William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (353 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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ULYSSES
May worthy Troilus e’en be half attached
With that which here his passion doth express?
With that which here his passion doth express?
TROILUS
Ay, Greek, and that shall be divulged well
In characters as red as Mars his heart
Inflamed with Venus. Never did young man fancy
With so eternal and so fixed a soul.
Hark, Greek: as much as I do Cressid love,
So much by weight hate I her Diomed.
That sleeve is mine that he’ll bear in his helm.
Were it a casque composed by Vulcan’s skill,
My sword should bite it. Not the dreadful spout
Which shipmen do the hurricano call,
Constringed in mass by the almighty sun,
Shall dizzy with more clamour Neptune’s ear
In his descent, than shall my prompted sword
Falling on Diomed.
In characters as red as Mars his heart
Inflamed with Venus. Never did young man fancy
With so eternal and so fixed a soul.
Hark, Greek: as much as I do Cressid love,
So much by weight hate I her Diomed.
That sleeve is mine that he’ll bear in his helm.
Were it a casque composed by Vulcan’s skill,
My sword should bite it. Not the dreadful spout
Which shipmen do the hurricano call,
Constringed in mass by the almighty sun,
Shall dizzy with more clamour Neptune’s ear
In his descent, than shall my prompted sword
Falling on Diomed.
THERSITES (
aside
) He’ll tickle it for his concupy.
aside
) He’ll tickle it for his concupy.
TROILUS
O Cressid, O false Cressid! False, false, false.
Let all untruths stand by thy stained name,
And they’ll seem glorious.
Let all untruths stand by thy stained name,
And they’ll seem glorious.
ULYSSES O contain yourself.
Your passion draws ears hither.
Enter Aeneas
AENEAS (
to Troilus
)
to Troilus
)
I have been seeking you this hour, my lord.
Hector by this is arming him in Troy.
Ajax your guard stays to conduct you home.
Hector by this is arming him in Troy.
Ajax your guard stays to conduct you home.
TROILUS
Have with you, Prince.—My courteous lord, adieu.—
Farewell, revolted fair; and Diomed,
Stand fast and wear a castle on thy head.
Farewell, revolted fair; and Diomed,
Stand fast and wear a castle on thy head.
ULYSSES
I’ll bring you to the gates.
TROILUS Accept distracted thanks.
Exeunt Troilus, Aeneas, and Ulysses
THERSITES Would I could meet that rogue Diomed! I would croak like a raven. I would bode, I would bode. Patroclus will give me anything for the intelligence of this whore. The parrot will not do more for an almond than he for a commodious drab. Lechery, lechery, still wars and lechery! Nothing else holds fashion. A burning devil take them!
Exit
5.3Exit
Enter Hector armed, and Andromache
ANDROMACHE
When was my lord so much ungently tempered
To stop his ears against admonishment?
Unarm, unarm, and do not fight today.
To stop his ears against admonishment?
Unarm, unarm, and do not fight today.
HECTOR
You train me to offend you. Get you in.
By all the everlasting gods, I’ll go.
By all the everlasting gods, I’ll go.
ANDROMACHE
My dreams will sure prove ominous to the day.
HECTOR
No more, I say.
Enter Cassandra
CASSANDRA Where is my brother Hector?
ANDROMACHE
Here, sister, armed and bloody in intent.
Consort with me in loud and dear petition,
Pursue we him on knees—for I have dreamed
Of bloody turbulence, and this whole night
Hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter.
Consort with me in loud and dear petition,
Pursue we him on knees—for I have dreamed
Of bloody turbulence, and this whole night
Hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter.
CASSANDRA
O ’tis true.
HECTOR Ho! Bid my trumpet sound.
CASSANDRA
No notes of sally, for the heavens, sweet brother.
HECTOR
Begone, I say. The gods have heard me swear.
CASSANDRA
The gods are deaf to hot and peevish vows.
They are polluted off’rings, more abhorred
Than spotted livers in the sacrifice.
They are polluted off’rings, more abhorred
Than spotted livers in the sacrifice.
ANDROMACHE (to Hector)
O, be persuaded. Do not count it holy
To hurt by being just. It is as lawful,
For we would give much, to use violent thefts,
And rob in the behalf of charity.
To hurt by being just. It is as lawful,
For we would give much, to use violent thefts,
And rob in the behalf of charity.
CASSANDRA
It is the purpose that makes strong the vow,
But vows to every purpose must not hold.
Unarm, sweet Hector.
But vows to every purpose must not hold.
Unarm, sweet Hector.
HECTOR Hold you still, I say.
Mine honour keeps the weather of my fate.
Life every man holds dear, but the dear man
Holds honour far more precious-dear than life.
Life every man holds dear, but the dear man
Holds honour far more precious-dear than life.
Enter Troilus, armed
How now, young man, mean’st thou to fight today?
ANDROMACHE ⌈
aside⌉
aside⌉
Cassandra, call my father to persuade.
Exit Cassandra
Exit Cassandra
HECTOR
No, faith, young Troilus. Doff thy harness, youth.
I am today i’th’ vein of chivalry.
Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong,
And tempt not yet the brushes of the war.
Unarm thee, go—and doubt thou not, brave boy,
I’ll stand today for thee and me and Troy.
I am today i’th’ vein of chivalry.
Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong,
And tempt not yet the brushes of the war.
Unarm thee, go—and doubt thou not, brave boy,
I’ll stand today for thee and me and Troy.
TROILUS
Brother, you have a vice of mercy in you,
Which better fits a lion than a man.
Which better fits a lion than a man.
HECTOR
What vice is that? Good Troilus, chide me for it.
TROILUS
When many times the captive Grecian falls
Even in the fan and wind of your fair sword,
You bid them rise and live.
Even in the fan and wind of your fair sword,
You bid them rise and live.
HECTOR O ’tis fair play.
TROILUS Fool’s
play, by heaven, Hector
.
play, by heaven, Hector
.
HECTOR How now! How now!
TROILUS For th’ love of all the gods,
Let’s leave the hermit pity with our mother
And, when we have our armours buckled on,
The venomed vengeance ride upon our swords,
Spur them to ruthful work, rein them from ruth.
And, when we have our armours buckled on,
The venomed vengeance ride upon our swords,
Spur them to ruthful work, rein them from ruth.
HECTOR
Fie, savage, fie!
TROILUS Hector, then ’tis wars.
HECTOR
Troilus, I would not have you fight today.
TROILUS Who should withhold me?
Not fate, obedience, nor the hand of Mars
Beck‘ning with fiery truncheon my retire,
Not Priamus and Hecuba on knees,
Their eyes o’er-gallèd with recourse of tears,
Nor you, my brother, with your true sword drawn
Opposed to hinder me, should stop my way
But by my ruin.
Beck‘ning with fiery truncheon my retire,
Not Priamus and Hecuba on knees,
Their eyes o’er-gallèd with recourse of tears,
Nor you, my brother, with your true sword drawn
Opposed to hinder me, should stop my way
But by my ruin.
Enter Priam and Cassandra
CASSANDRA
Lay hold upon him, Priam, hold him fast.
He is thy crutch: now if thou loose thy stay,
Thou on him leaning and all Troy on thee,
Fall all together.
He is thy crutch: now if thou loose thy stay,
Thou on him leaning and all Troy on thee,
Fall all together.
PRIAM Come, Hector, come. Go back.
Thy wife hath dreamt, thy mother hath had visions,
Cassandra doth foresee, and I myself
Am like a prophet suddenly enrapt
To tell thee that this day is ominous.
Therefore come back.
Cassandra doth foresee, and I myself
Am like a prophet suddenly enrapt
To tell thee that this day is ominous.
Therefore come back.
HECTOR Aeneas is afield,
And I do stand engaged to many Greeks,
Even in the faith of valour, to appear
This morning to them.
Even in the faith of valour, to appear
This morning to them.
PRIAM Ay, but thou shalt not go.
HECTOR ⌈
kneeling⌉
I must not break my faith.
kneeling⌉
I must not break my faith.
You know me dutiful; therefore, dear sire,
Let me not shame respect, but give me leave
To take that course, by your consent and voice,
Which you do here forbid me, royal Priam.
Let me not shame respect, but give me leave
To take that course, by your consent and voice,
Which you do here forbid me, royal Priam.
CASSANDRA
O Priam, yield not to him.
ANDROMACHE Do not, dear father.
HECTOR
Andromache, I am offended with you.
Upon the love you bear me, get you in.
Upon the love you bear me, get you in.
Exit Andromache
TROILUS
This foolish, dreaming, superstitious girl
Makes all these bodements.
Makes all these bodements.
CASSANDRA O farewell, dear Hector.
Look how thou diest; look how thy eye turns pale;
Look how thy wounds do bleed at many vents.
Hark how Troy roars, how Hecuba cries out,
How poor Andromache shrills her dolours forth.
Behold: distraction, frenzy, and amazement
Like witless antics one another meet,
And all cry ‘Hector, Hector’s dead, O Hector!’
Look how thy wounds do bleed at many vents.
Hark how Troy roars, how Hecuba cries out,
How poor Andromache shrills her dolours forth.
Behold: distraction, frenzy, and amazement
Like witless antics one another meet,
And all cry ‘Hector, Hector’s dead, O Hector!’
TROILUS Away, away!
CASSANDRA
Farewell. Yet soft: Hector, I take my leave.
Thou dost thyself and all our Troy deceive. Exit
Thou dost thyself and all our Troy deceive. Exit
HECTOR (
to Priam
)
to Priam
)
You are amazed, my liege, at her exclaim.
Go in and cheer the town. We’ll forth and fight,
Do deeds of praise, and tell you them at night.
Go in and cheer the town. We’ll forth and fight,
Do deeds of praise, and tell you them at night.
PRIAM
Farewell. The gods with safety stand about thee.
Exeunt Priam and Hector severally. Alarum
TROILUS
They are at it, hark! Proud Diomed, believe
I come to lose my arm or win my sleeve.
I come to lose my arm or win my sleeve.
Enter Pandarus
PANDARUS Do you hear, my lord, do you hear?
TROILUS What now?
PANDARUS Here’s a letter come from yon poor girl.
TROILUS Let me read.
Troilus reads the letter
PANDARUS A whoreson phthisic, a whoreson rascally phthisic so troubles me, and the foolish fortune of this girl, and what one thing, what another, that I shall leave you one o’ these days. And I have a rheum in mine eyes too, and such an ache in my bones that unless a man were cursed I cannot tell what to think on’t.—What says she there? no
TROILUS (
tearing the letter
)
tearing the letter
)
Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart.
Th’effect doth operate another way.
Go, wind, to wind: there turn and change together.
My love with words and errors still she feeds,
But edifies another with her deeds.
Th’effect doth operate another way.
Go, wind, to wind: there turn and change together.
My love with words and errors still she feeds,
But edifies another with her deeds.
PANDARUS Why, but hear you—
TROILUS
Hence, broker-lackey! Ignomy and shame
Pursue thy life, and live aye with thy name.
Pursue thy life, and live aye with thy name.
Exeunt severally
5.4Alarum. Enter Thersites
⌈
in⌉ excursions
THERSITES Now they are clapper-clawing one another. I’ll go look on. That dissembling abominable varlet Diomed has got that same scurvy doting foolish young knave’s sleeve of Troy there in his helm. I would fain see them meet, that that same young Trojan ass that loves the whore there might send that Greekish whoremasterly villain with the sleeve back to the dissembling luxurious drab of a sleeveless errand. O‘th’ t’other side, the policy of those crafty swearing rascals—that stale old mouse-eaten dry cheese Nestor and that same dog-fox Ulysses—is proved not worth a blackberry. They set me up in policy that mongrel cur Ajax against that dog of as bad a kind Achilles. And now is the cur Ajax prouder than the cur Achilles, and will not arm today—whereupon the Grecians began to proclaim barbarism, and policy grows into an ill opinion.
Enter Diomedes, followed by Troilus
Soft, here comes sleeve and t’other.
TROILUS (
to Diomedes
)
to Diomedes
)
Fly not, for shouldst thou take the river Styx
I would swim after.
I would swim after.
DIOMEDES Thou dost miscall retire.
I do not fly, but advantageous care
Withdrew me from the odds of multitude. Have at
thee!
Withdrew me from the odds of multitude. Have at
thee!
They fight
THERSITES Hold thy whore, Grecian! Now for thy whore, Trojan! Now the sleeve, now the sleeve!
Exit Diomedes
⌈
driving in
⌉
Troilus
⌈
driving in
⌉
Troilus
Enter Hector ⌈behind⌉
HECTOR
What art thou, Greek? Art thou for Hector’s match?
Art thou of blood and honour?
Art thou of blood and honour?
THERSITES No, no, I am a rascal, a scurvy railing knave, a very filthy rogue.
HECTOR I do believe thee: live.
THERSITES God-a-mercy, that thou wilt believe me—
⌈
Exit Hector⌉
Exit Hector⌉
but a plague break thy neck for frighting me. What’s become of the wenching rogues? I think they have swallowed one another. I would laugh at that miracle—yet in a sort lechery eats itself. I’ll seek them.Exit
Enter Diomedes and Servants
DIOMEDES
Go, go, my servant, take thou Troilus’ horse.
Present the fair steed to my Lady Cressid.
Fellow, commend my service to her beauty.
Tell her I have chastised the amorous Trojan,
And am her knight by proof.
Present the fair steed to my Lady Cressid.
Fellow, commend my service to her beauty.
Tell her I have chastised the amorous Trojan,
And am her knight by proof.
SERVANT I go, my lord. Exit
Enter Agamemnon
AGAMEMNON
Renew, renew! The fierce Polydamas
Hath beat down Menon; bastard Margareton
Hath Doreus prisoner,
And stands colossus-wise waving his beam
Upon the pashèd corpses of the kings
Epistropus and Cedius; Polixenes is slain,
Amphimacus and Thoas deadly hurt,
Patroclus ta’en or slain, and Palamedes
Sore hurt and bruised; the dreadful sagittary
Appals our numbers. Haste we, Diomed,
To reinforcement, or we perish all.
Hath beat down Menon; bastard Margareton
Hath Doreus prisoner,
And stands colossus-wise waving his beam
Upon the pashèd corpses of the kings
Epistropus and Cedius; Polixenes is slain,
Amphimacus and Thoas deadly hurt,
Patroclus ta’en or slain, and Palamedes
Sore hurt and bruised; the dreadful sagittary
Appals our numbers. Haste we, Diomed,
To reinforcement, or we perish all.
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