At the Earth’s Core · Chapter
IV: Dian the Beautiful explained
David Innes and Abner Perry continue their forced march as captives of the Sagoths.
What happens
David Innes and Abner Perry continue their forced march as captives of the Sagoths. David learns the language of his fellow prisoners from a young woman named Dian the Beautiful, who tells him she is fleeing from Jubal the Ugly One. She describes the Mahars as the ruling race of Pellucidar and explains that the Sagoths are their servants. David inadvertently offends Dian by touching her, but Ghak reveals that Dian is his niece, the daughter of kings. Hooja the Sly One makes unwanted advances toward Dian. The group passes a salt sea filled with prehistoric reptiles, and Perry identifies them as Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs. David uses Perry's praying as a ruse to intimidate the Sagoths, gaining them respect. They finally arrive at the buried city of Phutra.
Themes in this chapter
Exploration and Discovery
David learns about the inner world's geography, creatures, and social structure from Dian, expanding his understanding of Pellucidar.
Slavery and Oppression
The chain gang, the rule of the Mahars, and Dian's status as a captive highlight the oppressive systems in Pellucidar.
Love and Romance
Hooja's unwanted advances toward Dian and David's growing feelings for her introduce romantic tension.
Characters to notice
- David Innes
Learns the language of the captives from Dian; feels protective of her and regrets his unintended affront; uses Perry's prayers to bluff the Sagoths.
- Abner Perry
Struggles with the long marches; identifies prehistoric sea creatures as Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs; his habit of praying is used by David to intimidate the Sagoths.
- Dian the Beautiful
Teaches David her language; reveals she fled Jubal the Ugly One; explains the Mahars' dominance; is the niece of Ghak and daughter of a former king.
- Ghak
Chained ahead of Dian; reveals that Dian is his niece and explains the custom of releasing a slave by raising a hand; warns that escape from Phutra is nearly impossible.
- Hooja the Sly One
Makes unwelcome advances toward Dian; tries to have her moved ahead in the slave gang; is ignored by Dian.
- The Sagoths
Guard the slave gang; one is intimidated by David's bluff about Perry's prayers; they treat David and Perry with respect afterward.
Key passages
“She described the Mahars largely by comparisons. In this way they were like unto thipdars, in that to the hairless lidi. About all I gleaned of them was that they were quite hideous, had wings, and webbed feet; lived in cities built beneath the ground; could swim under water for great distances, and were very, very wise.”
Dian explained the Mahars by comparing them to other creatures, but David only understood that they were ugly, winged, web-footed, lived underground, swam well, and were extremely intelligent.
David's first detailed description of the Mahars, emphasizing their alien nature and dominance.
“If ever you find her, yes, he answered. Merely to raise her hand above her head and drop it in the presence of others is sufficient to release her; but how may you ever find her, you who are doomed to a life of slavery yourself in the buried city of Phutra?”
Ghak told David that Dian could be freed if he ever found her and she raised her hand, but he doubted David would escape slavery in Phutra.
Reveals the custom of releasing a slave and foreshadows David's quest to free Dian.
“Do not interrupt him, I said. He is a very holy man in the world from which we come. He is speaking to spirits which you cannot see—do not interrupt him or they will spring out of the air upon you and rend you limb from limb—like that, and I jumped toward the great brute with a loud 'Boo!' that sent him stumbling backward.”
David bluffed a Sagoth by claiming Perry was a holy man speaking to invisible spirits, then scared him with a sudden shout.
David uses Perry's praying to gain leverage over their captors.
