The Power of Pandarus in Troilus and Criseyde Aside from the true narrator of the poem, the character Pandarus is the most influential force in shaping Book III of "Troilus and Criseyde" Criseyde". Pandarus states at several points that he is carried away by the course of events, insisting "Without hond, it seems to me that in the city, / For this merveille ich qui ech belle sominate" (188-89). takes responsibility for his actions while acknowledging his need for secrecy. “But woe is me, who causes all this” (271). Because Pandarus's influence is so significant, any broad thematic discussion develops throughout the play as a whole is potentially qualified or compromised by Pandarus' presence, however, Pandarus is more than just a catalyst; he positions himself to have complete control of every encounter with Troilus and/or Criseyde, he orchestrates their relationship down to the smallest details. “For I will shape your cominge” (196). In a way, the love he helps create is nothing more than a game for him. "For l'ho bigonne a gamen pleye" (250). His close friend and even his niece are subject to his whims. Pandarus understands the all-too-real consequences of the deceptive games he plays. He is willing to accept these risks because he is convinced that Troilus' motives are true. Pandarus, therefore, does not act with malice towards either individual. In a discussion with Troilus, Pandarus advises that his role in their courtship must remain secret. If discovered, "all the world over it would weep, / And say that I was the first tracherie / Dide in this case that ever was bigonne," (277-79). He understands that wisdom can be distorted, damaged by both well-meaning fools and villains. Ironically, Pandarus asks Troilus to listen to the advice of a proverb that Pandarus himself could never have put into practice: "'prima vertu è tener tonge" (293). As an ever-present observer, Pandarus is both the author and the audience of a sequence of events that he essentially helps create. There's at least the implicit suggestion that the narrative Pandarus helps direct is designed and crafted solely for his entertainment. Perhaps, when extended to a larger narrative framework, Chaucer's narrator places the reader's enjoyment (and his own) above or on an equal footing with enlightenment. Works Cited Chaucer, Geoffrey. Troilus and Chryseis. Ed. RA Shoaf. East Lansing, MI: Colleagues Press, 1989.