Vincent Darlage’s Reviews > Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, a Prose Rendering, Volume 2 of 3: A Text-Faithful Translation of the 1590s Epic Poem > Status Update

Book Four, Canto Twelve, where Marinell hears the lament of Florimell (the real one) and falls in love with her. While many fall in love with Florimell when they see her, Marinell falls in love with her when he hears her heart, her lament. He cannot save her, so he wastes away in heartbreak. His mother, finds out that her son is in love, and beseeches Neptune for a remedy, and is granted Florimell's freedom.

Book Four, Canto Eleven, wherein Marinell's wound from Book III is healed, and he arrives with his mother at the Hall of Proteus for the wedding of Thames and the Medway - where Florimell (the real one) is imprisoned. Most of this chapter is an epic list of the guests coming to the wedding.

Book Four, Canto Ten, wherein Scudamour tells his story, explaining his quest for virtuous Amoret, the adopted daughter of Venus. He goes to the Temple of Venus, battles twenty knights for the Shield of Love, then enters the temple, passing all the gate guardians boldly and resolutely, to find Amoret amid the virtues of womanhood. He takes Amoret's hand and leads her from the Temple, claiming her as his true love.

Book Four, Canto Nine, wherein the Squire of Low Degree, Amyas, is freed and reunited with his love, Æmylia, and his look-alike friend, Placidas, marries the wanton Pœana (Amyas' captor), turning her into a good woman. Meanwhile, Prince Arthur takes Amoret with him, and they find Britomart and Scudamour beset by four knights, so Arthur helps him. Oddly, Scudamour and Amoret aren't given a reuniting scene.

Book Four, Canto Eight, wherein Timias is forgiven. Meanwhile, Arthur finds Æmylia and Amoret where they have been hiding in the forest after Timias and Belphœbe abandoned them for no good reason. Arthur takes the girls with him, and they shelter in the cottage of Slaunder, who accuses the girls of being whores and Arthur a philanderer. Corflambo the giant chases squire Placidas, but the giant is slain by Arthur.

Book Four, Canto Seven, wherein Amoret is carried off by an ogre consumed with lust, but Belphœbe rescues her and two other women held by the ogre: Æmylia and an old hag. Arthur's former squire, Timias, accidentally shows that he cares for Amoret (who is, unknown to all, Belphœbe's twin sister), which pisses Belphœbe off. Shamed, Timias goes off to live life as a wildman of the forest.

Book Four, Canto Six, wherein Scudamour and Artegall battle Britomart. Artegall sees Britomart's face when he knocks the visor off of her helmet and he falls in love with her. Britomart and Artegall become engaged, but Artegall still has a quest to fulfill, so he must part with Britomart for a while, but he promises to return.

Book Four, Canto Five, wherein the various ladies vie for the belt of Florimell, and False Florimell ends up with it though Amoret is the only one who can wear it. Scudamour arrives at the House of Care, where the smiths forge only iron wedges, which are unquiet thoughts that invade troubled minds, showing how invasive thoughts can keep one from sleeping.

Book Four, Canto Four, wherein the tournament for Florimell's belt is held. The battles are intense, with much back and forth between Satyrane's team (the Knights of the Maidenhood) and Bruncheval's team (Blandamour, Paridell, Braggadocchio, and Triamond). On the second day, Cambell replaces Triamond because Triamond is wounded. On the third day, Artegall arrives and trounces everyone, but Britomart takes him out.

Book Four, Canto Three, wherein three brothers battle Cambell for his sister's hand. Cambell kills the first brother by stabbing him in his throat, and his life fled into the second brother. Cambell kills the second brother by cutting off his head, and both lives fled into the third brother. Cambell kills the third brother two times, but he rises, until Cambina, sister of the three brothers, arrives to bring peace.