Monologue

Nestor Monologue from Troilus and Cressida

From Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare

male · inspirational · 1:17 min

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I have, thou gallant Trojan, seen thee oft, Labouring for destiny, make cruel way Through ranks of Greekish youth; and I have seen thee, As hot as Perseus, spur thy Phrygian steed, Despising many forfeits and subduements, When thou hast hung thy advanced sword i’ th’air, Not letting it decline on the declined; That I have said to some my standers-by ‘Lo, Jupiter is yonder, dealing life!’ And I have seen thee pause and take thy breath, When that a ring of Greeks have shrap’d thee in, Like an Olympian wrestling. This have I seen; But this thy countenance, still lock’d in steel, I never saw till now. I knew thy grandsire, And once fought with him. He was a soldier good, But, by great Mars, the captain of us all, Never like thee. O, let an old man embrace thee; And, worthy warrior, welcome to our tents.

About this piece

Nestor reflects on the valor of Troilus, expressing admiration and welcoming him to their camp, while acknowledging the weight of their shared history and the burdens of war.

60 and up · trust · honor · fate · war · legacy

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