Agam. What would you 'fore our tent? 215
Æne. Is this great Agamemnon's tent, I pray you?
Agam. Even this.
Æne. May one that is a herald and a prince
Do a fair message to his kingly ears?[1182]
Agam. With surety stronger than Achilles' arm[1183] 220
'Fore all the Greekish heads, which with one voice
Call Agamemnon head and general.
Æne. Fair leave and large security. How may
A stranger to those most imperial looks
Know them from eyes of other mortals?
Agam. How! 225
Æne. Ay:[1184]
I ask, that I might waken reverence,
And bid the cheek be ready with a blush[1185]
Modest as morning when she coldly eyes[1186]
The youthful Phœbus:[1186] 230
Which is that god in office, guiding men?[1187]
Which is the high and mighty Agamemnon?
Agam. This Trojan scorns us; or the men of Troy
Are ceremonious courtiers.
Æne. Courtiers as free, as debonair, unarm'd, 235
As bending angels; that's their fame in peace:[1188]
But when they would seem soldiers, they have galls,
Good arms, strong joints, true swords; and, Jove's accord,[1189][1190]
Nothing so full of heart. But peace, Æneas,[1189]
Peace, Trojan; lay thy finger on thy lips! 240
The worthiness of praise distains his worth,
If that the praised himself bring the praise forth:[1191]
But what the repining enemy commends,[1192]
That breath fame blows; that praise, sole pure, transcends.[1193]
Agam. Sir, you of Troy, call you yourself Æneas? 245
Æne. Ay, Greek, that is my name.
Agam. What's your affair, I pray you?[1194]
Æne. Sir, pardon; 'tis for Agamemnon's ears.
Agam. He hears nought privately that comes from Troy.[1195]
Æne. Nor I from Troy come not to whisper him:[1196] 250
I bring a trumpet to awake his ear,
To set his sense on the attentive bent,[1197]
And then to speak.
Agam. Speak frankly as the wind;
It is not Agamemnon's sleeping hour:
That thou shalt know, Trojan, he is awake, 255
He tells thee so himself.
Æne. Trumpet, blow loud,[1198]
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.
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:[1223] 315
Blunt wedges rive hard knots: the seeded pride
That hath to this maturity blown up[1224]
In rank Achilles must or now be cropp'd,
Or, shedding, breed a nursery of like evil,
To overbulk us all.
Nest. Well, and how?[1225] 320
Ulyss. This challenge that the gallant Hector sends,
However it is spread in general name,
Relates in purpose only to Achilles.
Nest. The purpose is perspicuous even as substance,[1226]
Whose grossness little characters sum up:[1227] 325
And, in the publication, make no strain,[1227]
But that Achilles, were his brain as barren[1228]
As banks of Libya,—though, Apollo knows,[1229]
'Tis dry enough—will, with great speed of judgement,[1229]
Ay, with celerity, find Hector's purpose[1230] 330
Pointing on him.[1230]
Ulyss. And wake him to the answer, think you?
Nest. Yes, 'tis most meet: who may you else oppose,[1231]
That can from Hector bring his honour off,[1232]
If not Achilles? Though't be a sportful combat,[1233] 335
Yet in this trial much opinion dwells;[1234]
For here the Trojans taste our dear'st repute
With their finest palate: and trust to me, Ulysses,[1235]
Our imputation shall be oddly poised[1236]
In this wild action; for the success,[1237] 340
Although particular, shall give a scantling[1238]
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 mass 345
Of things to come at large. It is supposed
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 350
Out of our virtues; who miscarrying,
What heart from hence receives the conquering part,[1239][1240]
To steel a strong opinion to themselves?[1240][1241]
Which entertain'd, limbs are his instruments,[1242][1243]
In no less working than are swords and bows[1242] 355
Directive by the limbs.[1242]
Ulyss. Give pardon to my speech;[1244]
Therefore 'tis meet Achilles meet not Hector.[1244][1245]
Let us, like merchants, show our foulest wares,[1244]
And think, perchance, they'll sell; if not,[1244][1246] 360
The lustre of the better yet to show,[1244][1247]
Shall show the better. Do not consent[1244][1248]
That ever Hector and Achilles meet;[1244]
For both our honour and our shame in this[1244]
Are dogg'd with two strange followers.[1244] 365
Nest. I see them not with my old eyes: what are they?[1249]
Ulyss. What glory our Achilles shares from Hector,[1250]
Were he not proud, we all should share with him:[1251]
But he already is too insolent;
And we were better parch in Afric sun[1252] 370
Than in the pride and salt scorn of his eyes,
Should he 'scape Hector fair: if he were foil'd,[1253]
Why then, we did our main opinion crush[1254]
In taint of our best man. No, make a lottery;
And by device let blockish Ajax draw[1255] 375
The sort to fight with Hector: among ourselves[1256]
Give him allowance for the better man;[1257]
For that will physic the great Myrmidon
Who broils in loud applause, and make him fall
His crest that prouder than blue Iris bends. 380
If the dull brainless Ajax come safe off,
We'll dress him up in voices: if he fail,
Yet go we under our opinion still
That we have better men. But, hit or miss,
Our project's life this shape of sense assumes, 385
Ajax employ'd plucks down Achilles' plumes.
Nest. Ulysses,[1258]
Now I begin to relish thy advice;[1258][1259]
And I will give a taste of it forthwith[1260]
To Agamemnon: go we to him straight. 390
Two curs shall tame each other: pride alone
Must tarre the mastiffs on, as 'twere their bone.[1261]