Sansjoy
and Redcrosse have agreed to fight each other the next day, and Redcrosse doesn’t sleep because he is so eager to
conquer Sansjoy. As soon as the sun comes up, he goes to the great hall of the
palace, where all of Lucifera’s
court is waiting anxiously to witness the battle. Sansjoy arrives, and the two
men consume exotic food and wine to prepare themselves to fight, and they each
agree to abide by the rules that govern man-to-man challenges like this.
Lucifea arrives and takes her seat. Duessa and Sansfoy’s shield are situated where everyone
can see them, and they are understood to be the rewards for whichever man
wins.
The battle
begins, and both men are fierce and deal heavy blows to the other. Then,
Sansjoy sees his brother’s
shield and his desire for vengeance is strengthened, and he nearly overtakes
Redcrosse, striking him twice on his red cross. But then, Duessa shouts her
support for Redcrosse, and he recovers, is heartened to continue fighting, and
narrowly misses a fatal blow from Sansjoy. Just as Redcrosse is about to win
the fight, a darkness appears and envelops Sansjoy, and he disappears. Duessa
jumps up and runs to Redcrosse, exclaiming his victory, but Redcrosse continues
to look for his opponent until trumpets signal the end of the battle.
 |
| Aesculapius |
Redcrosse
kneels before Lucifera, who congratulates him and sends him to a bedchamber
where he rests and has his wounds tended to. At the same time, Duessa weeps,
but nobody realizes the real reason why. She briefly visits the place where
Sansjoy is trapped in darkness, and then leaves to meet Night. Night is stunned
by Duessa’s
gold and jewels and almost retreats, but Duessa begs her to stay and listen to
what she has to say. She complains about the three brothers’ fates, and asks Night to help them.
Night asks who she is, and she reveals herself to be Duessa, daughter of Deceit
and Shame. Night then recognizes her and welcomes her.
Duessa
rides with Night in her wagon and they go to Sansjoy, bind up his wounds, and
then take him with them to the underworld. They reach a dark cave where Aesculapius (god of healing and
son of Apollo) is imprisoned in chains for what he’s done to Hippolytus. Hippolytus was a
handsome and talented hunter who was greatly desired by women. Among
these women was his own stepmother, whom he refused. In retaliation, she
made up lies about Hippolytus to tell his father. So, his father, Poseidon, had
him killed by two sea monsters and his body was dismembered and the pieces
scattered. Hippolytus’ stepmother, feeling
guilty, then admitted to what she’d
done and killed herself. Then, Poseidon, horrified that he had his son wrongly
killed, gathers up all of his son’s
body parts and brings them to Aesculapius to be mended and revived. But
Jove was displeased at his ability to defy death, so he
forced Aesculapius into the underworld, alive, where he has remained
ever since.
Duessa
pleads with Aesculapius
to restore Sansjoy, but because this is the thing that Aesculapius was
punished for, he is reluctant to help. But Duessa convinces him by explaining
that he has already been imprisoned in the underworld, so what more does he
have to fear? Aesculapius heals Sansjoy, and Night returns to her job.
Duessa
returns to the palace
of Lucifera and learns that Redcrosse has departed because his dwarf has
discovered a dungeon of captives. Among the prisoners are the king of Babylon,
Antiochus, Nimrod, Romulus, Tarquin, Hannibal, Caesar, and Pompey, all
condemned for their pride. Along with them are some women who have been
imprisoned for their vanity, including Semiramis and Cleopatra. Redcrosse,
determined to save them all, sneaks out of the palace before dawn.
Stanza 51 is a notable one:
Besides
the endless Routs of wretched Thralls,
Which
thither were assembled day by day,
From
all the World after their woful Falls,
Thro
wicked Pride, and wasted Wealth's Decay.
But
most of all, which in the Dungeon lay,
Fell
from high Princes Courts, or Ladies Bowers,
Where
they in idle Pomp, or wanton Play,
Consumed
had their Goods, and thriftless Hours,
And
lastly thrown themselves into these heavy Stowres.
It
is didactic and reminds the reader that those from the highest echelons of
society are perhaps the most predisposed to the sins of vanity and pride.
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