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John Bell [1774], Bell's Edition of Shakespeare's Plays, As they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; Regulated from the Prompt Books of each House By Permission; with Notes Critical and Illustrative; By the Authors of the Dramatic Censor (Printed for John Bell... and C. Etherington [etc.], York) [word count] [S10401].
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SCENE I. Troy. A Street. Enter, from one Side, Æneas; Servant, with a Torch, preceding: from the other, Paris, Deiphobus, and others, with Diomedes, attended; Torches too with them.

Paris.
See, ho! who is that there?

Dei.
It is the lord Æneas.

Æne.
Is the prince there in person?— [to his Ser.
Had I so good occasion to lie long,
As you, prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business
Should rob my bed-mate of my company.

Dio.
That's my mind too.—Good morrow, lord Æneas.

Par.
A valiant Greek, Æneas, take his hand;
Witness the process of your speech, wherein
You told—how Diomed, a whole week by days,
Did haunt you in the field.

Æne.
Health to you, valiant sir,
During all question of the gentle truce:
But when I meet you arm'd, as black defiance,
As heart can think, or courage execute.

Dio.
The one and other Diomed embraces.
Our bloods are now in calm; and, so long, health:
But when contention and occasion meet,
By Jove, I'll play the hunter for thy life,
With all my force, pursuit, and policy.

Æne.
And thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly
With his face backward. In humane gentleness,
Welcome to Troy! now, by Anchises' life,
Welcome indeed! by Venus' hand I swear,
No man alive can love, in such a sort,
The thing he means to kill, more excellently.

Dio.
We sympathize:—Jove, let Æneas live,
If to my sword his fate be not the glory,
A thousand compleat courses of the sun!

-- 219 --


But, in mine emulous honour, let him die,
With every joint a wound; and that to-morrow!

Æne.
We know each other well.

Dio.
We do; and long to know each other worse.

Par.
This is the most despightful gentle greeting,
The noblest hateful love, that ere I heard of.—
What business, lord, so early?

Æne.
I was sent for to the king; but why, I know not.

Par.
His purpose meets you: 'Twas to bring this Greek
To Calchas' house; and there to render him,
For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid:
Let's have your company;—Or, if you please,
Haste there before us: I constantly do think,
(Or, rather, call my thought a certain knowledge)
My brother Troilus lodges there to-night;
Rouze him, and give him note of our approach,
With the whole quality wherefore: I fear,
We shall be much unwelcome.

Æne.
That I assure you;
Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece,
Than Cressid borne from Troy.

Par.
There is no help;
The bitter disposition of the time
Will have it so. On, lord; we'll follow you.

Æne.
Good morrow, all.
[Exit.

&blquo;Par.
&blquo;And tell me, noble Diomed; 'faith, tell me true* note,
&blquo;Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship,—
&blquo;Who, in your thoughts, merits fair Helen best,
&blquo;Myself, or Menelaus?

&blquo;Dio.
&blquo;Both alike:
&blquo;He merits well to have her, that doth seek her
&blquo;(Not making any scruple of her soylure)
&blquo;With such a hell of pain, and world of charge;
&blquo;And you as well to keep her, that defend her

-- 220 --


&blquo;(Not palating the taste of her dishonour)
&blquo;With such a costly loss of wealth and friends:
&blquo;He, like a puling cuckold, would drink up
&blquo;The lees and dregs of a flat tamed piece;
&blquo;You, like a letcher, out of whorish loins
&blquo;Are pleas'd to breed out your inheritors:
&blquo;Both merits poiz'd, each weighs nor less nor more;
&blquo;But he as he, the heavier for a whore.

&blquo;Par.
&blquo;You are too bitter to your country-woman.

&blquo;Dio.
&blquo;She's bitter to her country: Hear me, Paris,—
&blquo;For every false drop in her bawdy veins
&blquo;A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple
&blquo;Of her contaminated carrion weight
&blquo;A Trojan hath been slain; since she could speak,
&blquo;She hath not given so many good words breath,
&blquo;As for her Greeks and Trojans suffer'd death.

&blquo;Par.
&blquo;Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do,
&blquo;Dispraise the thing that you desire to buy:
&blquo;But we in silence hold this virtue well,—
&blquo;We'll not commend what we intend not sell.
&blquo;Here lies our way.
[Exeunt.

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John Bell [1774], Bell's Edition of Shakespeare's Plays, As they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; Regulated from the Prompt Books of each House By Permission; with Notes Critical and Illustrative; By the Authors of the Dramatic Censor (Printed for John Bell... and C. Etherington [etc.], York) [word count] [S10401].
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