Ulyss. Yet is the kindness but particular; "Twere better, she were kiss'd in general.

Nest. And very courtly counsel: I'll begin.So much for Nestor.

Achil. I'll take that winter from your lips, fair lady:

Achilles bids you welcome.

Men. I had good argument for kissing once.
Patr. But that's no argument for kissing now:
For thus popp'd Paris in his hardiment ;
And parted thus you and your argument.

Ulyss. O deadly gall, and theme of all our scorns!
For which we lose our heads, to gild his horns.
Patr. The first was Menelaus' kiss ;-this, mine;
Patroclus kisses you.

Men.

O, this is trim !

Patr. Paris, and I, kiss evermore for him.

Men. I'll have my kiss, sir:-Lady, by your leave. Cres. In kissing, do you render or receive?

Patr. Both take and give.

Cres.
I'll make my match to live',
The kiss you take is better than you give;
Therefore no kiss.

Men. I'll give you boot, I'll give you three for one.
Cres. You're an odd man; give even, or give none.
Men. An odd man, lady? every man is odd.
Cres. No, Paris is not; for, you know, 'tis true,

That you are odd, and he is even with you.

Men. You fillip me o'the head.

Cres.

No, I'll be sworn.

Ulyss. It were no match, your nail against his horn.May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?

Cres. You may.

life.

Ulyss.

Cres.

I do desire it.

Why, beg then.

9 Ill make my match to live,] Perhaps this means—I'll lay my

Ulyss. Why then, for Venus' sake, give me a kiss, When Helen is a maid again, and his.

Cres. I am your debtor, claim it when 'tis due.
Ulyss. Never's my day, and then a kiss of you.
Dio. Lady, a word;-I'll bring you to your father.
[DIOMED leads out CRESSIDA.

Nest. A woman of quick sense.

Ulyss. Fye, fye upon her! There's language in her eye, her cheek, her lip, Nay, her foot speaks; her wanton spirits look out At every joint and motive' of her body. O, these encounterers, so glib of tongue, That give a coasting welcome ere it comes', And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts To every ticklish reader! set them down

For sluttish spoils of opportunity',

And daughters of the game.

All. The Trojans' trumpet.
Agam.

[Trumpet within.

Yonder comes the troop.

Enter HECTOR, armed; ENEAS, TROILUS, and other Trojans, with Attendants.

Ene. Hail, all the state of Greece! what shall be done

To him that victory commands? Or do you purpose, A victor shall be known? will you, the knights

Shall to the edge of all extremity

Pursue each other; or shall they be divided
By any voice or order of the field?

Hector bade ask.

1

Agam.

motive

Which way would Hector have it?

Motive, for part that contributes to motion.

2 That give a coasting welcome ere it comes,] A coasting welcome is a conciliatory welcome; that makes silent advances before the tongue has uttered a word.

3

sluttish spoils of opportunity,] Corrupt wenches, of whose chastity every opportunity may make a prey. JOHNSON.

Ene. He cares not, he'll obey conditions.

A chil. 'Tis done like Hector; but securely done, A little proudly, and great deal misprizing

The knight oppos'd.

Ene.

What is your name?

A chil.

If not Achilles, sir,

If not Achilles, nothing.

Ene. Therefore Achilles: But, whate'er, know this ;In the extremity of great and little,

Valour and pride excel themselves in Hector';
The one almost as infinite as all,

The other blank as nothing. Weigh him well,
And that, which looks like pride, is courtesy.
This Ajax is half made of Hector's blood":
In love whereof, half Hector stays at home;
Half heart, half hand, half Hector comes to seek
This blended knight, half Trojan, and half Greek.
Achil. A maiden battle then?-O, I perceive you.

Re-enter DIOMED.

Agam. Here is sir Diomed:-Go, gentle knight,
Stand by our Ajax: as you and lord Eneas
Consent upon the order of their fight,
So be it; either to the uttermost,

Or else a breath; the combatants being kin,
Half stints' their strife before their strokes begin.
[AJAX and HECTOR enter the lists.

4 Valour and pride excel themselves in Hector ;] Shakspeare's thought is not exactly deduced. Nicety of expression is not his character. The meaning is plain: "Valour (says Eneas,) is in Hector greater than valour in other men, and pride in Hector is less than pride in other men. So that Hector is distinguished by the excellence of having pride less than other pride, and valour more than other valour." JOHNSON.

This Ajax is half made of Hector's blood:] Ajax and Hector were cousin-germans.

6

7

a breath ;] i. e. a breathing, a slight exercise of arms.
stints] i. e. stops.

Ulyss. They are oppos'd already.

9

Agam. What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy? Ulyss. The youngest son of Priam, a true knight; Not yet mature, yet matchless; firm of word; Speaking in deeds, and deedless in his tongue; Not soon provok'd, nor, being provok'd, soon calm'd: His heart and hand both open, and both free; For what he has, he gives; what thinks, he shows ; Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty, Nor dignifies an impair thought with breath: Manly as Hector, but more dangerous; For Hector, in his blaze of wrath, subscribes ' To tender objects; but he, in heat of action, Is more vindicative than jealous love: They call him Troilus; and on him erect A second hope, as fairly built as Hector. Thus says Æneas; one that knows the youth Even to his inches, and, with private soul, Did in great Ilion thus translate him to me'.

[Alarum.

1

Agam. They are in action.

Nest. Now, Ajax, hold thine own!

Tro.

Awake thee!

HECTOR and AJAX fight.

Hector, thou sleep'st;

[Trumpets cease.

Princes, enough, so please you.

Agam. His blows are well dispos'd:-there, Ajax !

Dio. You must no more.

Ene.

Ajax. I am not warm yet, let us fight again.

Dio. As Hector pleases.

Hect.

Why then, will I no more:

Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son,

8

deeds.

9

deedless in his tongue ;] i. e. no boaster of his own

an impair thought-] A thought unsuitable to the dignity

of his character.

subscribes -] That is, yields, gives way. Thus explain his cha

A cousin-german to great Priam's seed;
The obligation of our blood forbids

A gory emulation 'twixt us twain:

Were thy commixtion Greek and Trojan so,
That thou could'st say-This hand is Grecian all,
And this is Trojan; the sinews of this leg

All Greek, and this all Troy; my mother's blood
Runs on the dexter cheek, and this sinister
Bounds-in my father's; by Jove multipotent,
Thou should'st not bear from me a Greekish member
Wherein my sword had not impressure made
Of our rank feud: But the just gods gainsay,
That any drop thou borrow'st from thy mother,
My sacred aunt', should by my mortal sword
Be drain'd! Let me embrace thee, Ajax:
By him that thunders, thou hast lusty arms;
Hector would have them fall upon him thus:
Cousin, all honour to thee!

Ajax.
I thank thee, Hector:
Thou art too gentle, and too free a man :
I came to kill thee, cousin, and bear hence
A great addition earned in thy death.

Hect. Not Neoptolemus' so mirable

(On whose bright crest Fame with her loud'st O yes Cries, This is he,) could promise to himself

A thought of added honour torn from Hector.

Ene. There is expectance here from both the sides, What further you will do.

3 My sacred aunt,] It is remarkable that the Greeks give to the uncle the title of Sacred, 9uoç. And this circumstance may tend to establish the opinion, that this play was not the entire composition of Shakspeare, to whom the Grecism before us was probably

unknown.

A great addition -] i. e. denomination.

5 Not Neoptolemus -] My opinion is, that by Neoptolemus the author meant Achilles himself; and remembering that the son was Pyrrhus Neoptolemus, considered Neoptolemus as the nomen gentilitium, and thought the father was likewise Achilles Neoptolemus. JOHNSON.