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Aga. Which way would Hector have it?

Ene. He cares not; he'll obey conditions. "Achil. 'Tis done like Hector, but fecurely done, A little proudly, and great deal mifprizing

The knight oppos'd.

Ene. If not Achilles, Sir, what is your name?
Achil. If not Achilles, nothing.

Ene. Therefore Achilles; but whate'er, know this;
In the extremity of great and little

Valour and pride excel themselves in Hector;
The one almost as infinite as all,

The other blank as nothing; weigh him well,
And that which looks like pride is courtefie.
This Ajax is half made of Hector's blood,
In love whereof, half Hector ftays at home;
Half heart, half hand, half Hector, come to feek
This blended knight, half Trojan and half Greek.
Achil. A maiden battel then? O, I perceive you.
Re-enter Diomede.

Aga. Here is Sir Diomede: go, gentle knight,
Stand by our Ajax; as you and Lord Æneas
Confent upon the order of their fight,
So be it; either to the uttermoft,

Or elfe a breath. The combatants being kin
Half ftints their ftrife before their ftrokes begin.
Ulyf. They are oppos'd already.

Aga. What Trojan is that fame that looks fo heavy?
Uly. The youngest fon of Priam, a true knight;
Not yet mature, yet matchlefs; firm of word;
Speaking in deeds, and deedlefs in his tongue;
Not foon provok'd, nor being provok'd foon calm'd;
His heart and hand both open, and both free;
For what he has, he gives; what thinks, he fhews;
Yet gives he not 'till judgment guide his bounty,
Nor dignifies an impair thought with breath:

F 2

6 Agam.... old edit. Theob. emend.

Manly

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Manly as Hector, but more dangerous;
For Hector in his blaze of wrath fubfcribes
To tender objects; but he in heat of action
Is more vindicative than jealous love.
They call him Troilus, and on him erect
A fecond hope, as fairly built as Hector.
Thus fays Eneas; one that knows the youth
Ev'n to his inches, and with private foul
Did in great Ilion thus tranflate him to me.

SCENE

Hector and Ajax fight.

Aga. They are in action.

Neft. Now, Ajax, hold thine own..

IX.

Troi. Hector, thou fleep'ft, awake thee.

[Alarum.

Aga. His blows are well difpos'd; there, Ajax.

Dio. You must no more.

Ene. Princes, enough, fo please you.

[Trumpets cease.

Ajax. I am not warm yet, let us fight again.
Dio. As Hector pleases.

Hect. Why then, will I no more.

Thou art, great Lord, my father's fifter's for:
A coufin-german to great Priam's feed:
The obligation of our blood forbids

A gory emulation 'twixt us twain.

Were thy commixtion Greek and Trojan fo
That thou could'ft fay, this hand is Grecian all,
And this is Trojan; the finews of this leg
All Greek, and this all Troy; my mother's blood
Runs on the dexter cheek, and this finifter
Bounds in my fire's; by Jove multipotent,
Thou should'ft not bear from me a Greekish member,
Wherein my fword had not impreffure made
Of our rank feud: But the juft Gods gainfay,
That any drop thou borrow'ft from thy mother,
My facred aunt, fhould by my mortal sword

Be

Be drain'd! Let me embrace thee, Ajax:
By him that thunders, thou haft lufty arms;
Hector would have them fall upon him thus-
Coufin, all honour to thee!

Ajax. I thank thee, Heator!

Thou art too gentle, and too free a man:
I came to kill thee, coufin, and bear hence
A great addition earned in thy death.

yes

Het. 'Not Neoptolemus' fire fo mirable` (On whose bright creft Fame with her loud'ft O Cries, This is be) could promife to himself A thought of added honour torn from Hector. Ene. There is expectance here from both the fides, What further you will do.

Helt. We'll answer it:

The iffue is embracement: 'farewel, Ajax.
Ajax. If I might in entreaties find fuccefs,
(As feld I have the chance) I would defire
My famous coufin to our Grecian tents.

Dio. 'Tis Agamemnon's wifh, and great Achilles
Doth long to fee unarm'd the valiant Hector.
Het. Eneas, call my brother Troilus to me:
And fignifie this loving interview

To the expectors of our Trojan part:

Defire them home. Give me thy hand, my cousin :
I will go eat with thee, and fee your knights.

Agamemnon and the rest of the Greeks come forward. Ajax. Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here. Helt. The worthieft of them tell me name by name; But for Achilles, mine own fearching eyes Shall find him by his large and portly size.

Aga. Worthy of arms! as welcome as to one That would be rid of fuch an enemy;

But that's no welcome: understand more clear,

What's paft and what's to come is ftrew'd with husks And formlefs ruin of oblivion:

F 3

Not Neoptolemus fo mirable... old edit. Warb. emend.
Ajax, farewel.

But

But in this extant moment, faith and troth,
Strain's purely from all hollow bias-drawing,
Bid thee with moft divine integrity,

From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome.
Het. I thank thee, moft imperious Agamemnon.
Aga. My well-fam'd Lord of Troy, no lefs to you.
[To Troilus.
Men. Let me confirm my princely brother's greeting;
You brace of warlike brothers, welcome hither.
Helt. Whom muft we anfwer?

Ene. The noble Menelaus.

Hell. O-you, my Lord-by Mars his gauntlet, thanks. Mock not, that I affect th' untraded oath ;

Your quondam wife fwears ftill by Venus' glove.
She's well, but bad me not commend her to you.

Men. Name her not now, Sir, she's a deadly theme.
Ha. O, pardon-I offend.

Neft. I have, thou gallant Trojan, feen thee oft
Labouring for deftiny, make cruel way

Through ranks of Greekish youth; and I have feen thee,
As hot as Perfeus, fpur thy Phrygian steed,

Bravely defpifing forfeits and fubduements,
When thou haft hung thy advanc'd fword i' th' air,
Not letting it decline on the declin'd:
That I have faid unto my ftanders by,
Lo! Jupiter is yonder dealing life.

And I have feen thee paufe, and take thy breath,
When that a ring of Greeks have hem'd thee in,
Like an Olympian wrestling. Thus I've feen thee,
But this thy countenance, ftill lock'd in fteel,
I never faw 'till now. I knew thy grandfire,
And once fought with him; he was a foldier good,
But, by great Mars the captain of us all,
Never like thee. Let an old man embrace thee,
And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents.
Ene. 'Tis the old Neftor.

Heit. Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle,

That

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That haft fo long walk'd hand in hand with time:
Most reverend Neftor, I am glad to clafp thee.

Neft. I would my arms could match thee in contention, As they contend with thee in courtefie.

Helt. I would they could.

Neft. By this white beard, I'd fight with thee to-morrow. Well, welcome, welcome; I have feen the timeUly. I wonder now how yonder city stands, When we have here the bafe and pillar by us. Heat. I know your favour, Lord Ulyffes, well. Ab, Sir, there's many a Greek and Trojan dead, Since first I faw your felf and Diomede

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In Ilion, on your Greekish embaffie.

Ulyf. Sir, I foretold you then what would enfue.
My prophefie is but half his journey yet;

For yonder walls that pertly front your town,
Yond towers, whofe wanton tops do bufs the clouds,
Muft kifs their own feet.

Hett. I must not believe you:

There they stand yet; and modeftly I think,
The fall of every Phrygian stone will coft

A drop of Grecian blood; the end crowns all,
And that old common arbitrator Time
Will one day end it.

Ulyf. So to him we leave it.

Moft gentle, and moft valiant Hector, welcome;
After the General, I beseech you next

To feaft with me, and fee me at my tent.

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Achil. I fhall foreftal thee, Lord 'Ulyffes: now,`

Now, Hector, I have fed mine eyes on thee,

2

I have with view exact perus'd thee, Hector,
And quoted joint by joint.

Heat. Is this Achilles?

Achil. I am Achilles.

Heat. Stand fair, I pr'ythee, let me look on thee.

Achil. Behold thy fill.

Helt. Nay, I have done already.

Ules; thou!

F 4

Achil.

2 exact view.

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