Troilus And Cressida In 500 Words
It is Year Seven of the Trojan War, between the Trojans and the Greeks. In Troy, the young prince Troilus is unable to concentrate on the war because of his love for Cressida, a fellow Trojan whose father fights for the Greeks. Troilus enlists the help of Cressida's uncle Pandarus to get her attention.
Meanwhile, in the Greek camp, Agamemnon wonders why his men are all so depressed and defeated. Ulysses, the genius king of Ithaca blames everything on Achilles, who is setting a bad example by refusing to fight and spending all his time with his boyfriend Patroclus. The Trojans propose an one-on-one match between the Trojan Prince Hector and a Greek soldier nominated by the Greeks. So to inspire Achilles, Ulysses nominates Ajax, a move designed to inspire Achilles to rejoin the fight to prove himself.
In Troy, everyone is debating over whether it's worth fighting over Helen. Indeed, several people are more than willing to hand her over and end the war. Eventually though, everyone is convinced she is worth fighting for and they continue the war. Pandarus does a bit of clever hijinks so that Troilus and Cressida have a few moments alone to declare their love for each other in, which they do before they... prove their love with little dignity and less clothes.
Achilles is still with Patroclus, although Patroclus himself wants Achilles to rejoin the fight. Ulysses comes up with a plan for Patroclus to disguise himself as Achilles to scare the Trojans off. They plan works until it is revealed 'Achilles' is Patroclus in disguise and Hector kills him, inspiring Achilles to get revenge on Hector for his boyfriend's death.
Cressida's father makes an arrangement that she can be traded for a Trojan prisoner so that she can join him in the Greek camp. They Greeks agree and the two lovers swear to remain loyal to each other, before Cressida is forced to leave. The fight between Ajax and Hector ends in a draw, and Achilles tells Hector that they will see each other on the battlefield the next day, and Achilles will kill Hector as revenge for Patroclus's murder. In the meantime everyone has a feast to celebrate the fight.
Troilus wants to see Cressida again, so Ulysses agrees to take him to her. However, when they see her, she does not realize they are watching and eventually gives in to the advances of Diomedes. Troilus is heartbroken, promising to track down Dimoedes on the battlefield the next day and kill him.
The next day, the battle comes, and the Trojans seem to have the upper hand. But then, Achilles arrives and finds Hector whilst he (Hector) is vulnerable, and Hector is killed by Achilles and his mates, the Myrmidons. They parade his body around the outskirts of Troy whilst the Trojans retreat to mourn the loss of Hector and Troilus retreats to mourn the loss of Cressida.