les, Achilles is a fool to be commanded of Agamemnon, Therfites is a fool to serve such a fool, and Pairoclus is a fool pofitive. Pat. Why am I a fool? Ther. Make that demand to thy creator; it fuffices me thou art. SCENE VI. Enter Agamemnon, Ulyffes, Neftor, Diomedes, Ajax, and Calchas. Look you, who comes here? come in [Exit. Ther. Here is fuch patchery, fuch jugling, and fuch knavery all the argument is a cuckold and a whore, a good quarrel to draw emulous factions, and bleed to death upon: now the dry Serpigo on the fubject! and war and lechery confound all! [Exit. Aga. Where is Achilles? Pat. Within his tent, but ill difpos'd, my Lord. Aga. Let it be known to him that we are here. 'He fent us` meffengers, and we lay by Our appertainments, vifiting of him': Let him be told fo, left perchance he think Pat. I fhall fo fay to him. Ulyf. We faw him at the opening of his tent, He is not fick. [Exit. Ajax. Yes, lion-fick, fick of a proud heart: you may call it melancholy, if you will favour the man; but, by my head, 'tis pride; but why, why? let him fhew us the cause. A word, my Lord, [To Agamemnon. Neft. What moves Ajax thus to bay at him? Ulyf. Achilles hath inveigled his fool from him. Neft. Who? Therfites? 7 He fhent our Ulyf Ulys. He. Neft. Then will Ajax lack matter, if he have loft his argument. Ulyf. No, you fee he is his argument, that has his argument, Achilles. Neft. All the better, their fraction is more our wifh than their faction; but it was a strong counsel that a fool could difunite. Ulyf. The amity that wisdom knits not, folly may cafily untye. SCENE Enter Patroclus. Here comes Patroclus. Neft. No Achilles with him? VII. Uly. The elephant hath joints, but none for courtefie His legs are for neceffity, not flexure. Pat. Achilles bids me fay, he is much forry, Aga. Hear you, Patroclus; We are too well acquainted with these answers: Much attribute he hath, and much the reason Here ; Here tend the favage ftrangenefs he puts on, His humorous predominance; yea, watch Bring action bither, this can't go to war: Pat. I fhall, and bring his anfwer presently. [Exit. We come to speak with him. Ulyffes, enter. [Exit Ulyf. Ajax. What is he more than another? Aga. No more than what he thinks he is. Ajax. Is he fo much? do you not think he thinks himself a better man than I am?. Aga. No question. Ajax. Will you fubfcribe his thought, and fay he is? Aga. No, noble Ajax, you are as ftrong, as valiant, as wife, no lefs noble, much more gentle, and altogether more tractable. Ajax. Why fhould a man be proud? how doth pride grow? I know not what it is. Aga. Your mind is clearer, Ajax, and your virtues the fairer; he that is proud eats up himfelf. Pride is his own glafs, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and whatever praises 9 'but it felf in the deed, devours the deed in the praise.. Ajax. I do hate a proud man, as I hate the engendring of toads. Neft. 8 His courfe and times, or His pettish Lines. 9 it felf but Neft. Yet he loves himself: is't not strange? Ulyf. He doth rely on none; But carries on the ftream of his dispose, Aga. Why will he not, upon our fair requeft, Ulyf. Things fmall as nothing, for request's fake only, He makes important: he's poffeft with greatness, And speaks not to himself, but with a pride That quarrels at felf-breath. Imagin'd worth Holds in his blood fuch fwoln and hot discourse, That 'twixt his mental and his active parts, Kingdom'd Achilles in commotion, rages And batters down himself; what should I say? He is fo plaguy proud, that the 'death-tokens Cry, No recovery. Aga. Let Ajax go to him. Dear Lord, go you and greet him in his tent; Ulyf. O, Agamemnon, let it not be fo." 2 By going to Achilles ;3 'for that were I death-tokens of it 2 he? 3 That were t'inlard And And add more coals to Cancer, when he burns This Lord go to him? Jupiter forbid, Neft. O, this is well, he rubs the vein of him. Aga. O no, you fhall not go. Ajax. An he be proud with me, I'll pheese his pride; Let me go to him. Ulyf. Not for the worth that hangs upon our quarrel. Neft. How he defcribes himself! Aga. He'll be the phyfician, that fhould be the patient. Ulyf. Wit would be out of fashion. Ajax. He fhould not bear it fo, he fhould eat fwords firft: fhall pride carry it? Neft. An 'twould, you'd carry Uly. He would have ten fhares. half. Ajax. I will knead him, I'll make him fupple, Neft. He's not yet through warm, force him with praifes; pour in, pour in; his ambition is dry. Ulyf. My Lord, you feed too much on this dislike. Neft. Our noble General, do not do so. Dio. You must prepare to fight without Achilles. Uly. Why, 'tis this naming of him doth him harm. Here is a man-but 'tis before his face I will be filent. Neft. Wherefore fhould you fo? He is not emulous, as Achilles is. Ulyf. 4 Ajax. I will knead him, I'll make him fupple, he is not yet through warm. Neft. Force him with praises, &c. ... old edit. Theob. emend. |