Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: William Godshalk
Peer Reviewed

Troilus and Cressida (Modern)

3495.1[5.9]
Enter Hector [with the armor he has won].
Hector
Most putrifièd core, so fair without,
Thy goodly armor thus hath cost thy life.
Now is my day's work done; I'll take good breath.
3500Rest, sword. Thou hast thy fill of blood and death.
[Hector disarms.] Enter Achilles and his Myrmidons.
Achilles
Look, Hector, how the sun begins to set,
How ugly night comes breathing at his heels,
Even with the vail and darking of the sun
3505To close the day up. Hector's life is done.
Hector
I am unarmed; forgo this vantage, Greek.
Achilles
Strike, fellows, strike. This is the man I seek.
[They kill Hector.]
So, Ilium, fall thou; now, Troy, sink down;
Here lies thy heart, thy sinews, and thy bone.
3510On, Myrmidons, cry you all amain,
"Achilles hath the mighty Hector slain."
Retreat [sounds from both sides].
Hark, a retreat upon our Grecian part.
[Myrmidon]
The Trojan trumpets sounds the like, my lord.
Achilles
The dragon wing of night o'erspreads the earth
3515And, stickler-like, the armies separates.
My half-supped sword, that frankly would have fed,
Pleased with this dainty bait, thus goes to bed.
[Achilles sheathes his sword.]
Come, tie his body to my horse's tail;
Along the field I will the Trojan trail.
Exeunt [dragging the body].