Page 2805 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

The seas and winds, old wranglers, took a truce,
And did him service; he touched the ports desired;
And for an old aunt whom the Greeks held captive
He brought a Grecian queen, whose youth and freshness

Wrinkles Apollo’s, and makes stale the morning. [80]
Why keep we her? − The Grecians keep our aunt:
Is she worth keeping? − Why, she is a pearl
Whose price hath launched above a thousand ships,

And turned crowned kings to merchants.
If you’ll avouch ’twas wisdom Paris went − [85]
As you must needs, for you all cried ‘Go, go!’;
If you’ll confess he brought home noble prize −

As you must needs, for you all clapped your hands
And cried ‘Inestimable!’ − why do you now
The issue of your proper wisdoms rate, [90]
And do a deed that fortune never did −

Beggar the estimation which you prized
Richer than sea and land? O, theft most base,
That we have stolen what we do fear to keep!
But thieves unworthy of a thing so stolen, [95]

That in their country did them that disgrace
We fear to warrant in our native place!

CASSANDRA
(within) Cry, Trojans, cry!

PRIAM
What noise? What shriek in this?

TROILUS
’Tis our mad sister. I do know her voice.

CASSANDRA
(within) Cry, Trojans! [100]

HECTOR

It is Cassandra.