history of troilus and cressida(特洛埃勒斯与克雷雪达)-第8节
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would not wish a drop of Troyan blood Spent more in her defence。 But；
worthy Hector； She is a theme of honour and renown； A spur to valiant and
magnanimous deeds； Whose present courage may beat down our foes； And
fame in time to come canonize us； For I presume brave Hector would not
lose So rich advantage of a promis'd glory As smiles upon the forehead of
this action For the wide world's revenue。 HECTOR。 I am yours； You
valiant offspring of great Priamus。 I have a roisting challenge sent
amongst The dull and factious nobles of the Greeks Will strike amazement
to their drowsy spirits。 I was advertis'd their great general slept； Whilst
emulation in the army crept。 This； I presume； will wake him。 Exeunt
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SCENE 3。 The Grecian camp。 Before the tent of
ACHILLES
Enter THERSITES； solus
THERSITES。 How now； Thersites！ What； lost in the labyrinth of thy
fury？ Shall the elephant Ajax carry it thus？ He beats me； and I rail at him。
O worthy satisfaction！ Would it were otherwise： that I could beat him；
whilst he rail'd at me！ 'Sfoot； I'll learn to conjure and raise devils； but I'll
see some issue of my spiteful execrations。 Then there's Achilles； a rare
engineer！ If Troy be not taken till these two undermine it； the walls will
stand till they fall of themselves。 O thou great thunder…darter of Olympus；
forget that thou art Jove； the king of gods； and； Mercury； lose all the
serpentine craft of thy caduceus； if ye take not that little little less…than…
little wit from them that they have！ which short…arm'd ignorance itself
knows is so abundant scarce； it will not in circumvention deliver a fly
from a spider without drawing their massy irons and cutting the web。 After
this； the vengeance on the whole camp！ or； rather； the Neapolitan bone…
ache！ for that； methinks； is the curse depending on those that war for a
placket。 I have said my prayers； and devil Envy say 'Amen。' What ho！ my
Lord Achilles！
Enter PATROCLUS
PATROCLUS。 Who's there？ Thersites！ Good Thersites； come in and
rail。 THERSITES。 If I could 'a rememb'red a gilt counterfeit； thou wouldst
not have slipp'd out of my contemplation； but it is no matter； thyself upon
thyself！ The common curse of mankind； folly and ignorance； be thine in
great revenue！ Heaven bless thee from a tutor； and discipline come not
near thee！ Let thy blood be thy direction till thy death。 Then if she that
lays thee out says thou art a fair corse； I'll be sworn and sworn upon't she
never shrouded any but lazars。 Amen。 Where's Achilles？ PATROCLUS。
What； art thou devout？ Wast thou in prayer？ THERSITES。 Ay； the heavens
hear me！ PATROCLUS。 Amen。
Enter ACHILLES
ACHILLES。 Who's there？ PATROCLUS。 Thersites； my lord。
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ACHILLES。 Where； where？ O； where？ Art thou come？ Why； my cheese；
my digestion； why hast thou not served thyself in to my table so many
meals？ Come； what's Agamemnon？ THERSITES。 Thy commander；
Achilles。 Then tell me； Patroclus； what's Achilles？ PATROCLUS。 Thy lord；
Thersites。 Then tell me； I pray thee； what's Thersites？ THERSITES。 Thy
knower； Patroclus。 Then tell me； Patroclus； what art thou？ PATROCLUS。
Thou must tell that knowest。 ACHILLES。 O； tell； tell； THERSITES。 I'll
decline the whole question。 Agamemnon commands Achilles； Achilles is
my lord； I am Patroclus' knower； and Patroclus is a fool。 PATROCLUS。
You rascal！ THERSITES。 Peace； fool！ I have not done。 ACHILLES。 He is
a privileg'd man。 Proceed； Thersites。 THERSITES。 Agamemnon is a fool；
Achilles is a fool； Thersites is a fool； and； as aforesaid； Patroclus is a fool。
ACHILLES。 Derive this； come。 THERSITES。 Agamemnon is a fool to
offer to command Achilles； Achilles is a fool to be commanded of
Agamemnon； Thersites is a fool to serve such a fool； and this Patroclus is
a fool positive。 PATROCLUS。 Why am I a fool？ THERSITES。 Make that
demand of the Creator。 It suffices me thou art。 Look you； who comes here？
ACHILLES。 Come； Patroclus； I'll speak with nobody。 Come in with me；
Thersites。 Exit THERSITES。 Here is such patchery； such juggling； and
such knavery。 All the argument is a whore and a cuckold…a good quarrel to
draw emulous factions and bleed to death upon。 Now the dry serpigo on
the subject； and war and lechery confound all！ Exit
Enter AGAMEMNON； ULYSSES； NESTOR； DIOMEDES； AJAX；
and CALCHAS
AGAMEMNON。 Where is Achilles？ PATROCLUS。 Within his tent；
but ill…dispos'd； my lord。 AGAMEMNON。 Let it be known to him that we
are here。 He shent our messengers； and we lay by Our appertainings；
visiting of him。 Let him be told so； lest； perchance； he think We dare not
move the question of our place Or know not what we are。 PATROCLUS。 I
shall say so to him。 Exit ULYSSES。 We saw him at the opening of his tent。
He is not sick。 AJAX。 Yes； lion…sick； sick of proud heart。 You may call it
melancholy； if you will favour the man； but； by my head； 'tis pride。 But
why； why？ Let him show us a cause。 A word； my lord。 ＇Takes
AGAMEMNON aside＇ NESTOR。 What moves Ajax thus to bay at him？
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ULYSSES。 Achilles hath inveigled his fool from him。 NESTOR。Who；
Thersites？ ULYSSES。 He。 NESTOR。 Then will Ajax lack matter； if he
have lost his argument ULYSSES。 No； you see he is his argument that has
his argument… Achilles。 NESTOR。 All the better； their fraction is more our
wish than their faction。 But it was a strong composure a fool could
disunite！ ULYSSES。 The amity that wisdom knits not； folly may easily
untie。
Re…enter PATROCLUS
Here comes Patroclus。 NESTOR。 No Achilles with him。 ULYSSES。
The elephant hath joints； but none for courtesy； his legs are legs for
necessity； not for flexure。 PATROCLUS。 Achilles bids me say he is much
sorry If any thing more than your sport and pleasure Did move your
greatness and this noble state To call upon him； he hopes it is no other But
for your health and your digestion sake； An after…dinner's breath。
AGAMEMNON。 Hear you； Patroclus。 We are too well acquainted with
these answers； But his evasion； wing'd thus swift with scorn； Cannot
outfly our apprehensions。 Much attribute he hath； and much the reason
Why we ascribe it to him。 Yet all his virtues； Not virtuously on his own
part beheld； Do in our eyes begin to lose their gloss； Yea； like fair fruit in
an unwholesome dish； Are like to rot untasted。 Go and tell him We come
to speak with him； and you shall not sin If you do say we think him over…
proud And under…honest； in self…assumption greater Than in the note of
judgment； and worthier than himself Here tend the savage strangeness he
puts on； Disguise the holy strength of their command； And underwrite in
an observing kind His humorous predominance； yea； watch His pettish
lunes； his ebbs； his flows； as if The passage and whole carriage of this
action Rode on his tide。 Go tell him this； and ad That if he overhold his
price so much We'll none of him； but let him； like an engine Not portable；
lie under this report： Bring action hither； this cannot go to war。 A stirring
dwarf we do allowance give Before a sleeping giant。 Tell him so。
PATROCLUS。 I shall； and bring his answer presently。 Exit
AGAMEMNON。 In second voice we'll not be satisfied； We come to speak
with him。 Ulysses； enter you。 Exit ULYSSES AJAX。 What is he more than
another？ AGAMEMNON。 No more than what he thinks he is。 AJAX。 Is he
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so much？ Do you not think he thinks himself a better man than I am？
AGAMEMNON。 No question。 AJAX。 Will you subscribe his thought and
say
