Troi. Let Paris bleed; 'tis but a scar to scorn: Paris is gored with Menelaus' horn. [alarum. En. Hark! what good sport is out of town to day! Troi. Better at home, if would I might,' were Enter CRESSIDA and ALEXANDER. Cres. Who were those went by? Queen Hecuba and Helen. Cres. And whither go they? Up to the eastern tower, Whose height commands as subject all the vale, Cres. What was his cause of anger ? Alex. The noise goes, this: there is among the Greeks A lord of Trojan blood, nephew to Hector; They call him Ajax. Cres. Good; and what of him? Alex. They say he is a very man per se, And stands alone. Cres. So do all men, unless they are drunk, sick, or have no legs. 2 Alex. This man, lady, hath robbed many beasts of their particular additions: 1 he is as valiant as the lion, churlish as the bear, slow as the elephant ; a man into whom Nature hath so crowded humors, that his valor is crushed into folly, his folly sauced with discretion: there is no man hath a virtue that he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint but he carries some stain of it: he is melancholy without cause, and merry against the hair.3 He hath the joints of every thing; but every thing so out of joint, that he is a gouty Briareus, many hands and no use; or purblind Argus, all eyes and no sight. Cres. But how should this man, that makes me smile, make Hector angry? Alex. They say, he yesterday coped Hector in the battle, and struck him down; the disdain and shame whereof hath ever since kept Hector fasting and waking. 1 Characteristic qualities. 2 Mingled with. Enter PANDarus. Cres. Who comes here? Alex. Madam, your uncle Pandarus. What do you talk of ?-Good morrow, Alexander.-How do you, cousin? When were you at Ilium? Cres. This morning, uncle. Pan. What were you talking of, when I came ? Was Hector armed and gone, ere ye came to Ilium? Helen was not up, was she? Cres. Hector was gone; but Helen was not up. Pan. Ev'n so: Hector was stirring early. Cres. That were we talking of, and of his anger. Pan. Was he angry? Cres. So he says here. Pan. True, he was so; I know the cause too; he'll lay about him to-day, I can tell them that: and there is Troilus will not come far behind him; let them take heed of Troilus; I can tell them that too. Cres. What, is he angry too? Par. Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of the two. Cres. O, Jupiter! there's no comparison. Pan. What, not between Troilus and Hector? Do you know a man, if you see him? Pan. You have no judgment, niece. Helen herself swore the other day, that Troilus, for a brown favor, (for so 'tis, I must confess)-Not brown neither. Cres. No, but brown. Pan. Faith, to say truth, brown and not brown. Pan. So he has. Cres. Then Troilus should have too much if she praised him above, his complexion is higher than his; he having color enough, and the other higher, is too flaming a praise for a good complexion. I had as lief, Helen's golden tongue had commended Troilus for a copper nose. Pan. I swear to you, I think Helen loves him better than Paris. Cres. Than she's a merry Greek, indeed. Pan. Nay, I am sure she does. She came to him the other day into a compassed window;1 and, you know, he has not past three or four hairs on his chin. Cres. Indeed, a tapster's arithmetic may soon bring his particulars therein to a total'. Pan. Why, he is very young; and yet will he, within three pound, lift as much as his brother Hector. 1 A bow window. |