Book 2, Canto 7 Summary

Guyon continues on alone and comes upon a man. The man is Mammon, and he takes Guyon to his cave where he claims many treasures can be found. The entrance to the cave is very near the gates of Hell, but Guyon follows, intrigued. Three days of intense temptation ensue, with Mammon offering Guyon everything from riches beyond his dreams, to his beautiful daughter and the ladder to power, to the apples and chair in the garden of Proserpina. Each time, Guyon politely declines the offered temptation. After three days of no success, Mammon returns Guyon to the surface. Because he has had no food or water or rest for three days, Guyon faints as soon as he reaches the surface.

Book 2, Canto 7 Analysis

This entire canto revolves around Guyon's temptations, much like the temptations of Christ, and even though he...