Eventually, all four of them begin their journey to the wedding of Daranio and Silveria, along which, in the pastoral tradition, they encounter other characters who tell their own stories and often join the traveling group.

Arsindo holds a poetry competition betwixt Francenio and Lauso, which is judged by Tirsi and Damón, lauded by many within the novel as some of the most famous poets of Spain.

The fame of Tirsi and Damón instantly connects them with the hired wedding bards, Orompo, Crisio, Marsilio, and Orfenio, as well as the teacher Arsindo.

Next to Don Quixote and the Novelas exemplares, his pastoral romance is considered particularly notable because it predicts the poetic direction in which Cervantes would go for the rest of his career.

In composing this pastoral romance, Cervantes seems to have intended to use the tale merely as an excuse for a rich collection of poems in the old Spanish and Italian styles.

In the same manner as Gil Polo did in his Diana, Cervantes makes the river Turia pronounce the praises of the celebrated Valencians.

His poetic fancy summons the muse Calliope before the shepherds and shepherdesses, to render solemn homage to those contemporaries whom he esteems worthy of distinction as poets.

Cervantes indicated on numerous occasions during his life he planned to publish a second part, even in the ending of the first part: El fin deste amoroso cuento y historia […] con otras cosas sucedidas a los pastores hasta aquí nombrados, en la segunda parte desta historia se prometen, la cual, si con apacibles voluntades esta primera viene rescibida, tendrá atrevimiento de salir con brevedad a ser vista y juzgada de los ojos y entendimiento de las gentes.

In the third episode of the second season, Captain Flint leaves a copy of La Galatea at the doorstep of his close friend, Miranda Barlow.