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Troilus and Cressida - Act 4, scene 5
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Troilus and Cressida - Act 4, scene 5Act 4, scene 5
⌜Scene 5⌝
Synopsis:
The Greek leaders, Menelaus and Ulysses excepted, kiss Cressida as Diomedes brings her to the Greek camp. After Hector and Ajax fight their bloodless and inconclusive single combat, Hector is introduced to the Greek leaders, including Achilles, who boasts that he will kill Hector. The Greeks invite Hector, joined by Troilus, to feast with them.
Enter Ajax, armed, Achilles, Patroclus, Agamemnon,Menelaus, Ulysses, Nestor, etc. ⌜and Trumpeter.⌝
AGAMEMNON, ⌜to Ajax⌝
2560 Here art thou in appointment fresh and fair,
2561 Anticipating time with starting courage.
2562 Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy,
2563 Thou dreadful Ajax, that the appallèd air
2564 5 May pierce the head of the great combatant
2565 And hale him hither.
AJAX 2566 Thou, trumpet, there’s my purse.
⌜He gives money to Trumpeter.⌝
2567 Now crack thy lungs and split thy brazen pipe.
2568 Blow, villain, till thy spherèd bias cheek
2569 10 Outswell the colic of puffed Aquilon.
2570 Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout blood.
2571 Thou blowest for Hector.⌜Sound trumpet.⌝
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ULYSSES 2572 No trumpet answers.
ACHILLES 2573 ’Tis but early days.
⌜Enter Cressida and Diomedes.⌝
AGAMEMNON
2574 15 Is not yond Diomed with Calchas’ daughter?
ULYSSES
2575 ’Tis he. I ken the manner of his gait.
2576 He rises on the toe; that spirit of his
2577 In aspiration lifts him from the earth.
AGAMEMNON
2578 Is this the Lady Cressid?
DIOMEDES 2579 20 Even she.
AGAMEMNON
2580 Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady.
⌜He kisses her.⌝
NESTOR
2581 Our general doth salute you with a kiss.
ULYSSES
2582 Yet is the kindness but particular.
2583 ’Twere better she were kissed in general.
NESTOR
2584 25 And very courtly counsel. I’ll begin.⌜He kisses her.⌝
2585 So much for Nestor.
ACHILLES
2586 I’ll take that winter from your lips, fair lady.
2587 Achilles bids you welcome.⌜He kisses her.⌝
MENELAUS
2588 I had good argument for kissing once.
PATROCLUS, ⌜stepping between Menelaus and Cressida⌝
2589 30 But that’s no argument for kissing now,
2590 For thus popped Paris in his hardiment
2591 [And parted thus you and your argument.]
⌜He kisses her.⌝
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ULYSSES 2592 O deadly gall and theme of all our scorns,
2593 For which we lose our heads to gild his horns!
PATROCLUS
2594 35 The first was Menelaus’ kiss; this mine.
2595 Patroclus kisses you.⌜He kisses her again.⌝
MENELAUS 2596 O, this is trim!
PATROCLUS
2597 Paris and I kiss evermore for him.
MENELAUS
2598 I’ll have my kiss, sir.—Lady, by your leave.
CRESSIDA
2599 40 In kissing, do you render or receive?
⌜MENELAUS⌝
2600 Both take and give.
CRESSIDA 2601 I’ll make my match to live,
2602 The kiss you take is better than you give.
2603 Therefore no kiss.
MENELAUS
2604 45 I’ll give you boot: I’ll give you three for one.
CRESSIDA
2605 You are an odd man. Give even, or give none.
MENELAUS
2606 An odd man, lady? Every man is odd.
CRESSIDA
2607 No, Paris is ⟨not,⟩ for you know ’tis true
2608 That you are odd, and he is even with you.
MENELAUS
2609 50 You fillip me o’ th’ head.
CRESSIDA 2610 No, I’ll be sworn.
ULYSSES
2611 It were no match, your nail against his horn.
2612 May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?
CRESSIDA
2613 You may.
ULYSSES 2614 55 I do desire it.
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189
CRESSIDA
2615
Why, beg ⌜two.⌝ULYSSES
2616 Why, then, for Venus’ sake, give me a kiss
2617 When Helen is a maid again and his.
CRESSIDA
2618 I am your debtor; claim it when ’tis due.
ULYSSES
2619 60 Never’s my day, and then a kiss of you.
DIOMEDES
2620 Lady, a word. I’ll bring you to your father.
⌜Diomedes and Cressida talk aside.⌝
NESTOR
2621 A woman of quick sense.
ULYSSES 2622 Fie, fie upon her!
2623 There’s language in her eye, her cheek, her lip;
2624 65 Nay, her foot speaks. Her wanton spirits look out
2625 At every joint and motive of her body.
2626 O, these encounterers, so glib of tongue,
2627 That give ⌜accosting⌝ welcome ere it comes
2628 And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts
2629 70 To every ⟨tickling⟩ reader! Set them down
2630 For sluttish spoils of opportunity
2631 And daughters of the game.
⟨⌜Diomedes and Cressida⌝ exit.⟩
Flourish.
ALL
2632 The Trojan’s trumpet.
Enter all of Troy: ⟨Hector, ⌜armed,⌝ Paris, Aeneas,
Helenus, ⌜Troilus,⌝ and Attendants.⟩
AGAMEMNON 2633 Yonder comes the troop.
AENEAS
2634 75 Hail, all the state of Greece! What shall be done
2635 To him that victory commands? Or do you purpose
2636 A victor shall be known? Will you the knights
2637 Shall to the edge of all extremity
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191
2638
Pursue each other, or shall they be divided2639 80 By any voice or order of the field?
2640 Hector bade ask.
AGAMEMNON 2641 Which way would Hector have it?
AENEAS
2642 He cares not; he’ll obey conditions.
AGAMEMNON
2643 ’Tis done like Hector.
⌜ACHILLES⌝ 2644 85 But securely done,
2645 A little proudly, and great deal misprizing
2646 The knight opposed.
AENEAS 2647 If not Achilles, sir,
2648 What is your name?
ACHILLES 2649 90 If not Achilles, nothing.
AENEAS
2650 Therefore Achilles. But whate’er, know this:
2651 In the extremity of great and little,
2652 Valor and pride excel themselves in Hector,
2653 The one almost as infinite as all,
2654 95 The other blank as nothing. Weigh him well,
2655 And that which looks like pride is courtesy.
2656 This Ajax is half made of Hector’s blood,
2657 In love whereof half Hector stays at home;
2658 Half heart, half hand, half Hector comes to seek
2659 100 This blended knight, half Trojan and half Greek.
ACHILLES
2660 A maiden battle, then? O, I perceive you.
⌜Enter Diomedes.⌝
AGAMEMNON
2661 Here is Sir Diomed.—Go, gentle knight;
2662 Stand by our Ajax. As you and Lord Aeneas
2663 Consent upon the order of their fight,
2664 105 So be it, either to the uttermost
2665 Or else a breath. The combatants being kin
2666 Half stints their strife before their strokes begin.
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⌜Hector and Ajax enter the lists.⌝⟨ULYSSES 2667 They are opposed already.⟩
AGAMEMNON
2668 What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy?
ULYSSES
2669 110 The youngest son of Priam, a true knight,
2670 Not yet mature, yet matchless firm of word,
2671 Speaking ⟨in⟩ deeds, and deedless in his tongue,
2672 Not soon provoked, nor being provoked soon calmed,
2673 His heart and hand both open and both free.
2674 115 For what he has, he gives; what thinks, he shows;
2675 Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty,
2676 Nor dignifies an impair thought with breath;
2677 Manly as Hector, but more dangerous,
2678 For Hector in his blaze of wrath subscribes
2679 120 To tender objects, but he in heat of action
2680 Is more vindicative than jealous love.
2681 They call him Troilus, and on him erect
2682 A second hope, as fairly built as Hector.
2683 Thus says Aeneas, one that knows the youth
2684 125 Even to his inches, and with private soul
2685 Did in great Ilium thus translate him to me.
Alarum. ⌜The fight begins.⌝
AGAMEMNON 2686 They are in action.
NESTOR 2687 Now, Ajax, hold thine own!
TROILUS 2688 Hector, thou sleep’st. Awake thee!
AGAMEMNON
2689 130 His blows are well disposed.—There, Ajax!
Trumpets cease.
DIOMEDES
2690 You must no more.
AENEAS 2691 Princes, enough, so please you.
AJAX
2692 I am not warm yet. Let us fight again.
DIOMEDES
2693 As Hector pleases.
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195
HECTOR
2694
135 Why, then, will I no more.—2695 Thou art, great lord, my father’s sister’s son,
2696 A cousin-german to great Priam’s seed.
2697 The obligation of our blood forbids
2698 A gory emulation ’twixt us twain.
2699 140 Were thy commixtion Greek and Trojan so
2700 That thou couldst say “This hand is Grecian all,
2701 And this is Trojan; the sinews of this leg
2702 All Greek, and this all Troy; my mother’s blood
2703 Runs on the dexter cheek, and this sinister
2704 145 Bounds in my father’s,” by Jove multipotent,
2705 Thou shouldst not bear from me a Greekish member
2706 Wherein my sword had not impressure made
2707 ⟨Of our rank feud.⟩ But the just gods gainsay
2708 That any ⟨drop⟩ thou borrowd’st from thy mother,
2709 150 My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword
2710 Be drained. Let me embrace thee, Ajax.
2711 By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms!
2712 Hector would have them fall upon him thus.
2713 Cousin, all honor to thee!⌜They embrace.⌝
AJAX 2714 155 I thank thee, Hector.
2715 Thou art too gentle and too free a man.
2716 I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence
2717 A great addition earnèd in thy death.
HECTOR
2718 Not Neoptolemus so mirable—
2719 160 On whose bright crest Fame with her loud’st “Oyez”
2720 Cries “This is he”—could promise to himself
2721 A thought of added honor torn from Hector.
AENEAS
2722 There is expectance here from both the sides
2723 What further you will do.
HECTOR 2724 165 We’ll answer it;
2725 The issue is embracement.—Ajax, farewell.
⌜They embrace again.⌝
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AJAX 2726 If I might in entreaties find success,
2727 As seld I have the chance, I would desire
2728 My famous cousin to our Grecian tents.
DIOMEDES
2729 170 ’Tis Agamemnon’s wish; and great Achilles
2730 Doth long to see unarmed the valiant Hector.
HECTOR
2731 Aeneas, call my brother Troilus to me,
2732 And signify this loving interview
2733 To the expecters of our Trojan part;
2734 175 Desire them home.
⌜Aeneas speaks to Trojans, who exit; he then
returns with Troilus.⌝
2735 ⌜To Ajax.⌝ Give me thy hand, my cousin.
2736 I will go eat with thee and see your knights.
⟨Agamemnon and the rest ⌜come forward.⌝⟩
AJAX
2737 Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here.
HECTOR, ⌜to Aeneas⌝
2738 The worthiest of them tell me name by name;
2739 180 But for Achilles, my own searching eyes
2740 Shall find him by his large and portly size.
AGAMEMNON
2741 Worthy all arms! As welcome as to one
2742 That would be rid of such an enemy—
2743 ⟨But that’s no welcome. Understand more clear:
2744 185 What’s past and what’s to come is strewed with husks
2745 And formless ruin of oblivion;
2746 But in this extant moment, faith and troth,
2747 Strained purely from all hollow bias-drawing,
2748 Bids thee, with most divine integrity,⟩
2749 190 From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome.
HECTOR
2750 I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon.
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AGAMEMNON, ⌜to Troilus⌝ 2751 My well-famed lord of Troy, no less to you.
MENELAUS
2752 Let me confirm my princely brother’s greeting:
2753 You brace of warlike brothers, welcome hither.
HECTOR, ⌜to Aeneas⌝
2754 195 Who must we answer?
AENEAS 2755 The noble Menelaus.
HECTOR
2756 O, you, my lord? By Mars his gauntlet, thanks!
2757 Mock not ⟨that I⟩ affect th’ untraded ⟨oath;⟩
2758 Your quondam wife swears still by Venus’ glove.
2759 200 She’s well, but bade me not commend her to you.
MENELAUS
2760 Name her not now, sir; she’s a deadly theme.
HECTOR 2761 O, pardon! I offend.
NESTOR
2762 I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft,
2763 Laboring for destiny, make cruel way
2764 205 Through ranks of Greekish youth; and I have seen
2765 thee,
2766 As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed,
2767 Despising many forfeits and subduments,
2768 When thou hast hung ⟨thy⟩ advanced sword i’ th’ air,
2769 210 Not letting it decline on the declined,
2770 That I have said to some my standers-by
2771 “Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life!”
2772 And I have seen thee pause and take thy breath
2773 When that a ring of Greeks have ⟨hemmed⟩ thee in,
2774 215 Like an Olympian wrestling. This have I seen.
2775 But this thy countenance, still locked in steel,
2776 I never saw till now. I knew thy grandsire
2777 And once fought with him; he was a soldier good,
2778 But, by great Mars, the captain of us all,
2779 220 Never like thee! O, let an old man embrace thee;
2780 And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents.
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201
AENEAS, ⌜to Hector⌝
2781
’Tis the old Nestor.HECTOR
2782 Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle
2783 That hast so long walked hand in hand with time.
2784 225 Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp thee.
⌜They embrace.⌝
NESTOR
2785 I would my arms could match thee in contention
2786 ⟨As they contend with thee in courtesy.⟩
HECTOR 2787 I would they could.
NESTOR
2788 Ha! By this white beard, I’d fight with thee tomorrow.
2789 230 Well, welcome, welcome. I have seen the time!
ULYSSES
2790 I wonder now how yonder city stands
2791 When we have here her base and pillar by us.
HECTOR
2792 I know your favor, Lord Ulysses, well.
2793 Ah, sir, there’s many a Greek and Trojan dead
2794 235 Since first I saw yourself and Diomed
2795 In Ilium, on your Greekish embassy.
ULYSSES
2796 Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue.
2797 My prophecy is but half his journey yet,
2798 For yonder walls, that pertly front your town,
2799 240 Yon towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds,
2800 Must kiss their own feet.
HECTOR 2801 I must not believe you.
2802 There they stand yet, and modestly I think
2803 The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost
2804 245 A drop of Grecian blood. The end crowns all,
2805 And that old common arbitrator, Time,
2806 Will one day end it.
ULYSSES 2807 So to him we leave it.
2808 Most gentle and most valiant Hector, welcome.
2809 250 After the General, I beseech you next
2810 To feast with me and see me at my tent.
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ACHILLES 2811 I shall forestall thee, Lord Ulysses, thou!—
2812 Now, Hector, I have fed mine eyes on thee;
2813 I have with exact view perused thee, Hector,
2814 255 And quoted joint by joint.
HECTOR 2815 Is this Achilles?
ACHILLES 2816 I am Achilles.
HECTOR
2817 Stand fair, I pray thee. Let me look on thee.
ACHILLES
2818 Behold thy fill.
HECTOR 2819 260 Nay, I have done already.
ACHILLES
2820 Thou art too brief. I will the second time,
2821 As I would buy thee, view thee limb by limb.
HECTOR
2822 O, like a book of sport thou ’lt read me o’er;
2823 But there’s more in me than thou understand’st.
2824 265 Why dost thou so oppress me with thine eye?
ACHILLES
2825 Tell me, you heavens, in which part of his body
2826 Shall I destroy him—whether there, or there, or
2827 there—
2828 That I may give the local wound a name
2829 270 And make distinct the very breach whereout
2830 Hector’s great spirit flew. Answer me, heavens!
HECTOR
2831 It would discredit the blest gods, proud man,
2832 To answer such a question. Stand again.
2833 Think’st thou to catch my life so pleasantly
2834 275 As to prenominate in nice conjecture
2835 Where thou wilt hit me dead?
ACHILLES 2836 I tell thee, yea.
HECTOR
2837 Wert thou an oracle to tell me so,
2838 I’d not believe thee. Henceforth guard thee well,
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205
2839
280 For I’ll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there,2840 But, by the forge that stithied Mars his helm,
2841 I’ll kill thee everywhere, yea, o’er and o’er.—
2842 You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag;
2843 His insolence draws folly from my lips.
2844 285 But I’ll endeavor deeds to match these words,
2845 Or may I never—
AJAX 2846 Do not chafe thee, cousin.—
2847 And you, Achilles, let these threats alone
2848 Till accident or purpose bring you to ’t.
2849 290 You may have every day enough of Hector
2850 If you have stomach. The general state, I fear,
2851 Can scarce entreat you to be odd with him.
HECTOR, ⌜to Achilles⌝
2852 I pray you, let us see you in the field.
2853 We have had pelting wars since you refused
2854 295 The Grecians’ cause.
ACHILLES 2855 Dost thou entreat me, Hector?
2856 Tomorrow do I meet thee, fell as death;
2857 Tonight all friends.
HECTOR 2858 Thy hand upon that match.
AGAMEMNON
2859 300 First, all you peers of Greece, go to my tent;
2860 There in the full convive we. Afterwards,
2861 As Hector’s leisure and your bounties shall
2862 Concur together, severally entreat him.
2863 ⟨Beat loud the taborins;⟩ let the trumpets blow,
2864 305 That this great soldier may his welcome know.
⌜Flourish.⌝
⌜All but Troilus and Ulysses⌝ exit.
TROILUS
2865 My Lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you,
2866 In what place of the field doth Calchas keep?
ULYSSES
2867 At Menelaus’ tent, most princely Troilus.
2868 There Diomed doth feast with him tonight,
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207
2869
310 Who neither looks upon the heaven nor Earth,2870 But gives all gaze and bent of amorous view
2871 On the fair Cressid.
TROILUS
2872 Shall I, sweet lord, be bound to you so much,
2873 After we part from Agamemnon’s tent,
2874 315 To bring me thither?
ULYSSES 2875 You shall command me, sir.
2876 ⟨As⟩ gentle tell me, of what honor was
2877 This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there
2878 That wails her absence?
TROILUS
2879 320 O sir, to such as boasting show their scars
2880 A mock is due. Will you walk on, my lord?
2881 She was beloved, ⟨she loved;⟩ she is, and doth;
2882 But still sweet love is food for Fortune’s tooth.
They exit.