ACHILLES

Why how now Ajax ? wherefore do you this? How now Thersites ? what's the matter man? I, what's the matter. So I do: what's the matter? Well, why I do so. I know that fool. What? Nay good Ajax. Nay, I must hold you. Peace fool. Will you set your wit to a Fools. What's the quarrel? Your last service was sufferance, 'twas not vo luntary, no man is beaten voluntary: Ajax was here the voluntary and you as under and Impress. What with me to Thersites ? What? what? There's for you Patroclus. Marry this Sin is proclaimed through all our host, That Hector by the sift hour of the Sun, Will with a Trumpet, betwixt our Tents and Troy To morrow morning call some Knight to Arms, That hath a stomach and such a one that dare Maintain I know not what: it's trash. Farewell. I know not, it's put to Lottery: otherwise He knew his man. Who's there? Where, where, art thou come? why my cheese, my digestion, why hast thou not served thy self into my Table, so many meals? Come, what's Agamemnon ? Oh tell, tell. He is a privileged man, proceed Thersites. Derive this? come? Patroclus, I'll speak with no body: come in with me Thersites. What comes the General to speak with me? You know my mind, I'll fight no more against Troy. No. Good day, good day. Good morrow Ajax ? Good morrow. What mean these fellows? know they not Achilles ? What am I poor of late? It's certain, greatness once fallen out with fortune, Must fallen out with men too: what the declined is, He shall as soon read in the eyes of others, As feel in his own fallen: for men Like butterflies, Show not their mealy wings, but to the Summer: And not a man for being simply man, Hath any honour; but honoured for those honours That are without him; as place, riches, and favour, Prizes of accident, as oft as merit: Which when they fallen, as being slippery standers; The love that leaned on them as slippery too, Does one pluck down another, and together Die in the fallen. But it's not so with me; Fortune and I are friends, I do enjoy At ample point, all that I did possess, Save these men's looks: who do me thinks find out Something not worth in me such rich beholding, As they have often given. Here is Ʋ lisses, I'll interrupt his reading: how now Ulysses? What are you reading? This is not strange Ulysses : The beauty that is born here in the face, The bearer knows not, but commends it self, Not going from it self: but eye to eye opposed Salutes each other with each others form: For speculation turns not to it self, Till it hath travailed, and is married there Where it may see it self: this is not strange at all. I do believe it: For they passed by me, as my sers do by beggars, Neither gave to me good word, nor look: What are my deeds forgotten? Of this my privacy, I have strong reasons. Would? known? Shall Ajax fight with Hector ? I see my reputation is at stake, My fame is shrowdly gored. Go call Thersites hither sweet Patroclus, I'll send the fool to Ajax, and desire him to invite the Trojan Lords after the Combat To see us here unarmed: I have a woman's longing, And appetite that I am sick withal, To see great Hector in his weeds of peace; To talk with him, and to behold his visage, Even to my full of view. A labour saved. What? How so? How can that be? Thou must be my Ambassador to him Thersites. To him Patroclus ; tell him, I humbly desire the valiant Ajax, to invite the most valorous Hector, to come unarmed to my Tent, and to procure safe conduct for his person, of the magnanimous and most illustrious, six or feauen times honoured Captain, General of the Grecian Army Agamemnon, &c. do this. Why, but he is not in this tune, is he? Come, thou shalt bear a Letter to him straight. My mind is troubled Like a Fountain stirred, And I my self see not the bottom of it. It's but early days. I'll take that winter from your lips fair Lady Achilles bids you welcome. If not Achilles, nothing. A maiden battle then? Oh I perceive you. I shall forestall thee Lord Ulysses, thou: Now Hector I have fed mine eyes on thee, I have with exact view perused thee Hector, And quoted joint by joint. I am Achilles. Behold thy fill. Thou art to brief, I will the second time, As I would buy thee, view thee, limb by limb. Tell me you Heavens, in which partly of his body Shall I destroy him? Whither there, or there, or there, That I may give the local wound a name, And make distinct the very breach, whereout Hector's great spirit fl w. Answer me heavens. I tell thee yea. Dost thou entreat me Hector ? To morrow do I meet thee fell as death, To night, all Friends. I'll heat his blood with Greekish wine to night, Which with my Cemitar I'll cool to morrow: Patroclus, let us Feast him to the hight. How now, thou core of Envy? Thou crusty batch of Nature, what's the news? From whence, Fragment? Welcome brave Hector, welcome Princes all. Goodnight and welcome, both at once, to those that go, or tarry. Old Nestor tarries, and you too Diomed, Keep Hector company and hour, or two. Come, come, enter my Tent. Where is this Hector ? Come, come, thou boy-queller, show thy face: Know what it is to meet Achilles angry. Hector, where's Hector ? I will none but Hector. Now do I see thee; have at thee Hector. I do disdain thy courtesy, proud Trojan; Be happy that my arms are out of use: My rest and negligence befriends thee now, But thou anon shalt hear of me again: Till when, go seek thy fortune. Come here about me you my Myrmidons : Mark what I say; attend me where I wheel: Strike not a stroke, but keep your selves in breath; And when I have the bloody Hector found, Impale him with your weapons round about: In fellest manner execute your arm. Follow me sirs, and my proceedings eye; It is decreed, Hector the great must die. Look Hector how the Sun begins to set; How ugly night comes breathing at his heals, Even with the veil and darking of the Sun. To close the day up, Hector's life is done. Strike fellows, strike, this is the man I seek. So Illion fallen thou: now Troy sink down; Here lies thy heart, thy sinews, and thy bone. On Myrmidons, cry you all a main, Achilles hath the mighty Hector slain. Hark, a retreat upon our Grecian partly. What, do's the Cuckold scorn me? The dragon wing of night ore-spreds the earth And stickler-like the Armies separates My half supped Sword, that frankly would have fed, Pleased with this dainty bed; thus goes to bed. Come, tie his body to my horses tail; Along the field, I will the Trojan trail. My sweet Patroclus, I am thwarted quite From my great purpose in to morrows battle: Here is a Letter from Queen Hecuba, A token from her daughter, my fair Love, Both taxing me, and gaging me to keep And Oath that I have sworn. I will not break it, Fallen Greeks, fail Fame, Honour or go, or stay, My Mayor vow lies here; this I'll obey: Come, come Thersites, help to trim my Tent, This night in banqueting must all be spent. Away Patroclus.