To every ticklish reader: fet them down For fluttish Spoils of Opportunity, And Daughters of the Game. [Trumpet within. Enter Hector, Paris, Troilus, Æneas, Helenus, and Attendants. All. The Trojans' trumpet! Aga. Yonder comes the troop. . Ene. Hail all the State of Greece! what fhall be done To him that Victory commands? Or do you purpose, A Victor fhall be known? will you, the Knights Shall to the edge of all extremity Purfue each other, or shall be divided Aga. Which way would Hector have it? Ene. He cares not; he'll obey conditions.. Achil. 'Tis done like Hector, but fecurely done, (38) A little proudly, and great deal mifprizing The Knight oppos'd. Ene. If not Achilles, Sir, What is your name? Achil. 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 one almoft as infinite as all, .. The other blank as nothing; weigh him well; (38) Agam. 'Tis done like Hector, but fecurely done ;] It feems abfurd to me, that Agamemnon should make a Remark to the Disparagement of Hector for Pride, and that Eneas fhould immediately fay, If notTM Achilles, Sir, what is your Name? and then defire him to take Notice, that Hector was as void of Pride as he was full of Valour. Why was Achilles to take Notice of this, if it was Agamemnon that threw this Imputation of Pride in Hector's Teeth? I was fully fatisfied, that this Reproach on Hector ought to be placed to Achilles, as I have ventur'd to place it; and confulting Mr. Dryden's Alteration of this Play, I was not a little pleas'd to find that I had but feconded the Opinion of that Great Man in this Point. I regulated the Paffage in the Appendix of my SHAKESPEAR B reftor'd; and Mr. Pope has follow'd my Regulation in his laft Edition of our Poet. This Ajax is half made of Hector's blood, Re-enter Diomede. Aga. Here is Sir Diomede: go, gentle Knight, Stand by our Ajax; as you and lord Eneas Confent upon the order of the fight, So be it; either to the uttermoft, Or elfe a breath. The Combatants being kin Aga. What Trojan is that fame, that looks so heavy? Uly. The youngest fon of Priam, a true knight; Not yet mature, yet matchlefs; firm of word; Speaking in deeds, and deedlefs in his tongue; Not foon provok'd, nor, being provok'd, foon calm'd; His heart and hand both open, and both free; For what he has, he gives; what thinks, he fhews; 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 fubfcribes To tender objects; but he in heat of action Is more vindicative than jealous love. They call him Troilus, and on him erect A fecond hope, as fairly built as Hector. Thus fays Eneas, one that knows the youth Ev'n to his inches; and with private foul, Did in great Ilion thus tranflate him to me. 1 [Alarum. Hector and Ajax fight. Aga. They are in action. Neft. Now, Ajax, hold thine own. Troi. Hector, thou sleep'st, awake thee. Aga. His blows are well dispos'd; there, Ajax. "Dio. You must no more. Ene. Princes, enough, fo please you. [Trumpets ceafe. Ajax. I am not warm yet, let us fight again. Helt. Why then, will I no more. Thou art, great lord, my father's fifter's fon; (39) A gory emulation 'twixt us twain; Ajax. I thank thee, Hector! Thou art too gentle, and too free a man: Heit. Not Neoptolemus so mirable, (On whose bright creft, Fame, with her loud'ft 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 fides, What further you will do. Hea. We'll answer it: The iffue is embracement: Ajax, farewel (39) Thou art, great lord, my Father's Sifter's San ;] For Ajax, as well as Teucer, was the Son of Hefione, who was the Daughter of Laomedon, and Sifter of Priam. Dio. 'Tis Agamemon's wish, and great Achilles Doth long to fee unarm'd the valiant Hector. Het. Eneas, call my brother Troilus to me: And fignifie this loving interview To the expectors of our Trojan part: Defire them home. Give me thy hand, my Coufin: I will go eat with thee, and fee your Knights. Agamemnon and the rest of the Greeks come forward. Ajax. Great Agamemnon comes to meet us here. Heat. The worthieft of them tell me name by name; But for Achilles, mine own fearching eyes Shall find him by his large and portly size. Aga. Worthy of arms! as welcome, as to one But that's no welcome: understand more clear, But in this extant moment, faith and troth, From heart of very heart, great Hector, welcome. Ene. The noble Menelaus. Hect. O-you, my lord-by Mars his gauntlet, thanks. Mock not, that I affect th' untraded oath; Your quondam wife fwears ftill by Venus' glove: Neft. I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft, Through ranks of Greek fb youth; and I have seen thee, As hot as Perfeus, fpur thy Phrygian steed, Bravely defpifing forfeits and fubduements, When D When thou haft hung thy advanc'd sword i'th' air, And I have seen thee paufe, and take thy breath, Never like thee, Let an old man embrace thee, Ene. 'Tis the old Neftor. Heft. Let me embrace thee, good old chronicle, That haft fo long walk'd hand in hand with time: 'Moft reverend Neftor, I am glad to clasp thee. Neft. I would, my arms could match thee in contention, As they contend with thee in courtefie. Het. I would, they could. Neft. By this white beard, I'd fight with thee to morrow. Well, welcome, welcome; I have seen the time- Ulyf. Sir, I foretold you then what would enfue: For yonder walls, that pertly front your town, Helt. I must not believe you: There they ftand yet; and, modestly I think, And |