Pursue each other; or shall they be divided Hector bade ask. Agam. Which way would Hector have it? Ene. He cares not, he'll obey conditions. Achil. "Tis done like Hector; but securely done, A little proudly, and great deal misprizing The knight oppos'd. Ene. What is your name? If not Achilles, sir, If not Achilles, nothing. Ene. Therefore Achilles: But, whate'er, know this ;- In the extremity of great and little, Valour and pride excel themselves in Hector;* The other blank as nothing. Weigh him well, Re-enter DIOMED. Agam. Here is sir Diomed:-Go, gentle knight, Stand by our Ajax: as you and lord Æneas Consent upon the order of their fight, Valour and pride excel themselves in Hector;] Shakspeare's thought is not exactly deduced. Nicety of expression is not his character. The meaning is plain: "Valour (says Æneas,) is in Hector greater than valour in other men, and pride in Hector is less than pride in other men. So that Hector is distinguished by the excellence of having pride less than other pride, and valour more than other valour." JOHNSON. 3 This Ajax is half made of Hector's blood:] Ajax and Hector were cousin-germans. So be it; either to the uttermost, Or else a breath: the combatants being kin, Agam. What Trojan is that same that looks so heavy? Ulyss. The youngest son of Priam, a true knight; Not yet mature, yet matchless: firm of word; Speaking in deeds, and deedless in his tongue;" Not soon provok'd, nor, being provok'd, soon calm'd: His heart and hand both open, and both free; For what he has, he gives, what thinks, he shows; Yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty, Nor dignifies an impair thought with breath: Manly as Hector, but more dangerous; For Hector, in his blaze of wrath, subscribes1 To tender objects; but he, in heat of action, Is more vindicative than jealous love: They call him Troilus; and on him erect A second hope, as fairly built as Hector. Thus says Æneas; one that knows the youth Even to his inches, and, with private soul, Did in great Ilion thus translate him to me." [Alarum. HECTOR and AJAX fight. Agam. They are in action. Nest. Now, Ajax, hold thine own! Tro. Awake thee! 6 7 8 9 Hector, thou sleep'st; Agam. His blows are well dispos'd :—there, Ajax ! a breath: i. e. a breathing, a slight exercise of arms. stints] i. e. stops. deedless in his tongue;] i. e. no boaster of his own deeds. an impair thought-] A thought unsuitable to the dignity of his character. Hector-subscribes] That is, yields, gives way. thus translate him to me.] Thus explain his character. Dio. You must no more. [Trumpets cease. Ene. Princes, enough, so please you. Ajax. I am not warm yet, let us fight again. Dio. As Hector pleases. Hect. Why then, will I no more: Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son, A cousin-german to great Priam's seed; The obligation of our blood forbids A gory emulation 'twixt us twain: Were thy commixtion Greek and Trojan so, Ajax. Hect. Not Neoptolemus' so mirable 3 My sacred aunt,] It is remarkable that the Greeks give to the uncle the title of Sacred, 905. And this circumstance may tend to establish the opinion, that this play was not the entire composition of Shakspeare, to whom the Grecism before us was probably unknown. -] i. e. denomination. * A great addition "Not Neoptolemus-] My opinion is, that by Neoptolemus the author meant Achilles himself; and remembering that the son (On whose bright crest Faine with her loud'st O yes Cries, This is he,) could promise to himself A thought of added honour torn from Hector. Ene. There is expectance here from both the sides, What further you will do. Hect. Dio. 'Tis Agamemnon's wish, and great Achilles To the expecters of our Trojan part; Desire them home.-Give me thy hand, my cousin; I will go eat with thee, and see your knights. Ajax. Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here. Hect. The worthiest of them tell me name by name; But for Achilles, my own searching eyes Agam. Worthy of arms! as welcome as to one That would be rid of such an enemy; But that's no welcome: Understand more clear, But in this extant moment, faith and troth, From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome. was Pyrrhus Neoptolemus, considered Neoptolemus as the nomen gentilitium, and thought the father was likewise Achilles Neoptolemus. JoHNSON. 6 most imperious] Imperious and imperial had formerly the same signification. Agam. My well-fam'd lord of Troy, no less to you. [TO TROILUS. Men. Let me confirm my princely brother's greeting; You brace of warlike brothers, welcome hither. Men. The noble Menelaus. Hect. O you, my lord? by Mars his gauntlet, thanks! Mock not, that I affect the untraded" oath; Hect. O, pardon; I offend. Nest. I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft, Labouring for destiny, make cruel way Through ranks of Greekish youth: and I have seen thee, As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed, When thou hast hung thy advanced sword i'the air, Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life! And I have seen thee pause, and take thy breath, 7 the untraded oath;] A singular oath, not in common use. 8 the declin'd;] The declin'd is the fallen. 9 thy grandsire,] Laomedon. |