TROILUS AND CRESSIDA.

"If it were done when 'tis done then 'twere wellIt were done quickly. If the assassinationCould trammel up the consequence, and catchWith his success surcease; that but this blowMight be the be-all and the end-all here;But here—upon this bank and shoal of time—We'd jump the life to come.... But in these cases," etc.

"If it were done when 'tis done then 'twere well

It were done quickly. If the assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

With his success surcease; that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all here;

But here—upon this bank and shoal of time—

We'd jump the life to come.... But in these cases," etc.

So the passage should be pointed. The first 'done' in the first line is, finished, ended; from 'If' in the second line to 'life to come' in the seventh is one sentence, with the same idea repeated in three several forms, and not completed; common sense dictates the transposition of 'surcease' and 'success,' the latter signifying accomplishment; 'but' in lines four and six is, only; 'the life to come' is not the future state but the remaining years of his own life, as is manifest from what follows. In scene 5 we have had, "Which shall to all ournights and days to come." We also meet with, "True swains in love shall in theworld to come" (Tr. and Cr. iii. 2). "Thus all hislife to comeis loss and shame." Cowley, Davideis, ii. 616.

"Vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself,And falls on the otherside.—How now! what news?"

"Vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself,

And falls on the otherside.—How now! what news?"

Hanmer also suppliedside, which metre and sense demand alike. He had completed what he intended to say, and was pausing when his wife entered.

"At what it did so freely? From this timeSuch I account thy love."

"At what it did so freely? From this time

Such I account thy love."

A line or more must have been lost between these lines.

"I dare do all that may become a man;Who dares do more is none."

"I dare do all that may become a man;

Who dares do more is none."

For 'do' in the second line, the correction of Southern and Rowe, generally adopted, the folio hasno, which Mr. Hunter retains, giving the line to Lady Macbeth. But her reply, "Whatbeastwas it then?" shows thatdowas the poet's word.

"Sent forth great largess to your officers."

The correction of Malone for 'offices' of the folio, which also makes good sense. In a following line 'shut up' seems to apply to Duncan, as denoting the pleasure he felt. The expression is similar to "I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings." All's Well, v. 3.

"If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tisIt shall make honour for you."

"If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis

It shall make honour for you."

I cannot make sense of 'consent.' I had thought ofcontent, also the conjecture of Malone; but it does not quitecontentme.

"The curtain'd sleepe; witchcraft celebrates."

Something is evidently lost here. Steevens and Collier's folio read 'sleeper.' (See on Temp. iii. 1.) The usual reading has been that of Davenant, 'nowwitchcraft.'

"With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his designMoves like a ghost.—Thou sure and firm-set earthHear not my steps which way they walk."

"With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design

Moves like a ghost.—Thou sure and firm-set earth

Hear not my steps which way they walk."

Here 'strides,' 'sure,' and 'way,' are corrections ofsides,sowne, andmayof the folio.

"These deeds must not be thoughton."

"I am afraid to thinkonwhat I have done."

Here the addition is not absolutely necessary, but it makes the language more forcible and more idiomatic.

"To countenance this horror. Ring the bell.—What is the business?"

"To countenance this horror. Ring the bell.—

What is the business?"

Theobald regarded 'Ring the bell' as a stage-direction; but a direction follows, and Macduff, in his anxiety and impatience, reiterates his order.

"Let's briefly put on manly readiness."

A very awkward way of expressing Let us make haste and put on our clothes (see Indexv.Ready), for they must have been in their nightgowns. (Ham. iii. 4.) I greatly doubt if the editors have understood it; for they have no note on it; and Singer quotes it as a parallel to "Put on the dauntless spirit of resolution" (K. John, v. 1).

"Let your Highness'Commandbeupon me, to the which my duties," etc.

"Let your Highness'

Commandbeupon me, to the which my duties," etc.

This insertion removes all difficulty very simply.Beis omitted constantly.

"Till supper-time alone; while then God be with you."

This line cannot be as the poet wrote it, for the metric accents fall on 'be' and 'you.' We might readgood bye, but it would be somewhat too familiar. On the whole, I think thatmeanhas been omitted before 'while.' By supplying it, the language becomes dignified and king-like. See Indexs. v.While.

"To make them kings, the seed[s] of Banquo kings!Rather than so come Fate into the lists."

"To make them kings, the seed[s] of Banquo kings!

Rather than so come Fate into the lists."

"Now, if you have a station in the file,Not in themostworst rank of manhood, say it."

"Now, if you have a station in the file,

Not in themostworst rank of manhood, say it."

A syllable is wanting; we have "mostworst" in Winter's Tale, iii. 2, and double comparatives and superlatives are common.

"Whom we to gain our peace have sent to peace."

The first 'peace' was probably suggested, in the usual manner, by the second. We might readseat, or some such word (see Introd. p.64). The 2nd folio hasplace.

"Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond."

We should readband, riming with 'hand.'

"Light thickness and the crowMakes wing to the rooky wood. * * *"

"Light thickness and the crow

Makes wing to the rooky wood. * * *"

We might add,on earth below. We have, "In all designs begunon earth below" (Tr. and Cr. i. 3).

"Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill."

It might be better to read 'themselves strong.'

"'Tis better thee without than he within."

The 'he' had better probably behim.

"We'll heartheeourselves again."

"If trembling I inhabit, then protest meThe baby of a girl."

"If trembling I inhabit, then protest me

The baby of a girl."

Neither 'inhabit' nor Pope's 'inhibit' makes sense. I would readevitate it. "Since therein she dothevitateand shun" (Mer. Wives, v. 5; Introd. p.67). The printer might easily makeinhabofevitatebadly written. We might also readevadeoravoid it. 'Baby' is doll.

"I hear it by the way; but I will send."

We should of course read 'heard.'

"Who cannot want the thought how monsterous," etc.

This is evident nonsense; "yet," says Mr. Dyce, "I believe the text is not corrupt. Shakespeare was sometimes incorrect in theseminutiæ." Shakespeare, however, never wrote nonsense; and if we readWefor 'Who,' we have the very word he wrote, and most excellent sense.

"Is gone to pray the holy king [up]on his aid."

"Hath so exasperate their king that he."

For 'their' we must of course readthe.

"Toad that under cold stone."

A syllable is lost. Pope read 'thecold'; Steevens 'coldest.' I read 'underneath,' as in Jonson's line, "Underneath this stone doth lie."

"Rebellious head rise never."

This is Theobald's reading fordeadof the folio. Hanmer reads 'Rebellions,' which may be right, but 'head,' often means insurrectionary forces.

"But cruel are the times when we are traitorsAnd do not knowitourselves."

"But cruel are the times when we are traitors

And do not knowitourselves."

"Itshall not be long but I'll be here again."

"Thou liest thou shag-ear'd villain."

Both Singer and Dyce readhair'd, and I think rightly.Hairwas originally pronouncedhear, under which form it occurs in two of Shakespeare's older plays; soshag-hearedand 'shag-eared' would sound exactly alike.

"You may deserve of him, and wisdom'twere."

A syllable has plainly been lost. For 'deserve,' the correction of Theobald, the folio hasdiscern.

"I would not be the villain that thou think'stme."

"Of aidof goodly thousands; but for all this."

The foot which is wanting may be thus supplied.

"Convey your pleasures in a spacious plenty."

For 'Convey,' which hardly makes sense, Singer readsEnjoy.

"Uproar the universal peace, confoundAll unity on earth."

"Uproar the universal peace, confound

All unity on earth."

As it may be doubted if there is such a verb as 'Uproar,' and as it makes little sense, I would readUprootorUptear.

"ThenHeaven forgive him too.—This time goes manly."

This is the reading of the folio; but editors readtunefor 'time.' The terms were synonymous. See Gifford on Massinger's Roman Actor, ii. 1.

"About him fairies, sing a scornful rime,And, as you trip, still pinch him to yourtime."

"About him fairies, sing a scornful rime,

And, as you trip, still pinch him to yourtime."

Mer. Wives, v. 5.

"Aye, but their sense are shut."

Editors readisfor 'are,' but I rather think we should read 'senses.' Yet 'sense' may be a collective. Introd. p.70.

"Will cheer me ever, or disseat me now."

Percy and Collier's folio readchairfor 'cheer.' This may be right.

"My way of lifeIs fallen into the sear, the yellow leaf."

"My way of life

Is fallen into the sear, the yellow leaf."

For 'way' Johnson proposedMay, and this reading has been generally adopted; but there is no need of change.

"That keep her from her rest.—Cureherof that."

The lastherwas supplied by 2nd folio. See Introd. p.55.

"Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff."

In the usual way, 'stuff' seems to have arisen from 'stuff'd.' I readmatter.

"Shall expelThis something settledmatterin his heart."

"Shall expel

This something settledmatterin his heart."

Ham. iii. 2.

"What rhubarb, cymè, or what purgative drug."

For 'cymè,' an uncommon word, Rowe readsenna, and he has been universally followed. Yet it may not be the right word.

"For where there is advantage to be givenBoth more and less have given him the revolt."

"For where there is advantage to be given

Both more and less have given him the revolt."

The 'given' of the first line was produced, in the usual way, by that of the second. I readtaken.

"Hang out our banners! On the outward wallsThe cry is stillThey come!"

"Hang out our banners! On the outward walls

The cry is stillThey come!"

So I think we should punctuate. It was from the keep, not the walls, that the banner (as perhaps we should read) was hung. We have, no doubt, "Advance our waving colours on the walls" (1 Hen. VI. i. 6); but Orleans was a city, not a mere castle.

"The time has been my senses would have cool'd."

Collier's folio, which I follow, readsquail'dfor 'cool'd.' "That so to see him made her heart to quail." F. Q. iv. 3, 46.

"Gracious my lord, I shall report that which [I say]I saw, but know not how to do't.—Well, say, sir."

"Gracious my lord, I shall report that which [I say]

I saw, but know not how to do't.—Well, say, sir."

'I say' is needless, and spoils the measure. It arose from 'say' in the next line.

"Seemsto bebruited. Let me find him, Fortune."

"I see thee compass'd with thy kingdom's pearl."

I may observe that 'pearl' is here a collective term—a singular, with a plural sense. This word was often so used.

"We shall not spend a large expense of time."

With Singer, I readmakefor 'spend.'

Prol."To Tenedos they come."

This should be a single line, and is a sort of proof that the Prologue is by Shakespeare (see Introd. p.82). N.B.—In the beginning of the Address prefixed to this play I read 'thatbrain' for "your brain." See Introd. p.68.

"I have—as when the sun doth light a storm."

Rowe's correction ofscornof the 4tos and folio.

"What were you talking of when I cameup?"

"In his rightcondition, I had gone barefoot to India."

"Hector shall not have his wit this year."

Rowe's correction again, 'wit,' forwill.

"So, traitor!—when she comes!—when is she thence?"

This is Rowe's correction of "So, traitor, then she comes, when she is thence?"

"And a proper man ofhisperson."

"Words, vows, gifts, tears, and love's full sacrifice."

For 'gifts' the Var. edit. hasgriefs.

"Things won are done, joy's soul lies in the doing."

For 'lies' Mason read, and perhaps with reason,flies. We might, but less probably, conjecturedies.

"Achievement is command; ungain'd beseech."

Nothing can be more correct than this; yet some approveof Mr. Harness's correction,Achieved men. 'Ungain'd' sc. men, are those who have not gained, achieved. In Corneille's Polyeucte (i. 3), Pauline makes the very same remark.

"Then though my heart's content firm love doth bear."

For 'Then' of the 4tos the folio reads 'That,' another instance of the confusion of these words. (See note on Prol.) The folio also reads 'contents.'

"Princes * * * * * *"

The remainder of the line has evidently been omitted or effaced; for speeches never begin thus abruptly. We might readand leaders of the Grecian host.

"With those of nobler bulk * * *"

We might add,and greater strength.

"And flies fled under shade," etc.

Here 'flies' is either a verb or a noun; if the former, we have the grotesque image of the wind running and hiding itself after doing mischief; if the latter, as in the folio, alluding to 'the brize,' we have a bathos unworthy of any poet. Something, then, must have been lost between 'flies' and 'fled.' I read thus:—

"And fliesalong the sky, while bird and beast areFled under shade;"

"And fliesalong the sky, while bird and beast are

Fled under shade;"

and I fancy I have made a near approach to what the poet wrote. As he was reading Chaucer at that time, he may have had in his mind:—

"Ne how thebeestesand thebriddesalleFleddenfor feare when the wood was falle."

"Ne how thebeestesand thebriddesalle

Fleddenfor feare when the wood was falle."

Knt's. Tale.

If nothing is lost, we should read 'havefled.'

"Retires to chiding Fortune."

For 'Retires' Pope, whom I have followed, readReturns, HanmerReplies, DyceRetorts. Yet the text may be right, and 'Retires' be the Frenchretire, shoots again, returns the shot.

"Speak, Prince of Ithaca, and be it of less expect."

This is not sense. I read'weit less.' The superfluous insertion ofofwas not infrequent (see on Meas. for Meas. iv. 4). Here, however, it was manifestly introduced to make some kind of sense. See Introd. p.67.

"But for these instances * * *"

We might add,which now I'll show you.

"And look! how many Grecian tents [do] stand hollowUpon this plain so many hollow factions.When that the general is not as the hive."

"And look! how many Grecian tents [do] stand hollow

Upon this plain so many hollow factions.

When that the general is not as the hive."

'Do' was evidently introduced to eke out the verse. We should perhaps read 'general's' sc. tent.

"Degrees being vizarded,The unworthiest shows as fairly in the mask."

"Degrees being vizarded,

The unworthiest shows as fairly in the mask."

As what? A line seems to be lost.

"In noble eminence enthron'd and spher'dAmidst the others."

"In noble eminence enthron'd and spher'd

Amidst the others."

Mr. Singer readetherfor 'others.'

"The enterprise is sick."

Hanmer readThenfor 'the.' See Introd. p.65.

"This chaos, when degree is suffocate,Follows the choking."

"This chaos, when degree is suffocate,

Follows the choking."

I have added in my Editionof the common weal; but we might also readas his consequence, which I think better.

"Breaks scurril jests * * * *"

I would addon thee and all of us.

"To weakenusand discredit our exposure."

"To overbulk us all.—Well, and howthen?"

"And in the publication make no strain."

Perhaps we should readdoubtfor 'strain.'

"And think, perchance, they'll sell; ifthey donot."

"What glory our Achilles shares from Hector,Were he not proud, we all should share with him."

"What glory our Achilles shares from Hector,

Were he not proud, we all should share with him."

We should readwinsorgainsfor 'shares.' See Introd. p.64. It is remarkable that for the 'share' of the second line the folio readswear, thus correcting the error of the 4tos.

"When Achilles' brach bids me."

'Brach' is Rowe's correction; the originals havebrooch, which—as being an ornament hung round the neck—may be right. See Win. Tale, i. 2.

"Wrinkles Apollo's, and makes stale the Morning's."

So the folio reads, followed by Singer and Dyce; the 4tos readpalefor 'stale'—a reading I incline to prefer.

"As you must needs; for you all cried—Go, Go."

"The issue of your proper wisdoms rate."

Perhaps some word, such asthusorlow, has been lost after 'rate,' or we should read 'underrate.'

"I have a roisting challenge sent amongst."

As I have not met with the verb 'roist' anywhere else, I suspect that the poet may have writtenroistering, and the transcriber or printer have omitted a syllable, as in Meas. for Meas. iv. 2.

"Virgins and boys, mid-age and wrinkled eld."

'Eld' is an excellent correction of Ritson's; the 4tos readelders; the folioold.

"Which short-arm'd Ignorance itself."

Mr. Dyce reads 'short-aim'd.

"Their massy ironsout, and cutting the web."

The metre requires this natural addition.

"He sentbackour messengers, and we lay byOur appertainments, visiting of him."

"He sentbackour messengers, and we lay by

Our appertainments, visiting of him."

The 4tos read 'Hesate'; Theobald, who is generally followed, reads 'Heshent; but this verb is never active in Shakespeare. Collier reads 'Wesent.'

"His pettish lunes, his ebbs and flows, as if."

Here 'lunes' is Hanmer's emendation oflines. See Mer. Wives, iv. 2.

"As amply titled as Achilles isBy going to Achilles."

"As amply titled as Achilles is

By going to Achilles."

We might perhaps addin his tent. See preceding speech.

"Iwould he were a Trojan—What a vice."

"And give him half, and for thy vigourlet."

"Fresh kings are come to Troy; to-morrowmorn."

"Love's thrice-repured nectar."

Mr. Collier found this excellent reading in one of the 4tos, 1609. The reading of all the others and of the folio isreputed. Nothing is more common than the confusion ofrandt.

"Lady, you have bereft me of all words."

The original editions put 'Lady' at the end of the line.

"But you arenotwise,Or else you love not; for to be wise and loveExceeds man's might. That dwells with gods above."

"But you arenotwise,

Or else you love not; for to be wise and love

Exceeds man's might. That dwells with gods above."

As far as I am aware, not a single critic has discerned the absolute necessity for the negative in this place. "The gods themselves cannot be wise and love" (Marston, Dutch Courtezan, ii. 1). Both dramatists were probably indebted to Spenser:—

"To be wise and eke to loveIs granted scarce to gods above."

"To be wise and eke to love

Is granted scarce to gods above."

Shep. Cal. March;

and he to Publius Syrus "Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur."

"With a bed; which bed," etc.

Sense and metre demand this addition of Hanmer's.

"That through the sight I bear in things to Jove."

For 'to Jove' most critics follow Mason in readingto come. Collier hints atabove. But the text is right;tooccurs constantly in the sense ofat,chez,apud:ex. gr."Being a great favouritetoQueen Elizabeth" (Ashmole, Hist. of Berkshire, i. 249). "My hearttoher, but as guestwise sojourned" (M. N. D. iii. 2). "Lord Angelo having affairstoheaven" (Meas. for Meas. iii. 1).

"But let determin'd thingsto DestinyHold unbewail'd their way."

"But let determin'd thingsto Destiny

Hold unbewail'd their way."

Ant. and Cleop. iii. 6.

It is to be observed that the word in the originals islove, not 'Jove,' and the very same error occurs in i. 3.

"In most accepted pain."

For 'pain,' which makes little or no sense, Warburton, who is generally followed, readpay. I preferpayment, as effacement may have left only a part of them.

"But this AntenorI know is such a wrest in their affairs."

"But this Antenor

I know is such a wrest in their affairs."

I might incline to readtrustfor 'wrest.' "Their tribune and theirtrust" (Tit. Andron. i. 2). See also Ps. xl. 4, lxxi. 5. Awrestwas what we now term a tuning-key. "This small instrument, the tongue being left in tune by thewrestof awe." King James's Edict, etc., quoted by Singer.

"Good morrow,Ajax.—Ay, and good next day too."

"For speculation turns not to itselfTill it hath travell'd and is married thereWhere it may see itself."

"For speculation turns not to itself

Till it hath travell'd and is married there

Where it may see itself."

I see no reason for adopting, as some do,mirror'dof Collier's and Singer's folios. There was, I believe, no such verb at that time. I preferarrived, which could easily have becomemarriedin a printer's mind.

"Where they are extended; who, like an arch, reverberate."

Rowe readwhichand 'reverberates,' of which the first is needless, the second may be right.

"Byan act that very chance doth throw upon him."

"As done. Perseverance, dear my lordit is."

"Where one but goes abreast. Keep then the path."

This line would gain both in perspicuity and melody if we were to read 'but one.'

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