Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: William Godshalk
Peer Reviewed

Troilus and Cressida (Modern)

3477.1[5.8]
Enter Thersites [watching] Menelaus and Paris [fight].
Thersites
The cuckold and the cuckold-maker are at it. 3480Now, bull. Now, dog. Loo, Paris, loo. Now, my double-henned sparrow. Loo, Paris, loo. The bull has the game. Ware horns, ho.
Exit Paris and Menelaus.
Enter [Margarelon].
3485[Margarelon]
Turn, slave, and fight.
Thersites
What art thou?
[Margarelon]
A bastard son of Priam's.
Thersites
I am a bastard, too; I love bastards; I am a bastard begot, bastard instructed, bastard in mind, bastard 3490in valor, in everything illegitimate. One bear will not bite another, and wherefore should one bastard? Take heed. The quarrel's most ominous to us: if the son of a whore fight for a whore, he tempts judgment. Farewell, bastard.
3495[Margarelon]
The devil take thee, coward.
Exeunt [Thersites and Margarelon, separately].