No Fear Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida: Act 1 Scene 2

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Troilus and Cressida

William Shakespeare

Original Text

Modern Text

Original Text

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter CRESSIDA and her man ALEXANDER.	Enter CRESSIDA and her man ALEXANDER.
CRESSIDA Who were those went by?	CRESSIDA Who were those went by?
ALEXANDER Queen Hecuba and Helen.	ALEXANDER Queen Hecuba and Helen.
CRESSIDA And whither go they?	CRESSIDA And whither go they?
ALEXANDER Up to the eastern tower, 5 Whose height commands as subject all the vale, To see the battle. Hector, whose patience Is as a virtue fixed, today was moved. He chid Andromache and struck his armorer; And, like as there were husbandry in war, 10 Before the sun rose he was harnessed light, And to the field goes he, where every flower Did as a prophet weep what it foresaw In Hector’s wrath.	ALEXANDER Up to the eastern tower, Whose height commands as subject all the vale, To see the battle. Hector, whose patience Is as a virtue fixed, today was moved. He chid Andromache and struck his armorer; And, like as there were husbandry in war, Before the sun rose he was harnessed light, And to the field goes he, where every flower Did as a prophet weep what it foresaw In Hector’s wrath.
CRESSIDA What was his cause of anger?	CRESSIDA What was his cause of anger?
ALEXANDER 15 The noise goes, this: there is among the Greeks A lord of Trojan blood, nephew to Hector. They call him Ajax.	ALEXANDER The noise goes, this: there is among the Greeks A lord of Trojan blood, nephew to Hector. They call him Ajax.
CRESSIDA Good; and what of him?	CRESSIDA Good; and what of him?
ALEXANDER They say he is a very man per se 20 And stands alone.	ALEXANDER They say he is a very man per se And stands alone.
CRESSIDA So do all men unless they are drunk, sick, or have no legs.	CRESSIDA So do all men unless they are drunk, sick, or have no legs.
ALEXANDER This man, lady, hath robbed many beasts of their particular additions. He is as valiant as the 25 lion, churlish as the bear, slow as the elephant, a man into whom nature hath so crowded humors that his valor is crushed into folly, his folly sauced with discretion. There is no man hath a virtue that he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint 30 but he carries some stain of it. He is melancholy without cause and merry against the hair. He hath the joints of everything, but everything so out of joint that he is a gouty Briareus, many hands and no use, or purblind Argus, all eyes and no sight.	ALEXANDER This man, lady, hath robbed many beasts of their particular additions. He is as valiant as the lion, churlish as the bear, slow as the elephant, a man into whom nature hath so crowded humors that his valor is crushed into folly, his folly sauced with discretion. There is no man hath a virtue that he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint but he carries some stain of it. He is melancholy without cause and merry against the hair. He hath the joints of everything, but everything so out of joint that he is a gouty Briareus, many hands and no use, or purblind Argus, all eyes and no sight.
CRESSIDA 35 But how should this man that makes me smile make Hector angry?	CRESSIDA But how should this man that makes me smile make Hector angry?
ALEXANDER They say he yesterday coped Hector in the battle and struck him down, the disdain and shame whereof hath ever since kept Hector fasting 40 and waking.	ALEXANDER They say he yesterday coped Hector in the battle and struck him down, the disdain and shame whereof hath ever since kept Hector fasting and waking.
Enter PANDARUS.	Enter PANDARUS.
CRESSIDA Who comes here?	CRESSIDA Who comes here?
ALEXANDER Madam, your Uncle Pandarus.	ALEXANDER Madam, your Uncle Pandarus.
CRESSIDA Hector’s a gallant man.	CRESSIDA Hector’s a gallant man.
ALEXANDER As may be in the world, lady.	ALEXANDER As may be in the world, lady.
PANDARUS 45 What’s that? What’s that?	PANDARUS What’s that? What’s that?
CRESSIDA Good morrow, Uncle Pandarus.	CRESSIDA Good morrow, Uncle Pandarus.
PANDARUS Good morrow, Cousin Cressid. What do you talk of?— Good morrow, Alexander.—How do you, cousin? When were you at Ilium?	PANDARUS Good morrow, Cousin Cressid. What do you talk of?— Good morrow, Alexander.—How do you, cousin? When were you at Ilium?
CRESSIDA 50 This morning, uncle.	CRESSIDA This morning, uncle.
PANDARUS What were you talking of when I came? Was Hector armed and gone ere you came to Ilium? Helen was not up, was she?	PANDARUS What were you talking of when I came? Was Hector armed and gone ere you came to Ilium? Helen was not up, was she?
CRESSIDA Hector was gone, but Helen was not up.	CRESSIDA Hector was gone, but Helen was not up.
PANDARUS 55 E’en so. Hector was stirring early.	PANDARUS E’en so. Hector was stirring early.
CRESSIDA That were we talking of, and of his anger.	CRESSIDA That were we talking of, and of his anger.
PANDARUS Was he angry?	PANDARUS Was he angry?
CRESSIDA So he says here.	CRESSIDA So he says here.
PANDARUS True, he was so. I know the cause too. He’ll 60 lay about him today, 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.	PANDARUS True, he was so. I know the cause too. He’ll lay about him today, 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?	CRESSIDA What, is he angry too?
PANDARUS Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of 65 the two.	PANDARUS Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of the two.
CRESSIDA O Jupiter, there’s no comparison.	CRESSIDA O Jupiter, there’s no comparison.
PANDARUS What, not between Troilus and Hector? Do you know a man if you see him?	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.	CRESSIDA Ay, if I ever saw him before and knew him.
PANDARUS 70 Well, I say Troilus is Troilus.	PANDARUS Well, I say Troilus is Troilus.
CRESSIDA Then you say as I say, for I am sure he is not Hector.	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.	PANDARUS No, nor Hector is not Troilus in some degrees.
CRESSIDA ’Tis just to each of them; he is himself.	CRESSIDA ’Tis just to each of them; he is himself.
PANDARUS 75 Himself? Alas, poor Troilus, I would he were.	PANDARUS Himself? Alas, poor Troilus, I would he were.

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter CRESSIDA and her man ALEXANDER.	Enter CRESSIDA and her man ALEXANDER.
CRESSIDA Who were those went by?	CRESSIDA Who were those went by?
ALEXANDER Queen Hecuba and Helen.	ALEXANDER Queen Hecuba and Helen.
CRESSIDA And whither go they?	CRESSIDA And whither go they?
ALEXANDER Up to the eastern tower, 5 Whose height commands as subject all the vale, To see the battle. Hector, whose patience Is as a virtue fixed, today was moved. He chid Andromache and struck his armorer; And, like as there were husbandry in war, 10 Before the sun rose he was harnessed light, And to the field goes he, where every flower Did as a prophet weep what it foresaw In Hector’s wrath.	ALEXANDER Up to the eastern tower, Whose height commands as subject all the vale, To see the battle. Hector, whose patience Is as a virtue fixed, today was moved. He chid Andromache and struck his armorer; And, like as there were husbandry in war, Before the sun rose he was harnessed light, And to the field goes he, where every flower Did as a prophet weep what it foresaw In Hector’s wrath.
CRESSIDA What was his cause of anger?	CRESSIDA What was his cause of anger?
ALEXANDER 15 The noise goes, this: there is among the Greeks A lord of Trojan blood, nephew to Hector. They call him Ajax.	ALEXANDER The noise goes, this: there is among the Greeks A lord of Trojan blood, nephew to Hector. They call him Ajax.
CRESSIDA Good; and what of him?	CRESSIDA Good; and what of him?
ALEXANDER They say he is a very man per se 20 And stands alone.	ALEXANDER They say he is a very man per se And stands alone.
CRESSIDA So do all men unless they are drunk, sick, or have no legs.	CRESSIDA So do all men unless they are drunk, sick, or have no legs.
ALEXANDER This man, lady, hath robbed many beasts of their particular additions. He is as valiant as the 25 lion, churlish as the bear, slow as the elephant, a man into whom nature hath so crowded humors that his valor is crushed into folly, his folly sauced with discretion. There is no man hath a virtue that he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint 30 but he carries some stain of it. He is melancholy without cause and merry against the hair. He hath the joints of everything, but everything so out of joint that he is a gouty Briareus, many hands and no use, or purblind Argus, all eyes and no sight.	ALEXANDER This man, lady, hath robbed many beasts of their particular additions. He is as valiant as the lion, churlish as the bear, slow as the elephant, a man into whom nature hath so crowded humors that his valor is crushed into folly, his folly sauced with discretion. There is no man hath a virtue that he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint but he carries some stain of it. He is melancholy without cause and merry against the hair. He hath the joints of everything, but everything so out of joint that he is a gouty Briareus, many hands and no use, or purblind Argus, all eyes and no sight.
CRESSIDA 35 But how should this man that makes me smile make Hector angry?	CRESSIDA But how should this man that makes me smile make Hector angry?
ALEXANDER They say he yesterday coped Hector in the battle and struck him down, the disdain and shame whereof hath ever since kept Hector fasting 40 and waking.	ALEXANDER They say he yesterday coped Hector in the battle and struck him down, the disdain and shame whereof hath ever since kept Hector fasting and waking.
Enter PANDARUS.	Enter PANDARUS.
CRESSIDA Who comes here?	CRESSIDA Who comes here?
ALEXANDER Madam, your Uncle Pandarus.	ALEXANDER Madam, your Uncle Pandarus.
CRESSIDA Hector’s a gallant man.	CRESSIDA Hector’s a gallant man.
ALEXANDER As may be in the world, lady.	ALEXANDER As may be in the world, lady.
PANDARUS 45 What’s that? What’s that?	PANDARUS What’s that? What’s that?
CRESSIDA Good morrow, Uncle Pandarus.	CRESSIDA Good morrow, Uncle Pandarus.
PANDARUS Good morrow, Cousin Cressid. What do you talk of?— Good morrow, Alexander.—How do you, cousin? When were you at Ilium?	PANDARUS Good morrow, Cousin Cressid. What do you talk of?— Good morrow, Alexander.—How do you, cousin? When were you at Ilium?
CRESSIDA 50 This morning, uncle.	CRESSIDA This morning, uncle.
PANDARUS What were you talking of when I came? Was Hector armed and gone ere you came to Ilium? Helen was not up, was she?	PANDARUS What were you talking of when I came? Was Hector armed and gone ere you came to Ilium? Helen was not up, was she?
CRESSIDA Hector was gone, but Helen was not up.	CRESSIDA Hector was gone, but Helen was not up.
PANDARUS 55 E’en so. Hector was stirring early.	PANDARUS E’en so. Hector was stirring early.
CRESSIDA That were we talking of, and of his anger.	CRESSIDA That were we talking of, and of his anger.
PANDARUS Was he angry?	PANDARUS Was he angry?
CRESSIDA So he says here.	CRESSIDA So he says here.
PANDARUS True, he was so. I know the cause too. He’ll 60 lay about him today, 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.	PANDARUS True, he was so. I know the cause too. He’ll lay about him today, 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?	CRESSIDA What, is he angry too?
PANDARUS Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of 65 the two.	PANDARUS Who, Troilus? Troilus is the better man of the two.
CRESSIDA O Jupiter, there’s no comparison.	CRESSIDA O Jupiter, there’s no comparison.
PANDARUS What, not between Troilus and Hector? Do you know a man if you see him?	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.	CRESSIDA Ay, if I ever saw him before and knew him.
PANDARUS 70 Well, I say Troilus is Troilus.	PANDARUS Well, I say Troilus is Troilus.
CRESSIDA Then you say as I say, for I am sure he is not Hector.	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.	PANDARUS No, nor Hector is not Troilus in some degrees.
CRESSIDA ’Tis just to each of them; he is himself.	CRESSIDA ’Tis just to each of them; he is himself.
PANDARUS 75 Himself? Alas, poor Troilus, I would he were.	PANDARUS Himself? Alas, poor Troilus, I would he were.