Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: William Godshalk
Peer Reviewed

Troilus and Cressida (Quarto 1, 1609)

The history
And there the strawy Greekes ripe for his edge
Fall downe before him like a mowers swath,
Here, there and euery where, he leaues and takes,
3400Dexterity so obaying appetite,
That what he will he do's, and do's so much:
That proofe is call'd impossibility. Enter Vlisses.
Vliss. Oh courage, courage Princes, great Achilles,
3405Is arming, weeping, cursing, vowing vengeance,
Patroclus wounds haue rouz'd his drowzy bloud,
Together with his mangled Myrmidons
That noselesse, handlesse, hackt and chipt come to him.
Crying on Hector, Aiax hath lost a friend,
3410And foames at mouth, and hee is armde and at it:
Roaring for Troylus, who hath done to day,
Madde and fantastique execution:
Engaging and redeeming of himselfe
With such a carelesse force, and forcelesse care,
3415As if that lust in very spight of cunning, bad him win all.
Enter Aiax.Troylus, thou coward Troylus. Exit.
Dio. I there, there?
Nest: So, so, we draw together. Exit.
3420Enter Achilles.
Achil. Where is this Hector?
Come, come, thou boy-queller shew thy face,
Know what it is to meete Achilles angry
Hector wher's Hector? I will none but Hector. Exit.
3425Enter Aiax. Troylus thou coward Troylus shew thy head.
Enter Diom. Troylus I say wher's Troylus?
Aiax. What wouldst thou.
3430Diom. I would correct him.
Aiax. Were I the generall thou shouldst haue my office,
Ere that correction?Troylus I say what Troylus.
Enter Troylus.
3435Troy. Oh traytor Diomed, turne thy false face thou traytor,
And pay thy life thou owest me for my horse.
Dio. Ha art thou there?
Aiax Ile fight with him alone stand Diomed.
Diom.