Troilus and Cressida (Quarto 1, 1609)
Peer Reviewed
of Troylus and Cresseida.
760Ile hide my siluer beard in a gould beauer,
¶And in my vambrace put my withered braunes
¶And meeting him tell him that my Lady,
¶Was fairer then his grandam, and as chast,
¶As may bee in the world, (his youth in flood)
765Ile proue this troth with my three drops of bloud,
¶Vlis. Amen: faire Lord Æneas let me touch your hand,
¶Achilles shall haue word of this intent,
¶So shall each Lord of Greece from tent to tent,
¶And finde the welcome of a noble foe.
¶Vlis. I haue a yong conception in my braine,
¶That hath to this maturity blowne vp
¶In ranke Achilles, must or now be cropt,
¶To ouer-bulk vs all.
_Nest. Well and how?
¶How euer it is spread in generall name
790Relates in purpose onely to Achilles.
¶And in the publication make no straine,
¶But that Achilles weare his braine, as barren,
795As banks of libia (though Apollo knowes
¶Tis dry enough) will with great speed of iudgement,
¶I with celerity finde Hectors purpose, pointing on him.
¶That can from Hector bring those honours off,
¶If not Achilles: though't be a sportfull combat,
¶Yet in the triall much opinion dwells:
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