Troilus and Cressida Act Four – “The end crowns all, and that old common arbitrator, Time, will one day end it.”

Troilus and Cressida Act Four – “The end crowns all, and that old common arbitrator, Time, will one day end it.”

The Wheels of Fate start to turn in Act Four of ‘Troilus and Cressida’ when Diomedes arrives in Troy to collect Cressida for the Greeks in exchange for the return of Antenor to the Trojans. Both Aeneas and Paris know that Troilus will be devastated by this exchange but feel that the exchange is necessary. While Aeneas goes to get Cressida, Paris asks Diomedes who he thinks deserves Helen more him (Paris) or Menelaus. Diomedes says: “Both alike:

He merits well to have her, that doth seek her,

Not making any scruple of her soilure,

With such a hell of pain and world of charge…

Both merits poised, each weighs nor less nor more;

But he as he, the heavier for a whore…

She's bitter to her country: hear me, Paris:

For every false drop in her bawdy veins

A Grecian's life hath sunk; for every scruple

Of her contaminated carrion weight,

A Trojan hath been slain: since she could speak,

She hath not given so many good words breath

As for her Greeks and Trojans suffer'd death.”

We switch to a scene vaguely reminiscent of the morning after Romeo and Juliet’s marriage where, as the first light of morning breaks, Troilus is leaving Cressida after a night’s lovemaking. Pandarus enters and makes crude jokes about Troilus and Cressida’s lovemaking. Suddenly Aeneas enters and delivers the news to Troilus that Cressida’s father has traded Cressida to the Greeks and Troilus is devastated. Cressida breaks into tears when she hears the news.

Later, Troilus is allowed to say goodbye to Cressida and they promise to be faithful to one another. When Diomedes enters Troilus insists that Cressida is to be treated well but Diomedes replies that “… to her own worth, she shall be prized…”  A trumpet sounds which signals the beginning of Hector and Ajax’s fight.

We jump forward in time and go over to the Greek camp when Cressida is arriving. Ulysses demands that Cressida great and kiss all the Greek Generals but states that he will only kiss her “… When Helen is a maid again…” inferring Cressida is a whore.

As the Trojans enter the terms of Ajax and Hector’s battle are announced. As Ajax and Hector prepare for their fight, Agamemnon asks Ulysses " who the downcast-looking Trojan is and Ulysses points out that it is Troilus and then he praises the battle prowess of Troilus which he thinks is even greater than Hector’s.

The fight between Ajax and Hector begins but after some time it is decided that the battle is a draw and Hector and Ajax embrace. Hector is then led into a Greek tent for Achilles to talk to him. Hector brings Troilus with him. Achilles and Hector insult one another and Hector says that he will look forward to seeing Achilles on the field of battle. The visiting Trojans are taken by the Greeks to dinner and as they leave Troilus questions Ulysses about where the tent of Calchas is (since Troilus aims to visit his love Cressida). Ulysses replies that he will take Troilus there but mentions that Diomedes has been eyeing off Cressida with lust for quite a while.