Season 4 Podcast 149 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 8 Pt II Episode 21 “King Arthur Slays the Giant Orgoglio.”

Season 4 Podcast 149 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 8 Pt II Episode 21 “King Arthur Slays the Giant Orgoglio.” 

In last week’s episode, King Arthur, his squire, and Una are led to the giant’s castle by the dwarf. The squire blows his magic horn and all the gates of the castle fly open.  Duessa riding a many headed beast and the giant Orgoglio attack King Arthur and his squire while Una looks on from a distance. This podcast tells how Arthur slays the Giant and how Una and King Arthur find an emaciated Redcross Knight deep in the dungeon.  We ended last week’s episode with King Arthur cutting off the giant’s arm and by King Arthur scalping one of the many heads of the beast that carried Duessa. We begin today by hearing the beast roar in pain causing the beast to nearly throw off his gorgeous rider. However, the giant rushes to her aid and forces King Arthur to back away. 

Thereat he roared for exceeding paine,

That to have heard great horror would have bred,

And scourging th' emptie ayre with his long traine,

Through great impatience of his grieved hed

His gorgeous ryder from her loftie sted

 

Would have cast downe, and trod in durtie myre,

Had not the Gyant soone her succoured;

Who all enrag'd with smart and franticke yre,

Came hurtling in full fierce, and forst the knight retyre.

King Arthur had cut of the giant’s left arm and he was left to fight with only one hand. However, because of his rage, his right arm was doubly strong, and he raises his club high with the strength to cut a mighty oak tree into two pieces. He strikes King Arthur’s shield with such force that King Arthur falls to the floor. No mortal could have endured such a blow.

The force which wont in two to be disperst,

 

In one alone left hand he now unites,

Which is through rage more strong than both were erst;

With which his hideous club aloft he dites,

And at his foe with furious rigour smites,

That strongest Oake might seeme to overthrow:

 

The stroke upon his shield so heavie lites,

That to the ground it doubleth him full low:

What mortall wight could ever beare so monstrous blow?

However, King Arthur is no ordinary man. He has on the full armor of God. He has the shield of faith. As Arthur falls, his shield which before was covered shakes the veil and a light reflects from the shield so bright that it blinds Orgoglio. The giant drops his arm and withdraws from the battle. 

And in his fall his shield, that covered was,

Did loose his vele by chaunce, and open flew:

 

The light whereof, that heavens light did pas,

Such blazing brightnesse through the aier threw,

That eye mote not the same endure to vew.

Which when the Gyaunt spyde with staring eye,

He downe let fall his arme, and soft withdrew

 

His weapon huge, that heaved was on hye

For to have slaine the man, that on the ground did lye.

The many headed beast that carried Duessa was so amazed at the flashing beams of the shining shield that he was blinded, and all of his senses dulled. The beast tumbled to the dirty ground and yielded his powers. When Duessa perceived the fall, she cried aloud to the giant to come back to her rescue. 

And eke the fruitfull-headed beast, amazd

At flashing beames of that sunshiny shield,

Became starke blind, and all his sences daz'd,

 

That downe he tumbled on the durtie field,

And seem'd himselfe as conquered to yield.

Whom when his maistresse proud perceiv'd to fall,

Whiles yet his feeble feet for faintnesse reeld,

Unto the Gyant loudly she gan call,

 

O helpe Orgoglio, helpe, or else we perish all.