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