# I: Conan Joins the Pirates explained — Conan Stories

> Chapter companion for Conan Stories by Robert E. Howard.

## What happens

Conan flees from guardsmen in Argos and leaps aboard a merchant galley bound for Kush, forcing the master Tito to take him aboard. During the voyage, they encounter the pirate queen Bêlit and her ship the Tigress. After a fierce battle in which Tito and his crew are killed, Conan fights his way onto the pirate deck, slaughtering many. Bêlit stops her warriors from killing him, captivated by his ferocity and presence.

## Themes in this chapter

### Survival and Individualism

Conan's flight from authority and his insistence on personal loyalty over civic duty exemplify a survival-driven, individualistic code.

### Civilization vs. Barbarism

Conan's disdain for civilized laws and his raw, violent nature contrast with the ordered society he flees, while the pirate encounter blurs the line between civilized and barbaric.

### Power and Corruption

The corrupt court of Argos, where a guardsman's violence goes unpunished and Conan is persecuted for loyalty, highlights the theme of corrupt power.

## Character check-ins

### Conan

Flees Argos after refusing to betray a friend, boards Tito's galley, and fights fiercely against Bêlit's pirates, impressing the queen.

### Bêlit

The pirate queen of the black coast; her ship attacks the Argus, and she stops her warriors from killing Conan after witnessing his battle prowess.

### Tito

Master of the Argus; reluctantly takes Conan aboard and is killed by an arrow during the pirate attack.

## Key lines

> I pay my way with steel!

Conan declares that his sword is his currency.

_Conan's forceful assertion of his barbaric code of payment._

> By Crom, though I've spent considerable time among you civilized peoples, your ways are still beyond my comprehension.

Conan expresses bewilderment at civilized customs despite his exposure to them.

_Highlights the theme of civilization vs. barbarism._

> She is called the queen of the black coast. She is a Shemite woman, who leads black raiders.

Tito describes Bêlit as a Shemite queen commanding black pirates.

_Introduces Bêlit's reputation and origin._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters/i-conan-joins-the-pirates
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/conan_stories_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/conan_stories_se/chapters