Читать книгу The History of Troilus and Cressida - Уильям Шекспир, William Szekspir, the Simon Studio - Страница 2

    In Troy, there lies the scene. From isles of Greece

    The princes orgillous, their high blood chaf'd,

    Have to the port of Athens sent their ships

    Fraught with the ministers and instruments

    Of cruel war. Sixty and nine that wore

    Their crownets regal from th' Athenian bay

    Put forth toward Phrygia; and their vow is made

    To ransack Troy, within whose strong immures

    The ravish'd Helen, Menelaus' queen,

    With wanton Paris sleeps-and that's the quarrel.

    To Tenedos they come,

    And the deep-drawing barks do there disgorge

    Their war-like fraughtage. Now on Dardan plains

    The fresh and yet unbruised Greeks do pitch

    Their brave pavilions: Priam's six-gated city,

    Dardan, and Tymbria, Helias, Chetas, Troien,

    And Antenorides, with massy staples

    And corresponsive and fulfilling bolts,

    Sperr up the sons of Troy.

    Now expectation, tickling skittish spirits

    On one and other side, Troyan and Greek,

    Sets all on hazard-and hither am I come

    A Prologue arm'd, but not in confidence

    Of author's pen or actor's voice, but suited

    In like conditions as our argument,

    To tell you, fair beholders, that our play

    Leaps o'er the vaunt and firstlings of those broils,

    Beginning in the middle; starting thence away,

    To what may be digested in a play.

    Like or find fault; do as your pleasures are;

    Now good or bad, 'tis but the chance of war.