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Troilus and Cressida (Modern)
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1477.1[3.1]
Friend -- you -- pray you, a word. Do not you 1480follow the young lord Paris?
Ay, sir, when he goes before me.
You depend upon him, I mean.
Sir, I do depend upon the Lord.
You depend upon a noble gentleman. I must 1485needs praise him.
The Lord be praised.
You know me, do you not?
Faith, sir, superficially.
Friend, know me better; I am the lord Pandarus.
I hope I shall know your honor better.
I do desire it.
You are in the state of grace?
Grace? Not so, friend; "honor" and "lordship" are my 1494titles. What music is this?
I do but partly know, sir; it is music in parts.
Know you the musicians?
Wholly, sir.
Who play they to?
To the hearers, sir.
At whose pleasure, friend?
At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.
"Command," I mean, friend.
Who shall I command, sir?
Friend, we understand not one another. I am too 1505courtly, and thou art too cunning. At whose request do 1506these men play?
That's to't indeed, sir. Marry, sir, at the request 1508of Paris, my lord, who's there in person, with him the 1509mortal Venus, the heart blood of beauty, love's invisible 1510soul.
Who? My cousin Cressida?
No, sir, Helen. Could you not find out that by 1513her attributes?
It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the 1515lady Cressida. I come to speak with Paris from the 1516prince Troilus. I will make a complimental assault upon 1517him, for my business seethes.
Sodden business? There's a stewed phrase indeed.
Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair 1521company; fair desires in all fair measure fairly guide them, 1522especially to you, fair queen; fair thoughts be your 1523fair pillow.
Dear lord, you are full of fair words.
You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen. 1526 -- Fair prince, here is good broken music.
You have broke it, cousin, and, by my life, you 1528shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a 1529piece of your performance. -- Nell, he is full of harmony.
Truly, lady, no.
O sir --
Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.
Well said, my lord; well, you say so in fits.
I have business to my lord, dear queen. -- My 1535lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?
Nay, this shall not hedge us out; we'll hear you 1537sing, certainly.
Well, sweet queen, you are pleasant with me. 1539 -- But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most 1540esteemed friend, your brother Troilus --
My lord Pandarus, honey-sweet lord --
Go to, sweet queen, go to. 1543 -- commends himself most affectionately to you.
You shall not bob us out of our melody. 1545If you do, our melancholy upon your head.
Sweet queen, sweet queen, that's a 1547sweet queen, i'faith --
And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offense.
Nay, that shall not serve your turn, that shall it 1550not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words, no, no. 1551-- And, my lord, he desires you, that if the king call for him 1552at supper, you will make his excuse.
My lord Pandarus?
What says my sweet queen, my very, very 1555sweet queen?
What exploit's in hand? Where sups he tonight?
Nay, but my lord?
What says my sweet queen? -- [To Paris?] My cousin will 1559fall out with you.
[To Paris]You must not know where he sups.
With my disposer, Cressida?
No, no, no such matter; you are wide. Come, your 1563disposer is sick.
Well, I'll make excuse.
Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? 1566No, your poor disposer's sick.
I spy.
You spy? What do you spy? -- Come, give me an 1569instrument now, sweet queen.
Why, this is kindly done.
My niece is horrible in love with a thing you 1572have, sweet queen.
She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my lord 1574Paris.
He? No, she'll none of him; they 1576two are twain.
Falling in, after falling out, may make them three.
Come, come, I'll hear no more of this. I'll sing 1579you a song now.
Ay, ay, prithee, now. By my troth, sweet lord, thou 1581hast a fine forehead.
Ay, you may, you may.
Let thy song be love. This love will undo us all. 1584O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid.
Love? Ay, that it shall, i'faith.
Ay, good now: "Love, love, nothing but love."
In good truth, it begins so.
3.1.69.1[Sings]
In love, i'faith, to the very tip of the nose.
He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds 1601hot blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot 1602thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.
Is this the generation of love? Hot blood, hot 1604thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers. Is love a 1605generation of vipers? 1606-- Sweet lord, who's afield today?
Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the 1608gallantry of Troy. I would fain have armed today, but 1609my Nell would not have it so. 1610How chance my brother Troilus went not?
He hangs the lip at something. -- You know all, 1612lord Pandarus.
Not I, honey-sweet queen. I long to hear how 1614they sped today. 1615 -- You'll remember your brother's excuse?
To a hair.
Farewell, sweet queen.
Commend me to your niece.
I will, sweet queen.
3.1.90.1Sound a retreat.
They're come from field; let us to Priam's hall
'Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris:
3.1.102.1Exeunt.