Study Guide

The Faerie Queene Book 3, Canto 5

By Edmund Spenser

Book 3, Canto 5

Our narrator observes how differently love affects different people: some it inspires to great deeds, others is makes lustful and base.
Arthur is in the first camp and is determined to find the mystery woman.
As he's looking, he comes across a dwarf who's running quickly and looking agitated.
Arthur finds out that the dwarf is looking for the lady he serves, who turns about to be the same woman Arthur is searching for. What luck, eh?
Arthur explains that he saved her from a forester but has not been able to find her.
He then asks the dwarf who she is and the dwarf answers that she is a beautiful virgin named Florimell.
She's in love with Marinell, but he won't return her love since he's been warned that a woman will be his downfall (remember Britomart's encounter with Marinell?)
However, she heard that Marinell was injured and has fled the Faerie Queene's court to find and help him.
Arthur and the dwarf then resolve to search for her together.
Arthur then realizes he's lost track of his squire, who has been chasing the forester that was chasing Florimell.
Timias, Arthur's squire, had done a number on the forester who went home to his brothers ashamed at what had happened and angry.
After telling his brothers how Timias had defeated him, the three brothers vowed to go after Timias and avenge their brother.
They lay in wait for Timias in the forest and as soon as they see him approach, the forester jumps our, challenges him, and shoots him with an arrow.
No luck, though, since Timias isn't injured and a violent battle ensues.
Timias attacks one brother, gets stabbed in the thigh, but eventually kills the brother.
Then, Timias attacks and kills the forester who chased Florimell and finally kills the last brother, who tried to flee after seeing both his brothers so easily killed.
But Timias' wound on his thigh is severe and after defeating the last brother, he falls down in a faint.
Luckily for Timias, Belphoebe, who has recently defeated Braggadochio, comes across the wounded Timias while she is chasing a wild beast.
Afraid at first that he might be dead, she realizes he's barely alive and rushes into the forest to seek herbs that might help him. She knows a lot about herbs because she was raised by nymphs.
She makes an herb-paste, applies it to his wound, wraps it in a scarf and in this way saves his life. Right on.
Timias awakes and thinks Belphoebe is an angel sent by God to help him.
Belphoebe explains that she's just a mortal worried about his recovery and soon her handmaidens, who were also hunting, come upon her and are amazed to see her tending Timias.
They find his horse and take him back with them to their house, which is cozy and simple and tucked in a lovely glade in the forest.
There, Belphoebe continues to tend Timias until he recovers, but in the meantime, poor Timias has fallen completely in love with Belphoebe.
He tries to talk himself out of it, worrying about his own lower status as well as not wanting to be disrespectful to her. In short, the poor guy's just generally a mess.
His love torments him so much that he begins to look ill again, which frightens Belphoebe who thinks his wound might have suddenly gotten worse.
She gives him more and more medicine but nothing helps him since his wound is of a different sort… it's in his heart.
Belphoebe is extremely protective of her virginity, and our narrator closes the canto by praising how well she cares for it and how wonderful that care makes her.
He especially praises her ability to be both chaste and courteous, a combination that, ironically, makes her that much more sexually appealing.

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The Faerie Queene Book 3, Canto 5

By Edmund Spenser

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