PROLOGU E. IN Troy, there lies the scene. From ifles of Greece With wanton Paris fleeps; And that's the quarrel. And the deep-drawing barks do there difgorge Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits, Like, or find fault; do as your pleasures are; CALCHAS, a Trojan priest, taking part with the Greeks. PANDARUS, Uncle to Creffida. MARGARELON, a baftard son of Priam. AGAMEMNON, the Grecian General : MENELAUS, his brother. THERSITES, a deformed and fcurrilous Grecian. ALEXANDER, fervant to Creffida. Servant to Troilus; Servant to Paris; Servant to Diomedes. HELEN, wife to Menelaus. ANDROMACHE, wife to Hector. CASSANDRA, daughter to Priam; a Prophetess. Trojan and Greek Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE, Troy, and the Grecian Camp before it. TROILUS AND CRESSIDA. ACT I. SCENE I. C Troy. Before Priam's Palace. Enter TROILUS arm'd, and PANDARUS. Troilus. ALL here my varlet, I'll unarm again : Why should I war without the walls of Troy, That find fuch cruel battle here within? Each Trojan, that is master of his heart, Let him to field; Troilus, alas! hath none. Pan. Will this geer ne'er be mended? Tro. The Greeks are strong, and skilful to their strength, Fierce to their skill, and to their fiercenefs valiant; But I am weaker than a woman's tear, Tamer than fleep, fonder than ignorance; Lefs valiant than the virgin in the night, And fkill-lefs as unpractis'd infancy. Pan. Well, I have told you enough of this: for my part, I'll not meddle nor make no further. He, that will have a cake out of the wheat, must tarry the grinding. Tro. Have I not tarry'd? Pan. Ay, the grinding; but you must tarry the bolting. Tro. Have I not tarry'd? Pan. Ay, the bolting; but you muft tarry the leavening. B Tro Tro. Still have I tarry'd. Pan. Ay, to the leavening: but here's yet in the word -hereafter, the kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven, and the baking; nay, you must stay the cooling too, or you may chance to burn your lips. Tro. Patience herself, what goddess e'er she be, Doth leffer blench at fufferance than I do. At Priam's royal table do I fit; And when fair Creffid comes into my thoughts, So, traitor!-when he comes! -When is the thence? Pan. Well, the look'd yesternight fairer than ever I faw her look; or any woman else. Tro. I was about to tell thee,-When my heart, Pan. An her hair were not fomewhat darker than Helen's, (well, go to,) there were no more comparison between the women,-But, for my part, the is my kinswoman; I would not, as they term it, praife her,-But I would fomebody had heard her talk yesterday, as I did. I will not dispraise your sister Caffandra's wit: butTro. O Pandarus! I tell thee, Pandarus,When I do tell thee, There my hopes lie drown'd, Reply not in how many fathoms deep They lie indrench'd. I tell thee, I am mad In Creffid's love: Thou anfwer'ft, She is fair Her eyes, her hair, her cheek, her gait, her voice; In whofe comparison all whites are ink, Writing Writing their own reproach; To whofe foft feizure Thou lay'st in every gash that love hath given me Pan. I speak no more than truth. Tro. Thou doft not speak fo much. Pan. 'Faith, I'll not meddle in't. Let her be as she is : if she be fair, 'tis the better for her; an fhe be not, the has the mends in her own hands. Tro. Good Pandarus! how now, Pandarus? Pan. I have had my labour for my travel; ill-thought on of her, and ill-thought on of you: gone between and between, but small thanks for my labour. Tro. What, art thou angry, Pandarus? what, with me? Pan. Because she is kin to me, therefore she's not fo fair as Helen: an fhe were not kin to me, fhe would be as fair on friday, as Helen is on funday. But what care I? I care not, an fhe were a black-a-moor; 'tis all one to me. Tro. Say I, fhe is not fair? Pan. I do not care whether you do or no. She's a fool to stay behind her father; let her to the Greeks; and fo I'll tell her, the next time I fee her: for my part, I'll meddle nor make no more in the matter. Tro. Pandarus,— Pan. Not I. Tro. Sweet Pandarus, Pan. Pray you, fpeak no more to me; I will leave all as I found it, and there an end. [Exit PANDARUS. An Alarm. |