SCENE I
Troy. Priam’s palace.
[Enter a Servant and PANDARUS]
PANDARUS
Friend, you! pray you, a word: do not you follow the young Lord Paris?
Friend, you! pray you, a word: do not you follow the young Lord Paris?
Servant
Ay, sir, when he goes before me.
Ay, sir, when he goes before me.
PANDARUS
You depend upon him, I mean?
You depend upon him, I mean?
Servant
Sir, I do depend upon the lord.
Sir, I do depend upon the lord.
PANDARUS
You depend upon a noble gentleman; I must needs praise him.
You depend upon a noble gentleman; I must needs praise him.
Servant
The lord be praised!
The lord be praised!
PANDARUS
You know me, do you not?
You know me, do you not?
Servant
Faith, sir, superficially.
Faith, sir, superficially.
PANDARUS
Friend, know me better; I am the Lord Pandarus.
Friend, know me better; I am the Lord Pandarus.
Servant
I hope I shall know your honour better.
I hope I shall know your honour better.
PANDARUS
I do desire it.
I do desire it.
Servant
You are in the state of grace.
You are in the state of grace.
PANDARUS
Grace! not so, friend: honour and lordship are my titles.
Grace! not so, friend: honour and lordship are my titles.
[Music within]
What music is this?
Servant
I do but partly know, sir: it is music in parts.
I do but partly know, sir: it is music in parts.
PANDARUS
Know you the musicians?
Know you the musicians?
Servant
Wholly, sir.
Wholly, sir.
PANDARUS
Who play they to?
Who play they to?
Servant
To the hearers, sir.
To the hearers, sir.
PANDARUS
At whose pleasure, friend
At whose pleasure, friend
Servant
At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.
At mine, sir, and theirs that love music.
PANDARUS
Command, I mean, friend.
Command, I mean, friend.
Servant
Who shall I command, sir?
Who shall I command, sir?
PANDARUS
Friend, we understand not one another: I am too courtly and thou art too cunning. At whose request do these men play?
Friend, we understand not one another: I am too courtly and thou art too cunning. At whose request do these men play?
Servant
That’s to ’t indeed, sir: marry, sir, at the request of Paris my lord, who’s there in person; with him, the mortal Venus, the heart-blood of beauty, love’s invisible soul, –
That’s to ’t indeed, sir: marry, sir, at the request of Paris my lord, who’s there in person; with him, the mortal Venus, the heart-blood of beauty, love’s invisible soul, –
PANDARUS
Who, my cousin Cressida?
Who, my cousin Cressida?
Servant
No, sir, Helen: could you not find out that by her attributes?
No, sir, Helen: could you not find out that by her attributes?
PANDARUS
It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the Lady Cressida. I come to speak with Paris from the Prince Troilus: I will make a complimental assault upon him, for my business seethes.
It should seem, fellow, that thou hast not seen the Lady Cressida. I come to speak with Paris from the Prince Troilus: I will make a complimental assault upon him, for my business seethes.
Servant
Sodden business! there’s a stewed phrase indeed!
Sodden business! there’s a stewed phrase indeed!
[Enter PARIS and HELEN, attended]
PANDARUS
Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company! fair desires, in all fair measure, fairly guide them! especially to you, fair queen! fair thoughts be your fair pillow!
Fair be to you, my lord, and to all this fair company! fair desires, in all fair measure, fairly guide them! especially to you, fair queen! fair thoughts be your fair pillow!
HELEN
Dear lord, you are full of fair words.
Dear lord, you are full of fair words.
PANDARUS
You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen. Fair prince, here is good broken music.
You speak your fair pleasure, sweet queen. Fair prince, here is good broken music.
PARIS
You have broke it, cousin: and, by my life, you shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance. Nell, he is full of harmony.
You have broke it, cousin: and, by my life, you shall make it whole again; you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance. Nell, he is full of harmony.
PANDARUS
Truly, lady, no.
Truly, lady, no.
HELEN
O, sir, –
O, sir, –
PANDARUS
Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.
Rude, in sooth; in good sooth, very rude.
PARIS
Well said, my lord! well, you say so in fits.
Well said, my lord! well, you say so in fits.
PANDARUS
I have business to my lord, dear queen. My lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?
I have business to my lord, dear queen. My lord, will you vouchsafe me a word?
HELEN
Nay, this shall not hedge us out: we’ll hear you sing, certainly.
Nay, this shall not hedge us out: we’ll hear you sing, certainly.
PANDARUS
Well, sweet queen. you are pleasant with me. But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most esteemed friend, your brother Troilus, –
Well, sweet queen. you are pleasant with me. But, marry, thus, my lord: my dear lord and most esteemed friend, your brother Troilus, –
HELEN
My Lord Pandarus; honey-sweet lord, –
My Lord Pandarus; honey-sweet lord, –
PANDARUS
Go to, sweet queen, to go: – commends himself most affectionately to you, –
Go to, sweet queen, to go: – commends himself most affectionately to you, –
HELEN
You shall not bob us out of our melody: if you do, our melancholy upon your head!
You shall not bob us out of our melody: if you do, our melancholy upon your head!
PANDARUS
Sweet queen, sweet queen! that’s a sweet queen, i’ faith.
Sweet queen, sweet queen! that’s a sweet queen, i’ faith.
HELEN
And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence.
And to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence.
PANDARUS
Nay, that shall not serve your turn; that shall not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words; no, no. And, my lord, he desires you, that if the king call for him at supper, you will make his excuse.
Nay, that shall not serve your turn; that shall not, in truth, la. Nay, I care not for such words; no, no. And, my lord, he desires you, that if the king call for him at supper, you will make his excuse.
HELEN
My Lord Pandarus, –
My Lord Pandarus, –
PANDARUS
What says my sweet queen, my very very sweet queen?
What says my sweet queen, my very very sweet queen?
PARIS
What exploit’s in hand? where sups he to-night?
What exploit’s in hand? where sups he to-night?
HELEN
Nay, but, my lord, –
Nay, but, my lord, –
PANDARUS
What says my sweet queen? My cousin will fall out with you. You must not know where he sups.
What says my sweet queen? My cousin will fall out with you. You must not know where he sups.
PARIS
I’ll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida.
I’ll lay my life, with my disposer Cressida.
PANDARUS
No, no, no such matter; you are wide: come, your disposer is sick.
No, no, no such matter; you are wide: come, your disposer is sick.
PARIS
Well, I’ll make excuse.
Well, I’ll make excuse.
PANDARUS
Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? no, your poor disposer’s sick.
Ay, good my lord. Why should you say Cressida? no, your poor disposer’s sick.
PARIS
I spy.
I spy.
PANDARUS
You spy! what do you spy? Come, give me an instrument. Now, sweet queen.
You spy! what do you spy? Come, give me an instrument. Now, sweet queen.
HELEN
Why, this is kindly done.
Why, this is kindly done.
PANDARUS
My niece is horribly in love with a thing you have, sweet queen.
My niece is horribly in love with a thing you have, sweet queen.
HELEN
She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my lord Paris.
She shall have it, my lord, if it be not my lord Paris.
PANDARUS
He! no, she’ll none of him; they two are twain.
He! no, she’ll none of him; they two are twain.
HELEN
Falling in, after falling out, may make them three.
Falling in, after falling out, may make them three.
PANDARUS
Come, come, I’ll hear no more of this; I’ll sing you a song now.
Come, come, I’ll hear no more of this; I’ll sing you a song now.
HELEN
Ay, ay, prithee now. By my troth, sweet lord, thou hast a fine forehead.
Ay, ay, prithee now. By my troth, sweet lord, thou hast a fine forehead.
PANDARUS
Ay, you may, you may.
Ay, you may, you may.
HELEN
Let thy song be love: this love will undo us all.
O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!
Let thy song be love: this love will undo us all.
O Cupid, Cupid, Cupid!
PANDARUS
Love! ay, that it shall, i’ faith.
Love! ay, that it shall, i’ faith.
PARIS
Ay, good now, love, love, nothing but love.
Ay, good now, love, love, nothing but love.
PANDARUS
In good troth, it begins so.
In good troth, it begins so.
[Sings]
Love, love, nothing but love, still more!
For, O, love’s bow
Shoots buck and doe:
The shaft confounds,
Not that it wounds,
But tickles still the sore.
These lovers cry Oh! oh! they die!
Yet that which seems the wound to kill,
Doth turn oh! oh! to ha! ha! he!
So dying love lives still:
Oh! oh! a while, but ha! ha! ha!
Oh! oh! groans out for ha! ha! ha!
Heigh-ho!
For, O, love’s bow
Shoots buck and doe:
The shaft confounds,
Not that it wounds,
But tickles still the sore.
These lovers cry Oh! oh! they die!
Yet that which seems the wound to kill,
Doth turn oh! oh! to ha! ha! he!
So dying love lives still:
Oh! oh! a while, but ha! ha! ha!
Oh! oh! groans out for ha! ha! ha!
Heigh-ho!
HELEN
In love, i’ faith, to the very tip of the nose.
In love, i’ faith, to the very tip of the nose.
PARIS
He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds hot blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.
He eats nothing but doves, love, and that breeds hot blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love.
PANDARUS
Is this the generation of love? hot blood, hot thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers: is love a generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who’s a-field to-day?
Is this the generation of love? hot blood, hot thoughts, and hot deeds? Why, they are vipers: is love a generation of vipers? Sweet lord, who’s a-field to-day?
PARIS
Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the gallantry of Troy: I would fain have armed to-day, but my Nell would not have it so. How chance my brother Troilus went not?
Hector, Deiphobus, Helenus, Antenor, and all the gallantry of Troy: I would fain have armed to-day, but my Nell would not have it so. How chance my brother Troilus went not?
HELEN
He hangs the lip at something: you know all, Lord Pandarus.
He hangs the lip at something: you know all, Lord Pandarus.
PANDARUS
Not I, honey-sweet queen. I long to hear how they
sped to-day. You’ll remember your brother’s excuse?
Not I, honey-sweet queen. I long to hear how they
sped to-day. You’ll remember your brother’s excuse?
PARIS
To a hair.
To a hair.
PANDARUS
Farewell, sweet queen.
Farewell, sweet queen.
HELEN
Commend me to your niece.
Commend me to your niece.
PANDARUS
I will, sweet queen.
I will, sweet queen.
[Exit]
[A retreat sounded]
PARIS
They’re come from field: let us to Priam’s hall,
To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you
To help unarm our Hector: his stubborn buckles,
With these your white enchanting fingers touch’d,
Shall more obey than to the edge of steel
Or force of Greekish sinews; you shall do more
Than all the island kings, – disarm great Hector.
They’re come from field: let us to Priam’s hall,
To greet the warriors. Sweet Helen, I must woo you
To help unarm our Hector: his stubborn buckles,
With these your white enchanting fingers touch’d,
Shall more obey than to the edge of steel
Or force of Greekish sinews; you shall do more
Than all the island kings, – disarm great Hector.
HELEN
’Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris;
Yea, what he shall receive of us in duty
Gives us more palm in beauty than we have,
Yea, overshines ourself.
’Twill make us proud to be his servant, Paris;
Yea, what he shall receive of us in duty
Gives us more palm in beauty than we have,
Yea, overshines ourself.
PARIS
Sweet, above thought I love thee.
Sweet, above thought I love thee.
[Exeunt]
