This lord go to him? Jupiter forbid,

  And say in thunder ‘Achilles go to him.’

  NESTOR O, this is well: he rubs the vein of him194.

  Aside

  DIOMEDES And how his silence drinks up this applause!

  Aside

  AJAX If I go to him, with my armèd196 fist

  I’ll pash197 him o’er the face.

  AGAMEMNON O, no, you shall not go.

  AJAX An a199 be proud with me, I’ll pheeze his pride.

  Let me go to him.

  ULYSSES Not for the worth that hangs upon our quarrel201.

  AJAX A paltry, insolent fellow!

  NESTOR How he describes himself!

  Aside

  AJAX Can he not be sociable?

  ULYSSES The raven chides blackness205.

  Aside

  AJAX I’ll let his humours blood206.

  AGAMEMNON He will be the physician that should be the patient.

  Aside

  AJAX An208 all men were o’my mind—

  ULYSSES Wit would be out of fashion.

  Aside

  AJAX A should not bear it so, a210 should eat swords first:

  shall pride carry it211?

  NESTOR An ’twould212, you’d carry half.

  Aside

  ULYSSES A would have ten shares213.

  Aside

  AJAX I will knead214 him: I’ll make him supple.

  NESTOR He’s not yet through215 warm. Force him with

  Aside

  praises: pour in, pour in, his ambition is dry216.

  ULYSSES My lord, you feed too much on this dislike217

  To Agamemnon

  NESTOR Our noble general, do not do so.

  DIOMEDES You must prepare to fight without Achilles.

  ULYSSES Why, ’tis this naming of him220 doth him harm.

  Here is a man221 — but ’tis before his face:

  I will be silent.

  NESTOR Wherefore should you so?

  He is not emulous224, as Achilles is.

  ULYSSES Know the whole world225, he is as valiant.

  AJAX A whoreson dog, that shall palter226 thus with us!

  Would he were a Trojan!

  NESTOR What a vice were it in Ajax now—

  ULYSSES If he were proud—

  DIOMEDES Or covetous of praise—

  ULYSSES Ay, or surly borne231—

  DIOMEDES Or strange232, or self-affected!

  ULYSSES Thank the heavens, lord233, thou art of sweet composure:

  Praise him that got234 thee, she that gave thee suck:

  Fame235 be thy tutor, and thy parts of nature

  Thrice famed beyond, beyond all erudition:

  But he that disciplined237 thy arms to fight,

  Let Mars divide eternity238 in twain,

  And give him half, and for thy vigour,

  Bull-bearing Milo240 his addition yield

  To sinewy Ajax. I will not praise thy wisdom,

  Which, like a bourn242, a pale, a shore, confines

  Thy spacious and dilated parts243. Here’s Nestor —

  Instructed by the antiquary244 times —

  He must, he is, he cannot but be wise:

  Put pardon, father Nestor, were your days

  As green247 as Ajax’ and your brain so tempered,

  You should not have the eminence of248 him,

  But be as Ajax.

  AJAX Shall I call you father?

  ULYSSES Ay, my good son.

  DIOMEDES Be ruled252 by him, Lord Ajax.

  ULYSSES There is no tarrying253 here: the hart Achilles

  Keeps254 thicket. Please it our general

  To call together all his state255 of war.

  Fresh kings are come to Troy; tomorrow

  We must with all our main of power257 stand fast.

  And here’s a lord— come knights from east to west,

  And cull their flower259, Ajax shall cope the best.

  AGAMEMNON Go we to council. Let Achilles sleep:

  Light boats may sail swift, though greater bulks draw deep261.

  Exeunt

  [Act 3 Scene 1]

  running scene 6

  Location: Troy

  Music sounds within. Enter Pandarus and a Servant

  PANDARUS Friend, you! Pray you, a word: do not you follow1 the

  young lord Paris?

  SERVANT Ay, sir, when he goes before me.

  PANDARUS You depend upon4 him, I mean?

  SERVANT Sir, I do depend upon the lord5.

  PANDARUS You depend upon a noble gentleman: I must needs6

  praise him.

  SERVANT The lord be praised!

  PANDARUS You know me, do you not?

  SERVANT Faith, sir, superficially10.

  PANDARUS Friend, know me better: I am the Lord Pandarus.

  SERVANT I hope I shall know your honour better12.

  PANDARUS I do desire it.

  SERVANT You are in the state of grace?14

  PANDARUS Grace? Not so15, friend: honour and lordship are my

  title. What music is this?

  SERVANT I do but partly know, sir: it is music in parts.

  PANDARUS Know you the musicians?

  SERVANT Wholly, sir.

  PANDARUS Who play they to?

  SERVANT To the hearers, sir.

  PANDARUS At whose pleasure22, friend?

  SERVANT At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.

  PANDARUS Command, I mean, friend.

  SERVANT Who shall I command, sir?25

  PANDARUS Friend, we understand not one another: I am too

  courtly27 and thou art too cunning. At whose request do these

  men play?

  SERVANT That’s to’t29 indeed, sir. Marry, sir, at the request of

  Paris, my lord, who’s there in person; with him, the mortal

  Venus31, the heart-blood of beauty, love’s invisible soul—

  PANDARUS Who? My cousin Cressida?

  SERVANT No, sir, Helen: could you not find out that33 by her

  attributes?

  PANDARUS It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the

  lady Cressida. I come to speak with Paris from the Prince

  Troilus: I will make a complimental37 assault upon him, for my

  business seethes38.

  SERVANT Sodden39 business. There’s a stewed phrase indeed!

  Enter Paris and Helen [with Attendants]

  PANDARUS Fair40 be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company.

  Fair desires in all fair measure41 fairly guide them, especially to

  you, fair queen. Fair thoughts be your fair pillow.

  HELEN Dear lord, you are full of fair43 words.

  PANDARUS You speak your fair pleasure44, sweet queen. Fair

  prince, here is good broken45 music.

  PARIS You have broke46 it, cousin, and, by my life, you shall

  make it whole again: you shall piece it out47 with a piece of

  your performance. Nell48, he is full of harmony.

  PANDARUS Truly, lady, no.

  HELEN O, sir—

  PANDARUS Rude51, in sooth, in good sooth, very rude.

  PARIS Well said, my lord. Well, you say so in fits52.

  PANDARUS I have business to53 my lord, dear queen. My lord, will

  you vouchsafe54 me a word?

  HELEN Nay, this shall not hedge us out55: we’ll hear you sing,

  certainly.

  PANDARUS Well, sweet queen, you are pleasant57 with me. But,

  marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most esteemed friend,

  your brother Troilus—

  HELEN My lord Pandarus, honey-sweet lord—

  PANDARUS Go to, sweet queen61, go to.— Commends

  To Paris

  himself most affectionately to you—

  HELEN You shall not bob63 us out of our melody: if you do,

  our melancholy64 upon your head!

  PANDARUS Sweet queen, sweet queen: that’s a sweet queen,

  i’faith.

  HELEN And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour67 offence.

  PANDARUS Nay, that shall not serve your turn68, that shall it not,

  in truth, la69. Nay, I care not for such words, no, no. And, my

  lord, he desires70 you, that if the king call for him at supper,

  you will make his excuse.

  HELEN My lord Pandarus—

  PANDARUS What says my sweet queen, my very very sweet

  queen?

  PARIS What exploit’s in hand75? Where sups he tonight?

  HELEN Nay, but, my lord—

  PANDARUS What says my sweet queen? My cousin will fall out

  with you77.

  HELEN You must not know where he sups.

  To Paris

  PARIS With my disposer80 Cressida?

  PANDARUS No, no; no such matter, you are wide81. Come, your

  disposer is sick.

  PARIS Well, I’ll make excuse83.

  PANDARUS Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? No,

  your poor disposer’s sick.

  PARIS I spy86.

  PANDARUS You spy? What do you spy?— Come, give me an

  instrument.— Now, sweet queen.

  He is handed a musical instrument

  HELEN Why, this is kindly done.

  PANDARUS My niece is horrible90 in love with a thing

  you have, sweet queen.

  HELEN She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my lord Paris.

  PANDARUS He? No, she’ll none of him: they two are twain93.

  HELEN Falling in after falling out94 may make them three.

  PANDARUS Come, come, I’ll hear no more of this. I’ll sing you a

  song now.

  HELEN Ay, ay, prithee now. By my troth, sweet lord, thou

  hast a fine forehead98.

  PANDARUS Ay, you may99, you may.

  HELEN Let thy song be100 love: this love will undo us all. O

  Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!

  PANDARUS Love? Ay, that it shall, i’faith.

  PARIS Ay, good now103, ‘Love, love, nothing but love’.

  PANDARUS In good troth, it begins so.

  Love, love, nothing but love, still more!

  Sings

  For, O, love’s106 bow

  Shoots107 buck and doe:

  The shaft108 confounds,

  Not that it wounds,

  But tickles110 still the sore.

  These lovers cry, O ho111, they die!

  Yet that which seems the wound to kill112,

  Doth turn O ho, to ha, ha, he113!

  So dying love lives still:

  O ho, awhile, but ha, ha, ha!

  O ho, groans out116 for ha, ha, ha!—

  Hey-ho!

  HELEN In love118, i’faith, to the very tip of the nose.

  PARIS He eats nothing but doves119, love, and that breeds hot

  blood, and hot blood begets120 hot thoughts, and hot thoughts

  beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.

  PANDARUS Is this the generation of love122? Hot blood, hot

  thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers: is love a

  generation of vipers124?— Sweet lord, who’s afield today?

  PARIS Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the

  gallantry126 of Troy: I would fain have armed today, but my Nell

  would not have it so. How chance127 my brother Troilus went

  not?

  HELEN He hangs the lip129 at something; you know all, Lord

  Pandarus.

  PANDARUS Not I, honey-sweet queen. I long to hear how they

  sped132 today.— You’ll remember your brother’s excuse?

  PARIS To a hair133.

  PANDARUS Farewell, sweet queen.

  HELEN Commend me to your niece.

  PANDARUS I will, sweet queen.

  [Exit]

  Sound a retreat

  PARIS They’re come from field: let us to Priam’s hall

  To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo138 you

  To help unarm139 our Hector: his stubborn buckles,

  With these your white enchanting fingers touched,

  Shall more obey141 than to the edge of steel

  Or force of Greekish sinews. You shall do more

  Than all the island kings143: disarm great Hector.

  HELEN ’Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris.

  Yea, what he shall receive of us145 in duty

  Gives us more palm146 in beauty than we have,

  Yea, overshines ourself.

  PARIS Sweet, above thought148 I love thee.

  Exeunt

  [Act 3 Scene 2]

  running scene 7

  Enter Pandarus and Troilus’ Man

  PANDARUS How now? Where’s thy master? At my cousin

  Cressida’s?

  MAN No, sir, he stays3 for you to conduct him thither.

  Enter Troilus

  PANDARUS O, here he comes.—How now, how now?

  TROILUS Sirrah5, walk off.

  [Exit Troilus’ Man]

  PANDARUS Have you seen my cousin6?

  TROILUS No, Pandarus: I stalk7 about her door,

  Like a strange8 soul upon the Stygian banks

  Staying for waftage9. O, be thou my Charon,

  And give me swift transportance to those fields10

  Where I may wallow in the lily-beds11

  Proposed12 for the deserver. O gentle Pandarus,

  From Cupid’s shoulder pluck his painted13 wings

  And fly with me to Cressid!

  PANDARUS Walk here i’th’orchard15, I’ll bring her straight.

  Exit Pandarus

  TROILUS I am giddy; expectation whirls me round.

  Th’imaginary relish17 is so sweet

  That it enchants my sense18: what will it be,

  When that the wat’ry19 palates taste indeed

  Love’s thrice-repurèd20 nectar? Death, I fear me,

  Swooning destruction, or some joy too fine21,

  Too subtle-potent22, tuned too sharp in sweetness,

  For the capacity23 of my ruder powers;

  I fear it much, and I do fear besides,

  That I shall lose distinction in my joys25,

  As doth a battle26, when they charge on heaps

  The enemy flying27.

  Enter Pandarus

  PANDARUS She’s making her28 ready, she’ll come straight. You

  must be witty29 now: she does so blush, and fetches her wind

  so short, as if she were fraid with30 a sprite. I’ll fetch her. It is

  the prettiest31 villain: she fetches her breath so short as a new-

  ta’en sparrow32.

  Exit Pandarus

  TROILUS Even33 such a passion doth embrace my bosom:

  My heart beats thicker34 than a feverous pulse,

  And all my powers do their bestowing35 lose,

  Like vassalage36 at unawares encount’ring

  The eye of majesty.

  Enter Pandarus and Cressida [veiled]

  PANDARUS Come, come, what need you blush? Shame’s a baby.

  Here she is now: swear the oaths now to her that you have

  sworn to me.— What, are you gone again? You must be

  watched41 ere you be made tame, must you? Come your ways,

  come your ways, an you draw backward42, we’ll put you

  i’th’fills43.— Why do you not speak to her? Come, draw this

  curtain, and let’s see your picture44. Alas the day, how loath

  you are to offend daylight! An ’twere dark, you’d close45

  sooner. So, so, rub on, and kiss the mistress46. How now, a kiss

  in fee-farm47? Build there, carpenter, the air is sweet. Nay, you

  shall fight your hearts out48 ere I part you. The falcon as the

  tercel49, for all the ducks i’th’river. Go to, go to.

  TROILUS You have bereft50 me of all words, lady.

  PANDARUS Words pay no debts51, give her deeds. But she’ll bereave

  you o’th’deeds too, if she call your activity52 in question.

  What, billing53 again? Here’s ‘In witness whereof the parties

  interchangeably.’ Come in, come in: I’ll go get a fire54.

  [Exit]

  CRESSIDA Will you walk in, my lord?

  TROILUS O Cressida, how often have I wished me thus!

  CRESSIDA Wished, my lord? The gods grant— O my lord!

  TROILUS What should they grant? What makes this pretty58

  abruption59? What too curious dreg espies my sweet lady in

  the fountain of our love?

  CRESSIDA More dregs than water, if my fears have eyes.

  TROILUS Fears make devils of cherubims: they never see truly.

  CRESSIDA Blind fear, that seeing reason leads63, finds safer

  footing than blind reason stumbling without fear: to fear the

  worst oft cures the worse.

  TROILUS O, let my lady apprehend66 no fear: in all Cupid’s

  pageant there is presented no monster.

  CRESSIDA Nor nothing monstrous68 neither?

  TROILUS Nothing, but our undertakings69, when we vow to

  weep seas, live in fire, eat rocks, tame tigers; thinking it harder

  for our mistress to devise imposition enough71 than for us to

  undergo any difficulty imposed. This is the monstruosity in72

  love, lady, that the will73 is infinite and the execution confined,

  that the desire is boundless and the act74 a slave to limit.

  CRESSIDA They say all lovers swear more performance than

  they are able, and yet reserve76 an ability that they never

  perform, vowing more than the perfection of ten77 and

  discharging less than the tenth part of one. They that have

  the voice of lions and the act of hares, are they not monsters?

  TROILUS Are there such80? Such are not we: praise us as we are

  tasted81, allow us as we prove, our head shall go bare till merit

  crown it82. No perfection in reversion shall have a praise in

  present: we will not name desert83 before his birth, and, being

  born, his addition84 shall be humble. Few words to fair faith.

  Troilus shall be such to Cressid as what envy can say worst

  shall be a mock for his truth85, and what truth can speak

  truest not truer than Troilus.

  CRESSIDA Will you walk in, my lord?

  Enter Pandarus

  PANDARUS What, blushing still? Have you not done talking yet?

  CRESSIDA Well, uncle, what folly90 I commit, I dedicate to you.

  PANDARUS I thank you for that: if my lord get91 a boy of you,

  you’ll give him me92. Be true to my lord: if he flinch, chide me

  for it.