43

TROILUS AND CRESSIDA.

1602.

PREVIOUSLY to the publication of the first ten books of the Iliad in 1581 by Arthur Hall, who translated them from the French, and the gradual transfusion, between 1596 and 1614, of the whole of Homer's works from the Greek into English by Chapman, the only sources of information open to the unlearned reader, relative to the history of Troy, were the Troy Book of Lydgate, and Caxton's Recuyel of the Histories of Troy. Lydgate's book was a poetic translation, with alterations and additions, from a Latin history of Troy, written in 1287 by Guido of Colonna. Lydgate's work was printed in 1513, and subsequently modernised, and reduced into regular stanzas, under the title of "The Life and Death of Hector." Caxton's Recuyel of the. Histories of Troy, printed in

1471, was a prose version of a French book, with a similar title, by Raoul le Fevre.

That Shakspeare was indebted to one of the preceding writers is fully proclaimed by his drama, but to which of them has been made a question; two words, however, appear to decide the matter. The numerous passages that have often been quoted from Lydgate to show that his book was the authority, prove nothing; for the pages of Caxton are equally illustrative of the poet's text. All doubt, however, is removed by the fact, that Shakspeare names the entrances to "Priam's six-gated city" after Caxton's Recuyel, and not from Lydgate's Troy Book: Shakspeare's orthography of "Antenorides" agrees in every letter with that of Caxton; while Lydgate designates the sixth gate" Anthonydes."

Caxton's Recuyel, and Chaucer's "Booke of Troilus and Creseide," were the chief materials used by Shakspeare in the construction of his drama. There is also to be traced the influence of some portions of Homer's Iliad, which had assumed an English garb before the play was written.

In his management of the story of Troilus and Cressida, the dramatist paid an almost equal regard to Caxton and Chaucer, selecting circumstances, indifferently, from the tale of either. As

a lover, Troilus is distinguished by the attributes
usually ascribed to the votaries of beauty; but,
in other respects, Caxton, Chaucer, and Shak-
speare appear alike solicitous for his exaltation.
Caxton's praise is brief, but full-❝ Troilus was
great, and of great courage; well attempered,
and sore beloved of young maidens.
maidens. In force
and gladness he resembled much to Hector, and
was the second after him of prowess; and
there was not in all the royame a more strong
and hardy young man."
Chaucer is still more
unmeasured in his commendations:-

"And Troilus well woxen was in hight,
And complete formed by proportioun,
So well that kind it naught amenden might,
Young, fresh, strong, and hardy as lioun,
Trew as steele, in ech conditioun
One of the best enteched creature,
That is or shall, while that the world

may

dure.

"And certainely, in story as it is fond,
That Troilus was never unto no wight
As in his time, in no degree second,
In daring do that longeth to a knight,
All might a giaunt passen him of might,
His herte aye with the first and with the best,
Stood peregall to dare done what him list."

Shakspeare surpasses both his predecessors in the real dignity of character which he bestows on Troilus.*

* Act IV. sc. 5. "The youngest son of Priam, a true knight,"

&c.

Between the character given of Cressida, and the actions ascribed to her by Caxton and Chaucer, there is a contradiction, not exactly reconcilable to modern notions. The former, in addition to his description of her, whom he calls Bresyda, as "passing fair, of mean stature, white and medled with red, and well made, sweet and piteous, and whom many men loved for her beauty," calls her "wise." Chaucer amplifies this praise of the lady, adding

"She sobre was, eke simple, and wise withall,
The best inorished eke that might bee,
And goodly of her speech in generall;
Charitable, estately, lusty, and free,
Ne nevermore, ne lacked her pitee;
Tender-hearted, sliding of corage,
But truely I cannot tell her age."

And this is the lady the sequel to whose story is shameless inconstancy! Shakspeare took a very different view of the subject. She was to appear in the subsequent scenes of his play destitute of virtue; and he represents her therefore, from the first, as volatile and licentious, gross in ideas and indelicate in language.* It is true, that she loves Troilus, and all her protestations of fidelity are the undisguised feelings of her heart at the momentt: but as her love is violent, + Act IV. sc. 2.

*Act I. sc. 2.

so is it transitory; and the same fervent temperament that, in the first instance, resigned her to the dominion of one tender feeling, renders her willingly susceptible of a second, when separated from the original object of her passion. Shakspeare's representation of Cressida is one consistent exemplification of an animated passage, in which she is justly and accurately described by Ulysses,

"Fye, fye upon her,

There's language in her eye, her cheek, her lip!
Nay, her foot speaks; her wanton spirits look out
At every joint and motive of her body.
Oh these encounterers! so glib of tongue,
That give a coasting welcome ere it comes
And wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts
To every ticklish reader! Set them down
For sluttish spoils of opportunity,

And daughters of the game."*

Pandarus flourishes with extraordinary prominence in Chaucer's tale; whence Shakspeare caught not only the general idea of his character, but several minute particulars of conduct: such as Pandarus' rallying of Cressida, after he had betrayed her to the arms of Troilust; a passage completely parallel to one in Chaucer.

Diomede is a courtly and obsequious lover

*Act IV. sc. 5.

† Act IV. sc. 2.