Troilus and Cressida

Troilus and Cressida

ACT IV SCENE V	The Grecian camp. Lists set out.
	Enter AJAX, armed; AGAMEMNON, ACHILLES, PATROCLUS,MENELAUS, ULYSSES, NESTOR, and others
AGAMEMNON	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 appalled air	5
	May pierce the head of the great combatant
	And hale him hither.
AJAX	Thou, trumpet, there's my purse.
	Now crack thy lungs, and split thy brazen pipe:
	Blow, villain, till thy sphered bias cheek	10
	Outswell the colic of puff'd Aquilon:
	Come, stretch thy chest and let thy eyes spout blood;
	Thou blow'st for Hector.
	Trumpet sounds
ULYSSES	No trumpet answers.
ACHILLES	'Tis but early days.	15
AGAMEMNON	Is not yond Diomed, with Calchas' daughter?
ULYSSES	'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 DIOMEDES, with CRESSIDA
AGAMEMNON	Is this the Lady Cressid?	20
DIOMEDES	Even she.
AGAMEMNON	Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady.
NESTOR	Our general doth salute you with a kiss.
ULYSSES	Yet is the kindness but particular;
	'Twere better she were kiss'd in general.	25
NESTOR	And very courtly counsel: I'll begin.
	So much for Nestor.
ACHILLES	I'll take what winter from your lips, fair lady:
	Achilles bids you welcome.
MENELAUS	I had good argument for kissing once.	30
PATROCLUS	But that's no argument for kissing now;
	For this popp'd Paris in his hardiment,
	And parted thus you and your argument.
ULYSSES	O deadly gall, and theme of all our scorns!
	For which we lose our heads to gild his horns.	35
PATROCLUS	The first was Menelaus' kiss; this, mine:
	Patroclus kisses you.
MENELAUS	O, this is trim!
PATROCLUS	Paris and I kiss evermore for him.
MENELAUS	I'll have my kiss, sir. Lady, by your leave.	40
CRESSIDA	In kissing, do you render or receive?
PATROCLUS	Both take and give.
CRESSIDA	I'll make my match to live,
	The kiss you take is better than you give;
	Therefore no kiss.	45
MENELAUS	I'll give you boot, I'll give you three for one.
CRESSIDA	You're an odd man; give even or give none.
MENELAUS	An odd man, lady! every man is odd.
CRESSIDA	No, Paris is not; for you know 'tis true,
	That you are odd, and he is even with you.	50
MENELAUS	You fillip me o' the head.
CRESSIDA	No, I'll be sworn.
ULYSSES	It were no match, your nail against his horn.
	May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?
CRESSIDA	You may.	55
ULYSSES	I do desire it.
CRESSIDA	Why, beg, then.
ULYSSES	Why then for Venus' sake, give me a kiss,
	When Helen is a maid again, and his.
CRESSIDA	I am your debtor, claim it when 'tis due.	60
ULYSSES	Never's my day, and then a kiss of you.
DIOMEDES	Lady, a word: I'll bring you to your father.
	Exit with CRESSIDA
NESTOR	A woman of quick sense.
ULYSSES	Fie, fie upon her!
	There's language in her eye, her cheek, her lip,	65
	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	70
	To every ticklish reader! set them down
	For sluttish spoils of opportunity
	And daughters of the game.
	Trumpet within
ALL	The Trojans' trumpet.
AGAMEMNON	Yonder comes the troop.	75
	Enter HECTOR, armed; AENEAS, TROILUS, and otherTrojans, with Attendants
AENEAS	Hail, all you 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 be divided	80
	By any voice or order of the field?
	Hector bade ask.
AGAMEMNON	Which way would Hector have it?
AENEAS	He cares not; he'll obey conditions.
ACHILLES	'Tis done like Hector; but securely done,	85
	A little proudly, and great deal misprizing
	The knight opposed.
AENEAS	If not Achilles, sir,
	What is your name?
ACHILLES	If not Achilles, nothing.	90
AENEAS	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,	95
	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.	100
ACHILLES	A maiden battle, then? O, I perceive you.
	Re-enter DIOMEDES
AGAMEMNON	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,	105
	Or else a breath: the combatants being kin
	Half stints their strife before their strokes begin.
	AJAX and HECTOR enter the lists
ULYSSES	They are opposed already.
AGAMEMNON	What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy?
ULYSSES	The youngest son of Priam, a true knight,	110
	Not yet mature, yet matchless, firm of word,
	Speaking in deeds and deedless in his tongue;
	Not soon provoked nor being provoked soon calm'd:
	His heart and hand both open and both free;
	For what he has he gives, what thinks he shows;	115
	Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty,
	Nor dignifies an impure 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	120
	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	125
	Did in great Ilion thus translate him to me.
	Alarum. Hector and Ajax fight
AGAMEMNON	They are in action.
NESTOR	Now, Ajax, hold thine own!
TROILUS	Hector, thou sleep'st;
	Awake thee!	130
AGAMEMNON	His blows are well disposed: there, Ajax!
DIOMEDES	You must no more.
	Trumpets cease
AENEAS	Princes, enough, so please you.
AJAX	I am not warm yet; let us fight again.
DIOMEDES	As Hector pleases.	135
HECTOR	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:	140
	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	145
	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 borrow'dst from thy mother,	150
	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!	155
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 earned in thy death.
HECTOR	Not Neoptolemus so mirable,	160
	On whose bright crest Fame with her loud'st Oyes
	Cries 'This is he,' could promise to himself
	A thought of added honour torn from Hector.
AENEAS	There is expectance here from both the sides,
	What further you will do.	165
HECTOR	We'll answer it;
	The issue is embracement: Ajax, farewell.
AJAX	If I might in entreaties find success--
	As seld I have the chance--I would desire
	My famous cousin to our Grecian tents.	170
DIOMEDES	'Tis Agamemnon's wish, and great Achilles
	Doth long to see unarm'd the valiant Hector.
HECTOR	AEneas, call my brother Troilus to me,
	And signify this loving interview
	To the expecters of our Trojan part;	175
	Desire them home. Give me thy hand, my cousin;
	I will go eat with thee and see your knights.
AJAX	Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here.
HECTOR	The worthiest of them tell me name by name;
	But for Achilles, mine own searching eyes	180
	Shall find him by his large and portly size.
AGAMEMNON	Worthy of 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 strew'd with husks	185
	And formless ruin of oblivion;
	But in this extant moment, faith and troth,
	Strain'd purely from all hollow bias-drawing,
	Bids thee, with most divine integrity,
	From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome.	190
HECTOR	I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon.
AGAMEMNON	To TROILUS
	less to you.
MENELAUS	Let me confirm my princely brother's greeting:
	You brace of warlike brothers, welcome hither.
HECTOR	Who must we answer?	195
AENEAS	The noble Menelaus.
HECTOR	O, you, my lord? by Mars his gauntlet, thanks!
	Mock not, that I affect the untraded oath;
	Your quondam wife swears still by Venus' glove:
	She's well, but bade me not commend her to you.	200
MENELAUS	Name her not now, sir; she's a deadly theme.
HECTOR	O, pardon; I offend.
NESTOR	I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft
	Labouring for destiny make cruel way
	Through ranks of Greekish youth, and I have seen thee,	205
	As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed,
	Despising many forfeits and subduements,
	When thou hast hung thy advanced sword i' the air,
	Not letting it decline on the declined,
	That I have said to some my standers by	210
	'Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life!'
	And I have seen thee pause and take thy breath,
	When that a ring of Greeks have hemm'd thee in,
	Like an Olympian wrestling: this have I seen;
	But this thy countenance, still lock'd in steel,	215
	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 saw like thee. Let an old man embrace thee;
	And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents.	220
AENEAS	'Tis the old Nestor.
HECTOR	Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle,
	That hast so long walk'd hand in hand with time:
	Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp thee.
NESTOR	I would my arms could match thee in contention,	225
	As they contend with thee in courtesy.
HECTOR	I would they could.
NESTOR	Ha!
	By this white beard, I'ld fight with thee to-morrow.
	Well, welcome, welcome! I have seen the time.	230
ULYSSES	I wonder now how yonder city stands
	When we have here her base and pillar by us.
HECTOR	I know your favour, Lord Ulysses, well.
	Ah, sir, there's many a Greek and Trojan dead,
	Since first I saw yourself and Diomed	235
	In Ilion, on your Greekish embassy.
ULYSSES	Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue:
	My prophecy is but half his journey yet;
	For yonder walls, that pertly front your town,
	Yond towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds,	240
	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,	245
	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	250
	To feast with me and see me at my tent.
ACHILLES	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.	255
HECTOR	Is this Achilles?
ACHILLES	I am Achilles.
HECTOR	Stand fair, I pray thee: let me look on thee.
ACHILLES	Behold thy fill.
HECTOR	Nay, I have done already.	260
ACHILLES	Thou art too brief: I will the second time,
	As I would buy thee, view thee limb by limb.
HECTOR	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	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	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?	275
ACHILLES	I tell thee, yea.
HECTOR	Wert thou an oracle to tell me so,
	I'd not believe thee. Henceforth guard thee well;
	For I'll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there;
	But, by the forge that stithied Mars his helm,	280
	I'll kill thee every where, yea, o'er and o'er.
	You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag;
	His insolence draws folly from my lips;
	But I'll endeavour deeds to match these words,
	Or may I never--	285
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,	290
	Can scarce entreat you to be odd with him.
HECTOR	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?	295
	To-morrow do I meet thee, fell as death;
	To-night all friends.
HECTOR	Thy hand upon that match.
AGAMEMNON	First, all you peers of Greece, go to my tent;
	There in the full convive we: afterwards,	300
	As Hector's leisure and your bounties shall
	Concur together, severally entreat him.
	Beat loud the tabourines, let the trumpets blow,
	That this great soldier may his welcome know.
	Exeunt all except TROILUS and ULYSSES
TROILUS	My Lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you,	305
	In what place of the field doth Calchas keep?
ULYSSES	At Menelaus' tent, most princely Troilus:
	There Diomed doth feast with him to-night;
	Who neither looks upon the heaven nor earth,
	But gives all gaze and bent of amorous view	310
	On the fair Cressid.
TROILUS	Shall 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.	315
	As gentle tell me, of what honour was
	This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there
	That wails her absence?
TROILUS	O, sir, to such as boasting show their scars
	A mock is due. Will you walk on, my lord?	320
	She was beloved, she loved; she is, and doth:
	But still sweet love is food for fortune's tooth.
	Exeunt