Achil. How can that be? Ther. 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' the combat, he'll break it himself in vain-glory. He knows not me; I said, Good-morrow, Ajax; and he replies, Thanks, Agamemnon. What think What think you of this man, that takes me for the general? He is grown a very land-fish, languageless, a monster. A plague of opinion! a man may wear it on both sides, like a leather jerkin. Achil. Thou must be my ambassador to him, Ther sites. Ther. Who, I? why, he'll answer nobody; he professes not answering; speaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue in his arms. I will put on his presence; let Patroclus make demands to me, you shall see the pageant of Ajax. Achil. To him, Patroclus; tell him,—I humbly desire the valiant Ajax, to invite the most valorous Hector to come unarmed to my tent; and to procure safe conduct for his person, of the magnanimous, and most illustrious, six-or-seven-times-honored captain-general of the Grecian army, Agamemnon. Do this. Patr. Jove bless great Ajax. Ther. Humph! Patr. I come from the worthy Achilles, Ther. Ha! Patr. Who most humbly desires you to invite Hector to his tent! Ther. Humph! Patr. And to procure safe conduct from Agamemnon. Ther. Agamemnon? 1 i. e. a sly look. Patr. Ay, my lord. Patr. What say you to't? Ther. God be wi' you, with all my heart. Ther. If to-morrow be a fair day, by eleven o'clock it will go one way or other; howsoever, he shall pay for me ere he has me. Patr. Your answer, sir. Ther. Fare you well, with all my heart. Achil. Why, but he is not in this tune, is he? Ther. No, but he's out o'tune thus. What music will be in him when Hector has knocked out his brains, I know not. But I am sure none; unless the fiddler Apollo get his sinews to make catlings1on. Achil. Come, thou shalt bear a letter to him straight. Ther. Let me bear another to his horse; for that's the more capable creature. Achil. My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirred : And I myself see not the bottom of it. [Exeunt ACHILLES and PATROclus. 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. ACT IV. SCENE I. Troy. A Street. Enter, at one side, ENEAS, and Servant with a torch; at the other, PARIS, DEIPHOBUS, ANTENOR, DIOMEDES, and others, with torches. Pur. See, ho! who's that there? 'Tis the lord Æneas. 1 Lute-strings made of catgut. Ene. Is the prince there in person Had I so good occasion to lie long, ? As you, prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business Should rob my bed-mate of my company. Dio. That's my mind too.-Good morrow, lord Par. A valiant Greek, Æneas; take his hand : Ene. 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. Dio. The one and other Diomed embraces. By Jove, I'll play the hunter for thy life, Ene. And thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly Dio. We do; and long to know each other worse. 2 Ene. I was sent for to the king; but why, I know not. Par. His purpose meets you: 'twas to bring this Greek 1 i. e. conversation while the truce lasts. 2 i. e. I bring you his meaning and his orders. To Calchas' house; and there to render him, Ene. Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece, Par. That I assure you; There is no help; [Exit. The bitter disposition of the time Will have it so. On, lord; we'll follow you. Ene. Good morrow, all. Par. And tell me, noble Diomed; 'faith, tell me true, Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship, Who, in your thoughts, merits fair Helen best, Both alike. Dio. 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, tamed 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.1 Par. You are too bitter to your countrywoman. Dio. She's bitter to her country. Hear me, Paris,— For every false drop in her bawdy veins 1 The merits of each, being weighed, are exactly equal; in each of the scales a harlot must be placed, since each of them has been equally attached to one. A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple A Trojan hath been slain: since she could speak, SCENE II. The same. [Exeunt. The same. Court before the House of Enter TROILUS and CRESSIDA. Tro. Dear, trouble not yourself; the morn is cold. Cres. Then, sweet my lord, I'll call mine uncle down; He shall unbolt the gates. Tro. Trouble him not; To bed, to bed. Sleep kill those pretty eyes, And give as soft attachment to thy senses, As infants' empty of all thought! Cres. Tro. 'Pr'ythee now, to bed. Cres. Good morrow, then. Are you aweary of me? Tro. O Cressida! but that the busy day, Waked by the lark, hath roused the ribald crows, I would not from thee. Cres. Night hath been too brief. Tro. Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights3 she stays, As tediously as hell; but flies the grasps of love, 1 Warburton would read: "We'll not commend what we intend not sell." 2 i. e. "the roguish or thievish crows." It may, however, be used in the sense of obscene. 3 i. e. venefici, those who use nocturnal sorcery. |