Troilus and Cressida (1602)

Intro

Online Critical Edition in Progress - Version 1.b.
Date variant: 1602-03
Shakespeare Network - https://shakespearenetwork.net/

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Act IV, Scene 2

The same. Court of Pandarus' house.

Troilus
Dear, trouble not yourself: the morn is cold.

Cressida
Then, sweet my lord, I'll call mine uncle down;
He shall unbolt the gates.

Troilus
Trouble him not;
To bed, to bed: sleep kill those pretty eyes,
And give as soft attachment to thy senses
As infants' empty of all thought!

Cressida
Good morrow, then.

Troilus
I prithee now, to bed.

Cressida
Are you a-weary of me?

Troilus
O Cressida! but that the busy day,
Waked by the lark, hath roused the ribald crows,
And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer,
I would not from thee.

Cressida
Night hath been too brief.

Troilus
Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she stays
As tediously as hell, but flies the grasps of love
With wings more momentary-swift than thought.
You will catch cold, and curse me.

Cressida
Prithee, tarry:
You men will never tarry.
O foolish Cressid! I might have still held off,
And then you would have tarried. Hark!
there's one up.

Pandarus
[Within] What, 's all the doors open here?

Troilus
It is your uncle.

Cressida
A pestilence on him! now will he be mocking:
I shall have such a life!

Pandarus
How now, how now! how go maidenheads? Here, you
maid! where's my cousin Cressid?

Cressida
Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle!
You bring me to do, and then you flout me too.

Pandarus
To do what? to do what? let her say
what: what have I brought you to do?

Cressida
Come, come, beshrew your heart! you'll ne'er be good,
Nor suffer others.

Pandarus
Ha! ha! Alas, poor wretch! ah, poor capocchia!
hast not slept to-night? would he not, a naughty
man, let it sleep? a bugbear take him!

Cressida
Did not I tell you? Would he were knock'd i' the head!
[Knocking within]
Who's that at door? good uncle, go and see.
My lord, come you again into my chamber:
You smile and mock me, as if I meant naughtily.

Troilus
Ha, ha!

Cressida
Come, you are deceived, I think of no such thing.
[Knocking within]
How earnestly they knock! Pray you, come in:
I would not for half Troy have you seen here.

Pandarus
Who's there? what's the matter? will you beat
down the door? How now! what's the matter?

Aeneas
Good morrow, lord, good morrow.

Pandarus
Who's there? my Lord AEneas! By my troth,
I knew you not: what news with you so early?

Aeneas
Is not Prince Troilus here?

Pandarus
Here! what should he do here?

Aeneas
Come, he is here, my lord; do not deny him:
It doth import him much to speak with me.

Pandarus
Is he here, say you? 'tis more than I know, I'll
be sworn: for my own part, I came in late. What
should he do here?

Aeneas
Who!--nay, then: come, come, you'll do him wrong
ere you're ware: you'll be so true to him, to be
false to him: do not you know of him, but yet go
fetch him hither; go.

Troilus
How now! what's the matter?

Aeneas
My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you,
My matter is so rash: there is at hand
Paris your brother, and Deiphobus,
The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor
Deliver'd to us; and for him forthwith,
Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour,
We must give up to Diomedes' hand
The Lady Cressida.

Troilus
Is it so concluded?

Aeneas
By Priam and the general state of Troy:
They are at hand and ready to effect it.

Troilus
How my achievements mock me!
I will go meet them: and, my Lord AEneas,
We met by chance; you did not find me here.

Aeneas
Good, good, my lord; the secrets of nature
Have not more gift in taciturnity.

Pandarus
Is't possible? no sooner got but lost? The devil
take Antenor! the young prince will go mad: a
plague upon Antenor! I would they had broke 's neck!

Cressida
How now! what's the matter? who was here?

Pandarus
Ah, ah!

Cressida
Why sigh you so profoundly? where's my lord? gone!
Tell me, sweet uncle, what's the matter?

Pandarus
Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above!

Cressida
O the gods! what's the matter?

Pandarus
Prithee, get thee in: would thou hadst ne'er been
born! I knew thou wouldst be his death. O, poor
gentleman! A plague upon Antenor!

Cressida
Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees! beseech you,
what's the matter?

Pandarus
Thou must be gone, wench, thou must be gone; thou
art changed for Antenor: thou must to thy father,
and be gone from Troilus: 'twill be his death;
'twill be his bane; he cannot bear it.

Cressida
O you immortal gods! I will not go.

Pandarus
Thou must.

Cressida
I will not, uncle: I have forgot my father;
I know no touch of consanguinity;
No kin no love, no blood, no soul so near me
As the sweet Troilus. O you gods divine!
Make Cressid's name the very crown of falsehood,
If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death,
Do to this body what extremes you can;
But the strong base and building of my love
Is as the very centre of the earth,
Drawing all things to it. I'll go in and weep,--

Pandarus
Do, do.

Cressida
Tear my bright hair and scratch my praised cheeks,
Crack my clear voice with sobs and break my heart
With sounding Troilus. I will not go from Troy.

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Troilus and Cressida (1602)

Act IV, Scene 2

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