We have, great Agamemnon, here in Troy That seeks his praise more than he fears his peril; Than ever Greek did compass in his arms; If none, he'll say in Troy, when he retires, The Grecian dames are sun-burn'd, and not worth The splinter of a lance. Even so much. Agamemnon. This shall be told our lovers, lord Æneas; If none of them have soul in such a kind, We left them all at home: But we are soldiers; Nestor. Tell him of Nestor, one that was a man 1 An armour for the arm. And, meeting him, will tell him, That my lady Agamemnon. Fair lord Æneas, let me touch your hand; To our pavilion shall I lead you, sir. Achilles shall have word of this intent; And find the welcome of a noble foe. [Exeunt all but ULYSSES and NESTOR. Ulysses. Nestor, Nestor. What says Ulysses? Ulysses. I have a young conception in my brain, Be you my time to bring it to some shape. Nestor. What is't? Ulysses. This 'tis: Blunt wedges rive hard knots; The seeded pride In rank Achilles, must or now be cropp'd, Or, shedding, breed a nursery of like evil, Ulysses. This challenge that the gallant Hector sends, However it is spread in general name, Relates in purpose only to Achilles. Nestor. The purpose is perspicuous even as substance, Whose grossness little characters sum up: And, in the publication, make no strain, But that Achilles, were his brain as barren As banks of Libya,-though, Apollo knows, 'Tis dry enough,-will with great speed of judgment, Ay, with celerity, find Hector's purpose Pointing on him. Ulysses. And wake him to the answer, think you? Nestor. Yes, It is most meet: Whom may you else oppose, For here the Trojans taste our dear'st repute In this wild action: for the success, And in such indexes, although small points Of things to come at large. It is suppos'd, What heart receives from hence a conquering part, Ulysses. Give pardon to my speech;- By showing the worst first. Do not consent, For both our honour and our shame, in this, my old eyes; what aro Ulysses. What glory our Achilles shares from Hector, Were he not proud, we all should share with him: But he already is too insolent; 2 Size, measure. And we were better parch in Africk sun, 5 But, hit or miss, Our project's life this shape of sense assumes,Ajax, employ'd, plucks down Achilles' plumes. Nestor. Ulysses, Now I begin to relish thy advice; And I will give a taste of it forthwith To Agamemnon: go we to him straight. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I.—Another part of the GRECIAN Camp. Ajax. Thersites, learn me the proclamation. Thersites. Thou grumblest and railest every hour on Achilles; and thou art as full of envy at his greatness, as Cerberus is at Proserpina's beauty, ay, that thou barkest at him. 3 Estimation of character. 5 Character. 4 Lot. Ajax. Mistress Thersites! Thersites. Thou shouldest strike him. Ajax. Cobloaf! Thersites. He would pun' thee into shivers with his fist, as a sailor breaks a biscuit. Ajax. You cur! Thersites. Do, do. Ajax. Thou stool for a witch! 8 [Beating him. Thersites. Ay, do, do; thou sodden-witted lord! thou hast no more brain than I have in mine elbows; an assinego may tutor thee: Thou scurvy valiant ass! thou art here put to thrash Trojans; and thou art bought and sold among those of any wit, like a Barbarian slave. If thou use to beat me, I will begin at thy heel, and tell what thou art by inches, thou thing of no bowels, thou! Ajax. You dog! Thersites. You scurvy lord! Ajax. You cur! [Beating him. Thersites. Mars his idiot! do, rudeness; do, camel, do, do. Enter ACHILLES and PATROCLUS. Achilles. Why, how now, Ajax? wherefore do you thus? How now, Thersites? what's the matter, man? Achilles. Ay; what's the matter? Thersites. Nay, look upon him. Achilles. So I do; What's the matter? Thersites. Nay, but regard him well. Achilles. Well, why I do so. Thersites. But yet you look not well upon him: for whosoever you take him to be, he is Ajax. Achilles. I know that, fool. Thersites. Ay, but that fool knows not himself. Ajax. Therefore I beat thee. Thersites. Lo, lo, lo, lo, what modicums of wit he • Pound. 8 Ass, a cant term for a foolish fellow. |