ARKCODEX
Act IV, Scene 2
1The same. Court of Pandarus’ house.
2Enter Troilus and Cressida.
3TroilusDear, trouble not yourself: the morn is cold.
4CressidaThen, sweet my lord, I’ll call mine uncle down;
He shall unbolt the gates.
5TroilusTrouble 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!
6CressidaGood morrow, then.
7TroilusI prithee now, to bed.
8CressidaAre you a-weary of me?
9TroilusO 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.
10CressidaNight hath been too brief.
11TroilusBeshrew 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.
12CressidaPrithee, 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.
13PandarusWithin. What, ’s all the doors open here?
14TroilusIt is your uncle.
15CressidaA pestilence on him! now will he be mocking:
I shall have such a life!
16Enter Pandarus.
17PandarusHow now, how now! how go maidenheads? Here, you maid! where’s my cousin Cressid?
18CressidaGo hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle!
You bring me to do, and then you flout me too.
19PandarusTo do what? to do what? let her say what: what have I brought you to do?
20CressidaCome, come, beshrew your heart! you’ll ne’er be good,
Nor suffer others.
21PandarusHa! 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!
22CressidaDid 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.
23TroilusHa, ha!
24CressidaCome, 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. Exeunt Troilus and Cressida.
25PandarusWho’s there? what’s the matter? will you beat down the door? How now! what’s the matter?
26Enter Aeneas.
27AeneasGood morrow, lord, good morrow.
28PandarusWho’s there? my Lord Aeneas! By my troth,
I knew you not: what news with you so early?
29AeneasIs not Prince Troilus here?
30PandarusHere! what should he do here?
31AeneasCome, he is here, my lord; do not deny him:
It doth import him much to speak with me.
32PandarusIs 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?
33AeneasWho!—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.
34Reenter Troilus.
35TroilusHow now! what’s the matter?
36AeneasMy 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.
37TroilusIs it so concluded?
38AeneasBy Priam and the general state of Troy:
They are at hand and ready to effect it.
39TroilusHow my achievements mock me!
I will go meet them: and, my Lord Aeneas,
We met by chance; you did not find me here.
40AeneasGood, good, my lord; the secrets of nature
Have not more gift in taciturnity. Exeunt Troilus and Aeneas.
41PandarusIs’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!
42Reenter Cressida.
43CressidaHow now! what’s the matter? who was here?
44PandarusAh, ah!
45CressidaWhy sigh you so profoundly? where’s my lord? gone! Tell me, sweet uncle, what’s the matter?
46PandarusWould I were as deep under the earth as I am above!
47CressidaO the gods! what’s the matter?
48PandarusPrithee, get thee in: would thou hadst ne’er been born! I knew thou wouldst be his death. O, poor gentleman! A plague upon Antenor!
49CressidaGood uncle, I beseech you, on my knees I beseech you, what’s the matter?
50PandarusThou 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.
51CressidaO you immortal gods! I will not go.
52PandarusThou must.
53CressidaI 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—
54PandarusDo, do.
55CressidaTear 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. Exeunt.