Troilus and Cressida · Act 4, Scene 2

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Enter TROILUS and CRESSIDA
Enter TROILUS and CRESSIDA
Troilus

Dear, trouble not yourself: the morn is cold.

Troilus

Don’t worry, my dear: the morning is cold.

Cressida

Then, sweet my lord, I’ll call mine uncle down; He shall unbolt the gates.

Cressida

Then, my sweet lord, I’ll call my uncle down; He’ll open the gates.

Troilus

Trouble 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!

Troilus

Don’t bother him; Go to bed, go to bed: let sleep close those beautiful eyes, And bring as much calmness to your mind As if you were an infant, with no worries at all!

Cressida

Good morrow, then.

Cressida

Good morning, then.

Troilus

I prithee now, to bed.

Troilus

Please, go to bed now.

Cressida

Are you a-weary of me?

Cressida

Are you tired of me?

Troilus

O 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.

Troilus

Oh, Cressida! if it weren’t for the busy day, Woken by the lark, disturbing the noisy crows, And if the night, full of dreams, didn’t hide our happiness, I wouldn’t want to leave you.

Cressida

Night hath been too brief.

Cressida

The night was too short.

Troilus

Beshrew 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.

Troilus

Curse that witch! She stays as long as hell itself, But she flees love’s embrace faster than thought. You’ll catch a cold, and then curse me.

Cressida

Prithee, 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.

Cressida

Please, wait: You men never wait. Oh, foolish Cressida! I should have held off a little longer, Then you would have stayed. Listen! Someone’s awake.

Pandarus

[Within] What, ’s all the doors open here?

Pandarus

[Inside] What, are all the doors open here?

Troilus

It is your uncle.

Troilus

It’s your uncle.

Cressida

A pestilence on him! now will he be mocking: I shall have such a life!

Cressida

A plague on him! Now he’ll start mocking me: I’m going to have such a life!

Enter PANDARUS
Enter PANDARUS
Pandarus

How now, how now! how go maidenheads? Here, you maid! where’s my cousin Cressid?

Pandarus

Well, well! How are the girls doing? Hey, you girl! Where’s my cousin Cressida?

Cressida

Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle! You bring me to do, and then you flout me too.

Cressida

Go hang yourself, you naughty, mocking uncle! You make me do things, and then make fun of me too.

Pandarus

To do what? to do what? let her say what: what have I brought you to do?

Pandarus

To do what? to do what? let her say what: what have I brought you to do?

Cressida

Come, come, beshrew your heart! you’ll ne’er be good, Nor suffer others.

Cressida

Come on, come on, curse your heart! you’ll never be any good, Nor let anyone else be either.

Pandarus

Ha! 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!

Pandarus

Ha! ha! Oh, poor fool! ah, poor idiot! haven’t you slept tonight? wouldn’t he, a bad man, let it sleep? damn him!

Cressida

Did not I tell you? Would he were knock’d i’ the head!

Cressida

Didn’t I tell you? I wish he were knocked in the head!

Knocking within
Knocking within
Cressida

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.

Cressida

Who’s that at the door? good uncle, go and see. My lord, why are you back in my room: You’re smiling and teasing me, like I meant something bad.

Troilus

Ha, ha!

Troilus

Ha, ha!

Cressida

Come, you are deceived, I think of no such thing.

Cressida

Come on, you’re mistaken, I’m not thinking of anything like that.

Knocking within
Knocking within
Cressida

How earnestly they knock! Pray you, come in: I would not for half Troy have you seen here.

Cressida

They’re knocking so urgently! Please, come in: I wouldn’t want you to see me here for half of Troy.

Exeunt TROILUS and CRESSIDA
Exeunt TROILUS and CRESSIDA
Pandarus

Who’s there? what’s the matter? will you beat down the door? How now! what’s the matter?

Pandarus

Who’s there? what’s going on? are you going to break down the door? What’s happening now?

Enter AENEAS
Enter AENEAS
Aeneas

Good morrow, lord, good morrow.

Aeneas

Good morning, my lord, good morning.

Pandarus

Who’s there? my Lord AEneas! By my troth, I knew you not: what news with you so early?

Pandarus

Who’s there? My Lord Aeneas! By my word, I didn’t recognize you: what’s the news so early?

Aeneas

Is not Prince Troilus here?

Aeneas

Isn’t Prince Troilus here?

Pandarus

Here! what should he do here?

Pandarus

What’s going on here? What’s he doing here?

Aeneas

Come, he is here, my lord; do not deny him: It doth import him much to speak with me.

Aeneas

He’s here, my lord; don’t deny it: It’s very important that he talks to me.

Pandarus

Is 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?

Pandarus

He’s here, you say? I don’t know that, I swear: As for me, I arrived late. What’s he doing here?

Aeneas

Who!--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.

Aeneas

Who?--No, come on, you’ll wrong him without realizing it: You’ll be so loyal to him, that you’ll betray him: Don’t you know him? But still, go and get him; go.

Re-enter TROILUS
Re-enter TROILUS
Troilus

How now! what’s the matter?

Troilus

What’s going on? What’s the matter?

Aeneas

My 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.

Aeneas

My lord, I barely have time to greet you, My business is so urgent: Paris, your brother, and Deiphobus, The Greek Diomed, and our Antenor Have been handed over to us; and for him right away, Before the first sacrifice, within the hour, We must give the Lady Cressida to Diomedes.

Troilus

Is it so concluded?

Troilus

Has it been decided, then?

Aeneas

By Priam and the general state of Troy: They are at hand and ready to effect it.

Aeneas

By Priam and the whole state of Troy: They’re ready and will do it.

Troilus

How my achievements mock me! I will go meet them: and, my Lord AEneas, We met by chance; you did not find me here.

Troilus

How my deeds mock me! I’ll go meet them: and, Lord Aeneas, We met by chance; you didn’t find me here.

Aeneas

Good, good, my lord; the secrets of nature Have not more gift in taciturnity.

Aeneas

Good, good, my lord; nature’s secrets Are no more revealing than silence.

Exeunt TROILUS and AENEAS
Exeunt TROILUS and AENEAS
Pandarus

Is’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!

Pandarus

Is it possible? He’s gotten her, then lost her? The devil Take Antenor! The young prince will go crazy: a Curse on Antenor! I wish they had broken his neck!

Re-enter CRESSIDA
Re-enter CRESSIDA
Cressida

How now! what’s the matter? who was here?

Cressida

What’s going on? What’s the matter? Who was here?

Pandarus

Ah, ah!

Pandarus

Ah, ah!

Cressida

Why sigh you so profoundly? where’s my lord? gone! Tell me, sweet uncle, what’s the matter?

Cressida

Why are you sighing so deeply? Where’s my lord? Gone! Tell me, sweet uncle, what’s going on?

Pandarus

Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above!

Pandarus

I wish I were as far underground as I am above!

Cressida

O the gods! what’s the matter?

Cressida

Oh, the gods! What’s going on?

Pandarus

Prithee, get thee in: would thou hadst ne’er been born! I knew thou wouldst be his death. O, poor gentleman! A plague upon Antenor!

Pandarus

Please, go inside: I wish you had never been born! I knew this would lead to his death. Oh, poor man! A curse on Antenor!

Cressida

Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees! beseech you, what’s the matter?

Cressida

Good uncle, I beg you, on my knees! Please, tell me, what’s going on?

Pandarus

Thou 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.

Pandarus

You have to leave, girl, you have to leave; you’ve been swapped for Antenor: You need to go to your father and leave Troilus; It will kill him; it will destroy him; he won’t be able to handle it.

Cressida

O you immortal gods! I will not go.

Cressida

Oh, you immortal gods! I will not go.

Pandarus

Thou must.

Pandarus

You must.

Cressida

I 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,--

Cressida

I will not, uncle: I have forgotten my father; I feel no connection of blood; No kin, no love, no blood, no soul is closer to me Than sweet Troilus. Oh, divine gods! Make Cressida’s name the ultimate symbol of dishonesty, If she ever leaves Troilus! Time, force, and death, Do with this body whatever you wish; But the solid foundation and strength of my love Is like the very center of the earth, Pulling everything toward it. I’ll go inside and cry,--

Pandarus

Do, do.

Pandarus

Go on, go on.

Cressida

Tear 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.

Cressida

Tear out my shining hair and scratch my praised cheeks, Choke my clear voice with sobs and break my heart With the name of Troilus. I will not leave Troy.

Exuent
Exit

End of Act 4, Scene 2

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