But I can tell that in each grace of these

There lurks a still and dumb-discoursive devil

That tempts most cunningly. But be not tempted.

CRESSIDA Do you think I will?

TROILUS

No, but something may be done that we will not,

And sometimes we are devils to ourselves,

When we will tempt the frailty of our powers,

Presuming on their changeful potency.

AENEAS (within)

Nay, good my lord!

TROILUS Come, kiss, and let us part.

PARIS ⌈art the door⌉

Brother Troilus?

TROILUS

Good brother, come you hither,

And bring Aeneas and the Grecian with you.

⌈Exit Paris⌉

CRESSIDA My lord, will you be true?

TROILUS

Who, I? Alas, it is my vice, my fault.

Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion,

I with great truth catch mere simplicity;

Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns,

With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare.

Enter Paris, Aeneas, Antenor, Deiphobus, and Diomedes

Fear not my truth. The moral of my wit

Is ‘plain and true!’; there’s all the reach of it.—

Welcome, Sir Diomed. Here is the lady

Which for Antenor we deliver you.

At the port, lord, I’ll give her to thy hand,

And by the way possess thee what she is.

Entreat her fair, and by my soul, fair Greek,

If e’er thou stand at mercy of my sword,

Name Cressid, and thy life shall be as safe

As Priam is in Ilium.

DIOMEDES

Fair Lady Cressid,

So please you, save the thanks this prince expects.

The lustre in your eye, heaven in your cheek,

Pleads your fair usage; and to Diomed

You shall be mistress, and command him wholly.

TROILUS

Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously,

To shame the zeal of my petition towards thee

In praising her. I tell thee, lord of Greece,

She is as far high-soaring o’er thy praises

As thou unworthy to be called her servant.

I charge thee use her well, even for my charge;

For, by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not,

Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard

I’ll cut thy throat.

DIOMEDES

O be not moved, Prince Troilus.

Let me be privileged by my place and message

To be a speaker free. When I am hence

I’ll answer to my lust. And know you, lord,

I’ll nothing do on charge. To her own worth

She shall be prized; but that you say ‘Be’t so’,

I’ll speak it in my spirit and honour ‘No!’

TROILUS

Come, to the port.—I’ll tell thee, Diomed,

This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head.—

Lady, give me your hand, and as we walk

To our own selves bend we our needful talk.

Exeunt Troilus, Cressida, and Diomedes

A trumpet sounds

PARIS

Hark, Hector’s trumpet.

AENEAS

How have we spent this morning?

The Prince must think me tardy and remiss,

That swore to ride before him in the field.

PARIS

‘Tis Troilus’ fault. Come, come to field with him.

DEIPHOBUS Let us make ready straight.

AENEAS

Yea, with a bridegroom’s fresh alacrity

Let us address to tend on Hector’s heels.

The glory of our Troy doth this day lie

On his fair worth and single chivalry. Exeunt

4.6 Enter Ajax armed, Achilles, Patroclus, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Ulysses, Nestor, a trumpeter, and others

AGAMEMNON

Here art thou in appointment fresh and fair,

Anticipating time with starting courage.

Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy,

Thou dreadful Ajax, that the appallèd air

May pierce the head of the great combatant

And hale him hither.

AJAX Thou trumpet, there’s my purse.

He gives him money

Now crack thy lungs and split thy brazen pipe.

Blow, villain, till thy spherèd bias cheek

Outswell the colic of puffed Aquilon.

Come, stretch thy chest and let thy eyes spout blood;

Thou blow’st for Hector.

⌈The trumpet sounds⌉

ULYSSES No trumpet answers.

ACHILLES ’Tis but early days.

AGAMEMNON

Is not yond Diomed with Calchas’ daughter?

ULYSSES

’Tis he. I ken the manner of his gait.

He rises on the toe: that spirit of his

In aspiration lifts him from the earth.

Enter Diomedes and Cressida

AGAMEMNON (to Diomedes)

Is this the Lady Cressid?

DIOMEDES Even she.

AGAMEMNON

Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady.

He kisses her

NESTOR (to Cressida)

Our General doth salute you with a kiss.

ULYSSES

Yet is the kindness but particular;

’Twere better she were kissed in general.

NESTOR

And very courtly counsel. I’ll begin.

He kisses her

So much for Nestor.

ACHILLES

I’ll take that winter from your lips, fair lady.

He kisses her

Achilles bids you welcome.

MENELAUS (to Cressida)

I had good argument for kissing once.

PATROCLUS

But that’s no argument for kissing now;

For thus ⌈stepping between them⌉ popped Paris in his

hardiment,

And parted thus you and your argument.

He kisses her

ULYSSES ⌈aside⌉

O deadly gall, and theme of all our scorns!

For which we lose our heads to gild his horns.

PATROCLUS (to Cressida)

The first was Menelaus’ kiss; this, mine.

Patroclus kisses you.

He kisses her again

MENELAUS O this is trim.

PATROCLUS (to Cressida)

Paris and I kiss evermore for him.

MENELAUS

I’ll have my kiss, sir.—Lady, by your leave.