# Talus — The Faerie Queene character guide

> Talus in The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** swift Talus, the Souldan

**First appearance:** 0075-canto-i

## Snapshot

An iron man with a flail who never tires, never feels, and never questions, he is the poem's most unsettling image of justice without mercy.

## Who they are

Talus serves Artegall as squire and executioner, a figure of metal who can neither be wounded nor reasoned with, and whose flail settles disputes that words cannot. He is the poem's hardest question: what happens when justice becomes a machine, and when the knight who wields it must decide whether to let it swing. His presence shadows every scene of Artegall's quest, reminding readers that the poem's virtue is never merely gentle.

## In the story

### [Book V: The Legend of Artegall, or of Justice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/book-v-the-legend-of-artegall-or-of-justice)

Artegall's iron attendant, plays the part of a page at Arthur's stirrup during the confrontation.

### [Canto I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-i)

Astraea's iron man, left to serve Artegall; he is immovable, resistless, and carries an iron flail to thresh out falsehood.

### [Canto II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-ii)

Artegall's iron servant, who executes the destruction of Munera and her castle, and later throws the giant into the sea and disperses the rebellious mob.

### [Canto IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-iv)

Accompanies Artegall, disperses the women about to hang Terpine, and frees him.

### [Canto VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-vi)

Talus brings the news of Artegall's bondage to Britomart, guides her on her journey, and fights off Dolon's men during the night attack.

### [Canto VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-vii)

Accompanies Britomart; not admitted into the temple; stands guard outside.

### [Canto VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-viii)

Attends Prince Arthur as his page, ready to execute justice.

### [Canto IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-ix)

Dismays and destroys the villain Malengin after he is captured.

### [Canto XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-xi)

Assists Artegall by making cruel havoc of the base crew with his iron flail.

### [Canto XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-xii)

Artegall's iron attendant, who clears the shore of Grantorto's forces by wading into the sea and defeating them.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/characters/talus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/characters