William Shakespeare's play, Troilus and Cressida is set during the seventh year of the Trojan War which started when the Trojan youth Paris ran off with Helen, the beautiful young wife of the Greek general Menelaus. To get her back, the Greeks invaded Troy and laid siege to the city.
A romance between Troilus, King Priam's youngest son and Cressida, the daughter of Calchas, a priest of Troy is encouraged by Cressida's uncle, Pandarus.
Calchas deserts Troy and gives all of his Trojan information to the Greeks so the Greeks will exchange a Trojan prisoner for his daughter Cressida.
Cressida is moved to the Greek camp much to the dismay of Troilus but Cressida soon adjusts to all of the attention of the Greek generals that is lavished upon her.
At a feast where the Trogan and Greek generals eat together, Troilus sees Cressida flirt and give a man a gift which, Troilus first gave to Cressida when she left Troy. Troilus vows to kill the man Diomedes in battle, by the end of the battle, Troy is defeated.
The end of the play brings no end to the war. The two lovers, Troilus and Cressida, live on, but not as lovers. The greatest Trojan hero is dead. The greatest Greek hero has shown he has no honor. And the diseased Pandarus speaks the final lines, as Shakespeare shows us the waste and corruption that war brings.
