The Universal Anthology; A Collection of the Best Literature, Ancient, Mediaeval and Modern, with Biographical and Explanatory Notes Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ...we sit idly in the sun. Achilles--Go call Thersites hither, sweet Patroclus: I'll send the food to Ajax, and desire him To invite the Trojan lords after the combat, To see us here unarmed: I have a woman's longing, An appetite that I am sick withal, To see great Hector in his weeds of peace; To talk with him, and to behold his visage, Even to my full view. A labor saved Enter Thersites. Thersites--A wonder Achilles--What? TJiersites--Ajax goes up and down the field, asking for himself. Achilles--How so? Thersites--He must fight singly to-morrow with Hector; and is so prophetically proud of an heroical cudgeling, that he raves in saying nothing. Achilles--How can that be? Thersites--Why, he stalks up and down like a peacock; a stride, and a stand: ruminates, like an hostess, that hath no arithmetic but her brain to set down her reckoning: bites his lip with a politic regard, as who should say--there were wit in this head, an'twould out; and so there is; but it lies as coldly in him as fire in a flint, which will not show without knocking. The man's undone forever; for if Hector break not his neck i' the combat, he'll break it himself in vain glory. He knows not me: I said, Good morrow, Ajax; and he replies, Tlianks, Agamemnon. What think you of this man, that takes me for the general? He has grown a very land fish, languageless, a monster. A plague of opinion a man may wear it on both sides, like a leather jerkin. Achilles--Thou must be my ambassador to him, Thersites. Thersites--Who, I? why, he'll answer nobody; he professes not answering; speaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue in his arms. I will put on his presence; let Patroclus make demands to me, you shall see the pageant of Ajax. Achilles--To him, Patroclus: tell him, --I...