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Troilus and Cressida (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: W. L. Godshalk
Peer Reviewed
Troylus and Cressida.
To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant:
2480But I can tell that in each grace of these,
There lurkes a still and dumb-discoursiue diuell,
That tempts most cunningly: but be not tempted.
Cres. Doe you thinke I will:
Troy. No, but something may be done that we wil not:
2485And sometimes we are diuels to our selues,
When we will tempt the frailtie of our powers,
Presuming on their changefull potencie.
Æneas within. Nay, good my Lord?
Troy. Come kisse, and let vs part.
2490Paris within. Brother Troylus?
Troy. Good brother come you hither,
And bring Æneas and the Grecian with you.
Cres. My Lord, will you be true?
Exit.
Troy. Who I? alas it is my vice, my fault:
2495Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion,
I, with great truth, catch meere simplicitie;
Whil'st some with cunning guild their copper crownes,
With truth and plainnesse I doe weare mine bare:

Enter the Greekes.
2500Feare not my truth; the morrall of my wit
Is plaine and true, ther's all the reach of it.
Welcome sir Diomed, here is the Lady
Which for Antenor, we deliuer you.
At the port (Lord) Ile giue her to thy hand,
2505And by the way possesse thee what she is.
Entreate her faire; and by my soule, faire Greeke,
If ere thou stand at mercy of my Sword,
Name Cressid, and thy life shall be as safe
As Priam is in Illion?
2510Diom. Faire Lady Cressid,
So please you saue the thankes this Prince expects:
The lustre in your eye, heauen in your cheeke,
Pleades your faire visage, and to Diomed
You shall be mistresse, and command him wholly.
2515Troy. Grecian, thou do'st not vse me curteously,
To shame the seale of my petition towards,
I praising her. I tell thee Lord of Greece:
Shee is as farre high soaring o're thy praises,
As thou vnworthy to be cal'd her seruant:
2520I charge thee vse her well, euen for my charge:
For by the dreadfull Pluto, if thou do'st not,
(Though the great bulke Achilles be thy guard)
Ile cut thy throate.
Diom. Oh be not mou'd Prince Troylus;
2525Let me be priuiledg'd by my place and message,
To be a speaker free? when I am hence,
Ile answer to my lust: and know my Lord;
Ile nothing doe on charge: to her owne worth
She shall be priz'd: but that you say, be't so;
2530Ile speake it in my spirit and honor, no.
Troy. Come to the Port. Ile tell thee Diomed,
This braue, shall oft make thee to hide thy head:
Lady, giue me your hand, and as we walke,
To our owne selues bend we our needefull talke.
2535
Sound Trumpet.
Par. Harke, Hectors Trumpet.
Æne. How haue we spent this morning
The Prince must thinke me tardy and remisse,
That swore to ride before him in the field.
2540Par. 'Tis Troylus fault: come, come, to field with him.
Exeunt.
Dio. Let vs make ready straight.
Æne. Yea, with a Bridegroomes fresh alacritie
Let vs addresse to tend on Hectors heeles:
2545The glory of our Troy doth this day lye
On his faire worth, and single Chiualrie.

Enter Aiax armed, Achilles, Patroclus, Agamemnon,
Menelaus, Vlisses, Nestcr, Calcas, &c.

Aga. Here art thou in appointment fresh and faire,
2550Anticipating time. With starting courage,
Giue with thy Trumpet a loud note to Troy
Thou dreadfull Aiax, that the appauled aire
May pierce the head of the great Combatant,
And hale him hither.
2555Aia. Thou, Trumpet, ther's my purse;
Now cracke thy lungs, and split thy brasen pipe:
Blow villaine, till thy sphered Bias cheeke
Out-swell the collicke of puft Aquilon:
Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout bloud:
2560Thou blowest for Hector.
Vlis. No Trumpet answers.
Achil. 'Tis but early dayes.
Aga. Is not yong Diomed with Calcas daughter?
Vlis. 'Tis he, I ken the manner of his gate,
2565He rises on the toe: that spirit of his
In aspiration lifts him from the earth.
Aga. Is this the Lady Cressid?
Dio. Euen she.
Aga. Most deerely welcome to the Greekes, sweete
2570Lady.
Nest. Our Generall doth salute you with a kisse.
Ulis. Yet is the kindenesse but particular; 'twere bet-
ter she were kist in generall.
Nest. And very courtly counsell: Ile begin. So much
2575for Nestor.
Achil. Ile take that winter from your lips faire Lady
Achilles bids you welcome.
Mene. I had good argument for kissing once.
Patro. But that's no argument for kissing now;
2580For thus pop't Paris in his hardiment.
Vlis. Oh deadly gall, and theame of all our scornes,
For which we loose our heads, to gild his hornes.
Patro. The first was Menelaus kisse, this mine:
Patroclus kisses you.
2585Mene. Oh this is trim.
Patr. Paris and I kisse euermore for him.
Mene. Ile haue my kisse sir: Lady by your leaue.
Cres. In kissing doe you render, or receiue.
Patr. Both take and giue.
2590Cres. Ile make my match to liue,
The kisse you take is better then you giue: therefore no
kisse.
Mene. Ile giue you boote, Ile giue you three for one.
Cres. You are an odde man, giue euen, or giue none.
2595Mene. An odde man Lady, euery man is odde.
Cres. No, Paris is not; for you know 'tis true,
That you are odde, and he is euen with you.
Mene. You fillip me a'th'head.
Cres. No, Ile be sworne.
2600Vlis. It were no match, your naile against his horne:
May I sweete Lady beg a kisse of you?
Cres. You may.
Ulis. I doe desire it.
Cres. Why begge then?
2605Vlis. Why then for Venus sake, giue me a kisse:
When Hellen is a maide againe, and his---
Cres. I am your debtor, claime it when 'tis due.
¶¶3
Vlis. Neuer's