1307Here comes Patroclus.

1308Nes. No Achilles with him?

1309Vlis. The Elephant hath ioynts, but none for curtesie:

1310His legge are legs for necessitie, not for flight.

1311Patro. Achilles bids me say he is much sorry:

1312If any thing more then your sport and pleasure,

1313Did moue your greatnesse, and this noble State,

1314To call vpon him; he hopes it is no other,

1315But for your health, and your digestion sake;

1316An after Dinners breath.

1317Aga. Heare you Patroclus:

1318We are too well acquainted with these answers:

1319But his euasion winged thus swift with scorne,

1320Cannot outflye our apprehensions.

1321Much attribute he hath, and much the reason,

1322Why we ascribe it to him, yet all his vertues,

1323Not vertuously of his owne part beheld,

1324Doe in our eyes, begin to loose their glosse;

1325Yea, and like faire Fruit in an vnholdsome dish,

1326Are like to rot vntasted: goe and tell him,

1327We came to speake with him; and you shall not sinne,

1328If you doe say, we thinke him ouer proud,

1329And vnder honest; in selfe-assumption greater

1330Then in the note of iudgement: & worthier then himselfe

1331Here tends the sauage strangenesse he puts on,

1332Disguise the holy strength of their command:

1333And vnder write in an obseruing kinde

1334His humorous predominance, yea watch

1335His pettish lines, his ebs, his flowes, as if

1336The passage and whole carriage of this action

1337Rode on his tyde. Goe tell him this, and adde,

1338That if he ouerhold his price so much,

1339Weele none of him; but let him, like an Engin

1340Not portable, lye vnder this report.

1341Bring action hither, this cannot goe to warre:

1342A stirring Dwarfe, we doe allowance giue,

1343Before a sleeping Gyant: tell him so.

1344Pat. I shall, and bring his answere presently.

1345Aga. In second voyce weele not be satisfied,

1346We come to speake with him, Ulisses enter you.

1348Aiax. What is he more then another?

1349Aga. No more then what he thinkes he is.

1350Aia. Is he so much, doe you not thinke, he thinkes

1351himselfe a better man then I am?

1352Ag. No question.

1353Aiax. Will you subscribe his thought, and say he is?

1354Ag. No, Noble Aiax, you are as strong, as valiant, as

1355wise, no lesse noble, much more gentle, and altogether

1356more tractable.

1357Aiax. Why should a man be proud? How doth pride

1358grow? I know not what it is.

1359Aga. Your minde is the cleerer Aiax, and your vertues

1360the fairer; he that is proud, eates vp himselfe; Pride is his

1361owne Glasse, his owne trumpet, his owne Chronicle, and

1362what euer praises it selfe but in the deede, deuoures the

1363deede in the praise.

1365Aiax. I do hate a proud man, as I hate the ingendring

1366of Toades.

1367Nest. Yet he loues himselfe: is't not strange?

1368Vlis. Achilles will not to the field to morrow.

1369Ag. What's his excuse?

1370Vlis. He doth relye on none,

1371But carries on the streame of his dispose,

1372Without obseruance or respect of any,

1373In will peculiar, and in selfe admission.

1374Aga. Why, will he not vpon our faire request,

1375Vntent his person, and share the ayre with vs?

1376Vlis. Things small as nothing, for requests sake onely

1377He makes important; possest he is with greatnesse,

1378And speakes not to himselfe, but with a pride

1379That quarrels at selfe-breath. Imagin'd wroth

1380Holds in his bloud such swolne and hot discourse,

1381That twixt his mentall and his actiue parts,

1382Kingdom'd Achilles in commotion rages,

1383And batters gainst it selfe; what should I say?

1384He is so plaguy proud, that the death tokens of it,

1385Cry no recouery.

1386Ag. Let Aiax goe to him.

1387Deare Lord, goe you and greete him in his Tent;

1388'Tis said he holds you well, and will be led

1389At your request a little from himselfe.

1390Vlis. O Agamemnon, let it not be so.

1391Weele consecrate the steps that Aiax makes,

1392When they goe from Achilles; shall the proud Lord,

1393That bastes his arrogance with his owne seame,

1394And neuer suffers matter of the world,

1395Enter his thoughts: saue such as doe reuolue

1396And ruminate himselfe. Shall he be worshipt,

1397Of that we hold an Idoll, more then hee?

1398No, this thrice worthy and right valiant Lord,

1399Must not so staule his Palme, nobly acquir'd,

1400Nor by my will assubiugate his merit,

1401As amply titled as Achilles is: by going to Achilles,

1402That were to enlard his fat already, pride,

1403And adde more Coles to Cancer, when he burnes

1404With entertaining great Hiperion.

1405This L. goe to him? Iupiter forbid,

1406And say in thunder, Achilles goe to him.

1407Nest. O this is well, he rubs the veine of him.

1408Dio. And how his silence drinkes vp this applause.

1409Aia. If I goe to him, with my armed fist, Ile pash him

1410ore the face.

1411Ag. O no, you shall not goe.

1412Aia. And a be proud with me, ile phese his pride: let

1413me goe to him.

1414Ulis. Not for the worth that hangs vpon our quarrel.

1415Aia. A paultry insolent fellow.

1416Nest. How he describes himselfe.

1417Aia. Can he not be sociable?

1418Vlis. The Rauen chides blacknesse.

1419Aia. Ile let his humours bloud.

1420Ag. He will be the Physitian that should be the pa-

1421tient.

1422Aia. And all men were a my minde.

1423Vlis. Wit would be out of fashion.

1424Aia. A should not beare it so, a should eate Swords

1425first: shall pride carry it?

1426Nest. And 'twould, you'ld carry halfe.

1427Ulis. A would haue ten shares.

1428Aia. I will knede him, Ile make him supple, hee's not

1429yet through warme.

1430Nest. Force him with praises, poure in, poure in: his am-

1431bition is dry.

1432Vlis. My L. you feede too much on this dislike.

1433Nest. Our noble Generall, doe not doe so.

1434Diom. You must prepare to fight without Achilles.

1435Vlis. Why, 'tis this naming of him doth him harme.

1436Here is a man, but 'tis before his face,

1437I will be silent.

1438Nest. Wherefore should you so?