Ulyss. '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.

Enter DIOMED, with CRESSIDA.
Agam, Is this the lady Cressid?
Dio.

Even she.
Agam. Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet

lady. Nest. Our general doth salute you with a kiss.

Ulyss. Yet is the kindness but particular; 'Twere better, she were kiss'd in general.

Nest. And very coustly counsel : I'll begin. So much for Nestor.

Achil. I'll take that winter from your lips, fair lady: Achilles bids

you

welcome.
Men. I had good argument for kissing once.

Patr. But that's no argument for kissing now:
For thus popp'd Paris in his hardiment;
And parted thus you and your argument.

Ulyss. O deadly gall, and theme of all our scorns! For which we lose our heads, to gild his horns.

Patr. The first was Menelaus' kiss ;-this, mine: Patroclus kisses

you. Men.

O, this is trim! Patr. Paris, and I, kiss evermore for him. Men. I'll have my kiss, sir :-Lady, by your leave. Cres. In kissing do you render or receive ? Patr. Both take and give. Cres.

I'll make my match to live, The kiss you take is better than you give; Therefore no kiss.

Men. I'll give you boot, I'll give you three for one., Cres. You're an odd man; give even, or give none. Men. An odd man, lady? every man is odd.

Cres. No, Paris is not; for, you know, 'tis true,
That you are odd, and he is even with you.

Men. You fillip me o'the head.
Cres.

No, I'll be sworn. Ulyss. It were no match, your nail against his

horn.
May 1, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?

Cress. You may.
Ulyss.

I do desire it.
Cress.

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

Cres. I am your debtor, claim it when 'tis due. Ulyss. Never's my day, and then a kiss of you. Dio. Lady, a word;-—I'll bring you to your father.

[Diomed leads out CRESSIDA, Nest. A woman of quick sense. Ulyss.

Fye, fye 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. 0, these encounterers, so glib of tongue, That give a coasting welcome ere it comes, And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts To every ticklish reader! set them down For sluttish spoils of opportunity, And daughters of the game.

[Trumpet within.

2 Motion,

All. The Trojans' trumpet.
Agam.

Yonder comes the troop.

Enter Hector, armed; ÆNEAS, TROILUS, and

other Trojans, with Attendants. Æne. Hail, all the state of Greece! what shall be

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

Which

way

would Hector have it? Æne. He cares not, he'll obey conditions.

Achil. 'Tis done like Hector; but securely done,
A little proudly, and great deal misprizing
The knight oppos'd.
Æne.

If not Achilles, sir,
What is your name?
Achil.

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

this ;

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

Achil. A maiden battle then ?-0, I perceive you.

Re-enter DIOMED. Agam. Here is sir Diomed:-Go, gentle knight, Stand by our Ajax : as you and lord Æneas Consent upon the order of their fight, So be it; either to the uttermost, Or else a breath :3 the combatants being kin, Half stints 4 their strife before their strokes begin.

[AJAX and HECTOR enter the lists. Ulyss. They are oppos'd already. Agam. What Trojan is that same that looks so

heavy? Ulyss. The youngest son of Priam, a true knight; Not yet mature, yet matchless ; firm of word; Speaking in deeds, and deedless 5 in his tongue; Not soon provok'd, nor, being provok'd, soon calm'd: His heart and hand both open, and both free; For what he has, he gives, what thinks, he shows; Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty, Nor dignifies an impair thought with breath : Manly as Hector, but more dangerous ; For Hector, in his blaze of wrath, subscribes 7 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 Æneas; one that knows the youth Even to his inches, and, with private soul,

3 Breathing, exercise.

4 Stops.

5 No boaster. 6 Unsuitable to his character. 7 Yields, gives way.

Did in great Ilion thus translate him to me.

[Alarum. Hector and AJAX fight. Agam. They are in action. Nest. Now, Ajax, hold thine own! Tro.

Hector, thou sleep'st; Awake thee!

Agam. His blows are well dispos'd:-there, Ajax! Dio. You must no more. [Trumpets cease. Æne.

Princes, enough, so please you. Ajax. I am not warm yet, let us fight again. Dio. As Hector pleases. Hect.

Why then, will I no more: Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son, A cousin-german to great Priam's seed; The obligation of our blood forbids A gory emulation 'twixt us twain : Were thy commixtion Greek and Trojan so, That thou could'st say_This hand is Grecian all, And this is Trojan; the sinews of this leg All Greek, and this all Troy; my mother's blood Runs on the dexter' cheek, and this sinister 2 Bounds-in my father's; by Jove multipotent, Thou should'st 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 borrow'st from thy mother, My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword Be drain'd! Let me embrace thee, Ajax : By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms.; Hector would have them fall upon him thus : Cousin, all honour to thee !

8 Explain his character.

9 Bloody.

1 Right.

2 Left.