but she is no Delilah spreading her snares for men. Her uncle, the only person whom she has to advise her, urges her to listen to Troilus; the prince himself has everything likely to attract a girl's fancy; and as she sagely remarks:-- I knowe also, and alday here and see Men loven wommen al this toun aboute; Be they the wers? why nay, with-outen doubte. No wonder she finally yields to her lover's passionate wooing when Pandarus tricks her into coming to see him:-- "But nathelees, this warne I yow," quod she, "A kinges sone although ye be, y-wis, Ye shul na-more have soverainetee Of me in love, than right that cas is; Ne I nil forbere, if that ye doon a-mis, To wrathen[81] yow; and whyl that ye me serve Cherycen[82] yow right after ye deserve. And shortly, dere herte and al my knight, Beth glad, and draweth yow to lustinisse, And I shal trewely, with al my might, Your bittre tornen al into swetnesse; If I be she that may yow do gladnesse, For every wo ye shal recovre a blisse; And him in armes took, and gan him kisse." There is no prettier confession of love in all literature. Then follows their brief period of rapture, with its mock quarrels and speedy reconciliations, before the dreadful day when Calkas sends for his daughter. The news that Cressida is to be delivered up to the Greeks fills the lovers with despair. Troilus flings himself on his bed railing against Fortune and abusing Calkas as an ... olde unholsom and mislyved man: Cressida with tears prepares for her journey. One of the most delightful pictures in the whole story is that of the worthy women who came to bid her farewell and take her tears as a delicate compliment to themselves:-- And thilke foles sittinge hir aboute Wenden that she wepte and syked[83] sore By-cause that she sholde out of that route Depart, and never pleye with hem more. And they that hadde y-knowen hir of yore Seye hir so wepe, and thoughte it kindenesse, And eche of hem wepte eek for hir distresse. Her sorrow is sincere, and her tears do not cease to flow when Troilus is out of sight. Shakespeare's Cressid, whose one idea is to ingratiate herself with her new friends, is a very different person from Chaucer's woebegone heroine. And yet in her very sorrow we see her weakness. When Pandarus first tried to move her pity she had yielded, not solely out of compassion but also because she was afraid of what might be said of her if any harm came to Troilus:-- And if this man slee here himself, allas! In my presence, it wol be no solas. What men wolde of hit deme I can nat seye: It nedeth me ful sleyly for to pley.[84]