To use between your strangeness and his pride,
Which his own will shall have desire to drink;
It may do good: pride hath no other glass
To shew itself, but pride; for supple knees
Feed arrogance, and are the proud man's fees.
Agam. We'll execute your purpose, and put on
A form of strangeness as we pass along ;-
So do each lord; and either greet him not,
Or else disdainfully, which shall shake him more
Than if not look'd on. I will lead the way.
Achil. What, comes the general to speak with 35
[Troy.
You know my mind, I'll fight no more 'gainst
Agam. What says Achilles? would he aught
with us?
[neral?

Nest. Would you, my lord, aught with the ge-40
Achil. No.

Nest. Nothing, my lord?

Agam. The better.

Achil. Good day, good day.

Men. How do you? how do you?

Achil. What, does the cuckold scorn me?
Ajax. How now, Patroclus?

Achil. Good morrow, Ajax.

Achil. What mean these fellows? know they not Achilles?

[bend,

Patr.They pass by strangely: They were us'd to
To send their smiles before them to Achilles;
To come as humbly, as they us'd to creep
To holy altars.

[tune,

What things again most dear in the esteem, Achil. What, am I poor of late? And poor in worth! Now shall we see to-morrow 'Tis certain, Greatness, once fallen out with for- An act that very chance doth throw upon him, Must fall out with men too: What the declin'd is, 60 Ajax renown'd. O heavens, what some men do,

i.e. Her presence shall strike off, or recompence, the service I have done even in these labours which were most accepted. 1i. e. however excellently endowed, with however dear or precious parts enriched or adorned. 3 i. e. in the detail or circumduction of his argument. Ajax, who has abilities which were never brought into view or use.

Wile some men leave to do!
How some men creep' in skittish fortune's hall,
While others play the ideots in her eyes!
How one man eats into another's pride,
While pride is feasting in his wantonness!
To see these Grecian lords!-why, even already
They clap the lubber Ajax on the shoulder;
As if his foot were on brave Hector's breast,
And great Troy shrinking.

Achil. I do believe it: for they pass'd by me,
As misers do by beggars; neither gave to me
Good word,nor look: What, are my deeds forgot?

Ulyss. Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back, Wherein he puts alms for oblivion,

The providence that's in a watchful state,
10 Knows almost every grain of Pluto's gold;
Finds bottom in the uncomprehensive deeps;
Keeps place with thought; and almost, like the
gods,

Docs thoughts unveil in their dumb cradles.
There is a mystery (with whom relation
Durst never meddle) in the soul of state;
Which hath an operation more divine,
Than breath, or pen, can give expressure to:
All the commerce that you have had with Troy,
20 As perfectly is ours, as yours, my ford;

A great-siz'd monster of ingratitudes: [devour'd 15
Those scraps are good deeds past; which are
As fast as they are made, forgot as soon
As done: Perseverance, dear my lord,
Keeps honour bright: To have doue, is to hang
Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail
In monumental mockery. Take the instant way;
For honour travels in a streight so narrow,
Where one but goes abreast: keep then the path:
For emulation hath a thousand sons,
That one by one pursue; If you give way,
Or hedge aside from the direct forthright,
Like to an entred tide, they all rush by,
And leave you hindmost ;-

Or like a gallant horse fallen in first rank,
Lie there for pavement to the abject rear
O'errun and trampled on; Then what they do
in present,
[yours:
Though less than yours in past, must o'er-top
For time is like a fashionable host,
That slightly shakes his parting guest by the hand; 3
And with his arms out-stretch'd, as he would fly,
Grasps in the comer: Welcome ever smiles,
And farewell goes out sighing. O, let not virtue seek
Remuneration for the thing it was; for beauty, wit,
High birth, vigour of bone, desert in service,
Love, friendship, charity, are subjects all
To envious and calumniating time.
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin,-
That all, with one consent, praise new-born gawds,
Tho' they are made and moulded of things past;
And shew to dust, that is a little gilt,
More laud than gilt o'er-dusted.
The present eye praises the present object:
Then marvel not, thou great and complete man,|
That all the Greeks begin to worship Ajax;
Since things in motion sooner catch the eye,
Than what not stirs. The cry went once on thee,
And still it might, and yet it may again,
If thou would'st not entomb thyself alive,
And case thy reputation in thy tent;
Whose glorious deeds, but in these fields of late,
Made emulous missions' 'mongst the gods them-
And drave great Mars to faction.

[selves,

30

And better would it fit Achilles much,
To throw down Hector, than Polyxena:
But it must grieve young Pyrrhus now at home,
When Fame shall in our islands sound her trump;
25 And all the Greekish girls shall tripping sing,
"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.
[Exit.
Patr. To this effect, Achilles, have I mov'd you:
A woman impudent and mannish grown
Is not more loath'd than an effeminate man
In time of action. I stand condemn'd for this:
They think, my little stomach to the war,
And your great love to me, restrains you thus:
Sweet,rouse yourself; and the weak wantonCupid
Shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold,
And, like a dew-drop from the lion's mane,
40 Be shook to air.

45

Achil. Shall Ajax fight with Hector? [by him.
Patr. Ay; and, perhaps, receive much honour
Achil. I see, my reputation is at stake;
My fame is shrewdly gor'd.

Patr. O, 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
50 Even then when we sit idly in the sun.

Achil. Go call Thersites hither,sweet Patroclus
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 long-
55 An appetite that I am sick withal,
[ing,

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!

To creep is to keep out of sight, from whatever motive.-The meaning is, Some men keep out of notice in the hall of fortune, while others, though they but play the ideot, are always in her eye, in the way of distinction. The meaning of mission, Dr. Johnson says, seems to be dispatches of the gods from heaven about mortal business, such as often happened at the siege of Troy. Polyxena; in the act of marrying whom, he was afterwards killed by Paris. i. e. There is a secret administration of affairs, which no history was ever able to discover. i. e. By neglecting our duty, we commission or enable that danger of dishonour, which could not reach us before, to lay hold upon us.

Enter

Ther. Why, he stalks up and down like a pea-10) cock, 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;15 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, Good-morrow, Ajax; 20 and he replies, Thanks, Agamemnon. What think you of this man, that takes me for the general He's 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 embassador to him, Thersites.

[memnon.

Patr. And to procure safe conduct from Aga-
Ther. Agamemnon?
Patr. Ay, my lord.
Ther. Ha!

Pair. 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 elevent
o'clock, it will go one way or other; howsoever,
The 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 musick will be in him when Hector has knock'd 25 out his brains, I know not: But, I am sure, none unless the fidler Apollo get his sinews to make catlings on. [straight.

Ther. Who, I? why, he'll answer no body; he professes not answering; speaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue in his arms. I will 30 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 va lorous Hector to come unarmed to my tent; and 35 to procure safe conduct for his person, of the magnanimous, and most illustrious, six-or-seven

Achil. Come, thou shalt bear a letter to him Ther. Let me bear another to his horse; for that's the more capable creature. [stirr'd; Achil. My mind is troubled, like a fountain 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.

50

As you, prince Paris, nought but heavenly busi-55
Should rob my bed-mate of my company.

Diom. That's my inind too. Good inorrow,
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.

With a sly look.

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.

Diom. 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.

Ene. And thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly
With his face backward. In humane gentleness,
Welcome to Troy! now, by Anchises' life,
Welcome, indeed! By Venus' hand I swear,
No man alive can love, in such a sort,

60 The thing he means to kill, more excellently.
Diom. Wesympathize:Jove, let Eneas live,
If to my sword his fate be not the glory,

A ca ling signifies a small lute-string male of catg it. 1 Question here means intercourse, interchange of conversation.

A thou

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

know not.

15

Ene. I was sent for to the king; but why, 110
[Greek
Par. His purpose meets you; 'Twas to bring this
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 approach,
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?

Diom. Both alike:

He merits well to have her, that doth seek her
(Not making any scruple of her soylure)
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:

20

SCENE II.

Pandarus' House.

Enter Troilus, and Cressida.

cold.

Troi. Dear, trouble not yourself; the morn is [down; Cres. Then, sweet my lord, I'll call my uncle He shall unbolt the gates.

Troi. 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.

Troi. I pr'ythee now, to bed.
Cres. Are you aweary of me?

Troi. O Cressida! but that the busy day,
Wak'd by the lark, has rouz'd the ribald crows,
And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer,
I would not from thee.

Cres. Night hath been too brief.

Troi. Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she stays,

As tediously as hell; but flies the grasps of love, With wings more momentary swift than thought. 25 You will catch cold, and curse me.

30

35

Cres. Pr'ythee, tarry; you men will nevertarry.
O foolish Cressida !-I might have still held off,
And then
you would have tarry'd. Hark! there's
one up.

Pan. [Within] What's all the doors open here?
Troi. It is your uncle.

Enter Pandarus.

[ing:

40 You bring me to do2, and then you flout me too. Pan. To do what? to do what?-let her say What have I brought you to do? [what: Cres. Come, come; beshrew your heart! you'll ne'er be good,

Both merits pois'd, each weighs nor less nor more; 45 Nor suffer others.
But he as he, the heavier for a whore.

Par. You are too bitter to your country-woman.
Diom. 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.

Pun. Ha, ha! Alas, poor wretch! a poor capocchia -hast not slept to-night? would he not, a naughty man, let it sleep? a bugbear take him! [One knocks. Cres. Did not I tell you?'would he were knock'd o' the head!Who's that at door? good uncle, go and see.My lord, come you again into my chamber: You smile, and mock me, as if I meant naughtily. Troi. Ha, ha! [thing. Cres. Come, you are deceiv'd, I think of no such How earnestly they knock !-pray you, come in;

1i. e. a piece of wine out of which the spirit is all flown. 2 To do is here used in an obscene sense. Meaning to say, Poor fool! hast not slept to-night?"--The Italian word capocchio signifies the thick head of a club; and thence, metaphorically, a head of not much brain, a sot, dullard, heavy gull.

Pan. Who's there? what's the matter? will you beat down the door? How now? what's the matter? Enter Eneas.

Ene. Good morrow, lord, good morrow.

Pan. Who's there? my lord Æneas? By my troth, I knew you not: What news with you so early?

[him; 10

Ene. Is not prince Troilus here?
Pan. Here! what should he do here?
Ene. Come, he is here, my lord, do not deny
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 late:-What should he do here?

Ene. Who!-nay, then :-
['ware:
Come, come, you'll do him wrong ere you are
You'll be so true to him, to be false to him:
Do not you know of him, but yet fetch him hither;
Go.

As Pandarus is going out, enter Troilus.
Troi. How now? what's the matter?
Ene. My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you,
My matter is so rash: There is at hand

Paris your brother, and Deiphobus,
The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor
Deliver'd to us; and for him forthwith,
Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour,
We must give up to Diomedes' hand
The lady Cressida.

Troi. Is it concluded so?

Ene. By Priam, and the general state of Troy:
They are at hand, and ready to effect it.

Troi. How my atchievements 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
neighbour Pandar

Have not more gift in taciturnity.

15

to thy father, and be gone from Troilus; 'twill
be his death; 'twill be his bane; he cannot bear
lit.

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 falsehood,
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 center of the earth,
Drawing all things to it.-I'll go in, and weep,-
[cheeks;
Pan. Do, do.
Cres. Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praised
Crack my clear voice with sobs, and break my

heart

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

25

30

35

[Exeunt Troilus, and Eneas. 40 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!

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!

SCENE

III.

Before Pandarus' House.

Enter Paris, Troilus, Æneas, Diomedes, &c.
Par. It is great morning 2; and the hour prefix'd
Of her delivery to this valiant Greek

Comes fast upon :- -Good my brother Troilus,
Tell you the lady what she is to do,

And haste her to the purpose.

Troi. Walk in to her house;

I'll bring her to the Grecian presently:
And to his hand when I deliver her,

Think it an altar; and thy brother Troilus
A priest, there offering to it his own heart.
[Exit Troilus.

Par. I know what 'tis to love;
And 'would, as I shall pity, I could help!-
Please walk in, my lords.
you,
SCENE

IV.

[Exeunt.

An Apartment 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,
45 And violenteth in a sense as strong

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

Cres. O the gods!-what's the matter? Pan. Pr'ythee get thee in; Would thou had'st 55 ne'er been born! I knew, thou wouldst be his death:- -O poor gentleman!-A plague upon.

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

-Ah sweet

Cres. O Troilus! Troilus! Pan. What a pair of spectacles is here! Let me embrace too: Oheart,-as the goodly saying is,o heart, o heavy heart, Why sigh'st thou without breaking?

60 where he answers again,

Because thou canst not ease thy smart
By friendship, nor by speaking.

? Grand jour, a Gallicism.

There