The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 535

AJAX. 'A should not bear it so, 'a should eat's words first.

Shall pride carry it?

NESTOR. [Aside] An 'twould, you'd carry half.

ULYSSES. [Aside] 'A would have ten shares.

AJAX. I will knead him, I'll make him supple.

NESTOR. [Aside] He's not yet through warm. Force him with praises; pour in, pour in; his ambition is dry.

ULYSSES. [To AGAMEMNON] My lord, you feed too much on this dislike.

NESTOR. Our n.o.ble general, do not do so.

DIOMEDES. You must prepare to fight without Achilles.

ULYSSES. Why 'tis this naming of him does him harm.

Here is a man-but 'tis before his face; I will be silent.

NESTOR. Wherefore should you so?

He is not emulous, as Achilles is.

ULYSSES. Know the whole world, he is as valiant.

AJAX. A wh.o.r.eson dog, that shall palter with us thus!

Would he were a Troyan!

NESTOR. What a vice were it in Ajax now- ULYSSES. If he were proud.

DIOMEDES. Or covetous of praise.

ULYSSES. Ay, or surly borne.

DIOMEDES. Or strange, or self-affected.

ULYSSES. Thank the heavens, lord, thou art of sweet composure Praise him that gat thee, she that gave thee suck; Fam'd be thy tutor, and thy parts of nature Thrice-fam'd beyond, beyond all erudition; But he that disciplin'd thine arms to fight- Let Mars divide eternity in twain And give him half; and, for thy vigour, Bull-bearing Milo his addition yield To sinewy Ajax. I will not praise thy wisdom, Which, like a bourn, a pale, a sh.o.r.e, confines Thy s.p.a.cious and dilated parts. Here's Nestor, Instructed by the antiquary times- He must, he is, he cannot but be wise; But pardon, father Nestor, were your days As green as Ajax' and your brain so temper'd, You should not have the eminence of him, But be as Ajax.

AJAX. Shall I call you father?

NESTOR. Ay, my good son.

DIOMEDES. Be rul'd by him, Lord Ajax.

ULYSSES. There is no tarrying here; the hart Achilles Keeps thicket. Please it our great general To call together all his state of war; Fresh kings are come to Troy. To-morrow We must with all our main of power stand fast; And here's a lord-come knights from east to west And cull their flower, Ajax shall cope the best.

AGAMEMNON. Go we to council. Let Achilles sleep.

Light boats sail swift, though greater hulks draw deep.

Exeunt

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ACT III. SCENE 1.

Troy. PRIAM'S palace

Music sounds within. Enter PANDARUS and a SERVANT

PANDARUS. Friend, you-pray you, a word. Do you not follow the young Lord Paris?

SERVANT. Ay, sir, when he goes before me.

PANDARUS. You depend upon him, I mean?

SERVANT. Sir, I do depend upon the lord.

PANDARUS. You depend upon a notable gentleman; I must needs praise him.

SERVANT. The lord be praised!

PANDARUS. You know me, do you not?

SERVANT. Faith, sir, superficially.

PANDARUS. Friend, know me better: I am the Lord Pandarus.

SERVANT. I hope I shall know your honour better.

PANDARUS. I do desire it.

SERVANT. You are in the state of grace.

PANDARUS. Grace! Not so, friend; honour and lords.h.i.+p are my t.i.tles.

What music is this?

SERVANT. I do but partly know, sir; it is music in parts.

PANDARUS. Know you the musicians?

SERVANT. Wholly, sir.

PANDARUS. Who play they to?

SERVANT. To the hearers, sir.

PANDARUS. At whose pleasure, friend?

SERVANT. At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.

PANDARUS. Command, I mean, friend.

SERVANT. Who shall I command, sir?

PANDARUS. Friend, we understand not one another: I am to courtly, and thou art too cunning. At whose request do these men play?

SERVANT. That's to't, indeed, sir. Marry, sir, at the request of Paris my lord, who is there in person; with him the mortal Venus, the heart-blood of beauty, love's invisible soul- PANDARUS. Who, my cousin, Cressida?

SERVANT. No, sir, Helen. Could not you find out that by her attributes?

PANDARUS. It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the Lady Cressida. I come to speak with Paris from the Prince Troilus; I will make a complimental a.s.sault upon him, for my business seethes.

SERVANT. Sodden business! There's a stew'd phrase indeed!

Enter PARIS and HELEN, attended

PANDARUS. Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company!

Fair desires, in all fair measure, fairly guide them- especially to you, fair queen! Fair thoughts be your fair pillow.

HELEN. Dear lord, you are full of fair words.

PANDARUS. You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen. Fair prince, here is good broken music.

PARIS. You have broke it, cousin; and by my life, you shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance.

HELEN. He is full of harmony.

PANDARUS. Truly, lady, no.

HELEN. O, sir- PANDARUS. Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.

PARIS. Well said, my lord. Well, you say so in fits.

PANDARUS. I have business to my lord, dear queen. My lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?

HELEN. Nay, this shall not hedge us out. We'll hear you sing, certainly- PANDARUS. Well sweet queen, you are pleasant with me. But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most esteemed friend, your brother Troilus- HELEN. My Lord Pandarus, honey-sweet lord- PANDARUS. Go to, sweet queen, go to-commends himself most affectionately to you- HELEN. You shall not bob us out of our melody. If you do, our melancholy upon your head!

PANDARUS. Sweet queen, sweet queen; that's a sweet queen, i' faith.

HELEN. And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence.

PANDARUS. Nay, that shall not serve your turn; that shall it not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words; no, no. -And, my lord, he desires you that, if the King call for him at supper, you will make his excuse.

HELEN. My Lord Pandarus!

PANDARUS. What says my sweet queen, my very very sweet queen?

PARIS. What exploit's in hand? Where sups he to-night?

HELEN. Nay, but, my lord- PANDARUS. What says my sweet queen?-My cousin will fall out with you.

HELEN. You must not know where he sups.

PARIS. I'll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida.

PANDARUS. No, no, no such matter; you are wide. Come, your disposer is sick.

PARIS. Well, I'll make's excuse.

PANDARUS. Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida?

No, your poor disposer's sick.

PARIS. I spy.

PANDARUS. You spy! What do you spy?-Come, give me an instrument.

Now, sweet queen.

HELEN. Why, this is kindly done.