think you of this man, that takes me for the general? He is 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 ambassador to him, Thersites. Ther. Who, I? why, he'll answer nobody; he professes not answering; speaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue in his arms. I will 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 valorous Hector to come unarmed to my tent; and to procure safe conduct for his person, of the magnanimous, and most illustrious, six-or-seven-times-honoured captain general of the Grecian army, Agamemnon. Do this. Patr. Jove bless great Ajax. Ther. Humph! Patr. I come from the worthy Achilles,- Patr. Who most humbly desires you to invite Hector to his tent!- Ther. Humph! Patr. And to procure safe conduct from Agamem non. Ther. Agamemnon? Patr. Ay, my lord. Ther. Ha! Patr. 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 eleven o'clock it will go one way or other; however he 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 music will be in him when Hector has knocked out his brains, I know not: But, I am sure, none; unless the fiddler Apollo get nis sinews to make catlings* on. Achil. Come, thou shalt bear a letter to him straight. Ther. Let me bear another to his horse; for that's the more capablet creature. Achil. My mind is troubled like a fountain stirr'd 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 igno rance. ACT IV. LOVERS PARTING IN THE MORNING. Tro. O Cressida! but that the busy day, Wak'd by the lark, hath rous'd the ribald‡ crows, And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer, I would not from thee. Cres. Night hath been too brief. Tro. Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she stays, As tediously as hell: but flies the grasps of love, A LOVER'S FAREWELL. Injurious time now, with a robber's haste, Crams his rich thievery up, he knows not how: As many farewells as be stars in heaven, With distinct breath, and consign'd§ kisses to them, He fumbles up into a loose adieu; And scents us with a single famish'd kiss: Distasted with the salt of broken|| tears. TROILUS'S CHARACTER OF THE GRECIAN YOUTHS The Grecian youths are full of quality;¶ * Lute-strings made of Catgut. + Intelligent. § Sealed. Highly accomplished. + Lewd, noisy. Il Interrupted. They're loving, well compos'd, with gifts of nature flowing, And swelling o'er with arts and exercise; How novelty may move, and parts with person, (Which I beseech you, call a virtuous sin,) A TRUMPETER. Now crack thy lungs, and split thy brazen pipe: Blow, villain, till thy sphered bias cheek Out-swell the colic of puff'd Aquilon: Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout blood DIOMEDES' MANNER OF WALKING. DESCRIPTION OF CRESSIDA. There's language in her eye, her cheek, her lip, Nay, her foot speaks: her wanton spirits look out At every joint and motive* of her body. O, these encounterers, so glib of tongue, And daughters of the game. CHARACTER OF TROILUS. 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§ † No boaster. Unsuitable to his character § Yields, gives way. * Motion. To tender objects; but he, in heat of action, HECTOR IN BATTLE. I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft, Labouring for destiny, make cruel way, [thee, Through ranks of Greekish youth: and I have seen When thou hast hung thy advanced sword i' the air, Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life! And I have seen thee pause, and take thy breath, When that a ring of Ġreeks have hemm'd thee in, Like an Olympian wrestling. ACHILLES SURVEYING HECTOR. 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; And make distinct the very breach whereout ACT V. RASH VOWS. The gods are deaf to hot and peevisht vows, They are polluted offerings, more abhorr'd Than spotted livers in the sacrifice. HONOUR MORE DEAR THAN LIFE. 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. PITY TO BE DISCARDED IN WAR. For the love of all the gods, Let's leave the hermit pity with our mother; * Fallen. + Foolish. 28 * |