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greatness and this noble state To call upon him； he hopes it is no other But
for your health and your digestion sake； An after…dinner's breath。
AGAMEMNON。 Hear you； Patroclus。 We are too well acquainted with
these answers； But his evasion； wing'd thus swift with scorn； Cannot
outfly our apprehensions。 Much attribute he hath； and much the reason
Why we ascribe it to him。 Yet all his virtues； Not virtuously on his own
part beheld； Do in our eyes begin to lose their gloss； Yea； like fair fruit in
an unwholesome dish； Are like to rot untasted。 Go and tell him We come
to speak with him； and you shall not sin If you do say we think him over…
proud And under…honest； in self…assumption greater Than in the note of
judgment； and worthier than himself Here tend the savage strangeness he
puts on； Disguise the holy strength of their command； And underwrite in
an observing kind His humorous predominance； yea； watch His pettish
lunes； his ebbs； his flows； as if The passage and whole carriage of this
action Rode on his tide。 Go tell him this； and ad That if he overhold his
price so much We'll none of him； but let him； like an engine Not portable；
lie under this report： Bring action hither； this cannot go to war。 A stirring
dwarf we do allowance give Before a sleeping giant。 Tell him so。
PATROCLUS。 I shall； and bring his answer presently。 Exit
AGAMEMNON。 In second voice we'll not be satisfied； We come to speak
with him。 Ulysses； enter you。 Exit ULYSSES AJAX。 What is he more than
another？ AGAMEMNON。 No more than what he thinks he is。 AJAX。 Is he
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so much？ Do you not think he thinks himself a better man than I am？
AGAMEMNON。 No question。 AJAX。 Will you subscribe his thought and
say he is？ AGAMEMNON。 No； noble Ajax； you are as strong； as valiant；
as wise； no less noble； much more gentle； and altogether more tractable。
AJAX。 Why should a man be proud？ How doth pride grow？ I know not
what pride is。 AGAMEMNON。 Your mind is the clearer； Ajax； and your
virtues the fairer。 He that is proud eats up himself。 Pride is his own glass；
his own trumpet； his own chronicle； and whatever praises itself but in the
deed devours the deed in the praise。
Re…enter ULYSSES
AJAX。 I do hate a proud man as I do hate the engend'ring of toads。
NESTOR。 ＇Aside＇ And yet he loves himself： is't not strange？ ULYSSES。
Achilles will not to the field to…morrow。 AGAMEMNON。 What's his
excuse？ ULYSSES。 He doth rely on none； But carries on the stream of his
dispose； Without observance or respect of any； In will peculiar and in self…
admission。 AGAMEMNON。 Why will he not； upon our fair request；
Untent his person and share the air with us？ ULYSSES。 Things small as
nothing； for request's sake only； He makes important； possess'd he is with
greatness； And speaks not to himself but with a pride That quarrels at self…
breath。 Imagin'd worth Holds in his blood such swol'n and hot discourse
That 'twixt his mental and his active parts Kingdom'd Achilles in
commotion rages； And batters down himself。 What should I say？ He is so
plaguy proud that the death tokens of it Cry 'No recovery。'
AGAMEMNON。 Let Ajax go to him。 Dear lord； go you and greet him in
his tent。 'Tis said he holds you well； and will be led At your request a little
from himself。 ULYSSES。 O Agamemnon； let it not be so！ We'll consecrate
the steps that Ajax makes When they go from Achilles。 Shall the proud
lord That bastes his arrogance with his own seam And never suffers matter
of the world Enter his thoughts； save such as doth revolve And ruminate
himself…shall he be worshipp'd Of that we hold an idol more than he？ No；
this thrice…worthy and right valiant lord Shall not so stale his palm； nobly
acquir'd； Nor； by my will； assubjugate his merit； As amply titled as
Achilles is； By going to Achilles。 That were to enlard his fat…already pride；
And add more coals to Cancer when he burns With entertaining great
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THE HISTORY OF TROILUS AND CRESSIDA
Hyperion。 This lord go to him！ Jupiter forbid； And say in thunder 'Achilles
go to him。' NESTOR。 ＇Aside＇ O； this is well！ He rubs the vein of him。
DIOMEDES。 ＇Aside＇ And how his silence drinks up this applause！ AJAX。
If I go to him； with my armed fist I'll pash him o'er the face。
AGAMEMNON。 O； no； you shall not go。 AJAX。 An 'a be proud with me
I'll pheeze his pride。 Let me go to him。 ULYSSES。 Not for the worth that
hangs upon our quarrel。 AJAX。 A paltry； insolent fellow！ NESTOR。 ＇Aside＇
How he describes himself！ AJAX。 Can he not be sociable？ ULYSSES。
＇Aside＇ The raven chides blackness。 AJAX。 I'll let his humours blood。
AGAMEMNON。 ＇Aside＇ He will be the physician that should be the
patient。 AJAX。 An all men were a my mind… ULYSSES。 ＇Aside＇ Wit
would be out of fashion。 AJAX。 'A should not bear it so； 'a should eat's
words first。 Shall pride carry it？ NESTOR。 ＇Aside＇ An 'twould； you'd carry
half。 ULYSSES。 ＇Aside＇ 'A would have ten shares。 AJAX。 I will knead
him； I'll make him supple。 NESTOR。 ＇Aside＇ He's not yet through warm。
Force him with praises； pour in； pour in； his ambition is dry。 ULYSSES。
＇To AGAMEMNON＇ My lord； you feed too much on this dislike。
NESTOR。 Our noble general； do not do so。 DIOMEDES。 You must
prepare to fight without Achilles。 ULYSSES。 Why 'tis this naming of him
does him harm。 Here is a man…but 'tis before his face； I will be silent。
NESTOR。 Wherefore should you so？ He is not emulous； as Achilles is。
ULYSSES。 Know the whole world； he is as valiant。 AJAX。 A whoreson
dog； that shall palter with us thus！ Would he were a Troyan！ NESTOR。
What a vice were it in Ajax now… ULYSSES。 If he were proud。
DIOMEDES。 Or covetous of praise。 ULYSSES。 Ay； or surly borne。
DIOMEDES。 Or strange； or self…affected。 ULYSSES。 Thank the heavens；
lord； thou art of sweet composure Praise him that gat thee； she that gave
thee suck； Fam'd be thy tutor； and thy parts of nature Thrice…fam'd beyond；
beyond all erudition； But he that disciplin'd thine arms to fight…