Some Shakespearean Boxes ('Troilus and Cressida' V. i. 15-6)

Abstract

Although the Quarto version of Troilus and Cressida is preferred by most editors as copy-text for the play, they depart from it at V. i. 15-6 in favour of the Folio. Thersites addresses Patroclus thus in the Quarto: "Prithee be silent box I profit not by thy talke, Thou art said to be Achilles male varlot". The Folio substitutes "boy" for "box". and editors accept this on the grounds that x and y were easily confused in secretary hand. Nevertheless, it can be argued that "box" is the correct reading, as several contemporary analogies make clear.