That do contrive how many hands shall strike, When fitness calls them on; and know, by mea sure Of their observant toil, the enemies' weight, - They call this-bed-work, mappery, closet-war : Nest. Let this be granted, and Achilles' horse Makes many Thetis' sons. [Trumpet sounds. What trumpet? look, Menelaus. Agam. Even this. Great Agamemnon's tent, I pray? Agam. Ene. May one, that is a herald, and a prince, Do a fair message to his kingly ears? Agam. With surety stronger than Achilles' arm 'Fore all the Greekish heads, which with one voice Call Agamemnon head and general. Ene. Fair leave, and large security. How may A stranger to those most imperial looks Know them from eyes of other mortals ? Agam. Ene. Ay; I ask, that I might waken reverence, How? Which is that god in office, guiding men? ་ Agam. This Trojan scorns us; or the men of Troy Are ceremonious courtiers. Ene. Courtiers as free, as debonair, unarm'd, Nothing so full of heart. But peace, Æneas, That breath fame follows; that praise, sole pure, .transcends. Agam. Sir, you of Troy, call you yourself Æneas? Agam. Ene. Nor I from Troy come not to whisper him: I bring a trumpet to awake his ear; To set his sense on the attentive bent, And then to speak. Agam. Speak frankly as the wind; It is not Agamemnon's sleeping hour: Ene. Trumpet, blow loud, Is rusty grown; he bade me take a trumpet, That holds his honour higher than his ease; The Grecian dames are sun-burn'd, and not worth Agam. This shall be told our lovers, lord Æneas; If none of them have soul in such a kind, We left them all at home: But we are soldiers; And may that soldier a mere recreant prove, That means not, hath not, or is not in love! If then one is, or hath, or means to be, That one meets Hector; if none else, I am he. Nest. Tell him of Nestor, one that was a man When Hector's grandsire suck'd: he is old now; But, if there be not in our Grecian host One noble man, that hath one spark of fire To answer for his love, Tell him from me, I'll hide my silver beard in a gold beaver, And in my vantbrace 2 put this wither'd brawn; And, meeting him, will tell him, That my lady Was fairer than his grandame, and as chaste As may be in the world: His youth in flood, I'll prove this truth with my three drops of blood. 2 An armour for the arm. Ene. Now heavens forbid such scarcity of youth! Ulyss. Amen. Agam. Fair lord Æneas, let me touch your hand; To our pavilion shall I lead you, sir. Achilles shall have word of this intent; So shall each lord of Greece, from tent to tent: And find the welcome of a noble foe. [Exeunt all but ULYSSES and Nestor. Ulyss. Nestor, Nest. What says Ulysses? Ulyss. I have a young conception in my brain, Be you my time to bring it to some shape. Nest. What is't? Ulyss. This 'tis : Blunt wedges rive hard knots: The seeded pride That hath to this maturity blown up In rank Achilles, must or now be cropp'd, Or, shedding, breed a nursery of like evil, Ulyss. This challenge that the gallant Hector sends, However it is spread in general name, Relates in purpose only to Achilles. Nest. The purpose is perspicuous even as substance, Whose grossness little characters sum up: ment, Ay, with celerity, find Hector's purpose Pointing on him. Ulyss. And wake him to the answer, think you? It is most meet; Whom may you else oppose, Yes, If not Achilles? Though't be a sportful combat, For here the Trojans taste our dear'st repute In this wild action: for the success, And in such indexes, although small points Of things to come at large. It is suppos'd, What heart receives from hence a conquering part, Ulyss. Give pardon to my speech; Therefore 'tis meet, Achilles meet not Hector. By showing the worse first. Do not consent, For both our honour and our shame, in this, they? my old eyes; what are Ulyss. What glory our Achilles shares from Hector, Were he not proud, we all should share with him : But he already is too insolent; 3 Size, measure. |