That do cóntrive how many hands shall strike, They call this-bed work mappery, closet war: Nef. Let this be granted, and Achilles' horfe [Trumpet beard. Aga. What trumpet's that? look, Menelaus. Men. From Troy Enter Eneas. Aga. What would you 'fore our tent ? Ene. Is this great Agamemnon's tent, I pray you? Ene. May one, that is a herald, and a prince, "Aga. With furety ftronger than Achilles' arm "'Fore all the Greekish heads, which with one voice "Call Agamemnon head and general. Ene. Fair leave, and large fecurity. How may "Aftranger to those most imperial looks "Know them from eyes of other mortals-? "Aga. How? "Ene. I afk, that I might waken reverence, "And bid the cheek be ready with a blush "Modest as morning, when the coldly eyes › "The youthful Phœbus : , "Which is that god in office; guiding men? "Which is the high and mighty Agamemnon? Aga, This Trojan fcorns us; or the men of Troy "Are ceremonious courtiers. "Ene. Courtiers as free, as debonair, unarm'd, "As bending angels; that's their fame in peace: "But when they would feem foldiers, they have galls, "Good arms, ftrong joints, true fwords; and, Jove's "accord, "Nothing "Nothing fo full of heart. But peace, Eneas, "That breath fame blows; that praise, sole pure, tran"fcends.. "Aga. Sir, you of Troy, call you yourself Eneas? "Ene. Ay, Greek, that is my name. "Aga. What's your affair, I pray you ? "Ene. Sir, pardon; 'tis for Agamemnon's ears. "Aga. He hears nought privately, that comes from Troy. "Ene. Nor I from Trey come not to whisper him: "I bring a trumpet to awake his ear; "To fet his fenfe on the attentive bent,, "And then to speak. Aga. Speak frankly as the wind';: "It is not Agamemnon's fleeping hour:: "That thou fhalt know, Trojan, he is awake, "He tells thee fo himself. Ene. Trumpet, blow loud, Send thy brafs voice through all thefe lazy tents :- [Trumpet Sounds. We have, great Agamemnon, here in Troy He hath a lady, wifer, fairer, truer, Than ever Greek did compass in his arms; If any come, Hector fhall honour him; Aga. This thall be told our lovers, lord Æneas; We left them all at home: But we are foldiers; One noble man, that hath one spark of fire Fair lord neas, let me touch your hand; To our pavilion shall I lead you, fir. Achilles fhall have word of this intent ;; So thail each lord of Greece, from tent to tent: Yourself thall feaft with us before you go, And find the welcome of a noble foe. Uly. Neftor,- Ne. What lays Ulysses? [Exeunt oll but Uly, and Nef. This challenge, though a whimsical one in its nature, has fome... thing very manly and fpirited in it. Uly. I have a young conception in my brain, Be you my time to bring it to fome shape. Nef. What is't? Uly. Blunt wedges rive hard knots: The feeded pride That hath to this maturity blown up In rank Achilles, muft or now be cropp'd, Or, hedding, breed a nursery of like evil, Nef. Well, fir, and how? Uly. This challenge that the gallant Heor fends, However it is spread in general name, Relates in purpose only to Achilles. Nef. The purpose is perfpicuous even as substance, "Whofe groffness little characters fum up: And, in the publication, make no ftrain, "But that Achilles, were his brain as barren "As banks of Lybia,-though, Apollo knows, ""Tis dry enough, will with great speed of judgment, "Ay, with celerity, find Hector's purpose "Pointing on him. Uly. And wake him to the answer, think you 2 "Nef. Yes; It is moft meet; whom may you elfe oppose, That can from Hector bring those honours off, 66 In this wild action; for the fuccefs, Although particular, fhall give a fcantling "And in fuch indexes, although fmall pricks Of things to come at large." It is fuppos'd, What What heart receives from hence, a conquering part, Uly. Give pardon to my fpeech ;-therefore 'tis meet, Achilles meet not Hector: Let us, like merchants, Firft fhew foul wares, and think perchance they'll fell; If not, The luftre of the better shall exceed, By fhewing the worse first. Do not confent, For both our honour and our shame, in this, I fee them not with my old eyes; what are they? And we were better parch in Afric fun, Than in the pride and falt-fcorn of his eyes, The fort to fight with Hector: Among ourselves, Who broils in loud applaufe; and make him fall That we have better men. But, hit or miss, † Must tar the maftiffs on, as 'twere their bone. [Exeunt. • Ulysses fhows much of the fly, flow politician, respecting Achildes; but no great degree of honesty. † A most low idea concludes this A&; which is through the whole uninterefting, and by no means advantageously calculated for sepresentation, |