Here comes Patroclus.

Nest.
No Achilles with him?

Ulyss.
The elephant hath joints, but none for courtesie;
His legs are for necessity, not flexure.

Patr.
Achilles bids me say, he is much sorry,
If any thing more than your sport and pleasre
Did move your greatness, and this noble state,
To call on him; he hopes, it is no other,
But for your health and your digestion-sake;
An after-dinner's breath.

Aga.
Hear you, Patroclus;
We are too well acquainted with these answers:
But his evasion, wing'd thus swift with scorn,
Cannot outflie our apprehensions.
Much attribute he hath, and much the reason
Why we ascribe it to him; yet all his virtues
(Not virtuously on his own part beheld)
Do in our eyes begin to lose their gloss;
And like fair fruit in an unwholsome dish,
Are like to rot untasted. Go and tell him,
We come to speak with him; and you shall not sin,
If you do say, we think him over-proud,
In self-assumption greater than in note
Of judgment: say, men worthier than himself
Here tend the savage strangeness he puts on,
Disguise the holy strength of their command,
And under-go in an observing kind
His humourous predominance; yea, watch
(a) ^noteHis pettish lunes, his ebbs and flows; as if
The passage and whole carriage of this action
Rode on his tide. Go tell him this, and add,

That if he over-hold his price so much,
We'll none of him; but let him, like an engine
Not portable, lye under this report,
Bring action hither, this can't go to war:
A stirring dwarf we do allowance give,
Before a sleeping giant; tell him so.

Patr.
I shall, and bring his answer presently. [Exit.

Aga.
In second voice we'll not be satisfied,
We come to speak with him. Ulysses, enter. [Exit Ulysses.

Ajax.
What is he more than another?

Aga.
No more than what he thinks he is.

Ajax.

Is he so much? do you not think, he thinks himself a better man than I am?

Aga.

No question.

Ajax.

Will you subscribe his thought, and say, he is?

Aga.

No, noble Ajax, you are as strong, as valiant, as wise, no less noble, much more gentle, and altogether more tractable.

Ajax.

Why should a man be proud? how doth pride grow? I know not what it is.

Aga.

Your mind is clearer, Ajax, and your virtues the fairer; he, that is proud, eats up himself. Pride is his own glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praises itself but in the deed, devours the deed in the praise.