University of Virginia Library

Actus Tertius

Scœna prima.

Enter Thersites.
Ther.
Braue time, rare change, from fighting now to feasting:
So many heauy blades to flye in peeces
For such a peece of light flesh? what's the reason?
A Lasse of my complexion, and this feature
Might haue bin rapt, and stolne agayne by Paris,
And none of all this stirre for't: but I perceiue
Now all the World's turn'd wenchers, and in time
All wenches will turne witches: but these Trumpets
Proclaime their enter-view.

A slourish. Enter all the Greekes on one side, all the Troians on the other: Euery Troian Prince intertaines a Greeke, and so march two and two, discoursing, as being conducted by them into the Citty.
Ther.
See here's the picture of a polliticke state,
They all imbrace and hugge, yet deadly hate:
They say their are braue Lasses in this Troy.
What if Thersites sprucely smug'd himselfe,
And striu'd to hide his hutch-backe: No not I.
Tis held a rule, whom Nature markes in show
And most deformes, they are best arm'd below.
I'le not conceale my vertues: yet should I venter
To damme my selfe for painting, fanne my face
With a dyde Ostritch plume, plaster my wrinkles
With some old Ladies Trowell, I might passe
Perhaps for some maide-marrian: and some wench
Wanting good eye-sight, might perhaps mistake me
For a spruce Courtier: Courtier? tush, I from
My first discretion haue abhor'd that name,
Still suiting my conditions with my shape,
And doe, and will, and can, when all else fayle:
Though neither sooth nor speak wel: brauely rayle,
And that's Thersites humour.

Lowd Musicke. A long table, and a banquet in state, they are seated, a Troian and Greeke, Hecuba, Polixena, Cresida, and other Ladies waite, Calchas is present whispering with his Daughter Cresida.
Pria.
After so much hostility in steele,
All welcome to this peacefull intertaine.

Aga.
Priam wee know thee to be honourable,
Although our foe Treason is to be fear'd
In Pesants not in Princes.

They sit.
Hec.
Ey so, now sit, a Troian and a Greeke.
Cousin Aiax neere mee, you are next in bloud,
And neere mee you shall sit: the strayne of honour
That makes you so renown'd, sprong, from Hesione.
Tis part of Hectors bloud, your grosser spirits
Lesse noble are your father Telamons.
Welcome to Troy, and Hector, welcome all:

Aiax.
In Troy thy kinsman, but in field thy foe:
Thy welcome Cousin here I pay with thanks,
The truice expir'd, with buffets blowes and knocks.

Hect.
For that wee loue the Cuze.

Achil.
Me thinks this Troian Hector
Out shines Achilles and his polisht honours
Ecclipseth our bright glory, till hee set
Wee cannot rise.

Par.
King Menelaus, we were once your guest,
You now are ours, as welcome vnto Troy,
As we to Sparta.

Men.
But that these our tongues
Should be as well truce bound as our sharpe weapons,
We could be bitter Paris: but haue done.

Vlyss.
Menelaus is discreet, such haynous wrongs
Should be discours'd by Armes and not by tongues.

Dio.
Why doth Achilles eye wander that way?

Achil.
Is that a Troian Lady?

Troi.
Shee is.

Achil.
From whence?

Pri.
Of vs.

Achil.
Her name?

Pri.
Polyxena.

Achil.
Polixena? she hath melted vs within,
And hath dissolu'd a spirit of Adamant.
Shee hath done more then Hector and all Troy,
Shee hath subdu'de Achilles.

Cal.
In one word this Troy shall be sackt and spoil'd,
For so the gods haue told mee, Greece shall conquer.
And they be ruin'd, leaue then imminent perill,
And flye to safety.

Cres.
From Troilus?

Cal.
From destruction, take Diomed and liue,
Or Troilus and thy death.

Cres.
Then Troilus and my ruine.

Cal.
Is Cresid mad?
Wilt thou forsake thy father, who for thee
and for thy safety hath forsooke his Countrey?

Cres.
Must then this Citty perish?

Cal.
Troy must fall.

Cres.
Alas for Troy and Troilus.

Cal.
Loue King Diomed
A Prince and valiant, which made Emphasis
To his Imperiall stile, liue Diomeds Queene,
Be briefe, say quickly wilt thou? is it done?

Cres.
Diomed and you i'le follow, Troilus shun.

Troi.
Bee't Aiax, or Achilles, that Greeke lyes
Who speakes it, i'le maintaine it on his person.

Aiax.
Ha Aiax!

Achil.
Achilles!

Dio.
We speake it, and dares Troilus fay we lie?

Troi.
And weare it Diomed.

Dio.
Dar'st thou make't good?

Troi.
On Diomed, or the boldest Greeke
That euer manac'd Troy excepting none.

All Greeks.
None?

All Troians.
None.

Hec.
Excepting none.

Aga.
Kings of Greece.

Pri.
Princes of Troy.

Achil.
Achilles bafled?

Aiax.
And great Aiax brau'd?

Hect.
If great Achilles, Aiax, or the Diuel
braue Troilus, hee shall braue and buffet thee.

Pri.
Sonnes.

Aga.
Fellow Kings.

Pri.
As wee are Priam and your father.

Aga.
As wee are Agamemnon Generall
Turne not this banquet to a Centaus feast,
If their be strife debate it in faire termes,
Show your selnes gouern'd Princes.

Achil.
Wee are appeas'd.

Aiax.
Wee satisfied, if Hector be so.

Aga.
How grew this strife?

Hect
I know not, onely this I know.
Troilus will maintaine nothing against his honour.
And so farre, be it through the heart of Greece,
Hector will backe him.

Par.
So will Paris too.

Pri.
Mildly discourse your wrongs, faire Princes doe.

Troi.
King Diomed maintaines his valour thus,
He saith it was his Launce dismounted Troilus,
And not the stumbling on the breathlesse course
Of one new slaine that feld mee.

Par.
'Tis false.

Men.
'Tis true.

Par.
It was my fortune to make good that field,
And hee fell iust before mee, Diomed then
Was not within sixe speares length of the place.

Men.
How Troian rauisher?

They all rise.
Par.
Call mee not Cuckold maker,
I care not what you terme me.

Men.
I cannot brooke this wrong.

Par.
Say'st thou mee so madde Greeke?

Pri.
Paris.

Aga.
Gouerne you Kingdomes Lords, and cannot sway
Your owne affection?

Pri.
Paris, forbeare.
Mildly discourse, and gently wee shall heare.

Par.
I say King Diomed vnhorst not Troilus.

Dio.
How came I by his horse then?

Par.
As the vnbackt courser hauing lost his rider,
Gallopt about the field you met with him,
And catch'd him by the raine.

Troi.
Here was a goodly act
To boast on, and send word to Cresida.

Dio.
Was no Prince neare when I encountred Troilus?

Men.
I was, and saw the speare of Diomed
Tumble downe Troylus but peruse his armour,
The dint's still in the vainbrace.

Aga.
Bee't so or not so, at this time forbeare
To vrge extreames. Kings let this health go round,
Pledge me King Priam in a cupful crown'd.

Hec.
Now after banquet, reuels: Musicke strike
A pirhicke straiue, we are nor all for warre,
Souldiers their stormy spirits can appease,
And sometimes play the Courtiers when they please.

A lofty dance of sixteene Princes, halfe Troians halfe Grecians.
Pri.
I haue obserued Achilles, and his eye
Dwels on the face of faire Polixena.

Aia.
Why is not Hellen here at this high feast?
I haue sweat many a drop of blood for her,
Yet neuer saw her face.

Achi.
I could loue Hector, what's our cause of quarrel?
For Hellens rape? that rape hath cost already
Thousands of soules, why might not this contention
'Twixt Paris and the Spartan King be ended,
And we leaue Troy with honour.

Aia.
Achilles how?

Achi.
Fetch Hellen hether, set her in the midst
Of this braue ring of Princes, Paris here,
And Menelaus heere: she betwixt both:
They court her ore againe, whom she elects
Before these Kings, let him inioy her still,
For who would keepe a woman gainst her wil?

Men.
The names of wife and husband, th'interchange
Of our two bloods in young Hermione,
To whom we are ioynt parents, Hellens honor
All pleade on my part, I am pleasde to stand
To great Achilles motion.

Par.
So are we.
All that I haue for comfort is but this,
That in the day I show the properer man,
Ith' night I please her better then hee can.

Hec.
Are all the Greecian Kings agreed to this?

All.
We are, we are.

Hec.
Place the two riuals then, each bide his fate,
And vsher in bright Hellen in all state.

The Kings promiscuously take their places, Paris and Menelaus are seated opposite, Hellen is brought in betwixt them by Hecuba and the Ladies.
Hel.
Oh that I were (but Hellen) any thing;
Or might haue any obiect in my eye
Saue Menelaus: when on him I gaze,
My errour chides mee, I my shame emblaze.

Mene.
Oh Hellen, in thy cheeke thy guilt appeares,
More I would speake, but words are drown'd in teares.

Aia.
A gallant Queene, for such a royall friend
What mortall man would not with Ioue contend?

Mene.
Hellen the time was I might call thee wife,
But that stile's changed; I, thou thy selfe art chang'd
From what thou wast: and (most inconstant Dame)
Hast nothing left thee, saue thy face and name.

Pa.
And I both these haue: hast thou not confest
Faire Hellen, thy exchange was for the best.

Mene.
What can our Sparta value?

Pa.
Troy.

Mene.
You erre.

Pa.
who breathes that Sparta would 'fore Troy prefer.

Mene.
Thou hast left thy father Tendarus.

Pa.
To gayne
King Priam, Lord of all this princely trayne.

Mene.
Thy mother Lada thou hast left who mournes,
And with her piteous teares laments thy losse:
Cannot this mooue thee?

Hel.
Oh I haue left my mother.

Pa.
No Hellen, but exchang'd her for another:
Poore Læda, for rich Hecuba, a bare Queene
For the great Asian Empresse.

Men.
From Castor and from Pollux thou hast rang'd
Thy naturall brothers.

Hel.
True, true.

Par.
No, but chang'd,
For Hector, Troilus, and the royall store
Of eight and forty valiant brothers more.

Men.
If nothing else can moue thee Helena,
Thinke of our daughter young Hermione.

Hel.
My deare Hermione.

Men.
Canst thou call her deare,
And leaue that issue which thy wombe did beare?
Shee's ours betwixt vs, canst thou?

Par.
Can shee? knowing,
A sweeter babe within her sweete wombe growing
Begot last night by Paris.

Men.
Looke this way Hellen, see my armes, spread wide,
I am thine husband, thou my Spartan bride.

Hel.
That way?

Par.
My Hellen, this way turne thy sight,
These are the armes in which thou layest last night.

Hel.
Oh how this Troian tempts mee!

Men.
This way wife,
Thou shalt saue many a Greeke and Troians life.

Hel.
'Tis true, I know it.

Par.
This way turne thine head,
This is the path that leades vnto our bed.

Hel.
And 'tis a sweete smooth path.

Men.
Heere.

Par.
Heere.

Men.
Take this way Hellen, this is plaine & euen.

Par.
That is the way to hell, but this to Heauen:
Bright Comet shine this way.

Men.
Cleare starre shoot this,
Here honour dwels.

Par.
Here many a thousand kisse.

Hel.
That way I should, because I know 'tis meerer.

Men.
Welcome.

Hel.
But I'le this way for Paris kisses sweeter.

Par.
And may I dye an Eunuch if ere morne
I quit thee not.

Men.
I cannot brooke this scorne,
Grecians to Armes.

Hect.
Then Greece from Troy deuide,
This difference armes, not language most decide.

All Greekes.
Come to our Tents.

All Troians.
And wee to man the towne.

Hect.
These Tents shall swimme in bloud.

Greekes.
Blood Troy shall drowne.

Exeunt diuers wayes.
Achil.
Yet shall no stroke fall from Achilles arme,
Faire Polixena, so powerfull is thy charme.

Alarme. Enter Troilus and Diomed.
Troi.
King Diomed!

Dio.
My riuall in the loue of Cresida.

Troi.
False Cresida, iniurious Diomed.
Now shall I prooue in hostile enter-change
Of warlike blowes that thou art all vnworthy
The loue of Cresid.

Dio.
Why cam'st thou not on Horse-backe,
That Diomed once againe dismounting thee
Might greete his Lady with another course
Wonne from the hand of Troilus.

Troi.
Diomed,
By the true loue I beare that trothlesse Dame
I'le winne thee, and send thy Horse and Armour
Vnto the Tent of Cresid guard thy head,
This day by mee thou shalt be captiue led.

Alarme. They fight and are parted by the army, Diomed looseth his Helmet.
Troi.
Another Horse for Diomed to flye,
Hee had neuer greater neede then now to runne.
Though hee be fled yet Troilus this is thine,
My Steed hee got by sleight, I this by force.
I'le send her this to whom hee sent my horse.

Enter Æneas and Achilles reading a Letter.
Achil.
Is this the answere of the note I sent
To royall Priam and Queene Hecuba,
Touching their daughter bright Polixena?

Æne.
Behold Queene Hecubaes hand, King Priams seale,
With the consent of faire Polixena,
Condition'd thus, Achilles shall forbeare
To dammage Troy.

Achi.
Returne this answer backe,
Tell Priam that Achilles Arme's benumb'd,
And cannot lift a weapon against Troy.
Say to Queene Hecuba wee are her sonne,
And not Achilles, nor one Mirmidon
Shall giue her least affront, as for the Lady
Bid her presume, we henceforth are her Knight,
And but for her, Achilles scornes to fight.

Æne.
Then thus saith Priam, but restraine thy powers,
And as hee is a King, his daughter's yours.

Achi.
Farewell.

Exit.
Alarme. Enter Aiax.
Aiax.
Achilles, where's Achilles, what vnarm'd,
when all the Champaigne where our battailes ioyne,
Is made a standing poole of Greekish blood,
Where horses plung'd vp to the saddle skirts,
And men aboue the waste wade for their liues,
And canst thou keepe thy Tent?

Achi.
My Lute Patroclus.

A great Alarme. Enter Agamemnon.
Aga.
Let Greekes, kill Greekes, let's bend vnnaturall armes
Against our owne brests, ere the conquering Troians
Haue all the honour of this glorious day.
Can our great Champion touch a womanish Lute,
And heare the grones of twenty thousand soules
Gasping their last breath?

Achi.
I can.
Alarume. Enter Menelaus.
Rescue, some rescue, the red field is strowd
With Hectors honours and young Troilus spoyles.

Achi.
Yet all this moues not me.

Alarum. Enter Vlysses.
Ulyss.

How long hath great Achilles bin surnam'd Coward
in Troy, that Hector, Troilus, Paris, haue all that name so
currant in their mouthes?
I euer held him valiant, yet will Achilles fight?

Achi.
Vlysses, no,
Beneath this globe Achilles hath no foe.

Vlyss.

Then here vnarm'd be slaine, think'st thou they'l spare
Thee more then vs?

Aiax.
Or if thou wilt not arme thee,
Let thy Patroclus lead thy Mirmidons,
And weare thy Armour.

Vlyss.
Thy Armour is sufficient
Without thy presence being fear'd in Troy.

Achi.
To saue our oath and keepe our Tents from sacke,
Patroclus don our Armes, lead forth our guard,
And wearing them by no Prince be out-dar'd.

Patro.
Achilles honours me, what heart can feare,
And great Achilles sword proofe Armour weare?

Exeunt all the Princes, enter Thersites.
Ther.
Where's this great sword and buckler man of Greece?
Wee shall haue him one of sneakes noise,
And come peaking into the Tents of the Greeks,
With will you haue any musicke Gentlemen.

Achi.
Base groome, I'l teare thy flesh like falling Snow

Ther.
If I had Hectors face thou durst not doo't.

Achi.
Durst not?

Ther.
Durst not, hee's in the field, thou in thy Tent,
Hector playing vpon the Greekish burgonets,
Achilles fingring his effeminate Lute.

And now because thou durst not meete him in the field, thou
hast counterfeited an humour of loue. Achilles?

Thou the Champion of Greece, a meere bug-beare,
a scar-crow, a Hobby-horse.

Achi.
Vlisses taught thee this, deformed slaue.

Ther.
Coward thou durst not do this to Hector.

Achi.
On thee Ile practise, til I meete with him.

The.
Aiax is valiant, and in the throng of the Troians,
Achilles is turn'd Fidler in the Tents of
The Grecians.

Alarum. Enter Diomed wounded, bringing in Patroclus dying.
Dio.
Looke here Achilles.

Achi.
Patroclus?

Pat.
This wound great Hector gaue:
Reuenge my death, before I meete my graue.

Enter Vlisses and Aiax wounded.
Vlis.
Yet will Achilles fight? see Aiax wounded,
Two hundred of thy warlike Mirmedons
Thou hast lost this day.

Aia.
Let's beate him to the field.

Achi.
Ha?

Aia.
Had I lost a Patroclus, a deere friend
As thou hast done, I would haue dond these armes
In which he dyed, sprung through the Troian hoast,
And manger opposition, let the blow
Or by the same hand dy'd: come ioyne with me,
And we without this picture, statue of Greece,
This shaddow of Achilles, will once more
Inuade the Troian hoast.

Achi.
Aiax?

Aia.
Achilles?

Achi.
Wee owe thee for this scorne.

Aia.
I scorne that debt:
Thou hast not fought with Hector.

Achi.
My honor and my oath both combate in mee:
But loue swayes most.

Alarum. Enter Menelaus and Agamemnon.
Men.
Our ships are fir'd, fiue hundred gallant vessels.
Burnt in the Sea, halfe of our Fleete destroy'd,
Without some present rescue.

Achi.
Ha, ha, ha.

Aga.
Doth no man aske where is this double fire,
That two wayes flyes towards heauen?
Vpon the right our royall Nauy burnes,
Vpon the left, Achilles Tents on fire.

Achi.
Our Tent?

Aga.
By Ioue thy Tent, and all thy Mirmedons,
Haue not the power to quench it: yet great Hector
Hath shed more blood this day, then would haue seru'd
To quench, both Fleete and Tent.

Achi.
My sword and armour:
Polixena, thy loue we will lay by,
Till by this hand, that Troian Hector dye.

Aia.
I knew he must be fired out.

Exit.
Alarum. Enter Hector, Paris, Troilus, Æneas, with burning staues and fire-bals.
Al the Troians.
Strike, stab, wound, kill, tosse firebrands, and make way.
Hector of Troy, and a victorious day.

Hec.
Well fought braue brothers.

Enter Aiax.
Pa.
What's hee?

Troi.
Tis Aiax, downe with him.

Hec.
No man presume to dart a feather at him
Whilst we haue odds: cousen if thou seekest combate?
See we stand single, not one Troian here,
Shall lay a violent hand vpon thy life,
Saue wee our selfe.

Aia.
Cousen th'art honorable,
I now must both intreate and coniure thee,
For my old Vncle Priams sake, his sister
Hesione my mother, and thine Aunt:
This day leaue thine aduantage, spare our Fleete,
And let vs quench our Tents, onely this day
Stay thy Victorious hand, tis Aiax pleades,
Who but of Ioue hath neuer begg'd before,
And saue of loue, will not intreate againe.

Al Troians.
Burne, still more fire.

Hect.
I'le quench it with his blood
That addes one sparke vnto this kindled flame?
My cousin shall not for Hesiones sake
Be ought denide of Hector, she's our Aunt:
Thou, then this day hast sau'd the Grecian Fleete:
Let's sound retreat, whose charge made al Greece quak,
We spare whole thousands for one Aiax sake.

A Retreate sounded.
Exeunt the Troians.
Aia.
Worthiest a liue thou hast, Greece was this day
At her last cast, had they pursude aduantage:
But I deuine, hereafter from this hower,
We neuer more shal shrinke beneath their power.

Exit.