And never suffers matter of the world
Enter his thoughts, save such as do revolve
And ruminate himself, shall he be worshipp'd
Of that we hold an idol more than he?

No, this thrice worthy and right valiant lord
Must not so stale his palm, nobly acquir'd;
Nor, by my will, assubjugate his merit,
As amply titled as Achilles is,

By going to Achilles :

That were to enlard his fat-already pride ; 2
And add more coals to Cancer, when he burns
With entertaining great Hyperion.

This lord go to him! Jupiter forbid ;

And say in thunder - Achilles, go to him.

Nest. O, this is well; he rubs the vein of him.

[Aside.

Dio. And how his silence drinks up this applause!

[Aside.

Ajax. If I go to him, with my arm'd fist I'll pash him 3

Over the face.

Agam.

O, no, you shall not go.

Ajax. An he be proud with me, I'll pheeze his pride: Let me go to him.

Ulyss. Not for the worth 5 that hangs upon our quarrel.

Ajax. A paltry, insolent fellow,

Nest.

Himself!

4

How he describes

[Aside.

? That were to enlard, &c.] This is only the well-known proverb

· Grease a fat sow, &c. in a more stately dress.

3

4

I'll pash him—] i. e. strike him with violence.

pheeze his pride:] To pheeze is to comb or curry.

Not for the worth-] Not for the value of all for which we are fighting.

Agam. He'll be physician, that should be the pa

tient.

[Aside.

Ajax. An all men

Were o'my mind,

Ulyss.

Wit would be out of fashion.

[Aside.

Ajax. He should not bear it so,

He should eat swords first: shall pride carry it?

Nest. An 'twould, you'd carry half.

[Aside.

He'd have ten shares.

[Aside.

Ulyss

Ajax. I'll knead him, I will make him supple:
Nest. He's not yet thorough warm: force him with

praises:

Pour in, pour in; his ambition is dry.

[Aside.

Ulyss. My lord, you feed too much on this dislike.

[To AGAMEMNON.

Nest. O noble general, do not do so.

Dio. You must prepare to fight without Achilles. Ulyss. Why, 'tis this naming of him does him harm. Here is a man - But 'tis before his face;

I will be silent.

Nest.

Wherefore should you so?

He is not emulous 7, as Achilles is.

Ulyss. Know the whole world, he is as valiant.

8

Ajax. A whoreson dog, that shall palter thus with us!

I would, he were a Trojan!

6 - force him—] i. e. stuff him. Farcir, Fr.

7 He is not emulous,] Emulous, in this instance, and perhaps in some others, may well enough be supposed to signify — jealous of higher authority.

4

that shall palter -] That shall juggle with us, or fly from his engagements.

Ulyss.

Ay, or surly borne?

Dio. Or strange, or self-affected?

Ulyss. Thank the heavens, lord, thou art of sweet composure;

Praise him that got thee, she that gave thee suck:
Fam'd be thy tutor, and thy parts of nature

Thrice-fam'd, beyond all erudition:
But he that disciplin'd thy arms to fight,
Let Mars divide eternity in twain,
And give him half: and, for thy vigour,
Bull-bearing Milo his addition yield 9

To sinewy Ajax. I will not praise thy wisdom,
Which like a bourn ', a pale, a shore, confines
Thy spacious and dilated parts: Here's Nestor, -
Instructed by the antiquary times,

He must, he is, he cannot but be wise;

But pardon, father Nestor, were your days
As green as Ajax, and your brain so temper'd,
You should not have the eminence of him,
But be as Ajax.

Ajax.

Shall I call you father?

Nest. Ay, my good son.

Dio.

Be rul'd by him, lord Ajax.

Ulyss. There is no tarrying here; the hart Achilles
Keeps thicket. Please it our great general
To call together all his state of war;

Fresh kings are come to Troy: To-morrow,
We must with all our main of power stand fast:
And here's a lord, come knights from east to west,
And cull their flower, Ajax shall cope the best.

9 Bull-bearing Milo his addition yield—] i. e. yield his titles, his celebrity for strength. Addition, in legal language, is the title given to each party, showing his degree, occupation, &c. as esquire, gentleman, yeoman, merchant, &c.

Our author here, as usual, pays no regard to chronology. Milo of Croton lived long after the Trojan war.

1

like a bourn,] A bourn is a boundary, and sometimes a rivulet dividing one place from another.

Agam. Go we to council. Let Achilles sleep: Light boats sail swift, though greater hulks draw deep.

[Exeunt.

ACT III

SCENE I. — Troy. A Room in Priam's Palace.

Enter PANDARUS and a Servant.

Pan. Friend! you! pray you, a word: Do not you follow the young lord Paris?

Serv. Ay, sir, when he goes before me.

Pan. You do depend upon him, I mean?

Serv. Sir, I do depend upon the lord.

Pan. You do depend upon a noble gentleman; I

must needs praise him.

Serv. The lord be praised!

Pan. You know me, do you not?

Serv. 'Faith, sir, superficially.

Pan. Friend, know me better; I am the lord Pandarus.

Serv. I hope, I shall know your honour better.

Pan. I do desire it.

Serv. You are in the state of grace. [Musick within. Pan. Grace! not so, friend; honour and lordship are my titles: What musick is this?

Serv. I do but partly know, sir; it is musick in parts. Pan. Know you the musicians?

Serv. Wholly, sir.

Pan. Who play they to?

Serv. To the hearers, sir.

Pan. At whose pleasure, friend?

Serv. At mine, sir, and theirs that love musick.

Pan. Command, I mean, friend.

Serv. Who shall I command, sir?

Pan. Friend, we understand not one another; I am too courtly, and thou art too cunning: At whose request do these men play?

Serv. That's to't, indeed, sir: Marry, sir, at the request of Paris my lord, who is there in person; with him, the mortal Venus, the heart-blood of beauty, love's invisible soul,

Pan. Who, my cousin Cressida?

Serv. No, sir, Helen; Could you not find out that by her attributes?

Pan. It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the lady Cressida. I come to speak with Paris from the prince Troilus: I will make a complimental assault upon him, for my business seeths.

Serv. Sodden business! there's a stewed phrase, indeed!

Enter PARIS and HELEN, attended.

Pan. Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company! fair desires, in all fair measure, fairly guide them! especially to you, fair queen! fair thoughts be your fair pillow!

Helen. Dear lord, you are full of fair words.

Pan. You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen. — Fair prince, here is good broken musick.

Par. You have broke it, cousin: and, by my life, you shall make it whole again: you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance: - Nell, he is full of harmony.

Pan. Truly, lady, no.

Helen. O, sir,

Pan. Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.

Par. Well, said, my lord! well, you say so in fits."

in fits.] i. e. now and then, by fits; or perhaps a quibble is intended. A fit was a part or division of a song, sometimes a strain in musick, and sometimes a measure in dancing.