Thuvia, Maid of Mars · Chapter
VII: The Phantom Bowmen explained
Carthoris and Thuvia are brought before Tario, the jeddak of Lothar, who questions their reality.
What happens
Carthoris and Thuvia are brought before Tario, the jeddak of Lothar, who questions their reality. When Carthoris draws his sword against phantom bowmen, they vanish, revealing the power of suggestion. Tario orders Carthoris taken away, leaving Thuvia behind. Jav explains to Carthoris that Lothar's defenses are mental projections—imaginary archers and banths that kill by suggestion. Jav, a realist, contrasts his beliefs with Tario's etherealist philosophy that all is mind. Carthoris resolves to rescue Thuvia when he hears her cry for help.
Themes in this chapter
Reality vs. Illusion
The chapter explores the nature of reality through the Lotharians' use of imaginary bowmen and the philosophical debate between realists and etherealists.
Loyalty and Betrayal
Jav struggles between his loyalty to Tario and his growing sympathy for Carthoris.
Characters to notice
- Carthoris of Helium
Defies Tario, learns about Lothar's phantom warriors, and resolves to rescue Thuvia.
- Thuvia of Ptarth
Left alone with Tario after Carthoris is taken away; her cry for help spurs Carthoris to action.
- Tario of Lothar
Jeddak of Lothar who questions the reality of Carthoris and Thuvia, and orders Thuvia kept.
- Jav
A realist of Lothar who explains the nature of the phantom bowmen and the philosophical divide with Tario.
Key passages
“It is but to lend reality to the scene. We picture many of our own defenders killed that the Torquasians may not guess that there are really no flesh and blood creatures opposing them.”
We show our own warriors dying to make the illusion convincing, so the enemy never realizes there are no real soldiers fighting them.
Jav explains the purpose of the phantom bowmen's apparent deaths.
“The etherealists maintain that there is no such thing as matter—that all is mind. They say that none of us exists, except in the imagination of his fellows, other than as an intangible, invisible mentality.”
Etherealists believe that nothing physical is real; everything is just a mental construct, and we only exist because others imagine us.
Jav describes the etherealist philosophy held by Tario.