No Fear Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida: Act 4 Scene 4

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Troilus and Cressida

William Shakespeare

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Original Text

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Enter PANDARUS and CRESSIDA, weeping.	Enter PANDARUS and CRESSIDA, weeping.
PANDARUS Be moderate, be moderate.	PANDARUS Be moderate, be moderate.
CRESSIDA Why tell you me of moderation? The grief is fine, full, perfect that I taste, And violenteth in a sense as strong 5 As that which causeth it. How can I moderate it? If I could temporize with my affection Or brew it to a weak and colder palate, The like allayment could I give my grief. My love admits no qualifying dross; 10 No more my grief in such a precious loss.	CRESSIDA Why tell you me of moderation? The grief is fine, full, perfect that I taste, And violenteth in a sense as strong As that which causeth it. How can I moderate it? If I could temporize with my affection Or brew it to a weak and colder palate, The like allayment could I give my grief. My love admits no qualifying dross; No more my grief in such a precious loss.
Enter TROILUS.	Enter TROILUS.
PANDARUS Here, here, here he comes. Ah, sweet ducks!	PANDARUS Here, here, here he comes. Ah, sweet ducks!
CRESSIDA , embracing TROILUS O Troilus, Troilus!	CRESSIDA , embracing TROILUS O Troilus, Troilus!
PANDARUS What a pair of spectacles is here! Let me 15 embrace too. “O heart,” as the goodly saying is, O heart, heavy heart, Why sigh’st thou without breaking? where he answers again, Because thou canst not ease thy smart 20 By friendship nor by speaking. There was never a truer rhyme. Let us cast away nothing, for we may live to have need of such a verse. We see it, we see it. How now, lambs?	PANDARUS What a pair of spectacles is here! Let me embrace too. “O heart,” as the goodly saying is, O heart, heavy heart, Why sigh’st thou without breaking? where he answers again, Because thou canst not ease thy smart By friendship nor by speaking. There was never a truer rhyme. Let us cast away nothing, for we may live to have need of such a verse. We see it, we see it. How now, lambs?
TROILUS Cressid, I love thee in so strained a purity 25 That the blest gods, as angry with my fancy— More bright in zeal than the devotion which Cold lips blow to their deities—take thee from me.	TROILUS Cressid, I love thee in so strained a purity That the blest gods, as angry with my fancy— More bright in zeal than the devotion which Cold lips blow to their deities—take thee from me.
CRESSIDA Have the gods envy?	CRESSIDA Have the gods envy?
PANDARUS Ay, ay, ay, ay, ’tis too plain a case.	PANDARUS Ay, ay, ay, ay, ’tis too plain a case.
CRESSIDA 30 And is it true that I must go from Troy?	CRESSIDA And is it true that I must go from Troy?
TROILUS A hateful truth.	TROILUS A hateful truth.
CRESSIDA What, and from Troilus too?	CRESSIDA What, and from Troilus too?
TROILUS From Troy and Troilus.	TROILUS From Troy and Troilus.
CRESSIDA Is ’t possible?	CRESSIDA Is ’t possible?
TROILUS 35 And suddenly, where injury of chance Puts back leave-taking, jostles roughly by All time of pause, rudely beguiles our lips Of all rejoindure, forcibly prevents Our locked embrasures, strangles our dear vows 40 Even in the birth of our own laboring breath. We two, that with so many thousand sighs Did buy each other, must poorly sell ourselves With the rude brevity and discharge of one. Injurious Time now with a robber’s haste 45 Crams his rich thiev’ry up, he knows not how. As many farewells as be stars in heaven, With distinct breath and consigned kisses to them, He fumbles up into a loose adieu And scants us with a single famished kiss, 50 Distasted with the salt of broken tears.	TROILUS And suddenly, where injury of chance Puts back leave-taking, jostles roughly by All time of pause, rudely beguiles our lips Of all rejoindure, forcibly prevents Our locked embrasures, strangles our dear vows Even in the birth of our own laboring breath. We two, that with so many thousand sighs Did buy each other, must poorly sell ourselves With the rude brevity and discharge of one. Injurious Time now with a robber’s haste Crams his rich thiev’ry up, he knows not how. As many farewells as be stars in heaven, With distinct breath and consigned kisses to them, He fumbles up into a loose adieu And scants us with a single famished kiss, Distasted with the salt of broken tears.
AENEAS , within My lord, is the lady ready?	AENEAS , within My lord, is the lady ready?
TROILUS Hark, you are called. Some say the genius Cries so to him that instantly must die.— Bid them have patience. She shall come anon.	TROILUS Hark, you are called. Some say the genius Cries so to him that instantly must die.— Bid them have patience. She shall come anon.
PANDARUS 55 Where are my tears? Rain, to lay this wind, or my heart will be blown up by the root.	PANDARUS Where are my tears? Rain, to lay this wind, or my heart will be blown up by the root.
He exits.	He exits.
CRESSIDA I must, then, to the Grecians?	CRESSIDA I must, then, to the Grecians?
TROILUS No remedy.	TROILUS No remedy.
CRESSIDA A woeful Cressid ’mongst the merry Greeks. 60 When shall we see again?	CRESSIDA A woeful Cressid ’mongst the merry Greeks. When shall we see again?
TROILUS Hear me, my love. Be thou but true of heart—	TROILUS Hear me, my love. Be thou but true of heart—
CRESSIDA I true? How now, what wicked deem is this?	CRESSIDA I true? How now, what wicked deem is this?
TROILUS Nay, we must use expostulation kindly, For it is parting from us. 65 I speak not “Be thou true” as fearing thee, For I will throw my glove to Death himself That there is no maculation in thy heart; But “Be thou true,” say I, to fashion in My sequent protestation: “Be thou true, 70 And I will see thee.”	TROILUS Nay, we must use expostulation kindly, For it is parting from us. I speak not “Be thou true” as fearing thee, For I will throw my glove to Death himself That there is no maculation in thy heart; But “Be thou true,” say I, to fashion in My sequent protestation: “Be thou true, And I will see thee.”
CRESSIDA O, you shall be exposed, my lord, to dangers As infinite as imminent! But I’ll be true.	CRESSIDA O, you shall be exposed, my lord, to dangers As infinite as imminent! But I’ll be true.
TROILUS And I’ll grow friend with danger. Wear this sleeve.	TROILUS And I’ll grow friend with danger. Wear this sleeve.
CRESSIDA And you this glove. When shall I see you?	CRESSIDA And you this glove. When shall I see you?
They exchange love-tokens.	They exchange love-tokens.
TROILUS 75 I will corrupt the Grecian sentinels, To give thee nightly visitation. But yet, be true.	TROILUS I will corrupt the Grecian sentinels, To give thee nightly visitation. But yet, be true.
CRESSIDA O heavens! “Be true” again?	CRESSIDA O heavens! “Be true” again?
TROILUS Hear why I speak it, love. 80 The Grecian youths are full of quality, Their loving well composed, with gift of nature flowing, And swelling o’er with arts and exercise. How novelty may move, and parts with person, 85 Alas, a kind of godly jealousy— Which I beseech you call a virtuous sin— Makes me afeard.	TROILUS Hear why I speak it, love. The Grecian youths are full of quality, Their loving well composed, with gift of nature flowing, And swelling o’er with arts and exercise. How novelty may move, and parts with person, Alas, a kind of godly jealousy— Which I beseech you call a virtuous sin— Makes me afeard.
CRESSIDA O heavens, you love me not!	CRESSIDA O heavens, you love me not!
TROILUS Die I a villain then! 90 In this I do not call your faith in question So mainly as my merit. I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt, nor sweeten talk, Nor play at subtle games—fair virtues all, To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant. 95 But I can tell that in each grace of these There lurks a still and dumb-discursive devil That tempts most cunningly. But be not tempted.	TROILUS Die I a villain then! In this I do not call your faith in question So mainly as my merit. I cannot sing, Nor heel the high lavolt, nor sweeten talk, Nor play at subtle games—fair virtues all, To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant. But I can tell that in each grace of these There lurks a still and dumb-discursive devil That tempts most cunningly. But be not tempted.
CRESSIDA Do you think I will?	CRESSIDA Do you think I will?
TROILUS No. 100 But something may be done that we will not, And sometimes we are devils to ourselves When we will tempt the frailty of our powers, Presuming on their changeful potency.	TROILUS No. But something may be done that we will not, And sometimes we are devils to ourselves When we will tempt the frailty of our powers, Presuming on their changeful potency.
AENEAS , within Nay, good my lord—	AENEAS , within Nay, good my lord—
TROILUS 105 Come, kiss, and let us part.	TROILUS Come, kiss, and let us part.
They kiss.	They kiss.
PARIS , within Brother Troilus!	PARIS , within Brother Troilus!
TROILUS , calling Good brother, come you hither, And bring Aeneas and the Grecian with you.	TROILUS , calling Good brother, come you hither, And bring Aeneas and the Grecian with you.
CRESSIDA My lord, will you be true?	CRESSIDA My lord, will you be true?
TROILUS 110 Who, I? Alas, it is my vice, my fault. Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion, I with great truth catch mere simplicity. Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns, With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare. 115 Fear not my truth. The moral of my wit Is “plain and true”; there’s all the reach of it.	TROILUS Who, I? Alas, it is my vice, my fault. Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion, I with great truth catch mere simplicity. Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns, With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare. Fear not my truth. The moral of my wit Is “plain and true”; there’s all the reach of it.
Enter AENEAS, PARIS, ANTENOR, DEIPHOBUS, and DIOMEDES.	Enter AENEAS, PARIS, ANTENOR, DEIPHOBUS, and DIOMEDES.
Welcome, Sir Diomed. Here is the lady Which for Antenor we deliver you. At the port, lord, I’ll give her to thy hand 120 And by the way possess thee what she is. Entreat her fair and, by my soul, fair Greek, If e’er thou stand at mercy of my sword, Name Cressid, and thy life shall be as safe As Priam is in Ilium.	Welcome, Sir Diomed. Here is the lady Which for Antenor we deliver you. At the port, lord, I’ll give her to thy hand And by the way possess thee what she is. Entreat her fair and, by my soul, fair Greek, If e’er thou stand at mercy of my sword, Name Cressid, and thy life shall be as safe As Priam is in Ilium.
DIOMEDES 125 Fair Lady Cressid, So please you, save the thanks this prince expects. The luster in your eye, heaven in your cheek, Pleads your fair usage, and to Diomed You shall be mistress and command him wholly.	DIOMEDES Fair Lady Cressid, So please you, save the thanks this prince expects. The luster in your eye, heaven in your cheek, Pleads your fair usage, and to Diomed You shall be mistress and command him wholly.
TROILUS 130 Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously, To shame the zeal of my petition to thee In praising her. I tell thee, lord of Greece, She is as far high-soaring o’er thy praises As thou unworthy to be called her servant. 135 I charge thee use her well, even for my charge, For, by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not, Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard, I’ll cut thy throat.	TROILUS Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously, To shame the zeal of my petition to thee In praising her. I tell thee, lord of Greece, She is as far high-soaring o’er thy praises As thou unworthy to be called her servant. I charge thee use her well, even for my charge, For, by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not, Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard, I’ll cut thy throat.
DIOMEDES O, be not moved, Prince Troilus. 140 Let me be privileged by my place and message To be a speaker free. When I am hence, I’ll answer to my lust, and know you, lord, I’ll nothing do on charge. To her own worth She shall be prized; but that you say “Be ’t so,” 145 I speak it in my spirit and honor: “no.”	DIOMEDES O, be not moved, Prince Troilus. Let me be privileged by my place and message To be a speaker free. When I am hence, I’ll answer to my lust, and know you, lord, I’ll nothing do on charge. To her own worth She shall be prized; but that you say “Be ’t so,” I speak it in my spirit and honor: “no.”
TROILUS Come, to the port. I’ll tell thee, Diomed, This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head.— Lady, give me your hand, and, as we walk, To our own selves bend we our needful talk.	TROILUS Come, to the port. I’ll tell thee, Diomed, This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head.— Lady, give me your hand, and, as we walk, To our own selves bend we our needful talk.
CRESSIDA, DIOMEDES , and TROILUS exit. Sound trumpet within.	CRESSIDA, DIOMEDES , and TROILUS exit. Sound trumpet within.
PARIS 150 Hark, Hector’s trumpet.	PARIS Hark, Hector’s trumpet.
AENEAS How have we spent this morning! The Prince must think me tardy and remiss That swore to ride before him to the field.	AENEAS How have we spent this morning! The Prince must think me tardy and remiss That swore to ride before him to the field.
PARIS 155 ’Tis Troilus’ fault. Come, come to field with him.	PARIS ’Tis Troilus’ fault. Come, come to field with him.
DEIPHOBUS Let us make ready straight.	DEIPHOBUS Let us make ready straight.
AENEAS Yea, with a bridegroom’s fresh alacrity Let us address to tend on Hector’s heels. The glory of our Troy doth this day lie 160 On his fair worth and single chivalry.	AENEAS Yea, with a bridegroom’s fresh alacrity Let us address to tend on Hector’s heels. The glory of our Troy doth this day lie On his fair worth and single chivalry.
They exit.	They exit.