We have, great Agamemnon, here in Troy 260
A prince call'd Hector—Priam is his father—
Who in this dull and long-continued truce[1200]
Is rusty grown: he bade me take a trumpet,[1201]
And to this purpose speak. Kings, princes, lords!
If there be one among the fair'st of Greece, 265
That holds his honour higher than his ease,
That seeks his praise more than he fears his peril,[1202]
That knows his valour and knows not his fear,
That loves his mistress more than in confession[1203]
With truant vows to her own lips he loves, 270
And dare avow her beauty and her worth[1204]
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,[1205]
He hath a lady, wiser, fairer, truer,[1205] 275
Than ever Greek did compass in his arms;[1206]
And will to-morrow with his trumpet call
Midway between your tents and walls of Troy,
To rouse a Grecian that is true in love:
If any come, Hector shall honour him; 280
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.
Agam. This shall be told our lovers, Lord Æneas:
If none of them have soul in such a kind, 285
We left them all at home: but we are soldiers;[1207]
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,[1208]
That one meets Hector; if none else, I am he.[1209] 290
Nest. Tell him of Nestor, one that was a man
When Hector's grandsire suck'd: he is old now;
But if there be not in our Grecian host[1210]
One noble man that hath one spark of fire,[1211]
To answer for his love, tell him from me 295
I'll hide my silver beard in a gold beaver
And in my vantbrace put this wither'd brawn,[1212]
And meeting him will tell him that my lady[1213]
Was fairer than his grandam and as chaste
As may be in the world: his youth in flood,[1214] 300
I'll prove this truth with my three drops of blood.[1215]
Æne. Now heavens forbid such scarcity of youth![1216]
Ulyss. Amen.[1217]
Agam. Fair Lord Æneas, let me touch your hand;[1218]
To our pavilion shall I lead you, sir.[1219] 305
Achilles shall have word of this intent;[1220]
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.
[Exeunt all but Ulysses and Nestor.[1221]
Ulyss. Nestor![1222] 310
Nest. What says Ulysses?
Ulyss. I have a young conception in my brain;
Be you my time to bring it to some shape.