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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [761]

By Root 18580 0
But there was such laughing! and

Helen so blush'd, and Paris so chaf'd; and all the rest so

laugh'd that it pass'd.

CRESSIDA.

So let it now; for it has been a great while going by.

PANDARUS.

Well, cousin, I told you a thing yesterday; think on't.

CRESSIDA.

So I do.

PANDARUS.

I'll be sworn 'tis true; he will weep you, and 'twere a

man born in April.

CRESSIDA.

And I'll spring up in his tears, an 'twere a nettle

against May. [Sound a

retreat]

PANDARUS.

Hark! they are coming from the field. Shall we stand up

here and see them as they pass toward Ilium? Good niece, do,

sweet niece Cressida.

CRESSIDA.

At your pleasure.

PANDARUS.

Here, here, here's an excellent place; here we may see

most bravely. I'll tell you them all by their names as they pass

by; but mark Troilus above the rest.

AENEAS passes

CRESSIDA.

Speak not so loud.

PANDARUS.

That's Aeneas. Is not that a brave man? He's one of the

flowers of Troy, I can tell you. But mark Troilus; you shall see anon.

ANTENOR passes

CRESSIDA.

Who's that?

PANDARUS.

That's Antenor. He has a shrewd wit, I can tell you; and

he's a man good enough; he's one o' th' soundest judgments in

Troy, whosoever, and a proper man of person. When comes Troilus?

I'll show you Troilus anon. If he see me, you shall see him nod at me.

CRESSIDA.

Will he give you the nod?

PANDARUS.

You shall see.

CRESSIDA.

If he do, the rich shall have more.

HECTOR passes

PANDARUS.

That's Hector, that, that, look you, that; there's a

fellow! Go thy way, Hector! There's a brave man, niece. O brave

Hector! Look how he looks. There's a countenance! Is't not a brave man?

CRESSIDA.

O, a brave man!

PANDARUS.

Is 'a not? It does a man's heart good. Look you what

hacks are on his helmet! Look you yonder, do you see? Look you

there. There's no jesting; there's laying on; take't off who

will, as they say. There be hacks.

CRESSIDA.

Be those with swords?

PANDARUS.

Swords! anything, he cares not; an the devil come to him,

it's all one. By God's lid, it does one's heart good. Yonder

comes Paris, yonder comes Paris.

PARIS passes

Look ye yonder, niece; is't not a gallant man too, is't not?

Why,

this is brave now. Who said he came hurt home to-day? He's not

hurt. Why, this will do Helen's heart good now, ha! Would I could

see Troilus now! You shall see Troilus anon.

HELENUS passes

CRESSIDA.

Who's that?

PANDARUS.

That's Helenus. I marvel where Troilus is. That's

Helenus. I think he went not forth to-day. That's Helenus.

CRESSIDA.

Can Helenus fight, uncle?

PANDARUS.

Helenus! no. Yes, he'll fight indifferent well. I marvel

where Troilus is. Hark! do you not hear the people cry

'Troilus'?

Helenus is a priest.

CRESSIDA.

What sneaking fellow comes yonder?

TROILUS passes

PANDARUS.

Where? yonder? That's Deiphobus. 'Tis Troilus.

There's a

man, niece. Hem! Brave Troilus, the prince of chivalry!

CRESSIDA.

Peace, for shame, peace!

PANDARUS.

Mark him; note him. O brave Troilus! Look well upon him,

niece; look you how his sword is bloodied, and his helm more

hack'd than Hector's; and how he looks, and how he goes! O

admirable youth! he never saw three and twenty. Go thy way,

Troilus, go thy way. Had I a sister were a grace or a daughter a

goddess, he should take his choice. O admirable man! Paris?

Paris

is dirt to him; and, I warrant, Helen, to change, would give an eye to boot.

CRESSIDA.

Here comes more.

Common soldiers pass

PANDARUS.

Asses, fools, dolts! chaff and bran, chaff and bran!

porridge after meat! I could live and die in the eyes of Troilus.

Ne'er look, ne'er look; the eagles are gone. Crows and daws,

crows and daws! I had rather be such a man as Troilus than

Agamemnon and all Greece.

CRESSIDA.

There is amongst the Greeks Achilles, a better man than Troilus.

PANDARUS.

Achilles? A drayman, a porter, a very camel!

CRESSIDA.

Well, well.

PANDARUS.

Well, well! Why, have you any discretion? Have you any

eyes? Do you know what a man is? Is not birth, beauty, good

shape,

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