The Faerie Queene: Book II: Canto V Summary & Analysis

Not long after Atin flees, Pyrochles sees Sir Guyon making his way across the plain. Without even greeting Sir Guyon, Pyrochles rides ahead to attack, although it doesn’t hurt Sir Guyon. Guyon responds by striking back, and the blow glances off Pyrochles but decapitates his horse, meaning they are now both on foot.

Pyrochles calls Sir Guyon a coward for killing his innocent horse. He draws his flaming sword and strikes. Guyon is himself enraged and strikes back, leaving a bloody wound on Pyrochles’s shoulder. This only makes Pyrochles angrier and makes his sword burn more ferociously, but as he strikes wildly, Guyon is able to keep fending him off until Pyrochles is breathless.

When Pyrochles stops to catch his breath, Sir Guyon pursues him and forces him to cry for mercy. Being temperate, Guyon agrees to let the knight go. He tells Pyrochles that he shouldn’t be angry about being defeated. Pyrochles said he heard Guyon had been doing terrible things to an old woman named Occasion, but Guyon just smiles and explains how Occasion and Furor try to stir up strife wherever they go.

Pyrochles ignores Sir Guyon’s advice and unties Occasion, but he soon finds himself being attacked by Furor. He calls to Sir Guyon to help him, and Guyon is moved with pity, but the Palmer suggests that Guyon should avoid intervening so that Pyrochles learns his lesson. Guyon and the Palmer leave. Meanwhile, Atin is watching from a distance and thinks Guyon has struck Pyrochles down, so Atin runs off to tell Pyrochles’s brother, Cymochles.

Cymochles is a mighty knight who has won glory in many perilous fights. His lady is the evil sorceress Acrasia (the same one Sir Guyon has been searching for to avenge Amavia). When Atin arrives, he finds Cymochles in a pleasant grove, surrounded by a flock of fair damsels who are all trying to win his attention. Atin scolds Cymochles for becoming weak from pleasure.

Atin pricks Cymochles with a dart, which seems to wake him up from a dream. He gets up hastily and vows to seek vengeance against the man who struck down Pyrochles (who Atin mistakenly believes was killed by Sir Guyon, but who has not actually been struck down).