Act I, Scene 1 Summary

Troilus wonders why he should go to War outside the walls of Troy when a cruel battle is being fought within him-self. He laments his weakness, ‘I am weaker than a woman’s tear’ - a weakness caused, he says, by his long wait for the love of Cressida. He is so entranced by Cressida that in trying to conceal his love he fears his heart will ‘rive in twain.’ He complains that Pandarus, who is attempting to bring about a union of the two, intensifies the agony of his passion by referring to all Cressida’s features: ‘her eyes, her hair, her cheek, her gait, her voice.’

But Pandarus is now exasperated as ‘I have had my labor for my travail, ill thought on of her, and ill thought on of you; gone between and between, but small thanks for my labor.’ He then pronounces Cressida a fool for staying back while her father Calchas has crossed over to the Greek side.

Another alarm is sounded and Aeneas enters bearing news that Paris has returned home after being hurt by Menelaus HelenÂ’s husband. The next alarm is sounded and Aeneas and Troilus exit to find out what is happening on the battlefield.

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