_Troil._ I dare more, If urged beyond my temper: Prove my daring, And see which of us has the larger share Of our great father's soul. _Hect._ No more!--thou know'st me. _Troil._ I do; and know myself. _Hect._ All this, ye gods! And for the daughter of a fugitive, A traitor to his country! _Troil._ 'Tis too much. _Hect._ By heaven, too little; for I think her common. _Troil._ How, common! _Hect._ Common as the tainted shambles, Or as the dust we tread. _Troil._ By heaven, as chaste as thy Andromache. [HECTOR _lays his hand on_ TROILUS'S _arm,_ TROILUS _does the same to him._ _Hect._ What, namest thou them together! _Troil._ No, I do not: Fair Cressida is first; as chaste as she, But much more fair. _Hect._ O, patience, patience, heaven! Thou tempt'st me strangely: should I kill thee now, I know not if the gods can he offended, Or think I slew a brother: But, begone! Begone, or I shall shake thee into atoms; Thou know'st I can. _Troil._ I care not if you could. _Hect._ [_walking off._] I thank the gods, for calling to my mind My promise, that no words of thine should urge me Beyond the bounds of reason: But in thee 'Twas brutal baseness, so forewarned, to fall Beneath the name of man; to spurn my kindness; And when I offered thee (thou know'st how loth!) The wholesome bitter cup of friendly counsel, To dash it in my face. Farewell, farewell, Ungrateful as thou art: hereafter use The name of brother; but of friend no more. [_Going out._ _Troil._ Wilt thou not break yet, heart?--stay, brother, stay; I promised too, but I have broke my vow, And you keep yours too well. _Hect._ What would'st thou more? Take heed, young man, how you too far provoke me! For heaven can witness, 'tis with much constraint That I preserve my faith. _Troil._ Else you would kill me? _Hect._ By all the gods I would. _Troil._ I'm satisfied. You have condemned me, and I'll do't myself. What's life to him, who has no use of life? A barren purchase, held upon hard terms! For I have lost (oh, what have I not lost!) The fairest, dearest, kindest, of her sex; And lost her even by him, by him, ye gods! Who only could, and only should protect me! And if I had a joy beyond that love, A friend, have lost him too! _Hect._ Speak that again,-- For I could hear it ever,--saidst thou not, That if thou hadst a joy beyond that love, It was a friend? O, saidst thou not, a friend! That doubting _if_ was kind: then thou'rt divided; And I have still some part. _Troil._ If still you have, You do not care to have it. _Hect._ How, not care! _Troil._ No, brother, care not. _Hect._ Am I but thy brother? _Troil._ You told me, I must call you friend no more. _Hect._ How far my words were distant from my heart! Know, when I told thee so, I loved thee most. Alas! it is the use of human frailty, To fly to worst extremities with those, To whom we are most kind.