1440000 1623 Shakespeare. Troilus and Cressida. Two Leaves.
10216.
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Troilus and Cressida. From the First Folio. 1623.
Two Leaves. (Not paginated in Folio)
Troilus and Cressida is the only play in the first folio that does not have page numbering. This stems from the fact that it was not included in the original index of plays but was added sometime after the pages had been set. In the fragment Thersites is insulting Ajax calling him a fool and once again revealing his own unpleasant character. Thersites keeps needling Ajax, but as befits a true Shakespearean fool there is some merit to his insults. After Ajax exits, Achilles enters saying that:
“Marry this, sir, is proclaimed through all our host;
That Hector, by the fifth hour of the sun,
Will with a trumpet twixt our tents and Troy
Tomorrow morning will call some knight to arms.”
Achilles says the challenge was clearly meant for him, but Agamemnon and the other Greek leaders decree the challenger will be determined by lottery. The scene says a lot about Ulysses’ argument concerning the lack of order in the Greek camp. It also sets the scene for much of the drama in the rest of the play.
In the Trojan camp King Priam relays a message from the Greeks reiterating the demand that the Trojans “deliver Helen” and thus end the war. Hector suggests they do so, but his brother Troilus argues against it saying it is now a matter of principle. The passage is very enlightening in that it shows just how much Shakespeare’s text differs from the Iliad. Later we’ll see that when Achilles is actually called upon to battle Hector, he is hardly the hero whose praises were sung by Homer but rather a cowardly assassin who sets his followers upon Hector rather than engaging him in single combat.
The tension is further heightened as Cassandra, wildly shrieks that they must return Helen, else, she proclaims “Troy will burn”. Hector wholly believes her claim, but Troilus says she is mad and that her prophecy is merely a “brain sick rapture.” Paris declares that if necessary, he would continue to fight alone for Helen. He echoes Troilus’s argument concerning honor: his abduction of Helen is only wiped clean by his honorable keeping of her. If they were to give her up it would heap shame and disgrace upon them. Hector is against the view of Troilus and Paris; nevertheless, he agrees to continue to fight for Helen as it is a matter of honor.
Meanwhile, Troilus is waiting to see Cressida. His language is conventionally poetic as he begs Pandarus to have Cupid’s “painted wings” fly him to Cressida, but his language is undermined by Pandarus’ prosaic response. Nevertheless, Pandarus goes to fetch Cressida. As he waits, Troilus anticipates their meeting in language that while poetic has clear sexual overtones reinforcing the essentially physical basis for Troilus and Cressida’s relationship. The fragment ends as Pandarus returns with Cressida.