history of troilus and cressida(特洛埃勒斯与克雷雪达)-第4章
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Agamemnon； Thy topless deputation he puts on； And like a strutting
player whose conceit Lies in his hamstring； and doth think it rich To hear
the wooden dialogue and sound 'Twixt his stretch'd footing and the
scaffoldage… Such to…be…pitied and o'er…wrested seeming He acts thy
greatness in； and when he speaks 'Tis like a chime a…mending； with terms
unsquar'd； Which； from the tongue of roaring Typhon dropp'd； Would
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seem hyperboles。 At this fusty stuff The large Achilles； on his press'd bed
lolling； From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause； Cries 'Excellent！
'tis Agamemnon just。 Now play me Nestor； hem； and stroke thy beard； As
he being drest to some oration。' That's done…as near as the extremest ends
Of parallels； as like Vulcan and his wife； Yet god Achilles still cries
'Excellent！ 'Tis Nestor right。 Now play him me； Patroclus； Arming to
answer in a night alarm。' And then； forsooth； the faint defects of age Must
be the scene of mirth： to cough and spit And； with a palsy…fumbling on his
gorget； Shake in and out the rivet。 And at this sport Sir Valour dies； cries
'O； enough； Patroclus； Or give me ribs of steel！ I shall split all In pleasure
of my spleen。' And in this fashion All our abilities； gifts； natures； shapes；
Severals and generals of grace exact； Achievements； plots； orders；
preventions； Excitements to the field or speech for truce； Success or loss；
what is or is not； serves As stuff for these two to make paradoxes。
NESTOR。 And in the imitation of these twain… Who； as Ulysses says；
opinion crowns With an imperial voice…many are infect。 Ajax is grown
self…will'd and bears his head In such a rein； in full as proud a place As
broad Achilles； keeps his tent like him； Makes factious feasts； rails on our
state of war Bold as an oracle； and sets Thersites； A slave whose gall coins
slanders like a mint； To match us in comparisons with dirt； To weaken and
discredit our exposure； How rank soever rounded in with danger。
ULYSSES。 They tax our policy and call it cowardice； Count wisdom as no
member of the war； Forestall prescience； and esteem no act But that of
hand。 The still and mental parts That do contrive how many hands shall
strike When fitness calls them on； and know； by measure Of their
observant toil； the enemies' weight… Why； this hath not a finger's dignity：
They call this bed…work； mapp'ry； closet…war； So that the ram that batters
down the wall； For the great swinge and rudeness of his poise； They place
before his hand that made the engine； Or those that with the fineness of
their souls By reason guide his execution。 NESTOR。 Let this be granted；
and Achilles' horse Makes many Thetis' sons。 ＇Tucket＇ AGAMEMNON。
What trumpet？ Look； Menelaus。 MENELAUS。 From Troy。
Enter AENEAS
AGAMEMNON。 What would you fore our tent？ AENEAS。 Is this
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great Agamemnon's tent； I pray you？ AGAMEMNON。 Even this。
AENEAS。 May one that is a herald and a prince Do a fair message to his
kingly eyes？ AGAMEMNON。 With surety stronger than Achilles' an Fore
all the Greekish heads； which with one voice Call Agamemnon head and
general。 AENEAS。 Fair leave and large security。 How may A stranger to
those most imperial looks Know them from eyes of other mortals？
AGAMEMNON。 How？ AENEAS。 Ay； I ask； that I might waken reverence；
And bid the cheek be ready with a blush Modest as Morning when she
coldly eyes The youthful Phoebus。 Which is that god in office； guiding
men？ Which is the high and mighty Agamemnon？ AGAMEMNON。 This
Troyan scorns us； or the men of Troy Are ceremonious courtiers。 AENEAS。
Courtiers as free； as debonair； unarm'd； As bending angels； that's their
fame in peace。 But when they would seem soldiers； they have galls； Good
arms； strong joints； true swords； and； Jove's accord； Nothing so full of
heart。 But peace； Aeneas； Peace； Troyan； lay thy finger on thy lips。 The
worthiness of praise distains his worth； If that the prais'd himself bring the
praise forth； But what the repining enemy commends； That breath fame
blows； that praise； sole pure； transcends。 AGAMEMNON。 Sir； you of Troy；
call you yourself Aeneas？ AENEAS。 Ay； Greek； that is my name。
AGAMEMNON。 What's your affair； I pray you？ AENEAS。 Sir； pardon；
'tis for Agamemnon's ears。 AGAMEMNON。 He hears nought privately
that comes from Troy。 AENEAS。 Nor I from Troy come not to whisper
with him； I bring a trumpet to awake his ear； To set his sense on the
attentive bent； And then to speak。 AGAMEMNON。 Speak frankly as the
wind； It is not Agamemnon's sleeping hour。 That thou shalt know； Troyan；
he is awake； He tells thee so himself。 AENEAS。 Trumpet； blow loud； Send
thy brass voice through all these lazy tents； And every Greek of mettle； let
him know What Troy means fairly shall be spoke aloud。 ＇Sound trumpet＇
We have； great Agamemnon； here in Troy A prince called Hector…Priam is
his father… Who in this dull and long…continued truce Is resty grown； he
bade me take a trumpet And to this purpose speak： Kings； princes； lords！ If
there be one among the fair'st of Greece That holds his honour higher than
his ease； That seeks his praise more than he fears his peril； That knows his
valour and knows not his fear； That loves his mistress more than in
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confession With truant vows to her own lips he loves； And dare avow her
beauty and her worth In other arms than hers…to him this challenge。 Hector；
in view of Troyans and of Greeks； Shall make it good or do his best to do
it： He hath a lady wiser； fairer； truer； Than ever Greek did couple in his
arms； And will to…morrow with his trumpet call Mid…way between your
tents and walls of Troy To rouse a Grecian that is true in love。 If any come；
Hector shall honour him； If none； he'll say in Troy； when he retires； The
Grecian dames are sunburnt and not worth The splinter of a lance。 Even so
much。 AGAMEMNON。 This shall be told our lovers； Lord Aeneas。 If
none of them have soul in such a kind； We left them all at home。 But we
are soldiers； And may that soldier a mere recreant prove That means not；
hath not； or is not in love。 If then one is； or hath； or means to be； That one
meets Hector； if none else； I am he。 NESTOR。 Tell him of Nestor； one that
was a man When Hector's grandsire suck'd。 He is old now； But if there be
not in our Grecian mould One noble man that hath one spark of fire To
answer for his love； tell him from me I'll hide my silver beard in a gold
beaver； And in my vantbrace put this wither'd brawn； And； meeting him；
will tell him that my lady Was fairer than his grandame； and as chaste As
may be in the world。 His youth in flood； I'll prove this truth with my three
drops of blood。 AENEAS。 Now heavens forfend such scarcity of youth！
ULYSSES。 Amen。 AGAMEMNON。 Fair Lord Aeneas； let me touch your
hand； To our pavilion shall I lead you； first。 Achilles shall have word of
this intent； So shall each lord of Greece； from tent to tent。 Yourself shall
feast with us before you go； And find the welcome of a noble foe。 Exeunt
all but ULYSSES and NESTOR ULYSSES。 Nestor！ NESTOR。 What says
Ulysses？ ULYSSES。 I have a young conception in my brain； Be you my
time to bring it to some shape。 NESTOR。 What is't？ ULYSSES。 This 'tis：
Blunt wedges rive hard knots。 The seeded pride That hath to this maturity
blown up In rank Achilles must or now be cropp'd Or； shedding； breed a
nursery of like evil To overbulk us all。 NESTOR。 Well； and how？
ULYSSES。 This challenge that the gallant Hector sends； However it is
spread in general name； Relates in purpose only to Achilles。 NESTOR。
True。 The purpose is perspicuous even as substance Whose grossness little
characters sum up； And； in the publication； make no strain But that
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Achilles； were his brain as barren As banks of Libya…though； Apollo
knows； 'Tis dry enough…will with great speed of judgment； Ay； with
celerity； find Hector's purpose Pointing on him。 ULYSSES。 And wake him
to the answer； think you？ NESTOR。 Why； 'tis most meet。 Who may you
else oppose That can from Hector bring those honours off； If not Achilles？
Though 't be a sportful combat； Yet in this trial much opinion dwells； For
here the Troyans taste our dear'st repute With their fin'st palate； and trust
to me； Ulysses； Our imputation shall be oddly pois'd In this vile action； for
the success； Although particular； shall give a scantling Of good or bad
unto the general； And in such indexes； although small pricks To their
subsequent volumes； there is seen The baby figure of the giant mas Of
things to come at large。 It is suppos'd He that meets Hector issues from our
choice； And choice； being mutual act of all our souls； Makes merit her
election； and doth boil； As 'twere from forth us all； a man distill'd Out of
our virtues； who miscarrying； What heart receives from hence a
conquering part； To steel a strong opinion to themselves？ Which
entertain'd； limbs are his instruments； In no less working than are swords
and bows Directive by the limbs。 ULYSSES。 Give pardon to my speech。
Therefore 'tis meet Achilles meet not Hector。 Let us； like merchants； show
our foulest wares And think perchance they'll sell； if not； the lustre Of the
better yet to show shall show the better； By showing the worst first。 Do not
consent That ever Hector and Achilles meet； For both our honour and our
shame in this Are dogg'd with two strange followers。 NESTOR。 I see them
not with my old eyes。 What are they？
