Act I

The play opens within the walled city of Troy, which is besieged by Greek armies intent on recovering Helen. Helen has been abducted from Menelaus, her elderly Greek husband, by the younger Paris, son of Priam and brother of the renowned Trojan warrior Hector. In the opening scene, Troilus, the younger brother of Paris and Hector, debates whether or not to arm himself for the daily skirmish over Helen between the Trojan and Greek soldiers when he is engaged in his own romantic siege of Cressida's affections (Cressida is the daughter of the Trojan priest Calchas, who has taken sides with the Greeks). Troilus is finally convinced to arm himself that day by Aeneas, another famous Trojan warrior. Pandarus, Cressida's uncle, has been acting as a go-between for the two young Trojan lovers, and he advises Troilus to be patient. In an effort to convince Cressida...