PROLOGUE. In Troy, there lies the scene. From isles of Greece The princes orgulous,' their high blood chaf'd, With wanton Paris sleeps; And that's the quarrel. And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge The princes orgulous,] Orgulous, i. e. proud, disdainful. Orgueilleux, Fr. - fulfilling bolts,] To fulfill, in this place, means to fill till there be no room for more. In this sense it is now obsolete. 3 Sperr up the sons of Troy.] To sperre, or spar, from the old Teutonick word Speren, signifies to shut up, defend by bars, &c. 4 A prologue arm'd,] I come here to speak the prologue, and Of author's pen, or actor's voice; but suited come in armour; not defying the audience, in confidence of either the author's or actor's abilities, but merely in a character suited to the subject, in a dress of war, before a warlike play. 3 - the vaunt-] i, e. the avant, what went before, Priam, King of Troy: Hector, Troilus, Paris, Deiphobus, Helenus, Æneas, Antenor, his Sons. Trojan Commanders. Calchas, a Trojan Priest, taking part withthe Greeks. Pandarus, Uncle to Cressida. Margarelon, a bastard Son of Priam. Agamemnon, the Grecian General: Achilles, Ajax, Nestor, Patroclus, } Grecian Commanders. Thersites, a deformed and scurrilous Grecian. Alexander, Servant to Cressida. Servant to Troilus; Servant to Paris; Servant to Diomedes. Helen, Wife to Menelaus. Andromache, Wife to Hector. Cassandra, Daughter to Priam; a Prophetess. Trojan and Greek Soldiers, and Attendants. SCENE, Troy, and the Grecian Camp before it. TROILUS AND CRESSIDA. Y ACT I.. SCENE I. Troy. Before Priam's Palace. Enter TROILUs armed, and PANDARUS. Tro. Call here my varlet, I'll unarm again: Why should I war without the walls of Troy, That find such cruel battle here within? Each Trojan, that is master of his heart, Let him to field; Troilus, alas! hath none. Pan. Will this geer ne'er be mended? Tro. The Greeks are strong, and skilful to their strength, Fierce to their skill, and to their fierceness valiant; Pan. Well, I have told you enough of this: for my part, I'll not meddle nor make no further. He, that will have a cake out of the wheat, must tarry the grinding. Tro. Have I not tarried? Pan. Ay, the grinding; but you must tarry the bolting. 6 Tro. Have I not tarried? ٣١٦١٦٦ my varlet,] This word anciently signified a servant or footman to a knight or warrior. -fonder-] i. e. more weak, or foolish. 12 Pan. Ay, the bolting; but you must tarry the leavening. Tro. Still have I tarried. Pan. Ay, to the leavening: but here's yet in the word-hereafter, the kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven, and the baking; nay, you must stay the cooling too, or you may chance to burn your lips. Tro. Patience herself, what goddess e'er she be, Doth lesser blench at sufferance than. I do. At Priam's royal table do I sit; And when fair Cressid comes into my thoughts,So, traitor! when she comes! - When is she thence? Pan. Well, she looked yesternight fairer than ever I saw her look, or any woman else. Tro. I was about to tell thee, -When my heart, As wedged with a sigh, would rive in twain; Lest Hector or my father should perceive me, I have (as when the sun doth light a storm,) Bury'd this sigh in wrinkle of a smile : But sorrow, that is couch'd in seeming gladness, Is like that mirth fate turns to sudden sadness. Pan. An her hair were not somewhat darker than Helen's, (well, go to,) there were no more comparison between the women.-But, for my part, she is my kinswoman; I would not, as they term it, praise her,-But I would somebody had heard her talk yesterday, as I did. I will not dispraise your sister Cassandra's wit; but Tro. O, Pandarus! I tell thee, Pandarus, When I do tell thee, There my hopes lie drown'd, Reply not in how many fathoms deep They lie indrench'd. I tell thee, I am mad In Cressid's love: Thou answer'st, She is fair; * Doth lesser blench-] To blench is to shrink, start, or fly off |