Act IV, Scene 1

Troy. A street.

[Enter, from one side, AENEAS, and Servant with a] [p]torch; from the other, PARIS, DEIPHOBUS, ANTENOR, [p]DIOMEDES, and others, with torches]

• Paris. See, ho! who is that there?

• Deiphobus. It is the Lord AEneas. 2200

• Aeneas. Is the prince there in person?
  Had I so good occasion to lie long
  As you, prince Paris, nothing but heavenly business
  Should rob my bed-mate of my company.

• Diomedes. That's my mind too. Good morrow, Lord AEneas. 2205

• Paris. A valiant Greek, AEneas,—take his hand,—
  Witness the process of your speech, wherein
  You told how Diomed, a whole week by days,
  Did haunt you in the field.

• Aeneas. Health to you, valiant sir, 2210
  During all question of the gentle truce;
  But when I meet you arm'd, as black defiance
  As heart can think or courage execute.

• Diomedes. The one and other Diomed embraces.
  Our bloods are now in calm; and, so long, health! 2215
  But when contention and occasion meet,
  By Jove, I'll play the hunter for thy life
  With all my force, pursuit and policy.

• Aeneas. And thou shalt hunt a lion, that will fly
  With his face backward. In humane gentleness, 2220
  Welcome to Troy! now, by Anchises' life,
  Welcome, indeed! By Venus' hand I swear,
  No man alive can love in such a sort
  The thing he means to kill more excellently.

• Diomedes. We sympathize: Jove, let AEneas live, 2225
  If to my sword his fate be not the glory,
  A thousand complete courses of the sun!
  But, in mine emulous honour, let him die,
  With every joint a wound, and that to-morrow!

• Aeneas. We know each other well. 2230

• Diomedes. We do; and long to know each other worse.

• Paris. This is the most despiteful gentle greeting,
  The noblest hateful love, that e'er I heard of.
  What business, lord, so early?

• Aeneas. I was sent for to the king; but why, I know not. 2235

• Paris. His purpose meets you: 'twas to bring this Greek
  To Calchas' house, and there to render him,
  For the enfreed Antenor, the fair Cressid:
  Let's have your company, or, if you please,
  Haste there before us: I constantly do think— 2240
  Or rather, call my thought a certain knowledge—
  My brother Troilus lodges there to-night:
  Rouse him and give him note of our approach.
  With the whole quality wherefore: I fear
  We shall be much unwelcome. 2245

• Aeneas. That I assure you:
  Troilus had rather Troy were borne to Greece
  Than Cressid borne from Troy.

• Paris. There is no help;
  The bitter disposition of the time 2250
  Will have it so. On, lord; we'll follow you.

• Aeneas. Good morrow, all.

[Exit with Servant]

• Paris. And tell me, noble Diomed, faith, tell me true,
  Even in the soul of sound good-fellowship, 2255
  Who, in your thoughts, merits fair Helen best,
  Myself or Menelaus?

• Diomedes. Both alike:
  He merits well to have her, that doth seek her,
  Not making any scruple of her soilure, 2260
  With such a hell of pain and world of charge,
  And you as well to keep her, that defend her,
  Not palating the taste of her dishonour,
  With such a costly loss of wealth and friends:
  He, like a puling cuckold, would drink up 2265
  The lees and dregs of a flat tamed piece;
  You, like a lecher, out of whorish loins
  Are pleased to breed out your inheritors:
  Both merits poised, each weighs nor less nor more;
  But he as he, the heavier for a whore. 2270

• Paris. You are too bitter to your countrywoman.

• Diomedes. She's bitter to her country: hear me, Paris:
  For every false drop in her bawdy veins
  A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple
  Of her contaminated carrion weight, 2275
  A Trojan hath been slain: since she could speak,
  She hath not given so many good words breath
  As for her Greeks and Trojans suffer'd death.

• Paris. Fair Diomed, you do as chapmen do,
  Dispraise the thing that you desire to buy: 2280
  But we in silence hold this virtue well,
  We'll but commend what we intend to sell.
  Here lies our way.

[Exeunt]