Troilus and Cressida
Act IV, Scene 1
Troy. A street.
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Enter at one door Aeneas with a torch; at another, Paris,
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Deiphobus, Antenor, Diomedes the Grecian, and others with
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torches.
Paris
1
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See ho! Who is that there?
Deiphobus
2
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It is the Lord Aeneas.
Aeneas
3 - 6
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Is the Prince there in person?
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Had I so good occasion to lie long
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As you, Prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business
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Should rob my bed-mate of my company.
Diomedes
7
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That’s my mind too. Good morrow, Lord Aeneas.
Paris
8 - 11
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A valiant Greek, Aeneas, take his hand,
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Witness the process of your speech, wherein
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You told how Diomed, a whole week by days,
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Did haunt you in the field.
Aeneas
12 - 15
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Health to you, valiant sir,
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During all question of the gentle truce;
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But when I meet you arm’d, as black defiance
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As heart can think or courage execute.
Diomedes
16 - 20
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The one and other Diomed embraces.
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Our bloods are now in calm, and, so long, health!
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But when contention and occasion meet,
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By Jove I’ll play the hunter for thy life,
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With all my force, pursuit, and policy.
Aeneas
21 - 26
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And thou shalt hunt a lion that will fly
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With his face backward. In humane gentleness,
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Welcome to Troy! Now, by Anchises’ life,
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Welcome indeed! By Venus’ hand I swear,
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No man alive can love in such a sort
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The thing he means to kill, more excellently.
Diomedes
27 - 31
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We sympathize. Jove, let Aeneas live,
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If to my sword his fate be not the glory,
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A thousand complete courses of the sun!
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But in mine emulous honor let him die,
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With every joint a wound, and that tomorrow!
Aeneas
32
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We know each other well.
Diomedes
33
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We do, and long to know each other worse.
Paris
34 - 36
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This is the most despiteful gentle greeting,
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The noblest hateful love, that e’er I heard of.
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What business, lord, so early?
Aeneas
37
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I was sent for to the King, but why, I know not.
Paris
38 - 47
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His purpose meets you; ’twas to bring this Greek
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To Calchas’ house, and there to render him,
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For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid.
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Let’s have your company, or if you please,
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Haste there before us. I constantly believe
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(Or rather call my thought a certain knowledge)
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My brother Troilus lodges there tonight.
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Rouse him and give him note of our approach,
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With the whole quality wherefore. I fear
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We shall be much unwelcome.
Aeneas
48 - 50
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That I assure you.
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Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece
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Than Cressid borne from Troy.
Paris
51 - 53
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There is no help.
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The bitter disposition of the time
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Will have it so. On, lord, we’ll follow you.
Aeneas
54
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Good morrow, all.
Paris
55 - 58
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And tell me, noble Diomed—faith, tell me true,
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Even in soul of sound good-fellowship—
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Who, in your thoughts, deserves fair Helen best,
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Myself, or Menelaus?
Diomedes
59 - 71
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Both alike.
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He merits well to have her that doth seek her,
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Not making any scruple of her soil,
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With such a hell of pain and world of charge;
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And you as well to keep her that defend her,
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Not palating the taste of her dishonor,
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With such a costly loss of wealth and friends.
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He like a puling cuckold would drink up
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The lees and dregs of a flat tamed piece;
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You like a lecher out of whorish loins
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Are pleas’d to breed out your inheritors.
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Both merits pois’d, each weighs nor less nor more,
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But he as he, the heavier for a whore.
Paris
72
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You are too bitter to your country-woman.
Diomedes
73 - 79
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She’s bitter to her country. Hear me, Paris:
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For every false drop in her bawdy veins,
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A Grecian’s life hath sunk; for every scruple
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Of her contaminated carrion weight,
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A Troyan hath been slain. Since she could speak,
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She hath not given so many good words breath
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As for her Greeks and Troyans suff’red death.
Paris
80 - 84
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Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do,
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Dispraise the thing that they desire to buy,
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But we in silence hold this virtue well,
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We’ll not commend what we intend to sell.
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Here lies our way.
