Brother, you have a vice of mercy in you,
Which better fits a lion, than a man]
The traditions and stories of the darker ages abounded with examples of
the lion's generosity. Upon the supposition that these acts of clemency
were true, Troilus reasons not improperly, that to spare against reason,
by mere instinct of pity, became rather a generous beast than a wise
man.
V.x.33 (137,9) Hence, broker lacquey!] For _brothel_, the folio reads
_brother_, erroneously for _broker_, as it stands at the end of the play
where the lines are repeated. Of _brother_ the following editors made
_brothel_.
V.iv.18 (138,2) the Grecians begin to proclaim barbarism, and policy
grows into an ill opinion] To set up the authority of ignorance to
declare that they will be governed by policy no longer.
V.vi.11 (142,1) you cogging Greeks] This epithet has no particular
propriety in this place, but the author had heard of _Graecia Mendax_.
V.vi.29 (144,3) I'll frush it] The word _frush_ I never found elsewhere,
nor understand it. HANMER explains it, to _break_ or _bruise_.
V.viii.7 (146,1) Even with the vail and darkening of the sun] The _vail_
is, I think, the _sinking_ of the sun; not _veil_ or _cover_.
(149) General Observation. This play is more correctly written than most
of Shakespeare's compositions, but it is not one of those in which
either the extent of his views or elevation of his fancy is fully
displayed. As the story abounded with materials, he has exerted little
invention; but he has diversified his characters with great variety, and
preserved them with great exactness. His vicious characters sometimes
disgust, but cannot corrupt, for both Cressida and Pandarus are detested
and contemned. The comic characters seem to have been the favourites of
the writer; they are of the superficial kind, and exhibit more of
manners than nature; but they are copiously filled and powerfully
impressed. Shakespeare has in his story followed, for the greater part,
the old book of Caxton, which was then very popular; but the character
of Thersites, of which it makes no mention, is a proof that this play
was written after Chapman had published his version of _Homer_.