But when I meet you arm'd, as black defiance,
As heart can think, or courage execute.

Dio. The one and other Diomed embraces.
Our bloods are now in calm, and so long health;
But when contention and occasion meet,
By Jove, I'll play the hunter for thy life,
With all my fierce' pursuit, and policy.

Ene. And thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly
With his face backward.-In humane gentleness,
Welcome to Troy: now, by Anchises' life,
Welcome, indeed. By Venus' hand I swear,
No man alive can love, in such a sort,
The thing he means to kill, more excellently.
Dio. We sympathize.—Jove, let Æneas live,
If to my sword his fate be not the glory,
A thousand complete courses of the sun!
But, in mine emulous honour, let him die
With every joint a wound, and that to-morrow!
Ene. We know each other well.

Dio. We do; and long to know each other worse. Par. This is the most despiteful' gentle greeting, The noblest hateful love, that e'er I heard of.— What business, lord, so early?

Ene. I was sent for to the king; but why, I know not. Par. His purpose meets you. 'T was to bring this To Calchas' house; and there to render him, [Greek For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid.

Let's have your company; or, if you please,
Haste there before us. I constantly do think,
(Or, rather, call my thought a certain knowledge)
My brother Troilus lodges there to-night:
Rouse him, and give him note of our approach,
With the whole quality wherefore I fear,
We shall be much unwelcome.

That I assure you :

Ene.
Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece,
Than Cressid borne from Troy.

Par.

The bitter disposition of the time

There is no help;

[Exit.

Will have it so. On, lord; we'll follow you.

Ene. Good morrow, all.

Par. And tell me, noble Diomed; 'faith, tell me true,

Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship,

1 force, pursuit, &c.: in f. e. 2 despitefull'st: in folio.

Who, in your thoughts, merits fair Helen best1,
Myself, or Menelaus ?

Both alike:

Dio. He merits well to have her, that doth seek her Not making any scruple of her soilure, With such a hell of pain, and world of charge; And you as well to keep her, that defend her Not palating the taste of her dishonour, With such a costly loss of wealth and friends. He, like a puling cuckold, would drink up The lees and dregs of a flat tamed piece; You, like a lecher, out of whorish loins Are pleas'd to breed out your inheritors; Both merits pois'd, each weighs nor less nor more; But he as he, each' heavier for a whore.

Par. You are too bitter to your countrywoman. Dio. She's bitter to her country. Hear me, Paris:For every false drop in her bawdy veins

A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple
Of her contaminated carrion weight,

A Trojan hath been slain. Since she could speak,
She hath not given so many good words breath,
As for her Greeks and Trojans suffer'd death.
Par. Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do,
Dispraise the thing that you desire to buy;
But we in silence hold this virtue well,-
We'll not commend what we intend not sell.
Here lies our way.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Same. A Court before the House

of PANDARUS.

Enter TROILUS and CRESSIDA.

Tro. Dear, trouble not yourself: the morn is cold. Cres. Then, sweet my lord, I'll call mine uncle down: He shall unbolt the gates.

Tro.

Trouble him not; To bed, to bed: sleep kill those pretty eyes, And give as soft attachment to thy senses,

As infants' empty of all thought!

Cres.

Tro. Pr'ythee now, to bed.

Cres.

Good morrow,

then.

Are you aweary of me?

Tro. O Cressida! but that the busy day,

1 most in folio. 2 the: in f. e.

Wak'd by the lark, hath rous'd the ribald crows,
And dreaming night will hide our joys' no longer,
I would not from thee.

Cres.

Night hath been too brief. Tro. Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she

stays,

As tediously as hell; but flies the grasps of love,
With wings more momentary-swift than thought.
You will catch cold, and curse me.

Cres.

You men will never tarry.

Pr'ythee, tarry.—

O foolish Cressid !-I might have still held off,

And, then, you would have tarried. Hark! there's

one up.

Pan. [Within.] What! are all the doors open here? Tro. It is your uncle.

Enter PANDARUS.

Cres. A pestilence on him! now will he be mocking: I shall have such a life.

Pan. How now, how now! how go maidenheads?— Here, you maid; where's my cousin Cressid?

Cres. Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle! You bring me to do,—and then you flout me too.

Pan. To do what? to do what?-let her say what: -what have I brought you to do?

Cres. Come, come; beshrew your heart! you'll ne'er be good,

Nor suffer others.

Pan. Ha, ha! Alas, poor wretch! a poor capocchio!" -hast not slept to-night? would he not, a naughty man, let it sleep? a bugbear take him! [Knocking. Cres. Did not I tell you ?-'would he were knocked

o' the head!—

Who's that at door? good uncle, go and see.

My lord, come you again into my chamber:

You smile, and mock me, as if I meant naughtily.
Tro. Ha, ha!

Cres. Come, you are deceiv'd; I think of no such

thing.

[Knocking. How earnestly they knock.-Pray you, come in:

I would not for half Troy have you seen here.

[Exeunt TROILUS and CRESSIDA. Pan. [Going to the door.] Who's there? what's the

1 eyes in folio. 2 hideously: in folio. Dolt.

matter? will you beat down the door? How now!

what's the matter?

Enter ENEAS.

Ene. Good morrow, lord, good morrow.

[Opening it.'

Pan. Who's there? my lord Æneas! By my troth, I knew you not what news with you so early? Ene. Is not prince Troilus here?

Pan. Here! what should he do here?

Ene. Come, he is here, my lord; do not deny him: it doth import him much to speak with me.

Pan. Is he here, say you? 't is more than I know, I'll be sworn-for my own part, I came in late. What should he do here?

Ene. Who!-nay, then :-come, come, you'll do him wrong ere y' are 'ware. You'll be so true to him, to be false to him. Do not you know of him, but yet go fetch him hither: go.

Enter TROILUS.

Tro. How now! what's the matter?

Ene. My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you, My matter is so rash. There is at hand

Paris your brother, and Deiphobus,
The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor
Deliver'd to us; and for him, forthwith,
Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour,
We must give up to Diomedes' hand
The lady Cressida.

Tro.

Is it so concluded?

Ene. By Priam, and the general state of Troy : They are at hand, and ready to effect it.

Tro. How my achievements mock me!

I will go meet them :-and, my lord Æneas,
We met by chance; you did not find me here.

Ene. Good, good, my lord; the secret laws of nature, Have not more gift in taciturnity. [Exeunt TRO. & ÆNE. Pan. Is 't possible? no sooner got, but lost? The devil take Antenor! the young prince will go mad. A plague upon Antenor! I would, they had broke's neck! Enter CRESSIDA.

Cres. How now! What is the matter? Who was here?
Pan. Ah! ah!

Cres. Why sigh you so profoundly? where's my
lord? gone!

1 Not in f. e. the secrets of: in f. e.

Tell me, sweet uncle, what's the matter?

Pan. Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above!

Cres. O the gods !-what's the matter?

Pan. Pr'ythee, get thee in. Would thou hadst ne'er been born! I knew, thou wouldst be his death.O poor gentleman!-A plague upon Antenor!

Cres. Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees I beseech you, what's the matter?

Pan. Thou must be gone, wench; thou must be gone thou art changed for Antenor. Thou must to thy father, and be gone from Troilus: 'twill be his death; 't will be his bane; he cannot bear it.

Cres. O, you immortal gods !—I will not go.
Pan. Thou must.

Cres. I will not, uncle: I have forgot my father; I know no touch of consanguinity;

No kin, no love, no blood, no soul so near me,
As the sweet Troilus.-O, you gods divine,

Make Cressid's name the very crown of falsehood,

If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death,
Do to this body what extremes you can,

But the strong base and building of my love
Is as the very centre of the earth,

Drawing all things to it.-I'll go in, and weep.

Pan. Do, do.

Cres. Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praised

cheeks;

Crack my clear voice with sobs, and break my heart With sounding Troilus. I will not go from Troy.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The Same. Before PANDARUS' House. Enter PARIS, TROILUS, ÆNEAS, DEIPHOBUS, ANTENOR, and DIOMEDES.

Par. It is great morning, and the hour prefix'd Of her delivery to this valiant Greek

Comes fast upon.-Good my brother Troilus,

Tell you the lady what she is to do,

And haste her to the purpose.

Walk into her house,

Tro.
I'll bring her to the Grecian presently;

And to his hand when I deliver her,
Think it an altar, and thy brother Troilus
VOL. VI.-7