William Shakespeare: The History of Troilus and Cressida

ACT II. SCENE 3. The Grecian camp. Before the tent of ACHILLES (continued)

NESTOR.
[Aside.] An 'twould, you'd carry half.

ULYSSES.
[Aside.] 'A would have ten shares.

AJAX.
I will knead him, I'll make him supple.

NESTOR.
[Aside.] He's not yet through warm. Force him with praises;
pour in, pour in; his ambition is dry.

ULYSSES.
[To AGAMEMNON.] My lord, you feed too much on this dislike.

NESTOR.
Our noble general, do not do so.

DIOMEDES.
You must prepare to fight without Achilles.

ULYSSES.
Why 'tis this naming of him does him harm.
Here is a man-but 'tis before his face;
I will be silent.

NESTOR.
Wherefore should you so?
He is not emulous, as Achilles is.

ULYSSES.
Know the whole world, he is as valiant.

AJAX.
A whoreson dog, that shall palter with us thus!
Would he were a Troyan!

NESTOR.
What a vice were it in Ajax now--

ULYSSES.
If he were proud.

DIOMEDES.
Or covetous of praise.

ULYSSES.
Ay, or surly borne.

DIOMEDES.
Or strange, or self-affected.

ULYSSES.
Thank the heavens, lord, thou art of sweet composure
Praise him that gat thee, she that gave thee suck;
Fam'd be thy tutor, and thy parts of nature
Thrice-fam'd beyond, beyond all erudition;
But he that disciplin'd thine arms to fight--
Let Mars divide eternity in twain
And give him half; and, for thy vigour,
Bull-bearing Milo his addition yield
To sinewy Ajax. I will not praise thy wisdom,
Which, like a bourn, a pale, a shore, confines
Thy spacious and dilated parts. Here's Nestor,
Instructed by the antiquary times--
He must, he is, he cannot but be wise;
But pardon, father Nestor, were your days
As green as Ajax' and your brain so temper'd,
You should not have the eminence of him,
But be as Ajax.