Troilus is trying to stop time. His language is delicate and almost childlike — he speaks of sleep, of softness, of keeping her warm. He knows morning has come but cannot accept it. When he realizes they must part, his language becomes desperate and poetic.
Dear, trouble not yourself; the morn is cold.
Don't worry about it, dear; the morning is cold.
Hey, don't bother yourself. It's freezing out.
dont worry babe its cold
Cressida is more grounded in reality. She knows the morning has come. She speaks practically and with some bitterness — 'Night hath been too brief.' Her response to Pandarus's crude jokes is sharp and angry. She is the one who must face the consequences of the night.
Then, sweet my lord, I’ll call mine uncle down;
He shall unbolt the gates.
Then, my sweet lord, I'll call my uncle down; He'll unbolt the gates.
Okay, my lord, I'll get my uncle down here; He can open up the gates.
ill get my uncle he'll unlock the gates
Trouble him not;
To bed, to bed! Sleep kill those pretty eyes,
And give as soft attachment to thy senses
As infants empty of all thought!
Don't bother him; Go to bed, go to bed! Let sleep close those beautiful eyes, And give your senses the tender, gentle touch That infants feel when their minds are completely empty!
Don't bug him about it; Just go to bed, really go to bed! Let sleep take over those gorgeous eyes, And wrap your senses in that soft, easy feeling That babies get when they're not thinking about anything.
dont bother him just sleep soft as a baby's mind
Good morrow, then.
Good morning, then.
Well, good morning to you.
okay morning
I prithee now, to bed.
I'm asking you now, go to bed.
Come on, just get some sleep already.
pls go to bed
Are you aweary of me?
Are you tired of me?
Am I wearing you out?
r u bored of me
O Cressida! but that the busy day,
Wak’d by the lark, hath rous’d the ribald crows,
And dreaming night will hide our joys no longer,
I would not from thee.
Oh Cressida! But if the busy day, Awakened by the lark, hadn't sent the vulgar crows flying, And if night didn't have to hide our joys anymore, I would never leave you.
Cressida! If only the day hadn't started up, with that lark waking everything and the crows making noise, And if night could just keep hiding what we're doing, I'd never ever leave you.
cressida if daylight wasnt happening i wouldnt leave you
Night hath been too brief.
The night has been too brief.
We didn't have nearly enough time.
night went too fast
Beshrew the witch! with venomous wights she stays
As tediously as hell, but flies the grasps of love
With wings more momentary-swift than thought.
You will catch cold, and curse me.
Curse the witch! Time moves as slowly as hell itself, But flees from love's grasp with wings swifter than thought. You'll catch cold, and blame me for it.
Damn time! It drags on forever like hell, But escapes from love way faster than anything can think. You're gonna get sick and it'll be my fault.
time is so slow but flies from love you'll get cold your fault
Prithee tarry.
You men will never tarry.
O foolish Cressid! I might have still held off,
And then you would have tarried. Hark! there’s one up.
Please stay. You men never stay. Oh foolish Cressida! I could have held back, And then you would have stayed. Wait! Someone's getting up.
Wait, stay with me. You guys never stick around. Oh stupid me! I should've made you chase me, Then you'd have actually wanted to stay. Hold on, someone's coming.
stay plz men never do i was so stupid someone's waking up
[_Within._] What’s all the doors open here?
Why are all the doors open?
What's going on with all these doors standing open?
why doors open
It is your uncle.
Your uncle is here.
That's your uncle coming.
its ur uncle
A pestilence on him! Now will he be mocking.
I shall have such a life!
A curse on him! Now he'll start mocking me. I'm going to have such a difficult life!
Great, a curse on him! Now he's gonna start making fun of me. My life is gonna be torture!
damn him hes gonna mock me mylife is ruined
How now, how now! How go maidenheads?
Here, you maid! Where’s my cousin Cressid?
How now, how now! How are the young ladies doing? Here, you girl! Where is my cousin Cressida?
Hey, hey! What's going on with you young ones? Hey girl! Where is my cousin Cressida?
whats up where is cressida
Go hang yourself, you naughty mocking uncle.
You bring me to do, and then you flout me too.
Go hang yourself, you naughty, mocking uncle. You push me into doing things, and then you make fun of me too.
Go hang yourself, you nasty uncle with your stupid jokes. You got me to do this and now you're laughing at me.
go kill urself u made me do this then u mocked me
To do what? to do what? Let her say what.
What have I brought you to do?
Do what? Do what? Let her say what. What did I make you do?
Do what? Do what? Tell me what. What did I make you do?
do what do what what did i make u do
Come, come, beshrew your heart! You’ll ne’er be good, nor suffer
others.
Come on, curse your heart! You'll never be good, and you won't let others be good either.
Come on, curse you! You're not good and you won't let anyone else be good.
curse u u never let anyone be good
Ha, ha! Alas, poor wretch! Ah, poor capocchia! Hast not slept tonight?
Would he not, a naughty man, let it sleep? A bugbear take him!
Ha, ha! Poor thing! Ah, poor wretch! You haven't slept all night? Wouldn't that naughty man let you sleep? A monster take him!
Ha, ha! Poor girl! Oh man, you didn't get any sleep? That jerk wouldn't let you rest? A demon should take him!
lol poor thing didnt sleep he wouldnt let u devil take him
Scene 3-2 is the lovers' meeting, baroque with expectation and fantasy. Scene 4-2 is the morning after, and it is prose more than poetry, practical more than transcendent. Troilus tries to hold onto night with language about sleep and darkness, but Cressida knows better. 'Night hath been too brief' — the most economical and devastating line in the scene. No night is long enough when it's the last one. The scene shows the lovers not in passion but in its aftermath — vulnerable, mortal, aware that daylight is their enemy. Pandarus's arrival with his crude jokes does not break the mood so much as reveal what the mood has always been. He is narrating the night in the only language available to him: the language of transaction. By the time the knock comes, the lovers are already defeated. Morning has already killed what night protected.
Did not I tell you? Would he were knock’d i’ th’ head!
Didn't I tell you? I wish he'd been knocked on the head!
Didn't I warn you? I wish someone had cracked his skull!
told u so wish hed been knocked out
Who’s that at door? Good uncle, go and see.
My lord, come you again into my chamber.
You smile and mock me, as if I meant naughtily.
Who's that at the door? Uncle, go and see. My lord, come back into my chamber. You're smiling and mocking me as if I meant something improper.
Who's knocking? Uncle, go find out. My lord, come back to my room. You're grinning and teasing me like I did something wrong on purpose.
who's at the door uncle check it my lord come back stop teasing me i didn't do anything wrong
Ha! ha!
Ha! ha!
ha! ha!
ha! ha!
Come, you are deceiv’d, I think of no such thing.
Come on, you're mistaken. I wasn't thinking of anything like that.
Come on, you got it all wrong. That's not what was on my mind.
youre wrong wasnt thinking that
How earnestly they knock! Pray you come in:
I would not for half Troy have you seen here.
How earnestly they're knocking! Come in, please: I wouldn't give up half of Troy to have you discovered here.
They're really pounding on that door! Come inside: I'd give up half Troy before I'd let anyone see you here.
omg they're knocking so loud get inside i can't let anyone know ur here not for anything
Who’s there? What’s the matter? Will you beat down the door? How now?
What’s the matter?
Who's there? What's happening? Will you break down the door? What's going on? What's the problem?
Who's out there? What's happening? You gonna smash the door down? What is it? What's wrong?
whos there whats going on whats wrong
Good morrow, lord, good morrow.
Good morning, sir, good morning.
Morning, my lord, good morning.
good morning
Who’s there? My lord Aeneas? By my troth,
I knew you not. What news with you so early?
Who's there? My lord Aeneas? By my word, I didn't recognize you. What brings you here so early?
Who is it? Lord Aeneas? Wow, I didn't even know it was you. What's up so early?
its aeneas whats up so early
Is not Prince Troilus here?
Is Prince Troilus inside?
Is Troilus around here somewhere?
troilus here
Here! What should he do here?
Here! What would he be doing here?
Here? What would he be doing in my place?
why is he in my house
Come, he is here, my lord; do not deny him.
It doth import him much to speak with me.
Come on, he is here, my lord. Don't deny it. It's very important that he speak with me.
Come on, he's definitely here, my lord. Don't deny it. I really need to talk to him.
hes here i need to talk to him
Is he here, say you? It’s more than I know, I’ll be sworn. For my own
part, I came in late. What should he do here?
He's here, you say? I know less than that, I promise you. As far as I'm concerned, I arrived late. What would he be doing here?
He's here? I honestly have no idea. I just got here. What business would he have here?
i dont know i just got here whats he doing here
Who, nay then! Come, come, you’ll do him wrong ere you are ware; you’ll
be so true to him to be false to him. Do not you know of him, but yet
go fetch him hither; go.
Look now, come on! You're going to do him harm before you know it; you're being so loyal to him that you're actually being disloyal. Don't pretend you don't know about him—just go fetch him; go on.
Come on now! You're gonna mess this up and hurt him without meaning to. You're being so protective that you're actually hurting him. Stop playing dumb and just go get him for me, okay?
stop playing dumb just go get him plz
How now! What’s the matter?
What is it? What's the problem?
What's going on? What's the matter?
whats wrong
My lord, I scarce have leisure to salute you,
My matter is so rash. There is at hand
Paris your brother, and Deiphobus,
The Grecian Diomed, and our Antenor
Deliver’d to us; and for him forthwith,
Ere the first sacrifice, within this hour,
We must give up to Diomedes’ hand
The Lady Cressida.
My lord, I barely have time to greet you, My news is so urgent. There has just arrived Paris your brother, and Deiphobus, The Greek Diomed, and our Antenor Have been released; and for him right away, Before the first sacrifice, within this hour, We must hand over to Diomedes' custody The Lady Cressida.
My lord, I don't even have time for hello, This is urgent. Paris just showed up, your brother, and Deiphobus, The Greek Diomed, and they've let Antenor go free, So we've gotta hand over Cressida right now Before the first ceremony, in the next hour, We gotta give Lady Cressida to Diomedes.
urgent news paris is here we gotta give cressida to diomedes within an hour
In the middle of this scene, Cressida articulates a bitter truth: 'I might have still held off, / And then you would have tarried.' She realizes that her surrender has backfired — instead of securing Troilus, it has made her vulnerable. This is the tragedy of female sexuality in a war economy: if she resists, she loses; if she yields, she is exposed. Pandarus has manipulated her into the vulnerable position, and now she pays the price. Her observation is not about blame but about the mechanics of desire in a transactional world. She has learned too late that love is not reciprocal weakness but competitive strength. The woman who yields first loses. This is not Shakespeare preaching a moral lesson; this is the play showing us how desire operates under conditions of war and commodification.
Is it so concluded?
Is it decided?
Is that final?
decided
By Priam and the general state of Troy.
They are at hand, and ready to effect it.
By Priam and the entire government of Troy. They are ready and prepared to do it.
King Priam and the whole Troy leadership agreed to it. They're all set and ready to go through with it.
priam agreed everyone ready
How my achievements mock me!
I will go meet them; and, my Lord Aeneas,
We met by chance; you did not find me here.
How my accomplishments mock me! I will go meet them; and, my Lord Aeneas, We happened to meet by chance; you didn't find me here.
This is cruel, this is so cruel! I'll go meet them; and Lord Aeneas, Listen, we just ran into each other by accident; you didn't find me here, got it?
this is cruel we just happened to meet u didnt find me here
Good, good, my lord, the secrets of neighbour Pandar
Have not more gift in taciturnity.
Good, good, my lord. The secrets kept by our neighbor Pandarus Have no more skill in staying silent.
Good, good, my lord. Our neighbor Pandarus couldn't keep a secret to save his life anyway.
pandarus cant keep secrets
Is’t possible? No sooner got but lost? The devil take Antenor! The
young prince will go mad. A plague upon Antenor! I would they had
broke’s neck.
Is it possible? Barely acquired and already lost? The devil take Antenor! The young prince will go mad. A plague on Antenor! I wish they had broken his neck.
Can this be real? Just got her and already losing her? Damn Antenor! This is gonna drive Troilus crazy. I hope someone broke his neck!
how is this real damn antenor troilus will go crazy
How now! What’s the matter? Who was here?
What's happening? What's wrong? Who was just here?
What's going on? What happened? Who was that?
whats wrong who was here
Ah, ah!
Ah, ah!
ah, ah!
ah, ah!
Why sigh you so profoundly? Where’s my lord? Gone? Tell me, sweet
uncle, what’s the matter?
Why are you sighing so deeply? Where is my lord? Is he gone? Tell me, sweet uncle, what's happening?
Why are you sighing like that? Where's my lord? Did he leave? Please, uncle, tell me what's going on?
why the sigh where is he whats happening
Would I were as deep under the earth as I am above!
I wish I were as far buried in the earth as I am high in the air!
I wish I was dead and buried as deep as I am currently standing high!
i wish i was dead
O the gods! What’s the matter?
Oh the gods! What's happening?
Oh my god! What's wrong?
what is it
Pray thee get thee in. Would thou hadst ne’er been born! I knew thou
wouldst be his death! O, poor gentleman! A plague upon Antenor!
Go inside, I beg you. I wish you had never been born! I knew you would be his death! Oh, poor man! A curse on Antenor!
Get inside, please. I wish you'd never been born! I knew you'd destroy him! Poor guy! Curse Antenor!
get inside wish u were never born hes gonna die bc of u
Good uncle, I beseech you, on my knees I beseech you, what’s the
matter?
Good uncle, I'm begging you, on my knees I'm begging you, what is happening?
Uncle, please, I'm begging you on my knees, just tell me what's going on?
uncle pls whats happening
Thou must be gone, wench, thou must be gone; thou art chang’d for
Antenor; thou must to thy father, and be gone from Troilus. ’Twill be
his death; ’twill be his bane; he cannot bear it.
You must go, girl, you must go. You've been traded for Antenor; you must go to your father and leave Troilus. This will kill him; this will be his ruin; he cannot bear it.
You've gotta go, you've gotta leave. They traded you for Antenor. You're going to your father and leaving Troilus behind. This is gonna destroy him, he can't handle this.
u gotta go traded for antenor trend leaving troilus this will kill him
O you immortal gods! I will not go.
Oh you immortal gods! I will not go.
Oh my god! I'm not going.
no im not going
Thou must.
you must.
you must.
you must.
I will not, uncle. I have forgot my father;
I know no touch of consanguinity,
No kin, no love, no blood, no soul so near me
As the sweet Troilus. O you gods divine,
Make Cressid’s name the very crown of falsehood,
If ever she leave Troilus! Time, force, and death,
Do to this body what extremes you can,
But the strong base and building of my love
Is as the very centre of the earth,
Drawing all things to it. I’ll go in and weep—
I will not, uncle. I have forgotten my father. I don't recognize any family connection, No relatives, no love, no blood, no soul so close to me As sweet Troilus. Oh divine gods, May Cressida's name become the very symbol of falsehood, If ever she leaves Troilus! Time, force, and death, Do whatever you can to this body, But the strong foundation and core of my love Is like the very center of the earth, Drawing everything toward it. I'll go inside and cry—
I won't, uncle. I've forgotten who my father is. I don't have any family now, No relatives, nothing, nobody matters but Troilus. Oh gods, May everyone say I'm the worst liar ever If I ever leave him! Time, death, anything, Do whatever you want to my body, But my love for him is solid like rock, It's the center of everything, pulling everything in. I'm going inside to cry—
i wont leave him he is everything to me my love is the center i'll die if i leave
Do, do.
Do, do.
do, do.
do, do.
Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praised cheeks,
Crack my clear voice with sobs and break my heart,
With sounding ‘Troilus.’ I will not go from Troy.
Rip my beautiful hair, and scratch my praised cheeks, Crack my clear voice with sobs and break my heart, With calling out 'Troilus.' I will not leave Troy.
Tear my hair out, scratch my face, Ruin my voice screaming and break my heart, Calling Troilus's name. I will not leave Troy.
tear my hair break my voice break my heart trailing troilus wont leave troy
The Reckoning
The scene is one of the play's most tender and most fragile. The night has passed; the lovers must part. Troilus tries to hold onto the moment with language about darkness and sleep — anything to delay time. Cressida responds with the bitter wisdom that morning brings: 'Night hath been too brief.' When Pandarus enters, he breaks the mood with crude jokes, then the knock at the door shatters everything. The scene shows us the lovers not in passion but in the moment after passion — vulnerable, mortal, aware that time is running out. Their language shifts from baroque to practical. Cressida realizes they can't hide. The scene is about the death of the fantasy that began in 3-2.
If this happened today…
Two people who've spent the night together wake to realize they have to part. One tries to pretend it's not morning. The other knows it is. A friend arrives and makes crude jokes. Then a knock at the door reminds them that the world is waiting outside their room.