Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

  

Nay, I am sure she does. She came to him th’ other day into the compast window, - and, you know, he has not past three or four hairs on his chin-

 

Pandarus

Troilus and Cressida         Act I, Scene ii, Line 111

Pandarus is talking to Cressida. Pandarus is Cressida’s uncle, and he is also friend to Troilus. The latter is in love with Cressida, and Pandarus is doing everything he can to help Troilus. In this scene he is talking up Troilus, and that’s who they’re referring to above. Pandarus has said that he thinks Helen loves Troilus more than Paris, and Cressida answered Then she’s a merry Greek indeed. That’s when Pandarus gives us today’s line. By the way, a compast window is a round one. Yes, I had to look that up.

This play is confusing. I’ve never read, seen, or listened to it in its entirety. It’s loosely based on Homers Iliad. Remember in that story that Paris of Troy kidnapped Helen of Greece. Now the Greeks are at the walls of Troy besieging the city to rescue Helen. This play takes place partly in the Greek camp outside the city, partly inside the walls of Troy, and partly on the battlefield outside the walls. Pandarus, Cressida, and Troilus are Trojans, the latter being Paris’s brother. Somehow, and I'm not sure of the details, Cressida will be getting sent over to the Greeks in some sort of trade. It's confusing. 

This is the play that's in the First Folio without being in the table of contents of the First Folio. No kidding; there are thirty-six plays in the First Folio and only thirty-five in the table of contents. This one just shows up, unannounced, right before Coriolanus. How's that for confusing. 

Got all that?

I think so: Pandarus likes Cressida, and Troilus is a traitor for the Greeks, and nobody wrote this play. 

No, no, no: Troilus is... um... and Pandarus and Cress... uh....

Yeah, I think you've got it Mojo.