Act 1 - Scene 3
The Grecian camp. Before Agamemnon's tent.
Sennet. Enter AGAMEMNON, NESTOR, ULYSSES, MENELAUS, and others AGAMEMNON
Princes, What grief hath set the jaundice on your cheeks? The ample proposition that hope makes In all
designs begun on earth below Fails in the promised largeness: cheques and disasters Grow in the veins
of actions highest rear'd, As knots, by the conflux of meeting sap, Infect the sound pine and divert his
grain Tortive and errant from his course of growth. Nor, princes, is it matter new to us That we come short
of our suppose so far That after seven years' siege yet Troy walls stand; Sith every action that hath gone
before, Whereof we have record, trial did draw Bias and thwart, not answering the aim, And that unbodied
figure of the thought That gave't surmised shape. Why then, you princes, Do you with cheeks abash'd
behold our works, And call them shames? which are indeed nought else But the protractive trials of great
Jove To find persistive constancy in men: The fineness of which metal is not found In fortune's love; for
then the bold and coward, The wise and fool, the artist and unread, The hard and soft seem all affined
and kin: But, in the wind and tempest of her frown, Distinction, with a broad and powerful fan, Puffing at
all, winnows the light away; And what hath mass or matter, by itself Lies rich in virtue and unmingled. NESTOR
With due observance of thy godlike seat, Great Agamemnon, Nestor shall apply Thy latest words. In the
reproof of chance Lies the true proof of men: the sea being smooth, How many shallow bauble boats dare
sail Upon her patient breast, making their way With those of nobler bulk! But let the ruffian Boreas once
enrage The gentle Thetis, and anon behold The strong-ribb'd bark through liquid mountains cut, Bounding
between the two moist elements, Like Perseus' horse: where's then the saucy boat Whose weak untimber'd
sides but even now Co-rivall'd greatness? Either to harbour fled, Or made a toast for Neptune. Even
so Doth valour's show and valour's worth divide In storms of fortune; for in her ray and brightness The
herd hath more annoyance by the breeze Than by the tiger; but when the splitting wind Makes flexible the
knees of knotted oaks, And flies fled under shade, why, then the thing of courage As roused with rage
with rage doth sympathize, And with an accent tuned in selfsame key Retorts to chiding fortune. ULYSSES
Agamemnon, Thou great commander, nerve and bone of Greece, Heart of our numbers, soul and only
spirit. In whom the tempers and the minds of all Should be shut up, hear what Ulysses speaks. Besides
the applause and approbation To which,
To AGAMEMNON
most mighty for thy place and sway,
To NESTOR
And thou most reverend for thy stretch'd-out life I give to both your speeches, which were such As Agamemnon
and the hand of Greece Should hold up high in brass, and such again As venerable Nestor, hatch'd in
silver, Should with a bond of air, strong as the axle-tree On which heaven rides, knit all the Greekish ears To
his experienced tongue, yet let it please both, Thou great, and wise, to hear Ulysses speak. AGAMEMNON
Speak, prince of Ithaca; and be't of less expect That matter needless, of importless burden, Divide thy lips,
than we are confident, When rank Thersites opes his mastic jaws, We shall hear music, wit and oracle.
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