history of troilus and cressida(特洛埃勒斯与克雷雪达)-第7节
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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？ TROILUS。 Fie； fie； my
brother！ Weigh you the worth and honour of a king； So great as our dread
father's； in a scale Of common ounces？ Will you with counters sum The
past…proportion of his infinite； And buckle in a waist most fathomless With
spans and inches so diminutive As fears and reasons？ Fie； for godly shame！
HELENUS。 No marvel though you bite so sharp at reasons； You are so
empty of them。 Should not our father Bear the great sway of his affairs
with reasons； Because your speech hath none that tells him so？ TROILUS。
You are for dreams and slumbers； brother priest； You fur your gloves with
reason。 Here are your reasons： You know an enemy intends you harm； You
know a sword employ'd is perilous； And reason flies the object of all harm。
Who marvels； then； when Helenus beholds A Grecian and his sword； if he
do set The very wings of reason to his heels And fly like chidden Mercury
from Jove； Or like a star disorb'd？ Nay； if we talk of reason； Let's shut our
gates and sleep。 Manhood and honour Should have hare hearts； would they
but fat their thoughts With this cramm'd reason。 Reason and respect Make
livers pale and lustihood deject。 HECTOR。 Brother； she is not worth what
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she doth； cost The keeping。 TROILUS。 What's aught but as 'tis valued？
HECTOR。 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…I And the will dotes that
is attributive To what infectiously itself affects； Without some image of th'
affected merit。 TROILUS。 I take to…day a wife； and my election Is led on
in the conduct of my will； My will enkindled by mine eyes and ears； Two
traded pilots 'twixt the dangerous shores Of will and judgment： how may I
avoid； Although my will distaste what it elected； The wife I chose？ There
can be no evasion To blench from this and to stand firm by honour。 We
turn not back the silks upon the merchant When we have soil'd them； nor
the remainder viands We do not throw in unrespective sieve； Because we
now are full。 It was thought meet Paris should do some vengeance on the
Greeks； Your breath with full consent benied his sails； The seas and winds；
old wranglers； took a truce； And did him service。 He touch'd the ports
desir'd； And for an old aunt whom the Greeks held captive He brought a
Grecian queen； whose youth and freshness Wrinkles Apollo's； and makes
stale the morning。 Why keep we her？ The Grecians keep our aunt。 Is she
worth keeping？ Why； she is a pearl Whose price hath launch'd above a
thousand ships； And turn'd crown'd kings to merchants。 If you'll avouch
'twas wisdom Paris went… As you must needs； for you all cried 'Go； go'… If
you'll confess he brought home worthy prize… As you must needs； for you
all clapp'd your hands； And cried 'Inestimable！' …why do you now The
issue of your proper wisdoms rate； And do a deed that never fortune did…
Beggar the estimation which you priz'd Richer than sea and land？ O theft
most base； That we have stol'n what we do fear to keep！ But thieves
unworthy of a thing so stol'n That in their country did them that disgrace
We fear to warrant in our native place！ CASSANDRA。 ＇Within＇ Cry；
Troyans； cry。 PRIAM。 What noise； what shriek is this？ TROILUS。 'Tis our
mad sister； I do know her voice。 CASSANDRA。 ＇Within＇ Cry； Troyans。
HECTOR。 It is Cassandra。
Enter CASSANDRA； raving
CASSANDRA。 Cry； Troyans； cry。 Lend me ten thousand eyes； And I
will fill them with prophetic tears。 HECTOR。 Peace； sister； peace。
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CASSANDRA。 Virgins and boys； mid…age and wrinkled eld； Soft infancy；
that nothing canst but cry； Add to my clamours。 Let us pay betimes A
moiety of that mass of moan to come。 Cry； Troyans； cry。 Practise your
eyes with tears。 Troy must not be； nor goodly Ilion stand； Our firebrand
brother； Paris； burns us all。 Cry； Troyans； cry； A Helen and a woe！ Cry； cry。
Troy burns； or else let Helen go。 Exit HECTOR。 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？ TROILUS。 Why；
brother Hector； We may not think the justness of each act Such and no
other than event doth form it； Nor once deject the courage of our minds
Because Cassandra's mad。 Her brain…sick raptures Cannot distaste the
goodness of a quarrel Which hath our several honours all engag'd To make
it gracious。 For my private part； I am no more touch'd than all Priam's sons；
And Jove forbid there should be done amongst us Such things as might
offend the weakest spleen To fight for and maintain。 PARIS。 Else might
the world convince of levity As well my undertakings as your counsels；
But I attest the gods； your full consent Gave wings to my propension； and
cut of All fears attending on so dire a project。 For what； alas； can these my
single arms？ What propugnation is in one man's valour To stand the push
and enmity of those This quarrel would excite？ Yet； I protest； Were I alone
to pass the difficulties； And had as ample power as I have will； Paris
should ne'er retract what he hath done Nor faint in the pursuit。 PRIAM。
Paris； you speak Like one besotted on your sweet delights。 You have the
honey still； but these the gall； So to be valiant is no praise at all。 PARIS。
Sir； I propose not merely to myself The pleasures such a beauty brings
with it； But I would have the soil of her fair rape Wip'd off in honourable
keeping her。 What treason were it to the ransack'd queen； Disgrace to your
great worths； and shame to me； Now to deliver her possession up On terms
of base compulsion！ Can it be That so degenerate a strain as this Should
once set footing in your generous bosoms？ There's not the meanest spirit
on our party Without a heart to dare or sword to draw When Helen is
defended； nor none so noble Whose life were ill bestow'd or death unfam'd
Where Helen is the subject。 Then； I say； Well may we fight for her whom
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we know well The world's large spaces cannot parallel。 HECTOR。 Paris
and Troilus； you have both said well； And on the cause and question now
in hand Have gloz'd； but superficially； not much Unlike young men； whom
Aristode thought Unfit to hear moral philosophy。 The reasons you allege
do more conduce To the hot passion of distemp'red 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 rend'red 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'er the less； My
spritely brethren； I propend to you In resolution to keep Helen still； For 'tis
a cause that hath no mean dependence Upon our joint and several dignities。
TROILUS。 Why； there you touch'd the life of our design。 Were it not glory
that we more affected Than the performance of our heaving spleens； I
would not wish a drop of Troyan blood Spent m
