And apprehended here immediately The unknown Ajax. Heavens, what a man is there! a very horse; That has he knows not what. Nature, what things there are, Moft abject in regard, and dear in use! What things again most dear in the esteem, And poor in worth! Now fhall we see to-morrow, How some men creep in skittish fortune's hall, Achil. I do believe it: for they pass'd by me, A great-fiz'd monster of ingratitudes : Thofe fcraps are good deeds paft; which are devour'd As done: Perféverance, dear my lord, Keeps honour bright: To have done, is to hang. In monumental mockery. Take the instant way; Where one but goes abreast: keep then the path; That That one by one purfue: If you give way, Or, like a gallant horse fallen in first rank, O'er-run and trampled on: Then what they do in present, Though less than yours in paft, muft o'ertop yours: For time is like a fashionable host, That flightly shakes his parting guest by the hand; And farewell goes out fighing. O, let not virtue seek For beauty, wit, High birth, vigour of bone, defert in fervice, One touch of nature makes the whole word kin,- More laud than gilt o`er-dusted. The present eye praises the present object : The cry went once on thee, And ftill it might, and yet it may again, If thou would'st not entomb thyself alive, And cafe thy reputation in thy tent; Whofe glorious deeds, but in these fields of late, Achil. Of this my privacy I have strong reasons. Uly. But 'gainst your privacy The reasons are more potent and heroical: 'Tis known, Achilles, that you are in love With one of Priam's daughters. Achil. Uly. Is that a wonder? Ha! known? The providence that's in a watchful state, But it must grieve young Pyrrhus now at home, But our great Ajax bravely beat down him. Farewell, my lord: I as your lover speak; The fool flides o'er the ice that you should break. [Exit, Is not more loath'd than an effeminate man In time of action. I ftand condemn'd for this; Sweet, roufe yourself; and the weak wanton Cupid Be fhook to air. Achil. Shall Ajax fight with Hector? Patr. Ay; and, perhaps, receive much honour by him. Achil. I fee, my reputation is at stake; My fame is fhrewdly gor'd. Patr. O, then beware; Those wounds heal ill, that men do give themselves: Seals a commiffion to a blank of danger; Achil. Go call Therfites hither, sweet Patroclus: To invite the Trojan lords after the combat, To fee us here unarm'd: I have a woman's longing, To fee great Hector in his weeds of peace; Even to my full of view. A labour fav'd! Enter THERSITES. Ther. A wonder! Achil. What? Ther. Ajax goes up and down the field, asking for himfelf. Achil. How fo? Ther. He must fight fingly to-morrow with Hector; and is fo prophetically proud of an heroical cudgelling, that he raves in faying nothing. Achil. How can that be? Ther. Ther. Why, he stalks up and down like a peacock, a ftride, and a stand: ruminates, like an hostess, that hath no arithmetick but her brain to fet down her reckoning: bites his lip with a politick regard, as who fhould fay— there were wit in this head, an 'twould out; and fo there is; but it lies as coldly in him as fire in a flint, which will not show without knocking. The man's undone for ever; for if Hector break not his neck i'the combat, he'll break it himself in vain-glory. He knows not me: I faid, Good morrow, Ajax; and he replies, Thanks, Agamemnon. What think you of this man, that takes me for the gene. ral? He is grown a very land-fish, languagelefs, a monster. A plague of opinion! a man may wear it on both fides, like a leather jerkin. Achil. Thou must be my embassador to him, Therfites. Ther. Who, I? why, he'll anfwer nobody; he profeffes not answering; fpeaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue in his arms. I will put on his prefence; let Patroclus make demands to me, you fhall fee the pageant of Ajax. Achil. To him, Patroclus: Tell him,—I humbly desire the valiant Ajax, to invite the most valorous Hector to come unarm'd to my tent; and to procure fafe conduct for his perfon, of the magnanimous, and most illustrious, fix-or-feven-times-honour'd captain-general of the Grecian army, Agamemnon. Do this. Patr. Jove blefs great Ajax. Ther. Humph! Patr. I come from the worthy Achilles, Ther. Ha! Patr. Who moft humbly defires you, to invite Hector to his tent;- T Ther. Humph! Patr. And to procure safe conduct from Agamemnon. |