Francis Legat & George Romney

Shakespeare. Troilus and Cressida. Act II Scene II. Scene, Troy. Cassandra Raving. Published Jany. 1st. 1795, by John & Josiah Boydell, at the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall Mall, & at No. 90, Cheapside, London. Engraved by Francis Legat. Painted by George Romney.

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

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! practice your eyes with tears!
Troy must not be, nor goodly lion 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. [Exit.]

This engraving depicts a scene that takes place during the later years of the Trojan War. It deals with William Shakespeare's play, Troilus and Cressida: Act Two, Scene Two, Scene, Troy with a full length portrayal of the prophetess, Cassandra raving. Holding an ax up, the princess of Troy, Cassandra, vainly appeals to the people of Troy, urging them to join her in protest, while warning them of the deadly consequences of the 'Trojan War' if Helen, Queen of Sparta was not returned. In the background, to the right there are soldiers climbing down the legendary 'Trojan Horse'. Cursed by Apollo, Cassandra was bestowed with the ability to prophesies coming events, a futile gift as she was never to be believed, thus considered mad by most. She was the daughter of Priam, the King of Troy, and Queen, Hecuba (Hekabe), and sister of Hector, Troilus, Helenus, Paris, Deiphobus, & Polyxena. Troilus was the youngest, a man with a tempestuous & violent temper, an idealist who professes his love for Cressida, and is very dismissive of his sister Cassandra, referring to her as their 'Mad Sister'. Hector is Cassandra's favorite brother; he is the most valiant, chivalrous, merciful, and the leader of the Trojan forces. Paris was the brother who caused the 'Trojan War', and the downfall of Troy after abducting the queen of Sparta, 'Helen of Troy', wife of Menelaus, a Spartan King. Deiphobus was one of the main Trojan heroes who fought bravely during the Trojan War. He was entrusted to retrieve Cressida and pressure her into betraying the Greeks. After the death of his brother Paris, Deiphobus became the leader of the Trojan army and married Helen of Troy. Helenus was Cassandra's twin brother, a priest of Troy. Like his sister, it is believed Helenus was endowed with the gift of prophecy. Fearing Cassandra was right, and against the wrath of Troilus, Helenus sides with Hector, arguing that Helen should be returned to the Greeks. Helenus fought bravely in the war, but after his capture by the Greeks, unwittingly revealed to them the oracles that would guide them to victory. Troy is destroyed after the Greeks present the Trojans with the 'Trojan Horse'. Helenus is the only son of Priam to survive the war. Polyxena is Cassandra's younger sister. It was she who helped her brothers ambush and kill Achilles. At the end of the Trojan war, Polyxena was sacrificed over the tomb of Achilles. Cressida (Chryseis, or Criseyde), is the beautiful Trojan woman who appears in the stories of the Trojan War. She admits her love for Troilus (Cassandra's brother), but betrays him in the end. She was the daughter of Calchas, a Trojan priest and defector who joined the Greeks.

This original engraving is a 'First Edition Impression'. 4. 'First Edition Impressions'. The completed set of Boydell's Shakespeare engravings was published in London in 1803. The full publisher's address appears along the lower margin as well as the text for the play. The heading, 'Shakspeare', is now filled in with stippling.The text below the image of this proof impression reads; "Shakespeare. Troilus and Cressida. Act II Scene II. Scene, Troy. Cassandra Raving. Published Jany. 1st. 1795, by John & Josiah Boydell, at the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall Mall, & at No. 90, Cheapside, London. Engraved by Francis Legat. Painted by George Romney."

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

An Important Note on Boydell States and Editions: Proof impressions and true first edition impressions are easily identified by their fine lines and strong contrasts of black and white tones. Later more common editions print in a more overall grey tone and contain areas of re-working. Briefly, the publishing history of these great engravings can be categorized into five states or editions:

1. 'Artist's Proofs'. These are the earliest of states and were printed in only a handful of impressions. They are identified not only by their vibrant lines and tones but by the fact that they lack any letters along the lower margin.
2. 'Proofs Before Title'. These impressions usually contain the names of the artist, publisher and engraver along the lower margin. They lack the title of the specific play depicted and usually the heading -- 'Shakspeare' -- is smaller than in the published edition. Once again, this state was printed in a very small numbers.
3. 'Open Letter Proofs'. These impressions bear the title of the play. the heading, 'Shakspeare' (Shakespeare), is yet to be filled in with stippling. These impressions were printed before the publication of the first edition and were probably struck from the plate at a customer's request. Perhaps ten to twenty Open Letter Proofs exist for each engraving.
4. 'First Edition Impressions'. The completed set of Boydell's Shakespeare engravings was published in London in 1803. The full publisher's address appears along the lower margin as well as the text for the play. The heading, 'Shakspeare', is now filled in with stippling. Both first edition impressions and proofs were most often printed on either hand-made, laid paper or wove paper bearing the 'J. Whatman' watermark.
5. 'Posthumous Impressions and Restrikes' As early as 1807, John Stockdale of London issued a second edition of the Shakespeare prints. They continued to be published throughout the first half of the nineteenth century. Finally, in 1852, an enterprising dentist in New York City (with the delightful name of Shearjashub Spooner) acquired the plates, restored them and produced the last edition. These prints are most commonly offered for sale.

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