I prithee, Diomed, visit me no more.

  THERSITES Now she sharpens84: well said, whetstone!

  Aside

  DIOMEDES I shall have it.

  CRESSIDA What, this?

  DIOMEDES Ay, that.

  He may take the sleeve

  CRESSIDA O, all you gods! O pretty, pretty pledge!

  Thy master now lies thinking in his bed

  Of thee and me, and sighs, and takes my glove,

  And gives memorial91 dainty kisses to it,

  As I kiss thee92.

  She may attempt to take back the sleeve

  DIOMEDES Nay, do not snatch it from me.

  CRESSIDA He that takes that takes my heart withal94.

  DIOMEDES I had your heart before, this follows it.

  TROILUS I did swear patience.

  CRESSIDA You shall not have it, Diomed — faith, you shall not:

  I’ll give you something else.

  DIOMEDES I will have this. Whose was it?

  CRESSIDA It is no matter.

  DIOMEDES Come, tell me whose it was.

  CRESSIDA ’Twas one that loved me better than you will.

  But, now you have it, take it.

  DIOMEDES Whose was it?

  CRESSIDA By all Diana’s waiting-women105 yond,

  And by herself, I will not tell you whose.

  DIOMEDES Tomorrow will I wear it on my helm,

  And grieve108 his spirit that dares not challenge it.

  TROILUS Wert thou the devil, and wor’st109 it on thy horn,

  It should be challenged.

  CRESSIDA Well, well, ’tis done, ’tis past. And yet it is not:

  I will not keep my word.

  DIOMEDES Why then, farewell:

  Thou never shalt mock Diomed again.

  CRESSIDA You shall not go: one cannot speak a word,

  But it straight starts you116.

  DIOMEDES I do not like this fooling.

  THERSITES Nor I, by Pluto: but that that likes118 not me

  Aside

  pleases me best.

  DIOMEDES What, shall I come? The hour?

  CRESSIDA Ay, come — O Jove! — do come — I shall be plagued121.

  DIOMEDES Farewell till then.

  Exit

  CRESSIDA Goodnight: I prithee come.

  Troilus, farewell! One eye yet looks on thee,

  But with my heart the other eye doth see125.

  Ah, poor our126 sex! This fault in us I find,

  The error127 of our eye directs our mind:

  What128 error leads must err. O, then conclude

  Minds swayed129 by eyes are full of turpitude.

  Exit

  THERSITES A proof of strength she could not publish more130,

  Unless she say ‘My mind is now turned whore.’

  ULYSSES All’s done132, my lord.

  TROILUS It is.

  ULYSSES Why stay we then?

  TROILUS To make a recordation135 to my soul

  Of every syllable that here was spoke.

  But if I tell how these two did co-act137,

  Shall I not lie in publishing a truth?

  Sith139 yet there is a credence in my heart,

  An esperance140 so obstinately strong,

  That doth invert that test141 of eyes and ears,

  As if those organs had deceptious142 functions,

  Created only to calumniate143.

  Was Cressid here?

  ULYSSES I cannot conjure145, Trojan.

  TROILUS She was not, sure.

  ULYSSES Most sure she was.

  TROILUS Why, my negation148 hath no taste of madness.

  ULYSSES Nor mine, my lord: Cressid was here but now149.

  TROILUS Let it not be believed for150 womanhood!

  Think, we had mothers; do not give advantage151

  To stubborn critics, apt, without a theme

  For depravation152, to square the general sex

  By Cressid’s rule: rather think this not Cressid.

  ULYSSES What hath she done, prince, that can soil155 our mothers?

  TROILUS Nothing at all, unless that this were she.

  THERSITES Will he swagger himself out on’s own eyes157?

  Aside

  TROILUS This she? No, this is Diomed’s Cressida.

  If beauty have a soul, this is not she:

  If souls guide vows, if vows are sanctimony160,

  If sanctimony be the gods’ delight,

  If there be rule in unity itself162,

  This is not she: O madness of discourse163,

  That cause sets up with and against thyself164

  By165 foul authority, where reason can revolt

  Without perdition166, and loss assume all reason

  Without revolt167! This is and is not Cressid.

  Within my soul there doth conduce168 a fight

  Of this strange nature, that a thing169 inseparate

  Divides more wider170 than the sky and earth,

  And yet the spacious breadth of this division

  Admits172 no orifex for a point as subtle

  As Ariachne173’s broken woof to enter.

  Instance174, O instance, strong as Pluto’s gates,

  Cressid is mine, tied with the bonds of heaven:

  Instance, O instance, strong as heaven itself,

  The bonds of heaven are slipped177, dissolved and loosed,

  And with another knot, five-finger-tied178,

  The fractions179 of her faith, orts of her love,

  The fragments, scraps, the bits and greasy relics

  Of her o’er-eaten181 faith, are bound to Diomed.

  ULYSSES May worthy Troilus be half attached

  With that which here his passion doth express?182

  TROILUS Ay, Greek, and that shall be divulgèd well

  In characters as red185 as Mars his heart

  Inflamed with Venus. Never did young man fancy186

  With so eternal and so fixed a soul.

  Hark, Greek: as much as I do Cressid love,

  So much by weight189 hate I her Diomed.

  That sleeve is mine that he’ll bear in his helm:

  Were it a casque191 composed by Vulcan’s skill

  My sword should bite it. Not the dreadful spout192

  Which shipmen do the hurricano call,

  Constringed194 in mass by the almighty Fenne,

  Shall dizzy with more clamour Neptune’s ear

  In his196 descent than shall my prompted sword

  Falling on Diomed.

  THERSITES He’ll tickle it for his concupy198.

  Aside

  TROILUS O Cressid! O false Cressid! False, false, false!

  Let all untruths stand by200 thy stainèd name,

  And they’ll seem glorious.

  ULYSSES O, contain yourself:

  Your passion draws ears hither.

  Enter Aeneas

  AENEAS I have been seeking you this hour, my lord.

  Hector, by this205, is arming him in Troy.

  Ajax, your guard, stays206 to conduct you home.

  TROILUS Have with you207, prince.— My courteous lord, adieu.

  Farewell, revolted fair208! And, Diomed,

  Stand fast209, and wear a castle on thy head!

  ULYSSES I’ll bring you to the gates.

  TROILUS Accept distracted211 thanks.

  Exeunt Troilus, Aeneas and Ulysses

  THERSITES Would I could meet that rogue Diomed! I would

  croak like a raven213: I would bode, I would bode. Patroclus will

  give me anything for the intelligence of214 this whore. The parrot

  will not do more for an almond than he for a commodious

  drab215. Lechery, lechery, still wars and lechery: nothing else

  holds fashion. A burning devil take them!

  [Exit]

  [Act 5 Scene 3]

  running scene 16

  Location: Troy

  Enter Hector and Andromache

  ANDROMACHE When was my lord so much ungently tempered1,

  To stop his ears against admonishment?

  Unarm, unarm, and do not fight today.

  HECTOR You train4 me to offend you: get you gone.

  By all the everlasting gods, I’ll go!

  ANDROMACHE My dreams will, sure, prove ominous to6 the day.

  HECTOR No more, I say.

  Enter Cassandra

  CASSANDRA Where is my brother Hector?

  ANDROMACHE Here, sister, armed and bloody9 in intent.

  Consort10 with me in loud and dear petition,

  Pursue we him on knees: for I have dreamt

  Of bloody turbulence, and this whole night

  Hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter.

  CASSANDRA O, ’tis true.

  HECTOR Ho! Bid my trumpet15 sound!

  CASSANDRA No notes of sally16, for the heavens, sweet brother.

  HECTOR Be gone, I say: the gods have heard me swear.

  CASSANDRA The gods are deaf to hot and peevish18 vows:

  They are polluted off’rings, more abhorred

  Than spotted20 livers in the sacrifice.

  ANDROMACHE O, be persuaded! Do not count it holy

  To hurt by being just22: it is as lawful,

  For we would give much23, to use violent thefts,

  And rob in the behalf of charity.

  CASSANDRA It is the purpose25 that makes strong the vow;

  But vows to every purpose26 must not hold:

  Unarm, sweet Hector.

  HECTOR Hold you still, I say;

  Mine honour keeps the weather of29 my fate:

  Life every man30 holds dear, but the dear man

  Holds honour far more precious, dear31, than life.—

  Enter Troilus

  How now, young man? Mean’st thou to fight today?

  ANDROMACHE Cassandra, call my father33 to persuade.

  Exit Cassandra

  HECTOR No, faith, young Troilus; doff34 thy harness, youth:

  I am today i’th’vein of35 chivalry.

  Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong,

  And tempt37 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 lion41 than a man.

  HECTOR What vice is that? Good Troilus, chide me for it.

  TROILUS When many times the captive43 Grecian falls,

  Even in the fan and wind44 of your fair sword,

  You bid them rise and live.

  HECTOR O, ’tis fair play.

  TROILUS Fool’s play47, by heaven, Hector.

  HECTOR How now? How now?

  TROILUS For th’love of all the gods,

  Let’s leave the hermit pity with our mothers,

  And when we have our armours buckled on,

  The venomed vengeance ride upon our swords,

  Spur them to ruthful53 work, rein them from ruth.

  HECTOR Fie, savage, fie!

  TROILUS Hector, then ’tis wars55.

  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 truncheon59 my retire;

  Not Priamus and Hecuba on knees,

  Their eyes o’ergallèd61 with recourse of tears;

  Nor you, my brother, with your true sword drawn,

  Opposed to hinder me, should stop my way,

  But by my ruin64.

  Enter Priam and Cassandra

  CASSANDRA Lay hold upon him, Priam, hold him fast:

  He is thy crutch; now if thou loose thy stay66,

  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 enrapt72

  To tell thee that this day is ominous:

  Therefore come back.

  HECTOR Aeneas is afield75,

  And I do stand engaged76 to many Greeks,

  Even in the faith of valour77, to appear

  This morning to them.

  PRIAM Ay, but thou shalt not go.

  HECTOR I must not break my faith.

  You know me dutiful: therefore, dear sir,

  Let me not shame respect82; 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.

  Exit Andromache

  TROILUS This foolish, dreaming, superstitious girl89

  Makes all these bodements90.

  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 dolour forth95!

  Behold, distraction96, frenzy and amazement,

  Like witless antics97, one another meet,

  And all cry, ‘Hector! Hector’s dead! O Hector!’

  TROILUS Away! Away!

  CASSANDRA Farewell. Yes, soft100: Hector, I take my leave;

  Thou dost thyself and all our Troy deceive101.

  Exit

  HECTOR You are amazed102, my liege, at her exclaim.

  Go in and cheer103 the town: we’ll forth and fight,

  Do deeds of praise and tell you them at night.

  PRIAM Farewell. The gods with safety stand about105 thee!

  [Exeunt Priam and Hector, separately.] Alarum

  TROILUS They are at it, hark! Proud Diomed, believe,

  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 yond poor girl.

  Gives a letter

  TROILUS Let me read.

  PANDARUS A whoreson tisick112, a whoreson rascally tisick so

  troubles me, and the foolish fortune of this girl, and what

  one thing, what another, that I shall leave you one o’th’s114

  days: and I have a rheum115 in mine eyes too, and such an ache

  in my bones that, unless a man were cursed, I cannot tell

  what to think on’t117. What says she there?

  TROILUS Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart;

  Th’effect doth operate another way119.

  Tears the letter

  Go, wind120 to wind, there turn and change together.

  My love with words and errors121 still she feeds;

  But edifies122 another with her deeds.

  // PANDARUS Why, but hear you? //

  // TROILUS Hence124, brother lackey! Ignomy and shame //

  // Pursue thy life, and live aye with thy name! //

  Alarum.

  Exeunt

  [Act 5 Scene 4]

  running scene 17

  Location: the battlefield, between Troy and the Greek camp

  Enter Thersites in [the midst of an] excursion

  THERSITES Now they are clapper-clawing1 one another, I’ll go

  look on. That dissembling2 abominable varlet, Diomed, has

  got that same scurvy, doting, foolish young knave’s sleeve of

  Troy there in his helm. I would fain4 see them meet, that that

  same young Trojan ass, that loves the whore there, might

  send that Greekish whore-masterly6 villain with the sleeve

  back to the dissembling luxurious drab7, of a sleeveless

  errand. O’th’t’other side, the policy8 of those crafty swearing

  rascals — that stale old mouse-eaten dry cheese, Nestor,

  and that same dog-fox10, Ulysses — is not proved worth a

  blackberry. They set me11 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 begin to proclaim barbarism14,

  and policy grows into an ill opinion15.

  Enter Diomedes and Troilus

  Soft! Here comes sleeve, and th’other.

  TROILUS Fly not, for shouldst thou take17 the river Styx,

  I would swim after.

  DIOMEDES Thou dost miscall retire19:

  I do not fly, but advantageous care20

  Withdrew me from the odds of multitude21.

  Have at thee!22

  THERSITES Hold23 thy whore, Grecian! Now for thy whore,

  Trojan! Now the sleeve, now the sleeve!

  [Exeunt Troilus and Diomedes, fighting]

  Enter Hector

  HECTOR What art thou, Greek? Art thou for Hector’s match25?

  Art thou of blood26 and honour?

  THERSITES No, no. I am a rascal, a scurvy railing knave, a very

  filthy28 rogue.

  HECTOR I do believe thee: live.

  [Exit]

  THERSITES God-a-mercy30, that thou wilt believe me; but a plague

  break thy neck for frighting me! What’s become of the

  wenching32 rogues? I think they have swallowed one another: I

  would laugh at that miracle — yet, in a sort33, lechery eats

  itself. I’ll seek them.

  Exit

  [Act 5 Scene 5]

  running scene 17 continues

  Enter Diomedes and Servants

  DIOMEDES Go, go, my servant, take thou Troilus’ horse;

  Present the fair steed to my lady Cressid.

  Fellow, commend3 my service to her beauty;

  Tell her I have chastised the amorous Trojan,

  And am her knight by proof5.

  SERVANT I go, my lord.

  [Exit]

  Enter Agamemnon

  AGAMEMNON Renew7, renew! The fierce Polydamas

  Hath beat down Menon: bastard Margarelon8

  Hath Doreus prisoner,

  And stands colossus-wise10, waving his beam,

  Upon the pashèd11 corpses of the kings

  Epistrophus and Cedius: Polyxenes is slain,

  Amphimachus and Thoas deadly hurt,

  Patroclus ta’en14 or slain, and Palamedes

  Sore hurt and bruisèd. The dreadful15 sagittary

  Appals16 our numbers: haste we, Diomed,

  To reinforcement17, or we perish all.

  Enter Nestor [and Soldiers]

  NESTOR Go, bear Patroclus’ body to Achilles,