The Faerie Queene · Chapter
Book V: The Legend of Artegall, or of Justice explained
The narrator laments the decline from the golden age to a stony one, where virtue has become vice and vice virtue, and the heavens themselves have wandered from their courses.
What happens
The narrator laments the decline from the golden age to a stony one, where virtue has become vice and vice virtue, and the heavens themselves have wandered from their courses. He introduces Artegall, the champion of Justice, who was raised from infancy by the goddess Astraea in a cave, taught to weigh right and wrong, and given the sword Chrysaor. Artegall is sent by the Faery Queene to aid Irena, whose kingdom is usurped by the tyrant Grantorto. In Canto I, Artegall and his iron man Talus encounter a damsel named Samient, who complains that the Souldan's wife Adicia has mistreated her and sent two knights to dishonor her. Artegall and Prince Arthur devise a plan: Artegall disguises himself as one of the slain pagan knights to gain entry to the Souldan's court, while Arthur issues a formal defiance. The Souldan, furious, mounts a chariot armed with iron wheels and hooks, drawn by man-eating steeds, and rides out to meet Arthur in battle.
Themes in this chapter
Justice and Government
The entire book is dedicated to the virtue of Justice, embodied by Artegall, who is trained by Astraea and sent to restore rightful rule to Irena.
Virtue and Vice
The narrator contrasts the golden age of virtue with the present stony age where vice is called virtue and virtue vice, and Adicia personifies enmity to Justice.
Allegory and Symbolism
Artegall's sword Chrysaor, forged from adamant and gold, symbolizes the unyielding and precious nature of true justice; the Souldan's chariot with iron wheels and hooks represents brutal tyranny.
Characters to notice
- Sir Artegall
Champion of Justice, trained by Astraea, wields the sword Chrysaor, and is sent to aid Irena against Grantorto.
- Prince Arthur
Arrives to assist Artegall; issues a bold defiance to the Souldan and prepares to fight him.
- Talus
Artegall's iron attendant, plays the part of a page at Arthur's stirrup during the confrontation.
- Irena
The distressed lady whose heritage is withheld by the tyrant Grantorto; she appeals to the Faery Queene for redress.
- Adicia
The Souldan's wife, a mortal foe to Justice, who mistreats Samient and incites her husband to tyranny.
- Grantorto
The strong tyrant who unjustly withholds Irena's heritage; his name means 'great wrong'.
- Samient
The damsel sent as a messenger to Adicia; she is mistreated and later used in Artegall's disguise plan.
Key passages
“For from the golden age, that first was named, It’s now at earst become a stonie one; And men themselves, the which at first were framed Of earthly mould, and form’d of flesh and bone, Are now transformed into hardest stone;”
The world has degenerated from the golden age to a stony one, and people have become as hard as stone.
The narrator laments the moral and cosmic decline from a pristine past.
“There she him taught to weigh both right and wrong In equal ballance with due recompence, And equitie to measure out along According to the line of conscience,”
Astraea taught Artegall to judge right and wrong with balanced fairness and to dispense equity according to conscience.
Describes Artegall's education in justice by the goddess Astraea.
“For she her selfe professeth mortall foe To Justice, and against her still doth fight, Working to all that love her deadly woe,”
Adicia declares herself a mortal enemy of Justice and constantly works harm to those who love Justice.
Samient describes Adicia's hostility to justice.
