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

Though beauty is one of the most tempting things on earth, nothing can stop Sir Arthegall from completing his duties to the Faerie Queene Gloriana. Back on his quest, he comes across a damsel (Samient) riding quickly past. She is being chased by two knights, who are being chased themselves by a third knight (Arthur).

Samient sees Arthegall and asks for help. He responds by killing one of the knights chasing her, then Arthur kills the other knight that was chasing the damsel. Arthegall and Arthur ready their weapons against each other, but Samient tells them to calm themselves. Arthegall and Arthur apologize to each other and quickly begin to admire each other.

Arthegall asks who the two knights they just killed were. Arthur doesn’t know; he just saw them chasing Samient. The damsel explains that she serves a renowned virgin queen named Mercilla. But despite the queen’s virtue, a wicked man wants to steal the throne, motivated by his wife Adicia.

Despite the problems Adicia causes, Mercilla wants to deal with her in a friendly, peaceful way. She sent Samient as a messenger, but Adicia didn’t respect the normal rights of a messenger and kicked the damsel out like a dog, rejecting the peace offering. She then sent the two knights out to chase after Samient (where they were killed by Arthegall and Arthur).

Arthegall proposes dressing up in the armor of one of the slain knights and pretending that Samient is their prisoner. They go to the court of the evil man, called the Sultan, who wants to overthrow Mercilla because of his wife Adicia. Arthur soon arrives and demands that Samient be let go. The Sultan refuses and prepares to fight.

The Sultan battles Arthur while mounted in his chariot. He manages to strike a serious wound on Arthur’s side. Just then, however, Arthur grabs his shield from a shady place, and the light causes the Sultan’s horses to sprint off in the opposite direction, taking the chariot with them. The Sultan is helpless to stop them. Arthur chases after the Sultan, finding that his body has been broken from the fast, treacherous carriage journey and that only his shield and armor remain.

Arthur brings back the Sultan’s armor and hangs it up, enraging Adicia. She plans to kill Samient with a knife, but Arthegall intervenes. This only increases Adicia’s anger. She wanders off, eventually turning into a tiger and unleashing her wrath on any man or beast that crosses her path. Arthegall rids the castle of any knights still loyal to Adicia, then welcomes Arthur as the day’s victor.