The Faerie Queene: Book IV: Canto VIII Summary & Analysis

Timias continues to live in penance for his unfaithfulness to Belphoebe. One day, a turtle dove happens to visit him. The bird sings and seems to be carrying its own sorrows. Timias ties a ruby that he got from Belphoebe around the bird with a ribbon. The turtle dove then flies away, upsetting Timias at first, but the bird travels to Belphoebe.

Belphoebe recognizes the ruby and the ribbon around the turtle dove. She tries to get the jewel back and ends up following the bird all the way back to Timias. She doesn’t recognize him, but he kneels down to kiss the ground she walks on. Belphoebe asks what has made the man so wretched. Timias informs her that actually it’s her fault. Belphoebe says she regrets her quick judgment earlier and welcomes Timias back. They live happily together for a long time.

Arthur, however, is still adventuring in the forest and doesn’t hear the good news about his former squire Timias. He happens to come to a place in the woods where Aemylia and Amoretta are staying. He is moved because both of them seem seriously injured after escaping the carle’s den. He gives them a liquor to cure them. They explain how they were saved by a virgin (Belphoebe) who killed the carle but then left before they could discover her identity.

Arthur wants to find the virgin, so he, Amoretta, and Aemylia go looking. They come to a cottage where a foul-looking old woman named Sclaunder lives. She lives to abuse good people with poison words (“slandering” them, similar to her name). Arthur and the others stay with Sclaunder that evening, but she is a bad host who yells at them for staying without her consent.

The narrator interrupts to note how, on the surface, it might seem improper for Arthur to be alone with two gentle ladies. But he says it’s like ancient times, when the lion would lie down peacefully next to the lamb.

The next morning, Arthur, Amoretta, and Aemylia leave, but Sclaunder follows after them, shouting insults, until at last she has to turn around. The three of them come across a squire (Placidas) riding with a dwarf. The squire is calling for help because they are being chased by a big man riding a dromedary camel. The man (Corflambo) has evil eyes like a Basilisk that can kill from a distance.

Arthur goes to fight the man with the evil eyes. After a short battle, he ends up chopping the man’s head off. The man’s tongue continues to say blasphemies for a little while even after the head has been removed. The squire is amazed, saying that this giant man was named Corflambo and had conquered nations with his deadly gaze, never having been defeated before.

The squire explains that Corflambo has a daughter named Poeana who seems fair but isn’t as virtuous as she is beautiful. He then tells about a squire who loved a woman above him named Aemylia and how he went to meet her one day but was instead taken prisoner by the giant Corflambo.

The squire, whose name is Placidas, continues his story about the other squire, whose name is Amyas: While in captivity, Amyas was often visited by Poeana. He pretended to love her as a way to get out but secretly remained faithful to his Aemylia. Placidas and Amyas look similar, so one day when he is sneakily visiting Amyas, he gets caught and thrown in prison, too. With them both in prison, Placidas pretends to be his friend so that he can woo Poeana (who likes Amyas), and Amyas doesn’t have to feel guilty about betraying Aemylia.

Placidas, because he is favored by Poeana (who still believes he’s Amyas), has enough freedom to eventually make his own escape, grabbing the dwarf (who served Corflambo) and riding out. He was soon chased by Corflambo himself, however, which is what was happening when Arthur found them. Aemylia comes over and recognizes Placidas, asking if Amyas is still alive. Placidas confirms that he is, although he's still imprisoned. He tells her everything.