Open Source Shakespeare

Troilus and Cressida

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Act IV, Scene 2

The same. Court of Pandarus’ house.

       

[Enter TROILUS and CRESSIDA]

  • Troilus. Dear, trouble not yourself: the morn is cold.
  • Cressida. Then, sweet my lord, I'll call mine uncle down;
    He shall unbolt the gates.
  • Troilus. Trouble him not;
    To bed, to bed: sleep kill those pretty eyes, 2290
    And give as soft attachment to thy senses
    As infants' empty of all thought!
  • Cressida. Good morrow, then.
  • Troilus. I prithee now, to bed.
  • Cressida. Are you a-weary of me? 2295
  • Troilus. O Cressida! but that the busy day,
    Waked by the lark, hath roused the ribald crows,
    And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer,
    I would not from thee.
  • Cressida. Night hath been too brief. 2300
  • Troilus. Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she stays
    As tediously as hell, but flies the grasps of love
    With wings more momentary-swift than thought.
    You will catch cold, and curse me.
  • Cressida. Prithee, tarry: 2305
    You men will never tarry.
    O foolish Cressid! I might have still held off,
    And then you would have tarried. Hark!
    there's one up.
  • Pandarus. [Within] What, 's all the doors open here? 2310
  • Troilus. It is your uncle.
  • Cressida. A pestilence on him! now will he be mocking:
    I shall have such a life!

[Enter PANDARUS]

  • Pandarus. How now, how now! how go maidenheads? Here, you 2315
    maid! where's my cousin Cressid?
  • Cressida. Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle!
    You bring me to do, and then you flout me too.
  • Pandarus. To do what? to do what? let her say
    what: what have I brought you to do? 2320
  • Cressida. Come, come, beshrew your heart! you'll ne'er be good,
    Nor suffer others.
  • Pandarus. Ha! ha! Alas, poor wretch! ah, poor capocchia!
    hast not slept to-night? would he not, a naughty
    man, let it sleep? a bugbear take him! 2325
  • Cressida. Did not I tell you? Would he were knock'd i' the head!
    [Knocking within]
    Who's that at door? good uncle, go and see.
    My lord, come you again into my chamber:
    You smile and mock me, as if I meant naughtily. 2330
  • Troilus. Ha, ha!
  • Cressida. Come, you are deceived, I think of no such thing.
    [Knocking within]
    How earnestly they knock! Pray you, come in:
    I would not for half Troy have you seen here. 2335

[Exeunt TROILUS and CRESSIDA]

  • Pandarus. Who's there? what's the matter? will you beat
    down the door? How now! what's the matter?

[Enter AENEAS]

  • Aeneas. Good morrow, lord, good morrow. 2340
  • Pandarus. Who's there? my Lord AEneas! By my troth,
    I knew you not: what news with you so early?
  • Aeneas. Is not Prince Troilus here?
  • Pandarus. Here! what should he do here?
  • Aeneas. Come, he is here, my lord; do not deny him: 2345
    It doth import him much to speak with me.
  • Pandarus. Is he here, say you? 'tis more than I know, I'll
    be sworn: for my own part, I came in late. What
    should he do here?
  • Aeneas. Who!—nay, then: come, come, you'll do him wrong 2350
    ere you're ware: you'll be so true to him, to be
    false to him: do not you know of him, but yet go
    fetch him hither; go.

[Re-enter TROILUS]

  • Troilus. How now! what's the matter? 2355
  • Aeneas. My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you,
    My matter is so rash: there is at hand
    Paris your brother, and Deiphobus,
    The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor
    Deliver'd to us; and for him forthwith, 2360
    Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour,
    We must give up to Diomedes' hand
    The Lady Cressida.
  • Troilus. Is it so concluded?
  • Aeneas. By Priam and the general state of Troy: 2365
    They are at hand and ready to effect it.
  • Troilus. How my achievements mock me!
    I will go meet them: and, my Lord AEneas,
    We met by chance; you did not find me here.
  • Aeneas. Good, good, my lord; the secrets of nature 2370
    Have not more gift in taciturnity.

[Exeunt TROILUS and AENEAS]

  • Pandarus. Is't possible? no sooner got but lost? The devil
    take Antenor! the young prince will go mad: a
    plague upon Antenor! I would they had broke 's neck! 2375

[Re-enter CRESSIDA]

  • Cressida. How now! what's the matter? who was here?
  • Pandarus. Ah, ah!
  • Cressida. Why sigh you so profoundly? where's my lord? gone!
    Tell me, sweet uncle, what's the matter? 2380
  • Pandarus. Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above!
  • Cressida. O the gods! what's the matter?
  • Pandarus. Prithee, get thee in: would thou hadst ne'er been
    born! I knew thou wouldst be his death. O, poor
    gentleman! A plague upon Antenor! 2385
  • Cressida. Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees! beseech you,
    what's the matter?
  • Pandarus. Thou must be gone, wench, thou must be gone; thou
    art changed for Antenor: thou must to thy father,
    and be gone from Troilus: 'twill be his death; 2390
    'twill be his bane; he cannot bear it.
  • Cressida. O you immortal gods! I will not go.
  • Pandarus. Thou must.
  • Cressida. I will not, uncle: I have forgot my father;
    I know no touch of consanguinity; 2395
    No kin no love, no blood, no soul so near me
    As the sweet Troilus. O you gods divine!
    Make Cressid's name the very crown of falsehood,
    If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death,
    Do to this body what extremes you can; 2400
    But the strong base and building of my love
    Is as the very centre of the earth,
    Drawing all things to it. I'll go in and weep,—
  • Pandarus. Do, do.
  • Cressida. Tear my bright hair and scratch my praised cheeks, 2405
    Crack my clear voice with sobs and break my heart
    With sounding Troilus. I will not go from Troy.

[Exeunt]