Tales from Spenser, Chosen from the Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

  THE STORY OF TIMIAS.

  Faerie Queene. Book III., Canto V.; Book IV., Cantos VII., VIII.; BookVI., Canto V.

  You may remember that the good Prince Arthur had a squire named Timias.He it was who went in pursuit of the forester that so rudely followedFlorimell. He thus became separated from his lord and had manyadventures before he again saw Prince Arthur, who grieved sorely overthe loss of his beloved squire.

  Timias' first adventure was an encounter with the forester. He chasedhim through thick woods, a long and weary way, and more than once hadnearly avenged the rude fellow's discourtesy towards Florimell. But theforester managed to escape, either because his horse was swifter or hisknowledge of the woods better than that of Timias. He made his way tohis two brethren, who dwelt with him in the wilds. To them he complainedof the ill done him by the squire, and so excited their wrath that theydetermined to set out forthwith and aid him in making an end of Timias.

  All three therefore repaired to a hidden glade, close by a narrow ford,difficult at any time to cross, and now swollen by recent rains. Theyknew that Timias must pass this ford, and here they lay in wait.

  Things fell out just as the brothers expected. All unaware of danger thesquire rode up, and began to cross the ford. The moment he did so, theforester stepped out upon the opposite bank, and daring Timias to moveanother step, threw a dart at him, which struck his habergeon. The blowdid not harm him but it made him very angry, all the more so that thebank on which the forester stood was so high that Timias could not reachhis antagonist.

  At this moment one of the brothers shot a poisoned arrow out of thethicket, which wounded the squire, and caused him exceeding pain. Stillhe struggled on against all difficulties, and at length reached theopposite bank, where the third brother now attacked him with abill-hook. Timias avoided the blow and killed the man with a thrust ofhis spear.

  This increased the rage of the surviving brothers, who made a freshattack with renewed energy. Timias, however, singled out one, anddirecting his whole force against him, struck a blow which cleft hishead from skull to chin. Filled with rage and horror, the last brothershot an arrow at the squire, and immediately attempted flight, butTimias overtook him, and just as he entered the stream, struck off hishead.

  Timias was now freed from the three brothers, but his troubles were notover, for his poisoned wound bled so profusely that he soon fell fromhis horse in a deadly faint. He was in a sad plight all alone in theforest, but--

  Providence heavenly passeth living thought, And doth for wretched man's relief make way.

  While he lay in the swoon, Belphoebe the huntress, she whomBraggadochio had seen, came where the squire lay. She found him lying ina pool of blood, his hair matted and tangled, his eyes fixed and hislips pale. She recoiled with horror at the sight, but she was a good andbrave woman and looked again, and as she looked her heart grew pitiful,and stooping down she felt his pulse. Finding that it still beat sheraised his head and rubbed his temples, and then unfastened his armour.This done, she hastened to the woods, where she found herbs, which shecarefully prepared. The juice of the herbs she poured into the wound andthen bound it with her scarf. By-and-bye Timias opened his eyes and sawthe lady standing by him, her bow and golden quiver lying at her feet.He thought her an angel or a goddess, and addressing her as such, askedwhat service he could render in return for her care. To this Belphoebereplied that she was only the daughter of a wood-nymph and that shedesired nothing but his recovery for reward.

  By this time the damsels of the huntress arrived and were despatched torecover Timias' strayed steed. Having brought it back, they set him uponit and led him gently to their dwelling.

  It lay in a pleasant glade, surrounded by mountains whose mighty woodscast great shadows, and in the midst of which a little stream murmuredsoftly over a rocky bed. By the stream was a fair spot planted withmyrtles and laurels, and among these stood a rich pavilion. Here theylaid Timias on a soft couch, and here Belphoebe daily dressed hiswounds until he became quite well and strong. And then, from gratitudefor Belphoebe's care and admiration of her rare virtues, Timias gaveup all thought of returning to the Prince, and remained in the forest asher faithful attendant.

  One day when hunting with Belphoebe and her damsels, Timias, as oftenhappens in the chase, got separated from his companions, and whilewandering about in search of them, came suddenly upon a poor lady whowas being carried off by a cruel giant. He instantly went to her rescue,and succeeded in freeing the lady. But he was himself in great dangerwhen Belphoebe, attracted by the noise of the fight, came to his aid,and bending her bow pursued the giant to the door of his den, where sheslew him with an arrow.

  Meantime Timias, always kind and gentle, was filled with pity for thefair lady whom he had rescued. She had fainted from terror and was muchbruised by the fray and the cruel grasp of the monster. The squire kneltby her side, examined her wounds with tender touch, wiped her dewy andunconscious eyes, and in his pitifulness kissed them. At that momentBelphoebe returned, and when she saw her faithful squire so tendertowards the lady, her heart swelled with proud disdain. In her suddenpassion she was ready to have killed both squire and lady with the verybow which had already slain the monster. She however restrained herself,and drawing near to Timias, exclaimed, "Is this the faith?" then turnedand fled.

  Distressed at her rebuke Timias instantly arose and followed her, butever as he drew near she threatened him with her bow and would notpermit him to approach her. After a long and fruitless pursuit thesquire was forced to turn back with a sad heart. Finding a solitary partof the forest he chose a glade made gloomy with mossy trees, and therebuilt a hut to live in. He broke his weapons and threw them away, vowingnever again to fight nor ever again speak to a woman, but to live aloneand deplore his grief. The better to keep his foolish vow he cut andspoiled his clothes, let his hair grow until it fell untended over hisshoulders, ate only wild fruits and drank only running water. Thus heweakened himself until he was unfit to carry arms, and disguised himselfuntil no one could recognize him.

  Indeed it chanced that one day Prince Arthur came into that part of theforest and found Timias in this wretched plight. The Prince talked tohim and tried to make out who he was, but never guessed he was all thetime addressing his lost squire. Timias would not speak, but only bowedreverently, and the Prince was obliged to go away sad at heart. Hethought the miserable man some love-lorn swain, for he saw the name ofBelphoebe cut on many of the trees, and remarked how he brightened atthe sound of the name and even kissed the ground where it was written.

  Thus Timias dwelt alone, wasting his youth in selfish solitude, untilone day, as he lay bemoaning himself, a turtle dove that had lately losther mate happened to come that way. Seeing one so sad, she paused in herflight and began to mourn with Timias. She sat by his side and sang sopitiful and so human a ditty that the squire fancied he heard in it hisown name; and as he listened, he shed many tears and beat his breast andtore his hair in his sadness.

  Day by day the bird sat by him and sang; she showed no sign of fear andfor guerdon of her song, he never failed to share with her his scantymeal.

  Timias grew to regard her as a companion, and one day when looking atsome mementoes given him by Belphoebe, he chose out a ruby, shapedlike a heart, and bound it on the dove's neck. He expected to find somepleasure in gazing at it as he lay and listened to her song, butsuddenly the dove finding herself thus decked flew away. Timias was nowmore sad than ever, for he had lost both the jewel which Belphoebe hadgiven him and his companion.

  Meantime the bird flew right through the forest until she came whereBelphoebe rested after the chase. There she alighted and straightwaybegan her mournful ditty, hoping thus to attract the maiden's attention.She succeeded, and after watching her for some time Belphoebe noticedon the dove's neck the well-known jewel. Rising hastily she attempted tograsp it, but the dove flew out of her reach, and when she saw thatBelphoebe followed, lingered until the maid was near, when she againflew a little way forward, an
d thus flying and resting lured her farinto the forest. They at length arrived near to the abode of Timias,when the dove flew straight into his hand. There she began a mostpiteous plaint, as if to force Belphoebe to understand who this was.The maiden, however, although sorry for this wretched-looking man, andwishful to do him any good she could did not recognize him. But Timiasknew her: he said nothing, but fell humbly at her feet, and kissing theground on which she trod, washed it with his tears and looked at herwith wistful looks. She did not understand him, but wondered at hiscourtly manners, and pitying his misery, asked him whether heaven or thecruelty of man or his own wilfulness were its cause. When she endedspeaking Timias broke his long silence and with it his vow, and replyingthat his suffering arose from all three, added that she herself had donethe wrong.

  He went on to pray her forgiveness and the sad words touchedBelphoebe's proud heart when she found that it was Timias who thusaddressed her.

  Relenting from her severity she received him into favour again. For along time he lived happily in the forest ever attending Belphoebe andforgetting the Prince, his rightful lord, who still sought for his lostsquire.

  By-and-bye men grew envious of the high distinction Timias received fromthe great Belphoebe, and said unjust and malicious things of him, buthe behaved wisely and continued in her favour.

  There were three men more anxious than any others for the overthrow ofTimias. These were Despetto, Decetto, and Defetto. They tried all sortsof mean tricks by which to work his ruin, but in vain.

  At length they resolved to send the Blattant Beast to destroy him. Thiswas a horrid monster, treacherous and cruel, given to turn suddenly onits pursuer, and bite with poisonous fangs.

  On a day when Timias was hunting, these bad men sent the Beast into theforest, hoping that he would give it chase and so be led to destruction.Just as they expected, Timias charged the monster as soon as he saw it,and with such fury that the Beast turned and fled. As it turned it bithim; he, however, paid no attention to the wound, but hotly pursued theBeast, which led him into thick woods and rough places full of briers,and thus wore out his strength until it had him in a woody glade wherehis three foes lay concealed.

  All three sprang out and attacked him fiercely, so that it required hisutmost skill to defend himself. They closed round him and rained blowson every side and yet he contrived to withstand them all and even tomake them yield before him. But after a long fight his strength began tofail before the heavy odds, and he feared he must soon yield. Just thenhe heard the trampling and neighing of a horse. The sound inspired himwith fresh hope, and the next moment he saw a knight in full armourriding hastily to his rescue. Despetto, Decetto, and Defetto saw thisalso, and like the cowards that they were, fled precipitately into thethick brushwood whither the knight did not choose to follow. He turnedinstead to Timias, and in the sorely bested combatant, Prince Arthur,for he it was, recognized his long-lost squire. Exceedingly rejoiced thePrince took him in his arms and embraced him tenderly, and thus wasTimias restored to his rightful lord.