1206How now Thersites? what lost in the Labyrinth of thy

1207furie? shall the Elephant Aiax carry it thus? he beates

1208me, and I raile at him: O worthy satisfaction, would it

1209were otherwise: that I could beate him, whil'st he rail'd

1210at me: Sfoote, Ile learne to coniure and raise Diuels, but

1211Ile see some issue of my spitefull execrations. Then ther's

1212Achilles, a rare Enginer. If Troy be not taken till these two

1213vndermine it, the wals will stand till they fall of them-

1214selues. O thou great thunder-darter of Olympus, forget

1215that thou art Ioue the King of gods: and Mercury, loose

1216all the Serpentine craft of thy Caduceus, if thou take not

1217that little little lesse then little wit from them that they

1218haue, which short-arm'd ignorance it selfe knowes, is so

1219abundant scarse, it will not in circumuention deliuer a

1220Flye from a Spider, without drawing the massie Irons and

1221cutting the web: after this, the vengeance on the whole

1222Camp, or rather the bone-ach, for that me thinkes is the

1223curse dependant on those that warre for a placket. I haue

1224said my prayers and diuell, enuie, say Amen: What ho?

1225my Lord Achilles?

1227Patr. Who's there? Thersites. Good Thersites come

1228in and raile.

1229Ther. If I could haue remembred a guilt counterfeit,

1230thou would'st not haue slipt out of my contemplation,

1231but it is no matter, thy selfe vpon thy selfe. The common

1232curse of mankinde, follie and ignorance be thine in great

1233reuenew; heauen blesse thee from a Tutor, and Discipline

1234come not neere thee. Let thy bloud be thy direction till

1235thy death, then if she that laies thee out sayes thou art a

1236faire coarse, Ile be sworne and sworne vpon't she neuer

1237shrowded any but Lazars, Amen. Wher's Achilles?

1238Patr. What art thou deuout? wast thou in a prayer?

1239Ther. I, the heauens heare me.

1241Achil. Who's there?

1242Patr. Thersites, my Lord.

1243Achil. Where, where, art thou come? why my cheese,

1244my digestion, why hast thou not seru'd thy selfe into my

1245Table, so many meales? Come, what's Agamemnon?

1246Ther. Thy Commander Achilles, then tell me Patro-

1247clus, what's Achilles?

1248Patr. Thy Lord Thersites: then tell me I pray thee,

1249what's thy selfe?

1250Ther. Thy knower Patroclus: then tell me Patroclus,

1251what art thou?

1252Patr. Thou maist tell that know'st.

1253Achil. O tell, tell.

1254Ther. Ile declin the whole question: Agamemnon com-

1255mands Achilles, Achilles is my Lord, I am Patroclus know-

1256er, and Patroclus is a foole.

1257Patro. You rascall.

1258Ther. Peace foole, I haue not done.

1259Achil. He is a priuiledg'd man, proceede Thersites.

1260Ther. Agamemnon is a foole, Achilles is a foole, Ther-

1261sites is a foole, and as aforesaid, Patroclus is a foole.

1262Achil. Deriue this? come?

1263Ther. Agamemnon is a foole to offer to command A-

1264chilles, Achilles is a foole to be commanded of Agamemon,

1265Thersites is a foole to serue such a foole: and Patroclus is a

1266foole positiue.

1267Patr. Why am I a foole?

1270Ther. Make that demand to the Creator, it suffises me

1271thou art. Looke you, who comes here?

1272Achil. Patroclus, Ile speake with no body: come in

1273with me Thersites. Exit.

1274Ther. Here is such patcherie, such iugling, and such

1275knauerie: all the argument is a Cuckold and a Whore, a

1276good quarrel to draw emulations, factions, and bleede to

1277death vpon: Now the dry Suppeago on the Subiect, and

1278Warre and Lecherie confound all.

1279Agam. Where is Achilles?

1280Patr. Within his Tent, but ill dispos'd my Lord.

1281Agam. Let it be knowne to him that we are here:

1282He sent our Messengers, and we lay by

1283Our appertainments, visiting of him:

1284Let him be told of, so perchance he thinke

1285We dare not moue the question of our place,

1286Or know not what we are.

1287Pat. I shall so say to him.

1288Ulis. We saw him at the opening of his Tent,

1289He is not sicke.

1290Aia. Yes, Lyon sicke, sicke of proud heart; you may

1291call it Melancholly if will fauour the man, but by my

1292head, it is pride; but why, why, let him show vs the cause?

1293A word my Lord.

1294Nes. What moues Aiax thus to bay at him?

1295Vlis. Achillis hath inueigled his Foole from him.

1296Nes. Who, Thersites?

1297Vlis. He.

1298Nes. Then will Aiax lacke matter, if he haue lost his

1299Argument.

1300Vlis. No, you see he is his argument that has his argu-

1301ment Achilles.

1302Nes. All the better, their fraction is more our wish

1303then their faction; but it was a strong counsell that a

1304Foole could disunite.

1305Vlis. The amitie that wisedome knits, not folly may

1306easily vntie. Enter Patroclus.

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?

1439He is not emulous, as Achilles is.

1440Vlis. 'Know the whole world, he is as valiant.

1441Aia. A horson dog, that shal palter thus with vs, would

1442he were a Troian.

1443Nest. What a vice were it in Aiax now---

1444Ulis. If he were proud.

1445Dio. Or couetous of praise.

1446Vlis. I, or surley borne.

1447Dio. Or strange, or selfe affected.

1448Vl. Thank the heauens L. thou art of sweet composure;

1449Praise him that got thee, she that gaue thee sucke:

1450Fame be thy Tutor, and thy parts of nature

1451Thrice fam'd beyond, beyond all erudition;

1452But he that disciplin'd thy armes to fight,

1453Let Mars deuide Eternity in twaine,

1454And giue him halfe, and for thy vigour,

1455Bull-bearing Milo: his addition yeelde

1456To sinnowie Aiax: I will not praise thy wisdome,

1457Which like a bourne, a pale, a shore confines

1458Thy spacious and dilated parts; here's Nestor

1459Instructed by the Antiquary times:

1460He must, he is, he cannot but be wise.

1461But pardon Father Nestor, were your dayes

1462As greene as Aiax, and your braine so temper'd,

1463You should not haue the eminence of him,

1464But be as Aiax.

1465Aia. Shall I call you Father?

1466Ulis. I my good Sonne.

1467Dio. Be rul'd by him Lord Aiax.

1468Vlis. There is no tarrying here, the Hart Achilles

1469Keepes thicket: please it our Generall,

1470To call together all his state of warre,

1471Fresh Kings are come to Troy; to morrow

1472We must with all our maine of power stand fast:

1473And here's a Lord, come Knights from East to West,

1474And cull their flowre, Aiax shall cope the best.

1475Ag. Goe we to Counsaile, let Achilles sleepe;

1476Light Botes may saile swift, though greater bulkes draw