# The Latter End of All the Lords of Witchland explained — The Worm Ouroboros

> Chapter companion for The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison.

## What happens

King Gorice XII holds a council of war after the battle before Carcë, where Corinius reports the Demon army's strength and advises against a sally. Corsus urges peace, enraging the King, who dismisses him from the council and retires to the Iron Tower for sorcery. Later, Corsus reconciles with the lords at a midnight feast, drinking to the King's enchantment as a strange bale-light appears.

## Themes in this chapter

### Loyalty and Betrayal

Corsus's peace counsel is seen as betrayal by the King, but he later feigns loyalty at the feast.

### Pride and Hubris

Gorice XII's pride leads him to reject Corsus's advice and rely on sorcery, while Corinius's bravado masks desperation.

### Fate and Prophecy

The bale-light and the King's conjuring in the Iron Tower suggest a fatalistic turn toward doom.

## Character check-ins

### Gorice XII

Holds a council of war, dismisses Corsus, and retires to the Iron Tower for conjuring.

### Corinius

Reports the Demon army's strength, advises against sally, and later leads the midnight feast.

### Corsus

Urges peace at the council, is dismissed by the King, but later reconciles and drinks to the King's sorcery.

### Heming

Offers to slip past Demon guards to gather reinforcements.

### Lady Prezmyra

Keeps her chamber after her lord's death, not seen at the feast.

### Zenambria

Present at the feast with Corsus and Sriva.

### Sriva

Present at the feast with Corsus and Zenambria.

### Dekalajus

Summons Corsus to the council and sits at the feast.

## Key lines

> But three thousand and five hundred fighting men, and well nigh half of these over much crippled with wounds to do aught save behind closed walls.

Corinius reports that only 3,500 fighting men remain, many too wounded to fight outside the walls.

_Corinius's assessment of Witchland's diminished forces after the battle._

> I dismiss thee from my council. Thou art to thank my clemency that I take not thy head for this.

The King removes Corsus from the council and spares his life only out of mercy.

_Gorice XII's harsh rebuke of Corsus for advocating peace._

> Fate's hammer is lifted up to strike. Drink with me to our Lord the King that laboureth with destiny.

Corinius toasts the King's magical efforts, seeing the bale-light as a sign of fate.

_Corinius's toast during the midnight feast, linking the sorcery to destiny._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_worm_ouroboros_se/chapters/xxxii-the-latter-end-of-all-the-lords-of-witchland
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_worm_ouroboros_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_worm_ouroboros_se/chapters