The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare

CRESSIDA

Great Hector's sister did Achilles win;
But our great Ajax bravely beat down him.
Farewell, my lord: I as your lover speak;
The fool slides o'er the ice that you should break.

[you:

[Exit.
Patr. To this effect, Achilles, have I mov'd
A woman inpudent and mannish grown
Is not more loath'd than an effeminate man
I stand condemn'd for this:
In time of action.
They think my little stomach to the war,
And your great love to me, restrains you thus:
Sweet, rouse yourself; and the weak wanton
Cupid

Shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold,
And, like a dew-drop from the lion's mane,
Be shook to air.

Achil. Shall Ajax fight with Hector?

Patr. Ay, and, perhaps, receive much honour by him.

Achil. I see my reputation is at stake; My fame is shrewdly gor'd.

Patr. Oh! then beware;

[selves:

Those wounds heal ill, that men do give them-
Omission to do what is necessary
Seals a commission to a blank of danger;
And danger, like an ague, subtly taints
Even then when we sit idly in the sun.
Achil. Go call Thersites hither, sweet
clus:

Patro

I'll send the fool to Ajax, and desire him
To invite the Trojan lords, after the combat,
To see us here unarm'd: I have a woman's
An appetite that I am sick withal,

[longing,

To see great Hector in his weeds of peace;
To talk with him, and to behold his visage,
Even to my full of view. A labour sav'd!

Enter THERSITES.

Ther. A wonder !

Achil. What?

Ther. Ajax goes up and down the field, asking for himself.

Achil. How so?

Ther. He must fight singly to-morrow with Ilector; and is so prophetically proud of an heroical cudgelling, that he raves in saying nothing.

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 for ever; for if Hector break not his neck 'the combat, he'll break it himself in vain-glory. He knows not me: I said, Goodmorrow, Ajax; and he replies, Thanks, AgamemWhat think you of this man, that takes me for the general? He is grown a very landA plague of fish, languageless, a monster. opinion! a man may wear it on both sides, like a leather jerkin.

non.

Achil. Thou must be my ambassador to him, Thersites.

Patr. What say you to't?

Ther. God be wi' you, with all my heart.
Patr. Your answer, Sir.

Ther. If to-morrow be a fair day, by eleven
;
howsoever,
o'clock it will go one way or other
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?
What
Ther. No, but he's out o'tune thus.
music will be in him when Hector has knocked
out his brains, I know not: But, I am sure, none;
unles 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 more capable + creature.

Achil. My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirr'd;

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 va [Exit. liant ignorance.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-Troy.-A Street.

Enter, at one side, ANEAS and SERVANT,
with a torch; at the other, PARIS, DEIPHO
BUS, ANTENOR, DIOMEDES, and others, with
torches.

Par. See, ho! who's that there?
Dei. 'Tis the lord Eneas.

Ene. Is the prince there in person 3-
Had I'so good occasion to lie long,
business
As you, prince Paris, nothing but heavenly

Should rob my bed-mate of my company.

Dio. That's my mind too.-Good morrow, lord

Eneas.

Par. A valiant Greek, Æneas; take his hand :
Witness the process of your speech, wherein
You told-how Diomed, a whole week by days,
Did haunt you in the field.

Ene. Health to you, valiant Sir,
During all question of the gentle truce:
But when I meet you arm'd, as black defiance
As heart can think, or courage execute.

Dio. The one and other Diomed embraces. Our bloods are now in calm; and, so long, health:

But when contention and occasion meet,
By Jove, I'll play the hunter for thy life,
With all my force, pursuit, and policy.

ness,

Ther. Who, I? why, he'll answer nobody; he professes not answering; speaking is for Ene. And thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly beggars; he wears his tongue in his arms. will put on his presence; let Patroclus make With his face backward.-In humane gentledemands to me, you shall see the pageant of Welcome to Troy! now, by Anchises' life, Ajax. Achil. To him, Patroclus: Tell him, I hum-Welcome indeed! By Venus' hand I swear, bly desire the valiant Ajax, to invite the most valorous Hector to come unarm'd to my tent; and to procure safe conduct for his person, of the magnanimous and most illustrious six-orseven-times-honoured captain general of the Grecian army, Agamemnon. Do this. Patr. Jove bless great Ajax. Ther. Humph!

Patr. I come from the worthy Achilles,

• Friend.

No man alive can love, in such a sort,
The thing he means to kill more excellently.

Dio. We sympathize :-Jove, let Æneas live,
If to my sword his fate be not the glory,
A thousand complete courses of the sun!
But, in mine emulous honour, let him die,
With every joint a wound; and that to-mor-
row I

• Lute-strings made of catgut.
1 Conversation.

↑ Intelligent.

Enc. We know each other well.
And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer
Dio. We do; and long to know each other I would not from thee.

worse.

Par. This is the most despiteful gentle greeting,

The noblest hateful love, that e'er I heard of.What business, lord, so early?

Ene. I was sent for to the king; but why, I know not.

Par. His purpose meets you; 'Twas to bring this Greek

To Calchas' house; and there to render him, For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid: Let's have your company; or, if you please, Haste there before us: I constantly do think, (Or, rather, call my thought a certain knowledge,)

My brother Troilus lodges there to-night; Rouse him, and give him note of our appoach, With the whole quality wherefore I fear,

We shall be much unwelcome.

Ene. That I assure you ;.

Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece, Than Cressid borne from Troy.

Par. There is no help;

The bitter disposition of the time

Will have it so. On, lord; we'll follow you.
Ene. Good morrow, all.

[Exit.

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, Myself, or Menelaus?

Dio. Both alike:

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 dishonour,)
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 pleas'd to breed out your inheritors:
Both merits pois'd, each weighs nor less nor

more;

But he as he, the heavier for a whore.

Par. You are too bitter to your countrywo

man.

Dio. She's bitter to her country: Hear me, Paris,

For every false drop in her bawdy veins.

A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple Of her contaminated carrion weight,

A Trojan hath been slain; since she could speak,

She hath not given so many good words breath,
As for her Greeks and Trojans suffer'd death.
Par. Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do,
Dispraise the thing that you desire to buy:
But we in silence hold this virtue well.-
We'll not commend what we intend to sell,
Here lies our way.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II-The same.-Court before the
House of PANDARUS.

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. Good morrow then.

Tro. 'Pr'ythee now, to bed.

Cres. Are you aweary of me?

Tro. O Cressida! but that the busy day, Wak'd by the lark, hath rous'd the ribald ⚫ crows,

• Lewd, noisy.

Ene. Good morrow, lord, good morrow. Pan. Who's there? my lord Eneas? By my troth, I knew you not: what news with you so early?

Ene. Is not prince Troilus here?
Pan. Here! what should he do here

Ene. Come, he is here, my lord, do not deny him;

It doth import him much, to speak with me. Pan. Is he here, say you? 'tis more than I know.

I'll be sworn :-For my own part, I came in What should he do here? [late:

Ene. Who!-nay, then :Come, come, you'll do him wrong ere you are 'ware:

You'll be so true to him, to be false to him:
Do not you know of him, yet go fetch him hither;

We must give up to Diomedes' hand
The lady Cressida.

Tro. Is it so concluded?

Ene. By Priam, and the general state of Troy :

They are at hand, and ready to effect it.

Tro. How my achievements mock me!

I will go meet them: and, my lord Æneas,
We met by chance; you did not find me here.
Ene. Good, good, my lord: the secrets of

nature

Have not more gift in taciturnity.

[Exeunt TROILUS and NEAS. Pan. Is't possible? no sooner got, but lost? The devil take Antenor! the young prince will go mad. A plague upon Antenor, I would, they had broke's neck!

Enter CRESSIDA.

Cres. How now? What is the matter? Who was here?

Pan. Ah! ah!

Cres. Why sigh you so profoundly? where's my lord gone?

Tell me, sweet uncle, what's the matter?

Pan. 'Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above!

Cres. O the gods !-What's the matter? Pan. Pr'ythee, get thee in; 'Would thou had'st ne'er been born! I knew, thou would'st be his death:-O poor gentleman!—A plague upon Antenor!

Cres. Good uncle, I beseech you on my knees, I beseech you, what's the matter?

Pan. Thou must be gone, wench, thou must be gone; thou art changed for Antenor: thou must to thy father, and begone from Troilus; 'twill be his death; 'twill be his bane; he cannot bear it.

Cres. O you immortal gods!—I will not go. Pan. Thou must.

Cres. I will not, uncle: I have forgot my father:

I know no touch of consanguinity;

No kin, no love, no blood, no soul so near me,
As the sweet Troilus.-O you gods divine!
Make Cressid's name the very crown of false-
hood,

If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death,
Do to this body what extremes you can;
But the strong base and building of my love
Is as the very centre of the earth,
Drawing all things to it.-I'll go in,

weep ;

Pan. Do, do.

Cres. Tear my bright hair, and scratch praised cheeks,

and

Crack my clear voice with sobs, and break my heart

SCENE IV.-The same.-A Room in PANDARUS' House.

Enter PANDARUS and CRESSIDA.

Pan. Be moderate, be moderate.
Cres. Why tell you me of moderation?
The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste,
And violenteth in a sense as strong

As that which causeth it: How can I moderate
If I could temporize with my affection, [it s
Or brew it to a weak and colder palate,
The like allayment could I give my grief:
My love admits no qualifying dross;
No more my grief, in such a precious loss.
Enter TROILUS.

Pan. Here, here, here he comes.-Ah! sweet ducks!

Cres. O Troilus! Troilus ! [Embracing him. Pan. What a pair of spectacles is here ! Let me embrace too: O heart,-as the goodly saying is,-

-O heart, O heavy heart, Why sigh'st thou without breaking? where he answers again,

Because thou canst not ease thy smart,

By friendship, nor by speaking.

There never was a truer rhyme. Let us cast away nothing, for we may live to have need of such a verse; we see it, we see it.-How now, lanibs ?

Tro. Cressid, I love thee in so strain'd a

purity,

That the bless'd gods-as angry with my fancy, More bright in zeal than the devotion which Cold lips blow to their deities,-take thee from

Tro. And suddenly; where injury of chance Puts back leave-talking, justles roughly by All time of pause, rudely beguiles our lips Of all rejoindure, forcibly prevents

Our lock'd embrasures, strangles our dear vows Even in the birth of our own labouring breath: We two, that with so many thousand sighs Did buy each other, must poorly sell ourselves With the rude brevity and discharge of one. Injurious time now, with a robber's haste, Crams his rich thievery up, he knows not how : As many farewells as be stars in heaven, With distinct breath and consign'd He fumbles up into a loose adieu; SCENE III.-The same.-Before PANDARUS' Distasted with the salt of broken + tears. And scants us with a single famish'd kiss,

With sounding Troilus. I will not go from Troy. [Exeunt.

House.

Enter PARIS, TROILUS, ENEAS, DEIPHOBUS,

ANTENOR, and DIOMEDes.

kisses to [them,

Ene. [Within.] My lord! is the lady ready? Tro. Hark! you are call'd: Some say, the Genius so

Cries, Come to him that instantly must die.

Par. It is great morning; and the hour pre- Bid them have patience; she shall come anon.

For I will throw my glove to death himself,
That there's no maculation in thy heart:
But be thou true, say 1, to fashion in
My sequent protestation; be thou true,
And I will see thee.

Cres. Oh! you shall be expos'd, my lord, dangers

As infinite as imminent! but, I'll be true. Tro. And I'll grow friend with danger. this sleeve.

Wear

Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard,
I'll cut thy throat.

Dio. Oh be not mov'd, prince Troilus:
Let me be privileg'd by my place and message,
To be a speaker free; When I am hence,
to I'll answer to my lust: And know you, lord,
I'll nothing do on charge: To her own worth
She shall be priz'd; but that you say-be't so,
P'il speak it in my spirit and honour,—no.
Tro. Come, to the port.-I'll tell thee, Dio
med,
[head.-
This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy
Lady, give me your hand; and, as we walk,
To our own selves bend we our needful talk.
[Exeunt TROILUS, CRESSIDA, and DIOMED.
[Trumpet heard.

Cres. And you this glove. When shall I see yon?

Tro. I will corrupt the Grecian sentiuels, To give thee nightly visitation.

But yet, be true.

Cres. O heavens !-be true again?

Tro. Hear why I speak it, love:

The Grecian youths are full of quality;

Par. Hark! Hector's trumpet.
Ene. How have we spent this morning!

They're loving, well compos'd, with gifts of na- The prince must think me tardy and remiss,

ture flowing,

And swelling o'er with arts and exercise;

How novelty may move, and parts with person, Alas, a kind of godly jealousy

(Which I beseech you, call a virtuous sin,)
Makes me afeard.

Cres. O heavens! you love me not.
Tro. Die I a villain then!

In this I do not call your faith in question,
So mainly as my merit: I cannot sing,
Nor heel the high lavolt, nor sweeten talk,
Nor play at subtle games; fair virtues all,
To which the Grecians are most prompt
pregnant:

and

But I can tell, that in each grace of these
There lurks a still and dumb-discoursive devil,
That tempts most cunningly: but be not tempt-
ed.

Cres. Do you think I wili?
Tro. No.

But something may be done, that we will not:
And sometimes we are devils to ourselves,
When we will tempt the frailty of our powers,
Presung on their changeful potency.

Ene. Within.] Nay, good my lord,

- Tro. Come, kiss; and let us part.
Par. [Within.] Brother Troilus!
Tro. Good brother, come you hither;
And bring Æneas and, the Grecian, with you.
Cres. My lord, will you be true?

Tro. Who, 17 alas, it is my vice, my fault:
While others fish with craft for great opinion,
I with great truth catch mere simplicity;
Whilst some with cunning gild their copper

crowns,

With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare.
Fear not my truth; the moral of my wit
Is-plain and true, there's all the reach of it.
Enter ÆNEAS, PARIS, ANTENOR, DEIPHOBUS,
and DIOMEDES.

Welcome, Sir Diomed! here is the lady,
Which for Antenor we deliver you:
At the port, lord, I'll give her to thy hand;
And, by the way, possess thee what she is.
Entreat her fair; and, by my soul, fair Greek,
If e'er thou stand at mercy of my sword,
Name Cressid, and thy life shall be as safe
As Priam is in Ilion.

The lustre in your eye, heaven in your cheek, Pleads your fair usage; and to Diomed

You shall be mistress and command him wholly. Tro. Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously,

To shame the zeel of my petition to thee,
In praising her: I tell thee, lord of Greece,
She is as far high-soaring o'er thy praises,
As thou unworthy to be call'd her servant.
I charge thee, use her well, even for my charge;
For by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not,

• Spot. + Following. 1 Highly accomplished.

A dare.

¡Cate.

laform.

Anticipating time with starting courage.
Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy,
Thou dreadful Ajax; that the appalled air
May pierce the head of the great combatant,
And hale him thither.

Ajax. Thou, trumpet, there's my purse.
Now crack thy lungs, and split thy brazen pipe:
Blow, villain, till thy sphered bias cheek
Out-swell the colic of puff'd Aquilon:
Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout
blood;

Thon blow'st for Hector.

Ulyss. No trumpet answers.
Achil. 'Tis but early days.

[Trumpet sounds.

Agam. Is not yon Diomed, with Calchas'

daughter?

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?
Die. 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 courtly 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 arginment.
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
Patroclus kisses you.
[mine.

Men, Oh! 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.

'tis

Men. Au odd man, lady? every man is odd.
Cres. No, Paris is not; for, you know
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, you nail against his horn.

May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?

Cres. You may.

Ulyss. I do desire it.

Cres. Why, beg then.

Or else a breath; the combatants being kin, Half stints their strife before their strokes begin.

[AJAX and HECTOR enter the lists Ulyss. They are oppos'd already.

Agam. What Trojan is that saine 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 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 |
To tender objects; but he, in heat of action,

Ulyss. Why then, for Venus' sake, give me Is more vindicative than jealous love:

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. Fie, fie upon her!
There's language in her eye, her cheek, her lip;
Nay, her foot speaks; her wanton spirits look
At every joint and motive of her body. [out
Oh! 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,

They call him Troilus; and on him erect
A second hope as fairly built as Hector.
Thus says Eneas; one that knows the youth
Even to his inches, and, with private soul,
Did in great lion 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.
Ene. Princes, enough, so please you.

Ajax. I am not warm yet, let us fight again.
Dio. As Hector pleases.

Heet. Why then will I no more :

And daughters of the game. [Trumpet within. Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son,

All. The Trojan's trumpet.

Agam. Yonder comes the troop.

be done

Enter HECTOR, armed; ENEAS, TROILUS,
and other Trojans, with Attendants.
Ene. Hail, all the state of Greece! what shall
[pose,
To him that victory commands? Or do you pur-
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?
Ene. He cares not, he'll obey conditions.
Achil. 'Tis done like Hector; but securely
done.

A litle proudly, and great deal misprising
The knight oppos'd.

Ene. If not Achilles, Sir,

What is your name?

Achil. If not Achilles, nothing.

A cousin-german to great Priam's seed;
The obligation of our blood forbids

A gory emulation 'twixt us twain:
Were they commixtion Greek and Trojan so,
That thou could'st say-This hand is Grecian
And this is Trojan; the sinews of this leg [all,
All Greek, and this all Troy; my mother's
blood
Runs on the dexter + cheek, and this sinister
Bounds-in my father's; by Jove multipotent,
Thou snould'st not bear from me a Greckish

member

Wherein my sword had not impressure made
Of our rank feud: But the just gods gainsay,
Than 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 !

Ajax. I thank thee, Hector :

Thou art too gentle, and too free a man ;

Ane. Therefore Achilles: But, whate'er, I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence

know this;

In the extremity of great and little,

Valour and pride excel themselves in Hector;
The one almost as intinite 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 ?-Oh! 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,

• Motion.

A great addition §§ earned in thy death.
Hect. Not Neoptolemus so admirable
(On whose bright crest Fame with her loud'st O
yes!

Cries, This is he,) could promise to himself
A thought of added honour torn from Hector.
Ene. There is expectance here from both the
What further you will de
[sides,

Hect. We'll answer it:
The issue is embracement :-Ajax, farewell.
Ajax. If I might in entreaties find success
(As seld ¶¶ 1 have the chance,) I would desire
My famous cousin to our Grecian tents.
Dio. 'Tis Agamemnon's wish: and great

Achilles

Doth long to see unarm'd the valiant Hector.
Hect. Eneas, call my brother Troilus to me:
+ Stops.
Unsuitable to his character.
Explain his character.
+ Right.
11 Left.
Il Achilles.
Seldom.

• Or else merely for exercise.
↑ No boaster.
Yields.
Bloody.
$ Title.

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare, Volum 10