_Ther._ Ajax goes up and down the field, asking for himself.
_Ther._ He must fight singly to-morrow with Hector, and is so prophetically proud of an heroical cudgelling that he raves in saying nothing.
_Ther._ Why, a' stalks up and down like a peacock,--a[1802] 250 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[1803] coldly in him as fire in a flint, which will not show without 255 knocking. The man's undone for ever; for if Hector break not his neck i' the combat, he'll break't himself in vainglory.[1804] He knows not me: I said 'Good morrow, Ajax;' and he replies 'Thanks, Agamemnon.' What think you of[1805] this man, that takes me for the general? He's grown a very 260 land-fish, languageless, a monster. A plague of opinion! a man may wear it on both sides, like a leather jerkin.
_Achil._ Thou must be my ambassador to him, Thersites.[1806]
_Ther._ Who, I? why, he'll answer nobody; he professes not answering: speaking is for beggars; he wears his tongue 265 in's arms. I will put on his presence: let Patroclus make demands to me, you shall see the pageant of Ajax.[1807]
_Achil._ To him, Patroclus: tell him I humbly desire the valiant Ajax to invite the most valorous Hector to[1808] come unarmed to my tent, and to procure safe-conduct for 270 his person of the magnanimous and most illustrious[1809] six-or-seven-times-honoured captain-general of the Grecian army,[1810] Agamemnon, et cetera. Do this.[1811]
_Patr._ I come from the worthy Achilles,--
_Patr._ Who most humbly desires you to invite Hector to his tent,--
_Patr._ And to procure safe-conduct from Agamemnon.
_Ther._ God be wi' you, with all my heart.[1812]
_Ther._ If to-morrow be a fair day, by eleven of the[1813] clock it will go one way or other: howsoever, he shall pay for me ere he has me. 290
_Ther._ Fare you well, with all my heart.[1814]
_Achil._ Why, but he is not in this tune, is he?
_Ther._ No, but he's out o' tune thus. What music will[1815][1816] be in him when Hector has knocked out his brains, I know[1816] 295 not; but, I am sure, none, unless the fiddler Apollo get his sinews to make catlings on.