University of Virginia Library

Enter Agamemnon, Menelaus, Vlisses, Diomed, Thersites. Drum, Colours, Souldiers, &c.
Agamemnon.
You Terrors of the Asian Monarchy,
And Europes glory: Warlike Lords of Greece:
Although the great Prince of the Mirmidons,
And arme-strong Aiax, our best Champions,
Be by the gods bereft vs: yet now comes
A Phœnix out of their cold ashes rising:
Pyrhus, sirnamed Neoptolemus:
On whom for his deceased fathers sake,
Wee must bestow some honours. Menelaus,
Vlisses, Diomed, giue the Prince meeting,
And be his conduct to the Generall.

A flourish. Enter the Kings before named, bringing in Pyrhus, Synon, with attendants.
Aga.
Pyrhus kneele downe, we girt thee with this sword,
It was thy fathers. In his warlike hand
It hath cleft Troians to the nauell downe,
Par'd heads off faster then the haruest Sithe
Doth the thin stalkes, or bending eares of graine:
Weare it, and draw it to reuenge his death.
Princes, performe your seuerall ceremonies.

Dio.
These golden spurs I fasten to thine heeles,
The same thy warlike father wonne in field,
When Hector tide with thonges to his steeds fet-locks,
Was drag d about the high built wals of Troy.

Ulis.
This Armour, and this plumed Burgonet,
In which thy father, like a rampier'd wall,
Opposde the fury of his enemies,
(By generall consent of all these Princes
Attributed to me) loe I surrender
To youthful Neoptolemus, weare it Prince,
Not all the world yeeldes a more strong defence.

Mene.
Achilles Tent, his Treasure, and his iewels,
We haue reseru'd, inioy them noble Pyrhus;
And lastly his strong guard of Mirmidons,
And with the honour hee with these haue wonne,
His Sword, Spurs, Armour, Guard, Pauileon,
Be by his valiant sonne much dignified.

Pyr.
Before I touch the handle of his sword,
Or to my Knightly spurres direct my eyes,
Lace this rich Armour to my youthfull sides,
Or roofe mine head within this warlike Tent,
Make proofe of this his plumed Burgonet,
Or take on me the leading of his Guard:
Witnesse you Grecian Princes, what I vow:
By Saturnes sonne, the sire of Æacus,
Begot on faire Europa; by their issue,
The second Iudge, plac'd on the infernall bench
I will discend to Peleus, and from him,
Euen to my naturall father, with whose honours
I ioyne my mother Deidamiaes
And in my vengefull oath include them all,
Till Priam be compel'd to shut his Gates
For want of men: Ile be as mercilesse
As vntam'd Lyons, and the flesh-fed Beares,
Blood shall looke brighter in young Pyrhus eyes
Then dissolu'd Christall, till old Priams haires
Be dy'de in goare: till Hecub's reuerent lockes
Be gul'd in slaughter; all their sonnes and daughters,
Subiects, and Citty quite confus'd in ruine,
Bow to our mercilesse fury: Ile not leaue
This blacke and fatall siege; and this I sweare
As I am Prince, and great Achilles heire.

Aga.
Euen in thy lookes I read the sack of Troy,
And Priams Tragedy: welcome sweete Pyrhus,
And welcome you his warlike followers.

Syn.
where be these Troians? I would faine behold
Their wing'd battalions grapple? I would see
The batter'd center fiye about their eares
In cloudes of dust: I would haue horses hoofes
Beate thunder out of earth: the chariot Trees
I would see drown'd in blood, Scamander plaines
Ore-spread with intrailes bak'd in blood and dust:
With terrour I would haue this day as blacke,
As when Hyperion leaping from his Spheare,
Cast vgly darknesse from his Chariot wheeles,
And in this vail'd confusion the faint Troians
Beate backe into the Yowne: I'de see their Gates
Entred, and fire by their high Battlements
Climing towards heauen: the pauement of th'streets
I'de see pau'd ore with faces: infants tost
On Lances poynts: big-bellied Ladies flung
From out their casements: I'd haue all their soules
Set vpon wings, and Troy, no Troy, but fire,
As if ten thousand Comets ioyn'd in one,
To close the world in red confusion.

Py.
Wel spake bold Synon; and my Lords of Greece,
This fellow boasts no more then with his sword,
Hee will aduenture for, and should that fayle,
He'le set his braine to worke. I tell you Princes,
My Grandsire Lycomedes hath made proofe
Of Synons pollicies, state-quaking proiects
Are hand-maides to his braine; and he hath spirit
To driue his plots euen to the doore of Death,
With rare effects, and then not all the world
Affoords a villaine more incomparable,
Then Synon my attendant. Warlike Princes,
I speake this to his prayse: and I professe
My selfe as sterne, bloody, and mercilesse.

Ther.
I haue not heard a brauer Character
Giuen to a Greeke: and had hee but my rayling,
He were a man compleate.

Syn.
Sure there is something
Aboue a common man in yon same fellow,
Whom nature hath so markt, and were his mind
As crooked as his body, hee were one
I could bee much in loue with.

Ther.
Hee hath a feature
That I could court, nay will: I would not loose
His friendship and acquaintance for the world.
Mee thinkes you are a comely Gentleman.

Syn.
I euer held my selfe so: and mine eye
Giues you no lesse: of all the Grecians here
Thou hast a face like mine, that feares no weather,
A shape that warre it selfe cannot deforme:
I best loue fuch complexions.

Ther.
By the gods
Wee haue two meeting soules: be my sweete Vrchin.

Syn.
I will,
An thou shalt bee mine vgly Toade.

Ther.
A match: be wee hence forth brothers and friends.

Syn.
Imbrace then friend and brother: my deare Toade.

Ther.
My amiable Vrchin.

Pyr.
I long for worke, will not these Troians come,
To welcome Pyrhus, great Achilles sonne?

Vlyss.
Their drummes proclayme them ready for the field.

Enter Priam, Paris, Penthesilea, and her traine of Viragoes, Æneas, Chorebus, Laocoon, Anthenor, &c.
Aga.
Perhaps King Priam hath not yet related
The newes of Neoptolemus arriue,
That hee presumes thus, weakned as he is,
To ope his Gates, and meete vs in the field.

Pyr.
Tis like hee hath, because for want of men
Hee brings a troope of Women to the field:
Most sure hee thinkes, wee (like our warlike father)
Will be insnar'd with beauty: Priam no,
We for his death, are sworne vaine beauties foe.

Penth.
Art thou Achilles sonne, beneath whose hand
Assisted by his bloody Mirmidons,
The valiant Hector fell?

Pyr.
Woman I am.

Penth.
Thou shouldst be then a Coward.

Pyr.
How?

Penth.
Euen so:
Thy father was a foe dishonourable,
And so the world reputes him.

Pyr.
By all the gods—

Pent.
Sweare not, for ere the closure of the battaile,
If both the Generals please, with my good sword,
In single combate Ile make good my word.

Pyr.
O that thou wert a man! but womens tongues
Are priuiledg'd: come Priam, all his sonnes,
The whole remayne of fifty, Ile make good
My fathers honour gainst sufficient oddes.
But for these scoulds, we leaue them to their sexe:
What make they amongst souldiers.

Penth.
Scorne not proud Pyrhus
Our presence in the field; I tell thee Prince,
I am a Queene, the Queene of Amazons,
A warlike Nation disciplin'd in Armes.

Pyr.
Are you those Harlots famous through the world,
That haue vsurpt a Kingdome to your selues,
And pent your sweete hearts in a barren isle,
Where your adulterate sportes are exercis'd.

Pent.
Curbe thy irregular tong: we are those women
That practise armes, by which we purchase fame.
All the yeare long, onely three monethes excepted,
Those wherein Phœbus driues his Chariot,
In height of splendor through the burning Cancer,
The fiery Lyon, and the Virgins signe:
Then we forsake our Sun-burnt Continent,
And in a cooler clime, sport with our men,
And then returne: if we haue issue male,
Wee nurse them vp, then send them to their Fathers.
If females, we then keepe them, and with irons
Their right paps we seare off, with better ease
To couch their speares, and practise feates of armes.
We are those women, who expel'd our Land
By Ægypts Tyrant: Conquered Asia,
Ægypt and Cappadocia: these two Ladies
Discend from Menelippe and Hyppolita,
Who in Antiopes raigne, fought hand to hand
With Hercules and Theseus; we are those
That came for loue of Hector to the field,
And (being murdred) to reuenge his death.

Py.
Then welcome Amazonians, as I liue
I loue you though I hate you: but beware,
Hate will out-way my loue, and ile not spare
Your buskind squadrons: for my fathers fall,
Troians, and Amazonians perish all.

Exeunt.
Alarum. Enter Pyrhus and Penthesilea.
Py.
Now Queene of Amazons, by the strong spirit
Achilles left his sonne, I let thee know
My father was an honourable Foe.

Pent.
Defiance Pyrhus, ile to death proclaime,
Hector was by Achilles basely slayne:
And on his sonnes head, with my keene edg'd sword,
And thundring stroaks, I wll make good my word.

Alarum. They are both wounded, and diuided by the two armies, who confusedly come betwixt them: to Pyrhus enter Agamemnon, Vlisses, and Menelaus.
Vlis.
What? wounded noble Pirhus?

Pyr.
Wounded? no,
I haue not met one that can raze the skinne
Of great Achilles sonne.

Aga.
Yet blood drops from your arme.

Pyr.
Not possible!
Tis sure the blood of some slayne enemy.
Come lets vs breake into the battailes center,
And too't pel mel.

Mene.
But Neoptolemus,
Wee prise thy safety more then all aduantage:
Retire thy selfe to haue thy wounds bound vp.

Pyr.
Cowards feare death,
Ile venge my blood, though with the losse of breath.
Alarum. Enter Paris.
Art thou a mad-man fellow, that aduenturest
So neere the blood of Neoptolemus,
Whose smallest drop must cost a Troians life.

Par.
Art thou the bleeding issue of that Greeke?
I, in reuenge of noble Hectors death,
Slew in Apolloes Temple.

Pyr.
Art thou then
That coward and effeminate Troian boy.

Pa.
Arme wounded Greek, I slew the false Achilles,
An act which I am proud of.

Aga.
Fall on the murderer,
And flake him smaller then the Lybean sand.

Pyr.
If any but my selfe offer one blow,
Ile on the Troians party oppose him.
Come Paris, though against the oddes of breath,
Achilles wounded sonne, will venge his death.

Paris is slayne by Pyrhus. A retreate sounded.
Enter then King Diomed, and Synon.
Dio.
Why sound the Troians this retreate?

Syn.
Paris is slayne, and Penthisilea
Wounded by Pyrhus.

Dio.
Come then Synon
Goe with me to my Tent, this night we'le reuell
With beauteous Cressida.

Syn.
Not I, I hate all women, painted beauty
And I am opposites: I loue thee lesse
Because thou doat'st on Troian Cressida.

Dio.
She's worthy of our loue: I tell thee Synon,
Shee is both constant, wise, and beautifull.

Syn.
She's neither constant, wise, nor beautifull,
Ile prooue it Diomed: foure Elements
Meete in the structure of that Cressida,
Of which there's not one pure: she's compact
Meerely of blood, of bones and rotten flesh,
Which makes her Leaprous, where the Sun exhales
The moyst complexion, it doth putrifie
The region of th'ayre: there's then another,
Sometimes the Sunne sits muffled in his Caue,
Whilst from the Clouds flye hideous showers of raine,
Which sweepes the earths corruption into Brookes,
Brookes into riuers, Riuers send their tribute,
As they receiue it to their Soueraigne
The seething Ocean: Thus Earth, Ayre, and Water,
Are all infected, she then fram'd of these,
Can she be beautefull? No Diomed,
If they seeme faire, they haue the helpe of Arte,
By nature they are vgly.

Dio.
Leaue this detraction.

Syn.
Now for this Cressids wisedome, is she wise,
Who would forsake her birth-right, her braue friend,
The constant Troylus, for King Diomed;
To trust the faith of Greekes, and to loue thee
That art to Troy a profest enemy?

Dio.
Canst thou disproue her constancy?

Syn.
I can.
Neuer was woman constant to one man:
For proofe, doe thou but put into one scale
A feather, in the other Cressids truth,
The feather shall downe weigh it: Diomed
Wilt thou beleeue me, if I win not Cressid
To be my sweete heart: yet haue no such face,
No such proportion, to bewitch a Lady;
I neuer practis'd court-ship, but am blunt;
Nor can I file my tongue: yet if I winne not
The most chast woman, I will cut it out.
Shall I make proofe with her?

Enter Cressida.
Dio.
There shee comes,
Affront her Synon, Ile with-draw vnseene.

Syn.
A gallant Lady, who but such a villaine
As Synon would betray her: but my vowe
Is past, for she's a Troian. Cressida,
You are well incountred: whether away sweet Lady?

Cres.
To meete with Kingly Diomed, and with kisses
Conduct him to his Tent.

Syn.
Tis kindly done:
You loue King Diomed then?

Cres.
As mine owne life.

Syn.
What seest thou in him that is worth thy loue?

Cres.
He's of a faire and comely personage.

Syn.
Personage? ha, ha.
I prithee looke on me, and view me well,
And thou wilt find some difference.

Cres.
True, more oddes
Twixt him and thee, then betwixt Mercury
And limping Vulcan.

Syn.
Yet as fayre a blowse
As you, sweete Lady, wedded with that Smith;
And bedded too, a blacke complexion
Is alwayes precious in a womans eye:
Leaue Diomed, and loue me Cressida.

Cres.
Thee.

Syn.
Mee.

Cres.
Deformity forbeare, I will to Diomed
Make knowne thine insolence.

Syn.
I care not, for I, not desire to liue,
If not belou'd of Cressid: tell the King
If hee stood by, I would not spare a word.
For thine owne part, rare goddesse, I adore thee,
And owe thee diuine reuerence: Diomed
Indeed's Ætolians King, and hath a Queene.

Cres.
A Queene?

Syn.
A Queene, that shal hereafter question thee:
Or canst thou thinke hee loues thee really
Beeing a Troian, but for present vse:
Can Greekes loue Troians, are they not all sworne
To do them outrage?

Cres.
How canst thou then loue me?

Syn.
I am a pollitician, oathes with me
Are but the tooles I worke with, I may breake
An oath by my profession. Heare me further,
Think'st thou King Diomed, forgets thy breach
Of loue with Troylus? Ey or that he hopes
Thou canst be constant to a second friend,
That wast so false vnto thy first belou'd.

Cres.
Synon thou art deceiu'd 'thou knowst I neuer
Had left Prince Troylus, but by the command
Of my old father Calchas.

Syn.
Then loue Diomed;
Yes, do so still, but Cressid marke the end,
If euer hee transport thee to Ætolia,
His Queene wil bid thee welcome with a vengance:
Hast thou more eyes then these? she'le fal to work,
For such an other Vixen thou nere knewest,
Come Cressida bee wise.

Cres.
What shall I doe?

Syn.
Loue me, loue Synon.

Cres.
Synon loues not mee.

Syn.
Ile sweare I do.

Cres.
I heard thee say, that thou wouldst breake thine oath?

Syn.
Then Ile not sweare, because I will not breake it:
But yet I loue thee Cressida, loue mee,
Ile leaue the warres vnfinisht, Troy vnsackt;
And to my natiue Country beare thee hence:
Nay wench Ile do't; come kisse me Cressida.

Cres.
Well, you may vse your pleasure;
But good Synon keep this from Diomed.

Enter King Diomed.
Dio.
Oh periured strumpet,
Is this thy faith? now Synon Ile beleeue
There is no truth in women.

Cres.
Am I betrayed? oh thou base vgly villaine,
Ile pull thine eyes out.

Syn.
Ha, ha, King Diomed,
Did I not tell thee what thy sweet heart was.

Cres.
Thou art a Traytor to all woman kinde.

Syn.
I am, and nought more grieues me then to
Thinke, a woman was my mother.

Cres.
A villaine.

Syn.
Right.

Cres.
A Diuell.

Syn.
Little better.

Dio.
Go get you backe to Troy, away, begon,
You shall no more be my Companion.

Syn.
And now faire Troian Weather-hen adew,
And when thou next louest, thinke to be more true:

Exit.
Cres.
Oh all you powers, aboue looke downe and see,
How I am punisht for my periury.

Alarum. Enter Penthesilea with her Amazonians.
Penth.
Stay, what sad Lady's this? whence are you woman?
Of Troy or Grecce?

Cres.
I was of Troy till loue drew me from thence,
But since haue soiourn'd in the Tents of Greece,
With Diomed King of Etolin:
Oh had I neuer knowne him.

Pent.
Would you trust
You honour amongst strangers? but sweete Lady
Discourse your wrongs.

Cres.
I was betray'd:
It shames mee to relate the circumstance,
By a false Greeke, one that doth hate our sexe,
One Synon, if you meete him in the battaile,
I with my teares intreate you be reueng'd.

Pent.
How might wee know him?

Cres.
His visage swart, and earthy ore his shoulder
Hangs lockes of hayre, blacke as the Rauens plumes:
His eyes downe looking, you shall hardly see
One in whose shape appeares more treachery.

Pent.
We loose much time: Lady hast you to Troy,
And if we meete a fellow in the battaile
Of your description, by our honor'd names,
We'le haue his blood to recompence our shames.

Alarum. Enter Thersites.
Amaz.
By her description this should be the man.

Ther.
Compast with smockes and long coates:
Now you whoores.

Pent.
Is thy name Synon?

Ther.
No, but I know Synon.
Hee is my friend and brother.

Ama.
For Synons sake, prepare thy selfe for slaughter.

Enter Synon.
Syn.
Ho, who names Synon?

Ther.
Brother thou nere couldst come in better time:
See, see, how I am rounded.

Pent.
Were euer such a payre of Diuels seene?
They are so like, they needes must bee allied.

Syn.
What can their Dammes say to vs?

Pent.
You betray Ladies, enuy all our sexe,
And that you now shall pay for, girt him round.

Syn.
I recant nothing, backe me sweete fac'd brother:
And now you witches, varlets, drabes, and queanes,
We'le cut you all to fragments.

Alarum. Synon and Thersites beaten off by the Amazons. Pyrhus enters, fights with Penthesilea, after this a retreate sounded, then enters Menelaus, Agamemnon, Vlisses, Diomed.
Aga.
The Troians sound retreate.

Vliss.
Who saw young Pyrhus?

Mene.
I feare his too much rage hath spur'd him on
Too farre amongst the Amazonian troopes.

Enter Synon and Thersites.
Syn.
Why stand you idle here, and let the Troians
Lead warlike Pyrhus prisoner to the Towne.

Agam.
How Pyrhus prisoner?

Ther.
Wee saw him compast by the Amazons:
Penthesilea with her bustain troopes.
Layd load vpon his Helme.

Uliss.
Then this retreate
Vpon the suddaine argues that they lead him
Captiue to Troy.

Enter Pyrhus.
Pyr.
Courage braue Princes, I haue got a prise
Worthy the purchase, on my Launces poynt
Sits pearcht the Amazonians lopt off head,
Vpon my warlike sword her bleeding arme,
At sight of which the Troians sound retreate:
The honour of this day belongs to vs.

Omnes.
To none but Neoptolemus.

Pyr.
Synon you play'd the coward: so Thersites.

Ther.
If not so.
I had not liu'd to see Troyes ouerthrow.

Syn.
When didst thou euer see a villaine valiant?
What's past remember not, but what's to come:
Priam hath shut his Gates, and will no more
Meete him in armes: can you with all your valour
Glide through the wals, if not what are you neerer
For all your Ten yeares siege?

Pyr.
Tis true, some stratagem to enter Troy
Were admirable: for Princes till I see
The Temple burne wherein my father dyde,
And Troy no Troy but ashes; my reuenge
Will haue no sterne aspect, till I behold
Troyes ground-sils swim in pooles of crimson goare:
Ramnusia's Alter fild with flowing helmes
Of blood and braines: Priam and Hecuba
Drag'd by this hand to death, and this my sword
Rauish the brest of faire Polixena,
I shall not thinke my fathers death reueng'd.

Aga.
To him that can contriue
A stratagem by which to enter Troy,
Ile giue the whole spoile of Apolloes Temple.

Mene.
I my rich Tent.

Ulis.
I the Palladium that I brought from Troy.

Dio.
I all my birth-right in Ætolia.

Syn.
Peace, tis here: I ha't.

Pyr.
Ile hugge thee Synon.

Syn,
Touch me not, away:
There're more hammers beating in my braine
Then euer toucht Vulcans Anuile, more Ideaes
Then Attomes, Embrions innumerable.
Growing to perfect shape; and now 'tis good.
Call for Endimions bastard, where's Epeus?
Ile set him straight a worke.

Pyr.
Vpon some Engine Synon.

Syn.
A horse, a horse.

Pyr.
Ten Kingdomes for a horse to enter Troy.

Syn.
Stay, let me see:
Vlisses you haue the Palladium.

Vlis.
I haue so.

Syn.
Call for Epeus then, the Generall
Hath no command in him.

Agam.
Lets know the proiect.

Syn.
And that Palladium stood in Palla Temple,
And Consecrate to her.

Vlis.
It did so.

Syn.
Call for Epeus then.

Pyr.
Lets heare what thou intendest.

Syn.
Ile haue an Horse built with so huge a bulke,
As shall contayne a thousand men in Armes.

Pyr.
And enter Troy with that?

Syn.
Doo't you, you trouble mine inuention,
I am growne muddy with your interruption:
Good young man lend more patience, heare me out:
This Engine fram'd, and stuft with armed Greekes.
(Will you take downe your Tents, march backe to Tenedos?)

Pyr.
What shall the Horse doe then?

Syn.
Not gallop as your tongue doth: good Vlisses
Lend me your apprehension; when the Troians
Finde you are gone aboord, theyle straight suppose
You'l not weigh Anchor: till the gods informe you
Of your successe at Sea: if then a villaine
Can driue into their eares, the goddesse Pallas
Offended for her stolne Palladium:
(Will you erect this Machine to her honour?)
Withall that were it brought into her Temple,
It would retayne the gilt Palladiums vertue.
Might not the forged tale mooue aged Priam,
To hale this Engine presently to Troy,
Pull downe his wals for entrance, leaue a breach
Where in the dead of night, all your whole Army
May enter, take them sleeping in their beds,
And put them all to sword.

Agam.
Tis rare!

Pyr.
Tis admirable, I will aduenture
My person in the Horse.

Syn.
Do so, and get a thousand spirits more.
King Agamemnon, if you like the proiect,
Downe with your Tent.

Agam.
Synon, wee will,

Syn.
Ile set a light vpon the wals of Troy
Shall giue the summons when you shall returne.
About it Princes: Pyrhus get you men
In readinesse, I will expose my selfe
To bewitch Priam with a weeping tale,
I cannot to the life describe in words,
What Ile expresse in action.

Agam.
Downe with our Tents.

Pyr.
Ile to picke out bold Greeks to fil the horse:
Shine bright you lampes of Heaueu, for ere't be long
We'le dim your radiant beames with flaming lights
And bloody meteors, from Troyes burning streetes.

Syn.
Such sights are glorious sparks in Synons eies,
Who longs to feast the Diuell with Tragedies.