Troilus and Cressida: Act 5, Scene 6

    tragedy

    Another part of the plains.

    Scene Summary

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    Troilus fights both Ajax and Diomedes with ferocious energy. Hector encounters Achilles and they fight; Hector, the better swordsman, has Achilles at his mercy and grants him quarter — letting him go to recover his breath. Hector then sees a Greek wearing magnificent armour and chases him to claim it. His desire for the armour will cost him his life.

    Enter AJAX
    AJAX
    Troilus, thou coward Troilus, show thy head!
    Enter DIOMEDES
    DIOMEDES
    Troilus, I say! where's Troilus?
    AJAX
    What wouldst thou?
    DIOMEDES
    I would correct him.
    AJAX
    Were I the general, thou shouldst have my office
    Ere that correction. Troilus, I say! what, Troilus!
    Enter TROILUS
    TROILUS
    O traitor Diomed! turn thy false face, thou traitor,
    And pay thy life thou owest me for my horse!
    DIOMEDES
    Ha, art thou there?
    AJAX
    I'll fight with him alone: stand, Diomed.
    DIOMEDES
    He is my prize; I will not look upon.
    TROILUS
    Come, both you cogging Greeks; have at you both!
    Exeunt, fighting
    Enter HECTOR
    HECTOR
    Yea, Troilus? O, well fought, my youngest brother!
    Enter ACHILLES
    ACHILLES
    Now do I see thee, ha! have at thee, Hector!
    HECTOR
    Pause, if thou wilt.
    ACHILLES
    I do disdain thy courtesy, proud Trojan:
    Be happy that my arms are out of use:
    My rest and negligence befriends thee now,
    But thou anon shalt hear of me again;
    Till when, go seek thy fortune.
    Exit
    HECTOR
    Fare thee well:
    I would have been much more a fresher man,
    Had I expected thee. How now, my brother!
    Re-enter TROILUS
    TROILUS
    Ajax hath ta'en AEneas: shall it be?
    No, by the flame of yonder glorious heaven,
    He shall not carry him: I'll be ta'en too,
    Or bring him off: fate, hear me what I say!
    I reck not though I end my life to-day.
    Exit
    Enter one in sumptuous armour
    HECTOR
    Stand, stand, thou Greek; thou art a goodly mark:
    No? wilt thou not? I like thy armour well;
    I'll frush it and unlock the rivets all,
    But I'll be master of it: wilt thou not,
    beast, abide?
    Why, then fly on, I'll hunt thee for thy hide.
    Exeunt