TROILUS AND CRESSIDA.

CALCHAS, a Trojan priest, taking part with the Greeks. PANDARUS, uncle to Cressida.

AGAMEMNON, the Grecian general.

MENELAUS, his brother.

1 DRAMATIS PERSONE.] First given, imperfectly, by Rowe. Added by Theobald.

TROILUS AND CRESSIDA.

THE PROLOGUE.

IN Troy there lies the scene. From isles of Greece
The princes orgulous, their high blood chafed,
Have to the port of Athens sent their ships,
Fraught with the ministers and instruments
Of cruel war: sixty and nine, that wore
Their crownets regal, from the Athenian bay
Put forth toward Phrygia, and their vow is made
To ransack Troy, within whose strong immures
The ravish'd Helen, Menelaus' queen,

With wanton Paris sleeps; and that's the quarrel.
To Tenedos they come;

And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge
Their warlike fraughtage: now on Dardan plains
The fresh and yet unbruised Greeks do pitch
Their brave pavilions: Priam's six-gated city,
Dardan, and Timbria, Helias, Chetas, Troien,
And Antenorides, with massy staples,
And corresponsive and fulfilling bolts,

5

ΙΟ

15

Sperr up the sons of Troy.

Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits,
On one and other side, Trojan and Greek,
Sets all on hazard: and hither am I come
A prologue arm'd, but not in confidence.
Of author's pen or actor's voice, but suited
In like conditions as our argument,

To tell you, fair beholders, that our play
Leaps o'er the vaunt and firstlings of those broils,
Beginning in the middle; starting thence away
To what may be digested in a play.

20

25

Like, or find fault; do as your pleasures are:
Now good or bad, 'tis but the chance of war.

30

ACT I.

SCENE I. Troy. Before Priam's palace.

Enter PANDARUS and TROILUS.

Tro. Call here my varlet; I'll unarm again:
Why should I war without the walls of Troy,
That find such cruel battle here within?
Each Trojan that is master of his heart,
Let him to field; Troilus, alas, hath none!

Pan. Will this gear ne'er be mended?

Tro. The Greeks are strong and skilful to their strength,
Fierce to their skill and to their fierceness valiant,
But I am weaker than a woman's tear,
Tamer than sleep, fonder than ignorance,

19. Sperr] Sperre Theobald. Stirre FF2 Stirr F3. Stir F4. Sperrs Capell. Sparr Collier MS.

28. Beginning in the] 'Ginning i th' Theobald.

away] om. Pope.

31. Now good or bad] Now good, now bad or Or good or bad Capell conj.

Troy. Before Priam's palace.] Ca-
pell. Troy. Rowe. The Palace in
Troy. Theobald.

Enter...] Enter Troilus, arm'd;
Pandarus following. Capell.

4. Trojan] F4. Troian F,F,F3.
Troyan Q.

10. sleep] sheep Rann.