Orlando Furioso Part 12

I saw him leap, and left him in the sea; And, hurrying thence, to you the tidings bore.'

Geneura stood amazed, her colour fled, And, at the fearful tale, remained half dead.

LX "O G.o.d! what said, what did she, when alone, She on her faithful pillow layed her head!

She beat her bosom, and she tore her gown, And in despite her golden tresses shed; Repeating often, in bewildered tone, The last sad words which Ariodantes said; -- That the sole source of such despair, and such Disaster, was that he had seen too much.

LXI "Wide was the rumour scattered that the peer Had slain himself for grief; nor was the cry By courtly dame, or courtly cavalier, Or by the monarch, heard with tearless eye.

But, above all the rest, his brother dear Was whelmed with sorrow of so deep a dye, That, bent to follow him, he well nigh turned His hand against himself, like him he mourned.

LXII "And many times repeating in his thought, It was Geneura who his brother slew, Who was to self-destruction moved by nought But her ill deed, which he was doomed to view, So on his mind the thirst of vengeance wrought, And so his grief his season overthrew; That he thought little, graced of each estate, To encounter king and people's common hate;

LXIII "And, when the throng was fullest in the hall, Stood up before the Scottish king, and said, 'Of having marred my brother's wits withal, Sir king, and him to his destruction led, Your daughter only can I guilty call: For in his inmost soul such sorrow bred The having seen her little chast.i.ty, He loathed existence, and preferred to die.

LXIV " 'He was her lover; and for his intent Was honest, this I seek not, I, to veil; And to deserve her by his valour meant Of thee, if faithful service might avail; But while he stood aloof, and dared but scent The blossoms, he beheld another scale, Scale the forbidden tree with happier boot, And bear away from him the wished-for fruit.'

LXV "Then added, how into the gallery came Geneura, and how dropped the corded stair; And how into the chamber of the dame Had climbed a leman of that lady fair; Who, for disguise (he knew not hence his name), Had changed his habits, and concealed his hair; And, in conclusion, vowed that every word So said, he would avouch with lance and sword.

LXVI "You may divine how grieves the sire, distraught With woe, when he the accusation hears: As well that what he never could have thought, He of his daughter learns with wondering ears, As that he knows, if succour be not brought By cavalier, that in her cause appears, Who may upon Lurcanio prove the lie, He cannot choose, but doom the maid to die.

LXVII "I do not think our Scottish law to you Is yet unknown, which sentences to fire The miserable dame, or damsel, who Grants other than her wedded lord's desire.

She dies, unless a champion, good and true, Arm on her side before a month expire; And her against the accuser base maintain Unmeriting such death, and free from stain.

LXVIII "The king has made proclaim by town and tower, (For he believes her wronged, his child to free) Her he shall have to wife, with ample dower, Who saves the royal maid from infamy.

But each to the other looks, and to this hour No champion yet, 'tis said, appears: for he, Lurcanio, is esteemed so fierce in fight, It seems as he were feared of every knight.

"And evil Fate has willed her brother dear, Zerbino, is not here the foe to face; Since many months has roved the cavalier, Proving his matchless worth with spear and mace; For if the valiant champion were more near, (Such is his courage) or in any place, Whither in time the news might be conveyed, He would not fail to bear his sister aid.

LXX "The king, mean time, who would the quest pursue, And by more certain proof than combat, try If the accuser's tale be false or true, And she deserve, or merit not, to die, Arrests some ladies of her retinue, That, as he weens, the fact can verify.

Whence I foresaw, that if I taken were, Too certain risque the duke and I must share.

LXXI "That very night I from the palace flee, And to the duke repair, escaped from court; And, were I taken, make him plainly see How much it either's safety would import: He praised, and bade me of good courage be, And, for his comfort, prayed me to resort To a strong castle which he held hard by; And gave me two to bear me company.

LXXII "With what full proofs, sir stranger, you have heard, I of my love a.s.sured the Scottish peer; And clearly can discern, if so preferred, That lord was justly bound to hold me dear.

Mark, in conclusion, what was my reward; The glorious meed of my great merit hear!

And say if woman can expect to earn, However well she love, her love's return.

LXXIII "For this perfidious, foul, ungrateful man, At length suspicious of my faith and zeal, And apprehending that his wily plan, In course of time, I haply might reveal, Feigned that meanwhile the monarch's anger ran Too high, he would withdraw me, and conceal Within a fortress of his own, where I (Such was his real end) was doomed to die.

LXXIV "For secretly the duke enjoined the guide, Who with me through the gloomy forest went, The worthy guerdon of a faith so tried, To slay me; and had compa.s.sed his intent, But for your ready succour, when I cried.

Behold! what wages love's poor slaves content."

Thus to Rinaldo did Dalinda say, As they together still pursued their way.

LXXV Above all other fortune, to the knight Was welcome to have found the gentle maid, Who the whole story of Geneura bright, And her unblemished innocence displayed; And, if he hoped, although accused with right, To furnish the afflicted damsel aid, Persuaded of the calumny's disproof, He with more courage warred in her behoof.

LXXVI And for St. Andrew's town, with eager speed, Where was the king with all his family, And where the single fight, in listed mead, Upon his daughter's quarrel, was to be, The good Rinaldo p.r.i.c.ked, nor spared his steed, Until, within an easy distance, he Now near the city, met a squire who brought More recent tidings than the damsel taught:

LXXVII That thither had repaired a stranger knight, To combat in Geneura's quarrel bent, With ensigns strange, not known of living wight, Since ever close concealed the warrior went; Not, since he had been there, had bared to sight His visage, aye within his helmet pent: And that the very squire who with him came, Swore that he knew not what the stranger's name.

LXXVIII Not far they ride before the walls appear, And now before the gate their coursers stand.

To advance the sad Dalinda was in fear, Yet followed, trusting in Rinaldo's brand.

The gate was shut, and to the porter near, What this implies Rinaldo makes demand: To him was said, the people, one and all, Were trooped to see a fight without the wall:

LXXIX Beyond the city, fought upon accord, Between Lurcanio and a stranger knight; Where, on a s.p.a.cious meadow's level sward, The pair already had begun the fight.

The porter opened to Mount Alban's lord, And straight behind the peer the portal hight.

Rinaldo through the empty city rode, But in a hostel first the dame bestowed:

Lx.x.x And will that she (he will not long delay To seek her there) till his return repose; And quickly to the lists pursued his way, Where the two made that fell exchange of blows, And strove and struggled yet in b.l.o.o.d.y fray.

Lurcanio's heart with vengeful hatred glows Against Geneura; while that other knight As well maintains the quarrel for her right.

Lx.x.xI Six knights on foot within the palisade Stand covered with the corslet's iron case; Beneath the Duke of Albany arrayed, Borne on a puissant steed of n.o.ble race: Who there, as lord high-constable obeyed, Was keeper of the field and of the place, And joyed Geneura's peril to espy With swelling bosom and exulting eye.

Lx.x.xII Rinaldo pierces through the parted swarm, (So wide is felt the good Bayardo's sway,) And he who hears the courser come in storm, Halts not, in his desire to make him way: Above is seen Rinaldo's lofty form, The flower of those who mix in martial fray.

He stops his horse before the monarch's chair, While all to hear the paladin repair.

Lx.x.xIII "Dread sir," to him the good Rinaldo said, "Let not the pair this combat longer ply; Since whichsoever of the two falls dead, Know, that you let him perish wrongfully: This thinks that he is right, and is misled, Vouches the false, and knows not 'tis a lie: Since that which brought his brother to his end, Moves him in causeless battle contend.

Lx.x.xIV "That, in pure gentleness, with little care If what he here maintains be wrong or right, Because he would preserve a maid so fair, Perils his person in the furious fight.

To injured innocence I safety bear, And to the evil man its opposite.

But first, for love of G.o.d, the battle stay; Then list, sir king, to what I shall display."

Lx.x.xV So moved the king the grave authority Of one who seemed so worthy, by his cheer, That he made sign the battle should not be Further continued then with sword or spear: To whom, together with his chivalry, And barons of the realm and others near Rinaldo all the treacherous plot displayed, Which Polinesso for Geneura layed.

Lx.x.xVI Next that he there in arms would testify The truth of what he vouched, the warrior cried.

False Polinesso, called, with troubled eye, Stood forth, but daringly the tale denied.

To him the good Rinaldo in reply; "By deeds be now the doubtful quarrel tried."

The field was cleared, and, ready armed, the foes, Without more let, in deadly duel close.

Lx.x.xVII How was the hope to king and people dear, The proof might show Geneura innocent!

All trust that G.o.d will make the treason clear, And show she was accused with foul intent: For Polinesso, greedy and severe, And proud was held, and false and fraudulent.

So that none there, of all a.s.sembled, deemed It marvel, if the knight such fraud had schemed.

Lx.x.xVIII False Polinesso, with a mien distressed, A pallid cheek, and heart which thickly beat, At the third trumpet, laid his lance in rest; As well Rinaldo spurred the knight to meet, And levelled at his evil foeman's breast, Eager to finish at a single heat.

Nor counter to his wish was the event; Since through the warrior half his weapon went.

Lx.x.xIX Him, through his breast, impaled upon the spear, More than six yards beyond his horse he bore.

With speed alighted Mount Albano's peer, And, ere he rose, unlaced the helm he wore: But he for mercy prayed with humble cheer, Unfit to strive in joust or warfare more: And, before king and court, with faltering breath, Confessed the fraud which brought him to his death.

XC He brings not his confession to a close, And pangs of death the failing accents drown: The prince, who ended saw his daughter's woes, Redeemed from death and scorn, her virtue shown, With more delight and rapture overflows, Than if he, having lost his kingly crown, Then saw it first upon his head replaced; So that he good Rinaldo singly graced.

XCI And when, through his uplifted casque displaid, Features, well known before, the king descried, His thanks to G.o.d with lifted hands he paid, That he had deigned such succour to provide.

That other cavalier, who bared his blade, Unknown of all, upon Geneura's side, And thither came from far, his aid to impart, Looked upon all that pa.s.sed, and stood apart.

XCII Him the good king entreated to declare His name, or, at the least, his visage shew; That he might grace him with such guerdon fair, As to his good intent was justly due.

The stranger, after long and earnest prayer, Lifted to covering casque, and bared to view What in the ensuing canto will appear, If you are fain the history to hear.

CANTO 6

ARGUMENT Ariodantes has, a worthy meed, With his loved bride, the fief of Albany.

Meantime Rogero, on the flying steed, Arrives in false Alcina's empery: There from a myrtle-tree her every deed, A human myrtle hears, and treachery, And thence would go; but they who first withdrew Him from one strife, engage him in a new.