Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: William Godshalk
Peer Reviewed

Troilus and Cressida (Quarto 1, 1609)

The history of Troylus
and Cresseida.

Enter Pandarus and Troylus.

35Troy.CAll heere my varlet, Ile vnarme againe,
Why should I warre without the walls of Troy:
That finde such cruell battell here within,
Each Troyan that is maister of his heart,
40Let him to field Troylus alas hath none.
Pan. Will this geere nere be mended?
Troy. The Greeks are strong and skilfull to their strength
Fierce to their skill, and to their fiercenesse valiant,
But I am weaker then a womans teare;
45Tamer then sleepe; fonder then ignorance,
Lesse valiant then the Virgin in the night,
And skillesse as vnpractiz'd infancy:
Pan. Well, I haue told you enough of this; for my part ile
not meddle nor make no farther; hee that will haue a cake
50out of the wheate must tarry the grynding.
Tro. Haue I not tarried?
Pan. I the grinding; but you must tarry the boulting.
Troy. Haue I not tarried?
55Paude. I the boulting; but you must tarry the leauening.
Troy. Still haue I tarried.
Pan. I, to the leauening, but heares yet in the word here-
after, the kneading, the making of the cake, the heating the
ouen, and the baking, nay you must stay the cooling too, or
60yea may chance burne your lippes.
Troy. Pacience her selfe, what Godesse ere she be,
Doth lesser blench at suffrance then I do:
At Priams royall table do I sit
And when faire Cressid comes into my thoughts,
65So traitor then she comes when she is thence.
Pand. Well shee lookt yesternight fairer then euer I saw her
looke, or any woman els.
Troy. I was about to tell thee when my heart,
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