Troilus and Cressida (Quarto 1, 1609)
Peer Reviewed
The history
1130Paris should nere retract, what he hath done,
¶Nor faint in the pursuite,
1135So to be valiant, is no praise at all.
¶But I would haue the soile of her faire rape,
¶Wip't of in honorable keeping her,
¶Without a heart to dare, or sword to drawe,
¶When Helen is defended: nor none so noble,
¶Well may we fight for her, whom we know well,
¶The worlds large spaces cannot paralell.
1155Haue glozd, but superficially, not much
¶Vnlike young men, whom Aristotle thought
¶Vnfit to heere Morrall Philosophie;
¶The reasons you alleadge, do more conduce
1160Then to make vp a free determination
¶Twixt right and wrong: for pleasure and reuenge,
¶Haue eares more deafe then Adders to the voyce
¶Of any true decision. Nature craues
¶All dues be rendred to their owners. Now
1165What neerer debt in all humanitie,
¶Then wife is to the husband? if this lawe
¶Of nature be corrupted through affection
And
