AGAMEMNON
Here art in appointment fresh and fair,
Anticipating time with starting courage.
Give with trumpet a loud note to Troy,
dreadful Ajax, that the appalled air
May pierce the head of the great combatant,
And hale him .
AJAX
, trumpet, there’s my purse.
Now crack lungs and split brazen pipe;
Blow, villain, till sphered bias cheek
Out-swell the colic of puff’d Aquilon.
Come, stretch chest, and let eyes spout blood:
blowest for Hector.
ULYSSES
No trumpet answers.
ACHILLES
but early days.
AGAMEMNON
Is not yond Diomed, with Calchas’ daughter?
ULYSSES
he, I ken the manner of his gait:
He rises on the toe. That spirit of his
In aspiration lifts him from the earth.
AGAMEMNON
Is this the Lady Cressid?
DIOMEDES
Even she.
AGAMEMNON
Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady.
NESTOR
Our general salute you with a kiss.
ULYSSES
Yet is the kindness but particular;
’Twere better she were kiss’d in general.
NESTOR
And very courtly counsel: I’ll begin.
So much for Nestor.
ACHILLES
I’ll take that winter from your lips, fair lady.
Achilles bids you welcome.
MENELAUS
I had good argument for kissing once.
PATROCLUS
But that’s no argument for kissing now;
For thus popp’d Paris in his hardiment,
And parted thus you and your argument.
ULYSSES
O deadly gall, and theme of all our scorns!
For which we lose our heads to gild his horns.
PATROCLUS
The first was Menelaus’ kiss; this, mine:
Patroclus kisses you.
MENELAUS
O, this is trim!
PATROCLUS
Paris and I kiss evermore for him.
MENELAUS
I’ll have my kiss, sir. Lady, by your leave.
CRESSIDA
In kissing, do you render or receive?
PATROCLUS
Both take and give.
CRESSIDA
I’ll make my match to live,
The kiss you take is better than you give;
Therefore no kiss.
MENELAUS
I’ll give you boot; I’ll give you three for one.
CRESSIDA
You are an odd man; give even or give none.
MENELAUS
An odd man, lady! Every man is odd.
CRESSIDA
No, Paris is not; for you know true
That you are odd, and he is even with you.
MENELAUS
You fillip me o’ th’head.
CRESSIDA
No, I’ll be sworn.
ULYSSES
It were no match, your nail against his horn.
May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?
CRESSIDA
You may.
ULYSSES
I do desire it.
CRESSIDA
Why, beg then.
ULYSSES
Why then, for Venus’ sake give me a kiss
When Helen is a maid again, and his.
CRESSIDA
I am your debtor; claim it when due.
ULYSSES
Never’s my day, and then a kiss of you.
DIOMEDES
Lady, a word. I’ll bring you to your father.
NESTOR
A woman of quick sense.
ULYSSES
Fie, fie upon her!
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
That give a coasting welcome it comes,
And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts
To every tickling reader! Set them down
For sluttish spoils of opportunity,
And daughters of the game.
ALL
The Trojans’ trumpet.
AGAMEMNON
Yonder comes the troop.
AENEAS
Hail, all you 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 be divided
By any voice or order of the field?
Hector bade ask.
AGAMEMNON
Which way would Hector have it?
AENEAS
He cares not; he’ll obey conditions.
AGAMEMNON
done like Hector.
ACHILLES
But securely done,
A little proudly, and great deal misprising
The knight oppos’d.
AENEAS
If not Achilles, sir,
What is your name?
ACHILLES
If not Achilles, nothing.
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 Trojan and half Greek.
ACHILLES
A maiden battle then? O! I perceive you.
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.
ULYSSES
They are oppos’d already.
AGAMEMNON
What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy?
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 judgement guide his bounty,
Nor dignifies an impure 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.
AGAMEMNON
They are in action.
NESTOR
Now, Ajax, hold own!
TROILUS
Hector, sleep’st; awake !
AGAMEMNON
His blows are well dispos’d. There, Ajax!
DIOMEDES
You must no more.
AENEAS
Princes, enough, so please you.
AJAX
I am not warm yet; let us fight again.
DIOMEDES
As Hector pleases.
HECTOR
Why, then will I no more.
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 commixtion Greek and Trojan so
That say ‘This hand is Grecian all,
And this is Trojan; 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,
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 borrow’dst from mother,
My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword
Be drained! Let me embrace , Ajax.
By him that thunders, lusty arms;
Hector would have them fall upon him thus.
Cousin, all honour to !
AJAX
I thank , Hector.
art too gentle and too free a man.
I came to kill , cousin, and bear
A great addition earned in 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.
AENEAS
There is expectance here from both the sides
What further you will do.
HECTOR
We’ll answer it:
The issue is embracement. 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.
DIOMEDES
Agamemnon’s wish; and great Achilles
long to see unarm’d the valiant Hector.
HECTOR
Aeneas, call my brother Troilus to me,
And signify this loving interview
To the expecters of our Trojan part;
Desire them home. Give me hand, my cousin;
I will go eat with , and see your knights.
AJAX
Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here.
HECTOR
The worthiest of them tell me name by name;
But for Achilles, my own searching eyes
Shall find him by his large and portly size.
AGAMEMNON
Worthy all arms! as welcome as to one
That would be rid of such an enemy.
But that’s no welcome. Understand more clear,
What’s past and what’s to come is strew’d with husks
And formless ruin of oblivion;
But in this extant moment, faith and troth,
Strain’d purely from all hollow bias-drawing,
Bids with most divine integrity,
From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome.
HECTOR
I thank , most imperious Agamemnon.
AGAMEMNON
My well-fam’d lord of Troy, no less to you.
MENELAUS
Let me confirm my princely brother’s greeting.
You brace of warlike brothers, welcome .
HECTOR
Who must we answer?
AENEAS
The noble Menelaus.
HECTOR
O you, my lord? By Mars his gauntlet, thanks!
Mock not that I affect the untraded oath;
Your quondam wife swears still by Venus’ glove.
She’s well, but bade me not commend her to you.
MENELAUS
Name her not now, sir; she’s a deadly theme.
HECTOR
O, pardon; I offend.
NESTOR
I have, gallant Trojan, seen ,
Labouring for destiny, make cruel way
Through ranks of Greekish youth; and I have seen ,
As hot as Perseus, spur Phrygian steed,
Despising many forfeits and subduements,
When hung advanced sword i’ th’air,
Not letting it decline on the declined;
That I have said to some my standers-by
‘Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life!’
And I have seen pause and take breath,
When that a ring of Greeks have shrap’d in,
Like an Olympian wrestling. This have I seen;
But this countenance, still lock’d in steel,
I never saw till now. I knew grandsire,
And once fought with him. He was a soldier good,
But, by great Mars, the captain of us all,
Never like . O, let an old man embrace ;
And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents.
AENEAS
the old Nestor.
HECTOR
Let me embrace , good old chronicle,
That so long walk’d hand in hand with time.
Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp .
NESTOR
I would my arms could match in contention
As they contend with in courtesy.
HECTOR
I would they could.
NESTOR
Ha!
By this white beard, I’d fight with tomorrow.
Well, welcome, welcome! I have seen the time.
ULYSSES
I wonder now how yonder city stands,
When we have here her base and pillar by us.
HECTOR
I know your favour, Lord Ulysses, well.
Ah, sir, there’s many a Greek and Trojan dead,
Since first I saw yourself and Diomed
In Ilion on your Greekish embassy.
ULYSSES
Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue.
My prophecy is but half his journey yet;
For yonder walls, that pertly front your town,
Yon towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds,
Must kiss their own feet.
HECTOR
I must not believe you.
There they stand yet; and modestly I think
The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost
A drop of Grecian blood. The end crowns all;
And that old common arbitrator, Time,
Will one day end it.
ULYSSES
So to him we leave it.
Most gentle and most valiant Hector, welcome.
After the General, I beseech you next
To feast with me and see me at my tent.
ACHILLES
I shall forestall , Lord Ulysses, !
Now, Hector, I have fed mine eyes on ;
I have with exact view perus’d , Hector,
And quoted joint by joint.
HECTOR
Is this Achilles?
ACHILLES
I am Achilles.
HECTOR
Stand fair, I pray ; let me look on .
ACHILLES
Behold fill.
HECTOR
Nay, I have done already.
ACHILLES
art too brief. I will the second time,
As I would buy , view limb by limb.
HECTOR
O, like a book of sport thou’lt read me ;
But there’s more in me than understand’st.
Why so oppress me with eye?
ACHILLES
Tell me, you heavens, in which part of his body
Shall I destroy him? Whether there, or there, or there?
That I may give the local wound a name,
And make distinct the very breach whereout
Hector’s great spirit flew. Answer me, heavens.
HECTOR
It would discredit the blest gods, proud man,
To answer such a question. Stand again.
Think’st to catch my life so pleasantly
As to prenominate in nice conjecture
Where wilt hit me dead?
ACHILLES
I tell yea.
HECTOR
Wert an oracle to tell me so,
I’d not believe . Henceforth guard well;
For I’ll not kill there, nor there, nor there;
But, by the forge that stithied Mars his helm,
I’ll kill everywhere, yea, and .
You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag.
His insolence draws folly from my lips;
But I’ll endeavour deeds to match these words,
Or may I never—
AJAX
Do not chafe , cousin;
And you, Achilles, let these threats alone
Till accident or purpose bring you to’t.
You may have every day enough of Hector,
If you have stomach. The general state, I fear,
Can scarce entreat you to be odd with him.
HECTOR
I pray you let us see you in the field;
We have had pelting wars since you refus’d
The Grecians’ cause.
ACHILLES
entreat me, Hector?
Tomorrow do I meet , fell as death;
Tonight all friends.
HECTOR
hand upon that match.
AGAMEMNON
First, all you peers of Greece, go to my tent;
There in the full convive we; afterwards,
As Hector’s leisure and your bounties shall
Concur together, severally entreat him.
Beat loud the tambourines, let the trumpets blow,
That this great soldier may his welcome know.
TROILUS
My Lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you,
In what place of the field Calchas keep?
ULYSSES
At Menelaus’ tent, most princely Troilus.
There Diomed feast with him tonight,
Who neither looks upon the heaven nor earth,
But gives all gaze and bent of amorous view
On the fair Cressid.
TROILUS
Shall I, sweet lord, be bound to you so much,
After we part from Agamemnon’s tent,
To bring me ?
ULYSSES
You shall command me, sir.
As gentle tell me of what honour was
This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there
That wails her absence?
TROILUS
O, sir, to such as boasting show their scars
A mock is due. Will you walk on, my lord?
She was belov’d, she lov’d; she is, and ;
But still sweet love is food for fortune’s tooth.