Orlando Furioso Part 139

There, from those dames apart, my Valery Stands with Barignan, haply to devise With him how, evermore by woman harmed, By her he shall not evermore be charmed.

XVII Of high and superhuman genius, tied By love and blood, lo! Pico and Pio true; He that approaches at the kinsmen's side, -- So honoured by the best -- I never knew; But, if by certain tokens signified, He is the man I so desire to view, That Sannazaro, who persuades the nine To leave their fountain for the foaming brine.

XVIII Diligent, faithful secretary, lo!

The learned Pistophilus, mine Angiar here, And the Acciajuoli their joint pleasure show That for my bark there is no further fear.

There I my kinsman Malaguzzo know; And mighty hope from Adoardo hear, That these my nest-notes shall by friendly wind Be blown from Calpe's rock to furthest Ind.

XIX Joys Victor Fausto; Tancred joys to view My sail; and with them joy a hundred more.

Women and men I see, a mingled crew, At my return rejoicing, crowd the sh.o.r.e.

Then, since the wind blows fair, nor much to do Remains, let me my course delay no more; And turning to Melissa, in what way She rescued good Rogero let me say.

XX Much bent was this Melissa (as I know I many times have said to you whilere) That Bradamant in wedlock should bestow Her hand upon the youthful cavalier; And so at heart had either's weal and woe, That she from hour to hour of them would hear: Hence ever on that quest she spirits sent, One still returning as the other went.

XXI A prey to deep and stubborn grief, reclined Mid gloomy shades Rogero they descried; Firm not to swallow food of any kind, Nor from that purpose to be turned aside; And so to die of hunger he designed: But weird Melissa speedy aid supplied; Who took a road, from home forth issuing, where She met the Grecian emperor's youthful heir;

XXII Leo that, one by one, dispatched his train Of followers, far and wide, through every bourn, And afterwards, in person went in vain, To find the warrior of the unicorn.

The wise enchantress, that will sell and rein, Had on that day equipt a demon, borne By him, in likeness of a hackney horse, Constantine's son encountered in her course.

XXIII "If such as your ingenuous mien" (she cried To Leo) "is your soul's n.o.bility, And corresponding with your fair outside Your inward goodness and your courtesy, Some help, some comfort, sir, for one provide In whom the best of living knights we see; Who, save ye help and comfort quickly lend, Is little distant from his latter end.

XXIV "The best of knights will die of all, who don, Or e'er donned sword and buckler, the most fair And gentle of all warriors that are gone, Or who throughout the world yet living are, And simply for a courteous deed, if none Shall comfort to the youthful sufferer bear.

Then come, sir, for the love of Heaven, and try If any counsel succour may supply."

XXV It suddenly came into Leo's mind The knight of whom she parlayed was that same, Whom throughout all the land he sought to find, And seeking whom, he now in person came.

So that obeying her that would persuade Such pious work, he spurred behind the dame; Who thither led (nor tedious was the way) Where nigh reduced to death the stripling lay.

XXVI They found Rogero fasting from all food For three long days, so broken down; with pain The knight could but upon his feet have stood, To fall, albeit unpushed, to ground again.

With helm on head, and with his faulchion good Begirt, he lay reclined in plate and chain.

A pillow of his buckler had he made, Where the white unicorn was seen pourtraid.

XXVII There thinking what an injury he had done To his lady love -- how ingrate, how untrue To her had been -- not simple grief alone O'erwhelmed him, to such height his fury grew, He bit his hands and lips; while pouring down His cheeks, the tears unceasing ran, and through The pa.s.sion that so wrapt his troubled sprite, Nor Leo nor Melissa heard the knight.

XXVIII Nor therefore interrupts he his lament, Nor checks his sighs, nor checks his trickling tears.

Young Leo halts, to hear his speech intent; Lights from his courser, and towards him steers: He knows that of the sorrows which torment Love is the cause; but yet from nought appears Who is the person that such grief hath bred; For by Rogero this remains unsaid.

XXIX Approaching nearer and yet nearer, now He fronts the weeping warrior, face to face, Greets with a brother's love, and stooping low, His neck encircles with a fast embrace.

By the lamenting Child I know not how Is liked his sudden presence in that place; Who fears annoy or trouble at his hand; And lest he should his wish for death withstand.

x.x.x Him with the sweetest words young Leo plied, And with the warmest love that he could show, "Let it not irk thee," to the Child he cried, "To tell the cause from whence thy sorrows flow; For few such desperate evils man betide, But that there is deliverance from his woe, So that the cause be known; nor he bereft Of hope should ever be, so life be left.

x.x.xI "Much grieve I thou wouldst hide thyself from me, That known me for thy faithful friend and true; Not only now I am so bound to thee, That I the knot can never more undo; But even from the beginning, when to be Thy deadly foeman I had reason due.

Hope then that I will succour thee with pelf, With friends, with following, and with life itself.

x.x.xII "Nor shun to me thy sorrow to explain, And I beseech thee leave to me to try If wealth avail to free thee from thy pain, Art, cunning, open force, or flattery, If my a.s.sistance is employed in vain, The last relief remains to thee to die: But be content awhile this deed to shun Till all that thou canst do shall first be done."

x.x.xIII He said; and with such forceful prayer appealed; So gently and benignly soothed his moan; That good Rogero could not choose but yield, Whose heart was not of iron or of stone; Who deemed, unless he now his lips unsealed, He should a foul discourteous deed have done.

He fain would have replied, but made a.s.say Yet twice or thrice, ere words could find their way.

x.x.xIV "My lord, when known for what I am (and me Now shalt thou know)," he made at last reply, "I wot thou, like myself, content wilt be, And haply more content, that I should die.

Know me for him so hated once by thee; Rogero who repaid that hate am I; And now 'tis many days since with intent Of putting thee to death from court I went.

x.x.xV "Because I would not see my promised bride Borne off by thee; in that Duke Aymon's love And favour was engaged upon thy side.

But, for man purposes, and G.o.d above Disposes, thy great courtesy, well tried In a sore need, my fixt resolve did move.

Nor only I renounced the hate I bore, But purposed to be thine for evermore.

x.x.xVI "What time I as Rogero was unknown, Thou madest suit I would obtain for thee The Lady Bradamant; which was all one As to demand my heart and soul from me.

Whether thy wish I rather than mine own Sought to content, thou hast been made to see.

Thine is the lady; her in peace possess; Far more than mine I prize thy happiness.

x.x.xVII "Content thee, that deprived of her, as well I should myself of worthless life deprive; For better I without a soul could dwell Than without Bradamant remain alive.

And never while these veins with life-blood swell Canst thou with her legitimately wive: For vows erewhile have been between us said; Nor she at once can with two husbands wed."

x.x.xVIII So filled is gentle Leo with amaze When he the stranger for Rogero knows, With lips and brow unmoved, with stedfast gaze And rooted feet, he like a statue shows; Like statue more than man, which votaries raise In churches, for acquittance of their vows.

He deems that courtesy of so high a strain Was never done nor will be done again;

x.x.xIX And that he him doth for Rogero know Not only that goodwill he bore whilere Abates not, but augments his kindness so, That no less grieves the Grecian cavalier Than good Rogero for Rogero's woe.

For this, as well as that he will appear Deservedly an emperor's son -- although In other things outdone -- he will not be Defeated in the race of courtesy;

XL And says, "That day my host was overthrown, Rogero, by thy wond'rous valour, though I had thee at despite, if I had known Thou was Rogero, as I know it now, So me thy virtue would have made thine own, As then it made me, knowing not my foe; So hatred from my bosom would have chased, And with my present love have straight replaced.

XLI "That I Rogero hated, ere I knew Thou was Rogero, will I not deny.

But think not that I further would pursue The hatred that I bore thee; and had I, When thee I from thy darksome dungeon drew, Descried the truth, as this I now descry, Such treatment shouldst thou then have had, as thou Shalt have from me, to thine advantage, now;

XLII "And if I willingly had done so then, When not, as I am now, obliged to thee; How much more gladly should I now; and when, Not doing so, I should with reason be Deemed most ungrateful amid ingrate men; Since thou foregoest thine every good for me!

But I to thee restore thy gift, and, more Glady than I received it, this restore.

XLIII "The damsel more to thee than me is due; And though for her deserts I hold her dear, If that fair prize some happier mortal drew, I think not I my vital thread should shear: Nor would I by thy death be free to woo: That from the hallowed bands of wedlock clear Wherein the lady hath to thee been tied, I might possess her as my lawful bride.

XLIV "Not only Bradamant would I forego, But whatsoe'er I in the world possess; And rather forfeit life than ever know That grief, through me, should such a knight oppress.

To me is thy distrust great cause of woe, That since thou couldst dispose of me no less Than of thyself, thou -- rather than apply To me for succour -- wouldst of sorrow die."

XLV These words he spake, and more to that intent, Too tedious in these verses to recite; Refuting evermore such argument As might be used in answer by the knight: Who said, at last, "I yield, and am content To live; but how can I ever requite The obligation, which by me is owed To thee that twice hast life on me bestowed?"

XLVI Melissa generous wine and goodly cheer Thither bade carry, in a thought obeyed; And comforted the mourning cavalier, Who would have sunk without her friendly aid.

Meanwhile the sound of steeds Frontino's ear Had reached, and thither had he quickly made: Him Leo's squires at his commandment caught, And saddled, and to good Rogero brought;

XLVII Who, though by Leo helped, with much ado And labour sore the gentle courser scaled.

So wasted was the vigour which some few Short days before, in fighting field, availed To overthrow a banded host, and do The deeds he did, in cheating armour mailed.

Departing thence, ere they had measured more Than half a league, they reached an abbey h.o.a.r:

XLVIII Wherein what of that day was yet unworn They past, the morrow, and succeeding day; Until the warrior of the unicorn His vigour had recruited by the stay.

He, Leo, and Melissa then return To Charles's royal residence; where lay An emba.s.sy, arrived the eve before, Which from the Bulgars' land a message bore.

XLIX Since they that had for king proclaimed the knight Besought Rogero thither to repair Through these their envoys deeming they would light On him in Charles's court, where they should swear Fidelity, and yield to him his right; And he from them the crown receive and wear.

Rogero's squire who served this band to steer Has published tidings of the cavalier.

L He of the fight has told which at Belgrade Erewhile Rogero for the Bulgars won; How Leo and his sire were overlaid, And all their army slaughtered and undone; Wherefore the Bulgars him their king had made; Their royal line excluding from the throne: Then how Ungiardo took the warrior brave, And him to cruel Theodora gave.

LI He speaks with that of certain news, which say How good Rogero's jailer was found dead, The prison broke and prisoner away: Of what became of him was nothing said.