The Faerie Queene: Book IV: Canto XII Summary & Analysis

Even after listing so many wedding guests at Proteus’s house, the narrator says he left off several names. At the wedding is also Marinell’s mother the nymph Cymoent (also sometimes called Cymodoce), but Marinell’s father is mortal and so the half-mortal Marinell must stay outside the god’s house. As he’s walking outside the house, he hears a piteous voice.

The voice (which belongs to Florimell), complains about how the seas delight in spoiling mortal lives. She says that though waves can pierce rocks, nothing can pierce the heart of the god who is keeping her prisoner. She wishes that she could see her love, Marinell, again. Marinell hears this and realizes he’s been hard-hearted toward Florimell. He decides to break her out of her prison.

Marinell tries to think of a way to help Florimell but no matter what option he chooses, the obstacles seem too great to overcome. He sees the feast is ending and worries that he’ll have to leave her there alone. He returns home with his mother, Cymoent, but remains tormented by thoughts of Florimell.

Marinell begins to wither away, losing his strength, which upsets his mother. She doesn’t know the cause of her son’s sorrows and thinks maybe it is still related to his wound, so she goes back to the surgeon god Tryphon. Tryphon assures her the old wound is healed and that Marinell has been afflicted with some new malady. This doesn’t satisfy Marinell, so she calls Apollo, who is the god of medicine.

Apollo says that whatever ails Marinell is in his mind and that it’s probably love. Cymoent is upset about this at first, but eventually she tries to convince Marinell to tell her which nymph he loves. He admits that he loves Florimell, and Cymoent is upset because Proteus told her that Marinell’s downfall will happen because of a maiden.

Cymoent decides that Proteus is just the messenger of her bad news and she knows he is keeping Florimell prisoner, so she goes directly to Neptune to take up the issue. She explains the situation and Neptune agrees that Proteus must release Florimell.

Proteus doesn’t dare contradict an order from Neptune, and so he lets Florimell go. Marinell sees Florimell, and immediately his heavy heart is lifted. He is weak from his period of lovesickness, but soon his strength begins to return. Florimell is sad to see him looking weak but hides it in order to keep up the joyful mood.