HECTOR.
And so, good night.
[Exit DIOMEDES; ULYSSES and TROILUS following.]
ACHILLES.
Come, come, enter my tent.
[Exeunt all but THERSITES.]
THERSITES. That same Diomed’s a false-hearted rogue, a most unjust knave; I will no more trust him when he leers than I will a serpent when he hisses. He will spend his mouth and promise, like Brabbler the hound; but when he performs, astronomers foretell it: it is prodigious, there will come some change; the sun borrows of the moon when Diomed keeps his word. I will rather leave to see Hector than not to dog him. They say he keeps a Trojan drab, and uses the traitor Calchas’ tent. I’ll after. Nothing but lechery! All incontinent varlets!
[Exit.]
SCENE 2. The Grecian camp. Before CALCHAS’ tent
[Enter DIOMEDES.]
DIOMEDES.
What, are you up here, ho! Speak.
CALCHAS.
[Within.] Who calls?
DIOMEDES.
Diomed. Calchas, I think. Where’s your daughter?
CALCHAS.
[Within.] She comes to you.
[Enter TROILUS and ULYSSES, at a distance; after them THERSITES.]
ULYSSES.
Stand where the torch may not discover us.
[Enter CRESSIDA.]
TROILUS.
Cressid comes forth to him.
DIOMEDES.
How now, my charge!
CRESSIDA.
Now, my sweet guardian! Hark, a word with you.
[Whispers.]
TROILUS.
Yea, so familiar!
ULYSSES.
She will sing any man at first sight.
THERSITES.
And any man may sing her, if he can take her cliff; she’s noted.
DIOMEDES.
Will you remember?
CRESSIDA.
Remember! Yes.
DIOMEDES.
Nay, but do, then;
And let your mind be coupled with your words.
TROILUS.
What should she remember?
ULYSSES.
List!
CRESSIDA.
Sweet honey Greek, tempt me no more to folly.
THERSITES.
Roguery!
DIOMEDES.
Nay, then
CRESSIDA.
I’ll tell you what—
DIOMEDES.
Fo, fo! come, tell a pin; you are a forsworn.
CRESSIDA.
In faith, I cannot. What would you have me do?
THERSITES.
A juggling trick, to be secretly open.
DIOMEDES.
What did you swear you would bestow on me?
CRESSIDA.
I prithee, do not hold me to mine oath;
Bid me do anything but that, sweet Greek.
DIOMEDES.
Good night.
TROILUS.
Hold, patience!
ULYSSES.
How now, Trojan!
CRESSIDA.
Diomed!
DIOMEDES.
No, no, good night; I’ll be your fool no more.
TROILUS.
Thy better must.
CRESSIDA.
Hark! one word in your ear.
TROILUS.
O plague and madness!
ULYSSES.
You are moved, Prince; let us depart, I pray you,
Lest your displeasure should enlarge itself
To wrathful terms. This place is dangerous;
The time right deadly; I beseech you, go.
TROILUS.
Behold, I pray you.
ULYSSES.
Nay, good my lord, go off;
You flow to great distraction; come, my lord.
TROILUS.
I pray thee stay.
ULYSSES.
You have not patience; come.
TROILUS.
I pray you, stay; by hell and all hell’s torments,
I will not speak a word.
DIOMEDES.
And so, good night.
CRESSIDA.
Nay, but you part in anger.
TROILUS.
Doth that grieve thee? O withered truth!
ULYSSES.
How now, my lord?
TROILUS.
By Jove, I will be patient.
CRESSIDA.
Guardian! Why, Greek!
DIOMEDES.
Fo, fo! adieu! you palter.
CRESSIDA.
In faith, I do not. Come hither once again.
ULYSSES.
You shake, my lord, at something; will you go?
You will break out.
TROILUS.
She strokes his cheek.
ULYSSES.
Come, come.
TROILUS.
Nay, stay; by Jove, I will not speak a word:
There is between my will and all offences
A guard of patience. Stay a little while.
THERSITES. How the devil Luxury, with his fat rump and potato finger, tickles these together! Fry, lechery, fry!
DIOMEDES.
But will you, then?
CRESSIDA.
In faith, I will, la; never trust me else.
DIOMEDES.
Give me some token for the surety of it.
CRESSIDA.
I’ll fetch you one.
[Exit.]
ULYSSES.
You have sworn patience.
TROILUS.
Fear me not, my lord;
I will not be myself, nor have cognition
Of what I feel. I am all patience.
[Re-enter CRESSIDA.]
THERSITES.