Page 2790 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

And to this purpose speak: ‘Kings, princes, lords,
If there be one amongst the fair’st of Greece [265]
That holds his honour higher than his ease,
That seeks his praise more than he fears his peril,

That knows his valour, and knows not his fear,
That loves his mistress more than in confession
With truant vows to her own lips he loves, [270]
And dare avow her beauty and her worth

In other arms than hers; to him this challenge;
Hector, in view of Trojans and of Greeks,
Shall make it good, or do his best to do it,
He hath a lady, wiser, fairer, truer, [275]

Than ever Greek did compass in his arms;
And will tomorrow with his trumpet call,
Midway between your tents and walls of Troy,
To rouse a Grecian that is true in love.

If any come, Hector shall honour him; [280]
If none, he’ll say in Troy when he retires,
The Grecian dames are sunburnt, and not worth
The splinter of a lance’. Even so much.

AGAMEMNON
This shall be told our lovers, Lord Aeneas.

If none of them have soul in such a kind, [285]
We left them all at home; but we are soldiers,
And may that soldier a mere recreant prove

That means not, hath not, or is not in love.
If then one is, or hath, or means to be,
That one meets Hector; if none else, I’ll be he. [290]

NESTOR
Tell him of Nestor, one that was a man
When Hector’s grandsire sucked: he is old now;

But if there be not in our Grecian mould
One noble man that hath one spark of fire
To answer for his love, tell him from me, [295]
I’ll hide my silver beard in a gold beaver,

And in my vantbrace put this withered brawn;