedes bear him, And bring us Cressid hither. Calchas shall have What he requests of us. Good Diomed, Furnish you fairly for this interchange. Withal, bring word if Hector will tomorrow Be answered in his challenge. Ajax is ready. 20 25 30 35 137 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 DIOMEDES FTLN 1896 FTLN 1897 This shall I undertake, and ’tis a burden Which I am proud to bear. He exits with Calchas. Achilles and Patroclus stand in their tent. ULYSSES FTLN 1898 FTLN 1899 FTLN 1900 FTLN 1901 FTLN 1902 FTLN 1903 FTLN 1904 FTLN 1905 FTLN 1906 FTLN 1907 FTLN 1908 FTLN 1909 FTLN 1910 Achilles stands i’ th’ entrance of his tent. Please it our General pass strangely by him As if he were forgot, and, princes all, Lay negligent and loose regard upon him. I will come last. ’Tis like he’ll question me Why such unplausive eyes are bent, why turned on him. If so, I have derision medicinable To use between your strangeness and his pride, Which his own will shall have desire to drink. It may do good; pride hath no other glass To show itself but pride, for supple knees Feed arrogance and are the proud man’s fees. 40 45 50 AGAMEMNON FTLN 1911 FTLN 1912 FTLN 1913 FTLN 1914 FTLN 1915 We’ll execute your purpose and put on A form of strangeness as we pass along; So do each lord, and either greet him not Or else disdainfully, which shall shake him more Than if not looked on. I will lead the way. 55 They pass before Achilles and Patroclus. Ulysses remains in place, reading. ACHILLES FTLN 1916 FTLN 1917 FTLN 1918 FTLN 1919 FTLN 1920 What, comes the General to speak with me? You know my mind: I’ll fight no more ’gainst Troy. AGAMEMNON, to Nestor What says Achilles? Would he aught with us? NESTOR, to Achilles Would you, my lord, aught with the General? ACHILLES No. 60 139 FTLN 1921 FTLN 1922 FTLN 1923 FTLN 1924 FTLN 1925 FTLN 1926 FTLN 1927 FTLN 1928 FTLN 1929 FTLN 1930 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 Nothing, my lord. AGAMEMNON The better. Agamemnon and Nestor exit. ACHILLES, to Menelaus Good day, good day. MENELAUS How do you? How do you? He exits. ACHILLES What, does the cuckold scorn me? AJAX How now, Patroclus? ACHILLES Good morrow, Ajax. AJAX Ha? ACHILLES Good morrow. AJAX Ay, and good next day too. He exits. NESTOR 65 70 ACHILLES FTLN 1931 What mean these fellows? Know they not Achilles? PATROCLUS FTLN 1932 FTLN 1933 FTLN 1934 FTLN 1935 FTLN 1936 FTLN 1937 FTLN 1938 FTLN 1939 FTLN 1940 FTLN 1941 FTLN 1942 FTLN 1943 FTLN 1944 FTLN 1945 FTLN 1946 FTLN 1947 FTLN 1948 FTLN 1949 FTLN 1950 FTLN 1951 FTLN 1952 FTLN 1953 They pass by strangely. They were used to bend, To send their smiles before them to Achilles, To come as humbly as they use to creep To holy altars. ACHILLES What, am I poor of late? ’Tis certain, greatness, once fall’n out with Fortune, Must fall out with men too. What the declined is He shall as soon read in the eyes of others As feel in his own fall, for men, like butterflies, Show not their mealy wings but to the summer, And not a man, for being simply man, Hath any honor, but honor for those honors That are without him—as place, riches, and favor, Prizes of accident as oft as merit, Which, when they fall, as being slippery slanders, The love that leaned on them, as slippery too, Doth one pluck down another and together Die in the fall. But ’tis not so with me. Fortune and I are friends. I do enjoy, At ample point, all that I did possess, Save these men’s looks, who do, methinks, find out Something not worth in me such rich beholding 75 80 85 90 141 FTLN 1954 FTLN 1955 FTLN 1956 FTLN 1957 FTLN 1958 FTLN 1959 FTLN 1960 FTLN 1961 FTLN 1962 FTLN 1963 FTLN 1964 FTLN 1965 FTLN 1966 FTLN 1967 FTLN 1968 FTLN 1969 FTLN 1970 FTLN 1971 FTLN 1972 FTLN 1973 FTLN 1974 FTLN 1975 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 As they have often given. Here is Ulysses. I’ll interrupt his reading.—How now, Ulysses? ULYSSES Now, great Thetis’ son— ACHILLES What are you reading? ULYSSES A strange fellow here Writes me that man, how dearly ever parted, How much in having, or without or in, Cannot make boast to have that which he hath, Nor feels not what he owes, but by reflection; As when his virtues, shining upon others, Heat them, and they retort that heat again To the first giver. ACHILLES This is not strange, Ulysses. The beauty that is borne here in the face The bearer knows not, but commends itself To others’ eyes; nor doth the eye itself, That most pure spirit of sense, behold itself, Not going from itself, but eye to eye opposed Salutes each other with each other’s form. For speculation turns not to itself Till it hath traveled and is mirrored there Where it may see itself. This is not strange at all. 95 100 105 110 115 ULYSSES FTLN 1976 FTLN 1977 FTLN 1978 FTLN 1979 FTLN 1980 FTLN 1981 FTLN 1982 FTLN 1983 FTLN 1984 FTLN 1985 FTLN 1986 FTLN 1987 FTLN 1988 I do not strain at the position— It is familiar—but at the author’s drift, Who in his circumstance expressly proves That no man is the lord of anything— Though in and of him there be much consisting— Till he communicate his parts to others; Nor doth he of himself know them for aught Till he behold them formed in the applause Where they’re extended; who, like an arch, reverb’rate The voice again or, like a gate of steel Fronting the sun, receives and renders back His figure and his heat. I was much rapt in this And apprehended here immediately 120 125 143 FTLN 1989 FTLN 1990 FTLN 1991 FTLN 1992 FTLN 1993 FTLN 1994 FTLN 1995 FTLN 1996 FTLN 1997 FTLN 1998 FTLN 1999 FTLN 2000 FTLN 2001 FTLN 2002 FTLN 2003 FTLN 2004 FTLN 2005 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 Th’ unknown Ajax. Heavens, what a man is there! A very horse, that has he knows not what! Nature, what things there are Most abject in regard, and dear in use, What things again most dear in the esteem And poor in worth! Now shall we see tomorrow— An act that very chance doth throw upon him— Ajax renowned. O, heavens, what some men do While some men leave to do! How some men creep in skittish Fortune’s hall, Whiles others play the idiots in her eyes! How one man eats into another’s pride, While pride is fasting in his wantonness! To see these Grecian lords—why, even already They clap the lubber Ajax on the shoulder As if his foot were on brave Hector’s breast And great Troy shrieking. 130 135 140 145 ACHILLES FTLN 2006 FTLN 2007 FTLN 2008 I do believe it, for they passed by me As misers do by beggars, neither gave to me Good word nor look. What, are my deeds forgot? ULYSSES FTLN 2009 FTLN 2010 FTLN 2011 FTLN 2012 FTLN 2013 FTLN 2014 FTLN 2015 FTLN 2016 FTLN 2017 FTLN 2018 FTLN 2019 FTLN 2020 FTLN 2021 FTLN 2022 Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back Wherein he puts alms for oblivion, A great-sized monster of ingratitudes. Those scraps are good deeds past, which are devoured As fast as they are made, forgot as soon As done. Perseverance, dear my lord, Keeps honor bright. To have done is to hang Quite out of fashion like a rusty mail In monumental mock’ry. Take the instant way, For honor travels in a strait so narrow Where one but goes abreast. Keep, then, the path, For Emulation hath a thousand sons That one by one pursue. If you give way Or turn aside from the direct forthright, 150 155 160 145 FTLN 2023 FTLN 2024 FTLN 2025 FTLN 2026 FTLN 2027 FTLN 2028 FTLN 2029 FTLN 2030 FTLN 2031 FTLN 2032 FTLN 2033 FTLN 2034 FTLN 2035 FTLN 2036 FTLN 2037 FTLN 2038 FTLN 2039 FTLN 2040 FTLN 2041 FTLN 2042 FTLN 2043 FTLN 2044 FTLN 2045 FTLN 2046 FTLN 2047 FTLN 2048 FTLN 2049 FTLN 2050 FTLN 2051 FTLN 2052 FTLN 2053 FTLN 2054 FTLN 2055 FTLN 2056 FTLN 2057 FTLN 2058 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 Like to an entered tide they all rush by And leave you hindmost; Or, like a gallant horse fall’n in first rank, Lie there for pavement to the abject rear, O’errun and trampled on. Then what they do in present, Though less than yours in past, must o’ertop yours; For Time is like a fashionable host That slightly shakes his parting guest by th’ hand And, with his arms outstretched as he would fly, Grasps in the comer. Welcome ever smiles, And Farewell goes out sighing. Let not virtue seek Remuneration for the thing it was, For beauty, wit, High birth, vigor of bone, desert in service, Love, friendship, charity are subjects all To envious and calumniating Time. One touch of nature makes the whole world kin, That all, with one consent, praise newborn gauds, Though they are made and molded of things past, And give to dust that is a little gilt More laud than gilt o’erdusted. The present eye praises the present object. Then marvel not, thou great and complete man, That all the Greeks begin to worship Ajax, Since things in motion sooner catch the eye Than what stirs not. The cry went once on thee, And still it might, and yet it may again, If thou wouldst not entomb thyself alive And case thy reputation in thy tent, Whose glorious deeds but in these fields of late Made emulous missions ’mongst the gods themselves And drave great Mars to faction. ACHILLES Of this my privacy, I have strong reasons. ULYSSES But ’gainst your privacy 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 147 FTLN 2059 FTLN 2060 FTLN 2061 FTLN 2062 FTLN 2063 FTLN 2064 FTLN 2065 FTLN 2066 FTLN 2067 FTLN 2068 FTLN 2069 FTLN 2070 FTLN 2071 FTLN 2072 FTLN 2073 FTLN 2074 FTLN 2075 FTLN 2076 FTLN 2077 FTLN 2078 FTLN 2079 FTLN 2080 FTLN 2081 FTLN 2082 FTLN 2083 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 The reasons are more potent and heroical. ’Tis known, Achilles, that you are in love With one of Priam’s daughters. ACHILLES Ha? Known? ULYSSES Is that a wonder? The providence that’s in a watchful state Knows almost every grain of Pluto’s gold, Finds bottom in the uncomprehensive deep, Keeps place with thought and almost, like the gods, Do thoughts unveil in their dumb cradles. There is a mystery—with whom relation Durst never meddle—in the soul of state, Which hath an operation more divine Than breath or pen can give expressure to. All the commerce that you have had with Troy As perfectly is ours as yours, my lord; And better would it fit Achilles much To throw down Hector than Polyxena. But it must grieve young Pyrrhus now at home When Fame shall in our islands sound her trump, And all the Greekish girls shall tripping sing “Great Hector’s sister did Achilles win, But our great Ajax bravely beat down him.” Farewell, my lord. I as your lover speak. The fool slides o’er the ice that you should break. He exits. 200 205 210 215 220 PATROCLUS FTLN 2084 FTLN 2085 FTLN 2086 FTLN 2087 FTLN 2088 FTLN 2089 FTLN 2090 FTLN 2091 To this effect, Achilles, have I moved you. A woman impudent and mannish grown Is not more loathed than an effeminate man In time of action. I stand condemned for this. They think my little stomach to the war, And your great love to me, restrains you thus. Sweet, rouse yourself, and the weak wanton Cupid Shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold 225 230 149 FTLN 2092 FTLN 2093 FTLN 2094 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 And, like a dewdrop from the lion’s mane, Be shook to air. ACHILLES Shall Ajax fight with Hector? 235 PATROCLUS FTLN 2095 Ay, and perhaps receive much honor by him. ACHILLES FTLN 2096 FTLN 2097 FTLN 2098 FTLN 2099 FTLN 2100 FTLN 2101 FTLN 2102 FTLN 2103 I see my reputation is at stake; My fame is shrewdly gored. PATROCLUS O, then, beware! Those wounds heal ill that men do give themselves. Omission to do what is necessary Seals a commission to a blank of danger, And danger, like an ague, subtly taints Even then when they sit idly in the sun. 240 ACHILLES FTLN 2104 FTLN 2105 FTLN 2106 FTLN 2107 FTLN 2108 FTLN 2109 FTLN 2110 FTLN 2111 Go call Thersites hither, sweet Patroclus. I’ll send the fool to Ajax and desire him T’ invite the Trojan lords after the combat To see us here unarmed. I have a woman’s longing, An appetite that I am sick withal, To see great Hector in his weeds of peace, To talk with him, and to behold his visage, Even to my full of view. 245 250 Enter Thersites. A labor saved. FTLN 2112 A wonder! What? THERSITES Ajax goes up and down the field, asking for himself. ACHILLES How so? THERSITES He must fight singly tomorrow with Hector and is so prophetically proud of an heroical cudgeling that he raves in saying nothing. ACHILLES How can that be? FTLN 2113 THERSITES FTLN 2114 ACHILLES FTLN 2115 FTLN 2116 FTLN 2117 FTLN 2118 FTLN 2119 FTLN 2120 FTLN 2121 255 260 151 FTLN 2122 FTLN 2123 FTLN 2124 FTLN 2125 FTLN 2126 FTLN 2127 FTLN 2128 FTLN 2129 FTLN 2130 FTLN 2131 FTLN 2132 FTLN 2133 FTLN 2134 FTLN 2135 FTLN 2136 FTLN 2137 FTLN 2138 FTLN 2139 FTLN 2140 FTLN 2141 FTLN 2142 FTLN 2143 FTLN 2144 FTLN 2145 FTLN 2146 FTLN 2147 FTLN 2148 FTLN 2149 FTLN 2150 FTLN 2151 FTLN 2152 FTLN 2153 FTLN 2154 FTLN 2155 FTLN 2156 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 Why, he stalks up and down like a peacock— a stride and a stand; ruminates like an hostess that hath no arithmetic but her brain to set 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 forever, for if Hector break not his neck i’ th’ combat, he’ll break ’t himself in vainglory. He knows not me. I said “Good morrow, Ajax,” and he replies “Thanks, Agamemnon.” What think you of this man that takes me for the General? He’s grown a very land-fish, languageless, a monster. A plague of opinion! A man may wear it on both sides, like a leather jerkin. ACHILLES Thou must be my ambassador to him, Thersites. THERSITES Who, I? Why, he’ll answer nobody. He professes not answering; speaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue in ’s arms. I will put on his presence. Let Patroclus make his demands to me. You shall see the pageant of Ajax. ACHILLES 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-honored captain general of the Grecian army, Agamemnon, et cetera. Do this. PATROCLUS, to Thersites, who is playing Ajax Jove bless great Ajax. THERSITES Hum! PATROCLUS I come from the worthy Achilles— THERSITES Ha? THERSITES 265 270 275 280 285 290 295 153 FTLN 2157 FTLN 2158 FTLN 2159 FTLN 2160 FTLN 2161 FTLN 2162 FTLN 2163 FTLN 2164 FTLN 2165 FTLN 2166 FTLN 2167 FTLN 2168 FTLN 2169 FTLN 2170 FTLN 2171 FTLN 2172 FTLN 2173 FTLN 2174 FTLN 2175 FTLN 2176 FTLN 2177 FTLN 2178 FTLN 2179 FTLN 2180 FTLN 2181 Troilus and Cressida ACT 3. SC. 3 Who most humbly desires you to invite Hector to his tent— THERSITES Hum! PATROCLUS And to procure safe-conduct from Agamemnon. THERSITES Agamemnon? PATROCLUS Ay, my lord. THERSITES Ha! PATROCLUS What say you to ’t? THERSITES God b’ wi’ you, with all my heart. PATROCLUS Your answer, sir. THERSITES If tomorrow be a fair day, by eleven of the clock it will go one way or other. Howsoever, he shall pay for me ere he has me. PATROCLUS Your answer, sir. THERSITES Fare you well with all my heart. He pretends to exit. ACHILLES Why, but he is not in this tune, is he? THERSITES No, but he’s out of 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 catlings on. ACHILLES Come, thou shalt bear a letter to him straight. THERSITES Let me bear another to his horse, for that’s the more capable creature. PATROCLUS 300 305 310 315 320 ACHILLES FTLN 2182 FTLN 2183 FTLN 2184 FTLN 2185 FTLN 2186 My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirred, And I myself see not the bottom of it. Achilles and Patroclus exit. THERSITES Would the fountain of your mind were clear again, that I might water an ass at it. I had rather be a tick in a sheep than such a valiant ignorance. He exits. 325 ACT 4 Scene 1 Enter at one door Aeneas with a Torchbearer, at another Paris, Deiphobus, Antenor, Diomedes and Grecians with torches. See, ho! Who is that there? It is the Lord Aeneas. AENEAS 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 bedmate of my company. FTLN 2187 PARIS FTLN 2188 DEIPHOBUS FTLN 2189 FTLN 2190 FTLN 2191 FTLN 2192 5 DIOMEDES FTLN 2193 That’s my mind too.—Good morrow, Lord Aeneas. PARIS FTLN 2194 FTLN 2195 FTLN 2196 FTLN 2197 FTLN 2198 FTLN 2199 FTLN 2200 FTLN 2201 A valiant Greek, Aeneas; 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. AENEAS Health to you, valiant sir, During all question of the gentle truce; But when I meet you armed, as black defiance As heart can think or courage execute. DIOMEDES FTLN 2202 FTLN 2203 FTLN 2204 The one and other Diomed embraces. Our bloods are now in calm, and, so long, health; But when contention and occasion meet, 157 10 15 159 FTLN 2205 FTLN 2206 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 1 By Jove, I’ll play the hunter for thy life With all my force, pursuit, and policy. 20 AENEAS FTLN 2207 FTLN 2208 FTLN 2209 FTLN 2210 FTLN 2211 FTLN 2212 And thou shalt hunt a lion that will fly With his face backward. In human gentleness, 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. 25 DIOMEDES FTLN 2213 FTLN 2214 FTLN 2215 FTLN 2216 FTLN 2217 FTLN 2218 We sympathize. Jove, let Aeneas live, If to my sword his fate be not the glory, A thousand complete courses of the sun! But in mine emulous honor let him die With every joint a wound and that tomorrow. AENEAS We know each other well. 30 DIOMEDES FTLN 2219 We do, and long to know each other worse. PARIS FTLN 2220 FTLN 2221 FTLN 2222 This is the most despiteful gentle greeting, The noblest hateful love, that e’er I heard of. To Aeneas. What business, lord, so early? 35 AENEAS FTLN 2223 I was sent for to the King, but why I know not. PARIS FTLN 2224 FTLN 2225 FTLN 2226 FTLN 2227 FTLN 2228 FTLN 2229 FTLN 2230 FTLN 2231 FTLN 2232 FTLN 2233 FTLN 2234 His purpose meets you. ’Twas to bring this Greek 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. ( Aside to Aeneas. ) I constantly believe— Or, rather, call my thought a certain knowledge— My brother Troilus lodges there tonight. Rouse him, and give him note of our approach, With the whole quality whereof. I fear We shall be much unwelcome. 40 45 161 FTLN 2235 FTLN 2236 FTLN 2237 FTLN 2238 FTLN 2239 FTLN 2240 FTLN 2241 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 1 AENEAS, aside to Paris That I assure you. Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece Than Cressid borne from Troy. PARIS, aside to Aeneas There is no help. The bitter disposition of the time Will have it so.—On, lord, we’ll follow you. AENEAS Good morrow, all. Aeneas exits with the Torchbearer. 50 55 PARIS FTLN 2242 FTLN 2243 FTLN 2244 FTLN 2245 FTLN 2246 FTLN 2247 FTLN 2248 FTLN 2249 FTLN 2250 FTLN 2251 FTLN 2252 FTLN 2253 FTLN 2254 FTLN 2255 FTLN 2256 FTLN 2257 FTLN 2258 And tell me, noble Diomed, faith, tell me true, Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship, Who, in your thoughts, deserves fair Helen best, Myself or Menelaus? DIOMEDES 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 dishonor, With such a costly loss of wealth and friends. He, like a puling cuckold, would drink up The lees and dregs of a flat tamèd piece; You, like a lecher, out of whorish loins Are pleased to breed out your inheritors. Both merits poised, each weighs nor less nor more; But he as he, the heavier for a whore. 60 65 70 PARIS FTLN 2259 You are too bitter to your countrywoman. DIOMEDES FTLN 2260 FTLN 2261 FTLN 2262 FTLN 2263 FTLN 2264 FTLN 2265 FTLN 2266 She’s bitter to her country. Hear me, Paris: For every false drop in her bawdy veins A Grecian’s life hath sunk; for every scruple Of her contaminated carrion weight A Trojan hath been slain. Since she could speak, She hath not given so many good words breath As for her Greeks and Trojans suffered death. 75 80 163 ACT 4. SC. 2 Troilus and Cressida PARIS FTLN 2267 FTLN 2268 FTLN 2269 FTLN 2270 FTLN 2271 Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do, Dispraise the thing that they desire to buy. But we in silence hold this virtue well: We’ll not commend that not intend to sell. Here lies our way. 85 They exit. Scene 2 Enter Troilus and Cressida. TROILUS FTLN 2272 Dear, trouble not yourself. The morn is cold. CRESSIDA FTLN 2273 FTLN 2274 FTLN 2275 FTLN 2276 FTLN 2277 FTLN 2278 Then, sweet my lord, I’ll call mine uncle down. He shall unbolt the gates. TROILUS 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! 5 CRESSIDA FTLN 2279 Good morrow, then. FTLN 2280 TROILUS FTLN 2281 CRESSIDA I prithee now, to bed. Are you aweary of me? 10 TROILUS FTLN 2282 FTLN 2283 FTLN 2284 FTLN 2285 FTLN 2286 O Cressida! But that the busy day, Waked by the lark, hath roused the ribald crows, And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer, I would not from thee. CRESSIDA Night hath been too brief. TROILUS FTLN 2287 FTLN 2288 FTLN 2289 FTLN 2290 Beshrew the witch! With venomous wights she stays As tediously as hell, but flies the grasps of love With wings more momentary-swift than thought. You will catch cold and curse me. 15 165 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 2 CRESSIDA FTLN 2291 FTLN 2292 FTLN 2293 FTLN 2294 FTLN 2295 Prithee, tarry. You men will never tarry. O foolish Cressid! I might have still held off, And then you would have tarried. Hark, there’s one up. PANDARUS, within What’s all the doors open here? TROILUS It is your uncle. 20 CRESSIDA FTLN 2296 FTLN 2297 A pestilence on him! Now will he be mocking. I shall have such a life! 25 Enter Pandarus. FTLN 2298 FTLN 2299 How now, how now? How go maidenheads? Here, you maid! Where’s my Cousin Cressid? PANDARUS CRESSIDA FTLN 2300 FTLN 2301 FTLN 2302 FTLN 2303 Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle. You bring me to do—and then you flout me too. PANDARUS To do what, to do what?—Let her say what.—What have I brought you to do? 30 CRESSIDA FTLN 2304 FTLN 2305 FTLN 2306 FTLN 2307 FTLN 2308 FTLN 2309 FTLN 2310 FTLN 2311 FTLN 2312 FTLN 2313 Come, come, beshrew your heart! You’ll ne’er be good Nor suffer others. PANDARUS Ha, ha! Alas, poor wretch! Ah, poor capocchia! Has ’t not slept tonight? Would he not—a naughty man—let it sleep? A bugbear take him! CRESSIDA, to Troilus Did not I tell you? Would he were knocked i’ th’ head! One knocks. Who’s that at door?—Good uncle, go and see.— My lord, come you again into my chamber. You smile and mock me, as if I meant naughtily. TROILUS Ha, ha! 35 40 CRESSIDA FTLN 2314 Come, you are deceived. I think of no such thing. Knock. FTLN 2315 FTLN 2316 How earnestly they knock! Pray you, come in. I would not for half Troy have you seen here. Troilus and Cressida exit. 45 167 FTLN 2317 FTLN 2318 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 2 Who’s there? What’s the matter? Will you beat down the door? PANDARUS Enter Aeneas. FTLN 2319 FTLN 2320 FTLN 2321 FTLN 2322 FTLN 2323 FTLN 2324 How now? What’s the matter? AENEAS Good morrow, lord, good morrow. PANDARUS Who’s there? My Lord Aeneas? By my troth, I knew you not. What news with you so early? AENEAS Is not Prince Troilus here? PANDARUS Here? What should he do here? 50 AENEAS FTLN 2325 FTLN 2326 FTLN 2327 FTLN 2328 FTLN 2329 FTLN 2330 FTLN 2331 FTLN 2332 FTLN 2333 Come, he is here, my lord. Do not deny him. It doth import him much to speak with me. PANDARUS Is he here, say you? It’s more than I know, I’ll be sworn. For my own part, I came in late. What should he do here? AENEAS Ho, 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, but yet go fetch him hither. Go. 55 60 Enter Troilus. FTLN 2334 TROILUS How now? What’s the matter? AENEAS FTLN 2335 FTLN 2336 FTLN 2337 FTLN 2338 FTLN 2339 FTLN 2340 FTLN 2341 FTLN 2342 FTLN 2343 My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you, My matter is so rash. There is at hand Paris your brother and Deiphobus, The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor Delivered to us; and for him forthwith, Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour, We must give up to Diomedes’ hand The Lady Cressida. TROILUS Is it so concluded? AENEAS FTLN 2344 FTLN 2345 By Priam and the general state of Troy. They are at hand and ready to effect it. 65 70 169 FTLN 2346 FTLN 2347 FTLN 2348 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 2 How my achievements mock me! I will go meet them. And, my Lord Aeneas, We met by chance; you did not find me here. TROILUS 75 AENEAS FTLN 2349 FTLN 2350 FTLN 2351 FTLN 2352 FTLN 2353 FTLN 2354 Good, good, my lord; the secrets of nature Have not more gift in taciturnity. Troilus and Aeneas exit. PANDARUS Is ’t possible? No sooner got but lost? The devil take Antenor! The young prince will go mad. A plague upon Antenor! I would they had broke ’s neck! 80 Enter Cressida. CRESSIDA FTLN 2355 FTLN 2356 How now? What’s the matter? Who was here? PANDARUS Ah, ah! 85 CRESSIDA FTLN 2357 FTLN 2358 FTLN 2359 FTLN 2360 FTLN 2361 FTLN 2362 FTLN 2363 FTLN 2364 FTLN 2365 FTLN 2366 FTLN 2367 FTLN 2368 FTLN 2369 FTLN 2370 Why sigh you so profoundly? Where’s my lord? Gone? Tell me, sweet uncle, what’s the matter? PANDARUS Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above! CRESSIDA O the gods! What’s the matter? PANDARUS Pray thee, get thee in. Would thou hadst ne’er been born! I knew thou wouldst be his death. O, poor gentleman! A plague upon Antenor! CRESSIDA Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees I beseech you, what’s the matter? PANDARUS Thou must be gone, wench; thou must be gone. Thou art changed for Antenor. Thou must to thy father and be gone from Troilus. ’Twill be his death; ’twill be his bane. He cannot bear it. 90 95 CRESSIDA FTLN 2371 FTLN 2372 O you immortal gods! I will not go. PANDARUS Thou must. CRESSIDA FTLN 2373 I will not, uncle. I have forgot my father. 100 171 FTLN 2374 FTLN 2375 FTLN 2376 FTLN 2377 FTLN 2378 FTLN 2379 FTLN 2380 FTLN 2381 FTLN 2382 FTLN 2383 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 3 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 love Is as the very center of the Earth, Drawing all things to it. I’ll go in and weep— PANDARUS Do, do. 105 110 CRESSIDA FTLN 2384 FTLN 2385 FTLN 2386 Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praisèd cheeks, Crack my clear voice with sobs, and break my heart With sounding “Troilus.” I will not go from Troy. They exit. 115 Scene 3 Enter Paris, Troilus, Aeneas, Deiphobus, Antenor, and Diomedes. PARIS FTLN 2387 FTLN 2388 FTLN 2389 FTLN 2390 FTLN 2391 FTLN 2392 FTLN 2393 FTLN 2394 FTLN 2395 FTLN 2396 FTLN 2397 FTLN 2398 FTLN 2399 It is great morning, and the hour prefixed For 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. TROILUS Walk into her house. I’ll bring her to the Grecian presently; And to his hand when I deliver her, Think it an altar and thy brother Troilus A priest there off’ring to it his own heart. He exits. PARIS I know what ’tis to love, And would, as I shall pity, I could help.— Please you walk in, my lords? They exit. 5 10 173 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 4 Scene 4 Enter Pandarus and Cressida, weeping. FTLN 2400 PANDARUS Be moderate, be moderate. CRESSIDA FTLN 2401 FTLN 2402 FTLN 2403 FTLN 2404 FTLN 2405 FTLN 2406 FTLN 2407 FTLN 2408 FTLN 2409 Why tell you me of moderation? The grief is fine, full, perfect that I taste, And violenteth in a sense as strong As that which causeth it. How can I moderate it? If I could temporize with my affection Or brew it to a weak and colder palate, The like allayment could I give my grief. My love admits no qualifying dross; No more my grief in such a precious loss. 5 10 Enter Troilus. FTLN 2410 FTLN 2411 FTLN 2412 FTLN 2413 FTLN 2414 FTLN 2415 FTLN 2416 FTLN 2417 FTLN 2418 FTLN 2419 FTLN 2420 FTLN 2421 FTLN 2422 Here, here, here he comes. Ah, sweet ducks! CRESSIDA, embracing Troilus O Troilus, Troilus! PANDARUS What a pair of spectacles is here! Let me embrace too. “O heart,” as the goodly saying is, O heart, heavy heart, Why sigh’st thou without breaking? where he answers again, Because thou canst not ease thy smart By friendship nor by speaking. There was never a truer rhyme. Let us cast away nothing, for we may live to have need of such a verse. We see it, we see it. How now, lambs? PANDARUS 15 20 TROILUS FTLN 2423 FTLN 2424 FTLN 2425 FTLN 2426 FTLN 2427 FTLN 2428 Cressid, I love thee in so strained a purity That the blest gods, as angry with my fancy— More bright in zeal than the devotion which Cold lips blow to their deities—take thee from me. CRESSIDA Have the gods envy? PANDARUS Ay, ay, ay, ay, ’tis too plain a case. 25 175 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 4 CRESSIDA FTLN 2429 And is it true that I must go from Troy? 30 TROILUS FTLN 2430 A hateful truth. FTLN 2431 CRESSIDA FTLN 2432 TROILUS FTLN 2433 CRESSIDA What, and from Troilus too? From Troy and Troilus. Is ’t possible? TROILUS FTLN 2434 FTLN 2435 FTLN 2436 FTLN 2437 FTLN 2438 FTLN 2439 FTLN 2440 FTLN 2441 FTLN 2442 FTLN 2443 FTLN 2444 FTLN 2445 FTLN 2446 FTLN 2447 FTLN 2448 FTLN 2449 FTLN 2450 And suddenly, where injury of chance Puts back leave-taking, jostles roughly by All time of pause, rudely beguiles our lips Of all rejoindure, forcibly prevents Our locked embrasures, strangles our dear vows Even in the birth of our own laboring breath. We two, that with so many thousand sighs Did buy each other, must poorly sell ourselves With the rude brevity and discharge of one. Injurious Time now with a robber’s haste Crams his rich thiev’ry up, he knows not how. As many farewells as be stars in heaven, With distinct breath and consigned kisses to them, He fumbles up into a loose adieu And scants us with a single famished kiss, Distasted with the salt of broken tears. AENEAS, within My lord, is the lady ready? 35 40 45 50 TROILUS FTLN 2451 FTLN 2452 FTLN 2453 FTLN 2454 FTLN 2455 Hark, you are called. Some say the genius Cries so to him that instantly must die.— Bid them have patience. She shall come anon. PANDARUS Where are my tears? Rain, to lay this wind, or my heart will be blown up by the root. He exits. CRESSIDA FTLN 2456 FTLN 2457 I must, then, to the Grecians? TROILUS No remedy. 55 177 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 4 CRESSIDA FTLN 2458 FTLN 2459 A woeful Cressid ’mongst the merry Greeks. When shall we see again? 60 TROILUS FTLN 2460 Hear me, my love. Be thou but true of heart— CRESSIDA FTLN 2461 I true? How now, what wicked deem is this? TROILUS FTLN 2462 FTLN 2463 FTLN 2464 FTLN 2465 FTLN 2466 FTLN 2467 FTLN 2468 FTLN 2469 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 is no maculation in thy heart; But “Be thou true,” say I, to fashion in My sequent protestation: “Be thou true, And I will see thee.” 65 70 CRESSIDA FTLN 2470 FTLN 2471 O, you shall be exposed, my lord, to dangers As infinite as imminent! But I’ll be true. TROILUS FTLN 2472 FTLN 2473 And I’ll grow friend with danger. Wear this sleeve. CRESSIDA And you this glove. When shall I see you? They exchange love-tokens. TROILUS FTLN 2474 FTLN 2475 FTLN 2476 FTLN 2477 FTLN 2478 FTLN 2479 FTLN 2480 FTLN 2481 FTLN 2482 FTLN 2483 FTLN 2484 FTLN 2485 FTLN 2486 I will corrupt the Grecian sentinels, To give thee nightly visitation. But yet, be true. CRESSIDA O heavens! “Be true” again? TROILUS Hear why I speak it, love. The Grecian youths are full of quality, Their loving well composed, with gift of nature flowing, And swelling o’er with arts and exercise. How novelty may move, and parts with person, Alas, a kind of godly jealousy— Which I beseech you call a virtuous sin— Makes me afeard. 75 80 85 179 FTLN 2487 FTLN 2488 FTLN 2489 FTLN 2490 FTLN 2491 FTLN 2492 FTLN 2493 FTLN 2494 FTLN 2495 FTLN 2496 FTLN 2497 FTLN 2498 FTLN 2499 FTLN 2500 FTLN 2501 FTLN 2502 FTLN 2503 FTLN 2504 FTLN 2505 FTLN 2506 FTLN 2507 FTLN 2508 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 4 O heavens, you love me not! TROILUS Die I a villain then! In this I do not call your faith in question So mainly as my merit. I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt, nor sweeten talk, Nor play at subtle games—fair virtues all, To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant. But I can tell that in each grace of these There lurks a still and dumb-discursive devil That tempts most cunningly. But be not tempted. CRESSIDA Do you think I will? TROILUS No. But something may be done that we will not, And sometimes we are devils to ourselves When we will tempt the frailty of our powers, Presuming on their changeful potency. AENEAS, within Nay, good my lord— TROILUS Come, kiss, and let us part. They kiss. PARIS, within Brother Troilus! TROILUS, calling Good brother, come you hither, And bring Aeneas and the Grecian with you. CRESSIDA My lord, will you be true? CRESSIDA 90 95 100 105 TROILUS FTLN 2509 FTLN 2510 FTLN 2511 FTLN 2512 FTLN 2513 FTLN 2514 FTLN 2515 Who, I? Alas, it is my vice, my fault. Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion, I with great truth catch mere simplicity. Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns, With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare. Fear not my truth. The moral of my wit Is “plain and true”; there’s all the reach of it. Enter Aeneas, Paris, Antenor, Deiphobus, and Diomedes. 110 115 181 FTLN 2516 FTLN 2517 FTLN 2518 FTLN 2519 FTLN 2520 FTLN 2521 FTLN 2522 FTLN 2523 FTLN 2524 FTLN 2525 FTLN 2526 FTLN 2527 FTLN 2528 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 4 Welcome, Sir Diomed. Here is the lady Which for Antenor we deliver you. At the port, lord, I’ll give her to thy hand And by the way possess thee what she is. Entreat her fair and, by my soul, fair Greek, If e’er thou stand at mercy of my sword, Name Cressid, and thy life shall be as safe As Priam is in Ilium. DIOMEDES Fair Lady Cressid, So please you, save the thanks this prince expects. The luster in your eye, heaven in your cheek, Pleads your fair usage, and to Diomed You shall be mistress and command him wholly. 120 125 TROILUS FTLN 2529 FTLN 2530 FTLN 2531 FTLN 2532 FTLN 2533 FTLN 2534 FTLN 2535 FTLN 2536 FTLN 2537 FTLN 2538 FTLN 2539 FTLN 2540 FTLN 2541 FTLN 2542 FTLN 2543 FTLN 2544 Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously, To shame the zeal of my petition to thee In praising her. I tell thee, lord of Greece, She is as far high-soaring o’er thy praises As thou unworthy to be called her servant. I charge thee use her well, even for my charge, For, by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not, Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard, I’ll cut thy throat. DIOMEDES O, be not moved, Prince Troilus. Let me be privileged by my place and message To be a speaker free. When I am hence, I’ll answer to my lust, and know you, lord, I’ll nothing do on charge. To her own worth She shall be prized; but that you say “Be ’t so,” I speak it in my spirit and honor: “no.” TROILUS FTLN 2545 FTLN 2546 FTLN 2547 FTLN 2548 Come, to the port. I’ll tell thee, Diomed, This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head.— Lady, give me your hand, and, as we walk, To our own selves bend we our needful talk. Cressida, Diomedes, and Troilus exit. 130 135 140 145 183 ACT 4. SC. 5 Troilus and Cressida Sound trumpet within. PARIS FTLN 2549 FTLN 2550 FTLN 2551 FTLN 2552 FTLN 2553 Hark, Hector’s trumpet. AENEAS 150 How have we spent this morning! The Prince must think me tardy and remiss That swore to ride before him to the field. PARIS FTLN 2554 FTLN 2555 ’Tis Troilus’ fault. Come, come to field with him. DEIPHOBUS Let us make ready straight. 155 AENEAS FTLN 2556 FTLN 2557 FTLN 2558 FTLN 2559 Yea, with a bridegroom’s fresh alacrity Let us address to tend on Hector’s heels. The glory of our Troy doth this day lie On his fair worth and single chivalry. 160 They exit. Scene 5 Enter Ajax, armed, Achilles, Patroclus, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Ulysses, Nestor, etc. and Trumpeter. AGAMEMNON, FTLN 2560 FTLN 2561 FTLN 2562 FTLN 2563 FTLN 2564 FTLN 2565 FTLN 2566 FTLN 2567 FTLN 2568 FTLN 2569 FTLN 2570 FTLN 2571 to Ajax Here art thou in appointment fresh and fair, Anticipating time with starting courage. Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy, Thou dreadful Ajax, that the appallèd air May pierce the head of the great combatant And hale him hither. AJAX Thou, trumpet, there’s my purse. He gives money to Trumpeter. Now crack thy lungs and split thy brazen pipe. Blow, villain, till thy spherèd bias cheek Outswell the colic of puffed Aquilon. Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout blood. Thou blowest for Hector. Sound trumpet. 5 10 185 ACT 4. SC. 5 Troilus and Cressida ULYSSES FTLN 2572 FTLN 2573 No trumpet answers. ACHILLES ’Tis but early days. Enter Cressida and Diomedes. AGAMEMNON FTLN 2574 Is not yond Diomed with Calchas’ daughter? 15 ULYSSES FTLN 2575 FTLN 2576 FTLN 2577 ’Tis he. I ken the manner of his gait. He rises on the toe; that spirit of his In aspiration lifts him from the earth. AGAMEMNON FTLN 2578 FTLN 2579 Is this the Lady Cressid? DIOMEDES Even she. 20 AGAMEMNON FTLN 2580 Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady. He kisses her. NESTOR FTLN 2581 Our general doth salute you with a kiss. ULYSSES FTLN 2582 FTLN 2583 Yet is the kindness but particular. ’Twere better she were kissed in general. NESTOR FTLN 2584 FTLN 2585 And very courtly counsel. I’ll begin. So much for Nestor. He kisses her. 25 ACHILLES FTLN 2586 FTLN 2587 I’ll take that winter from your lips, fair lady. Achilles bids you welcome. He kisses her. MENELAUS FTLN 2588 FTLN 2589 FTLN 2590 FTLN 2591 I had good argument for kissing once. PATROCLUS, stepping between Menelaus and Cressida But that’s no argument for kissing now, For thus popped Paris in his hardiment And parted thus you and your argument. He kisses her. 30 187 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 ULYSSES FTLN 2592 FTLN 2593 O deadly gall and theme of all our scorns, For which we lose our heads to gild his horns! PATROCLUS FTLN 2594 FTLN 2595 FTLN 2596 The first was Menelaus’ kiss; this mine. Patroclus kisses you. He kisses her again. MENELAUS O, this is trim! 35 PATROCLUS FTLN 2597 Paris and I kiss evermore for him. MENELAUS FTLN 2598 I’ll have my kiss, sir.—Lady, by your leave. CRESSIDA FTLN 2599 In kissing, do you render or receive? 40 MENELAUS FTLN 2600 FTLN 2601 FTLN 2602 FTLN 2603 Both take and give. I’ll make my match to live, The kiss you take is better than you give. Therefore no kiss. CRESSIDA MENELAUS FTLN 2604 I’ll give you boot: I’ll give you three for one. 45 CRESSIDA FTLN 2605 You are an odd man. Give even, or give none. MENELAUS FTLN 2606 An odd man, lady? Every man is odd. CRESSIDA FTLN 2607 FTLN 2608 No, Paris is not, for you know ’tis true That you are odd, and he is even with you. MENELAUS FTLN 2609 FTLN 2610 You fillip me o’ th’ head. 50 No, I’ll be sworn. CRESSIDA ULYSSES FTLN 2611 FTLN 2612 It were no match, your nail against his horn. May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you? CRESSIDA FTLN 2613 FTLN 2614 You may. ULYSSES I do desire it. 55 189 FTLN 2615 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 Why, beg two. CRESSIDA ULYSSES FTLN 2616 FTLN 2617 Why, then, for Venus’ sake, give me a kiss When Helen is a maid again and his. CRESSIDA FTLN 2618 I am your debtor; claim it when ’tis due. ULYSSES FTLN 2619 Never’s my day, and then a kiss of you. 60 DIOMEDES FTLN 2620 Lady, a word. I’ll bring you to your father. Diomedes and Cressida talk aside. NESTOR FTLN 2621 FTLN 2622 FTLN 2623 FTLN 2624 FTLN 2625 FTLN 2626 FTLN 2627 FTLN 2628 FTLN 2629 FTLN 2630 FTLN 2631 A woman of quick sense. 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 accosting welcome ere it comes And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts To every tickling reader! Set them down For sluttish spoils of opportunity And daughters of the game. Diomedes and Cressida exit. Flourish. ULYSSES 65 70 ALL FTLN 2632 The Trojan’s trumpet. Enter all of Troy: Hector, armed, Paris, Aeneas, Helenus, Troilus, and Attendants. FTLN 2633 AGAMEMNON Yonder comes the troop. AENEAS FTLN 2634 FTLN 2635 FTLN 2636 FTLN 2637 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 75 191 FTLN 2638 FTLN 2639 FTLN 2640 FTLN 2641 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 Pursue each other, or shall they be divided By any voice or order of the field? Hector bade ask. AGAMEMNON Which way would Hector have it? 80 AENEAS FTLN 2642 He cares not; he’ll obey conditions. AGAMEMNON FTLN 2643 FTLN 2644 FTLN 2645 FTLN 2646 FTLN 2647 FTLN 2648 FTLN 2649 ’Tis done like Hector. But securely done, A little proudly, and great deal misprizing The knight opposed. AENEAS If not Achilles, sir, What is your name? ACHILLES If not Achilles, nothing. ACHILLES 85 90 AENEAS FTLN 2650 FTLN 2651 FTLN 2652 FTLN 2653 FTLN 2654 FTLN 2655 FTLN 2656 FTLN 2657 FTLN 2658 FTLN 2659 Therefore Achilles. But whate’er, know this: In the extremity of great and little, Valor and pride excel themselves in Hector, The one almost as infinite as all, 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. 95 100 ACHILLES FTLN 2660 A maiden battle, then? O, I perceive you. Enter Diomedes. AGAMEMNON FTLN 2661 FTLN 2662 FTLN 2663 FTLN 2664 FTLN 2665 FTLN 2666 Here is Sir Diomed.—Go, gentle knight; Stand by our Ajax. As you and Lord Aeneas Consent upon the order of their fight, So be it, either to the uttermost Or else a breath. The combatants being kin Half stints their strife before their strokes begin. 105 193 FTLN 2667 ULYSSES Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 Hector and Ajax enter the lists. They are opposed already. AGAMEMNON FTLN 2668 What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy? ULYSSES FTLN 2669 FTLN 2670 FTLN 2671 FTLN 2672 FTLN 2673 FTLN 2674 FTLN 2675 FTLN 2676 FTLN 2677 FTLN 2678 FTLN 2679 FTLN 2680 FTLN 2681 FTLN 2682 FTLN 2683 FTLN 2684 FTLN 2685 FTLN 2686 FTLN 2687 FTLN 2688 The youngest son of Priam, a true knight, Not yet mature, yet matchless firm of word, Speaking in deeds, and deedless in his tongue, Not soon provoked, nor being provoked soon calmed, His heart and hand both open and both free. For what he has, he gives; what thinks, he shows; Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty, Nor dignifies an impair thought with breath; Manly as Hector, but more dangerous, For Hector in his blaze of wrath subscribes To tender objects, but he in heat of action Is more vindicative than jealous love. They call him Troilus, and on him erect A second hope, as fairly built as Hector. Thus says Aeneas, one that knows the youth Even to his inches, and with private soul Did in great Ilium thus translate him to me. Alarum. The fight begins. AGAMEMNON They are in action. NESTOR Now, Ajax, hold thine own! TROILUS Hector, thou sleep’st. Awake thee! 110 115 120 125 AGAMEMNON FTLN 2689 His blows are well disposed.—There, Ajax! Trumpets cease. DIOMEDES FTLN 2690 FTLN 2691 You must no more. AENEAS Princes, enough, so please you. AJAX FTLN 2692 I am not warm yet. Let us fight again. DIOMEDES FTLN 2693 As Hector pleases. 130 195 FTLN 2694 FTLN 2695 FTLN 2696 FTLN 2697 FTLN 2698 FTLN 2699 FTLN 2700 FTLN 2701 FTLN 2702 FTLN 2703 FTLN 2704 FTLN 2705 FTLN 2706 FTLN 2707 FTLN 2708 FTLN 2709 FTLN 2710 FTLN 2711 FTLN 2712 FTLN 2713 FTLN 2714 FTLN 2715 FTLN 2716 FTLN 2717 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 Why, then, will I no more.— Thou art, great lord, my father’s sister’s son, A cousin-german to great Priam’s seed. The obligation of our blood forbids A gory emulation ’twixt us twain. Were thy commixtion Greek and Trojan so That thou couldst say “This hand is Grecian all, And this is Trojan; the sinews of this leg All Greek, and this all Troy; my mother’s blood Runs on the dexter cheek, and this sinister Bounds in my father’s,” by Jove multipotent, Thou shouldst not bear from me a Greekish member Wherein my sword had not impressure made Of our rank feud. But the just gods gainsay That any drop thou borrowd’st from thy mother, My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword Be drained. Let me embrace thee, Ajax. By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms! Hector would have them fall upon him thus. Cousin, all honor to thee! They embrace. AJAX I thank thee, Hector. Thou art too gentle and too free a man. I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence A great addition earnèd in thy death. HECTOR 135 140 145 150 155 HECTOR FTLN 2718 FTLN 2719 FTLN 2720 FTLN 2721 Not Neoptolemus so mirable— On whose bright crest Fame with her loud’st “Oyez” Cries “This is he”—could promise to himself A thought of added honor torn from Hector. 160 AENEAS FTLN 2722 FTLN 2723 FTLN 2724 FTLN 2725 There is expectance here from both the sides What further you will do. HECTOR We’ll answer it; The issue is embracement.—Ajax, farewell. They embrace again. 165 197 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 AJAX FTLN 2726 FTLN 2727 FTLN 2728 If I might in entreaties find success, As seld I have the chance, I would desire My famous cousin to our Grecian tents. DIOMEDES FTLN 2729 FTLN 2730 ’Tis Agamemnon’s wish; and great Achilles Doth long to see unarmed the valiant Hector. 170 HECTOR FTLN 2731 FTLN 2732 FTLN 2733 FTLN 2734 FTLN 2735 FTLN 2736 Aeneas, call my brother Troilus to me, And signify this loving interview To the expecters of our Trojan part; Desire them home. 175 Aeneas speaks to Trojans, who exit; he then returns with Troilus. To Ajax. Give me thy hand, my cousin. I will go eat with thee and see your knights. Agamemnon and the rest come forward. AJAX FTLN 2737 FTLN 2738 FTLN 2739 FTLN 2740 Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here. HECTOR, to Aeneas The worthiest of them tell me name by name; But for Achilles, my own searching eyes Shall find him by his large and portly size. 180 AGAMEMNON FTLN 2741 FTLN 2742 FTLN 2743 FTLN 2744 FTLN 2745 FTLN 2746 FTLN 2747 FTLN 2748 FTLN 2749 Worthy all arms! As welcome as to one That would be rid of such an enemy— But that’s no welcome. Understand more clear: What’s past and what’s to come is strewed with husks And formless ruin of oblivion; But in this extant moment, faith and troth, Strained purely from all hollow bias-drawing, Bids thee, with most divine integrity, From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome. HECTOR FTLN 2750 I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon. 185 190 199 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 AGAMEMNON, FTLN 2751 to Troilus My well-famed lord of Troy, no less to you. MENELAUS FTLN 2752 FTLN 2753 FTLN 2754 FTLN 2755 Let me confirm my princely brother’s greeting: You brace of warlike brothers, welcome hither. HECTOR, to Aeneas Who must we answer? AENEAS The noble Menelaus. 195 HECTOR FTLN 2756 FTLN 2757 FTLN 2758 FTLN 2759 O, you, my lord? By Mars his gauntlet, thanks! Mock not that I affect th’ untraded oath; Your quondam wife swears still by Venus’ glove. She’s well, but bade me not commend her to you. 200 MENELAUS FTLN 2760 FTLN 2761 Name her not now, sir; she’s a deadly theme. HECTOR O, pardon! I offend. NESTOR FTLN 2762 FTLN 2763 FTLN 2764 FTLN 2765 FTLN 2766 FTLN 2767 FTLN 2768 FTLN 2769 FTLN 2770 FTLN 2771 FTLN 2772 FTLN 2773 FTLN 2774 FTLN 2775 FTLN 2776 FTLN 2777 FTLN 2778 FTLN 2779 FTLN 2780 I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft, Laboring for destiny, make cruel way Through ranks of Greekish youth; and I have seen thee, As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed, Despising many forfeits and subduments, When thou hast hung thy advanced sword i’ th’ air, Not letting it decline on the declined, That I have said to some my standers-by “Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life!” And I have seen thee pause and take thy breath When that a ring of Greeks have hemmed thee in, Like an Olympian wrestling. This have I seen. But this thy countenance, still locked in steel, I never saw till now. I knew thy grandsire And once fought with him; he was a soldier good, But, by great Mars, the captain of us all, Never like thee! O, let an old man embrace thee; And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents. 205 210 215 220 201 FTLN 2781 AENEAS, Troilus and Cressida to Hector ACT 4. SC. 5 ’Tis the old Nestor. HECTOR FTLN 2782 FTLN 2783 FTLN 2784 Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle That hast so long walked hand in hand with time. Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp thee. They embrace. 225 NESTOR FTLN 2785 FTLN 2786 FTLN 2787 I would my arms could match thee in contention As they contend with thee in courtesy. HECTOR I would they could. NESTOR FTLN 2788 FTLN 2789 Ha! By this white beard, I’d fight with thee tomorrow. Well, welcome, welcome. I have seen the time! 230 ULYSSES FTLN 2790 FTLN 2791 I wonder now how yonder city stands When we have here her base and pillar by us. HECTOR FTLN 2792 FTLN 2793 FTLN 2794 FTLN 2795 I know your favor, Lord Ulysses, well. Ah, sir, there’s many a Greek and Trojan dead Since first I saw yourself and Diomed In Ilium, on your Greekish embassy. 235 ULYSSES FTLN 2796 FTLN 2797 FTLN 2798 FTLN 2799 FTLN 2800 FTLN 2801 FTLN 2802 FTLN 2803 FTLN 2804 FTLN 2805 FTLN 2806 FTLN 2807 FTLN 2808 FTLN 2809 FTLN 2810 Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue. My prophecy is but half his journey yet, For yonder walls, that pertly front your town, Yon towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds, Must kiss their own feet. 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. 240 245 250 203 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 ACHILLES FTLN 2811 FTLN 2812 FTLN 2813 FTLN 2814 FTLN 2815 FTLN 2816 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 I am Achilles. 255 HECTOR FTLN 2817 Stand fair, I pray thee. Let me look on thee. ACHILLES FTLN 2818 FTLN 2819 Behold thy fill. HECTOR Nay, I have done already. 260 ACHILLES FTLN 2820 FTLN 2821 Thou art too brief. I will the second time, As I would buy thee, view thee limb by limb. HECTOR FTLN 2822 FTLN 2823 FTLN 2824 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? 265 ACHILLES FTLN 2825 FTLN 2826 FTLN 2827 FTLN 2828 FTLN 2829 FTLN 2830 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! 270 HECTOR FTLN 2831 FTLN 2832 FTLN 2833 FTLN 2834 FTLN 2835 FTLN 2836 It would discredit the blest gods, proud man, To answer such a question. Stand again. Think’st thou to catch my life so pleasantly As to prenominate in nice conjecture Where thou wilt hit me dead? ACHILLES I tell thee, yea. HECTOR FTLN 2837 FTLN 2838 Wert thou an oracle to tell me so, I’d not believe thee. Henceforth guard thee well, 275 205 FTLN 2839 FTLN 2840 FTLN 2841 FTLN 2842 FTLN 2843 FTLN 2844 FTLN 2845 FTLN 2846 FTLN 2847 FTLN 2848 FTLN 2849 FTLN 2850 FTLN 2851 FTLN 2852 FTLN 2853 FTLN 2854 FTLN 2855 FTLN 2856 FTLN 2857 FTLN 2858 Troilus and Cressida ACT 4. SC. 5 For I’ll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there, But, by the forge that stithied Mars his helm, I’ll kill thee everywhere, yea, o’er and o’er.— You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag; His insolence draws folly from my lips. But I’ll endeavor deeds to match these words, Or may I never— AJAX Do not chafe thee, cousin.— And you, Achilles, let these threats alone Till accident or purpose bring you to ’t. You may have every day enough of Hector If you have stomach. The general state, I fear, Can scarce entreat you to be odd with him. HECTOR, to Achilles I pray you, let us see you in the field. We have had pelting wars since you refused The Grecians’ cause. ACHILLES Dost thou entreat me, Hector? Tomorrow do I meet thee, fell as death; Tonight all friends. HECTOR Thy hand upon that match. 280 285 290 295 AGAMEMNON FTLN 2859 FTLN 2860 FTLN 2861 FTLN 2862 FTLN 2863 FTLN 2864 First, all you peers of Greece, go to my tent; There in the full convive we. Afterwards, As Hector’s leisure and your bounties shall Concur together, severally entreat him. Beat loud the taborins; let the trumpets blow, That this great soldier may his welcome know. Flourish. All but Troilus and Ulysses exit. TROILUS FTLN 2865 FTLN 2866 My Lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you, In what place of the field doth Calchas keep? ULYSSES FTLN 2867 FTLN 2868 At Menelaus’ tent, most princely Troilus. There Diomed doth feast with him tonight, 300 305 207 FTLN 2869 FTLN 2870 FTLN 2871 ACT 4. SC. 5 Troilus and Cressida Who neither looks upon the heaven nor Earth, But gives all gaze and bent of amorous view On the fair Cressid. 310 TROILUS FTLN 2872 FTLN 2873 FTLN 2874 FTLN 2875 FTLN 2876 FTLN 2877 FTLN 2878 Shall I, sweet lord, be bound to you so much, After we part from Agamemnon’s tent, To bring me thither? ULYSSES You shall command me, sir. As gentle tell me, of what honor was This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there That wails her absence? 315 TROILUS FTLN 2879 FTLN 2880 FTLN 2881 FTLN 2882 O sir, to such as boasting show their scars A mock is due. Will you walk on, my lord? She was beloved, she loved; she is, and doth; But still sweet love is food for Fortune’s tooth. 320 They exit. ACT 5 Scene 1 Enter Achilles and Patroclus. ACHILLES FTLN 2883 FTLN 2884 FTLN 2885 I’ll heat his blood with Greekish wine tonight, Which with my scimitar I’ll cool tomorrow. Patroclus, let us feast him to the height. PATROCLUS FTLN 2886 Here comes Thersites. Enter Thersites. FTLN 2887 FTLN 2888 FTLN 2889 FTLN 2890 FTLN 2891 FTLN 2892 FTLN 2893 FTLN 2894 FTLN 2895 FTLN 2896 FTLN 2897 FTLN 2898 FTLN 2899 FTLN 2900 FTLN 2901 How now, thou core of envy? Thou crusty botch of nature, what’s the news? THERSITES Why, thou picture of what thou seemest and idol of idiot-worshippers, here’s a letter for thee. ACHILLES From whence, fragment? THERSITES Why, thou full dish of fool, from Troy. Achilles takes the letter and moves aside to read it. PATROCLUS Who keeps the tent now? THERSITES The surgeon’s box or the patient’s wound. PATROCLUS Well said, adversity. And what need these tricks? THERSITES Prithee, be silent, boy. I profit not by thy talk. Thou art said to be Achilles’ male varlet. PATROCLUS “Male varlet,” you rogue! What’s that? THERSITES Why, his masculine whore. Now the rotten diseases of the south, the guts-griping, ruptures, 211 ACHILLES 5 10 15 213 FTLN 2902 FTLN 2903 FTLN 2904 FTLN 2905 FTLN 2906 FTLN 2907 FTLN 2908 FTLN 2909 FTLN 2910 FTLN 2911 FTLN 2912 FTLN 2913 FTLN 2914 FTLN 2915 FTLN 2916 FTLN 2917 FTLN 2918 FTLN 2919 FTLN 2920 FTLN 2921 FTLN 2922 FTLN 2923 FTLN 2924 FTLN 2925 FTLN 2926 FTLN 2927 FTLN 2928 FTLN 2929 FTLN 2930 FTLN 2931 FTLN 2932 FTLN 2933 FTLN 2934 FTLN 2935 FTLN 2936 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 1 catarrhs, loads o’ gravel in the back, lethargies, cold palsies, raw eyes, dirt-rotten livers, whissing lungs, bladders full of impostume, sciaticas, limekilns i’ th’ palm, incurable bone-ache, and the rivelled fee-simple of the tetter, take and take again such preposterous discoveries. PATROCLUS Why, thou damnable box of envy, thou, what means thou to curse thus? THERSITES Do I curse thee? PATROCLUS Why, no, you ruinous butt, you whoreson indistinguishable cur, no. THERSITES No? Why art thou then exasperate, thou idle immaterial skein of sleave-silk, thou green sarsenet flap for a sore eye, thou tassel of a prodigal’s purse, thou? Ah, how the poor world is pestered with such waterflies, diminutives of nature! PATROCLUS Out, gall! THERSITES Finch egg! ACHILLES, coming forward My sweet Patroclus, I am thwarted quite From my great purpose in tomorrow’s battle. Here is a letter from Queen Hecuba, A token from her daughter, my fair love, Both taxing me and gaging me to keep An oath that I have sworn. I will not break it. Fall, Greeks; fail, fame; honor, or go or stay; My major vow lies here; this I’ll obey. Come, come, Thersites, help to trim my tent. This night in banqueting must all be spent. Away, Patroclus. He exits with Patroclus. THERSITES With too much blood and too little brain, these two may run mad; but if with too much brain and too little blood they do, I’ll be a curer of madmen. Here’s Agamemnon, an honest fellow enough and one that loves quails, but he has not so much brain as earwax. And the goodly transformation 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 215 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 1 of Jupiter there, his brother, the bull—the primitive statue and oblique memorial of cuckolds, a thrifty shoeing-horn in a chain, hanging at his brother’s leg—to what form but that he is should wit larded with malice and malice forced with wit turn him to? To an ass were nothing; he is both ass and ox. To an ox were nothing; he is both ox and ass. To be a dog, a mule, a cat, a fitchew, a toad, a lizard, an owl, a puttock, or a herring without a roe, I would not care; but to be Menelaus! I would conspire against destiny. Ask me not what I would be, if I were not Thersites, for I care not to be the louse of a lazar so I were not Menelaus. FTLN 2937 FTLN 2938 FTLN 2939 FTLN 2940 FTLN 2941 FTLN 2942 FTLN 2943 FTLN 2944 FTLN 2945 FTLN 2946 FTLN 2947 FTLN 2948 FTLN 2949 55 60 65 Enter Hector, Troilus, Ajax, Agamemnon, Ulysses, Nestor, Menelaus, and Diomedes, with lights. Heyday! Sprites and fires! We go wrong, we go wrong. FTLN 2950 FTLN 2951 AGAMEMNON AJAX FTLN 2952 FTLN 2953 FTLN 2954 No, yonder—’tis there, where we see the lights. I trouble you. AJAX No, not a whit. 70 HECTOR Enter Achilles. FTLN 2955 ULYSSES, to Hector Here comes himself to guide you. ACHILLES FTLN 2956 FTLN 2957 FTLN 2958 Welcome, brave Hector. Welcome, princes all. AGAMEMNON, to Hector So now, fair prince of Troy, I bid good night. Ajax commands the guard to tend on you. 75 HECTOR FTLN 2959 Thanks, and good night to the Greeks’ general. MENELAUS FTLN 2960 FTLN 2961 FTLN 2962 Good night, my lord. HECTOR Menelaus. Good night, sweet lord 80 217 FTLN 2963 FTLN 2964 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 1 THERSITES, aside Sweet draught. “Sweet,” quoth he? Sweet sink, sweet sewer. ACHILLES FTLN 2965 FTLN 2966 FTLN 2967 Good night and welcome, both at once , to those That go or tarry. AGAMEMNON Good night. Agamemnon and Menelaus exit. 85 ACHILLES FTLN 2968 FTLN 2969 Old Nestor tarries, and you too, Diomed. Keep Hector company an hour or two. DIOMEDES FTLN 2970 FTLN 2971 FTLN 2972 FTLN 2973 FTLN 2974 FTLN 2975 I cannot, lord. I have important business, The tide whereof is now.—Good night, great Hector. HECTOR Give me your hand. ULYSSES, aside to Troilus Follow his torch; he goes to Calchas’ tent. I’ll keep you company. TROILUS Sweet sir, you honor me. 90 HECTOR FTLN 2976 FTLN 2977 FTLN 2978 FTLN 2979 FTLN 2980 FTLN 2981 FTLN 2982 FTLN 2983 FTLN 2984 FTLN 2985 FTLN 2986 FTLN 2987 FTLN 2988 And so, good night. Diomedes exits, followed by Troilus and Ulysses. ACHILLES Come, come, enter my tent. Achilles, Ajax, Nestor, and Hector exit. THERSITES That same Diomed’s a false-hearted rogue, a most unjust knave. I will no more trust him when he leers than I will a serpent when he hisses. He will spend his mouth and promise like Brabbler the hound, but when he performs, astronomers foretell it; it is prodigious, there will come some change. The sun borrows of the moon when Diomed keeps his word. I will rather leave to see Hector than not to dog him. They say he keeps a Trojan drab and uses the traitor Calchas his tent. I’ll after. Nothing but lechery! All incontinent varlets! He exits. 95 100 105 219 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 2 Scene 2 Enter Diomedes. FTLN 2989 FTLN 2990 FTLN 2991 FTLN 2992 FTLN 2993 What, are you up here, ho? Speak. CALCHAS, within Who calls? DIOMEDES Diomed. Calchas, I think? Where’s your daughter? CALCHAS, within She comes to you. DIOMEDES 5 Enter Troilus and Ulysses, at a distance, and then, apart from them, Thersites. ULYSSES, FTLN 2994 aside to Troilus Stand where the torch may not discover us. Enter Cressida. TROILUS, FTLN 2995 FTLN 2996 aside to Ulysses Cressid comes forth to him. DIOMEDES How now, my charge? CRESSIDA FTLN 2997 FTLN 2998 FTLN 2999 FTLN 3000 FTLN 3001 FTLN 3002 FTLN 3003 FTLN 3004 FTLN 3005 FTLN 3006 FTLN 3007 FTLN 3008 Now, my sweet guardian. Hark, a word with you. She whispers to him. TROILUS, aside Yea, so familiar? ULYSSES, aside to Troilus She will sing any man at first sight. THERSITES, aside And any man may sing her, if he can take her clef. She’s noted. DIOMEDES Will you remember? Remember? Yes. CRESSIDA DIOMEDES Nay, but do, then, and let your mind be coupled with your words. TROILUS, aside What should she remember? ULYSSES, aside to Troilus List! CRESSIDA FTLN 3009 FTLN 3010 FTLN 3011 Sweet honey Greek, tempt me no more to folly. THERSITES, aside Roguery! DIOMEDES Nay, then— 10 15 20 221 FTLN 3012 CRESSIDA Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 2 I’ll tell you what— DIOMEDES FTLN 3013 Foh, foh, come, tell a pin! You are forsworn. 25 CRESSIDA FTLN 3014 FTLN 3015 In faith, I cannot. What would you have me do? THERSITES, aside A juggling trick: to be secretly open! DIOMEDES FTLN 3016 What did you swear you would bestow on me? CRESSIDA FTLN 3017 FTLN 3018 FTLN 3019 FTLN 3020 FTLN 3021 FTLN 3022 I prithee, do not hold me to mine oath. Bid me do anything but that, sweet Greek. DIOMEDES Good night. TROILUS, aside Hold, patience! ULYSSES, aside to Troilus How now, Trojan? CRESSIDA Diomed— 30 DIOMEDES FTLN 3023 FTLN 3024 FTLN 3025 FTLN 3026 FTLN 3027 FTLN 3028 FTLN 3029 FTLN 3030 FTLN 3031 FTLN 3032 FTLN 3033 FTLN 3034 FTLN 3035 FTLN 3036 FTLN 3037 No, no, good night. I’ll be your fool no more. aside Thy better must. CRESSIDA Hark, a word in your ear. She whispers to him. TROILUS, aside O plague and madness! ULYSSES, aside to Troilus You are moved, prince. Let us depart, I pray you, Lest your displeasure should enlarge itself To wrathful terms. This place is dangerous; The time right deadly. I beseech you, go. TROILUS, aside to Ulysses Behold, I pray you. ULYSSES, aside to Troilus Nay, good my lord, go off. You flow to great distraction. Come, my lord. TROILUS, aside to Ulysses I prithee, stay. ULYSSES, aside to Troilus You have not patience. Come. TROILUS, aside to Ulysses I pray you, stay. By hell and all hell’s torments, I will not speak a word. 35 TROILUS, 40 45 223 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 2 DIOMEDES FTLN 3038 And so good night. FTLN 3039 CRESSIDA FTLN 3040 TROILUS, FTLN 3041 FTLN 3042 FTLN 3043 He starts to leave. Nay, but you part in anger. Doth that grieve thee? O withered aside truth! ULYSSES, aside to Troilus How now, my lord? TROILUS, aside to Ulysses By Jove, I will be patient. 50 55 CRESSIDA FTLN 3044 FTLN 3045 Guardian! Why, Greek! DIOMEDES Foh foh! Adieu. You palter. CRESSIDA FTLN 3046 FTLN 3047 FTLN 3048 FTLN 3049 FTLN 3050 FTLN 3051 FTLN 3052 FTLN 3053 FTLN 3054 FTLN 3055 FTLN 3056 FTLN 3057 In faith, I do not. Come hither once again. ULYSSES, aside to Troilus You shake, my lord, at something. Will you go? You will break out. TROILUS, aside She strokes his cheek! ULYSSES, aside to Troilus Come, come. TROILUS, aside to Ulysses Nay, stay. By Jove, I will not speak a word. There is between my will and all offenses A guard of patience. Stay a little while. THERSITES, aside How the devil Luxury, with his fat rump and potato finger, tickles these together. Fry, lechery, fry! DIOMEDES But will you, then? 60 65 CRESSIDA FTLN 3058 In faith, I will, la. Never trust me else. 70 DIOMEDES FTLN 3059 FTLN 3060 FTLN 3061 FTLN 3062 FTLN 3063 FTLN 3064 Give me some token for the surety of it. CRESSIDA I’ll fetch you one. She exits. ULYSSES, aside to Troilus You have sworn patience. TROILUS, aside to Ulysses Fear me not, my lord. I will not be myself nor have cognition Of what I feel. I am all patience. 75 225 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 2 Enter Cressida with Troilus’s sleeve. FTLN 3065 THERSITES, FTLN 3066 CRESSIDA, FTLN 3067 FTLN 3068 FTLN 3069 FTLN 3070 aside Now the pledge, now, now, now! giving the sleeve Here, Diomed. Keep this sleeve. TROILUS, aside O beauty, where is thy faith? ULYSSES, aside to Troilus My lord— TROILUS, aside to Ulysses I will be patient; outwardly I will. 80 CRESSIDA FTLN 3071 FTLN 3072 FTLN 3073 You look upon that sleeve? Behold it well. He loved me—O false wench!—Give ’t me again. She snatches the sleeve from Diomedes. DIOMEDES Whose was ’t? 85 CRESSIDA FTLN 3074 FTLN 3075 FTLN 3076 FTLN 3077 FTLN 3078 FTLN 3079 FTLN 3080 FTLN 3081 It is no matter, now I ha ’t again. I will not meet with you tomorrow night. I prithee, Diomed, visit me no more. THERSITES, aside Now she sharpens. Well said, whetstone. DIOMEDES I shall have it. CRESSIDA What, this? DIOMEDES Ay, that. 90 CRESSIDA FTLN 3082 FTLN 3083 FTLN 3084 FTLN 3085 FTLN 3086 FTLN 3087 O all you gods!—O pretty, pretty pledge! Thy master now lies thinking on his bed Of thee and me, and sighs, and takes my glove, And gives memorial dainty kisses to it As I kiss thee. He grabs the sleeve, and she tries to retrieve it. DIOMEDES Nay, do not snatch it from me. 95 CRESSIDA FTLN 3088 He that takes that doth take my heart withal. DIOMEDES FTLN 3089 FTLN 3090 I had your heart before. This follows it. aside I did swear patience. TROILUS, 100 227 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 2 CRESSIDA FTLN 3091 FTLN 3092 FTLN 3093 FTLN 3094 FTLN 3095 You shall not have it, Diomed, faith, you shall not. I’ll give you something else. DIOMEDES I will have this. Whose was it? CRESSIDA It is no matter. DIOMEDES Come, tell me whose it was. 105 CRESSIDA FTLN 3096 FTLN 3097 FTLN 3098 ’Twas one’s that loved me better than you will. But now you have it, take it. DIOMEDES Whose was it? 110 CRESSIDA FTLN 3099 FTLN 3100 By all Diana’s waiting-women yond, And by herself, I will not tell you whose. DIOMEDES FTLN 3101 FTLN 3102 FTLN 3103 FTLN 3104 Tomorrow will I wear it on my helm And grieve his spirit that dares not challenge it. TROILUS, aside Wert thou the devil and wor’st it on thy horn, It should be challenged. 115 CRESSIDA FTLN 3105 FTLN 3106 FTLN 3107 FTLN 3108 Well, well, ’tis done, ’tis past. And yet it is not. I will not keep my word. DIOMEDES Why, then, farewell. Thou never shalt mock Diomed again. He starts to leave. 120 CRESSIDA FTLN 3109 FTLN 3110 FTLN 3111 FTLN 3112 FTLN 3113 FTLN 3114 You shall not go. One cannot speak a word But it straight starts you. DIOMEDES I do not like this fooling. TROILUS, aside Nor I, by Pluto! But that that likes not you Pleases me best. DIOMEDES What, shall I come? The hour? CRESSIDA FTLN 3115 Ay, come.—O Jove!—Do, come.—I shall be plagued. 125 229 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 2 DIOMEDES FTLN 3116 FTLN 3117 FTLN 3118 FTLN 3119 FTLN 3120 FTLN 3121 FTLN 3122 FTLN 3123 FTLN 3124 FTLN 3125 Farewell, till then. Good night. I prithee, come.— He exits. Troilus, farewell. One eye yet looks on thee, But with my heart the other eye doth see. Ah, poor our sex! This fault in us I find: The error of our eye directs our mind. What error leads must err. O, then conclude: Minds swayed by eyes are full of turpitude. She exits. THERSITES, aside A proof of strength she could not publish more, Unless she said “My mind is now turned whore.” CRESSIDA 130 135 ULYSSES FTLN 3126 All’s done, my lord. FTLN 3127 TROILUS FTLN 3128 ULYSSES It is. Why stay we then? 140 TROILUS FTLN 3129 FTLN 3130 FTLN 3131 FTLN 3132 FTLN 3133 FTLN 3134 FTLN 3135 FTLN 3136 FTLN 3137 FTLN 3138 FTLN 3139 FTLN 3140 FTLN 3141 To make a recordation to my soul Of every syllable that here was spoke. But if I tell how these two did co-act, Shall I not lie in publishing a truth? Sith yet there is a credence in my heart, An esperance so obstinately strong. That doth invert th’ attest of eyes and ears, As if those organs had deceptious functions, Created only to calumniate. Was Cressid here? ULYSSES I cannot conjure, Trojan. TROILUS She was not, sure. ULYSSES Most sure she was. 145 150 TROILUS FTLN 3142 Why, my negation hath no taste of madness. ULYSSES FTLN 3143 Nor mine, my lord. Cressid was here but now. 155 231 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 2 TROILUS FTLN 3144 FTLN 3145 FTLN 3146 FTLN 3147 FTLN 3148 Let it not be believed for womanhood! Think, we had mothers. Do not give advantage To stubborn critics, apt, without a theme For depravation, to square the general sex By Cressid’s rule. Rather, think this not Cressid. 160 ULYSSES FTLN 3149 FTLN 3150 What hath she done, prince, that can soil our mothers? TROILUS FTLN 3151 FTLN 3152 FTLN 3153 Nothing at all, unless that this were she. aside Will he swagger himself out on ’s own eyes? THERSITES, 165 TROILUS FTLN 3154 FTLN 3155 FTLN 3156 FTLN 3157 FTLN 3158 FTLN 3159 FTLN 3160 FTLN 3161 FTLN 3162 FTLN 3163 FTLN 3164 FTLN 3165 FTLN 3166 FTLN 3167 FTLN 3168 FTLN 3169 FTLN 3170 FTLN 3171 FTLN 3172 FTLN 3173 FTLN 3174 FTLN 3175 This she? No, this is Diomed’s Cressida. If beauty have a soul, this is not she; If souls guide vows, if vows be sanctimonies, If sanctimony be the gods’ delight, If there be rule in unity itself, This is not she. O madness of discourse, That cause sets up with and against itself! Bifold authority, where reason can revolt Without perdition, and loss assume all reason Without revolt. This is and is not Cressid. Within my soul there doth conduce a fight Of this strange nature, that a thing inseparate Divides more wider than the sky and Earth, And yet the spacious breadth of this division Admits no orifex for a point as subtle As Ariachne’s broken woof to enter. Instance, O instance, strong as Pluto’s gates, Cressid is mine, tied with the bonds of heaven; Instance, O instance, strong as heaven itself, The bonds of heaven are slipped, dissolved, and loosed, And with another knot, five-finger-tied, 170 175 180 185 233 FTLN 3176 FTLN 3177 FTLN 3178 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 2 The fractions of her faith, orts of her love, The fragments, scraps, the bits and greasy relics Of her o’er-eaten faith are given to Diomed. 190 ULYSSES FTLN 3179 FTLN 3180 May worthy Troilus be half attached With that which here his passion doth express? TROILUS FTLN 3181 FTLN 3182 FTLN 3183 FTLN 3184 FTLN 3185 FTLN 3186 FTLN 3187 FTLN 3188 FTLN 3189 FTLN 3190 FTLN 3191 FTLN 3192 FTLN 3193 FTLN 3194 FTLN 3195 Ay, Greek, and that shall be divulgèd well In characters as red as Mars his heart Inflamed with Venus. Never did young man fancy With so eternal and so fixed a soul. Hark, Greek: as much as I do Cressid love, So much by weight hate I her Diomed. That sleeve is mine that he’ll bear on his helm. Were it a casque composed by Vulcan’s skill, My sword should bite it. Not the dreadful spout Which shipmen do the hurricano call, Constringed in mass by the almighty sun, Shall dizzy with more clamor Neptune’s ear In his descent than shall my prompted sword Falling on Diomed. THERSITES, aside He’ll tickle it for his concupy. 195 200 205 TROILUS FTLN 3196 FTLN 3197 FTLN 3198 FTLN 3199 FTLN 3200 O Cressid! O false Cressid! False, false, false! Let all untruths stand by thy stainèd name, And they’ll seem glorious. ULYSSES O, contain yourself. Your passion draws ears hither. 210 Enter Aeneas. AENEAS, FTLN 3201 FTLN 3202 FTLN 3203 to Troilus I have been seeking you this hour, my lord. Hector, by this, is arming him in Troy. Ajax, your guard, stays to conduct you home. TROILUS FTLN 3204 Have with you, prince.—My courteous lord, adieu.— 215 235 FTLN 3205 FTLN 3206 FTLN 3207 FTLN 3208 FTLN 3209 FTLN 3210 FTLN 3211 FTLN 3212 FTLN 3213 FTLN 3214 FTLN 3215 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 3 Farewell, revolted fair!—And, Diomed, Stand fast, and wear a castle on thy head! ULYSSES I’ll bring you to the gates. TROILUS Accept distracted thanks. Troilus, Aeneas, and Ulysses exit. THERSITES Would I could meet that rogue Diomed! I would croak like a raven; I would bode, I would bode. Patroclus will give me anything for the intelligence of this whore. The parrot will not do more for an almond than he for a commodious drab. Lechery, lechery, still wars and lechery! Nothing else holds fashion. A burning devil take them! He exits. 220 225 Scene 3 Enter Hector, armed, and Andromache. ANDROMACHE FTLN 3216 FTLN 3217 FTLN 3218 When was my lord so much ungently tempered To stop his ears against admonishment? Unarm, unarm, and do not fight today. HECTOR FTLN 3219 FTLN 3220 You train me to offend you. Get you in. By all the everlasting gods, I’ll go! 5 ANDROMACHE FTLN 3221 My dreams will sure prove ominous to the day. HECTOR FTLN 3222 No more, I say. Enter Cassandra. FTLN 3223 CASSANDRA Where is my brother Hector? ANDROMACHE FTLN 3224 FTLN 3225 FTLN 3226 Here, sister, armed and bloody in intent. Consort with me in loud and dear petition; Pursue we him on knees. For I have dreamt 10 237 FTLN 3227 FTLN 3228 ACT 5. SC. 3 Troilus and Cressida Of bloody turbulence, and this whole night Hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter. CASSANDRA FTLN 3229 FTLN 3230 O, ’tis true! HECTOR, calling out Ho! Bid my trumpet sound! 15 CASSANDRA FTLN 3231 No notes of sally, for the heavens, sweet brother! HECTOR FTLN 3232 Begone, I say. The gods have heard me swear. CASSANDRA FTLN 3233 FTLN 3234 FTLN 3235 FTLN 3236 FTLN 3237 FTLN 3238 FTLN 3239 The gods are deaf to hot and peevish vows. They are polluted off’rings more abhorred Than spotted livers in the sacrifice. ANDROMACHE, to Hector O, be persuaded! Do not count it holy To hurt by being just. It is as lawful, For we would give much, to use violent thefts And rob in the behalf of charity. 20 CASSANDRA FTLN 3240 FTLN 3241 FTLN 3242 FTLN 3243 FTLN 3244 FTLN 3245 FTLN 3246 It is the purpose that makes strong the vow, But vows to every purpose must not hold. Unarm, sweet Hector. HECTOR Hold you still, I say. Mine honor keeps the weather of my fate. Life every man holds dear, but the dear man Holds honor far more precious-dear than life. 25 30 Enter Troilus, armed. FTLN 3247 How now, young man? Meanest thou to fight today? ANDROMACHE FTLN 3248 Cassandra, call my father to persuade. Cassandra exits. HECTOR FTLN 3249 FTLN 3250 FTLN 3251 No, faith, young Troilus, doff thy harness, youth. I am today i’ th’ vein of chivalry. Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong, 35 239 FTLN 3252 FTLN 3253 FTLN 3254 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 3 And tempt not yet the brushes of the war. Unarm thee, go, and doubt thou not, brave boy, I’ll stand today for thee and me and Troy. TROILUS FTLN 3255 FTLN 3256 Brother, you have a vice of mercy in you Which better fits a lion than a man. 40 HECTOR FTLN 3257 What vice is that? Good Troilus, chide me for it. TROILUS FTLN 3258 FTLN 3259 FTLN 3260 When many times the captive Grecian falls, Even in the fan and wind of your fair sword, You bid them rise and live. 45 HECTOR FTLN 3261 FTLN 3262 O, ’tis fair play. TROILUS Fool’s play, by heaven. Hector. HECTOR FTLN 3263 FTLN 3264 FTLN 3265 FTLN 3266 FTLN 3267 FTLN 3268 How now? How now? For th’ love of all the gods, Let’s leave the hermit Pity with our mother, And when we have our armors buckled on, The venomed Vengeance ride upon our swords, Spur them to ruthful work, rein them from ruth. TROILUS 50 HECTOR FTLN 3269 FTLN 3270 Fie, savage, fie! TROILUS Hector, then ’tis wars. 55 HECTOR FTLN 3271 FTLN 3272 FTLN 3273 FTLN 3274 FTLN 3275 FTLN 3276 FTLN 3277 FTLN 3278 FTLN 3279 Troilus, I would not have you fight today. Who should withhold me? Not fate, obedience, nor the hand of Mars, Beck’ning with fiery truncheon my retire; Not Priamus and Hecuba on knees, Their eyes o’er-gallèd with recourse of tears; Nor you, my brother, with your true sword drawn Opposed to hinder me, should stop my way, But by my ruin. TROILUS 60 241 ACT 5. SC. 3 Troilus and Cressida Enter Priam and Cassandra. CASSANDRA, FTLN 3280 FTLN 3281 FTLN 3282 FTLN 3283 FTLN 3284 FTLN 3285 FTLN 3286 FTLN 3287 FTLN 3288 FTLN 3289 FTLN 3290 FTLN 3291 FTLN 3292 FTLN 3293 FTLN 3294 FTLN 3295 FTLN 3296 FTLN 3297 FTLN 3298 FTLN 3299 indicating Hector Lay hold upon him, Priam; hold him fast. He is thy crutch. Now if thou loose thy stay, Thou on him leaning, and all Troy on thee, Fall all together. PRIAM Come, Hector, come. Go back. Thy wife hath dreamt, thy mother hath had visions, Cassandra doth foresee, and I myself Am like a prophet suddenly enrapt To tell thee that this day is ominous. Therefore, come back. HECTOR Aeneas is afield, And I do stand engaged to many Greeks, Even in the faith of valor, to appear This morning to them. PRIAM Ay, but thou shalt not go. HECTOR I must not break my faith. You know me dutiful; therefore, dear sir, Let me not shame respect, but give me leave To take that course by your consent and voice Which you do here forbid me, royal Priam. 65 70 75 80 CASSANDRA FTLN 3300 FTLN 3301 O Priam, yield not to him! ANDROMACHE 85 Do not, dear father. HECTOR FTLN 3302 FTLN 3303 Andromache, I am offended with you. Upon the love you bear me, get you in. Andromache exits. TROILUS FTLN 3304 FTLN 3305 FTLN 3306 FTLN 3307 FTLN 3308 This foolish, dreaming, superstitious girl Makes all these bodements. CASSANDRA O farewell, dear Hector. Look how thou diest! Look how thy eye turns pale! Look how thy wounds do bleed at many vents! 90 243 FTLN 3309 FTLN 3310 FTLN 3311 FTLN 3312 FTLN 3313 FTLN 3314 ACT 5. SC. 3 Troilus and Cressida Hark, how Troy roars, how Hecuba cries out, How poor Andromache shrills her dolor forth! Behold, distraction, frenzy, and amazement, Like witless antics, one another meet, And all cry “Hector! Hector’s dead! O, Hector!” TROILUS Away, away! 95 CASSANDRA FTLN 3315 FTLN 3316 Farewell.—Yet soft! Hector, I take my leave. Thou dost thyself and all our Troy deceive. 100 She exits. HECTOR FTLN 3317 FTLN 3318 FTLN 3319 You are amazed, my liege, at her exclaim. Go in and cheer the town. We’ll forth and fight, Do deeds worth praise, and tell you them at night. PRIAM FTLN 3320 Farewell. The gods with safety stand about thee! Hector and Priam exit at separate doors. Alarum. 105 TROILUS FTLN 3321 FTLN 3322 They are at it, hark! Proud Diomed, believe, I come to lose my arm or win my sleeve. Enter Pandarus, with a paper. FTLN 3323 FTLN 3324 FTLN 3325 FTLN 3326 FTLN 3327 FTLN 3328 FTLN 3329 FTLN 3330 FTLN 3331 FTLN 3332 FTLN 3333 Do you hear, my lord? Do you hear? TROILUS What now? PANDARUS Here’s a letter come from yond poor girl. TROILUS Let me read. He reads. PANDARUS A whoreson phthisic, a whoreson rascally phthisic so troubles me, and the foolish fortune of this girl, and what one thing, what another, that I shall leave you one o’ these days. And I have a rheum in mine eyes too, and such an ache in my bones that, unless a man were cursed, I cannot tell what to think on ’t.—What says she there? PANDARUS 110 115 TROILUS FTLN 3334 FTLN 3335 Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart. Th’ effect doth operate another way. 120 245 FTLN 3336 FTLN 3337 FTLN 3338 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 4 Go, wind, to wind! There turn and change together. He tears up the paper and throws the pieces in the air. My love with words and errors still she feeds, But edifies another with her deeds. They exit. Scene 4 Alarum. Excursions. Enter Thersites. FTLN 3339 FTLN 3340 FTLN 3341 FTLN 3342 FTLN 3343 FTLN 3344 FTLN 3345 FTLN 3346 FTLN 3347 FTLN 3348 FTLN 3349 FTLN 3350 FTLN 3351 FTLN 3352 FTLN 3353 FTLN 3354 FTLN 3355 FTLN 3356 Now they are clapper-clawing one another. I’ll go look on. That dissembling abominable varlet, Diomed, has got that same scurvy doting foolish young knave’s sleeve of Troy there in his helm. I would fain see them meet, that that same young Trojan ass that loves the whore there might send that Greekish whoremasterly villain with the sleeve back to the dissembling luxurious drab, of a sleeveless errand. O’ th’ t’other side, the policy of those crafty swearing rascals—that stale old mouse-eaten dry cheese, Nestor, and that same dog-fox, Ulysses—is proved not worth a blackberry. They set me up, in policy, that mongrel cur, Ajax, against that dog of as bad a kind, Achilles. And now is the cur Ajax prouder than the cur Achilles, and will not arm today, whereupon the Grecians begin to proclaim barbarism, and policy grows into an ill opinion. THERSITES 5 10 15 Enter Diomedes, and Troilus pursuing him. FTLN 3357 FTLN 3358 FTLN 3359 FTLN 3360 Soft! Here comes sleeve and t’ other. Thersites moves aside. TROILUS, to Diomedes Fly not, for shouldst thou take the river Styx I would swim after. DIOMEDES Thou dost miscall retire. 20 247 FTLN 3361 FTLN 3362 FTLN 3363 FTLN 3364 FTLN 3365 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 5 I do not fly, but advantageous care Withdrew me from the odds of multitude. Have at thee! They fight. THERSITES Hold thy whore, Grecian! Now for thy whore, Trojan! Now the sleeve, now the sleeve! Diomedes and Troilus exit fighting. 25 Enter Hector. HECTOR FTLN 3366 FTLN 3367 FTLN 3368 FTLN 3369 FTLN 3370 FTLN 3371 FTLN 3372 FTLN 3373 FTLN 3374 FTLN 3375 FTLN 3376 What art thou, Greek? Art thou for Hector’s match? Art thou of blood and honor? THERSITES No, no, I am a rascal, a scurvy railing knave, a very filthy rogue. HECTOR I do believe thee. Live. He exits. THERSITES God-a-mercy, that thou wilt believe me! But a plague break thy neck for frighting me! What’s become of the wenching rogues? I think they have swallowed one another. I would laugh at that miracle—yet, in a sort, lechery eats itself. I’ll seek them. He exits. 30 35 Scene 5 Enter Diomedes and Servingman. DIOMEDES FTLN 3377 FTLN 3378 FTLN 3379 FTLN 3380 FTLN 3381 FTLN 3382 Go, go, my servant, take thou Troilus’ horse; Present the fair steed to my Lady Cressid. Fellow, commend my service to her beauty. Tell her I have chastised the amorous Trojan And am her knight by proof. MAN I go, my lord. Enter Agamemnon. 5 He exits. 249 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 5 AGAMEMNON FTLN 3383 FTLN 3384 FTLN 3385 FTLN 3386 FTLN 3387 FTLN 3388 FTLN 3389 FTLN 3390 FTLN 3391 FTLN 3392 FTLN 3393 Renew, renew! The fierce Polydamas Hath beat down Menon; bastard Margareton Hath Doreus prisoner, And stands colossus-wise, waving his beam Upon the pashèd corses of the kings Epistrophus and Cedius. Polyxenes is slain, Amphimachus and Thoas deadly hurt, Patroclus ta’en or slain, and Palamedes Sore hurt and bruised. The dreadful Sagittary Appals our numbers. Haste we, Diomed, To reinforcement, or we perish all. 10 15 Enter Nestor, with Soldiers bearing the body of Patroclus. NESTOR FTLN 3394 FTLN 3395 FTLN 3396 FTLN 3397 FTLN 3398 FTLN 3399 FTLN 3400 FTLN 3401 FTLN 3402 FTLN 3403 FTLN 3404 FTLN 3405 FTLN 3406 Go, bear Patroclus’ body to Achilles, And bid the snail-paced Ajax arm for shame. Soldiers exit with Patroclus’s body. There is a thousand Hectors in the field. Now here he fights on Galathe his horse, And here lacks work; anon he’s there afoot And there they fly or die, like scalèd schools Before the belching whale; then is he yonder, And there the strawy Greeks, ripe for his edge, Fall down before him like a mower’s swath. Here, there, and everywhere he leaves and takes, Dexterity so obeying appetite That what he will he does, and does so much That proof is called impossibility. Enter Ulysses. ULYSSES FTLN 3407 FTLN 3408 FTLN 3409 FTLN 3410 O, courage, courage, princes! Great Achilles Is arming, weeping, cursing, vowing vengeance. Patroclus’ wounds have roused his drowsy blood, Together with his mangled Myrmidons, 20 25 30 251 FTLN 3411 FTLN 3412 FTLN 3413 FTLN 3414 FTLN 3415 FTLN 3416 FTLN 3417 FTLN 3418 FTLN 3419 FTLN 3420 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 6 That noseless, handless, hacked and chipped, come to him, Crying on Hector. Ajax hath lost a friend And foams at mouth, and he is armed and at it, Roaring for Troilus, who hath done today Mad and fantastic execution, Engaging and redeeming of himself With such a careless force and forceless care As if that luck, in very spite of cunning, Bade him win all. 35 40 Enter Ajax. FTLN 3421 FTLN 3422 FTLN 3423 Troilus, thou coward Troilus! DIOMEDES Ay, there, there! NESTOR So, so, we draw together. AJAX He exits. He exits. 45 Enter Achilles. FTLN 3424 FTLN 3425 FTLN 3426 FTLN 3427 Where is this Hector?— Come, come, thou boy-queller, show thy face! Know what it is to meet Achilles angry. Hector! Where’s Hector? I will none but Hector. He exits, with the others. ACHILLES 50 Scene 6 Enter Ajax. AJAX FTLN 3428 Troilus, thou coward Troilus, show thy head! Enter Diomedes. FTLN 3429 FTLN 3430 FTLN 3431 Troilus, I say! Where’s Troilus? AJAX What wouldst thou? DIOMEDES I would correct him. DIOMEDES AJAX FTLN 3432 FTLN 3433 Were I the General, thou shouldst have my office Ere that correction.—Troilus, I say! What, Troilus! 5 253 ACT 5. SC. 6 Troilus and Cressida Enter Troilus. TROILUS FTLN 3434 FTLN 3435 FTLN 3436 O traitor Diomed! Turn thy false face, thou traitor, And pay the life thou owest me for my horse! DIOMEDES Ha! Art thou there? AJAX FTLN 3437 I’ll fight with him alone. Stand, Diomed. 10 DIOMEDES FTLN 3438 He is my prize. I will not look upon. TROILUS FTLN 3439 Come, both you cogging Greeks. Have at you both! Enter Hector. Troilus exits, fighting Diomedes and Ajax. HECTOR FTLN 3440 Yea, Troilus? O, well fought, my youngest brother! Enter Achilles. ACHILLES FTLN 3441 Now do I see thee. Ha! Have at thee, Hector! They fight. FTLN 3442 HECTOR Pause if thou wilt. 15 ACHILLES FTLN 3443 FTLN 3444 FTLN 3445 FTLN 3446 FTLN 3447 FTLN 3448 FTLN 3449 FTLN 3450 I do disdain thy courtesy, proud Trojan. Be happy that my arms are out of use. My rest and negligence befriends thee now, But thou anon shalt hear of me again; Till when, go seek thy fortune. He exits. HECTOR Fare thee well. I would have been much more a fresher man Had I expected thee. Enter Troilus. FTLN 3451 How now, my brother? 20 255 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 7 TROILUS FTLN 3452 FTLN 3453 FTLN 3454 FTLN 3455 FTLN 3456 Ajax hath ta’en Aeneas. Shall it be? No, by the flame of yonder glorious heaven, He shall not carry him. I’ll be ta’en too Or bring him off. Fate, hear me what I say! I reck not though I end my life today. 25 He exits. Enter one in Greek armor. HECTOR FTLN 3457 FTLN 3458 FTLN 3459 FTLN 3460 FTLN 3461 FTLN 3462 Stand, stand, thou Greek! Thou art a goodly mark. No? Wilt thou not? I like thy armor well. I’ll frush it and unlock the rivets all, But I’ll be master of it. The Greek exits. Wilt thou not, beast, abide? Why then, fly on. I’ll hunt thee for thy hide. He exits. 30 35 Scene 7 Enter Achilles, with Myrmidons. ACHILLES FTLN 3463 FTLN 3464 FTLN 3465 FTLN 3466 FTLN 3467 FTLN 3468 FTLN 3469 FTLN 3470 Come here about me, you my Myrmidons. Mark what I say. Attend me where I wheel. Strike not a stroke, but keep yourselves in breath, And, when I have the bloody Hector found, Empale him with your weapons round about. In fellest manner execute your arms. Follow me, sirs, and my proceedings eye. It is decreed Hector the great must die. They exit. 5 257 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 9 Scene 8 Enter Thersites; then Menelaus fighting Paris. FTLN 3471 FTLN 3472 FTLN 3473 FTLN 3474 The cuckold and the cuckold-maker are at it. Now, bull! Now, dog! Loo, Paris, loo! Now, my double-horned Spartan! Loo, Paris, loo! The bull has the game. Ware horns, ho! Paris and Menelaus exit, fighting. THERSITES Enter Bastard. FTLN 3475 FTLN 3476 FTLN 3477 FTLN 3478 FTLN 3479 FTLN 3480 FTLN 3481 FTLN 3482 FTLN 3483 FTLN 3484 FTLN 3485 Turn, slave, and fight. THERSITES What art thou? BASTARD A bastard son of Priam’s. THERSITES I am a bastard too. I love bastards. I am bastard begot, bastard instructed, bastard in mind, bastard in valor, in everything illegitimate. One bear will not bite another, and wherefore should one bastard? Take heed: the quarrel’s most ominous to us. If the son of a whore fight for a whore, he tempts judgment. Farewell, bastard. He exits. BASTARD The devil take thee, coward! He exits. BASTARD Scene 9 Enter Hector, with the body of the Greek in armor. HECTOR FTLN 3486 FTLN 3487 FTLN 3488 FTLN 3489 Most putrefied core, so fair without, Thy goodly armor thus hath cost thy life. Now is my day’s work done. I’ll take my breath. Rest, sword; thou hast thy fill of blood and death. He begins to disarm. Enter Achilles and his Myrmidons. 5 10 15 259 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 10 ACHILLES FTLN 3490 FTLN 3491 FTLN 3492 FTLN 3493 Look, Hector, how the sun begins to set, How ugly night comes breathing at his heels. Even with the vail and dark’ning of the sun To close the day up, Hector’s life is done. 5 HECTOR FTLN 3494 I am unarmed. Forgo this vantage, Greek. ACHILLES FTLN 3495 FTLN 3496 FTLN 3497 FTLN 3498 FTLN 3499 FTLN 3500 Strike, fellows, strike! This is the man I seek. The Myrmidons kill Hector. So, Ilium, fall thou next! Come, Troy, sink down! Here lies thy heart, thy sinews, and thy bone. On, Myrmidons, and cry you all amain “Achilles hath the mighty Hector slain.” Retreat sounded from both armies. Hark! A retire upon our Grecian part. 10 15 A MYRMIDON FTLN 3501 The Trojan trumpets sound the like, my lord. ACHILLES FTLN 3502 FTLN 3503 FTLN 3504 FTLN 3505 FTLN 3506 FTLN 3507 The dragon wing of night o’erspreads the Earth And, stickler-like, the armies separates. My half-supped sword, that frankly would have fed, Pleased with this dainty bait, thus goes to bed. He sheathes his sword. Come, tie his body to my horse’s tail; Along the field I will the Trojan trail. They exit with the bodies. Scene 10 Sound retreat. Enter Agamemnon, Ajax, Menelaus, Nestor, Diomedes, and the rest, marching to the beat of drums. Shout within. Hark, hark, what shout is this? Peace, drums! The drums cease. FTLN 3508 AGAMEMNON FTLN 3509 NESTOR 20 261 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 11 SOLDIERS, FTLN 3510 within Achilles! Achilles! Hector’s slain! Achilles! DIOMEDES FTLN 3511 The bruit is Hector’s slain, and by Achilles. AJAX FTLN 3512 FTLN 3513 If it be so, yet bragless let it be. Great Hector was as good a man as he. 5 AGAMEMNON FTLN 3514 FTLN 3515 FTLN 3516 FTLN 3517 March patiently along. Let one be sent To pray Achilles see us at our tent. If in his death the gods have us befriended, Great Troy is ours, and our sharp wars are ended. They exit, marching. 10 Scene 11 Enter Aeneas, Paris, Antenor, Deiphobus, and Trojan soldiers. AENEAS FTLN 3518 FTLN 3519 Stand, ho! Yet are we masters of the field. Never go home; here starve we out the night. Enter Troilus. TROILUS FTLN 3520 FTLN 3521 Hector is slain. ALL Hector! The gods forbid! TROILUS FTLN 3522 FTLN 3523 FTLN 3524 FTLN 3525 FTLN 3526 FTLN 3527 He’s dead, and at the murderer’s horse’s tail, In beastly sort, dragged through the shameful field. Frown on, you heavens; effect your rage with speed. Sit, gods, upon your thrones, and smite at Troy! I say at once: let your brief plagues be mercy, And linger not our sure destructions on! AENEAS FTLN 3528 My lord, you do discomfort all the host. 5 10 263 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 11 TROILUS FTLN 3529 FTLN 3530 FTLN 3531 FTLN 3532 FTLN 3533 FTLN 3534 FTLN 3535 FTLN 3536 FTLN 3537 FTLN 3538 FTLN 3539 FTLN 3540 FTLN 3541 FTLN 3542 FTLN 3543 FTLN 3544 FTLN 3545 FTLN 3546 FTLN 3547 FTLN 3548 FTLN 3549 FTLN 3550 You understand me not that tell me so. I do not speak of flight, of fear, of death, But dare all imminence that gods and men Address their dangers in. Hector is gone. Who shall tell Priam so, or Hecuba? Let him that will a screech-owl aye be called Go into Troy and say their Hector’s dead. There is a word will Priam turn to stone, Make wells and Niobes of the maids and wives, Cold statues of the youth and, in a word, Scare Troy out of itself. But march away. Hector is dead. There is no more to say. Stay yet. You vile abominable tents, Thus proudly pitched upon our Phrygian plains, Let Titan rise as early as he dare, I’ll through and through you! And, thou great-sized coward, No space of earth shall sunder our two hates. I’ll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still, That moldeth goblins swift as frenzy’s thoughts. Strike a free march to Troy! With comfort go. Hope of revenge shall hide our inward woe. 15 20 25 30 Enter Pandarus. FTLN 3551 PANDARUS But hear you, hear you! TROILUS FTLN 3552 FTLN 3553 FTLN 3554 FTLN 3555 FTLN 3556 FTLN 3557 FTLN 3558 FTLN 3559 Hence, broker, lackey! Ignomy and shame Pursue thy life, and live aye with thy name! All but Pandarus exit. PANDARUS A goodly medicine for my aching bones! O world, 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 endeavor be so loved and the performance so loathed? What verse for it? What instance for it? 35 40 265 FTLN 3560 FTLN 3561 FTLN 3562 FTLN 3563 FTLN 3564 FTLN 3565 FTLN 3566 FTLN 3567 FTLN 3568 FTLN 3569 FTLN 3570 FTLN 3571 FTLN 3572 FTLN 3573 FTLN 3574 FTLN 3575 FTLN 3576 Troilus and Cressida ACT 5. SC. 11 Let me see: Full merrily the humble-bee doth sing, Till he hath lost his honey and his sting; And being once subdued in armèd 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 panders’ hall, Your eyes, half out, weep out at Pandar’s fall; Or if you cannot weep, yet give some groans, Though not for me, yet for your aching bones. 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 gallèd goose of Winchester would hiss. Till then I’ll sweat and seek about for eases, And at that time bequeath you my diseases. He exits. 45 50 55
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