Orlando Furioso Part 107

II Among the warriors of antiquity Much gentleness and courtesy appear, Virtues but seldom seen with us; while we Of evil ways, on all sides, see and hear.

Hippolytus, when you, with ensignry Won from the foe, and with his captive gear Adorned our temples; and his galleys bore, Laden with prey, to your paternal sh.o.r.e;

III All the inhuman deeds which wrought by hand Of Moor, or Turk, or Tartar ever were, (Yet not by the Venetians' ill command, That evermore the praise of justice bear,) Were practised by that foul and evil band Of soldiers, who their mercenaries are.

Of those so many fires not now I tell Which on our farms and pleasant places fell.

IV Though a foul vengeance in that blow was meant Mainly at you, who being at Caesar's side, When Padua by his leaguering host was pent, 'Twas known, that oft, through you, was turned aside More than one ravening flame, and oft was spent The fire, in fane and village blazing wide: What time the destined mischief ye withstood, As to your inborn courtesy seemed good.

V This will I pa.s.s, nor their so many more Discourteous and despiteous doings tell, Save one alone, whereat from rock-stone h.o.a.r Whene'er the tale is told warm tears might well.

That day you sent your family before, Thither, my lord, where, under omens fell, Your foes into a well protected seat, Abandoning their barks, had made retreat.

VI As Hector and Aeneas, mid the flood, Fire to the banded fleet of Greece applied, I Hercules and Alexander viewed, Urged by too sovereign ardour, side by side, Spurring before all others in their mood, Even within the hostile ramparts ride; And p.r.i.c.k so far, the second 'scaped with pain, And on the foremost closed the opposing train.

VII Feruffine 'scaped, the good Cantelmo left, What counsel, Sora's duke, was thine, what heart, When thy bold son thou saw'st, of helm bereft, Amid a thousand swords, when -- dragged apart -- Thou saw'st his young head from his shoulders cleft, A s.h.i.+pboard, on a plank? I, on my part, Marvel, that seeing but the murder done, Slew thee not, as the faulchion slew thy son.

VIII Cruel Sclavonian! say, whence hast thou brought Thy ways of warfare? By what Scythian rite To slay the helpless prisoner is it taught, Who yields his arms, nor fends himself in fight?

Was it a crime he for his country fought?

Ill upon thee the sun bestows his light.

Remorseless aera, which hast filled the page With Atreus', Tantalus', Thyestes' rage!

IX Barbarian! thou madest shorter by the head The boldest of his age, on whom did beam The sun 'twixt pole and pole, 'twixt Indus' bed And where he sinks in Ocean's western stream; Whose years and beauty might have pity bred In Anthropophagus, in Polypheme; Not thee; that art in wickedness outdone By any Cyclops, any Lestrigon.

X I ween, mid warriors in the days of yore, No such example was; they all, in field, Were full of gentleness and courteous lore, Nor against conquered foe their bosom steeled.

Not only gentle Bradamant forbore To harm the knights whom, smitten on the s.h.i.+eld, Her lance unhorsed; but for the vanquished crew Detained their steeds, that they might mount anew.

XI I of that lady fair, of mickle might, Told you above, how she had overthrown Serpentine of the Star in single fight, Grandonio and Ferrau, and then upon Their coursers had replaced each baffled knight.

I told moreover how the third was gone Rogero to defy to the career, Upon her call, who seemed a cavalier.

XII Rogero heard the call in joyous vein, And bade his arms be brought; now while in view Of Agramant he donned the plate and chain, Those lords the former question moved anew; Who was the knight, that on the martial plain The manage of the lance so quaintly knew?

And of Ferrau, who spake with him whilere, Craved, if to him was known that cavalier.

XIII "Be ye a.s.sured," to them Ferrau replied, "He is not one of those I hear you cite To me (for I his open face descried).

Rinaldo's youthful brother seemed the knight.

But since his doughty valour I have tried, And wot not such is Richardetto's might, I ween it is his sister, who, I hear, Resembles much in mien that martial peer.

XIV "The damsel equals well, so Rumour tells, Rinaldo, and every paladin in fray.

But brother she and cousin both excels, Measured by that which I have seen to-day."

Hearing him, while upon her praise he dwells, As the sky reddens with the morning ray, Rogero's face is flushed with crimson hue, And his heart throbs, nor knows he what to do.

XV Stung, at these tidings, by the amorous dart -- Within, new fire inflames the cavalier; And strait, together with the burning smart, Shoots through his bones a chill, produced by fear; Fear, that new wrath had stifled in her heart That mighty love, wherewith she burned whilere.

Confused he stands, irresolute and slow, And undecided if to stay or go.

XVI Now fierce Marphisa, who was there, and prest By huge desire to meet the stranger wight, And armed withal (for, save in iron vest, Her seldom would you find by day or night).

Hearing Rogero is in armour drest, Fearing to lose the honour of the fight, If first that champion with the stranger vies; Thinks to prevent the youth and win the prize.

XVII She leapt upon her horse, and thither hied Where Aymon's daughter on the listed plain, With palpitating heart, upon her side, Waited Rogero; whom the damsel fain Would make her prisoner, and but schemed to guide Her lance in mode the stripling least to pain.

Marphisa from the city portal fares, And on her gallant helm a phoenix wears.

XVIII Whether the maid would publish, in her pride, That she was single in the world, for might; Or whether by that symbol signified, That she would live, exempt from bridal rite.

Her closely Aymon's martial daughter eyed; When seeing not those features, her delight, She craves the damsel's name before they move, And hears that it is she who joys her love:

XIX Or rather she, that gentle lady thought, Had joyed her love; and whom she hated so, Her to Death's door her anger would have brought, Unless she venged her sorrow on the foe.

She wheeled her courser round, with fury fraught, Less with desire to lay her rival low, Than with the lance to pierce her in mid breast, And put her every jealousy at rest.

XX Parforce to ground must go the royal maid, To prove it hard or soft the listed plain, And be with such unwonted scorn appaid, That she is nearly maddened by disdain.

Scarce was she thrown, before her trenchant blade She bared, and hurried to avenge the stain.

Cried Aymon's daughter, no less proud of heart, "What art thou doing? Thou my prisoner art."

XXI "Though I have courtesy for others, none"

(She said) "from me, Marphisa, shalt thou find.

Since evermore I hear of thee, as one To pride and every churlishness inclined."

Marphisa, at these words, was heard to groan, As roars in some sea-rock the prisoned wind.

She screamed an answer; but its sense was drowned (Such rage confused that damsel) in the sound.

XXII She whirls this while her faulchion, and would fain Wound horse or rider in the paunch or breast; But Aymon's watchful daughter turns the rein; And on one side her courser leaps; possest With furious anger and with fierce disdain, She at her opposite her lance addrest; And hardly touched the damsel, ere, astound, Marphisa fell, reversed upon the ground.

XXIII Scarce down, Marphisa started from the plain, Intent fell mischief with her sword to do, Bradamant couched her golden spear again, And yet again the damsel overthrew.

Yet Bradamant, though blest with might and main, Was not so much the stronger of the two As to have flung the maid in every just, But that such power was in the lance's thrust.

XXIV This while some knights (some knights upon our side, I say) forth issuing from the city, go Towards the field of strife, which did divide The squadrons, here and there, of either foe -- Not half a league of one another wide -- Seeing their knight such mighty prowess show; Their knight, but whom no otherwise they knew Than as a warrior of the Christian crew.

XXV Troyano's generous son, who had espied This band approaching to the city-wall, For due defence would every means provide, And every peril, every case forestall: And orders many to take arms, who ride Forth from the ramparts, at the monarch's call.

With them Rogero goes, in armour cased, Balked of the battle by Marphisa's haste.

XXVI The enamoured youth, with beating heart, intent, Stood by, the issue of the just to view.

For his dear cousin fearing the event, In that he well Marphisa's valour knew; -- At the beginning I would say -- when, bent On mischief, fiercely closed the furious two: But when that duel's turn the stripling eyes, He stands amazed and stupid with surprize;

XXVII And when he saw unfinished was the fight, At the first onset, like the justs whilere, Mis...o...b..ing some strange accident, in sprite, Sore vexed, this while remained the cavalier.

To either maid wished well that youthful knight; For both were loved, but not alike were dear.

For this the stripling's love was fury, fire; For that 'twas rather fondness than desire.

XXVIII If so Rogero could with honour do, He willingly the warriors would divide; But his companions, in the fear to view Victory with King Charles's knight abide, Esteeming him the better of the two, Break in between and turn their arms aside; Upon the other part, the Christian foes Advance, and both divisions come to blows.

XXIX On this side and that other, rings the alarm, Which in those camps is sounded every day, Bidding the unmounted mount, the unarmed arm, And all their standards seek, without delay, Where, under separate flags, the squadrons swarm, More than one shrilling trump is heard to bray; And as their rattling notes the riders call, Rousing the foot, beat drum and ataball.

x.x.x As fierce as thought could think, 'twixt either host Kindled the fell and sanguinary fray.

The daring damsel, fair Dordona's boast, Sore vexed and troubled, that in the affray She cannot compa.s.s what she covets most, -- Marphisa with avenging steel to slay, -- Now here, not there, amid the medley flies, Hoping to see the youth for whom she sighs.

x.x.xI By the eagle argent on the s.h.i.+eld of blue She recognized Rogero, mid the rest.

With eyes and thought intent, she stops to view The warrior's manly shoulders and his breast, Fair face and movements full of graceful shew; And then the maid, with mickle spite possest, Thinking another joys the stripling's love, Thus speaks, as sovereign rage and fury move.

x.x.xII "Shall then another kiss those lips so bright And sweet, if those fair lips are lost to me?

Ah! never other shall in thee delight; For it not mine, no other's shalt thou be.

Rather than die alone and of despite, I with this hand will slay myself and thee, That if I lose thee here, at least in h.e.l.l With thee I to eternity may dwell.

x.x.xIII "If thou slay'st me, there is good reason, I The comfort too of vengeance should obtain; In that all edicts and all equity The death of him that causes death ordain; Nor, since you justly, I unjustly, die, Deem I that thine is equal to my pain.

I him who seeks my life, alas! shall spill, Thou her that loves and wors.h.i.+ps thee wouldst kill.

x.x.xIV "My hand, why hast thou not the hardiment To rive with steel the bosom of my foe, That me so many times to death has shent, Under the faith of love, in peaceful show; Him, who to take my life can now consent, Nor even have pity of my cruel woe?

Dare, valiant heart, this impious man to slay, And let his death my thousand deaths appay!"