The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (1105 page)

in every joint and movement of her body.

Oh, these forward women, so clever with their tongue,

that make advances to men before they've even offered,

and open up themselves like books

to every curious reader! Put them down

as sluttish women who can be had any time,

no better than prostitutes.

ALL.

The Troyans' trumpet.

The Trojans' trumpet.

Enter HECTOR, armed; AENEAS, TROILUS, PARIS, HELENUS,

and other Trojans, with attendants

AGAMEMNON.

Yonder comes the troop.

Here comes the troop.

AENEAS.

Hail, all the 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 they be divided

By any voice or order of the field?

Hector bade ask.

Greetings, rulers of Greece! What shall be given

to the winner? Do you intend

that a winner should be chosen? Do you wish for the knights

to fight each other to the death,

or should they be separated

by some umpire or by the laws of chivalry?

Hector told me to ask this.

AGAMEMNON.

Which way would Hector have it?

Which way does Hector want it?

AENEAS.

He cares not; he'll obey conditions.

He doesn't care; he'll follow whatever's agreed on.

ACHILLES.

'Tis done like Hector; but securely done,

A little proudly, and great deal misprizing

The knight oppos'd.

This is done like Hector; over confidently,

rather arrogantly, and very much disparaging

his opponent.

AENEAS.

If not Achilles, sir,

What is your name?

If you are not Achilles, Sir,

what is your name?

ACHILLES.

If not Achilles, nothing.

If I'm not Achilles, then I don't have a name.

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,

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 Troyan and half Greek.

So you are Achilles. But whatever you are, know this:

in Hector bravery and arrogance are shown at

absolutely opposite extremes;

bravery that is almost infinite,

and not a drop of pride. If you look closely

what looks like pride is courtesy.

This Ajax shares half of Hector's ancestry;

out of respect for that half of Hector stays at home;

half a heart, half a hand, half of Hector comes to find

thisblended knight, half Trojan and half Greek.

ACHILLES.

A maiden battle then? O, I perceive you!

Oh, I see! This is to be a battle without bloodshed?

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,

Or else a breath. The combatants being kin

Half stints their strife before their strokes begin.

Here is Sir Diomedes. Go, gentle knight,

stand next to our Ajax. As you and Lord Aeneas

agree on the procedure for their fight,

that's how it will be; either to the death,

or else just for exercise. The combatants being related

cuts short their fight before they even start.

[AJAX and HECTOR enter the lists]

ULYSSES.

They are oppos'd already.

They are already squaring up.

AGAMEMNON.

What Troyan is that same that looks so heavy?

Who's that Trojan who looks so depressed?

ULYSSES.

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

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,

Did in great Ilion thus translate him to me.

The youngest son of Priam, a true knight;

not fully grown, but matchless; true to his word;

speaking through his deeds but never boastful;

not quick to anger, but not quick to calm down when angry;

he's generous with money and with his love;

what he has he gives, what he thinks he shows,

though he gives sensibly,

and never speaks an impure thought;

he's as manly as Hector, but more dangerous;

for Hector will give mercy to the defenceless

even in the heat of his anger, but he in the heat of action

is more vindictive than a jealous lover.

They call him Troilus, and they pin their hopes on him,

second only to Hector, and just as well built.

That's what Aeneas has said, someone who knows

every inch of the lad, and he privately and from the heart

described him to me in these terms when we were in Troy.

[Alarum. HECTOR and AJAX fight]

AGAMEMNON.

They are in action.

They have begun.

NESTOR.

Now, Ajax, hold thine own!

Now, Ajax, stand your ground!

TROILUS.

Hector, thou sleep'st;

Awake thee.

Hector, you're asleep;

wake up.

AGAMEMNON.

His blows are well dispos'd. There, Ajax!

His blows are well placed. Well done, Ajax!

[Trumpets cease]

DIOMEDES.

You must no more.

You mustn't carry on.

AENEAS.

Princes, enough, so please you.

Princes, that's enough, please.

AJAX.

I am not warm yet; let us fight again.

I haven't broken sweat; let's fight again.

DIOMEDES.

As Hector pleases.

It's up to Hector.

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:

Were thy commixtion Greek and Troyan so

That thou could'st say 'This hand is Grecian all,

And this is Troyan; the sinews of this leg

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 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,

My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword

Be drained! 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!

Well, then I won't fight any more.

You, great lord, are my father's sister's son,

first cousin to the family of great Priam;

the ties of our blood forbid us

to participate in bloody rivalry:

if your mixture of Greek and Trojan was such

that one could say, ‘This hand is all Greek,

and this is Trojan; the muscles of this leg

are all Greek, and this is all Trojan; my mother's blood

runs in the right cheek, and the left

is full of my father's’; by omnipotent Jove,

you wouldn't walk away with any Greek limbs

which didn't have the mark of my sword on them;

but the just gods forbid

that any blood which you had from your mother,

my sacred aunt, should be spilt by my sword.

Let me embrace you, Ajax.

By Jove, you have strong arms;

Hector wants them to fall upon him this way.

Cousin, all honour to you!

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.

I thank you, Hector.

You are too tender and too generous a man.

I came to kill you, cousin, and carry away

a great title earned by your death.

HECTOR.

Not Neoptolemus so mirable,

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.

Not even great Achilles,

on whose bright shield fame cries out loudly

‘This is the one‘ could be confident of

getting honour by tearing it away from Hector.

AENEAS.

There is expectance here from both the sides

What further you will do.

Everyone here on both sides

wants to know what you will do next.

HECTOR.

We'll answer it:

The issue is embracement. Ajax, farewell.

We'll tell them:

what we shall do is embrace. 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.

If my pleading might be answered,

since I rarely get the chance, I should like

my famous cousin to visit our Greek tents.

DIOMEDES.

'Tis Agamemnon's wish; and great Achilles

Doth long to see unarm'd the valiant Hector.

That's what Agamemnon wants; and great Achilles