Agam.
Here art thou in appointment fresh and fair,
Anticipating time with starting ^note courage. ^note
Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy,
Thou dreadful Ajax, that the appalled air

May pierce the head of the great combatant
And hale ^note him hither ^note.

Ajax.
Thou ^note, trumpet, there's my purse.
Now crack thy lungs, and split thy brazen pipe:
Blow, villain, till thy sphered bias ^note cheek
Outswell the colic ^note of puff'd Aquilon:
Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout blood;
Thou blow'st ^note for Hector. [Trumpet sounds. ^note

Ulyss.
No ^note trumpet answers. ^note

Achil.
'Tis but early days ^note.

Agam.
Is not yond ^note Diomed, with Calchas' daughter?

Ulyss.
'Tis he, I ken the manner of his gait;
He rises on the toe ^note: that spirit of his
In aspiration lifts him from the earth. Enter ^note Diomedes, with Cressida.

Agam.
Is this the Lady Cressid ^note?

Dio.
Even she. ^note

Agam.
Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady ^note.

Nest.
Our general doth salute you with a kiss.

Ulyss.
Yet is the ^note kindness but particular;
'Twere better she were kiss'd in general.

Nest.
And very courtly counsel: I'll begin.
So much for Nestor. ^note

Achil.
I'll take that winter from your ^note lips, fair lady:
Achilles bids you welcome.

Men.
I had good argument for kissing once.

Patr.
But that's no argument for kissing now; ^note
For thus popp'd Paris in his hardiment,
And parted thus you and your argument ^note.

Ulyss.
O deadly gall, and theme of all our scorns!
For which we lose our heads to gild his horns.

Patr.
The first was Menelaus' kiss; this, mine:
Patroclus ^note kisses you. ^note

Men.
O, this is trim!

Patr.
Paris and I kiss evermore for him.

Men.
I'll have my kiss, sir. Lady, by your leave.

Cres.
In kissing, do you render or receive? ^note

Patr. ^note
Both take and give ^note.

Cres.
I'll make my match to live ^note,
The kiss you take is better than you give;
Therefore no kiss ^note.

Men.
I'll give you boot, I'll give you three for one.

Cres.
You're ^note an odd man; give even, or give none.

Men.
An odd man, lady! every man is odd.

Cres.
No, Paris is not; for, you know, 'tis true,
That you are odd, and he is even with you.

Men.
You fillip me o' the ^note head.

Cres.
No, I'll be sworn.

Ulyss.
It were no match, your nail against his horn.
May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?

Cres.
You may.

Ulyss.
I do desire it ^note.

Cres.
Why, beg then. ^note

Ulyss.
Why then, for Venus' sake, give me a kiss, ^note
When Helen is a maid again, and his. ^note

Cres.
I am your debtor; claim it when 'tis due.

Ulyss.
Never's my day, and then a kiss of you ^note. ^note

Dio.
Lady, a word: I'll bring you to your father. [Exit ^note with Cressida.

Nest.
A woman of quick sense. ^note

Ulyss.
Fie, fie upon her!
There's language ^note in her eye, her cheek, her lip,
Nay, her foot speaks; her wanton spirits look out
At every joint and motive of her body.
O, these encounterers ^note, so ^note glib of tongue,
That ^note give a coasting ^note welcome ere it comes,
And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts
To every ticklish ^note reader! set them down
For sluttish ^note spoils of opportunity
And daughters of the game. [Trumpet within. ^note

All.
The Trojans' ^note trumpet.

Agam.
Yonder comes the troop. Flourish. Enter ^note Hector, armed; Æneas, Troilus, and other Trojans, with Attendants.

Æne.
Hail, all the state ^note of Greece! what shall be done
To him that victory commands ^note? or do you purpose

A victor shall be known? will you the knights
Shall to the edge of all extremity
Pursue each other, or shall they ^notebe divided
By any voice or order of the field?
Hector bade ask. ^note

Agam.
Which way would Hector have it?

Æne.
He cares not; he'll obey conditions.

Achil. ^note
'Tis done like Hector; but securely done,
A little proudly, ^note and great deal misprizing ^note
The knight opposed.

Æne.
If not Achilles, sir,
What is your name?

Achil.
If not Achilles, nothing ^note.

Æne.
Therefore Achilles: but, whate'er, know this:
In ^note the extremity of great and little,
Valour and pride excel ^note themselves in Hector;
The one almost as infinite as all,
The other blank as nothing. Weigh ^note him well,
And that which looks like pride is courtesy.
This Ajax is half made of Hector's blood:
In love whereof, half Hector stays at home;
Half heart, half hand, half Hector comes ^note to seek
This blended knight, half Trojan and half Greek.

Achil.
A maiden battle then? O, I perceive you. Re-enter ^note Diomedes.

Agam.
Here is Sir Diomed ^note. Go, gentle knight,

Stand by our Ajax: as you and Lord Æneas
Consent upon the order of their fight,
So be it; either to the uttermost ^note,
Or else a breath ^note: the combatants being kin
Half stints their strife before their strokes begin. [Ajax and Hector enter the lists. ^note

Ulyss.
They are opposed already.

Agam. ^note
What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy? ^note

Ulyss.
The youngest son of Priam, a true knight ^note,
Not yet mature, yet matchless, firm ^note of word,
Speaking in ^note deeds and deedless in his tongue,
Not soon provoked nor being provoked soon calm'd;
His heart and hand both open and both free;
For ^note what he has he gives, what thinks he shows;
Yet gives he not till judgement guide his bounty,
Nor dignifies an impair ^note thought with breath;
Manly as Hector, but more dangerous;
For Hector in his blaze of wrath subscribes
To tender objects ^note, but he in heat of action
Is more vindicative ^note than jealous love:
They call him Troilus, and on him erect
A second hope, as fairly built as Hector.
Thus says Æneas; one that knows the youth
Even to his inches, and with private soul
Did in great Ilion ^note thus translate him to me. [Alarum. ^note Hector and Ajax fight. ^note

^note

Agam.
They are in action.

Nest.
Now, Ajax, hold thine own!

Tro.
Hector, thou sleep'st;
Awake thee ^note!

Agam.
His blows are well disposed: there ^note, Ajax! ^note

Dio.
You must no more. [Trumpets cease.

Æne.
Princes, enough, so please you.

Ajax.
I am not warm yet; let us fight again.

Dio.
As Hector pleases.

Hect.
Why, then will I no more:
Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son,
A cousin-german to great Priam's seed;
The obligation of our blood forbids
A gory emulation 'twixt us twain:
Were thy commixtion ^note Greek and Trojan so,
That thou couldst say ‘This hand is Grecian all,
And this is Trojan; the sinews of this leg
All Greek ^note, and this all Troy; my mother's blood
Runs on the dexter cheek, and this sinister
Bounds in my father's;’ by Jove multipotent,
Thou shouldst not bear from me a Greekish member
Wherein my sword had not impressure made
Of our rank feud ^note: but the just gods gainsay
That any drop ^note thou borrow'dst ^note from thy mother,
My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword
Be drained ^note! Let me embrace thee, Ajax: ^note
By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms;
Hector would have them fall upon him thus:
Cousin, all honour to thee!

Ajax.
I thank thee, Hector:
Thou art too gentle and too free a man:
I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence
A great addition earned in thy death.

Hect.
Not Neoptolemus so mirable ^note,
On whose bright crest Fame with her loud'st Oyes
Cries ‘This is he,’ could ^note promise to himself
A thought of added honour torn from Hector.

Æne.
There is expectance here from both the sides,
What further you will do.

Hect.
We'll answer it;
The issue is embracement: Ajax, farewell ^note.

Ajax.
If I might in entreaties find success,—
As seld I have the chance—I would desire
My famous cousin to our Grecian tents.

Dio.
'Tis Agamemnon's wish; and great Achilles
Doth long to see unarm'd the valiant Hector.

Hect.
Æneas, call my brother Troilus to me:
And signify this loving interview
To the expecters of our Trojan part;
Desire them home. Give me thy hand, my cousin; ^note
I will go eat with thee, and see your knights.

Ajax.
Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here.

Hect.
The worthiest of them tell me name by name;
But for Achilles, my ^note own searching eyes
Shall find him by his large and portly size.

Agam.
Worthy of ^note arms! as welcome as to one
That would be rid of such an enemy;
But that's no welcome: understand more clear,

What's past and what's to come is strew'd with husks
And formless ruin of oblivion;
But in this extant moment, faith and troth,
Strain'd purely from all hollow bias-drawing ^note,
Bids thee, with most divine integrity ^note,
From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome.

Hect.
I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon.

Agam. [To Troilus]
My well-famed lord of Troy, no less to you.

Men.
Let me confirm my princely brother's greeting;
You brace of warlike brothers, welcome hither.

Hect.
Who ^note must we answer?

Æne. ^note
The noble Menelaus.

Hect.
O, you, my lord! ^note by Mars his gauntlet, thanks!
Mock not, that I affect the untraded oath ^note; ^note
Your quondam ^note wife swears still by Venus' glove:
She's well, but bade me not commend her to you.

Men.
Name her not now, sir; she's a deadly theme.

Hect.
O, pardon; I offend.

Nest.
I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft,
Labouring for destiny, make cruel way
Through ranks of Greekish youth; and I have seen thee,
As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed,
Despising many ^note forfeits and subduements,
When thou hast hung thy advanced ^note sword i' the air,
Not letting it decline on the declined,
That I have said to some ^note my standers by
‘Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life!’
And I have seen thee pause and take thy breath,

When that a ring of Greeks have hemm'd ^note thee in,
Like an Olympian wrestling ^note: this have I seen ^note;
But this thy countenance, still lock'd in steel,
I never saw till now. I knew thy grandsire,
And once fought with him: he was a soldier good;
But, by great Mars the captain of us all,
Never like thee. Let ^note an old man embrace thee;
And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents.

Æne.
'Tis the old Nestor.

Hect.
Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle,
That hast so long walk'd hand in hand with time:
Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp thee.

Nest.
I would my arms could match thee in contention,
As they contend with thee in courtesy. ^note

Hect.
I would they could.

Nest.
Ha! ^note
By this white beard, I'ld fight with thee to-morrow:
Well, welcome, welcome!—I have seen the time. ^note

Ulyss.
I wonder now how yonder city stands
When we have here her base ^note and pillar by us.

Hect.
I know your favour, Lord Ulysses, well.
Ah, sir, there's many a Greek and Trojan dead,
Since first I saw yourself and Diomed
In Ilion ^note, on your Greekish embassy.

Ulyss.
Sir, I foretold you then what would ensue:
My prophecy is but half his journey yet;
For yonder walls, that pertly ^note front your town,
Yond ^note towers, whose wanton tops do buss the clouds,
Must kiss their own feet.

Hect.
I must not believe you:
There they stand yet; and modestly I think,

The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost
A drop of Grecian blood: the end crowns all,
And that old common arbitrator, Time,
Will one day end it. ^note

Ulyss.
So to him we leave it.
Most gentle and most valiant Hector, welcome:
After the general, I beseech you next
To feast with me and see me at my tent.

Achil.
I shall forestall thee, Lord Ulysses, thou! ^note
Now, Hector, I have fed mine eyes on thee;
I have with exact view ^note perused thee, Hector,
And quoted ^note joint by joint. ^note

Hect.
Is this Achilles?

Achil.
I am ^note Achilles.

Hect.
Stand fair, I pray thee ^note: let me look on thee.

Achil.
Behold thy fill.

Hect.
Nay, I have done already.

Achil.
Thou art ^note too brief: I will the second time,
As I would buy thee, view thee ^note limb by limb.

Hect.
O, like a book of sport thou'lt read me o'er;
But there's more in me than thou understand'st.
Why dost thou so oppress me with thine eye?

Achil.
Tell me, you heavens, in which part of his body
Shall I destroy him? whether there, or there, or there? ^note
That I may give the local wound a name,
And make distinct the very breach whereout
Hector's great spirit flew: answer me, heavens!

Hect.
It would discredit the blest gods, proud man,
To answer such a question: stand again:
Think'st thou to catch my life so pleasantly
As to prenominate in nice conjecture
Where thou wilt hit me dead?

Achil.
I tell thee, yea.

Hect.
Wert thou an ^note oracle to tell me so,
I'ld not believe thee. Henceforth guard thee well;
For I'll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there;
But, by the forge that stithied ^note Mars his helm,
I'll kill thee every where, yea, o'er and o'er.
You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag;
His insolence draws folly from my lips;
But I'll endeavour deeds to match these words,
Or may I never—

Ajax.
Do not chafe thee, cousin:
And you, Achilles, let these threats alone
Till accident or purpose bring you to't:
You may have ^note every day enough of Hector,
If you have stomach: the general state, I fear,
Can scarce entreat you to be odd ^note with him.

Hect.
I pray you, let us see you in the field:
We have had pelting wars since you refused
The Grecians' cause. ^note

Achil.
Dost thou entreat me, Hector?
To-morrow do I meet thee, fell as death;
To-night all friends ^note.

Hect.
Thy hand ^note upon that match.

Agam.
First, all you peers of Greece, go to my tent;
There in the full convive we ^note: afterwards,
As Hector's leisure and your bounties shall
Concur together, severally entreat him.
Beat loud the tabourines, ^note let the trumpets blow,
That this great soldier may his welcome know. [Exeunt all but ^note Troilus and Ulysses.

^note

Tro.
My Lord Ulysses, tell me, I beseech you,
In what place of the field doth Calchas keep?

Ulyss.
At Menelaus' tent, most princely Troilus:
There Diomed doth feast with him to-night;
Who neither looks upon the heaven nor earth ^note,
But gives all gaze and bent of amorous view
On the fair Cressid.

Tro.
Shall I, sweet lord, be bound to you ^note so much,
After we part from Agamemnon's tent,
To bring me thither?

Ulyss.
You shall command me, sir.
As gentle ^note tell me, of what honour was
This Cressida in Troy? Had she no lover there
That wails ^{note note} her absence?

Tro.
O, sir, to such as boasting show their scars,
A mock is due. Will you walk on, my lord?
She was beloved, she loved ^note; she is, and doth:
But still sweet love is food for fortune's tooth. [Exeunt.

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