Season 4 Podcast 128 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 5, Pt III Episode 14 “Escape from the House of Pride" Episode
Season 4 Podcast 128 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 5, Pt III Episode 14 “Escape from the House of Pride"
In last week’s episode, Duessa and Erebus or Night take the comatose body of Sansjoy who is near death from the sword of the Redcross Knight deep into the recesses of Hell to be healed. Erebus, Queen of Darkness, vows vengeance against the Redcross Knight for killing her nephews. They must bypass Cerberus, the Hound of Hades, a three headed monster who guards the gates of hell and doesn’t allow anyone to leave. As they travel through hell they meet those who are suffering in endless torment.
There was Ixion turned on a wheel,
For daring tempt the Queen of heaven to sin;
And Sisyphus an huge round stone did reel
Against an hill, ne might from labor lin;
There thirsty Tantalus hung by the chin;
And Tityus fed a vulture on his maw;
Typhœus joints were stretched on a gin,
Theseus condemned to endless sloth by law,
And fifty sisters water in leaky vessels draw.
Astonished at the visitors the once great men and women of the earth, now condemned by the Gods suffering in hell, stop what they are doing, momentarily released from suffering, and stare at Hideous Night and the witch Duessa. Finally, they arrive at a deep dark cavern where Aesculapious was bound in chains. Aesculapious was the god of medicine killed by Zeus for postponing death and healing diseases.
They all beholding worldly wights in place,
Leave off their work, unmindful of their smart,
To gaze on them; who forth by them doe pace,
Till they become unto the furthest part;
Where was a Cave wrought by wondrous art,
Deep, dark, uneasy, doleful, comfortless,
In which sad Aesculapius far apart
Imprisoned was in chains remediless,
For that Hippolytus rent corse he did redress.
They meet Hippolytus, son of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and his Amazon wife, Hippolyte. They are very familiar to those of you who are fans of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. However, here Theseus a tyrant is not governed by rule of law, but by revenge against his injured son. Their son Hippolytus, who had taken an oath of chastity, was falsely accused of rape by Phaedra, his stepmother, once wife of Theseus, who Hippolytus spurned. The Greeks are brilliant at understanding human nature which is illustrated by their fantastic tales. The sad story of the innocent Hippolytus shows how quickly love can turn to hate.
Hippolytus a jolly huntsman was
That wont in chariot chase the foaming Boar:
He all his Peers in beauty did surpass,
But Ladies love as loss of time forbore:
His wanton stepdame loved him the more,
But when she saw her offered sweets refused,
Her love she turned to hate, and him before
His father fierce of treason false accused,
And with her jealous terms his open ears abused.
The entire story of incestuous love is too convoluted to cover here. Hippolytus at the behest of his own father Theseus is killed by Poseidon who frightens his horses and causes him to wreck.
Who all in rage his Sea-god sire besought,
Some cursed vengeance on his son to cast,
From surging gulf two monsters straight were brought,
With dread whereof his chasing steeds aghast,
Both chariot swift and huntsman overcast.
His goodly corps on ragged cliffs yrent,
Was quite dismembered, and his members chased
Scattered on every mountain, as he went,
That of Hippolytus was left no monument.
Phaedra seeing that she had caused the death of Hyppolytus commits suicide with a wretched knife. She leaves a note declaring her son to be innocent. Theseus learning that he had been betrayed is devastated that he caused the death of his son.
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free