Achievements, plots, orders, preventions, (A slave, whose gall coins slanders like a mint) To weaken and discredit our exposure, Ulyss. They tax our policy, and call it cowardice; But that of hand: the still and mental parts,- They call this-bed-work, mappery, closet-war; Nest. Let this be granted, and Achilles' horse [Trumpet sounds. What trumpet? look, Menelaus. Agam. Ene. May one, that is a herald, and a prince, Do a fair message to his kingly ears? Agam. With surety stronger than Achilles' arm Ene. Fair leave, and large security. How may Ene. Ay; I ask, that I might waken reverence, How? Which is that god in office, guiding men? Agam. This Trojan scorns us; or the men. of Troy Are ceremonious courtiers. Ene. Courtiers as free, as debonair, unarmed, As bending angels; that's their fame in peace. 2 Nothing so full of heart. But peace, Eneas, Peace, Trojan; lay thy finger on thy lips! That breath fame follows; that praise, sole pure, transcends. Agam. Sir, you of Troy, call you yourself Æneas? Ene. Ay, Greek, that is my name. Agam. What's your affair, I pray you? Ene. Sir, pardon; 'tis for Agamemnon's ears. Agam. He hears nought privately that comes from Troy. 1 And yet this was the seventh year of the war. 2 Theobald's interpretation of this passage is, perhaps, nearly correct:"They have galls, good arms, &c. and Jove's consent:-Nothing is so full of heart as they." Ene. Nor I from Troy come not to whisper him. I bring a trumpet to awake his ear; To set his sense on the attentive bent, Agam. Speak frankly as the wind; It is not Agamemnon's sleeping hour: He tells thee so himself. Ene. 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. [Trumpet sounds. That seeks his praise more than he fears his peril; If none, he'll say in Troy, when he retires, 1 Of this long truce there has been no notice taken; in this very act it is said, that "Ajax coped Hector yesterday in the battle." Shakspeare found in the seventh chapter of the third book of The Destruction of Troy, that a truce was agreed on, at the desire of the Trojans, for six months. The Grecian dames are sun-burned, and not worth Agam. This shall be told our lovers, lord Æneas; That one meets Hector; if none else, I am he. One noble man, that hath one spark of fire Agam. Fair lord Æneas, let me touch your hand, To our pavilion shall I lead you, sir. Achilles shall have word of this intent; So shall each lord of Greece, from tent to tent. And find the welcome of a noble foe. [Exeunt all but ULYSSES and NESTOR. Ulyss. Nestor, Nest. What says Ulysses? Ulyss. I have a young conception in my brain; Be you my time to bring it to some shape. Nest. What is't? Ulyss. This 'tis. Blunt wedges rive hard knots. The seeded pride In rank Achilles, must or now be cropped, 1 An armor for the arm. Avant bras. Or, shedding, breed a nursery of like evil, Ulyss. This challenge that the gallant Hector sends, However it is spread in general name, Relates in purpose only to Achilles. 1 Nest. The purpose is perspicuous even as substance, Whose grossness little characters sum up;1 And in the publication make no strain, But that 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. Ulyss. And wake him to the answer, think you? Nest. It is most meet. Whom may you else oppose, Yes. For here the Trojans taste our dear'st repute In this wild action; for the success, 4 Of things to come at large. It is supposed, 1 "The intent is as plain and palpable as substance, and it is to be collected from small circumstances, as a gross body is made up of many small parts." This is the scope of Warburton's explanation. 2 Make no doubt. 3 A scantling is a measure, a proportion. 4 i. e. small points compared with the volumes. |