Book II Summary

Book II opens with Chaucer's renewal of his plea to his listeners to accept his poem as it is. He claims to be but a poor messenger of the original tale and calls on the muse Clio to guide his words. Chaucer also asks his listeners to withhold their judgment of Troilus in his overwrought condition. Love does not affect everyone in the same way, he reminds them.

As Chaucer returns to the story, Pandarus is awakening at his home, mindful of the promise he has made to Troilus. Consulting the horoscope, he determines it is a good time to visit Criseyde.

He finds her in her home with two other ladies. They are reading a poem together, and Pandarus apologizes for interrupting. Criseyde welcomes him and tells him she dreamt about him the night before. Pandarus replies that he expects...