To answer for his love, Tell him from me,- Agam. Fair lord Æneas, let me touch your hand; To our pavilion shall I lead you, sir. Achilles shall have word of this intent; So shall each lord of Greece, from tent to tent: And find the welcome of a noble foe. Ulyss. Nestor, [Exeunt all but ULYSSES and NESTOR. Nest. What says Ulysses? Ulyss. I have a young conception in my brain, Be you my time to bring it to some shape. Nest. What is't? Ulyss. This 'tis: Blunt wedges rive hard knots: The seeded pride, In rank Achilles, must or now be cropp'd, Or, shedding, breed a nursery of like evil, Nest. Well, and how? Ulyss. This challenge, that the gallant Hector sends; However it is spread in general name, Relates in purpose only to Achilles. Nest. The purpose is perspicuous even as substance, Whose grossness little characters sum up: Pointing on him. Ulyss. And wake him to the answer, think you? It is most meet; Whom may you else oppose, For here the Trojans taste our dear'st repute In this wild action: for the success, And in such indexes, although small pricks Of things to come at large. It is suppos'd, What heart receives from hence a conquering part, In no less working, than are swords and bows Ulyss. Give pardon to my speech ; Therefore 'tis meet, Achilles meet not Hector. By showing the worse first. Do not consent, Nest. I see them not with my old eyes; they? what are Ulyss. What glory our Achilles shares from Hector, Were he not proud, we all should share with him: But he already is too insolent; And we were better parch in Africk sun, Than in the pride and salt scorn of his eyes, That we have better men. But, hit or miss, Our project's life this shape of sense assumes,— Ajax, employ'd, plucks down Achilles' plumes. Now I begin to relish thy advice; And I will give a taste of it forthwith To Agamemnon: go we to him straight. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I.-Another part of the Grecian Camp. Enter AJAX and THERSITES. Ajar. Thersites, Ther. Agamemnon-how if he had boils? full, all over, generally? Ajar. Thersites, Ther. And those boils did run?-Say so,-did not the general run then? were not that a botchy core? Ajax. Dog, Ther. Then would come some matter from him; I see none now. Ajar. Thou bitch-wolf's son, canst thou not hear? Feel then. [Strikes him. Ther. The plague of Greece upon thee, thou mongrel beef-witted lord! Ajar. Speak then, thou unsalted leaven, speak: I will beat thee into handsomeness. Ther. I shall sooner rail thee into wit and holiness: but, I think, thy horse will sooner con an oration, than thou learn a prayer without book. Thou canst strike, canst thou? a red murrain o'thy jade's tricks! Ajar. Toads-stool, learn me the proclamation. Ther. Dost thou think, I have no sense, thou strikest me thus? Ajar. The proclamation, |