Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: William Godshalk
Peer Reviewed

Troilus and Cressida (Folio 1, 1623)

Enter Thersites in excursion.
Ther. Now they are clapper-clawing one another, Ile
goe looke on: that dissembling abhominable varlet Dio-
3335mede, has got that same scuruie, doting, foolish yong
knaues Sleeue of Troy, there in his Helme: I would faine
see them meet; that, that same yong Troian asse, that loues
the whore there, might send that Greekish whore-mai-
sterly villaine, with the Sleeue, backe to the dissembling
3340luxurious drabbe, of a sleeuelesse errant. O'th'tother side,
the pollicie of those craftie swearing rascals; that stole
old Mouse-eaten dry cheese, Nestor: and that same dog-
foxe Vlisses is not prou'd worth a Black-berry. They set
me vp in pollicy, that mungrill curre Aiax, against that
3345dogge of as bad a kinde, Achilles. And now is the curre
Aiax prouder then the curre Achilles, and will not arme
to day. Whereupon, the Grecians began to proclaime
barbarisme; and pollicie growes into an ill opinion.
Enter Diomed and Troylus.
3350Soft, here comes Sleeue, and th'other.
Troy. Flye not: for should'st thou take the Riuer Stix,
I would swim after.
Diom. Thou do'st miscall retire:
I doe not flye; but aduantagious care
3355Withdrew me from the oddes of multitude:
Haue at thee?
Ther. Hold thy whore Grecian: now for thy whore
Troian: Now the Sleeue, now the Sleeue.
Euter Hector.
3360Hect. What art thou Greek? art thou for Hectors match?
Art thou of bloud, and honour?
Ther. No, no: I am a rascall: a scuruie railing knaue:
a very filthy roague.
Hect. I doe beleeue thee, liue.
3365Ther. God a mercy, that thou wilt beleeue me; but a
plague breake thy necke---for frighting me: what's be-
come of the wenching rogues? I thinke they haue
swallowed one another. I would laugh at that mira-
cle----yet in a sort, lecherie eates it selfe: Ile seeke them.
3370Exit.