SCENE XI.

Another part of the field.

Enter Æneas and Trojans.

Ene. Stand, ho! yet are we masters of the field: Never go home; here starve we out the night.

Enter Troilus.

Tro. Hector is slain.

All.

Hector? The gods forbid! Tro. He's dead; and at the murderer's horse's tail,

In beastly sort, dragg'd through the shameful field.-
Frown on, you heavens, effect your rage with speed!
Sit, gods, upon your thrones, and smile at Troy!
I say, at once let your brief plagues be mercy,
And linger not our sure destructions on!

Ene. My lord, you do discomfort all the host.
Tro. You understand me not, that tell me so :
I do not speak of flight, of fear, of death;
But dare all imminence, that gods and men
Address their dangers in. Hector is gone!
Who shall tell Priam so, or Hecuba?
Let him, that will a screech-owl aye* be call'd,
Go in to Troy, and say there-Hector's dead:
There is a word will Priam turn to stone;
Make wells and Niobes of the maids and wives,
Cold statues of the youth; and, in a word,
Scare Troy out of itself. But march, away:
Hector is dead; there is no more to say.
Stay yet;-You vile abominable tents,
Thus proudly pight upon our Phrygian plains,

t

* Ever.

+ Fitched, fixed.

7

Let Titan rise as early as he dare,

I'll through and through you!-And thou, greatsiz'd coward!

No space of earth shall sunder our two hates;
I'll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still,
That mouldeth goblins swift as frenzy thoughts.-
Strike a free march to Troy !-with comfort go:
Hope of revenge shall hide our inward woe.
[Exeunt Æneas and Trojans.

As Troilus is going out, enter from the other side, Pandarus,

Pan. But hear you, hear you!

Tro. Hence, broker lackey! ignomy* and shame Pursue thy life, and live ayet with thy name!

[Exit Troilus.

Pan. A goodly med'cine for my aching bones!— O world! world! world! thus is the poor agent de. spised! O traitors and bawds, how earnestly are you set a' work, and how ill requited! Why should our endeavour be so loved, and the performance so loathed? what verse for it? what instance for it?Let me see:

Full merrily the humble-bee doth sing,
Till he hath lost his honey, and his sting:

And being once subdued in armed tail, Sweet honey and sweet notes together fail.Good traders in the flesh, set this in your painted cloths +.

As many as be here of panders' hall,

Your eyes, half out, weep out at Pandar's fall:
Or, if you cannot weep, yet give some groans,
Though not for me, yet for your aching bones.

* Ignominy.

+ Ever.

Canvass hangings for rooms, painted with em. blems and mottoes.

Brethren, and sisters, of the hold-door trade,
Some two months hence my will shall here be made:
It should be now, but that my fear is this,—
Some galled goose of Winchester would hiss:
Till then I'll sweat, and seek about for eases;
And, at that time, bequeath you my diseases.

[Exit.

This play is more correctly written than most of Shakspeare's compositions, but it is not one of those in which either the extent of his views or elevation of his fancy is fully displayed. As the story abounded with materials, he has exerted little invention; but he has diversified his characters with great variety, and preserved them with great exactness. His vicious characters disgust, but cannot corrupt, for both Cressida and Pandarus are detested and contemned. The comick characters seem to have been the favourites of the writer: they are of the superficial kind, and exhibit more of manners, than nature; but they are copiously filled, and powerfully impressed. Shakspeare has in his story followed, for the greater part, the old book of Caxton, which was then very popular; but the character of Thersites, of which it makes no mention, is a proof that this play was written after Chapman had published his version of Homer. JOHNSON.

TIMON OF ATHENS.

Timon, a noble Athenian.

Lucius,

Lucullus,
Sempronius,

Ventidius, one of Timon's false friends.
Apemantus, a churlish philosopher.

Alcibiades, an Athenian general.
Flavius, steward to Timon.

Flaminius,

Lucilius,

Servilius,

Caphis,

Philotus,

Titus,

Lucius,

Hortensius,

Phrynia,

Timandra,

lords, and flatterers of Timon.

}

Timon's servants.

Two Servants of Varro, and the Servant of Isidore; two of Timon's creditors.

Cupid, and Maskers. Three Strangers.
Poet, Painter, Jeweller, und Merchant.
An old Athenian. A Page. A Fool.

servants to Timon's creditors.

mistresses to Alcibiades.

Other Lords, Senators, Officers, Soldiers, Thieves, and Attendants.

Scene, Athens; and the Woods adjoining.