Injurious time now, with a robber's haste, Ene. [within]. My lord! is the lady ready? Cries "Come!" to him that instantly must die.Bid them have patience; she shall come anon. Pan. Where are my tears? rain, to lay this wind, or my heart will be blown up by the root! [Exit. Cres. I must then to the Grecians? Tro. No remedy. Cres. A woful Cressid 'mongst the merry When shall we see again? Tro. Hear me, my love: Be thou but true of heart, Cres. I true! how now? what wicked deem is this? Tro. Nay, we must use expostulation kindly, For it is parting from us: I speak not "Be thou true," as fearing thee; Cres. O, you shall be exposed, my lord, to dangers As infinite as imminent! but I'll be true. Tro. And I'll grow friend with danger. Wear So please you, save the thanks this prince expects; Dio. O, be not moved, prince Troilus : Tro. Come, to the port.-I tell thee, Diomed, This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head. Lady, give me your hand; and, as we walk, To our own selves bend we our needful talk. [Exeunt TROILUS, CRESSIDA, and DIOMEDES. [Trumpet heard. Par. Hark! Hector's trumpet. Ene. How have we spent this morning! The prince must think me tardy and remiss, That swore to ride before him to the field. Par. 'Tis Troilus' fault. Come, come, to field with him. Dei. Let us make ready straight. Ene. Yea, with a bridegroom's fresh alacrity, Let us address to tend on Hector's heels: The glory of our Troy doth this day lie On his fair worth and single chivalry. [Exeunt. SCENE V.-The Grecian Camp. Lists set out. Enter AJAX, armed; AGAMEMNON, ACHILLES, PATROCLUS, MENELAUS, ULYSSES, NESTOR, and others. Agam. Here art thou in appointment fresh and fair, Anticipating time with starting courage. Ajax. Thou, trumpet, there's my purse. Ulys. No trumpet answers. "Tis but early days. Ulys. Yet is the kindness but particular; "T were better she were kissed in general. Nes. 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 popped Paris in his hardiment; And parted thus you and your argument. Ulys. 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, mine: Patroclus kisses you. Ulys. Why then, for Venus' sake, give me a kiss When Helen is a maid again, and his. Cres. I am your debtor; claim it when 't is due. Ulys. Agam. Yonder comes the troop. Enter HECTOR, armed; ENEAS, TROILUS, and other Trojans, with Attendants. Ene. Hail, all the state of Greece! What shall be done to him That victory commands? Or do you purpose Pursue each other; or shall they be divided Agam. Which way would Hector have it? Achil If not Achilles, nothing. Ene. Therefore Achilles: but whate'er, know In the extremity of great and little, The other blank as nothing. Weigh him well, Re-enter DIOMEDES. 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, Or else a breath: the combatants being kin, Half stints their strife before their strokes begin. [AJAX and HECTOR enter the lists. Ulys. They are opposed already. Agam. What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy? Ulys. 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 provoked, nor, being provoked, soon calmed : His heart and hand both open, and both free; They call him Troilus; and on him erect Agam. They are in action. Nes. Now, Ajax, hold thine own! Dio. You must no more. [Trumpets cease. Princes, enough, so please you. Ajax. I am not warm yet; let us fight again. Dio. As Hector pleases. Hect. Why then, will I no more :- A gory emulation 'twixt us twain: And signify this loving interview I will go eat with thee, and see your knights. Ajax. Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here. Hect. The worthiest of them tell me, name by name; But for Achilles, my own searching eyes Agam. Worthy of arms! as welcome as to one And formless ruin of oblivion; But in this extant moment, faith and troth, From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome. Hect. O, pardon; I offend. Nes. I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft, As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed, Ene. 'Tis the old Nestor. Hect. Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle, That hast so long walked hand in hand with time: Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp thee. Nes. I would my arms could match thee in contention, As they contend with thee in courtesy. Hect. I would they could. Nest. Ha! by this white beard, I'd fight with thee to-morrow. Well, welcome, welcome! I have seen the time Ulys. I wonder now how yonder city stands, When we have here her base and pillar by us. Hect. I know your favour, lord Ulysses, well. Ah, sir, there's many a Greek and Trojan dead, Since first I saw yourself and Diomed In Ilion, on your Greekish embassy. Ulys. Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue; My prophecy is but half his journey yet; For yonder walls, that pertly front your town, Yon towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds, Must kiss their own feet. Hect. 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 : And that old common arbitrator, Time, Will one day end it. Hect. Nay, I have done already. Achil. Thou art too brief; I will the second time, As I would buy thee, view thee limb by limb. Hect.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? Achil. Tell me, you heavens, in which part of his body Shall I destroy him? whether there, there, or there? That I may give the local wound a name, man, To answer such a question: stand again : Achil. Hect. Wert thou an oracle to tell me so, I'll not believe thee. Henceforth, guard thee well; For I'll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there; Ajax. Do not chafe thee, cousin : Hect. I pray you, let us see you in the field; We have had pelting wars since you refused The Grecians' cause. Achil. Dost thou entreat me, Hector? To-morrow do I meet thee, fell as death; To-night, all friends, Hect. Thy hand upon that match. There in the full convive we: afterwards, [Exeunt all but TROILUS and ULYSSES. Tro. My lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you, In what place of the field doth Calchas keep? Ulys. 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 On the fair Cressid. Tro. Shall I, sweet lord, be bound to you so much, After we part from Agamemnon's tent, To bring me thither? Ulys. You shall command me, sir. As gentle tell me, of what honour was This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there, That wails her absence? Tro. O, sir, to such as boasting shew their scars, A mock is due. Will you walk on, my lord? She was beloved, she loved; she is, and doth : But still, sweet love is food for Fortune's tooth. [Exeunt. |