Page 2802 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

Will with a trumpet ’twixt our tents and Troy
Tomorrow morning call some knight to arms
That hath a stomach, and such a one that dare
Maintain − I know not what: ’tis trash. Farewell.

AJAX
Farewell. Who shall answer him? [125]

ACHILLES
I know not − ’tis put to lottery. Otherwise
He knew his man.

AJAX
O, meaning you? I will go learn more of it.
Exeunt.

Scene II IT

Enter Priam, Hector, Troilus, Paris, and Helenus.

PRIAM
After so many hours, lives, speeches spent,
Thus once again says Nestor from the Greeks:

‘Deliver Helen, and all damage else −
As honour, loss of time, travail, expense,
Wounds, friends, and what else dear that is consumed [5]
In hot digestion of this cormorant war −
Shall be struck off’. Hector, what say you to’t?

HECTOR

Though no man lesser fears the Greeks than I
As far as touches my particular,
Yet, dread Priam, [10]
There is no lady of more softer bowels,

More spongy to suck in the sense of fear,
More ready to cry out ‘Who knows what follows?’
Than Hector is. The wound of peace is surety,