Speeches (Lines) for Cassandra
in "Troilus and Cressida"
Total: 13

1

II,2,1090

Troilus. I take to-day a wife, and my election
Is led on in the conduct of my will;
My will enkindled by mine eyes and ears,
Two traded pilots 'twixt the dangerous shores
Of will and judgment: how may I avoid,
Although my will distaste what it elected,
The wife I chose? there can be no evasion
To blench from this and to stand firm by honour:
We turn not back the silks upon the merchant,
When we have soil'd them, nor the remainder viands
We do not throw in unrespective sieve,
Because we now are full. It was thought meet
Paris should do some vengeance on the Greeks:
Your breath of full consent bellied his sails;
The seas and winds, old wranglers, took a truce
And did him service: he touch'd the ports desired,
And for an old aunt whom the Greeks held captive,
He brought a Grecian queen, whose youth and freshness
Wrinkles Apollo's, and makes stale the morning.
Why keep we her? the Grecians keep our aunt:
Is she worth keeping? why, she is a pearl,
Whose price hath launch'd above a thousand ships,
And turn'd crown'd kings to merchants.
If you'll avouch 'twas wisdom Paris went—
As you must needs, for you all cried 'Go, go,'—
If you'll confess he brought home noble prize—
As you must needs, for you all clapp'd your hands
And cried 'Inestimable!'—why do you now
The issue of your proper wisdoms rate,
And do a deed that fortune never did,
Beggar the estimation which you prized
Richer than sea and land? O, theft most base,
That we have stol'n what we do fear to keep!
But, thieves, unworthy of a thing so stol'n,
That in their country did them that disgrace,
We fear to warrant in our native place!

Cassandra. [Within] Cry, Trojans, cry!

2

II,2,1093

Troilus. 'Tis our mad sister, I do know her voice.

Cassandra. [Within] Cry, Trojans!

3

II,2,1096

(stage directions). [Enter CASSANDRA, raving]

Cassandra. Cry, Trojans, cry! lend me ten thousand eyes,
And I will fill them with prophetic tears.

4

II,2,1099

Hector. Peace, sister, peace!

Cassandra. Virgins and boys, mid-age and wrinkled eld,
Soft infancy, that nothing canst but cry,
Add to my clamours! let us pay betimes
A moiety of that mass of moan to come.
Cry, Trojans, cry! practise your eyes with tears!
Troy must not be, nor goodly Ilion stand;
Our firebrand brother, Paris, burns us all.
Cry, Trojans, cry! a Helen and a woe:
Cry, cry! Troy burns, or else let Helen go.

5

V,3,3284

(stage directions). [Enter CASSANDRA]

Cassandra. Where is my brother Hector?

6

V,3,3290

Andromache. Here, sister; arm'd, and bloody in intent.
Consort with me in loud and dear petition,
Pursue we him on knees; for I have dream'd
Of bloody turbulence, and this whole night
Hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter.

Cassandra. O, 'tis true.

7

V,3,3292

Hector. Ho! bid my trumpet sound!

Cassandra. No notes of sally, for the heavens, sweet brother.

8

V,3,3294

Hector. Be gone, I say: the gods have heard me swear.

Cassandra. The gods are deaf to hot and peevish vows:
They are polluted offerings, more abhorr'd
Than spotted livers in the sacrifice.

9

V,3,3301

Andromache. O, be persuaded! do not count it holy
To hurt by being just: it is as lawful,
For we would give much, to use violent thefts,
And rob in the behalf of charity.

Cassandra. It is the purpose that makes strong the vow;
But vows to every purpose must not hold:
Unarm, sweet Hector.

10

V,3,3344

(stage directions). [Re-enter CASSANDRA, with PRIAM]

Cassandra. Lay hold upon him, Priam, hold him fast:
He is thy crutch; now if thou lose thy stay,
Thou on him leaning, and all Troy on thee,
Fall all together.

11

V,3,3364

Hector. I must not break my faith.
You know me dutiful; therefore, dear sir,
Let me not shame respect; but give me leave
To take that course by your consent and voice,
Which you do here forbid me, royal Priam.

Cassandra. O Priam, yield not to him!

12

V,3,3371

Troilus. This foolish, dreaming, superstitious girl
Makes all these bodements.

Cassandra. O, farewell, dear Hector!
Look, how thou diest! look, how thy eye turns pale!
Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents!
Hark, how Troy roars! how Hecuba cries out!
How poor Andromache shrills her dolours forth!
Behold, distraction, frenzy and amazement,
Like witless antics, one another meet,
And all cry, Hector! Hector's dead! O Hector!

13

V,3,3380

Troilus. Away! away!

Cassandra. Farewell: yet, soft! Hector! take my leave:
Thou dost thyself and all our Troy deceive.