ACT III.
Scene I. Troy. A room in Priam's palace.
Enter Pandarus and a Servant.[1526]
Pan. Friend, you, pray you, a word: do you not follow[1527]
the young Lord Paris?
Serv. Ay, sir, when he goes before me.[1528]
Pan. You depend upon him, I mean?[1529]
Serv. Sir, I do depend upon the Lord. 5
Pan. You depend upon a noble gentleman; I must[1530]
needs praise him.
Serv. The Lord be praised!
Pan. You know me, do you not?
Serv. Faith, sir, superficially. 10
Pan. Friend, know me better; I am the Lord Pandarus.
Serv. I hope I shall know your honour better.
Pan. I do desire it.
Serv. You are in the state of grace.[1531]
Pan. Grace! not so, friend; honour and lordship are 15
my titles. [Music within.] What music is this?[1532]
Serv. I do but partly know, sir: it is music in parts.[1533]
Pan. Know you the musicians?
Serv. Wholly, sir.
Pan. Who play they to? 20
Pan. At whose pleasure, friend?
Serv. At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.
Pan. Command, I mean, friend.[1534]
Serv. Who shall I command, sir? 25
Pan. Friend, we understand not one another: I am
too courtly, and thou art too cunning. At whose request[1535]
do these men play?
Serv. That's to't, indeed, sir: marry, sir, at the request
of Paris my lord, who is there in person; with him, the[1536] 30
mortal Venus, the heart-blood of beauty, love's invisible[1537]
soul.[1538]
Pan. Who, my cousin Cressida?
Serv. No, sir, Helen: could not you find out that by[1539]
her attributes? 35
Pan. It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen[1540]
the Lady Cressida. I come to speak with Paris from the[1541]
Prince Troilus: I will make a complimental assault upon
him, for my business seethes.
Serv. Sodden business! there's a stewed phrase indeed![1542] 40
Enter Paris and Helen, attended.[1543]
Pan. 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.[1544] 45
Pan. You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen. Fair
prince, here is good broken music.
Par. You have broke it, cousin: and, by my life, you[1545]
shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a
piece of your performance. Nell, he is full of harmony.[1546] 50
Pan. Truly, lady, no.
Helen. O, sir,—
Pan. Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.
Par. Well said, my lord! well, you say so in fits.[1547]
Pan. I have business to my lord, dear queen. My 55
lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?
Helen. Nay, this shall not hedge us out: we'll hear[1548]
you sing, certainly.
Pan. Well, sweet queen, you are pleasant with me.
But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord, and most esteemed 60
friend, your brother Troilus—
Helen. My Lord Pandarus; honey-sweet lord,—
Pan. Go to, sweet queen, go to:—commends himself[1549]
most affectionately to you—[1549]
Helen. You shall not bob us out of our melody: if you[1550] 65
do, our melancholy upon your head![1550]
Pan. Sweet queen, sweet queen; that's a sweet queen,
i' faith.[1551]
Helen. And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence.[1552]
Pan. Nay, that shall not serve your turn; that shall it[1553] 70
not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words; no, no.[1553]
And, my lord, he desires you, that if the king call for him[1553]
at supper, you will make his excuse.[1553][1554]
Helen. My Lord Pandarus,—
Pan. What says my sweet queen, my very very sweet[1555] 75
queen?
Par. What exploit's in hand? where sups he to-night?[1556]
Pan. What says my sweet queen? My cousin will[1557][1558]
fall out with you. You must not know where he sups.[1557][1558][1559] 80
Par. I'll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida.[1557][1560][1561]
Pan. No, no, no such matter; you are wide: come,
your disposer is sick.[1561]
Par. Well, I'll make excuse.[1562]
Pan. Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? 85
no, your poor disposer's sick.[1561][1563]
Par. I spy.[1564]
Pan. You spy! what do you spy? Come, give me an
instrument. Now, sweet queen.[1565]
Helen. Why, this is kindly done.[1566] 90
Pan. My niece is horribly in love with a thing you[1567]
have, sweet queen.
Helen. She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my lord
Paris.
Pan. He! no, she'll none of him; they two are twain.[1568] 95
Helen. Falling in, after falling out, may make them three.
Pan. 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,[1569]
thou hast a fine forehead. 100
Pan. Ay, you may, you may.[1570]
Helen. Let thy song be love: this love will undo us all.
O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!
Pan. Love! ay, that it shall, i'faith.
Par. Ay, good now, love, love, nothing but love. 105
Pan. In good troth, it begins so. [Sings.[1571]
Love, love, nothing but love, still more![1572]
For, O, love's bow[1573]
Shoots buck and doe:[1573][1574]
The shaft confounds,[1575][1576] 110
Not that it wounds,[1575]
But tickles still the sore.
These lovers cry Oh! oh! they die:[1577]
Yet that which seems the wound to kill,[1578]
Doth turn oh! oh! to ha! ha! he![1577][1579] 115
So dying love lives still:
Oh! oh! a while, but ha! ha! ha![1577]
Oh! oh! groans out for ha! ha! ha![1577]
Heigh-ho![1580]
Helen. In love, i'faith, to the very tip of the nose. 120
Par. He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds[1581]
hot blood and hot blood begets hot thoughts and hot
thoughts beget hot deeds and hot deeds is love.[1582]
Pan. Is this the generation of love? hot blood, hot[1583]
thoughts and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers: is love a[1583][1584] 125
generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who's afield to-day?[1583][1585]
Par. Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all
the gallantry of Troy: I would fain have armed to-day, but[1586]
my Nell would not have it so. How chance my brother
Troilus went not? 130
Helen. He hangs the lip at something: you know all,
Lord Pandarus.
Pan. Not I, honey-sweet queen. I long to hear how
they sped to-day. You'll remember your brother's excuse?
Par. To a hair. 135
Pan. Farewell, sweet queen.
Helen. Commend me to your niece.
Pan. I will, sweet queen. [Exit.
[A retreat sounded.[1587]
Par. They're come from field: let us to Priam's hall,[1588]
To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you 140
To help unarm our Hector: his stubborn buckles,
With these your white enchanting fingers touch'd,[1589]
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. 145
Helen. 'Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris;[1590]
Yea, what he shall receive of us in duty
Gives us more palm in beauty than we have,
Yea, overshines ourself.
Par. Sweet, above thought I love thee. [Exeunt.[1591] 150
Scene II. An orchard to Pandarus' house.
Enter Pandarus and Troilus' Boy, meeting.[1592]
Pan. How now! where's thy master? at my cousin[1593]
Cressida's?
Boy. No, sir; he stays for you to conduct him thither.[1594]
Pan. O, here he comes.
Enter Troilus.
How now, how now! 5
Tro. Sirrah, walk off. [Exit Boy.[1595]
Pan. Have you seen my cousin?
Tro. No, Pandarus: I stalk about her door,
Like a strange soul upon the Stygian banks[1596]
Staying for waftage. O, be thou my Charon, 10
And give me swift transportance to those fields[1597]
Where I may wallow in the lily-beds
Proposed for the deserver! O gentle Pandarus,[1598]
From Cupid's shoulder pluck his painted wings,
And fly with me to Cressid! 15
Pan. Walk here i' the orchard, I'll bring her straight.
[Exit.[1599]
Tro. I am giddy; expectation whirls me round.[1600]
The imaginary relish is so sweet
That it enchants my sense: what will it be,[1601]
When that the watery palates taste indeed[1602] 20
Love's thrice repured nectar? death, I fear me,[1603]
Swounding destruction, or some joy too fine,[1604]
Too subtle-potent, tuned too sharp in sweetness,[1605]
For the capacity of my ruder powers:[1606]
I fear it much, and I do fear besides 25
That I shall lose distinction in my joys,
As doth a battle, when they charge on heaps
The enemy flying.
Re-enter Pandarus.[1607]
Pan. She's making her ready, she'll come straight:
you must be witty now. She does so blush, and fetches 30
her wind so short, as if she were frayed with a sprite: I'll[1608]
fetch her. It is the prettiest villain: she fetches her breath[1609]
as short as a new-ta'en sparrow. [Exit.[1610]
Tro. Even such a passion doth embrace my bosom:
My heart beats thicker than a feverous pulse; 35
And all my powers do their bestowing lose,
Like vassalage at unawares encountering[1611]
The eye of majesty.
Re-enter Pandarus with Cressida.[1612]
Pan. Come, come, what need you blush? shame's a[1613]
baby. Here she is now: swear the oaths now to her that 40
you have sworn to me. 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[1614]
put you i' the fills. Why do you not speak to her? Come,[1615]
draw this curtain, and let's see your picture. Alas the day,[1616] 45
how loath you are to offend daylight! an 'twere dark, you'ld
close sooner. So, so; rub on, and kiss the mistress. 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' the river: go[1617] 50
to, go to.
Tro. You have bereft me of all words, lady.
Pan. Words pay no debts, give her deeds: but she'll
bereave you o' the deeds too, if she call your activity in[1618]
question. What, billing again? Here's 'In witness whereof[1619] 55
the parties interchangeably'—Come in, come in: I'll go get[1619]
a fire. [Exit.[1620]
Cres. Will you walk in, my lord?
Tro. O Cressida, how often have I wished me thus![1621]
Cres. Wished, my lord?—The gods grant—O my lord![1622] 60
Tro. What should they grant? what makes this pretty
abruption? What too curious dreg espies my sweet lady[1623]
in the fountain of our love?
Cres. More dregs than water, if my fears have eyes.[1624]
Tro. Fears make devils of cherubins; they never see truly.[1625] 65
Cres. Blind fear, that seeing reason leads, finds safer[1626]
footing than blind reason stumbling without fear: to fear
the worst oft cures the worse.[1627]
Tro. O, let my lady apprehend no fear: in all Cupid's[1628]
pageant there is presented no monster.[1628] 70
Cres. Nor nothing monstrous neither?[1629]
Tro. Nothing, but our undertakings; when we vow to[1630]
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[1631] 75
in love, lady, that the will is infinite and the
execution confined, that the desire is boundless and the
act a slave to limit.
Cres. They say, all lovers swear more performance than
they are able, and yet reserve an ability that they never 80
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?
Tro. Are there such? such are not we: praise us as we
are tasted, allow us as we prove; our head shall go bare till 85
merit crown it: no perfection in reversion shall have a praise[1632]
in present: we will not 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[1633] 90
truth can speak truest, not truer than Troilus.
Cres. Will you walk in, my lord?
Re-enter Pandarus.[1634]
Pan. What, blushing still? have you not done talking[1635]
yet?
Cres. Well, uncle, what folly I commit, I dedicate to 95
you.
Pan. 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.
Tro. You know now your hostages; your uncle's word 100
and my firm faith.
Pan. Nay, I 'll give my word for her too: our kindred,
though they be long ere they are wooed, they are constant[1636]
being won: they are burs, I can tell you; they'll stick
where they are thrown. 105
Cres. Boldness comes to me now, and brings me heart.[1637]
Prince Troilus, I have loved you night and day[1637]
For many weary months.[1637]
Tro. Why was my Cressid then so hard to win?
Cres. Hard to seem won: but I was won, my lord, 110
With the first glance that ever—pardon me;[1638]
If I confess much, you will play the tyrant.
I love you now; but not, till now, so much[1639]
But I might master it: in faith, I lie;
My thoughts were like unbridled children, grown[1640] 115
Too headstrong for their mother. See, we fools!
Why have I blabb'd? who shall be true to us,
When we are so unsecret to ourselves?
But, though I loved you well, I woo'd you not;
And yet, good faith, I wish'd myself a man, 120
Or that we women had men's privilege[1641]
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,[1642]
Cunning in dumbness, from my weakness draws[1643] 125
My very soul of counsel! Stop my mouth.[1644]
Tro. And shall, albeit sweet music issues thence.[1645]
Pan. Pretty, i' faith.
Cres. My lord, I do beseech you, pardon me;
'Twas not my purpose thus to beg a kiss: 130
I am ashamed; O heavens! what have I done?
For this time will I take my leave, my lord.
Tro. Your leave, sweet Cressid?[1646]
Pan. Leave! an you take leave till to-morrow morning—[1647]
Cres. Pray you, content you.[1648] 135
Tro. What offends you, lady?[1648]
Cres. Sir, mine own company.[1648]
Tro. You cannot shun yourself.[1648][1649]
Cres. Let me go and try:[1648][1650]
I have a kind of self resides with you,[1651] 140
But an unkind self that itself will leave
To be another's fool. I would be gone:[1652]
Where is my wit? I know not what I speak.[1652]
Tro. Well know they what they speak that speak so wisely.[1653]
Cres. Perchance, my lord, I show more craft than love,[1654] 145
And fell so roundly to a large confession
To angle for your thoughts: but you are wise;[1655]
Or else you love not, for to be wise and love[1655][1656]
Exceeds man's might; that dwells with gods above.[1657]
Tro. O that I thought it could be in a woman— 150
As, if it can, I will presume in you—[1658]
To feed for aye her lamp and flames of love;[1659]
To keep her constancy in plight and youth,
Outliving beauty's outward, with a mind[1660]
That doth renew swifter than blood decays! 155
Or that persuasion could but thus convince me,[1661]
That my integrity and truth to you
Might be affronted with the match and weight
Of such a winnowed purity in love;[1662]
How were I then uplifted! but, alas! 160
I am as true as truth's simplicity
And simpler than the infancy of truth.
Cres. In that I'll war with you.
Tro. O virtuous fight,
When right with right wars who shall be most right![1663]
True swains in love shall in the world to come[1664] 165
Approve their truths by Troilus: when their rhymes,[1665]
Full of protest, of oath and big compare,
Want similes, truth tired with iteration,[1666]
'As true as steel, as plantage to the moon,[1667]
As sun to day, as turtle to her mate, 170
As iron to adamant, as earth to the centre,'
Yet, after all comparisons of truth,[1668]
As truth's authentic author to be cited,[1669]
'As true as Troilus' shall crown up the verse[1670]
And sanctify the numbers.
Cres. Prophet may you be! 175
If I be false, or swerve a hair from truth,
When time is old and hath forgot itself,[1671]
When waterdrops have worn the stones of Troy,
And blind oblivion swallow'd cities up,
And mighty states characterless are grated 180
To dusty nothing, yet let memory,
From false to false, among false maids in love,
Upbraid my falsehood! when they've said 'as false[1672]
As air, as water, wind, or sandy earth,[1673]
As fox to lamb, or wolf to heifer's calf,[1674] 185
Pard to the hind, or stepdame to her son,'
'Yea,' let them say, to stick the heart of falsehood,
'As false as Cressid.'
Pan. 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[1675] 190
you prove false one to another, since I have taken such pains[1676]
to bring you together, let all pitiful goers-between be called
to the world's end after my name; call them all Pandars;
let all constant men be Troiluses, all false women Cressids,[1677]
and all brokers-between Pandars! Say 'amen.' 195
Tro. Amen.
Cres. Amen.
Pan. Amen. Whereupon I will show you a chamber[1678]
with a bed; which bed, because it shall not speak of your[1678]
pretty encounters, press it to death: away![1679] 200
[Exeunt Tro. and Cres.
And Cupid grant all tongue-tied maidens here
Bed, chamber, Pandar to provide this gear!
[Exit.[1680]
Scene III. The Grecian camp.
Flourish. Enter Agamemnon, Ulysses, Diomedes, Nestor, Ajax, Menelaus, and Calchas.[1681]
Cal. Now, princes, for the service I have done you,[1682]
The advantage of the time prompts me aloud
To call for recompense. Appear it to your mind[1683]
That, through the sight I bear in things to love,[1684]
I have abandon'd Troy, left my possession,[1685] 5
Incurr'd a traitor's name; exposed myself,
From certain and possess'd conveniences,
To doubtful fortunes; sequestering from me all[1686]
That time, acquaintance, custom and condition
Made tame and most familiar to my nature, 10
And here, to do you service, am become
As new into the world, strange, unacquainted:[1687]
I do beseech you, as in way of taste,
To give me now a little benefit,
Out of those many register'd in promise, 15
Which, you say, live to come in my behalf.
Agam. What wouldst thou of us, Trojan? make demand.
Cal. You have a Trojan prisoner, call'd Antenor,
Yesterday took: Troy holds him very dear.
Oft have you—often have you thanks therefore— 20
Desired my Cressid in right great exchange,
Whom Troy hath still denied: but this Antenor,
I know, is such a wrest in their affairs[1688]
That their negotiations all must slack,
Wanting his manage; and they will almost[1689] 25
Give us a prince of blood, a son of Priam,[1690]
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.
Agam. Let Diomedes bear him,[1691] 30
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 to-morrow[1692]
Be answer'd in his challenge: Ajax is ready. 35
Dio. This shall I undertake; and 'tis a burthen
Which I am proud to bear. [Exeunt Diomedes and Calchas.
Enter Achilles and Patroclus, before their tent.[1693]
Ulyss. Achilles stands i' the entrance of his tent:
Please it our general pass strangely by him,[1694]
As if he were forgot; and, princes all, 40
Lay negligent and loose regard upon him:
I will come last. 'Tis like he'll question me
Why such unplausive eyes are bent on him:[1695]
If so, I have derision medicinable,[1696]
To use between your strangeness and his pride,[1697] 45
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.
Agam. We'll execute your purpose and put on 50
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 look'd on. I will lead the way.
Achil. What, comes the general to speak with me? 55
You know my mind; I'll fight no more 'gainst Troy.
Agam. What says Achilles? would he aught with us?
Nest. Would you, my lord, aught with the general?
Achil. No.
Nest. Nothing, my lord. 60
Agam. The better. [Exeunt Agamemnon and Nestor.[1698]
Achil. Good day, good day.
Men. How do you? how do you? [Exit.[1699]
Achil. What, does the cuckold scorn me?
Ajax. How now, Patroclus! 65
Achil. Good morrow, Ajax.
Ajax. Ha?[1700]
Achil. Good morrow.[1701]
Ajax. Ay, and good next day too. [Exit.[1702]
Achil. What mean these fellows? Know they not Achilles?[1703] 70
Patr. They pass by strangely: they were used to bend,[1704]
To send their smiles before them to Achilles,
To come as humbly as they used to creep[1705][1706]
To holy altars.[1705]
Achil. What, am I poor of late?
'Tis certain, greatness, once fall'n out with fortune, 75
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,[1707] 80
Hath any honour, but honour for those honours[1708]
That are without him, as place, riches, and favour,[1709]
Prizes of accident as oft as merit:
Which when they fall, as being slippery standers,
The love that lean'd on them as slippery too,[1710] 85
Do one pluck down another and together[1711][1712]
Die in the fall. But 'tis not so with me:[1712]
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 90
Something not worth in me such rich beholding[1713]
As they have often given. Here is Ulysses:
I'll interrupt his reading.[1714]
How now, Ulysses![1714]
Ulyss. Now, great Thetis' son![1715]
Achil. What are you reading?
Ulyss. A strange fellow here 95
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[1716] 100
Heat them, and they retort that heat again
To the first giver.'[1717]
Achil. This is not strange, Ulysses.
The beauty that is borne here in the face[1718]
The bearer knows not, but commends itself[1719]
To others' eyes: nor doth the eye itself,[1720] 105
That most pure spirit of sense, behold itself,[1720]
Not going from itself; but eye to eye opposed[1721]
Salutes each other with each other's form:[1722]
For speculation turns not to itself,
Till it hath travell'd and is married there[1723] 110
Where it may see itself. This is not strange at all.[1724]
Ulyss. I do not strain at the position—[1725]
It is familiar—but at the author's drift;[1726]
Who in his circumstance expressly proves
That no man is the lord of any thing,[1727] 115
Though in and of him there be much consisting,[1728]
Till he communicate his parts to others;
Nor doth he of himself know them for aught
Till he behold them formed in the applause[1729]
Where they're extended; who, like an arch, reverberates[1730] 120
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;[1731]
And apprehended here immediately[1731][1732]
The unknown Ajax.[1731][1733] 125
Heavens, what a man is there! a very horse;[1731][1733]
That has he knows not what. Nature, what things there are,[1731][1733][1734]
Most abject in regard and dear in use![1731][1733][1735]
What things again most dear in the esteem[1733]
And poor in worth! Now shall we see to-morrow—[1733][1736] 130
An act that very chance doth throw upon him—[1733][1736][1737]
Ajax renown'd. O heavens, what some men do,[1733][1736][1738]
While some men leave to do![1733][1739]
How some men creep in skittish fortune's hall,[1739][1740]
While others play the idiots in her eyes![1739] 135
How one man eats into another's pride,
While pride is fasting in his wantonness![1741]
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[1742] 140
And great Troy shrieking.[1743]
Achil. I do believe it; for they pass'd by me[1744][1745]
As misers do by beggars, neither gave to me[1744]
Good word nor look: what, are my deeds forgot?[1744][1746]
Ulyss. Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back 145
Wherein he puts alms for oblivion,
A great-sized monster of ingratitudes:[1747]
Those scraps are good deeds past, which are devour'd[1748]
As fast as they are made, forgot as soon[1748]
As done: perseverance, dear my lord,[1748][1749][1750] 150
Keeps honour bright: to have done, is to hang[1749]
Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail[1751]
In monumental mockery. Take the instant way;[1752]
For honour travels in a strait so narrow,
Where one but goes abreast: keep then the path;[1753] 155
For emulation hath a thousand sons
That one by one pursue: if you give way,
Or hedge aside from the direct forthright,[1754]
Like to an enter'd tide they all rush by
And leave you hindmost:[1755][1756][1757] 160
Or, like a gallant horse fall'n in first rank,[1755][1756][1757][1758]
Lie there for pavement to the abject rear,[1755][1756][1759][1760][1761]
O'er-run and trampled on: then what they do in present,[1755][1756][1760]
Though less than yours in past, must o'ertop yours;[1755][1762]
For time is like a fashionable host[1755] 165
That slightly shakes his parting guest by the hand,[1755]
And with his arms outstretch'd, as he would fly,[1755][1763]
Grasps in the comer: welcome ever smiles,[1755][1764]
And farewell goes out sighing. O, let not virtue seek[1755][1765][1766]
Remuneration for the thing it was;[1755][1766][1767] 170
For beauty, wit,[1755][1767]
High birth, vigour of bone, desert in service,[1755][1768]
Love, friendship, charity, are subjects all[1755][1769]
To envious and calumniating time.
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin; 175
That all with one consent praise new-born gawds,
Though they are made and moulded of things past,
And give to dust that is a little gilt[1770][1771]
More laud than gilt o'er-dusted.[1770][1772]
The present eye praises the present object: 180
Then marvel not, thou great and complete man,
That all the Greeks begin to worship Ajax;[1773]
Since things in motion sooner catch the eye[1774]
Than what not stirs. The cry went once on thee,[1775]
And still it might, and yet it may again, 185
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,[1776]
And drave great Mars to faction.
Achil. Of this my privacy[1777] 190
I have strong reasons.
Ulyss. But 'gainst your privacy[1778]
The reasons are more potent and heroical:
'Tis known, Achilles, that you are in love
With one of Priam's daughters.
Achil. Ha! known?[1779]
Ulyss. Is that a wonder? 195
The providence that's in a watchful state
Knows almost every grain of Plutus' gold,[1780]
Finds bottom in the uncomprehensive deeps,[1781]
Keeps place with thought and almost like the gods[1782][1783]
Does thoughts unveil in their dumb cradles.[1782][1784] 200
There is a mystery, with whom relation[1785]
Durst never meddle, in the soul of state;
Which hath an operation more divine
Than breath or pen can give expressure to:[1786]
All the commerce that you have had with Troy 205
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;[1787] 210
And all the Greekish girls shall tripping sing
'Great Hector's sister did Achilles win,
But our great Ajax bravely beat down him.'[1788]
Farewell, my lord: I as your lover speak;
The fool slides o'er the ice that you should break. [Exit.[1789]215
Patr. To this effect, Achilles, have I moved you:[1790]
A woman impudent and mannish grown
Is not more loathed than an effeminate man
In time of action. I stand condemn'd for this;[1791]
They think my little stomach to the war 220
And your great love to me restrains you thus:
Sweet, rouse yourself, and the weak wanton Cupid[1792]
Shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold,[1793]
And, like a dew-drop from the lion's mane,[1794]
Be shook to air.[1795]
Achil. Shall Ajax fight with Hector? 225
Patr. Ay, and perhaps receive much honour by him.
Achil. I see my reputation is at stake;
My fame is shrewdly gored.[1796]
Patr. O, then, beware;
Those wounds heal ill that men do give themselves:
Omission to do what is necessary 230
Seals a commission to a blank of danger;
And danger, like an ague, subtly taints
Even then when we sit idly in the sun.[1797]
Achil. Go call Thersites hither, sweet Patroclus:
I'll send the fool to Ajax and desire him 235
To invite the Trojan lords after the combat
To see us here unarm'd: I have a woman's longing,[1798]
An appetite that I am sick withal,
To see great Hector in his weeds of peace;[1799]
To talk with him, and to behold his visage, 240
Even to my full of view.—A labour saved!
Enter Thersites.[1800]
Ther. A wonder![1801]
Achil. What?
Ther. Ajax goes up and down the field, asking for himself.
Achil. How so? 245
Ther. He must fight singly to-morrow with Hector,
and is so prophetically proud of an heroical cudgelling
that he raves in saying nothing.
Achil. How can that be?
Ther. Why, a' stalks up and down like a peacock,—a[1802] 250
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[1803]
coldly in him as fire in a flint, which will not show without 255
knocking. The man's undone for ever; for if Hector break
not his neck i' the combat, he'll break't himself in vainglory.[1804]
He knows not me: I said 'Good morrow, Ajax;'
and he replies 'Thanks, Agamemnon.' What think you of[1805]
this man, that takes me for the general? He's grown a very 260
land-fish, languageless, a monster. A plague of opinion! a
man may wear it on both sides, like a leather jerkin.
Achil. Thou must be my ambassador to him, Thersites.[1806]
Ther. Who, I? why, he'll answer nobody; he professes
not answering: speaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue 265
in's arms. I will put on his presence: let Patroclus make
demands to me, you shall see the pageant of Ajax.[1807]
Achil. To him, Patroclus: tell him I humbly desire
the valiant Ajax to invite the most valorous Hector to[1808]
come unarmed to my tent, and to procure safe-conduct for 270
his person of the magnanimous and most illustrious six-or-seven-times-honoured[1809]
captain-general of the Grecian army,[1810]
Agamemnon, et cetera. Do this.[1811]
Patr. Jove bless great Ajax!
Ther. Hum! 275
Patr. I come from the worthy Achilles,—
Ther. Ha!
Patr. Who most humbly desires you to invite Hector
to his tent,—
Ther. Hum! 280
Patr. And to procure safe-conduct from Agamemnon.
Ther. Agamemnon?
Patr. Ay, my lord.
Ther. Ha!
Patr. What say you to 't? 285
Ther. God be wi' you, with all my heart.[1812]
Patr. Your answer, sir.
Ther. If to-morrow be a fair day, by eleven of the[1813]
clock it will go one way or other: howsoever, he shall pay
for me ere he has me. 290
Patr. Your answer, sir.
Ther. Fare you well, with all my heart.[1814]
Achil. Why, but he is not in this tune, is he?
Ther. No, but he's out o' tune thus. What music will[1815][1816]
be in him when Hector has knocked out his brains, I know[1816] 295
not; but, I am sure, none, unless the fiddler Apollo get
his sinews to make catlings on.
Achil. Come, thou shalt bear a letter to him straight.
Ther. Let me bear another to his horse; for that's the[1817]
more capable creature. 300
Achil. My mind is troubled like a fountain stirr'd,
And I myself see not the bottom of it.
[Exeunt Achilles and Patroclus.[1818]
Ther. 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. [Exit.[1819] 305