Orlando Furioso Part 24

XLIII On him with threat and curse she ever cried; Whose tongue collected still fresh cause for blame.

Meanwhile, where to the lovelier fairy's side The pa.s.sage lay across a straight, he came; And there an ancient ferryman espied Put from the other sh.o.r.e with punctual aim, As if forewarned and well prepared, the seer Waited the coming of the cavalier.

XLIV The ferryman put forth the Child to meet, To bear him to a better sh.o.r.e rejoicing: he Appeared as all benign and all discreet, If of the heart the face is warranty.

Giving G.o.d thanks, Rogero took his seat Aboard the bark, and pa.s.sed the quiet sea, Discoursing with that ancient pilot, fraught With wisdom, and by long experience taught.

XLV He praised Rogero much, that he had fled In time from false Alcina, and before To him the dame had given the chalice dread, Her lover's final guerdon evermore.

Next that he had to Logistilla sped, Where he should duly witness holy lore, And beauty infinite and grace enjoy, Which feed and nourish hearts they never cloy.

XLVI "Her shall you, struck with wonderment, revere,"

(He said), "when first you shall behold the fay; But better contemplate her lofty cheer, And you no other treasure shall appay.

In this her love from other differs; fear And hope in other on the bosom prey: In hers Desire demands not aught beside, And with the blessing seen is satisfied.

XLVII "You shall in n.o.bler studies be professed, Tutored by her, than bath and costly fare, Song, dance, and perfumes; as how fas.h.i.+oned best, Your thoughts may tower more high than hawks in air; And how some of the glory of the blest You here may in the mortal body share."

So speaking, and yet distant from the sh.o.r.e, To the safe bank approached the pilot h.o.a.r.

XLVIII When he beholds forth-issuing from the strand, A fleet of s.h.i.+ps, which all towards him steer.

With these came wronged Alcina, with a band Of many va.s.sals, gathered far and near; To risk the ruin of herself and land, Or repossess the thing she held so dear.

Love, no light cause, incites the dame aggrieved, Nor less the bitter injury received.

XLIX Such choler she had never felt before As that which now upon her bosom fed: And hence she made her followers ply the oar Till the white foam on either bank was shed The deafening noise and din o'er sea and sh.o.r.e, By echo every where repeated, spread, "Now -- now, Rogero, bare the magic s.h.i.+eld, Or in the strife be slain, or basely yield":

L Thus Logistilla's pilot; and beside, So saying, seized the pouch, wherein was dight The buckler, and the covering torn aside, Exposed to open view the s.h.i.+ning light.

The enchanted splendor, flas.h.i.+ng far and wide, So sore offends the adversaries' sight, They from their vessels drop amazed and blind, Tumbling from prow before, and p.o.o.p behind.

LI One who stood sentry on the citadel Descried the navy of the invading dame, And backwards rang the castle larum-bell, Whence speedy succours to the haven came.

The artillery rained like storm, whose fury fell On all who would Rogero scathe and shame: So that such aid was brought him in the strife, As saved the warrior's liberty and life.

LII Four ladies are arrived upon the strand, Thither by Logistilla sped in haste: Leagued with the valiant Anrondica stand Fronesia sage, Dicilla good, and chaste Sofrosina, who, as she has in had More than the others, 'mid the foremost placed, Conspicuous flames. Forth issues from the fort A matchless host, and files towards the port.

LIII Beneath the castle, safe from wind and swell, Of many s.h.i.+ps and stout, a squadron lay; Which, in the harbour, at a sound from bell, -- A word, were fit for action, night or day; And thus by land and sea was battle, fell And furious, waged on part of either fay: Whence was Alcina's realm turned upside down, Of which she had usurped her sister's crown.

LIV Oh! of how many battles the success Is different from what was hoped before!

Not only failed the dame to repossess, As thought, her lover flying from her sh.o.r.e, But out of s.h.i.+ps, even now so numberless, That ample ocean scarce the navy bore, From all her vessels, to the flames a prey, But with one bark escaped the wretched fay.

LV Alcina flies; and her sad troop around Routed and taken, burnt or sunk, remains To have lost Rogero, sorrow more profound Wakes in her breast than all her other pains; And she in bitter tears for ever drowned, Of the Child's loss by night and day complains; And bent to end her woes, with many a sigh, Often laments her that she cannot die.

LVI No fairy dies, or can, while overhead The sun shall burn, or heaven preserve their stile, Or Clotho had been moved to cut her thread, Touched by such grief; or, as on funeral pile Fair Dido, she beneath the steel had bled; Or, haply, like the gorgeous Queen of Nile, In mortal slumber would have closed her eye: But fairies cannot at their pleasure die.

LVII Return we, where eternal fame is due, Leaving Alcina in her trouble sore: I speak of valorous Rogero, who Had disembarked upon the safer sh.o.r.e.

He turned his back upon the waters blue, Giving G.o.d thanks for all with pious lore; And on dry ground now landed, made repair Towards the lofty castle planted there.

LVIII Than this a stronger or more bright in show Was never yet before of mortal sight, Or after, viewed; with stones the ramparts glow More rich than carbuncle or diamond bright.

We of like gems discourse not here below, And he who would their nature read aright Must thither speed: none such elsewhere, I ween, Except perhaps in heaven above, are seen.

LIX What gives to them superiority O'er every other sort of gem, confessed, Is, man in these his very soul may see; His vices and his virtues see expressed.

Hence shall he after heed no flattery, Nor yet by wrongful censure be depressed.

His form he in the lucid mirror eyes, And by the knowledge of himself grows wise.

LX Their rays, which imitate the suns.h.i.+ne, fill All round about with such a flood of light, That he who has them, Phoebus, may at will Create himself a day, in thy despite.

Nor only marvellous the gems; the skill Of the artificer and substance bright So well contend for mastery, of the two, 'Tis hard to judge where preference is due.

LXI On arches raised, whereon the firmament Seemed to repose as props, so fair in show Are lovely gardens, and of such extent, As even would be hard to have below.

Cl.u.s.tering 'twixt lucid tower or battlement, Green odoriferous shrubs are seen to grow, Which through the summer and the winter shoot, And teem with beauteous blossom and ripe fruit.

LXII Never in any place such goodly tree Is grown, except within these gardens fine; Or rose, or violet of like quality, Lilies, or amaranth, or jessamine.

Elsewhere it seems as if foredoomed to be Born with one sun, to live and to decline, Upon its widowed stalk the blossom dies, Subject to all the changes of the skies.

LXIII But here the verdure still is permanent, Still permanent the eternal blossoms are; Not that kind nature, in her government, So nicely tempers here the genial air, But that, unneeding any influence lent By planet, Logistilla's zeal and care Ever keep fast (what may appear a thing Impossible) her own perpetual spring.

LXIV That such a gentle lord had sought her rest, Did much the prudent Logistilla please, And she commanded he should be carest, And all should seek to do him courtesies.

Sometime had Sir Astolpho been her guest, Whom with a joyful heart Rogero sees.

There in few days resorted all the crew, Changed by Melissa to their shapes anew.

LXV When they a day or more their weariness Had eased, Rogero sought the prudent fay; With him the duke Astolpho, who no less Desired to measure back his western way.

Melissa was for both emba.s.sadress, And for the warlike pair, with humble say To favour, warn and help them, prayed the dame; So that they might return from whence they came.

LXVI "I" (said the fay) "will think upon this need, And in two days the pair will expedite."

Then thought how good Rogero she should speed.

And afterwards how aid the English knight.

She wills the first shall, on the griffin steed, To the Aquitanian sh.o.r.es direct his flight; But first will fas.h.i.+on for the flying-horse A bit, to guide him and restrain his course.

LXVII She shows him what to do, if he on high Would make him soar, or down to earth would bring, And what, would he in circles make him fly, Or swiftly speed, or pause upon the wing.

And all that skilful hors.e.m.e.n use to try Upon plain ground, beneath her tutoring, Rogero learned in air, and gained dominion Over the griffin-steed of soaring pinion.

LXVIII When at all points Rogero was prepared, He bade farewell to the protecting fay, For ever to the loving knight endeared, And issued from her realm upon his way.

I first of him, who on his journey fared In happy hour, and afterwards shall say Of the English knight, who spent more time and pain Seeking the friendly court of Charlemagne.

LXIX Rogero thence departs; but as before Takes not the way he took in his despite, When him above the sea the courser bore, And seldom was the land beneath in sight.

But taught to make him beat his wings and soar, Here, there, as liked him best, with docile flight, Returning, he another path pursued; As Magi erst, who Herod's snare eschewed.

LXX Borne hither, good Rogero, leaving Spain, Had sought, in level line, the Indian lands, Where they are watered by the Eastern main; Where the two fairies strove with hostile bands.

He now resolved to visit other reign Than that where Aeolus his train commands; And finish so the round he had begun, Circling the world beneath him like the sun.

LXXI Here the Catay, and there he Mangiane, Pa.s.sing the great Quinsay beheld; in air Above Imavus turned, and Sericane Left on the right; and thence did ever bear From the north Scythians to the Hyrcanian main: So reached Sarmatia's distant land; and, where Europe and Asia's parted climes divide, Russ, Prussian, he and Pomeranian spied.

LXXII Although the Child by every wish was pressed Quickly to seek his Bradamant, yet he With taste of roving round the world possest, Would not desist from it, till Hungary He had seen; and Polacks, Germans, and the rest Should in his wide extended circuit see, Inhabiting that horrid, northern land; And came at last to England's farthest strand.

LXXIII Yet think not, sir, that in so long a flight, The warrior is for ever on the wing.

Who lodges, housed in tavern every night, As best as can, through his capacious ring.

So nights and days he pa.s.ses: such delight Prospects to him of land and ocean bring.

Arrived one morn nigh London-town, he stopt; And over Thames the flying courser dropt.

LXXIV Where he in meadows to the city nigh Saw troops of men at arms, and footmen spread; Who, to the drum and trumpet marching by, Divided into goodly bands, were led Before Rinaldo, flower of chivalry; He that (if you remember it) was said To have been sent by Charlemagne, and made His envoy to these parts in search of aid.

LXXV Rogero came exactly as the show Of that fair host was made without the town, And of a knight the occasion sought to know; But from the griffin-horse first lighted down: And he who courteous was, informed him how Of kingdoms holding of the British crown, English, Scotch, Irish, and the Islands nigh, Those many banners were, upreared on high:

LXXVI And added, having ended this display Of arms, the troops would file towards the strand, Where vessels anch.o.r.ed in the harbour lay, Waiting to bear them to another land.

"The French beseiged, rejoice in this array, And hope (he said) deliverance through the band.

But that I may of all inform you well, I of each troop shall separately tell.