If the dull brainless Ajax come fafe off, с We'll drefs him up in voices: If he fail, That we have better men. But, hit or miss, Our project's life this fhape of fenfe affumes, Ajax, employ'd, plucks down Achilles' plumes. Now I begin to relish thy advice; And I will give a taste of it forthwith Muft tarre the maftiffs on, as 'twere their bone. e Ther. Agamemnon-how if he had boils? full, all over, generally? Ajax. Therfites, Ther. And thofe boils did run? the general run then? were not that Ajax. Dog, Ther. Then there would come fome matter from him; I fee none now. Our project's life]-Our fuccefs abfolutely depends on the selection of Ajax for this encounter. Muft tarre the maftiffs on, &c.]-Urge them to engage, ferve as the bone of contention. e boils ?]-biles, a botchy core?]-a fore head. Feel then. Ajax. Thou bitch-wolf's fon, can't thou not hear? [Strikes him. Ther. The plague of Greece upon thee, thou mungrel beef-witted lord! Ajax. Speak then, thou vinied'st leaven, speak: I will beat thee into handsomeness. Ther. I fhall fooner rail thee into wit and holiness: but, I think, thy horfe will fooner con an oration, than thou learn a prayer without book. Thou canst ftrike, canft thou? a red murrain o' thy jade's tricks! Ajax. Toads-stool, learn me the proclamation. Ther. Doft thou think, I have no fense, thou strik'st me thus ? Ajax. The proclamation, Ther. Thou art proclaim'd a fool, I think. k Ajax. Do not, porcupine, do not; my fingers itch. Ther. I would, thou didft itch from head to foot, and I had the fcratching of thee; I would make thee the loathfomeft fcab in Greece. When thou art forth in the incurfions, thou ftrikeft as flow as another. Ajax. I fay, the proclamation, 1 Ther. Thou grumbleft and raileft every hour on Achilles; and thou art as full of envy at his greatness, as Cerberus is at Proferpina's beauty, ay that thou bark'st at him. Ajax. Miftrefs Therfites! Ther. Thou shouldft ftrike him. beef-witted]-half-witted. "I am a great eater of beef, and, I " believe, that does harm to my wit.", TWELFTH NIGHT, Vol. II. p. 480. Sir And. hvinied'ft leaven]-piece of mouldy dough-unfalted: whinnid'ft baven-moft crooked faggot-ftick. ▲ a red murrain]-" The red plague rid you." * porcupine,]-porpentine. TEMPEST, Vol. I. p. 20. Cal. the loathfomeft fcab in Greece.]-alluding to the Elephantiafis, or Lepra Græcorum. Ther. He would pun thee into fhivers with his fift, as a failor breaks a bifket. Ajax. You whoreson cur! Ther. Do, do. Ajax. Thou ftool for a witch! [Beating him. Ther. Ay, do, do; thou fodden-witted lord! thou haft no more brain than I have in my elbows; an affinego may tutor thee: Thou fcurvy valiant afs! thou art here. put to thrash Trojans; and thou art bought and fold among those of any wit, like a Barbarian flave. If thou ufe to beat me, I will begin at thy heel, and tell what thou art by inches, thou thing of no bowels, thou! do. Ajax. You dog! Ther. You fcurvy lord! Ajax. You cur! P [Beating him. Ther. Mars his ideot! do, rudeness; do, camel; do, Enter Achilles, and Patroclus. Achil. Why, how now, Ajax? wherefore do you thus? How now, Therfites? what's the matter, man? Ther. You fee him there, do you? Acbil. Ay; What's the matter? Achil. So I do; What's the matter? Ther. Nay, but regard him well. Achil. Well, why I do fo. Ther. But yet you look not well upon him: for, who you take him to be, he is Ajax. foever Achil. I know that, fool. Cobloaf!-Crufty and uneven. a pun thee into fhivers]-pound thee into atoms, fmall fragments, or pieces. an affinego]-a little afs. P of no bowels,]-without feeling. Ther. Ay, but that fool knows not himself. S Ther. Lo, lo, lo, lo, what 'modicums of wit he utters! his evafions have ears thus long. I have bobb'd his brain, more than he has beat my bones; I will buy nine fparrows for a penny, and his pia mater is not worth the ninth part of a fparrow. This lord, Achilles, Ajax,who wears his wit in his belly, and his guts in his head, -I'll tell you what I fay of him. Achil. What? Ther. I fay, this Ajax Achil. Nay, good Ajax. [Ajax offers to ftrike him, Achilles interpofes. Ther. Has not fo much wit Achil. Nay, I must hold you. Ther. As will stop the eye of Helen's needle, for whom he comes to fight. Achil. Peace, fool! Ther. I would have peace and quietnefs, but the fool will not he there; that he; look you there. Ajax. O thou damn'd cur! I shall——— Ther. No, I warrant you; for a fool's will shame it. Achil. What's the quarrel? Ajax. I bade the vile owl, go learn me the tenour of the proclamation, and he rails upon me. Ther. I ferve thee not. Ajax. Well, go to, go to. Ther. I ferve here voluntary. ` Achil. Your laft fervice was fufferance, 'twas not voluntary! no man is beaten voluntary: Ajax was here the voluntary, and you as under an imprefs. Г Therefore]-For that saying. modicums-fmall portions. evafions]-elcapes, excurfions of genius, flights of fancy. Ther. Ther. Even fo?-a great deal of your wit too lies in your finews, or else there be liars. Hector fhall have a great catch, if he knock out either of your brains; 'a were as good crack a fufty nut with no kernel. Achil. What, with me too, Therfites? Ther. There's Ulyffes and old Neftor,-whofe wit was mouldy ere your grandfires had nails on their toes,-yoke you like draft oxen, and make you plough up the war. Achil. What, what? Ther. Yes, good footh; To, Achilles! to, Ajax! to! Ajax. I fhall cut out your tongue. Ther. 'Tis no matter; I shall speak as much as thou, afterwards. Patr. No more words, Therfites; peace. t Ther. I will hold my peace when Achilles' brach bids me, thall I? Achil. There's for you, Patroclus. Ther. I will fee you hang'd, like clotpoles, ere I come any more to your tents; I will keep where there is wit ftirring, and leave the faction of fools. Patr. A good riddance. [Exit. Achil. Marry this, fir, is proclaim'd through all our hoft: That Hector, by the fifth hour of the fun, Achil. I know not, it is put to lottery; otherwife, He knew his man. Ajax O, meaning you:-I'll go learn more of it. • brach]-spaniel. D 3 [Exeunt. SCENE |