Troilus and Cressida: Act 4, Scene 3 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 3 of Troilus and Cressida from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

  Original Text

 Translated Text

  Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

Enter Paris, Troilus, Aeneas, Deiphobus, Antenor,
and Diomedes.

PARIS
It is great morning, and the hour prefixed
For her delivery to this valiant Greek
Comes fast upon. Good my brother Troilus,
Tell you the lady what she is to do
And haste her to the purpose. 5

TROILUS
Walk into her house.
I’ll bring her to the Grecian presently;
And to his hand when I deliver her,
Think it an altar and thy brother Troilus
A priest there off’ring to it his own heart. 10

He exits. 

PARIS
I know what ’tis to love,
And would, as I shall pity, I could help.—
Please you walk in, my lords?

They exit.

In front of Calchas' house, Paris tells Troilus that he has to go inside and get Cressida so they can trade her to the Greeks.

He's sorry for Troilus but there's nothing he can do about it. After all, it's not like you can just start a war because...oh, wait. Nevermind.