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Speeches (Lines) for Hector
in "Troilus and Cressida"

Total: 57

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# Act, Scene, Line
(Click to see in context)
Speech text

1

II,2,997

Though no man lesser fears the Greeks than I
As far as toucheth my particular,
Yet, dread Priam,
There is no lady of more softer bowels,
More spongy to suck in the sense of fear,
More ready to cry out 'Who knows what follows?'
Than Hector is: the wound of peace is surety,
Surety secure; but modest doubt is call'd
The beacon of the wise, the tent that searches
To the bottom of the worst. Let Helen go:
Since the first sword was drawn about this question,
Every tithe soul, 'mongst many thousand dismes,
Hath been as dear as Helen; I mean, of ours:
If we have lost so many tenths of ours,
To guard a thing not ours nor worth to us,
Had it our name, the value of one ten,
What merit's in that reason which denies
The yielding of her up?

2

II,2,1043

Brother, she is not worth what she doth cost
The holding.

3

II,2,1046

But value dwells not in particular will;
It holds his estimate and dignity
As well wherein 'tis precious of itself
As in the prizer: 'tis mad idolatry
To make the service greater than the god
And the will dotes that is attributive
To what infectiously itself affects,
Without some image of the affected merit.

4

II,2,1094

It is Cassandra.

5

II,2,1098

Peace, sister, peace!

6

II,2,1109

Now, youthful Troilus, do not these high strains
Of divination in our sister work
Some touches of remorse? or is your blood
So madly hot that no discourse of reason,
Nor fear of bad success in a bad cause,
Can qualify the same?

7

II,2,1161

Paris and Troilus, you have both said well,
And on the cause and question now in hand
Have glozed, but superficially: not much
Unlike young men, whom Aristotle thought
Unfit to hear moral philosophy:
The reasons you allege do more conduce
To the hot passion of distemper'd blood
Than to make up a free determination
'Twixt right and wrong, for pleasure and revenge
Have ears more deaf than adders to the voice
Of any true decision. Nature craves
All dues be render'd to their owners: now,
What nearer debt in all humanity
Than wife is to the husband? If this law
Of nature be corrupted through affection,
And that great minds, of partial indulgence
To their benumbed wills, resist the same,
There is a law in each well-order'd nation
To curb those raging appetites that are
Most disobedient and refractory.
If Helen then be wife to Sparta's king,
As it is known she is, these moral laws
Of nature and of nations speak aloud
To have her back return'd: thus to persist
In doing wrong extenuates not wrong,
But makes it much more heavy. Hector's opinion
Is this in way of truth; yet ne'ertheless,
My spritely brethren, I propend to you
In resolution to keep Helen still,
For 'tis a cause that hath no mean dependance
Upon our joint and several dignities.

8

II,2,1205

I am yours,
You valiant offspring of great Priamus.
I have a roisting challenge sent amongst
The dun and factious nobles of the Greeks
Will strike amazement to their drowsy spirits:
I was advertised their great general slept,
Whilst emulation in the army crept:
This, I presume, will wake him.

9

IV,5,2739

Why, then will I no more:
Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son,
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 couldst 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 shouldst 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'dst 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!

10

IV,5,2763

Not Neoptolemus so mirable,
On whose bright crest Fame with her loud'st Oyes
Cries 'This is he,' could promise to himself
A thought of added honour torn from Hector.

11

IV,5,2769

We'll answer it;
The issue is embracement: Ajax, farewell.

12

IV,5,2776

AEneas, call my brother Troilus to me,
And signify this loving interview
To the expecters of our Trojan part;
Desire them home. Give me thy hand, my cousin;
I will go eat with thee and see your knights.

13

IV,5,2782

The worthiest of them tell me name by name;
But for Achilles, mine own searching eyes
Shall find him by his large and portly size.

14

IV,5,2794

I thank thee, most imperious Agamemnon.

15

IV,5,2799

Who must we answer?

16

IV,5,2801

O, you, my lord? by Mars his gauntlet, thanks!
Mock not, that I affect the untraded oath;
Your quondam wife swears still by Venus' glove:
She's well, but bade me not commend her to you.

17

IV,5,2806

O, pardon; I offend.

18

IV,5,2826

Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle,
That hast so long walk'd hand in hand with time:
Most reverend Nestor, I am glad to clasp thee.

19

IV,5,2831

I would they could.

20

IV,5,2837

I know your favour, Lord Ulysses, well.
Ah, sir, there's many a Greek and Trojan dead,
Since first I saw yourself and Diomed
In Ilion, on your Greekish embassy.

21

IV,5,2846

I must not believe you:
There they stand yet, and modestly I think,
The fall of every Phrygian stone will cost
A drop of Grecian blood: the end crowns all,
And that old common arbitrator, Time,
Will one day end it.

22

IV,5,2860

Is this Achilles?

23

IV,5,2862

Stand fair, I pray thee: let me look on thee.

24

IV,5,2864

Nay, I have done already.

25

IV,5,2867

O, like a book of sport thou'lt read me o'er;
But there's more in me than thou understand'st.
Why dost thou so oppress me with thine eye?

26

IV,5,2875

It would discredit the blest gods, proud man,
To answer such a question: stand again:
Think'st thou to catch my life so pleasantly
As to prenominate in nice conjecture
Where thou wilt hit me dead?

27

IV,5,2881

Wert thou an oracle to tell me so,
I'd not believe thee. Henceforth guard thee well;
For I'll not kill thee there, nor there, nor there;
But, by the forge that stithied Mars his helm,
I'll kill thee every where, yea, o'er and o'er.
You wisest Grecians, pardon me this brag;
His insolence draws folly from my lips;
But I'll endeavour deeds to match these words,
Or may I never—

28

IV,5,2896

I pray you, let us see you in the field:
We have had pelting wars, since you refused
The Grecians' cause.

29

IV,5,2902

Thy hand upon that match.

30

V,1,3004

I trouble you.

31

V,1,3011

Thanks and good night to the Greeks' general.

32

V,1,3013

Good night, sweet lord Menelaus.

33

V,1,3024

Give me your hand.

34

V,1,3029

And so, good night.

35

V,3,3279

You train me to offend you; get you in:
By all the everlasting gods, I'll go!

36

V,3,3282

No more, I say.

37

V,3,3291

Ho! bid my trumpet sound!

38

V,3,3293

Be gone, I say: the gods have heard me swear.

39

V,3,3304

Hold you still, I say;
Mine honour keeps the weather of my fate:
Lie every man holds dear; but the brave man
Holds honour far more precious-dear than life.
[Enter TROILUS]
How now, young man! mean'st thou to fight to-day?

40

V,3,3312

No, faith, young Troilus; doff thy harness, youth;
I am to-day i' the vein of chivalry:
Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong,
And tempt not yet the brushes of the war.
Unarm thee, go, and doubt thou not, brave boy,
I'll stand to-day for thee and me and Troy.

41

V,3,3320

What vice is that, good Troilus? chide me for it.

42

V,3,3324

O,'tis fair play.

43

V,3,3326

How now! how now!

44

V,3,3332

Fie, savage, fie!

45

V,3,3334

Troilus, I would not have you fight to-day.

46

V,3,3354

AEneas is a-field;
And I do stand engaged to many Greeks,
Even in the faith of valour, to appear
This morning to them.

47

V,3,3359

I must not break my faith.
You know me dutiful; therefore, dear sir,
Let me not shame respect; but give me leave
To take that course by your consent and voice,
Which you do here forbid me, royal Priam.

48

V,3,3366

Andromache, I am offended with you:
Upon the love you bear me, get you in.

49

V,3,3383

You are amazed, my liege, at her exclaim:
Go in and cheer the town: we'll forth and fight,
Do deeds worth praise and tell you them at night.

50

V,4,3439

What art thou, Greek? art thou for Hector's match?
Art thou of blood and honour?

51

V,4,3443

I do believe thee: live.

52

V,6,3528

Yea, Troilus? O, well fought, my youngest brother!

53

V,6,3531

Pause, if thou wilt.

54

V,6,3538

Fare thee well:
I would have been much more a fresher man,
Had I expected thee. How now, my brother!

55

V,6,3549

Stand, stand, thou Greek; thou art a goodly mark:
No? wilt thou not? I like thy armour well;
I'll frush it and unlock the rivets all,
But I'll be master of it: wilt thou not,
beast, abide?
Why, then fly on, I'll hunt thee for thy hide.

56

V,8,3588

Most putrefied core, so fair without,
Thy goodly armour thus hath cost thy life.
Now is my day's work done; I'll take good breath:
Rest, sword; thou hast thy fill of blood and death.
[Puts off his helmet and hangs his shield]
behind him]

57

V,8,3599

I am unarm'd; forego this vantage, Greek.

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