1849Cal. Now Princes for the seruice I haue done you,

1850Th'aduantage of the time promps me aloud,

1851To call for recompence: appeare it to your minde,

1852That through the sight I beare in things to loue,

1853I haue abandon'd Troy, left my possession,

1854Incur'd a Traitors name, expos'd my selfe,

1855From certaine and possest conueniences,

1856To doubtfull fortunes, sequestring from me all

1857That time, acquaintance, custome and condition,

1858Made tame, and most familiar to my nature:

1859And here to doe you seruice am become,

1860As new into the world, strange, vnacquainted.

1861I doe beseech you, as in way of taste,

1862To giue me now a little benefit:

1863Out of those many registred in promise,

1864Which you say, liue to come in my behalfe.

1865Agam. What would'st thou of vs Troian? make

1866demand?

1867Cal. You haue a Troian prisoner, cal'd Anthenor,

1868Yesterday tooke: Troy holds him very deere.

1869Oft haue you (often haue you, thankes therefore)

1870Desir'd my Cressia in right great exchange.

1871Whom Troy hath still deni'd: but this Anthenor,

1872I know is such a wrest in their affaires;

1873That their negotiations all must slacke,

1874Wanting his mannage: and they will almost,

1875Giue vs a Prince of blood, a Sonne of Priam,

1876In change of him. Let him be sent great Princes,

1877And he shall buy my Daughter: and her presence,

1878Shall quite strike off all seruice I haue done,

1879In most accepted paine.

1880Aga. Let Diomedes beare him,

1881And bring vs Cressid hither: Calcas shall haue

1882What he requests of vs: good Diomed

1883Furnish you fairely for this enterchange;

1884Withall bring word, if Hector will to morrow

1885Be answer'd in his challenge. Aiax is ready.

1886Dio. This shall I vndertake, and 'tis a burthen

1887Which I am proud to beare. Exit.

1889Vlis. Achilles stands i'th entrance of his Tent;

1890Please it our Generall to passe strangely by him,

1891As if he were forgot: and Princes all,

1892Lay negligent and loose regard vpon him;

1893I will come last, 'tis like heele question me,

1894Why such vnplausiue eyes are bent? why turn'd on him?

1895If so, I haue derision medicinable,

1896To vse betweene your strangenesse and his pride,

1897Which his owne will shall haue desire to drinke;

1898It may doe good, pride hath no other glasse

1899To show it selfe, but pride: for supple knees,

1900Feede arrogance, and are the proud mans fees.

1901Agam. Weele execute your purpose, and put on

1902A forme of strangenesse as we passe along,

1903So doe each Lord, and either greete him not,

1904Or else disdainfully, which shall shake him more,

1905Then if not lookt on. I will lead the way.

1906Achil. What comes the Generall to speake with me?

1907You know my minde, Ile fight no more 'gainst Troy.

1908Aga. What saies Achilles, would he ought with vs?

1909Nes. Would you my Lord ought with the Generall?

1910Achil. No.

1911Nes. Nothing my Lord.

1912Aga. The better.

1913Achil. Good day, good day.

1914Men. How doe you? how doe you?

1915Achi. What, do's the Cuckold scorne me?

1916Aiax. How now Patroclus?

1917Achil. Good morrow Aiax?

1918Aiax. Ha.

1919Achil. Good morrow.

1920Aiax. I, and good next day too. Exeunt.

1921Achil. What meane these fellowes? know they not

1922Achilles?

1923Patr. They passe by strangely: they were vs'd to bend

1924To send their smiles before them to Achilles:

1925To come as humbly as they vs'd to creepe to holy Altars.

1926Achil. What am I poore of late?

1927'Tis certaine, greatnesse once falne out with fortune,

1928Must fall out with men too: what the declin'd is,

1929He shall as soone reade in the eyes of others,

1930As feele in his owne fall: for men like butter-flies,

1931Shew not their mealie wings, but to the Summer:

1932And not a man for being simply man,

1933Hath any honour; but honour'd for those honours

1934That are without him; as place, riches, and fauour,

1935Prizes of accident, as oft as merit:

1936Which when they fall, as being slippery standers;

1937The loue that leand on them as slippery too,

1938Doth one plucke downe another, and together

1939Dye in the fall. But 'tis not so with me;

1940Fortune and I are friends, I doe enioy

1941At ample point, all that I did possesse,

1942Saue these mens lookes: who do me thinkes finde out

1943Something not worth in me such rich beholding,

1944As they haue often giuen. Here is Ulisses,

1945Ile interrupt his reading: how now Vlisses?

1946Vlis. Now great Thetis Sonne.

1947Achil. What are you reading?

1948Vlis. A strange fellow here

1949Writes me, that man, how dearely euer parted,

1950How much in hauing, or without, or in,

1951Cannot make boast to haue that which he hath;

1952Nor feeles not what he owes, but by reflection:

1953As when his vertues shining vpon others,

1954Heate them, and they retort that heate againe

1955To the first giuer.

1956Achil. This is not strange Vlisses:

1957The beautie that is borne here in the face,

1958The bearer knowes not, but commends it selfe,

1959Not going from it selfe: but eye to eye oppos'd,

1960Salutes each other with each others forme.

1961For speculation turnes not to it selfe,

1962Till it hath trauail'd, and is married there

1963Where it may see it selfe: this is not strange at all.

1964Ulis. I doe not straine it at the position,

1965It is familiar; but at the Authors drift,

1966Who in his circumstance, expresly proues

1967That no may is the Lord of any thing,

1968(Though in and of him there is much consisting,)

1969Till he communicate his parts to others:

1970Nor doth he of himselfe know them for ought,

1971Till he behold them formed in th'applause,

1972Where they are extended: who like an arch reuerb'rate

1973The voyce againe; or like a gate of steele,

1974Fronting the Sunne, receiues and renders backe

1975His figure, and his heate. I was much rapt in this,

1976And apprehended here immediately:

1977The vnknowne Aiax;

1978Heauens what a man is there? a very Horse,

1979That has he knowes not what. Nature, what things there (are.

1980Most abiect in regard, and deare in vse.

1981What things againe most deere in the esteeme,

1982And poore in worth: now shall we see to morrow,

1983An act that very chance doth throw vpon him?

1984Aiax renown'd? O heauens, what some men doe,

1985While some men leaue to doe!

1986How some men creepe in skittish fortunes hall,

1987Whiles others play the Ideots in her eyes:

1988How one man eates into anothers pride,

1989While pride is feasting in his wantonnesse

1990To see these Grecian Lords; why, euen already,

1991They clap the lubber Aiax on the shoulder,

1992As if his foote were on braue Hectors brest,

1993And great Troy shrinking.

1994Achil. I doe beleeue it:

1995For they past by me, as mysers doe by beggars,

1996Neither gaue to me good word, nor looke:

1997What are my deedes forgot?

1998Ulis. Time hath (my Lord) a wallet at his backe,

1999Wherein he puts almes for obliuion:

2000A great siz'd monster of ingratitudes:

2001Those scraps are good deedes past,

2002Which are deuour'd as fast as they are made,

2003Forgot as soone as done: perseuerance, deere my Lord,

2004Keepes honor bright, to haue done, is to hang

2005Quite out of fashion, like a rustie male,

2006In monumentall mockrie: take the instant way,

2007For honour trauels in a straight so narrow,

2008Where one but goes a breast, keepe then the path:

2009For emulation hath a thousand Sonnes,

2010That one by one pursue; if you giue way,

2011Or hedge aside from the direct forth right;

2012Like to an entred Tyde, they all rush by,

2013And leaue you hindmost:

2014Or like a gallant Horse falne in first ranke,

2015Lye there for pauement to the abiect, neere

2016Ore-run and trampled on: then what they doe in present,

2017Though lesse then yours in past, must ore-top yours:

2018For time is like a fashionable Hoste,

2019That slightly shakes his parting Guest by th'hand;

2020And with his armes out-stretcht, as he would flye,

2021Graspes in the commer: the welcome euer smiles,

2022And farewels goes out sighing: O let not vertue seeke

2023Remuneration for the thing it was: for beautie, wit,

2024High birth, vigor of bone, desert in seruice,

2025Loue, friendship, charity, are subiects all

2026To enuious and calumniating time:

2027One touch of nature makes the whole world kin:

2028That all with one consent praise new borne gaudes,

2029Though they are made and moulded of things past,

2030And goe to dust, that is a little guilt,

2031More laud then guilt oredusted.

2032The present eye praises the pres nt obiect:

2033Then maruell not thou great and compleat man,

2034That all the Greekes begin to worship Aiax;

2035Since things in motion begin to catch the eye,

2036Then what not stirs: the cry went out on thee,

2037And still it might, and yet it may againe,

2038If thou would'st not entombe thy selfe aliue,

2039And case thy reputation in thy Tent;

2040Whose glorious deedes, but in these fields of late,

2041Made emulous missions 'mongst the gods themselues,

2042And draue great Mars to faction.

2043Achil. Of this my priuacie,

2044I haue strong reasons.

2045Vlis. But 'gainst your priuacie

2046The reasons are more potent and heroycall:

2047'Tis knowne Achilles, that you are in loue

2048With one of Priams daughters.

2049Achil. Ha? knowne?

2050Ulis. Is that a wonder?

2051The prouidence that's in a watchfull State,

2052Knowes almost euery graine of Plutoes gold;

2053Findes bottome in th'vncomprehensiue deepes;

2054Keepes place with thought; and almost like the gods,

2055Doe thoughts vnuaile in their dumbe cradles:

2056There is a mysterie (with whom relation

2057Durst neuer meddle) in the soule of State;

2058Which hath an operation more diuine,

2059Then breath or pen can giue expressure to:

2060All the commerse that you haue had with Troy,

2061As perfectly is ours, as yours, my Lord.

2062And better would it fit Achilles much,

2063To throw downe Hector then Polixena.

2064But it must grieue yong Pirhus now at home,

2065When fame shall in her Iland sound her trumpe;

2066And all the Greekish Girles shall tripping sing,

2067Great Hectors sister did Achilles winne;

2068But our great Aiax brauely beate downe him.

2069Farewell my Lord: I as your louer speake;

2070The foole slides ore the Ice that you should breake.

2071Patr. To this effect Achilles haue I mou'd you;

2072A woman impudent and mannish growne,

2073Is not more loth'd, then an effeminate man,

2074In time of action: I stand condemn'd for this;

2075They thinke my little stomacke to the warre,

2076And your great loue to me, restraines you thus:

2077Sweete, rouse your selfe; and the weake wanton Cupid

2078Shall from your necke vnloose his amorous fould,

2079And like a dew drop from the Lyons mane,

2080Be shooke to ayrie ayre.

2081Achil. Shall Aiax fight with Hector?

2082Patr. I, and perhaps receiue much honor by him.

2083Achil. I see my reputation is at stake,

2084My fame is shrowdly gored.

2085Patr. O then beware:

2086Those wounds heale ill, that men doe giue themselues:

2087Omission to doe what is necessary,

2088Seales a commission to a blanke of danger,

2089And danger like an ague subtly taints

2090Euen then when we sit idely in the sunne.

2091Achil. Goe call Thersites hither sweet Patroclus,

¶¶ Ile

2092Ile send the foole to Aiax, and desire him

2093T'inuite the Troian Lords after the Combat

2094To see vs here vnarm'd: I haue a womans longing,

2095An appetite that I am sicke withall,

2096To see great Hector in his weedes of peace; Enter Thersi.

2097To talke with him, and to behold his visage,

2098Euen to my full of view. A labour sau'd.

2099Ther. A wonder.

2100Achil. What?

2101Ther. Aiax goes vp and downe the field, asking for

2102himselfe.

2103Achil. How so?

2104Ther. Hee must fight singly to morrow with Hector,

2105and is so prophetically proud of an heroicall cudgelling,

2106that he raues in saying nothing.

2107Achil. How can that be?

2108Ther. Why he stalkes vp and downe like a Peacock, a

2109stride and a stand: ruminates like an hostesse, that hath no

2110Arithmatique but her braine to set downe her recko-

2111ning: bites his lip with a politique regard, as who should

2112say, there were wit in his head and twoo'd out; and so

2113there is: but it lyes as coldly in him, as fire in a flint,

2114which will not shew without knocking. The mans vn-

2115done for euer; for if Hector breake not his necke i'th'com-

2116bat, heele break't himselfe in vaine-glory. He knowes

2117not mee: I said, good morrow Aiax; And he replyes,

2118thankes Agamemnon. What thinke you of this man,

2119that takes me for the Generall? Hee's growne a very

2120land-fish, languagelesse, a monster: a plague of o-

2121pinion, a man may weare it on both sides like a leather

2122Ierkin.

2123Achil. Thou must be my Ambassador to him Thersites.

2124Ther. Who, I: why, heele answer no body: he pro-

2125fesses not answering; speaking is for beggers: he weares

2126his tongue in's armes: I will put on his presence; let Pa-

2127troclus make his demands to me, you shall see the Page-

2128ant of Aiax.

2129Achil. To him Patroclus; tell him, I humbly desire the

2130valiant Aiax, to inuite the most valorous Hector, to come

2131vnarm'd to my Tent, and to procure safe conduct for his

2132person, of the magnanimious and most illustrious, sixe or

2133seauen times honour'd Captaine, Generall of the Grecian

2134Armie Agamemnon, &c. doe this.

2135Patro. Ioue blesse great Aiax.

2136Ther. Hum.

2137Patr. I come from the worthy Aehilles.

2138Ther. Ha?

2139Patr. Who most humbly desires you to inuite Hector

2140to his Tent.

2141Ther. Hum.

2142Patr. And to procure safe conduct from Agamemnon.

2143Ther. Agamemnon?

2144Patr. I my Lord.

2145Ther. Ha?

2146Patr. What say you too't.

2147Ther. God buy you with all my heart.

2148Patr. Your answer sir.

2149Ther. If to morrow be a faire day, by eleuen a clocke

2150it will goe one way or other; howsoeuer, he shall pay for

2151me ere he has me.

2152Patr. Your answer sir.

2153Ther. Fare you well withall my heart.

2154Achil. Why, but he is not in this tune, is he?

2155Ther. No, but he's out a tune thus: what musicke will

2156be in him when Hector has knockt out his braines, I know

2157not: but I am sure none, vnlesse the Fidler Apollo get his

2158sinewes to make catlings on.

2159Achil. Come, thou shalt beare a Letter to him

2160straight.

2161Ther. Let me carry another to his Horse; for that's the

2162more capable creature.

2163Achil. My minde is troubled like a Fountaine stir'd,

2164And I my selfe see not the bottome of it.

2165Ther. Would the Fountaine of your minde were cleere

2166againe, that I might water an Asse at it: I had rather be a

2167Ticke in a Sheepe, then such a valiant ignorance.