No Fear Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida: Act 3 Scene 1

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Troilus and Cressida

William Shakespeare

Original Text

Modern Text

die

Original Text

Modern Text

die

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Original Text	Modern Text
Music sounds within. Enter PANDARUS and PARIS’s Servingman.	Music sounds within. Enter PANDARUS and PARIS’s Servingman.
PANDARUS Friend, you, pray you, a word. Do you not follow the young Lord Paris?	PANDARUS Friend, you, pray you, a word. Do you not follow the young Lord Paris?
MAN Ay, sir, when he goes before me.	MAN Ay, sir, when he goes before me.
PANDARUS You depend upon him, I mean.	PANDARUS You depend upon him, I mean.
MAN 5 Sir, I do depend upon the Lord.	MAN Sir, I do depend upon the Lord.
PANDARUS You depend upon a notable gentleman. I must needs praise him.	PANDARUS You depend upon a notable gentleman. I must needs praise him.
MAN The Lord be praised!	MAN The Lord be praised!
PANDARUS You know me, do you not?	PANDARUS You know me, do you not?
MAN 10 Faith, sir, superficially.	MAN Faith, sir, superficially.
PANDARUS Friend, know me better. I am the Lord Pandarus.	PANDARUS Friend, know me better. I am the Lord Pandarus.
MAN I hope I shall know your Honor better.	MAN I hope I shall know your Honor better.
PANDARUS I do desire it.	PANDARUS I do desire it.
MAN 15 You are in the state of grace?	MAN You are in the state of grace?
PANDARUS Grace? Not so, friend. “Honor” and “Lordship” are my titles. What music is this?	PANDARUS Grace? Not so, friend. “Honor” and “Lordship” are my titles. What music is this?
MAN I do but partly know, sir. It is music in parts.	MAN I do but partly know, sir. It is music in parts.
PANDARUS Know you the musicians?	PANDARUS Know you the musicians?
MAN 20 Wholly, sir.	MAN Wholly, sir.
PANDARUS Who play they to?	PANDARUS Who play they to?
MAN To the hearers, sir.	MAN To the hearers, sir.
PANDARUS At whose pleasure, friend?	PANDARUS At whose pleasure, friend?
MAN At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.	MAN At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.
PANDARUS 25 Command, I mean, friend.	PANDARUS Command, I mean, friend.
MAN Who shall I command, sir?	MAN Who shall I command, sir?
PANDARUS Friend, we understand not one another. I am too courtly and thou art too cunning. At whose request do these men play?	PANDARUS Friend, we understand not one another. I am too courtly and thou art too cunning. At whose request do these men play?
MAN 30 That’s to ’t indeed, sir. Marry, sir, at the request of Paris my lord, who is there in person; with him the mortal Venus, the heart blood of beauty, love’s visible soul.	MAN That’s to ’t indeed, sir. Marry, sir, at the request of Paris my lord, who is there in person; with him the mortal Venus, the heart blood of beauty, love’s visible soul.
PANDARUS Who, my cousin Cressida?	PANDARUS Who, my cousin Cressida?
MAN 35 No, sir, Helen. Could not you find out that by her attributes?	MAN No, sir, Helen. Could not you find out that by her attributes?
PANDARUS It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the Lady Cressid. I come to speak with Paris from the Prince Troilus. I will make a complimental 40 assault upon him, for my business seethes.	PANDARUS It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the Lady Cressid. I come to speak with Paris from the Prince Troilus. I will make a complimental assault upon him, for my business seethes.
MAN Sodden business! There’s a stewed phrase indeed.	MAN Sodden business! There’s a stewed phrase indeed.
Enter PARIS and HELEN with Attendants.	Enter PARIS and HELEN with Attendants.
PANDARUS Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company! Fair desires in all fair measure fairly guide them!—Especially to you, fair queen, fair 45 thoughts be your fair pillow!	PANDARUS Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company! Fair desires in all fair measure fairly guide them!—Especially to you, fair queen, fair thoughts be your fair pillow!
HELEN Dear lord, you are full of fair words.	HELEN Dear lord, you are full of fair words.
PANDARUS You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen.—Fair prince, here is good broken music.	PANDARUS You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen.—Fair prince, here is good broken music.
PARIS You have broke it, cousin, and, by my life, you 50 shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance.	PARIS You have broke it, cousin, and, by my life, you shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance.
HELEN He is full of harmony.	HELEN He is full of harmony.
PANDARUS Truly, lady, no.	PANDARUS Truly, lady, no.
HELEN O, sir—	HELEN O, sir—
PANDARUS 55 Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.	PANDARUS Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.
PARIS Well said, my lord; well, you say so in fits.	PARIS Well said, my lord; well, you say so in fits.
PANDARUS I have business to my lord, dear queen.— My lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?	PANDARUS I have business to my lord, dear queen.— My lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?
HELEN Nay, this shall not hedge us out. We’ll hear you 60 sing, certainly.	HELEN Nay, this shall not hedge us out. We’ll hear you sing, certainly.
PANDARUS Well, sweet queen, you are pleasant with me.—But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most esteemed friend, your brother Troilus—	PANDARUS Well, sweet queen, you are pleasant with me.—But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most esteemed friend, your brother Troilus—
HELEN My Lord Pandarus, honey-sweet lord—	HELEN My Lord Pandarus, honey-sweet lord—
PANDARUS 65 Go to, sweet queen, go to—commends himself most affectionately to you—	PANDARUS Go to, sweet queen, go to—commends himself most affectionately to you—
HELEN You shall not bob us out of our melody. If you do, our melancholy upon your head!	HELEN You shall not bob us out of our melody. If you do, our melancholy upon your head!
PANDARUS Sweet queen, sweet queen, that’s a sweet 70 queen, i’ faith— And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence. Nay, that shall not serve your turn, that shall it not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words, no, no.—And, my lord, he desires you that 75 if the King call for him at supper, you will make his excuse.	PANDARUS Sweet queen, sweet queen, that’s a sweet queen, i’ faith— And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence. Nay, that shall not serve your turn, that shall it not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words, no, no.—And, my lord, he desires you that if the King call for him at supper, you will make his excuse.
HELEN My Lord Pandarus—	HELEN My Lord Pandarus—
PANDARUS What says my sweet queen, my very, very sweet queen?	PANDARUS What says my sweet queen, my very, very sweet queen?
PARIS 80 What exploit’s in hand? Where sups he tonight?	PARIS What exploit’s in hand? Where sups he tonight?
HELEN Nay, but, my lord—	HELEN Nay, but, my lord—
PANDARUS What says my sweet queen? My cousin will fall out with you.	PANDARUS What says my sweet queen? My cousin will fall out with you.
HELEN , to PARIS You must not know where he sups.	HELEN , to PARIS You must not know where he sups.
PARIS 85 I’ll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida.	PARIS I’ll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida.
PANDARUS No, no, no such matter; you are wide. Come, your disposer is sick.	PANDARUS No, no, no such matter; you are wide. Come, your disposer is sick.
PARIS Well, I’ll make ’s excuse.	PARIS Well, I’ll make ’s excuse.
PANDARUS Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? 90 No, your poor disposer’s sick.	PANDARUS Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? No, your poor disposer’s sick.
PARIS I spy.	PARIS I spy.
PANDARUS You spy? What do you spy?—Come, give me an instrument.	PANDARUS You spy? What do you spy?—Come, give me an instrument.
An attendant gives him an instrument.	An attendant gives him an instrument.
Now, sweet queen.	Now, sweet queen.
HELEN 95 Why, this is kindly done.	HELEN Why, this is kindly done.
PANDARUS My niece is horribly in love with a thing you have, sweet queen.	PANDARUS My niece is horribly in love with a thing you have, sweet queen.
HELEN She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my Lord Paris.	HELEN She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my Lord Paris.
PANDARUS 100 He? No, she’ll none of him. They two are twain.	PANDARUS He? No, she’ll none of him. They two are twain.
HELEN Falling in after falling out may make them three.	HELEN Falling in after falling out may make them three.
PANDARUS Come, come, I’ll hear no more of this. I’ll 105 sing you a song now.	PANDARUS Come, come, I’ll hear no more of this. I’ll sing you a song now.
HELEN Ay, ay, prithee. Now, by my troth, sweet lord, thou hast a fine forehead.	HELEN Ay, ay, prithee. Now, by my troth, sweet lord, thou hast a fine forehead.
PANDARUS Ay, you may, you may.	PANDARUS Ay, you may, you may.
HELEN Let thy song be love. “This love will undo us all.” 110 O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!	HELEN Let thy song be love. “This love will undo us all.” O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!
PANDARUS Love? Ay, that it shall, i’ faith.	PANDARUS Love? Ay, that it shall, i’ faith.
PARIS Ay, good now, “Love, love, nothing but love.”	PARIS Ay, good now, “Love, love, nothing but love.”
PANDARUS In good troth, it begins so. Love, love, nothing but love, still love, still more! 115 For, O, love’s bow Shoots buck and doe. The shaft confounds Not that it wounds But tickles still the sore. 120 These lovers cry “O ho!” they die, Yet that which seems the wound to kill Doth turn “O ho!” to “Ha ha he!” So dying love lives still. “O ho!” awhile, but “Ha ha ha!” 125 “O ho!”groans out for “ha ha ha!”—Hey ho!	PANDARUS I will, and here’s how it begins. Love, love, nothing but love, even now love, even more love now! For, oh, Cupid’s arrow Shoots male and female. The shaft pierces, But it doesn’t wound Only tickles the gash. These lovers cry “O ho!”and they die “Die” and “dying” were used to describe a sexual orgasm. die . And that which seemed to be a fatal wound Turns “Oh ho!” into “Ha ha he!” So the love that dies lives on. “O ho!” is uttered for a while, but “Ha ha ha!” follows, Groans of “O ho!” turn into “ha ha ha!”—And that’s how it goes!
HELEN In love, i’ faith, to the very tip of the nose.	HELEN In love, i’ faith, to the very tip of the nose.
PARIS He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds hot blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.	PARIS He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds hot blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.
PANDARUS 130 Is this the generation of love? Hot blood, hot thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers. Is love a generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who’s afield today?	PANDARUS Is this the generation of love? Hot blood, hot thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers. Is love a generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who’s afield today?
PARIS Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the 135 gallantry of Troy. I would fain have armed today, but my Nell would not have it so. How chance my brother Troilus went not?	PARIS Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the gallantry of Troy. I would fain have armed today, but my Nell would not have it so. How chance my brother Troilus went not?
HELEN He hangs the lip at something.—You know all, Lord Pandarus.	HELEN He hangs the lip at something.—You know all, Lord Pandarus.
PANDARUS 140 Not I, honey sweet queen. I long to hear how they sped today.—You’ll remember your brother’s excuse?	PANDARUS Not I, honey sweet queen. I long to hear how they sped today.—You’ll remember your brother’s excuse?
PARIS To a hair.	PARIS To a hair.
PANDARUS Farewell, sweet queen.	PANDARUS Farewell, sweet queen.
HELEN 145 Commend me to your niece.	HELEN Commend me to your niece.
PANDARUS I will, sweet queen.	PANDARUS I will, sweet queen.
He exits. Sound a retreat.	He exits. Sound a retreat.
PARIS They’re come from the field. Let us to Priam’s hall To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you To help unarm our Hector. His stubborn buckles, 150 With these your white enchanting fingers touched, Shall more obey than to the edge of steel Or force of Greekish sinews. You shall do more Than all the island kings: disarm great Hector.	PARIS They’re come from the field. Let us to Priam’s hall To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you To help unarm our Hector. His stubborn buckles, With these your white enchanting fingers touched, Shall more obey than to the edge of steel Or force of Greekish sinews. You shall do more Than all the island kings: disarm great Hector.
HELEN ’Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris. 155 Yea, what he shall receive of us in duty Gives us more palm in beauty than we have, Yea, overshines ourself.	HELEN ’Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris. Yea, what he shall receive of us in duty Gives us more palm in beauty than we have, Yea, overshines ourself.
PARIS Sweet, above thought I love thee.	PARIS Sweet, above thought I love thee.
They exit.	They exit.