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CALCHAS, a Trojan Priest, taking part with the Greeks.

PANDARUS, Uncle to CRESSIDA.

MARGARELON, a bastard son of PRIAM.

AGAMEMNON, the Grecian General:

MENELAUS, his Brother.

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THERSITES, a deformed and scurrilous Grecian.

ALEXANDER, Servant to CRESSIDA.

Servant to TROILUS; Servant to PARIS; Servant to DIOMEDES.

HELEN, Wife to MENELAUS.

ANDROMACHE, Wife to HECTOR.

CASSANDRA, Daughter to PRIAM; a Prophetess.
CRESSIDA, Daughter to CALCHAS.

Trojan and Greek Soldiers, and Attendants.

SCENE, Troy, and the Grecian Camp before it.

In Troy, there lies the scene.

From isles of Greece
The princes orgulous, their high blood chaf'd,
Have to the port of Athens sent their ships,
Fraught with the ministers and instruments
Of cruel war: Sixty and nine, that wore
Their crownets regal, from the Athenian bay
Put forth toward Phrygia: and their vow is made,
To ransack Troy: within whose strong immures
The ravish'd Helen, Menelaus' queen,

With wanton Paris sleeps; And that's the quarrel.
To Tenedos they come;

And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge
Their warlike fraughtage: Now on Dardan plains
The fresh and yet unbruised Greeks do pitch
Their brave pavilions: Priam's six-gated city,
Dardan, and Tymbria, Ilias, Chetas, Trojan,
And Antenorides, with massy staples,
And corresponsive and fulfilling bolts,
Sperr up the sons of Troy.

Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits,
On one and other side, Trojan and Greek,
Sets all on hazard :-And hither am I come
A prologue arm'd,-but not in confidence
Of author's pen, or actor's voice; but suited
In like conditions as our argument,-
To tell you, fair beholders, that our play
Leaps o'er the vaunt and firstlings of those broils,
'Ginning in the middle; starting thence away
To what may be digested in a play.

Like, or find fault; do as your pleasures are;
Now good, or bad, 'tis but the chance of war.

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