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- William Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida, Act IV
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Act IVScene ITroy. A streetEnter, from one side, Aeneas, and Servant with a torch; from the other, Paris, Deiphobus, Antenor, Diomedes, and others, with torchesParisSee, ho! who is that there?DeiphobusIt is the Lord AEneas.AeneasIs the prince there in person? Had I so good occasion to lie long As you, prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business Should rob my bed-mate of my company.DiomedesThat’s my mind too. Good morrow, Lord AEneas.ParisA valiant Greek, AEneas,—take his hand,— Witness the process of your speech, wherein You told how Diomed, a whole week by days, Did haunt you in the field.AeneasHealth to you, valiant sir, During all question of the gentle truce; But when I meet you arm’d, as black defiance As heart can think or courage execute.DiomedesThe one and other Diomed embraces. Our bloods are now in calm; and, so long, health! But when contention and occasion meet, By Jove, I’ll play the hunter for thy life With all my force, pursuit and policy.AeneasAnd thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly With his face backward. In humane gentleness, Welcome to Troy! now, by Anchises’ life, Welcome, indeed! By Venus’ hand I swear, No man alive can love in such a sort The thing he means to kill more excellently.DiomedesWe sympathize: Jove, let AEneas live, If to my sword his fate be not the glory, A thousand complete courses of the sun! But, in mine emulous honour, let him die, With every joint a wound, and that to-morrow!AeneasWe know each other well.DiomedesWe do; and long to know each other worse.ParisThis is the most despiteful gentle greeting, The noblest hateful love, that e’er I heard of. What business, lord, so early?AeneasI was sent for to the king; but why, I know not.ParisHis purpose meets you: ’twas to bring this Greek To Calchas’ house, and there to render him, For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid: Let’s have your company, or, if you please, Haste there before us: I constantly do think— Or rather, call my thought a certain knowledge— My brother Troilus lodges there to-night: Rouse him and give him note of our approach. With the whole quality wherefore: I fear We shall be much unwelcome.AeneasThat I assure you: Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece Than Cressid borne from Troy.ParisThere is no help; The bitter disposition of the time Will have it so. On, lord; we’ll follow you.AeneasGood morrow, all.Exit with ServantParisAnd tell me, noble Diomed, faith, tell me true, Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship, Who, in your thoughts, merits fair Helen best, Myself or Menelaus?DiomedesBoth alike: He merits well to have her, that doth seek her, Not making any scruple of her soilure, With such a hell of pain and world of charge, And you as well to keep her, that defend her, Not palating the taste of her dishonour, With such a costly loss of wealth and friends: He, like a puling cuckold, would drink up The lees and dregs of a flat tamed piece; You, like a lecher, out of whorish loins Are pleased to breed out your inheritors: Both merits poised, each weighs nor less nor more; But he as he, the heavier for a whore.ParisYou are too bitter to your countrywoman.DiomedesShe’s bitter to her country: hear me, Paris: For every false drop in her bawdy veins A Grecian’s life hath sunk; for every scruple Of her contaminated carrion weight, A Trojan hath been slain: since she could speak, She hath not given so many good words breath As for her Greeks and Trojans suffer’d death.ParisFair Diomed, you do as chapmen do, Dispraise the thing that you desire to buy: But we in silence hold this virtue well, We’ll but commend what we intend to sell. Here lies our way.Exeunt
Brewer’s: Troilus and Cressida
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William Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida, Act IV, Scene IV
- William Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida, Act IV, Scene IV
TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Current Events This Week: January 2023
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Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.
Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Current Events This Week: January 2023
African Americans by the Numbers
Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
- Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
- The Twelve Dancing Princesses
- Current Events This Week: January 2023
- African Americans by the Numbers
- Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
- The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales
