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  • Title: Troilus and Cressida (Quarto 1, 1609)
  • Editor: William Godshalk
  • ISBN: 1-55058-301-8

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: William Godshalk
    Peer Reviewed

    Troilus and Cressida (Quarto 1, 1609)

    Enter at one doore AEneas, at another Paris, Deiphobus,
    Autemor, Diomed the Grecian with torches.
    Paris. See ho? who is that there?
    Deiph. It is the Lord AEneas.
    AEne. Is the Prince there in person?
    Had I so good occasion to lye long
    2175As your prince Paris, nothing but heauenly businesse,
    Should rob my bed mate of my company.
    Dio. That's my minde too? good morrow Lord AEneas.
    Paris. A valiant Greeke AEneas take his hand.
    Witnesse
    The history
    2180Witnesse the processe of your speech: wherein
    You told how Dyomed a whole weeke by daies,
    Did haunt you in the field.
    AEne. Health to you valiant sir,
    During all question of the gentle truce:
    2185But when I meete you arm'd, as black defiance,
    As heart can thinke or courage execute.
    Diom. The one and other Diomed embraces,
    Our blouds are now in calme, and so long helth:
    Lul'd when contention, and occasion meete,
    2190By Ioue ile play the hunter for thy life,
    With all my force, pursuite, and pollicy.
    AEne. And thou shalt hunt a Lyon that will flie,
    With his face back-ward, in humane gentlenesse:
    Welcome to Troy, now by Anchises life,
    2195Welcome indeed: by Uenus hand I swere:
    No man aliue can loue in such a sort,
    The thing he meanes to kill, more excellently.
    Diom. We simpathize. Ioue let AEneas liue
    (If to my sword his fate be not the glory)
    2200A thousand compleate courses of the Sunne,
    But in mine emulous honor let him die:
    With euery ioynt a wound and that to morrow------
    AEne. We know each other well?
    Diom. We do and long to know each other worse.
    2205Par. This is the most despightfull gentle greeting,
    The noblest hatefull loue that ere I heard of, what businesse
    Lord so earely?
    AEne. I was sent for to the King? but why I know not.
    Par. His purpose meetes you? twas to bring this Greeke,
    2210To Calcho's house, and there to render him:
    For the enfreed Anthenor the faire Cressid,
    Lets haue your company, or if you please,
    Hast there before vs. I constantly beleeue,
    (Or rather call my thought a certaine knowledge)
    2215My brother Troylus lodges there to night,
    Rouse him and giue him note of our approch,
    With the whole quality wherefore:
    I feare
    of Troylus and Cresseida.
    I feare we shall be much vnwelcome.
    AEneas. That I assure you: Troylus had rather Troy were
    2220borne to Greece, then Cresseid borne from Troy.
    Paris. There is no helpe.
    The bitter disposition of the time will haue it so:
    On Lord, weele follow you.
    2225AEneas. Good morrow all.
    Paris. And tell me noble Diomed, faith tell me true,
    Euen in soule of sound good fellowship,
    Who in your thoughts, deserues faire Helen best,
    My selfe, or Menelaus.
    2230Diom. Both alike.
    Hee merits well to haue her that doth seeke her,
    Not making any scruple of her soyle,
    With such a hell of paine, and world of charge.
    And you as well to keepe her, that defend her,
    2235Not pallating the taste of her dishonour
    With such a costly losse of wealth and friends,
    He like a puling Cuckold would drinke vp,
    The lees and dregs of a flat tamed peece:
    You like a letcher out of whorish loynes,
    2240Are pleasd to breed out your inheritors,
    Both merits poyzd, each weighs nor lesse nor more,
    But he as he, the heauier for a whore.
    Paris. You are too bitter to your country-woman
    Diom. Shees bitter to her country, heare me Paris,
    2245For euery falfe drop in her bawdy veines,
    A Grecians life hath sunke: for euery scruple
    Of her contaminated carrion waight,
    A Troyan hath beene slaine. Since she could speake,
    Shee hath not giuen so many good words breath,
    2250As for her Greekes and Troyans suffred death.
    Paris. Faire Diomed you do as chapmen do,
    Dispraise the thing that they desire to buy,
    But we in silence hold this vertue well,
    Weele not commend, what wee intend to sell. Heere lyes
    2255our way. Exeunt.