Troilus and Criseyde

Troilus and Criseyde by Geoffrey Chaucer

Calchas, a soothsayer, predicts the fall of Troy and abandons the city in favor of the Greeks; her daughter, Criseyde, receives some grudges because of her father's betrayal. Troilus, a Trojan warrior, publicly mocks love and is punished by the God of Love by being struck by an irreconcilable desire for Criseyde, whom he sees passing through the temple. With the help of the cunning Pandaro, Criseyde's uncle, Troilus and Criseyde begin to exchange letters. Eventually, Pandarus develops a plan to push the two to bed together; Troilus passes out when he thinks the plan is going wrong, but Pandarus and Criseyde revive him. Pandaro leaves and Troilus and Criseyde spend a blissful night together.

Calchas eventually convinces the Greeks to exchange a prisoner of war, Antenore, for his daughter Criseyde. Hector of Troy objects; as Troilus does, even though he doesn't express his concern. Troilus talks to Criseyde and suggests they run away, but she offers a logical argument as to why it wouldn't be practical. Criseyde promises to deceive her father and return to Troy after ten days; Troilus leaves her with a sense of foreboding. Upon her arrival in the Greek camp, Criseyde realizes it is unlikely that she will be able to keep her promise to Troilus. She writes scornfully in response to her letters from her and on the tenth day she accepts a meeting with Diomede, and she listens to him talking about love. Later, she accepts him as a lover. Pandarus and Troilus await Criseyde: Pandarus sees that she will not return and eventually Troilus realizes it too. Troilus curses luck, even more so because he still loves Criseyde; Pandarus offers some condolences. The narrator, apologizing for giving women a bad name, says goodbye to his book and briefly recounts the death of Troilus in battle and his rise to the eighth sphere, draws a moral about the transience of earthly joys and the inadequacy of paganism, dedicates his poem to John Gower and Strode, asks for the protection of the Trinity and prays that we are worthy of Christ's mercy.