German

      SCENE V

       Table of Contents

       The Grecian camp. Lists set out

      [Enter AJAX, armed; AGAMEMNON, ACHILLES, PATROCLUS, MENELAUS, ULYSSES, NESTOR, and others.]

      AGAMEMNON.

       Here art thou in appointment fresh and fair,

       Anticipating time with starting courage.

       Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy,

       Thou dreadful Ajax, that the appalled air

       May pierce the head of the great combatant,

       And hale him hither.

      AJAX.

       Thou, trumpet, there’s my purse.

       Now crack thy lungs and split thy brazen pipe;

       Blow, villain, till thy sphered bias cheek

       Outswell the colic of puff’d Aquilon.

       Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout blood:

       Thou blowest for Hector.

       [Trumpet sounds.]

      ULYSSES.

       No trumpet answers.

      ACHILLES.

       ‘Tis but early days.

       [Enter DIOMEDES, with CRESSIDA.]

      AGAMEMNON.

       Is not yond Diomed, with Calchas’ daughter?

      ULYSSES.

       ‘Tis he, I ken the manner of his gait:

       He rises on the toe. That spirit of his

       In aspiration lifts him from the earth.

       [Enter DIOMEDES with CRESSIDA.]

      AGAMEMNON.

       Is this the lady Cressid?

      DIOMEDES.

       Even she.

      AGAMEMNON.

       Most dearly welcome to the Greeks, sweet lady.

      NESTOR.

       Our general doth salute you with a kiss.

      ULYSSES.

       Yet is the kindness but particular;

       ‘Twere better she were kiss’d in general.

      NESTOR.

       And very courtly counsel: I’ll begin.

       So much for Nestor.

      ACHILLES.

       I’ll take that winter from your lips, fair lady.

       Achilles bids you welcome.

      MENELAUS.

       I had good argument for kissing once.

      PATROCLUS.

       But that’s no argument for kissing now;

       For thus popp’d Paris in his hardiment,

       And parted thus you and your argument.

      ULYSSES.

       O deadly gall, and theme of all our scorns!

       For which we lose our heads to gild his horns.

      PATROCLUS.

       The first was Menelaus’ kiss; this, mine:

       Patroclus kisses you.

      MENELAUS.

       O, this is trim!

      PATROCLUS.

       Paris and I kiss evermore for him.

      MENELAUS.

       I’ll have my kiss, sir. Lady, by your leave.

      CRESSIDA.

       In kissing, do you render or receive?

      PATROCLUS.

       Both take and give.

      CRESSIDA.

       I’ll make my match to live,

       The kiss you take is better than you give;

       Therefore no kiss.

      MENELAUS.

       I’ll give you boot; I’ll give you three for one.

      CRESSIDA.

       You are an odd man; give even or give none.

      MENELAUS.

       An odd man, lady! Every man is odd.

      CRESSIDA.

       No, Paris is not; for you know ‘tis true

       That you are odd, and he is even with you.

      MENELAUS.

       You fillip me o’ the head.

      CRESSIDA.

       No, I’ll be sworn.

      ULYSSES.

       It were no match, your nail against his horn.

       May I, sweet lady, beg a kiss of you?

      CRESSIDA.

       You may.

      ULYSSES.

       I do desire it.

      CRESSIDA.

       Why, beg then.

      ULYSSES.

       Why then, for Venus’ sake give me a kiss

       When Helen is a maid again, and his.

      CRESSIDA.

       I am your debtor; claim it when ‘tis due.

      ULYSSES.

       Never’s my day, and then a kiss of you.

      DIOMEDES.

       Lady, a word. I’ll bring you to your father.

       [Exit with CRESSIDA.]

      NESTOR.

       A woman of quick sense.

      ULYSSES.

       Fie, fie upon her!

       There’s language in her eye, her cheek, her lip,

       Nay, her foot speaks; her wanton spirits look out

       At every joint and motive of her body.

       O! these encounterers so glib of tongue

       That give a coasting welcome ere it comes,

       And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts

       To every tickling reader! Set them down

       For sluttish spoils of opportunity,

       And daughters of the game.

       [Trumpet within.]

      ALL.

       The Trojans’ trumpet.

      AGAMEMNON.

       Yonder comes the troop.

       [Enter HECTOR, armed; AENEAS, TROILUS, PARIS, HELENUS, and other