University of Virginia Library

Actus secundus

Scœna prima.

Enter Troilus and Cresida.
Troi.
Faire Cresida, by the honour of my birth,
As I am Hectors brother, Priams sonne,
And Troilus best belou'd of Hecuba,
As I loue Armes and souldiers, I protest,
Thy beauty liues inshrin'd heere in my brest.

Cre.
As I am Calchas daughter, Cresida,
High Priest to Pallas, shee that patrons Troy:
Now sent vnto the Delphian Oracle,
To know what shal betide Prince Paris voyage.
I hold the loue of Troilus dearer farre.
Then to be Queene of Asia.

Troi.
Daughter to Calchas and the pride of Troy,
Plight me your hand and heart.

Cre.
Faire Heauen I doe.
Will Troilus in exchange grant me his too?

Troi.
Yes, and fast seal'd, you gods, your anger wreak
On him or her, that first this vnion breake.

Cre.
So protests Cresida, wretched may they dye,
That'twixt our soules these holy bands vntye.

Enter Margaretan one of Priams youngest sonnes.
Marg.
My brother Troilus, we haue newes from Greece,
Prince Paris is return'd.

Troi.
And with a prise?

Marg.
Asia affoords none such.

Troi.
What is shee worth our Aunt Hesione?

Cre.
Or what might be her name?

Marg.
Hellen of Sparta.

Troi.
Hellens name
Hath scarce been heard in Troy.

Marg.
But now her fame
Will bee eterniz'd, for a face more faire
Sunne neuer shone on, nor the earth ere bare.
Why stay you here? by this Paris and shee
Are landed in the Port of Tenedos,
There Priam, Hecuba, Hector, all Troy
Meete the mid-way to attend the Spartan Queene.

Troi.
In that faire Traine, my Cresid shal be seene
Of rarer beauty then the Spartan Queene.

A flourish. Enter at one doore, Priam, Hecuba, Hector, Troilus, &c. At the other Paris, Hellen, Æneas, Antenor, &c.
Pri.
What Earth, what all mortality
Can in the height of our inuentions finde
To adde to Hellens welcome, Troy shall yeeld her.
Should Pallas, Patronesse of Troy descend,
Priam and Priams wife, and Priams sonnes
Could not afford Her god-head more applause,
Then amply wee bestow on Helena?

Hecu.
We count you in the number of our daughters,
Nor can wee doe Queene Hellen greater honour.

Hect.
I was not forward to haue Paris sent,
But being return'd th'art welcome: I desired not
To haue bright Hellen brought, but being landed,
Hector proclaimes himselfe her Champion
'Gainst all the world, and he shall guard thee safe
Despight all opposition.

Par.
Hectors word
As Oracle, hee'le seale it with his sword.

Par.
And now my turne comes to bid Hellen welcome.
You are no stranger here, this is your Troy,
Priam your father, and this Queene your mother:
These be your valiant brothers, all your friends.
Why should a teare fall from these heauenly eyes
Being thus round ingirt with your allyes.

Hel.
I am I know not where, nor amongst whom,
I know no creature that I see saue yon:
I haue left my King, my brothers, subiects, friends
For strangers, who should they forsake me now,
I haue no husband, father, brother neare:

Par.
Haue you not all these, is not Paris heere?
Harke how the people hauing Hellen seene
Applaud th'arriuall of the Spartan Queene:
And millions that your comming haue attended,
Amazed sweare some Goddesse is descended.

Troi.
No way you can your eyes or body turne,
But where you walke the Priests shall Incense burne.

Æne.
The sacrificed beasts the ground shall beate,
And bright religious fire the Altars heate.

Hect.
Nor feare the bruite of warre or threatning steele,
Vnited Greece wee value not.

Troi.
Alone, by Hector is this Towne well man'd,
Hee like an Army against Greece shall stand.

Par.
And who would feare for such a royall wife
To set the vniuersall World at strife:
Bright Hellens name shall liue, and nere haue end,
When all the world about you shall contend.

Hel.
Be as be may, since we are gone thus farre,
Proceede we will in spight of threatned warre,
Hazard, and dread? both these we nothing hold,
So long as Paris we may thus infold.

Par.
My father, mother, brothers, sisters all,
Islium and Troy in pompe maiesticall,
Shall solemnize our nuptials. Let that day
In which we espouse the beauteous Hellena,
Be held a holy-day, a day of ioy
For euer, in the Kalenders of Troy.

Pri.
It shall be so, we haue already sent
Our high priest Calchas to the Oracle
At Delphos to returne vs the successe,
And a true notice of our future warres,
Whilst we expect his comming, be't our care,
The Spartans second nuptials to prepare.

Exit
Enter after an alarum, King Agamemnon, Menelaus Achilles, Aiax, Patroclus, Thersites, Calchas, &c.
Aga.
Thou glory of the Greekes, the great commander
Of the stout Mirmedons: welcome from Delphos,
What speakes the Oracle? the sacke of Troy?
Or the Greekes ruine? say shal wee be victors,
Or Priam tryumph in our ouerthrow.

Achi.
The god of Delphos sends you ioyful newes,
Troy shal be sackt, and we be Conquerors:
Vpon your helmes weare triple spangled plumes:
Let all the lowdest instruments of warre,
With sterne alarums rowse the monster death,
And march we boldly to the wals of Troy,
Troy shall be sackt and we be conquerors.

Aiax.
Thanks for thy newes Achilles, by that honor
My father wonne vpon the wals of Troy.
My warlike father Aiax Telamon;
I would not for the world, Priam should send
Incestious Hellen backe on tearmes of peace.
May smooth Vlisses and bold Diomed.
Whom you haue sent on your late Embassie,
Be welcom'd as Antenor was to Greece,
Scorn'd and reuil'd, since th'Oracle hath sayd,
Troy shal be sackt, and we be Conquerors.

Achi.
King Agamemnon heere's a Troian priest
Was sent by Priam to the Oracle:
The reuerent man I welcome, and intreate
The General with these Princes, do the like.

Agam.
Welcome to Agamemnon reuerent Calchas.

Men.
To Menelaus welcome.

Aiax.
To Aiax welcome: father canst thou fight
As wel as pray, if we should want for men?

Cal.
By prayers I vse to fight, and by my counsel
Giue ayde to Armes.

Aiax.
Such as are past armes, father Calchas still,
Say counsels good, but giue me strength at will,
When you with all your Counsel, in the field
Meete Hector with his strength, tel me who'le yeeld?

Aga,
The strong built walls of stately Tenedos
We haue leuel'd with the earth. It now remaines
We march along vnto the wals of Troy,
And thunder vengeance in King Priams cares,
Had we once answere of our Embassie.

Aiax.
I euer held such Embassies as base,
The restitution of our rauisht Queene
On termes of parley bars our sterne reuenge,
And ends our VVar ere fully it beginne.
King Agamemnon no, Aiax sayth no,
VVhose sword as thirsty as the parched earth,
Shal neuer ride in peace vpon his thigh,
Whilst in the towne of Troy there breathes a soule
That gaue consent vnto the Spartans rape:
March, march, and let the thunder of our drummes
Strike terrour to the Citty Pergamus.

Achil.
The sonne of Telamon speakes honourably.
Wee haue brought a thousand ships to Tenedos,
And euery ship full fraught with men at Armes:
And all these armed men with fiery spirits
Sworne to reuenge King Menelaus wrongs,
And burne skie-kissing Islium to the ground.
Therefore strike vp warres Instruments on hye,
And march vnto the Towne couragiously.

In their march they are met by Vlysses and King Diomed, at which they make a stand.
Aga.
Princes, what answere touching Hellena?

Dio.
What answere but dishonourable tearme?
Contempt and scorne pearcht on their leaders browes,
By Ioue I thought they would haue slaine vs both.
If euer Hellen bee redeemd from thence
But by the sacke of Troy, say Diomed
Is no true souldier.

Vlyss.
Euen in the King
There did appeare such high maiesticke scorne
Of threatned ruine, that I thinke himselfe
Will put on Armes and meete vs in the field:
Wee linger time great Agamemnon, march,
That we may buckle with the pride of Troy.

Aga.
Priam so insolent, his sonnes so braue
To intertaine so great Embassadours
With such vngentle vsage.

Achil.
They haue a Knight cal'd Hector, on whose valour
They build their proud defiance, if I meete him,
Now by the azurd Armes of that bright goddesse
From whom I am descended, with my sword
I'le loppe that limbe off, and inforce their pride
Fall at Achilles feete, Hector and I
Must not both shine at once in warres bright Skie.

Aiax.
When they both meete, the greater dimme the lesse,
Great Generall, march, Aiax indures not words
So well as blowes, in a field glazd with swords.

Enter to them in Armes, Priam, Hector, Troilus, Paris, Æneas, Antenor, Deiphobus, &c.
Pri.
Calchas a Traitour?

Par.
And amongst the Greekes?

Hect.
Base runagate wretch, when we their Tents surprise,
As Hector liues the traiterous Prophet dies.

Æne.
Let not remembrance of so base a wretch
Make vs forget our safety, th' Argiue Kings
Are landed, and this day rac't Tenedos:
And bid vs battaile on Scamander Plaines.

Tro.
Whom we wil giue a braue and proud affront,
Shall we not brother Hector?

Hect.
Troilus yes,
And beate a fire out of their Burgonets
Shall like an earthy Commet blaze towards Heauen
There grow a fixt starre in the Firmament
To emblaze our lasting glory: Harke their Drums,
Let our Drummes giue them parleance.

A parlie. Both Armies haue an enter-view.
Aga.
Is there amongst your troopes a fellon Prince
Cal'd by the name of Paris?

Par.
Is there amongst your troopes a Knight so bold
Dares meete that Paris single in the field,
And call him fellon?

Hect.
Or insulting Greeke,
Is there one Telamon, dares set his foote
To Paris (here hee stands) and hand to hand
Maintaine the wrongs done to Hesione,
As Paris shall the rape of Helena.

Aiax.
Know here is one cal'd Aiax Telamon,
Behold him well, sonne to that Telamon:
Thou faine would'st see, and hee dares set his foot
To Paris or thy selfe.

Hect.
Thou durst not.

Aiax.
Dare not?

Hect.
Or if thou durst, by this my warlike hand
I'le make thine head fall where thy foot should stand:
And yet I loue thee cuze, know thou hast parlie'd
With Troian Hector.

Aiax.
Were't thou ten Hectors, yet withall thy might
Thou canst not make my head fall to my feete,
By Ioue thou canst not cuze.

Achil.
I much haue heard
Of such a Knight cal'd by the name of Hector,
If thou bee'st hee whose sword hath conquerd Kingdomes,
Pannonia, Illyria, and Samothrace,
And to thy fathers Empire added them:
Achilles as a friend wils thee to sheath
Thy warlike sword, retire from Troyes defence
And spare thy precious life, I would not haue
A Knight so fam'd meete an vntimely graue.

Hect.
I meet thee in that honourable loue,
And for thine owne sake wish thee safe aboord.
For if thou stayest thou sonne of Peleus,
I'd haue thee know thy fame is not thine owne,
But all ingrost for mee; not all thy guard
Of warlike Mirmidons can wall it safe
From mighty Hector.

Dio.
Shame you not great Lords
To talke so long ouer your menacing swords?

All Greeks.
Alarme then for Greece and Helena.

All Troians.
As much for vs, for Troy and Hecuba.

A great alarme and excursions, after which, enter Hector and Paris.
Hect.
Oh brother Paris, thou hast this day lodg'd
Thy loue in Hectors soule, it did me good
To see two Greekish Knights fall in their blood
Vnder thy manly arme

Par.
My blowes were touches
Vnto these ponderous stroakes great Hector gaue.
Oh that this generall quarrell might be ended
In equall opposition, you and I
Against the two most valiant.

Hect.
I will try
The vertue of a challenge, in the face
Of all the Greekes I will oppose my selfe
To single combate, hee that takes my gage
Shall feele the force of mighty Hectors rage.

A turne. Both the Armies make ready to ioyne battaile, but Hector steps betwixt them holding vp his Lance.
Hect.
Heare mee yon warlike Greekes, you see these fields
Are all dyde purple with the reeking gore
Of men on both sides slaine, you see my sword
Glaz'd in the sanguine moysture of your friends.
I call the sonne of Saturne for a witnesse
To Hectors words, I haue not met one Grecian
Was able to withstand mee, my strong spirit
Would faine be equal'd: Is there in your Troupes
A Knight, whose brest includes so much of valour
To meete with Hector in a single warre?
By Ioue I thinke there is not: If there be?
To Him I make this proffer; if the gods
Shall grant to him the honour of the day,
And I be slaine; his bee mine honoured Armes,
To hang for an eternall Monument
Of his great valour, but my mangled body
Send backe to Troy, to a red funerall pile.
But if hee fall? the armour which hee weares
I'le lodge as Trophies on Apolloes shrine,
And yeeld his body to haue funerall rights.
And a faire Monument so neere the Sea,
That Merchants flying in their sayle-wing'd ships
Neere to the shoare in after times may say,
There lies the man Hector of Troy did slay,
And there's my Gantler to make good my challenge.

Men.
Will none take vp his gage? shall this proud challenge
Bee Intertain'd by none? I know you all
Shame to deny, yet feare to vndertake it:
The cause is mine, and mine shall be the honour
To combat Hector.

Aga.
Menelaus pawse,
Is not Achilles here, sterne Aiax here,
And Kingly Diomed? how will they scorne,
That stand vpon the honour of their strength,
should you preuent them of this glorious combat.

Par.
By Ioue I thinke they dare as well take vp
A poysonous Serpent as great Hectors gage.

Aga.
Yes Troian, see'st thou not Æacides
Dart emmulous lookes on Kingly Diomed,
Least hee should stoope to take his Gantlet vp.
And see how Diomed eyes warlike Aiax,
Aiax, Vlysses: euery one inflam'd
To answere Hector.

Achil.
Is there any here
Dares stoope whilst great Achilles is in place?

Aiax.
I dare.

Dio.
And so dare I.

Achil.
You are all too weake
To incounter with the mighty Hectors arme,
This combat soly doth belong to mee.

Aiax.
Then wherefore do'st not thou take vp the Gantlet?

Achil.
To see if thou or any bolder Greeke
Dare be so insolent to touch the same,
And barre me of the honour of the combat.

Aiax.
By all the gods I dare.

Achil.
And all the diuells
I'le loppe his hands off that dares touch the gage.

Ulyss.
Pray leaue this emulous fury: Agamemnon,
To end this difference, and prouide a Champion
To answere Hectors honourable challenge
Of nine the most reputed valiant:
Let seuerall Lots be cast into an Helme,
Amongst them all one prise, he to whom Fortune
Shall giue the honour: let him straight be arm'd
To incounter migdty Hector on this plaine.

Aga.
It shal be so you valiant sonnes of Priam:
Conduct your warlike Champion to his Tent,
To breath a while, and put his armour on:
No sooner shal the prise be drawne by any,
And our bold Champion arm'd, but a braue Herald
Shall giue you warning by the trumpets sound,
Till when we will retire vnto our Tents.
As you vnto the Towne.

Par.
Faint hearted Greekes,
Draw lots to answere such a noble challenge,
Had great Achilles cast his Gauntlet downe
Amongst King Priams sonnes, the weakest of fifty
Would in the heate of flames, or mouth of Hel,
Answere the challenge of so braue a King.

Hect.
Greekes to your Tents, to put armour on;
Make hast, I long to know my Champion.

Exeunt all
Flourish. Enter aboue vpon the wals, Priam, Hecuba, Hellena, Polixena, Astianax, Margareton. with attendants.
Pri.
Here from the wals of Troy, my reuerent Queene,
And beautious Hellen, we will stay to see
The warlicke combate 'twixt our valiant sonne,
And the Greekes champion. Young Astianax,
Pray that thy father my haue Victory.

Asti.
Why should you doubt his fortune? whose strong arme
Vnhorst a thousand Knights all in one day;
And thinke you any one amongst the Greekes
Is able to incounter with his strength?

Pri.
But howsoever child, vnto the pleasure
Of the high gods, we must referre the combate.

Enter Paris below.
Par.
My royall father, Hector in his armes
Sends for your blessing, with the Queene my mother,
And craues your prayers to the all powerful gods,
To grant him victory.

Pri.
Blest may he be with honor, all my orisons
Shall inuocate the gods for his successe.

Par.
I almost had forgot faire Hellena;
Dart me one kisse from these high battlements
To cheere him with: thanks queen these lips are charms
Which who so fights for, is secure from harmes.

Heralds on both sides the two Champions Hector and Aiax appeare betwixt the two Armies.
Agam.
None presse too neere the Champions.

Troi.
Heralds on both sides, keep the souldiers back.

Hect.
Now Greekes let me behold my Champion.

Aiax.
Tis I, thy cousen Aiax Telamon.

Hec.
And Cuz, by Ioue thou hast a braue aspect,
It cheeres my blood to looke on such a foe:
I would there ran none of our Troian blood
In all thy veines, or that it were diuided
From that which thou receiuest from Telamon:
Were I assured our blood possest one side,
And that the other; by Olimpicke Ioue,
I'd thrill my Iauelin at the Grecian moysture,
And spare the Troian blood: Aiax I loue it
Too deare to shed it, I could rather wish
Achilles the halfe god of your huge army,
Had beene my opposite.

Aia.
Hee keepes his Tent
In mournful passion that he mist the combate:
But Hector, I shal giue thee cause to say,
There's in the Greekish hoast a Knight a Prince,
As Lyon hearted, and as Gyant strong
As Thetis sonne: behold my warlicke Target
Of pondrous brasse, quilted with seauen Oxe hides,
Impenetrable, and so ful of weight,
That scarse a Grecian (sane my selfe) can lift it:
Yet can I vse it like a Summers fan,
Made of the stately traine of Iuno's bird:
My sword will bite the hardest Adamant.
I'le with my Iauelin cleaue a rocke of Marble:
Therefore though groar Achilles be not here,
Thinke not braue cousen Hector but to finde,
Achilles equal both in strength and minde.

Alarum, in this combate both hauing lost their swords and Shields. Hector takes vp a great peece of a Rocke, and casts at Aiax; who teares a young Tree vp by the rootes, and assailes Hector, at which they are parted by both armes.
Aga.
Hold, you haue both shed blood too deare to loose,
In single opposition.

Par.
Is your Champion,
My cousen Aiax willing to leaue combate;
Will hee first giue the word.

Aia.
Sir Paris no,
'Twas Hector challenge, and 'tis Hectors office,
If we surcease on equal termes of valour,
To giue the word.

Hec.
Then here's thy cousins hand,
By Ioue thou hast a lusty pondrous arme:
Thus till we meete againe, lets part both friends;
For proofe whereof Aiax we'le interchange
Somewhat betwixt vs, for alliance sake:
Here take this sword and target, trust the blad,
It neuer deceiu'd his maister.

Aia.
Take of me
This purple studded belt, I won it cousen
From the most valiant prince of Samothrace:
And weare it for my sake.

Enter an Herald.
He.
Priam vnto the Greekish General
This profer makes. Because these blood-stayn'd fields
Are ouer-spread with slaughter, to take truce
Till all the dead on both sides be interr'd:
Which if you grant, he here inuites the Generall,
His nephew Aiax, and the great Achilles,
With twenty of your chiefe selected Princes,
To banquet with him in his royal Pallace:
Those reuels ended, then to armes againe.

Aga.
A truce for burying of the slaughtred bodies
We yeeld vnto: but for our safe returne
From Troy and you, what pledges haue you found?

Hec.
You shal not need more then the faith of Hector
For Priams pledge, King Agamemnon take
My faith and honour, which if Priam breake,
Ile breake the heart of Troy.

Aga.
We'le take your honor'd word, this night we'le part,
To morrow morning when sit hower shal call,
We'le meete King Priam neere his Citties wall.

Exeunt.