Troilus and Cressida

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.

Pandarus

Will this gear ne’er be mended?

Troilus

The Greeks are strong and skilful to their strength, Fierce to their skill and to their fierceness valiant; But I am weaker than a woman’s tear, Tamer than sleep, fonder than ignorance, Less valiant than the virgin in the night And skilless as unpractised infancy.

Pandarus

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 needs tarry the grinding.

True, he was so: I know the cause too: he’ll lay about him to-day, I can tell them that: and there’s Troilus will not come far behind him; let them take heed of Troilus, I can tell them that too.

Cressida

What, is he angry too?

Pandarus

Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of the two.

Cressida

O Jupiter! there’s no comparison.

Pandarus

What, not between Troilus and Hector? Do you know a man if you see him?

Cressida

Ay, if I ever saw him before and knew him.

Pandarus

Well, I say Troilus is Troilus.

Cressida

Then you say as I say; for, I am sure, he is not Hector.

Pandarus

No, nor Hector is not Troilus in some degrees.

Cressida

’Tis just to each of them; he is himself.

Pandarus

Himself! Alas, poor Troilus! I would he were.

Cressida

So he is.

Pandarus

Condition, I had gone barefoot to India.

Cressida

He is not Hector.

Pandarus

Himself! no, he’s not himself: would a’ were himself! Well, the gods are above; time must friend or end: well, Troilus, well: I would my heart were in her body. No, Hector is not a better man than Troilus.

Troilus

You know now your hostages; your uncle’s word and my firm faith.

Pandarus

Nay, I’ll give my word for her too: our kindred, though they be long ere they are wooed, they are constant being won: they are burs, I can tell you; they’ll stick where they are thrown.

Cressida

Boldness comes to me now, and brings me heart. Prince Troilus, I have loved you night and day For many weary months.

Troilus

Why was my Cressid then so hard to win?

Cressida

Hard to seem won: but I was won, my lord, With the first glance that ever⁠—pardon me⁠— If I confess much, you will play the tyrant. I love you now; but not, till now, so much But I might master it: in faith, I lie; My thoughts were like unbridled children, grown Too headstrong for their mother. See, we fools! Why have I blabb’d? who shall be true to us, When we are so unsecret to ourselves? But, though I loved you well, I woo’d you not: And yet, good faith, I wish’d myself a man, Or that we women had men’s privilege Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue, For in this rapture I shall surely speak The thing I shall repent. See, see, your silence, Cunning in dumbness, from my weakness draws My very soul of counsel! stop my mouth.

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?

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!

Cressida

Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees I 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; ’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; 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; 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—