The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Troilus and Cressida
(troi´ls, krs´d) (KEY) , a medieval romance distantly related to characters in Greek legend. Troilus, a Trojan prince (son of Priam and Hecuba), fell in love with Cressida (Chryseis), daughter of Calchas. When she was exchanged for a Trojan prisoner of war, Cressida swore to be faithful to Troilus, but then deceived him with Diomed. Troilus was killed by Achilles. This story appeared first in Benoît de Sainte-More, from whom Boccaccio drew for his Filostrato. Chaucer and Shakespeare also used this legend.