Summary

In Chapter 1, the Trojan women of Lyrnessus gather in the citadel to hide form Greek soldiers as they advance on the city gates. Meanwhile, the first-person narrator grows concerned for her ailing mother-in-law, Queen Maire, and decides to visit her covertly. Upon arriving in Maire’s bedroom, the frail woman addresses the narrator as Briseis. After Briseis implores Maire to drink water, the Queen asks for a jewel-encrusted dagger with which she presumably intends to kill herself should the Greeks discover her. During their final visit, Briseis reflects on her tumultuous relationship with Maire, emerging largely from Briseis’ failure to bear children for her husband, King Mynes. When Maire dismisses Briseis, she refrains from offering an apology or any final comforting words to her daughter-in-law.

In Chapter 2, Greek soldiers take Lyrnessus and storm the citadel shortly after Briseis returns from her visit with Maire...