Act 5 — Scene III. Troy. Before Priam's palace.[2274]
Reading edition
Scene III. Troy. Before Priam's palace.[2274]
Enter Hector and Andromache.
And. When was my lord so much ungently temper'd, To stop his ears against admonishment? Unarm, unarm, and do not fight to-day. Hect. You train me to offend you; get you in:[2275] By all the everlasting gods, I'll go![2276] 5 And. My dreams will, sure, prove ominous to the day.[2277] Hect. No more, I say.
Enter Cassandra.
Cas. Where is my brother Hector? And. Here, sister; arm'd, and bloody in intent. Consort with me in loud and dear petition;[2278] Pursue we him on knees; for I have dream'd 10 Of bloody turbulence, and this whole night Hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter.[2279] Cas. O, 'tis true. Hect. Ho! bid my trumpet sound! Cas. No notes of sally, for the heavens, sweet brother.[2280] Hect. Be gone, I say: the gods have heard me swear. 15 Cas. The gods are deaf to hot and peevish vows: They are polluted offerings, more abhorr'd Than spotted livers in the sacrifice. And. O, be persuaded! do not count it holy[2281][2282][2283] To hurt by being just: it is as lawful,[2281][2283][2284][2285][2286] 20 For we would give much, to use violent thefts[2281][2283][2284][2286] And rob in the behalf of charity.[2283][2284] Cas. It is the purpose that makes strong the vow;[2287] But vows to every purpose must not hold: Unarm, sweet Hector.[2288] Hect. Hold you still, I say; 25 Mine honour keeps the weather of my fate:[2289] Life every man holds dear; but the dear man[2290] Holds honour far more precious-dear than life.[2291]
Enter Troilus.
How now, young man! mean'st thou to fight to-day?[2292] And. Cassandra, call my father to persuade. 30
[Exit Cassandra.
Hect. No, faith, young Troilus; doff thy harness, youth: I am to-day i' the vein of chivalry: Let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong,[2293] And tempt not yet the brushes of the war.[2294] Unarm thee, go; and doubt thou not, brave boy, 35 I'll stand to-day for thee and me and Troy. Tro. Brother, you have a vice of mercy in you, Which better fits a lion than a man. Hect. What vice is that, good Troilus? chide me for it.[2295] Tro. When many times the captive Grecian falls,[2296] 40 Even in the fan and wind of your fair sword,[2297] You bid them rise and live.[2298] Hect. O, 'tis fair play. Tro. Fool's play, by heaven, Hector. Hect. How now! how now! Tro. For the love of all the gods,[2299] Let's leave the hermit pity with our mother;[2300] 45 And when we have our armours buckled on, The venom'd vengeance ride upon our swords,[2301] Spur them to ruthful work, rein them from ruth![2302] Hect. Fie, savage, fie! Tro. Hector, then 'tis wars.[2303] Hect. Troilus, I would not have you fight to-day. 50 Tro. Who should withhold me?[2304] Not fate, obedience, nor the hand of Mars Beckoning with fiery truncheon my retire; Not Priamus and Hecuba on knees, Their eyes o'ergalled with recourse of tears; 55 Nor you, my brother, with your true sword drawn, Opposed to hinder me, should stop my way, But by my ruin.
Re-enter Cassandra, with Priam.[2305]
Cas. Lay hold upon him, Priam, hold him fast:[2306] He is thy crutch; now if thou lose thy stay, 60 Thou on him leaning, and all Troy on thee, Fall all together. Pri. Come, Hector, come, go back:[2307] Thy wife hath dream'd; thy mother hath had visions; Cassandra doth foresee; and I myself Am like a prophet suddenly enrapt, 65 To tell thee that this day is ominous: Therefore, come back. Hect. Æneas is afield;[2308] And I do stand engaged to many Greeks, Even in the faith of valour, to appear This morning to them. Pri. Ay, but thou shalt not go.[2309] 70 Hect. I must not break my faith. You know me dutiful; therefore, dear sir, Let me not shame respect; but give me leave To take that course by your consent and voice, Which you do here forbid me, royal Priam. 75 Cas. O Priam, yield not to him! And. Do not, dear father. Hect. Andromache, I am offended with you: Upon the love you bear me, get you in. [Exit Andromache. Tro. This foolish, dreaming, superstitious girl Makes all these bodements. Cas. O, farewell, dear Hector! 80 Look, how thou diest! look, how thy eye turns pale![2310] Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents![2311] Hark, how Troy roars! how Hecuba cries out![2312] How poor Andromache shrills her dolours forth![2313] Behold, distraction, frenzy and amazement,[2314] 85 Like witless antics, one another meet, And all cry 'Hector! Hector's dead! O Hector!' Tro. Away! away![2315] Cas. Farewell: yet, soft! Hector, I take my leave:[2316] Thou dost thyself and all our Troy deceive. [Exit. 90 Hect. You are amazed, my liege, at her exclaim: Go in and cheer the town: we'll forth and fight,[2317] Do deeds worth praise and tell you them at night.[2318] Pri. Farewell: the gods with safety stand about thee!
[Exeunt severally Priam and Hector. Alarum.[2319]
Tro. They are at it, hark! Proud Diomed, believe,[2320] 95 I come to lose my arm, or win my sleeve.
Enter Pandarus.[2321]
Pan. Do you hear, my lord? do you hear?[2322][2323] Tro. What now?[2322] Pan. Here's a letter come from yond poor girl.[2322] Tro. Let me read.[2322][2324] 100 Pan. A whoreson tisick, a whoreson rascally tisick so[2322][2325] troubles me, and the foolish fortune of this girl; and what[2322] one thing, what another, that I shall leave you one o' these[2322][2326] days: and I have a rheum in mine eyes too, and such an[2322] ache in my bones that, unless a man were cursed, I cannot[2322] 105 tell what to think on't. What says she there?[2322] Tro. Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart;[2322] The effect doth operate another way. [Tearing the letter.[2322][2327] Go, wind, to wind, there turn and change together.[2322] My love with words and errors still she feeds,[2322][2328] 110 But edifies another with her deeds. [Exeunt severally.[2322][2329]